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Soren’s eyes widened. “We have to take them. I need more time to go through all of these journals.”
Oh, he was desperate.
Jude stood up, letting the books fall where they may. “What? We have a key.”
“No. I need them in my library so I can take notes. What are they going to do un-royal me? I don’t give a fuck. Something is wrong with our mate and it has something to do with this fucking mountain.”
Gods alive, Soren’s voice cracked when he said mate and the entire room palpitated with the heaviness of his desperation.
“Which ones do you need?” Nico said, standing up and adopting his lower tone. Normally, it would turn me on but this was dire.
We had to find out the connection between the mountain and me and life and…everything.
Books piled in Soren’s hands, we watched around corners and down halls until we reached our apartments. I put the key to the library in the back of the silverware drawer so I could retrieve it later.
I snuck into the library later to bring Soren some tea and a snack. He had rolled up the sleeves of his shirt and even taken his shoes off.
“Thank you,” he gruffed out and reached to touch my hand.
I nodded but turned to leave. “I love you, too, Soren.”
Chapter Eighteen
I told him I loved him. I wanted him to know that I recognized that he was doing so much for me and that was his version of love. And it was a very real version. His library smelled of books and ink and furniture a bit older than most of what the caves held. He’d told me once that the desk and chair he favored had been his grandfather’s, in fact.
One hand was on the door when I was stopped by his words. “You don’t have to leave right now, do you?”
“No, I don’t.” What on earth did I have to do with my time? They’d asked me not to go out by myself until things settled down some, and I’d agreed. Not right away. Only when they pointed out that if I did wander off, they’d have to go find me and that would stop them from everything they wanted to do. My mates were working hard on resolving the lesser situation—both trying to suppress the rebellion and the fact that they were abused by the highers. Basically putting them in the middle with both sides not happy with them.
So, I did stay home unless one of them had time to escort me. But it was hard.
“Want to come in and sit down?” He pushed back from the desk, leaving no doubt where he wanted me to sit. On his lap…Soren? My bookish mate who rarely looked up from a volume was asking me to sit on his lap.
And I did very much want to. “Yes, I do.” I crossed the room and skirted the desk to come to his side then perched on his knee. “This is nice.”
He tugged me closer, bringing me against his chest. “This is nicer.”
“What do you think your grandfather would say about us snuggling on his chair?” The old dragon had been gone for some years, but I did remember him from when I was young. Quite the formal fellow, he had extended his gentlemanly courtesy to everyone in the caves, including the lessers. And little girls who probably weren’t as careful while racing through the hallways as they could have been.
“He liked you.” The words were soft, but they carried. “Grandfather told me once that I should keep an eye on you, that you were going to be someone special.”
I palmed his chest, surprised not only by his comment but also by the strength of his muscles flexing under my hand. But since I couldn’t think of a way to address the latter, I went for the former. “Your grandfather was supposed to be king.” The possibility had been long past by the time I came along, but the legend was there. “We weren’t supposed to talk about it.”
“No, nobody was. He stepped aside because those who wanted to rule threatened those he cared about, and most of the dragons liked the idea of being ruled by a council instead of a single dragon. He thought what he did was for the benefit of everyone in the caves. He was a good man and a good dragon.”
I nodded slowly. “While I think his decision did not go the way he’d hoped, I was always amazed that he stayed after stepping aside. With such dignity and grace. I see that in you as well.” I sighed. “He would have been a great king.”
“Behind that dignity lay a broken heart,” Soren said, stroking a lock of hair back from my cheek. “He knew he’d chosen wrong, but he stayed in hopes of giving us unity.” His lips grazed the top of my head. “But one thing he was right about was how special you are.”
“And did you?” I asked, my throat tight with emotion. “Did you keep an eye on me?”
“Would you think it was creepy if I said I did?” His finger trailed over the shell of my ear, and I shivered.
“I might have before I knew you, but not now. You must have been very subtle for me not to ever know.”
His smile was soft and warm. “Too subtle. When we were teens, I harbored a secret desire for you to notice me.”
“Everyone noticed you, Soren. But lessers like me did not exactly sashay up and say hi to our betters.”
