Page 66 of Dragon King’s Duty Bride

She wanted to argue, but something in his eyes made her stop. “You bring them home,” she said quietly. “I’ll hold everything here together.”

“You always do,” he murmured.

Then he was gone. He moved into the storm with speed that was not quite human but not quite anything easily named.

Sia stood in the courtyard as rain lashed her face and thunder rolled across the sky. She forced herself to remain still when every instinct screamed to follow.

She went back inside and gathered the girls after she dried herself off and they cuddled on the sofa while she wove a story about a goat who believed herself a dragon and challenged thunder as if it were a rival beast.

Time seemed to stretch forever but when she checked her watch, it had only been a short time. Then she finally heard a faint sound.

Bleating.

Distant, but unmistakable. She froze mid-sentence as a shout followed. Sia ran for the doors and rain blurred her vision as shapes emerged through the downpour. Lucas appeared with Luna in his arms.

Soaked to the bone, streaked with mud, but grinning weakly through chattering teeth.

Behind them, a guard carried an indignant, mud-covered Spirit who bleated loudly in protest at being restrained. Relief struck Sia so violently her knees nearly gave out.

She reached Luna first, pulling her into a fierce embrace. “Do not ever do that again,” she whispered against wet hair.

“Spirit had run away when I went to bring her in. I just knew she was scared. I found her near an old fence post,” Luna said, breathless and shivering. “She was stuck. But then when I got her free, I went the wrong way cause I couldn’t see.”

Spirit bleated, as if offended by the implication. Lucas stood dripping all over the floor, the gold in his eyes finally beginning to dim.

Spirit wriggled free the moment her hooves touched tile and immediately pressed herself against Lucas’s leg as though nothing in the world could possibly separate them again.

He exhaled, long and controlled. “After a bath, this little one sleeps in the girls’ room. I’m not going through that again, nor do I have enough locks to keep her contained.”

Sia let out a shaky laugh that felt half like a sob. The girls erupted into cheers at the thought of a goat sleeping with them.

Sia wrapped her arms around Lucas’s neck and he pulled her close. They understood without words that some storms did not come to break you at all.

They came to reveal exactly what you would fight to keep.

Chapter 23

Lucas

The storm had burned itself out to a low, distant grumble by the time the house finally went still.

Lucas stood in the hallway outside the girls’ room for a long moment and just listened to the quiet.

The girls were all tucked in tight beneath their heavy quilts after a long evening. Luna had passed out almost immediately after her adventure in the storm. Spirit, the crazy little goat who had absolutely no respect for boundaries, was curled up at the end of Celeste’s bed like she was no more than one of their stuffed animals. Every so often, Celeste would sigh in her sleep and press a hand into her fur. The goat didn’t protest at all.

They were all safe, warm and whole. The frantic band of panic that had wrapped around Lucas’s ribs since the first crack of thunder finally loosened.

He stepped into the kitchen and found Sia there, a mug cradled between her palms, the heat warming her hands. Her hair was down, the ends curled slightly in the aftermath that the storm had left behind. She looked tired.

“All tucked in and mostly asleep. I think they all had enough excitement for tonight.”

“I made a pot of coffee.” She pointed to the counter. “Spirit get settled in with no problems?”

“Like he owns the place.” He chuckled. “You know we’re never getting that goat out of this castle, right? The girls will have her wearing clothes before too long.”

She gave a quick shrug. “I figured that, which is why I steered them toward a breed that stays small.” She took a sip. “Besides, it’s better that she moves in with the girls rather than have them constantly remind us that she needs siblings.”

Lucas moved behind her and kissed her on the back of the neck. “Yeah, one goat is much better than two. Or three.”