Page 122 of Gift from the Stone

“No time for that, dragon. Stop looking at her like that. We have to go,” Caspian commands as he steps up behind me, wrapping me in his shadows and scaring the shit out of me. I hear Draken’s growl as we disappear in the darkness, the noise following me all the way to the back lawn where the other two are waiting.

“Told you two not to leave him responsible for getting her. He was damn near about to maul her. What were you thinking dressing her in this at dawn?” Caspian snarls at Corentin and Tillman, but neither is paying him any mind whatsoever. It’s a good question, though. Not that my dress is anything crazy or overly revealing, but something about my V-cut clothes drives them mad.

“You look beautiful, baby,” Corentin murmurs in my hair as he pulls me out of his brother’s arms. Making me blush, just as Draken busts out the door like an angry…well, dragon.

“Why the fuck do you all keep taking my little wanderer from me?” He snarls, honestly pissed. Extracting myself from Corentin, I go straight to him and stand in his line of sight, taking his attention off his brothers.

“Hey, you. It’s okay,” I whisper gently, cupping his cheek.

“Sorry. It’s just a fuck ton has happened in the last few days. I’ve barely been able to keep him in check since you got…” He swallows, fighting back his eyes from their shifted form.

“I know. I’m feeling it too,” I say softly, just for him to hear. We both can’t fall apart right now.

“When we get home today, we’ll go for a flight. Maybe if the others aren’t too scared, they’ll come up with us,” I suggest. Honestly, it’ll probably help with my mood too. My dragon doesn’t demand to shift like Draken’s, but now that I’ve said something about it, she’s all ears.

“I don’t see any of their asses taking to the sky.” He snorts. I smile as his eyes soften and I feel the rage simmering out through the bond.

“Come on, the faster we start our day, the faster we get home.” I try to reason, even though I know that’s bullshit. It’s going to be a long day.

As soon as we pop into the training gym, there’s a buzz of activity already happening, and I grumble under my breath about how everyone can be so energetic this damn early. I’ve yet to have my coffee and I’m still just as sleepy as I was when I woke up.

“Tell the others bye, princess, the two of us aren’t staying here,” Corentin orders.

“We’re not?” I ask.

“No.” That’s all he gives me and with that stupid blank mask on. I can’t read his features to tell what he’s up to and all I can sense down his bond is amusement. Listening, rather than prying deeper, I give Draken and Tillman a hug and a quick kiss, then mosey my way over to Caspian.

“Be good, Primary. I’ll be back to check on you later,” he lightly warns, but his playful smirk tells me he hopes I don’t listen.

“Will you make yourself known when you check on me?” I ask.

“Maybe,” he infuriatingly answers.

My mouth slightly parts as he runs a shadow across my bottom lip, and I unconsciously drift forward. His dark chuckle surprises me and my eyes fly open to see I’m pressing my body up against his. He leans forward, kissing the corner of my mouth, and I have to bite my cheek to stop myself from turning into his lips.

“Later, Primary,” he whispers before disappearing into the shadows.

Tease.

“Where are we going? I’m not going to help with interrogations?” I ask Corentin the moment I’m in his arms.

“Not today. Tomorrow, we’re all going. But today, I’ve got stuff I need to figure out here, so you’re staying behind,” he answers vaguely.

Blowing one more kiss and a wave to Tillman and Draken, I decide to keep my mouth shut and I guess just let him whisk me away to his office. The sun’s barely up, so I don’t have any motivation to make any decisions.

We step out of the transport right on the front steps of a house I’ve never seen, but looking behind me, I see the administration building. Actually, I can pick out Corentin’s window from here. I turn to ask him where we are when the door swings open, revealing a very cheery Oakly, who’s still in comfy pajamas.

“Welcome to my home,” she exclaims, wrapping her arms around me.

“I thought we were going to your office?” I ask Corentin over my shoulder dumbfoundedly.

“I am, but I thought you could use some girl time,” he tells me, smiling.

“Really?” I ask in a shocked whisper.

“I knew you needed it, princess. Spend the morning here away from, well, everything, then I’ll come get you later,” he tells me, and I extract myself from Oakly, throwing my arms around his neck.

He doesn’t waste a second lifting me off my feet and hitting me with a blistering kiss. This is what I both adore and what concerns me the most about Corentin; he’s always so fine-tuned into everyone else’s needs, he forgets his own.

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