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“You’re free to go home, kitten.” He sighed and motioned at the open fence. “It’s not a trick. You can go to your family. Go back to Starnight.” Before she could speak, he dropped to his knees, his head lowered with his chin to his chest. “A king never bows to anyone. A king never apologizes. But I’m sorry. I know what I’ve done to you should not be forgiven—however, you drew some of the shadows from my heart. You made mefeelwhich is something I never expected. So Aura, I bow to you now. Forgive me. Now go.”
Aura looked around, noticing the servants, the guards, Brix, and Astor stealing glances at them. Her cheeks heated. “Get up!” she hissed. “There’s no need for that.”
“Unless it is a different sort of kneeling, I presume?” he cooed as he stood, his chest so close to brushing hers.
Aura swallowed the desire brewing within her and focused on what he’d said about leaving. “You truly expect me to go out that gate and walk the entire way back to Starnight?”
He tilted his head as he moistened his lower lip. “Would you prefer me to fly you home? My dragon won’t mind one bit.”
“I see you’re returning to yourself.” She rolled her eyes. “But if you want to be forgiven, then you will have to do more than fly me home.”
“A rightful heir of Moonstone already making demands. Go on.” He smirked.
“You will not only come to Starnight with me—you will come to my home. You will have a word with my family. If you can get them to forgive you, then so do I.”
“Such a simple task.” He turned to Astor and gestured him toward them.
The hawk shifter hopped over a shrub, then hurried in their direction. “Yes, Your Majesty.”
“Keep watch over the palace until I return.”
“With my life,” Astor said.
Her gaze returned to Rush, roaming him up and down. “Bring your clothing. My father won’t be impressed otherwise.” Even though she’d already seen him bare on several occasions, she turned around and focused on the rustle of his clothing so she didn’t dwell on everything else that had happened with Pax … her drowning.
“Now you can properly get acquainted with my dragon,” Rush purred.
Aura faced him just as sharp, curving talons pierced from his fingertips and obsidian scales spread across his flesh. Within a couple of moments, the beautiful dark beast broke free, his molten silver eyes growing brighter. Not since he’d stolen her from her court had she been this close to the dragon. Smoke puffed out from his slitted nostrils, and she ran her palm over his scales which were smoother than she’d expected. A low, pleasurable growl escaped him and she smiled.
The dragon knelt and Astor helped Aura onto the beast’s back.
“Hold on to the spikes along his spine,” Astor called up to her.
As soon as she settled against him and grasped his spikes, the dragon didn’t hesitate to leap toward the sky. This time there wasn’t the ache to scream when they soared through the air, only the budding sensation to take in everything. She drank in the wonders around her—the clouds so close, the treetops below, all the things she’d never seen before—and never felt more alive.
After a long while of gliding past mountains and forests, over villages and fields, a yellow and brown cottage came into view. Rush circled the area, then descended toward the edge of the forest. As soon as his feet connected with the earth, he knelt to let her slip from his back and down his leg. The dragon shifted, his body shrinking and his scales giving way to soft tan skin. Rush’s eyes danced with amusement as her gaze latched onto his perfect form and he pulled his clothing on.
“I want you to return to Moonstone after this.” He paused, a flicker of uncertainty in the way he studied her. “I won’t force you.”
Her eyes widened. “And leave my family here?”
Rush cocked his head, seeming to mull something over. “They can come too. For Astor’s sake.”
“Yes, forAstor’ssake…” Aura echoed. She was the first to break away from their stare and walk out of the woods toward the cottage. Her heart pounded as she observed not the home itself but who stood outside its door—her mother and sisters.
Her family gazed around the area before her mother’s eyes fell on her.
“Aura!” she shouted and barreled toward her, lifting her skirts as she tore through the field. Her arms folded around Aura and worry filled her eyes. “I’ve been worried sick! You’re not hurt, are you?” She sniffed, wiping away falling tears. Her sisters surrounded them, so her mother released Aura from the hug, then she narrowed her eyes at Rush. “You!You dragon beast! You took her from us! Who do you think you are?”
Rush’s lips curled upward as he looked at each of the hostile faces, except for her two younger sisters who looked at him with curiosity. “The King of Moonstone. We have much to discuss, but know that your daughter was safer with me than she ever would’ve been with that bastard prince.”
“He’s not lying about that,” Aura added. “I wanted to stay with him after learning about the prince’s secrets. Prince Pax is more horrible than you can ever imagine.Washorrible.”
Aura’s mother blinked, and her hand went to her heart as something like guilt shone on her face. Screams broke the silence when the two youngest sisters, unable to contain themselves any longer, flung their arms around Aura.
“Sister! Why did you not come see us? Mama won’t tell us anything!” Fern shouted.
Saffron peered up at Rush, her nose wrinkled. “Will you teach me to turn into a dragon too?”
