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If Revel felt any fear or intimidation, he sure didn’t show it. “Just waiting for Raphael. Her visit time is over, and I’m here to take her back home.”

“Home?” Fenrick asked with a snarl. “Not for long. You do realize that she will be leaving you very soon, and I’m fairly certain her home will be here. Then I will feel free to have you killed if you so much as come near Regnamoor.”

Revel laughed. “You’re all very dramatic this morning. Just send her out and I’ll be⁠—”

“Here I am.” I elbowed my way through the wall of men and stepped into the circle. Revel’s lopsided grin appeared, and my heart melted. I badly wanted to run into his arms, but I didn’t need to give Fenrick more reason to want him dead.

I put on a polite smile. “Thank you so much for your hospitality, Prince Fenrick. I will leave for now and wait to hear word from the Triumvirate.”

Fenrick smirked conceitedly. “So, you’ve made your decision.” He sent the smirk Revel’s way. The man apparently believed that he was the winner of this vile contest.

“No one will know that until I stand in front of the Triumvirate. Thank you again. I assume we can both leave here without any obstacles?” I asked.

The question sent a chain of tension around the circle. While hands hovered over sword pommels, everyone waited for Fenrick’s word. He’d pretended to me that his sickly, aged father was still in charge and that he’d ordered the attack on us at Dante Fell, but I could see that was all a lie.

Fenrick nodded. “Let them pass without trouble.” He looked at me waiting for a thank you, but I was too anxious to get the hell away from there.

Revel held out both hands and slowly picked up his axe. We both walked away from the circle. I breathed a sigh of relief when we were clear of them. Revel dropped his axe over his shoulder and reached back to take my hand, which I gladly gave him. He led me toward trees.

“Why are we going this way?” I asked, struggling to keep up with his long stride. “Shouldn’t we stick to the road? Did you bring the wagon? It’s a rather long walk.”

“I thought we’d go home a different way,” he said as he pushed through some heavy shrubs. I shied away from the branches, worried odd creatures would pop out. This wasn’t Ironfall Wilds, but it wasn’t exactly a park garden either. And there was little light getting through the thick canopy.

“What do you mean, a different way?” I asked as we stepped into a clearing that was bold with sunlight. And sitting on his haunches in the middle of the clearing, glistening like a bright blue jewel, was Revel’s dragon, Kya. The creature lifted his head. His ears perked forward, and he made a purring sound at the sight of me.

“Kya!” I ran to the dragon, who was just about to kneel down to me. “No, please don’t kneel.” I stood back to admire him. “You look incredible.” The dragon dropped his head, and I scratched him behind the ear. A low, satisfied growl rolled up from his long gold throat.

“You’d think Kya was the one that hatched the plan to retrieve you from Regnamoor,” Revel drawled behind me.

I turned to him, and he wasted no time pulling me into his arms. He took hold of my face. His hands were warm and callused as his mouth covered mine. His kiss was long, hard and urgent. And as his tongue explored my lips and mouth, I melted against his hard body. His hands moved from my face down my back and under my cloak. He pressed me tighter against him, and I could feel every muscle ridge, his taut abdomen, his hardening erection. I pulled my mouth from his and peered up at him. His hazel eyes were dark green like a turbulent sea, and they were glassy with the fever of longing.

“Whisper, my tiny Whisper, don’t leave me again. Do you hear me? Not again.” His mouth returned to mine. I was dizzy with wanting him. Every inch of me was flaming with need, and my pussy ached to be touched. He seemed to read my mind. His hands swept down over my ass and between my legs. His fingers massaged my throbbing crotch and I rubbed against him, wanting more of the delicious pressure his fingers were supplying. I was rolling to something incredible, a complete loss of myself, of my surroundings. My head lulled back, and I luxuriated in his touch. I was close to a cliff edge, one that would take me into the abyss of ecstasy when something landed between us. Revel let me go and grunted as he fell back a few steps. I nearly fell backward in disappointment. I opened my eyes to a long leg of cobalt blue scales. Kya glowered at Revel and released a menacing, low growl. Heat surrounded the dragon, though there were no flames.

Revel regained his footing. He returned the same glower to his faithful beast. “What the fuck, Kya?”

Kya turned to me and lowered his heated nostril to sniff me. “Uh, I think he thought you were hurting me.” I stifled a laugh. “Seems I have more than one protector.”

Revel’s silver dragon beads swung like pendulums as he shook his head in disapproval at the dragon. Kya snorted his direction. Revel jumped back a few feet to avoid the red embers that came with a splash of dragon snot.

Revel blew out an exasperated breath. “Just great. Seems like everyone in Troikana is trying to keep me from the woman I love.” He said it casually, but his words had huge impact.

I stared at him, afraid to blink and find out the last few moments were just a glitch. “You love me?” I asked.

He seemed to realize then that he’d said the words out loud. I wasn’t entirely sure he meant to. Revel stood a few feet from me and looked up at Kya for permission to move closer. He rolled his eyes when the dragon gave a nod.

“Fucking great,” he muttered. He reached me. “Raphael, I need you like a dragon needs its wings, like a tree needs its leaves, like a body needs its soul. You own my heart and that will never change.”

I hopped on my toes and threw my arms around him. I winked at Kya to let him know everything was fine. “I love you too, Revel Greyhart.” I landed back on my heels and peered up at him. He was breathtaking in the light filtering through the clearing. “I love you with every fiber of my body.” I kissed him again.

“I guess we should head back. Raina will be waiting for you.”

“Yes, I’m anxious to see everyone.” I glanced around. “How are we getting home? I think it’s a very long walk.”

“Yes, it is, but it’s a very short flight.” He walked toward the dragon. Kya instantly got down on his haunches. Revel climbed onto his back and lowered a hand for me.

My heart pounded fast in my chest. “We’re flying back?” The words croaked out of my throat in disbelief. “Holy shit.” I reluctantly gave him my hand, and he lifted me easily onto the dragon. I slid closer to him and wrapped my arms tightly around him.

“Hold on,” he advised.