Page 53 of Fae Reckoning

“I just want you to be happy, X,” I finally said.

“And I want the same for you, more than anything.”

“You made an oath as a dragon protector,” I pointed out. “To defend the dragons, no matter what.”

“I can do that here too. There are plenty of dragons that need my protection in the Mirror World.”

I couldn’t argue with that, especially when I’d abandoned so many of them in the queen’s dungeon. We stared at each other for several more beats, several more swipes of the dragonling’s tongue, before Pru grunted with fervor. As the sounds emerged from the pocket, they sounded impossibly far away.

I started forward. “Shit, she looks like she might fall in! Think we should hold her feet?”

Xeno was already squatting to reach for her, his girthy, long cock hanging between his legs…

“No, wait,” I said urgently. “What if your touching her messes with her magic? I don’t know how these things work. She could maybe get stuck in there if we interrupt her?” I had no fucking idea, really. I was still waiting for someone to teach me all about the ways of the Mirror World, though at this point I was accepting no one ever would.

Xeno looked over his shoulder at me. I pinned my eyes to his with a steely determination not to admire the rest of him all up on display. “So what should I do?” he asked.

“I … fuck.” Guiding Saffron’s face away from mine, I nibbled on my lip. “I’ll go ask Edsel, but?—”

Pru began grunting even more loudly, but she was backing out. I exhaled in relief. She popped out of the pocket, her hair, usually so limp, frizzy and standing on end in places—and holding a pair of charcoal breeches held triumphantly above her head. With a grin, she handed them to Xeno.

“These were Prince Saturn’s. Best put them on, milo—Xeno.” She leaned toward him conspiratorially and whispered loudly enough that I could hear. “Before Lady Larissa’s eyes pop out and go rolling and I gotta go fetch ‘em.” Then she threw her head back and laughed.

I shook my head in disbelief, barely recognizing thefretfulit’ll be off with our headsgoblin I’d first met. When she looked up at me, I couldn’t help it, I beamed down at her.

By the time she secured her kit once more, Xeno was fully dressed and stalking off toward the cabin to join the others in interrogating our sole direct link to the queen. Larissa watched his retreat until he turned the corner and was out of sight.

“Mind taking him again?” I asked Pru while I kissed Saffron on the head and extended him toward her.

“Never.” She accepted him and nuzzled his cheek with hers.

“Thanks,” I said absently, already focused on Larissa.

Seated beside Ramana, she saw me coming and stood. Nearly as much as West, she was loath to leave her sister’s side.

“How is she?” I asked while walking several steps away to stand at the edge of the clearing so we could have some privacy. Well, aside from the nosy dragon who listened in whenever he wanted.

Einar protested right away.

I said, trying to shortcut the conversation.

It seemed to work. I got another and then he quieted.

Larissa leaned her back against a tree and brushed her hair from her face. “Ramana’s the same. She hasn’twoken up or moved at all. But I just…” She shook her head, her loose hair scraping bark. A couple of strands to either side of her head clung to it. “I can’t stop staring at her. I can’t believe she’s really here andalive.”

“I’m so grateful she is.”

“I-I can barely stand it. My heart’s about to burst. Rush is probably feeling the same, if he’d stop trying to take care of everyone else all the time to take care of himself.”

I was ruminating on that when she added, “Sorry about earlier.”

“Earlier?”

“You know.” She blushed prettily. “I didn’t mean to stare at your friend like that. I was just surprised. And he’s so … so…”

“Beautiful, strong, and manly are some adjectives that come to mind.”

The pink across her cheeks deepened until it was darker than her hair. “Yeah. All that.”

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