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Wisteria is hanging out with Evander today. I’ve already asked her not to leave the house without me or Venali with her. She agreed and didn’t seem upset by the suggestion, for which I am thankful. I think she knows that it’s formypeace of mind, and not because I think she’s weak. She’s proven that she’s strong enough to protect herself. But the rebels are now aware of her elf magic. Lasttime they sent ten hybrids after her. Next time, maybe they’ll send twenty or thirty. We don’t know the limits of her magic and I have to make sure that she’s protected.
When the council starts asking questions about heirs, I sit back in my chair. Dad gives me a questioning look, so I shake my head. I’m not going to announce Wisteria’s pregnancy to the council yet, not until she gets a chance to tell her family, even if the entire elf community is already aware.
Dad clears his throat. “Stellan and Wisteria have only been married a month. Isn’t it a little soon to start asking about heirs?”
But we all know the answer to that. A month isn’t too soon, not when it comes to a male dragon shifter. And since they’re already aware that Wisteria and I have a completed mate bond, they’re probably expecting an announcement soon.
“I hope we won’t be waiting too long,” one of the council members states loudly.
Why are they so worried about heirs already? I figured they’d at least wait a year before they started getting antsy about it
“I am quite curious to see what their magic will look like,” another council member says.
It takes me a moment to realize he’s talking about Wisteria and my children. But Venali, Dad, and I keep quiet about what the oracle said. It was one of the terms of the alliance—we can’t speak a word about the oracle’s existence. She has stayed hidden from every supernatural except for the elves. I don’t understand her reasoning, but she’s the oracle. Everything she does is with purpose.
I’m so bored with the council meeting that I nearly fall asleep when suddenly, my heart begins to race like crazy. Fear washes over me and it takes a few, disorientingseconds to realize that it’s Wisteria. I don’t waste a second. I jump from my seat and rush out the doors. I’m vaguely aware that somebody is following me—probably my father or Venali, but I don’t stop to explain anything to them. I’ve got to get to Wisteria. I shift and take off to the sky.
24
Rightfully mine
Wisteria
“You don’t look pregnant,” Evander comments, squinting his eyes as he watches me intently.
“I don’t feel pregnant,” I admit. “But I don’t think the oracle was lying. Besides, I found out, belatedly, that male dragon shifters are super fertile.”
Evander snorts. “Of course my brother conveniently left that out until later.”
What I don’t mention to Stellan’s younger brother is that it likely wouldn’t have made a difference. I can’t seem to help myself when it comes to the dragon crown prince.
“It’s not usually a problem, with female dragon shifters,” Evander says. “Since they can only get pregnant at certain times in their life. But there is a lot more interspecies marrying lately.”
“Hopefully somebody will create a birth control that works for dragon shifters.” I frown. “What if we’re one of those weird people who have twenty kids or something?”
Evander laughs. “I’m not babysitting for you if you have that many kids. But it would be a relief for me.Twenty kids between me and the possibility of ever being king…”
I roll my eyes at him. “What happens if your soulmate isn’t a dragon shifter? You might be the one with twenty kids.”
He purses his lips. “You already know I’m hoping my soulmate will be a fae. Or an elf. I doubt there are many fae elf hybrids about the right age.”
His words make me laugh.
Evander is a good brother-in-law. He’s young, only seventeen. Because of his title, he’s been forced to grow up early—it’s the burden of royalty. But when we hang out, I get glimpses of the seventeen-year-old. My heart breaks for him that he can’t go to Dragon Academy and have friends, but I know all too well what it’s like to be a lonely teenager, set apart from my peers.
Evander and I head out to the pool. He swims laps while I relax in the hammock, reading one of the dragon romance books Stellan bought for me the first day we hung out. The sun is at a point in the sky where the hammock isn’t shaded and I enjoy the heat on my skin. After being stuck inside the estate, where I’m at risk of hypothermia from how cold they keep it, the warmth is a nice reprieve.
“Wisteria,” Evander says.
I look over at him and see that he’s watching me with wide eyes. I’m about to ask him what’s wrong when a shadow passes over the top of me. I look up and see a dragon coming in to land, but it’s what’s behind the dragon that has me jumping from my hammock. An entire horde of dragons, so many that I can’t even begin to comprehend. I throw up a shield around myself and wave Evander over to me. He was already halfway over anyway. I stretch my magic around him, making sure he’s protectedas well. I know he can’t shift to protect himself, so it’s up to me to protect him.
“If it comes down to it, drop the shield around me,” Evander orders. “If something happens to you and I survive, Stellan will kill me anyway.”
“Neither of us are dying,” I say, through gritted teeth. I keep my focus on the dragon at the front of the horde. Black eyes are focused on me. “How many dragons do you think there are?”
“I don’t know.” Evander’s voice quivers. “More than even you could fight off on your own. And since I’m only seventeen, I’m useless in this fight.”
“You should run,” I tell him, as the dragon gets closer. “My shield will protect—”
