Page 63 of Shadowbound

Sylvanna

We spend another month at the palace with the Queen. I help her take the reigns of the country once more and she names me her new Royal Sorceress—a post I gladly accept. Those who bowed to Kraven and did his bidding are rooted out of the places of power he put them in and cast out. They have much to pay for, allowing him to corrupt the country in his search for supremacy.

As I help the Queen, Alaric explores his Drake’s abilities. He loves to go flying, lighting up the dark skies of Nocturna with his Drake’s flames. The people are in awe of him and call him, “The Dragon Prince.” But my Paladin doesn’t care about applause—he’s simply in love with flying.

I must admit, I enjoy it myself. He’s taken me on his back, when he’s fully in his Drake form, several times. I’ve never felt anything as incredible as riding on the back of a flaming dragon with the wind whipping my hair back and the world wheeling beneath me. It’s exhilarating…but we don’t do it often. I’m too busy helping to get things in order to take much time for myself.

Only when things seem well in hand and the Queen is strong on her throne again do I ask for a leave of absence. We have healed Nocturna with The Heart of the Eclipse—now it’s time to turn our attention to Solaris.

To be honest, I’m not sure how this is going to go. I know that Alaric longs for his homeland. He wants to heal it and his loyalty to the GodKing is strong. After all, as I pointed out before, he took an oath to his ruler long before he took one to me.

I may lose him on this journey.

I try not to think about it—try not to think of the anguish we’ll both feel if he decides to break the Blood Bond between us and stay in Solaris while I must return to Nocturna. But both of us have duties we must attend to and promises to keep. I’ll understand if he wants to do it.

Still, the fact that I took his blood and his virginity has bound us so tightly together that separation will be pure agony. I pray that I won’t have to endure it. I begin to pull away from him, just a little, in an effort to lessen the blow.

The night before we go, he asks me why.

We’re in our bedroom and I’m sitting on the side of the bed, brushing my hair—a task I’ve given to him in the past but recently started doing again myself. Alaric is pacing the floor, frowning at me. At last he speaks.

“You’ve been distant lately, Mistress,” he rumbles. “Why are you keeping your thoughts from me?”

“I’ve just been busy.” I don’t want to admit the truth. The Heart of the Eclipse is safely packed in a magically reinforced chest and we’re going to Solaris tomorrow as soon as we wake. I can’t burden him with my fears on the eve of our journey.

“Too busy to train me?” he asks, raising his eyebrows.

I give him a humorless smile.

“You and I both know you don’t need any further training, Alaric.”

“Yes, I do.” He goes to his knees before me and puts his hands on my thighs. “I’ll always need you to train me, Mistress,” he growls softly.

I can feel myself melting under his sky-blue eyes. He’s so handsome and he’s truly come into his own now that his Drake is finally awake within him. No knight anywhere could best him and his Drake’s unique power makes him immune to most other magic too. If he wanted to, he could rule Solaris and I wouldn’t be surprised if he winds up doing exactly that.

“Oh, Alaric…” I sigh and card my fingers through his hair. He growls softly and rubs against my hand, almost like a big cat. His Drake enjoys my touch too—Alaric has told me he feels the same way for me that Alaric does himself.

“Don’t just call me by my name,” he murmurs, looking up at me. “Call me ‘my Paladin’—you know I love it when you call me that.”

“My Paladin,” I say, but the words nearly come out with a flood of tears. Grimly, I swallow them back and try to keep my face from showing my true emotions.

But Alaric has learned to read me. He frowns.

“Why are you so sad, my Mistress? Tomorrow we’ll heal Solaris the same way we healed Nocturna.”

And tomorrow I may lose you, I think. Either the GodKing will demand that you stay by his side, or you’ll depose him and take the throne. Either way, you’ll stay in Solaris and I must return to Nocturna.

“I’m not sad,” I say instead, shaking my head as I stroke his bristly cheek. “I’ve just been thinking a lot, that’s all.”

“Maybe it’s time to stop thinking and start feeling.” Leaning down, he rubs his cheek against my thigh. “It’s been a long time since you let me taste you, Mistress,” he says in a low voice. “I miss it—I miss your sweet scent…your delicious honey…the way you pull my hair and moan my name.”

I feel myself melting at his words. It’s true that since I’ve been drawing away from him, we haven’t been intimate in some time. That’s hard for him to take—inside he’s still that little boy whom no one could touch. And still he must be careful of who touches him. Though having his Drake awaken has given him much better control of his body temperature, he could still burn someone if he’s not careful.

But the fact is, he doesn’t really need me anymore. With some care and concentration, he could be with another woman now—one without the Shadow Powers I possess. He no longer wears my collar or my cockring—he no longer wears my tail. He has no need of these things now. He has come into his own.

You’d never know it though, by the way he looks at me.

“Please, Mistress,” he rumbles, kissing my thigh. “Let me taste you again tonight. Let me give you pleasure and drink your sweet juices.”

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