Page 5 of Three Scorched Kingdoms

Every single guest turns to see the commotion we’ve caused.

“What is this interruption?” my mother declares loudly before her gaze finally lands on me. Her eyes widen, and the color drains from her face, but she recovers the next moment. “Aries! You have returned!”

The crowd begins to murmur, but my mother waves away the people. “This ceremony is concluded until further notice,” she announces. “You may exit immediately.”

The guards shoo the guests toward the doors still open behind us, and people begin to file past us in droves.

My mother rushes between Leo and hisbride?Wife?Is the wedding over? Did we miss it? She practically shoves them aside in her haste down the aisle to where I stand.

Leo hurries behind Mother. “Aries, it is so good?—”

“What is all of this?” the bride screeches.

Her gown is more extravagant than any I’ve ever seen with enough layers and lace that I’m not sure how she’s able to walk beneath the weight of it. She does her best to hurry up the aisle behind Leo, and I can’t help but think she looks familiar. But then my mother steps in, blocking my view.

“Aries, it’s really you,” my mother breathes as she reaches me. She grabs me and pulls me into a tight hug. “I can’t believe it. I thought you… but no, I never lost hope.”

I wrap my arms around her, relief and joy filling me. Before I left, my mother had been driving me crazy with her matchmaking, but now, I’m simply grateful to find her alive and well.

“I’m home, Mother.”

When she releases me, her eyes are watery though she manages to hold back actual tears. Ever the well-mannered royal. “Where have you been?” she asks.

“I was called away,” I say, reaching for Paige’s hand.

My mother steps back, eyeing us both with a new expression. I can see the questions forming, but she doesn’t get to ask a single one before Leo is shoving his way forward and grasping me in a quick hug.

“Right on time,” he tells me with a grin. And then to my mother, he adds, “The wedding is off now, is it not?”

Relief shudders through me. We’re just in time then.

Behind Leo, through her veil, I can see the bride’s expression become horrified. “You can’t?—”

“Aries has returned, so there is no need for Leo to marry, especially not to a woman who is not his mate,” my mother says firmly. The queen turns to the wide-eyed bride, whom I finally begin to realize is familiar to me. “I am sorry, Esma, but you know we all had reservations about this arrangement considering Leo wouldn’t have been able to ensure the dragon line continued without his fated mate.”

Esma, a flamingo shifter who’d not-so-subtly let her interest in me be known, rips her veil back, glaring.

“Hello, Esma,” I say as politely as I can.

Beside me, Paige tenses.

Esma gives me a once-over and then lifts her chin with renewed determination. “Well, then, Aries needs to be wed if the crown is to go to him, and since I’m already dressed for the occasion?—”

“That won’t be necessary. I have my mate,” I say.

My mother’s expression fills with happiness, but the flamingo shifter’s eyes narrow. Her pinched lips and her wrinkled nose make her appear bird-like—and scheming.

“That’s outrageous,” Esma declares though no one acknowledges her.

“Oh, thank goodness,” Leo exclaims. He glances from Paige to Blossom and even to Mag before asking, “Which one is your mate?”

I shake my head. As if our tightly joined hands didn’t give it away.

Paige shyly steps forward, but she lifts her chin and smiles. “That would be me.”

Leo grabs her free hand and sinks to his knees. “You have saved my life, sweetheart.”

I roll my eyes, and Blossom snickers, clearly entertained by Leo’s dramatics.

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