Page 6 of Three Scorched Kingdoms

“I owe you a life debt,” Leo continues, “for saving me from that woman.” He jabs his thumb at Esma, who looks ready to explode with fury.

“Excuse me. This is your mate?” Esma shrieks. “This… this… this mouse of a woman?”

Paige stiffens.

I squeeze her hand, speaking up quickly. “I assure you my mate is no mouse.”

Esma’s eyes narrow, and I can see she’s not going to let this go. “What is she then?” Esma demands. “Not another dragon, or I would sense it.”

“Aries has found his mate,” my mother interrupts, her tone cool. “You know how important that is for the kingdom’s future. Your service is appreciated, but you are no longer needed, Esma. The guards will escort you home.”

Once more, Esma glowers at Paige before she all but stomps out of the throne room, her head jerking forward and back, making her look even more like a bird than normal.

“Fucking flamingos,” Mag mutters.

Leo snorts. “You have no idea.”

Then he shudders, and that is all it takes for me to roar with laughter. I embrace my brother, clapping him on the back. I have not felt happier since, well, since the claiming bite.

“Mother, allow me to introduce you to Paige Murphy, my mate and Astronia’s new queen. Paige, this is my mother, Dorthea Nemos, Astronia’s ruling queen.”

I fall silent, my heart nearly beating out of my chest. Will my mother approve of a mate from a far-off world? One who is not a shifter and not one of us? Will she say something to alienate Paige when we need to be united? My mother is a good woman, but she is also set in her ways and opinionated, and if she agreed to have Leo marry Esma despite what that meant for our dragon line, then my mother is quite desperate.

“It is so nice to meet you,” Paige says warmly.

I can sense some nerves through our bond, but she’s also… hopeful.

My mother takes Paige’s hands in hers and looks her up and down. “It is very nice to meet you, Paige Murphy, though you are not yet Astronia’s queen.”

Paige’s smile falters.

“But you will be soon enough,” my mother finishes, her smile radiant and welcoming. “We have a kingdom to save.”

2

PAIGE

Despite the queen’s warm welcome, my emotions churn into a swirling mess as she talks. I do my best to keep up with everything she’s saying about finding me some clothes before giving me a proper introduction to the kingdom and something about a council who still needs to approve of it all. Between the adrenaline from fighting Constantine and then the high of controlling my powers and creating the portal that brought us here, I’m nearing exhaustion. But even more than sleep, I need food.

With the queen still talking, my stomach growls so loudly that everyone turns to look.

Heat floods my cheeks. “Sorry,” I mumble.

“Your stomach is just saying what we’re all thinking,” Blossom says with a snort.

“There was to be a feast after the wedding,” Aries’ mother says with zero trace of judgment. “I will see to it that the villagers are all still fed, and then we can all go eat dinner together privately.”

Her gaze shifts from Aries back to me and then Blossom and Mag and the gnomes. She seems surprised by the gnomes, but she smiles warmly at them. “Hello.”

“Your Majesty.” The gnomes all speak in unison and then nearly fall over, trying to bow at her feet.

The queen’s smile is amused. “And you are?”

The gnomes speak up one at a time, their chests puffing up proudly as they identify themselves.

“I’m Ted.”

“I’m Zed.”

---