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It was the first time I had been shirtless in her presence that she didn’t comment on it. I noted she looked tired and strained.
I held up a finger and then went inside, grabbing her a bracelet of small sapphires the entire way around it. I only had seven trinkets left, but I felt with her loyalty in keeping Jorah and Owen safe, she more than deserved a gift today. I only wished I could put it on the hand I had seen for the briefest of moments.
I walked to her and held it out by a finger.
She immediately grabbed it away with a talon, no hesitation this time.
“How large is your hoard anyway? Are we talking a moderate size?”
I am the queen of Dra Skor. What do you think?
I smirked. “Well, consider that a gift of thanks for keeping Jorah and Owen, as well as all the guards they brought, safe.”
She dipped her large head.You have permission to attempt the other lakes. I gave it. Yes, there was some pushback, but not as awful as I would have assumed. Likely because of your gallivanting in there.
I breathed in deeply. I needed to get some sleep to finish recouping my magic and then it was back to work on the lakes. This time no sneaking around. “Is that why you came? To tell me that?”
She snorted out a smoke ring.No.
I couldn’t help but joke, “Seeing me shirtless once in a day wasn’t enough for you then?”
No.
“Well don’t hold me in suspense all night, what is it?”
She was quiet a moment, as if deliberating.
“Esta,” I paused, not entirely aware of when we came to be on a first name basis and threw away the royal titles. “What is it?”
I came because now that you have proven you can change things in Dra Skor, possibly even heal things, whoever is my enemy who wishes me off the throne has now become yours too.
I removed all scolding from my tone, all mockery, before I asked, “So you were worried about me?”
I suppose if you would like to put it that way.
“What way wouldyouput it?”
That I am protecting what could quite possibly be Dra Skor’s last thread of hope.She looked up at the stars and sighed.It is not likely I sleep well tonight. I’ll be facing this direction all night and watching the skies. So when I flew over and saw your door open, I thought I would check in.
“I am not afraid, Esta,” I told her. “Not of you. Not of your enemy. We make our own rules, remember? As far as I am concerned, an enemy of yours is an enemy of mine anyway.”
My instincts are going to drive me to madness until the rest of the lakes are changed. And likely the rest of the time you are here. My innate need to protect what is valuable to Dra Skor.
“So stay over. At least then you can sleep.” I tossed the words out casually before I realized the heft of them, hoping I wouldn’t insult the queen of Dra Skor by telling her to simply sleep over. As if we were children.
She stunned me a few moments later when she asked,You do not mind if I sleep out here? It would send a clear message to any shifters who fly over that I am serious about protecting you.
“I mind that it’s out here.” I pointed to the chair on the balcony. “That thing is not meant for my body to sleep on.”
You do not have to sleep out here,she stated.I will. I prefer to sleep outside otherwise I get warm.
“Fine. But I’m leaving the door open so you can at least tell me a goodnight story,” I joked as I headed to grab her pillows.
This again?
“This again.” I paused as I set the pillows down for her. “Will you get in trouble with Zaire for this?”
She puffed out a smoke ring.No. He knew I would send a shifter to protect you, just likely didn’t realize it’d be myself. But as the queen, my actions set the tone. I’m sending a message.
