Page 43 of A Bond of Fire and Roses

I grab her neck, tilting her head back. “Don’t you ever apologise for kissing me. I’m your husband. You never need to apologise for kissing me or doing anything to me except trying to kill me, perhaps.”

Her eyes sparkle with that same old defiance. Fuck, I love that look.

“I’m not apologising for that.”

“Really?” I cock an eyebrow. I wrap the cloak around her shoulders and pick her up, making her gasp. She holds onto me as I carry her back to the castle, and I expect a fight, but it doesn’t come. She lets me carry her. “You must be tired or in shock if you’re letting me carry you. You’re the first female dragon rider in history, Maelena. Congratulations.”

“Fighting you is tiring. Just for now, I’m going to let you. Then you can show me the truth.”

She swallows a yawn and my eyes flicker to her lips. I want to taste her again, but she is exhausted and sleep will claim her soon enough. I need to be holding her when it does. I set her down on the bed in our room and she curls up at my side, yawning once before falling into a deep sleep.

I watch my wife. The first female dragon rider and wonder if there will ever be a time she won’t hate me for what I did to get us here.

CHAPTER SIXTEEN

Isettle into the bathtub, letting the warm water lap over my body. Breathing in the fragrant steam, I rest my head against the metallic tub, and close my eyes. In all the years I spent in captivity, a hot bath was one of the things I often fantasised. Back then it seemed so far out of my reach. The cold-water basins, often frozen in winter, and the cheap soap were all I ever got to clean myself. Sometimes I was given an old sponge, and I remember feeling like I’d been handed a pot of gold.

But this—this beautiful, luxury bath that can be drawn at my command—is unlike what I could have imagined. After riding my very own dragon, and then Erax, my aching bones have needed this. I sink down until my hair floats around me.

Through my bond, I can feel Freyren at rest, exhausted after her first time flying. It blows my mind to think she was only born a few hours ago. Although the magic allowed her to grow, she still has a lot of maturing to do, and heaps more growing according to Zepheira. That worries me since she already looks bigger than some of the other dragons.

Just how big will my dragon grow?

A knock on the door startles me. “Yes?”

No response.

“Erax?”

If it is Erax, he’s determined to make me drag myself out of this lovely bath.

“Gods above!”

I grumble under my breath as I stand in the water and reach for my bathrobe. I wrap it around my body, pulling the tie tight. He’s lucky I got to enjoy my bath for a good fifteen minutes before he returned. Why is he back so soon anyway? Now that our honeymoon period is officially over, he said he had several duties to tend to, and he told me to spend the rest of my day resting. I was just beginning to feel rested.

“I hope you come bearing food. I’m so hungry I could eat a dragon.”

I squeeze my hair with another towel and make my way to the bathroom door.

The towel slips through my fingers when I open it and see who’s on the other side.

It’s not Erax. It’s not even a servant. It’s?—

“Lochlan!”

I leap into his arms. He catches me, my wet face pressing against his gold chestplate. The same armour the guard’s wear.

“Why are you dressed as a guard?” I ask, looking up at him.

Lochlan pulls away but keeps his hands on my arms. “It was the only way I could get in.” That familiar lopsided grin stretches over his face. “Missed me?”

My eyes well with tears.

“Loch, you have no idea how much I’ve missed you. There’s so much I need to tell you!” And ask him. Why did he go back? Is Noble truly his brother? My reflection gleams at me from his armour, making me pause. This isn’t just any armour. It’s the kingsguard armour. “How did you get this?”

“Dasinth. He brought it with him after the feast and asked me to bring you this. Seems after all these years he’s had a change of heart.”

I look down at the sealed envelope in his hands. “A letter?”

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