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Kissing her nose, I stepped back for her to straighten, and saw her offer me a gracious bow of her head before her wings lifted her to the immeasurable heights of the cavern. Her form disappeared into one of the Dragon lairs above us.
When my attention returned to my advisor, my pain in the ass,andconfidant, I found her onyx eyes narrowed on me. “You should have told me,” she chided. “I turned my back on you for one second, to make sure dinner would be ready on time, and when I came back you were gone. Poof! Vanished.”
Facing her, I gave her a pointed look. “You know that making sure there are nounwantedguestsencumbering on our lands is my priority.” I began to walk towards the Elevated Warriors standing guard at the entrance to our temporary palace.
“We havethemfor that!” she screeched, catching my stride, and gesturing to the ten warriors standing at each side of the huge archway carved into the rock. “You are our princess. I can’t have you going out there and being captured by Raithian, barbequed by Azazel, or the gods forbid, being used asentertainmentby the Dark Empire’s mindless followers.”
“I believe what Lady Willow is trying to say, is that you should not risk your life unnecessarily, Princess,” Kingston, my friend and Chief of Battle, intervened, reaching me before I could cross the door. “We were not aware you had decided to do the scouting tonight. Had we known, I would have sent at least three of my men and women with you, to protect you.”
The concern was clear in his soft tone, contradicting his large and intimidating presence, and that warmed my heart. Kingston had begrudgingly taken over commanding the legion after my aunt’s sacrifice left that position open, and having more years of experience than anyone here, there were very few people I trusted as much as I did him.
Kingston had trained us all, even my aunt.
“I understand and appreciate your concern, but you know me. I might be impetuous, but I am never careless. Luna was perfectly hidden by the sky, and you know she would never let anything happen to me. Besides, I knew you’d want to send a thunder of Dragons with me, and I didn’t want to—”
“Take more than necessary away from the enclave, so they would protect our people in case someone found us and attacked,” he finished for me, wise eyes trained on mine.
“Also, four Dragons would draw too much attention. They might become invisible to the naked eye, but you can still hear them if you know what to look for. One was more than enough,” I confirmed, seeing him shake his head, but was unable to contradict me.
“I cannot argue with that logic,” he confessed. “It’s what I would have done.”
Grinning, I stood on my tiptoes and kissed his cheek, walking past him to enter the façade of the palace expertly carved into the inside of the mountain. It’s tall towers and sharp spires rose out of the stone, intricately detailed, as though wanting to reach the sky.
“You are no help at all!” Willow hissed behind me, and I looked over my shoulder to see her smack Kingston’s chest. Hard. “You were supposed to support me, so she doesn’t disappear on us again! We have to take care of her, Kingston. It isyourjob to protect her.”
Her words might seem harsh, but I knew they came from a good place. So did Kingston. His honey eyes glanced at her with nothing but kindness. “You are right, Lady Willow. I am truly sorry.”
Huffing, she walked to my side, leaving him with the others that trailed behind us, while we took the first set of stairs into our palace.
“Silent treatment?” I asked, linking my arm with hers.
“At least for two weeks,” she declared, glancing at the handsome, bronzed-skin giant behind us. He smiled at her knowingly, and with a striking grin like that one, I doubted she would last a day. It wasn’t the first time she had tried.
“Wait, I’m mad at you too!” Willow complained, pushing me away when she remembered. “You have to stop doing that to me. The next heart attack you give me might be the last,” she warned, and the sting of regret hit me.
“You are right, I’m sorry. I should have told you I would do a flight around our lands. I just know how worried you get, and I didn’t want to have to argue with you.”
“‘Have to argue with me’,because even if we had, you would have done it anyway?” she asked knowingly.
I shrugged. “My kingdom, my responsibility.”
“You are so stubborn. You don’t have to do it all yourself. We have warriors who can protect you.”
My eyes rolled with her remark. “You always forget I’m not a dainty flower. I was trained by the fiercest warrior of them all. I can defend myself." I threw a glance at the gentle guardian behind me, winking at him.
Kingston grinned, accepting my compliment, and confirming my ability with the pride gleaming in his eyes when he nodded.
“I suppose you are not totally useless,” Willow agreed, sighing in defeat, and linking her arm with mine again.
“Thank you for the confidence,” I snorted, hearing the chuckles of the men and women behind us while we moved through the torch-lit corridors.
“You areverywelcome,” my friend smirked, onyx eyes sparkling wickedly as we arrived at my chambers.
“My job is done. I leave you safe and sound, Princess,” Kingston offered, giving me a slight bow of his head, and his eyes focused on my friend. “Lady Wil—”
“I’ll wait for you in the room, Evanna,” she informed, talking over him like Kingston wasn’t even there. “I’m going to get your bath and dress ready for dinner.” Not waiting for a response, she whirled around—causing her sleek onyx hair to fly, along with the rust-colored skirt she wore. Entering the hall to my quarters, she disappeared inside.
Sighing, I glanced at the strong but sweet man before me. “Sorry. Since my aunt died, she seems to think it is up to the two of you to keep me safe. Apparently, parents need to have a ‘united front’ when raising a rebellious child.”
