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Caelan grabbed the front of Drayce’s shirt, pulling him in for another hug while rubbing his cheek against Drayce’s shoulder. He wanted to be wrapped in the warm, smoky scent of his dragon. Even if Drayce wasn’t right next to him, he wanted to close his eyes and still smell him.
“I know,” Caelan whispered. “You’re right. When I woke and discovered what you’d done, I felt…abandoned. Alone. And I can’t do this alone.”
Drayce swore loudly in his ear and hugged him tightly. “You are never alone. No matter what happens, we will always be with you.”
Closing his eyes, Caelan soaked in the warmth of his lover. The room filled with the sound of shuffling feet and scraping chair legs as his friends drew close.
And then he couldn’t breathe.
“Fuck!” Caelan groaned as both Eno and Rayne wrapped arms around them and hugged them. “Fuck! Can’t breathe!” Caelan cried in a muffled voice against Drayce’s shoulder.
“Breathing is for the weak,” Drayce snickered, though he was also sounding squished.
Caelan opened his eyes to see Adrian standing just on the outside of their group, a lopsided, awkward grin on his face. He managed to get an arm free and snag a handful of the man’s shirt, pulling him into their pile. “Come on. You’re an asshole too!”
“No! I didn’t agree to group hugs!” Adrian cried out as Eno looped an arm behind his neck.
“Too late! You’re one of us now.” Drayce laughed.
Yes, this was his family. He might have another one on the Isle of Stone who was related by blood and occasionally grew scales, but this was his first family.
When they separated, Caelan found Davi standing on the other side of the room, his arms folded across his chest as he stared a hole into his older brother.
“Davi, I’m sorry—” Eno started, but his younger brother scoffed and waved a dismissive hand at him.
“Forget it. I understand. Doesn’t mean I have to like it, but I do understand.” Eno crossed to him, and Davi immediately smacked him on the side of the head. “Shut up. Don’t get yourself dead.”
Drayce cackled. “Finally! Someone to hit Eno on the head so he can understand what it feels like.”
Naturally, Rayne lightly smacked Drayce on the back of the head as he returned to his seat and his coffee.
His lover suddenly gasped and twisted both of his fists in Caelan’s shirt. “Hey! If I’m your Consort, does that mean I outrank Rayne?”
Rayne snorted. “Consort over Dauphin? Hardly.”
It was a struggle not to laugh, but Caelan managed somehow. “No. Until I have a child, Rayne is the next in line for the throne. If I die after we’re married, you’ll always have the title of King’s Consort, but it won’t ever give you the throne.” He arched a brow and smirked at his lover. “I hope you weren’t hoping to gain the crown this way.”
Drayce chuckled. “As if. We both know we’re dying together. No fucking way I’m outliving you. Bodyguard before Consort.”
Rayne groaned. “Enough death talk for now, please.”
“How about talk about killing? Can we talk about killing Empire soldiers?” Drayce countered.
“How about breakfast?” Caelan interjected. It already looked like Rayne was about to say he was contemplating the murder of a certain King’s Consort. “Dauphin, make my breakfast as penance for you and all these assholes refusing to listen to their king. Please.”
Rayne shifted his annoyed glare from Drayce to him as Cael had planned, but it softened slightly as the corners of his stern mouth twitched. “On two conditions. First, you stop calling me Dauphin. I’m your advisor.”
“Fine.” Caelan sighed.
“Second, you tell me you have another plan if you’re so determined to not use the dragon time for yourself.”
Caelan sighed, the last of his amusement draining away. He pulled out a chair at the table and dropped into it while the others settled nearby. “I didn’t tell you earlier because it is a bit of a long shot and unlikely to work,” he hedged.
He looked up to see Rayne’s eyes narrow on him as if the man were attempting to read his mind. When it came to Rayne, there was a damn good chance of it. His advisor finally huffed and threw up his hands. “You want to steal Safa’s time.”
“I do. She’s the one who deserves to die in all of this. For the people she’s killed and for all those who could be killed if she continues to pursue this course,” Caelan countered. “But I’m not sure I’ll be able to, considering she’s bonded to a goddess. Nyx hasn’t been incredibly helpful on the matter.”
“It’s basic math, though. Right?” Drayce asked. “You’ve got four gods and she’s got one. Four beats one.”
