Mirelle might dissolve into tears more often than most, but her dragon has teeth and talons like any other. “Every dragonrider has a responsibility to protect Maledin. I will take the princess as well.”
Zabriel races from the room, presumably to tell the others the good news.
King Aylard dismisses me with a gesture. “Do as you wish, dragonmaster, but make sure my eldest son is unharmed.”
“All your children will be safe with me, dragonmaster.”
The queen gives me an encouraging smile and nod as I leave, knowing I will watch over all three of her children.
As I cross the dragongrounds toward Zenevieve, I can tell from her glowing expression that she’s already heard the news.
“My first group mission. When will we set off?” Her eyes are bright and sparkling with enthusiasm. I half expect her to dance around me in excitement, as she would have done when she was fourteen, but she clasps the hilt of her sword instead, her chin lifted and back straight. I admire her newfound poise for a moment.
I open my mouth to answer, but I notice something over her shoulder. Every man on the dragongrounds is staring at her. Emmeric over by Shar. An Alpha named Dandro has stopped inhis tracks. Even a Beta called Pavel has walked out from behind his dragon to keep her in his line of sight.
I glare at each of them. Pavel turns red and ducks behind his dragon, but the two Alphas hold their ground. Emmeric curls his lip at me in a manner just like his father, and Dandro lifts his chin in defiance.
Defy me, will they? I put my hand on my sword hilt and take a few steps forward. If they wish to fight, I will gladly give them as many bruises and cuts as they desire.
Dandro gives me a dirty look and resumes his walk toward the castle. Emmeric mutters under his breath as he slinks away.
“Stesha, is everything all right?”
I glance back at Zenevieve. No, everything is not all right. Emmeric is a menace, Dandro fucks every Beta who strays too close, and Pavel is punching far above his weight if he thinks he deserves a beauty like Zenevieve. The other day I overheard Dandro asking her to go flying with him. Flying. That’s what lovers do. I feel myself growing angry all over again. Who does he think he is? I called Zenevieve back to my side, and Dandro walked away muttering,Jealous bastard. I take exception to that. Jealousy is for lesser Alphas. I’m not jealous. I’m protecting Zenevieve from idiots who are only thinking with their knots. Dandro looks at Zenevieve like he’s counting the days to his next rut.
Just thinking about any of these men getting their unworthy hands on Zenevieve threatens to tear through the paper-thin hold I have on my temper. I’m dutifully fulfilling my oath to Alin to always protect her. He wouldn’t want questionable Alphas like Dandro and Emmeric sniffing around her any more than I do.
I ignore her second question and answer the first. “The matter is urgent. We’ll go tomorrow.”
I put my hand lightly on Zenevieve’s nape and steer her behind Nilak and out of sight of those leering idiots. My thumb brushes over her soft skin.
“I can’t wait,” Zenevieve says, glowing with anticipation.
Over her shoulder, I notice Zabriel making a beeline for Zenevieve, no doubt intending to yap her ear off about tomorrow’s mission. He’s striding as confidently as a fully mature Alpha dragonrider, which I suppose he nearly is now. He hasn’t shown any intimate interest in my ward, but Alphas can turn to whoever’s closest when they feel a rut coming on. I still haven’t decided what I think about the crown prince. Zabriel doesn’t seem to have his father’s cruelty, and he’s a decent dragonrider and passable swordsman, but I’m not convinced he has a brain between his ears. Worse, at least in regard to my ward, he’s unmated. I doubt Zabriel could resist Zenevieve’s beauty while his dragines are aching.
I hold out my hand to Zenevieve. “Shall we fly together on Nilak?”
A smile breaks over her face. “Yes, please.”
I carry her up onto my dragon’s back before Zabriel can reach us. Zenevieve sits sideways between my thighs with her ankles crossed and a hand on my chest. I hold her tightly for her own safety as Nilak spreads her wings and takes to the skies. We soar through the glorious afternoon sunshine, the people and worries of Maledin dropping away beneath me. Up here, there’s only Nilak and Zenevieve, and that’s the way I like it.
There’s plenty of time for Zenevieve to find a mate when…
My grip tightens on Zenevieve. When Nilak’s dragonfire turns to ice, that’s when.
“Stesha, are you all right? You smell angry all of a sudden.”
I take a calming breath, smooth her hair back, and cradle the back of her head. Her face, uptilted to mine, is burnished withgolden sunshine. “Don’t go flying with anyone else. I don’t trust them to take care of you.”
“I have wondered why I’m being asked when I have a perfectly good dragon of my own.”
I make a disgusted sound. “It’s the most obvious dragonrider flirting there is.”
Zenevieve reaches up and touches my jaw and smiles. “Is it?”
“Of course.” Has my ward really not made the connection? I hope she hasn’t been smiling as prettily at other men as she’s smiling at me now, or someone’s going to get the wrong idea in his head. “Where shall we go on Nilak?”
Still smiling, she rests her cheek against my chest and holds me tighter. “Anywhere you want, Stesha.”
