Page 221 of Scales ’N’ Spells: Volume One

Only when the dessert course was served did Tori realize he’d spent the past several minutes talking to Cameron, both his hands gesturing wildly as he described the little dwarves he and Baldewin had uncovered in Poland. At some point in the dinner, he’d relaxed enough to release the dragon from the death grip he’d had on his hand.

Glancing over his shoulder, he met Baldewin’s proud look and tried damn hard not to blush. The dragon was always there for him, always believed in him. He just prayed he didn’t do anything to let him down.

Rodrigo sighed loudly and patted his stomach. “King Alric, you have welcomed us wonderfully. That was an amazing meal. I don’t recall the German cooking being so delicious the last time I was here.”

Alric snorted and threw his peer a look. “That might be due to the fact that we were in the middle of a war last time and many meals were little more than rations.”

The other king gave a little shrug as if that might be a consideration. Tori was enjoying the quirky, playful banter between the two kings. It was as if all of Rodrigo’s joy came from teasing Alric and trying to fluster the fire dragon.

“If you are not too weary from your long day of meetings and dinner, we do have a special welcome planned with the rest of the Burkhard Clan,” Alric taunted right back at the ice dragon. “My people are not only anxious to meet the visiting Valerii Clan, but they would like to also officially welcome Tori into our clan.”

“What?” Tori gasped softly, though the room was quiet enough that he was pretty sure everyone heard him. His heart skipped as his head snapped around to look at Baldewin. “Meet the clan?”

“It’s time you were introduced to everyone. They are anxious to speak to you rather than watch you from afar.”

But if they stayed afar, Tori couldn’t say anything embarrassing that would make them regret ever allowing him to join their clan.

“It’s going to be fine. Everyone will love you,” Baldewin said calmly, proving the dragon could read him far too well.

Tori narrowed his eyes on Baldewin, trying for a stern look while pointing his finger at him. “You did not mention anything about meeting the rest of the clan.”

“No, I thought you had plenty to worry about with this dinner. There was no need to make your anxieties worse than they already were.”

“Hiding stuff is not nice.”

“No, it’s not. I’m sorry.” Baldewin wrapped his fingers around Tori’s and pulled them to his lips, where he pressed a soft kiss to the tips. “I’m hoping I can come up with some suitable ways to convince you to forgive me later.”

And he was melting again. Memories of that lovely blowjob in the greenhouse danced through his head. Yeah, Baldewin would definitely know lots of ways to make him forget all about tonight. There was an even better chance Tori wouldn’t even know his own name by morning, and he couldn’t wait.

A loud sigh drew Tori’s gaze across the table to find Rodrigo watching him with a surprisingly sappy smile on his face.

“My parents used to say things like that and gaze into each other’s eyes as if they were the only people in the entire world. Mates are a lovely thing,” Rodrigo murmured.

Tori’s heart skipped for a new reason. Mates?

Could he be Baldewin’s mate? Yes, they were dating, but he hadn’t given it much thought. He’d been worried about impressing Lisette with his magic skills and making sure he could earn a place within the Burkhard Clan. Time with Baldewin had been a break from it all. It had been about relaxing and laughing. He’d honestly not given the mate thing much thought, because Baldewin was amazing and so high ranking within the Burkhard clan. He was the king’s best friend and the head of the royal guards. Tori would expect Baldewin to find a mate in someone who was educated and powerful just like him. Baldewin wouldn’t be with someone like Tori, right?

But hearing Rodrigo call them mates without knowing them at all, it felt different. Did he really dare to hope that he could have it all? Could he really have someone as amazing as Baldewin as a mate? Could he call Burkhard his home, make a life here, and wake up every morning to Baldewin’s handsome, smiling face?

He didn’t know if it was possible, but he was going to try. He’d escaped his clan, found dragons, found a new clan, and even found faith in his own abilities. He could find a way to keep Baldewin, too.

Baldewin was a mix of sad and grateful that Tori was unconscious for the flight to Finland. He would have loved to fly with his mate, sharing the experience of soaring above the clouds in his dragon form, but under no circumstances did he ever want to scare Tori again with flight. No, it was better if he slept for the journey.

While the first flight had been made in a private jet, this one was made in dragon form in the name of speed and power. Tori’s sleeping body was tightly tucked in a sling around Baldewin’s neck as he flew them both into the cold region of Finland.

Baldewin was not oblivious to the amount of trust Tori displayed to allow this. As much as he feared flying, he trusted Baldewin completely to not drop him. And it gave Baldewin and his dragon a deep, smug satisfaction to see that trust so openly displayed.

It was a long flight, done high above the earth, and it felt good to stretch his wings again. It felt even better to do so surrounded by a thunder of dragons, both fire and ice dragons alike—and one wind dragon, of course, as Ravi came with them. They had not flown like this in centuries, and Baldewin felt nostalgic for times gone by.

The only other thing that tugged at Baldewin’s heart was that he was not the one carrying Alric. Since his friend’s injury during the war, Alric had lost the ability to fly in his dragon form. When necessary, Alric had always ridden on Baldewin’s back. While Baldewin was powerful enough to handle both Alric and Tori, they’d both agreed it was better if Baldewin was focused only on Tori during the flight.

For this trip, Alric had elected to ride with Gunter, while Cameron was with Ravi. The wind dragon had promised to be on his best behavior, and while he might like to stir up trouble, he would never knowingly do anything to put Cameron’s life in danger.

Cassie, clever woman she was, had made all their travel arrangements ahead of time. They landed outside a town called Fjordgården, which was technically in Norway, but it was the closest town to Nuorgam that offered accommodations without being in the clan’s territory. She had somehow wrangled three SUVs, as well, to carry all twelve of them to the Taavi Clan. Her skills with a computer bordered on magic all by itself.

They checked into the hotel and stashed their luggage, since none of them anticipated staying with the Taavi Clan tonight. Or anytime soon, really.

Baldewin carried Tori into the second SUV, which held Thiago and Evora in the front seat. Both kings, Cameron, and two of Rodrigo’s bodyguards were in another. The third SUV, bringing up the rear, held Gunter, Ravi, and Rodrigo’s third bodyguard.