Page 53 of Dragon Fight

Before I could finish that thought, Draven spoke. He threw his arms wide then, as if in surrender. “If I’m the only obstacle to accepting Glimmer and her bondmate into Dragon Home, then take me out of the equation.”

“What?” Flynn said with a frown.

“Lock me up.” Draven’s wrists came together. “Put me away somewhere secure if that will help placate the enclave.”

“Gods, Draven…” Brom muttered.

“Use me as a hostage to ensure the others behave while they are here.” The prince glanced at us, then. “Just, for gods’ sake, don’t go blundering into anything you shouldn’t. You’ll…” His voice trailed away as he seemed to realise he had no power here, neither political or emotional. Darkspire chuffed, moving from his nest to go and stand by his rider. “Just stay safe, please.”

I tried to formulate the right words to be able to step forward and stop this, but Cynane had already nodded her agreement.

That would go a long way towards building some trust, she said.Come with me, Your Highness. I watched with a growing feeling of disbelief as Cynane, Draven and Darkspire walked towards the door.Your accommodations will be secure, but fitting someone of your rank and importance.

After they left, a silence fell over the room, the already cavernous space feeling even more empty as a result. I stared around me at everything: the dragons and their nests, the table full of food in one corner, the massive bed, then the men.

“This is for the best,” Brom assured me, walking closer but stopping short of touching me, remembering my resistance to his touch earlier. So I crossed that gap for him. I wrapped my arms around his ribs and hung on tight, his initially hovering in the air before coming down to hold me to him.

“Is it?”

I meant that question in the truest sense, as the revelations and events of the day had been coming too thick, too fast, for me to process, leaving me feeling disorientated and… like I’d lost something. It was as if Draven, through the act of walking out that door, had taken something important, something precious with him.

“It will all be alright now,” Brom said, rubbing his hand up and down my spine. “You’ll be safe. Glimmer will be safe.”

Would we? I wanted to ask him, but something stopped me, an almost superstitious feeling, because every time I thought we’d found our feet, something else popped up to knock one or all of us over.

35

Isaw Draven’s pained expression in my mind’s eye for the rest of the evening. The men each prompted me to eat and drink, something that made me smile, but not for long. I’d take a bite of something and then lose track of it, reliving the image of the prince walk away with Cynane.

“You know that we’re sorry,” Ged said, coming closer as I chewed woodenly on whatever I’d bitten into. “We didn’t feel like it was our story to tell.”

“I know.” My voice did little to reassure him, though, as it was quiet and empty. I forced myself to look up and smile at him, and the others as they clustered closer. I put down whatever it was in my hand, possibly a sandwich, and I looked at them all. “It was the shock more than anything, I guess. I…” I gazed at each of them, searching their faces for something, though what, I wasn’t sure. “I guess part of what drew me to you all was that I felt like each one of you was open and honest with me. Ged told me all about his various liaisons.”

“And what a brilliant move that was,” Flynn said with a grin. “Every time you blurted out something stupid like that, I secretly cheered, because I was sure it was just putting you further out of the running.”

“Got me a nice little interlude in the shower,” Ged replied with a wink. “Where I got to show Pippin just how her body worked. And mine.”

Flynn’s smile faded then as his eyes began to flash.

“If you need any further tuition, come to me,” he insisted.

“There’s more to learn?” I asked and apparently that was exactly the right thing to say as Flynn’s grin turned slow and sly.

“Oh yes, dear Pippin. Quite a lot more, if you’ve a mind to.”

“But not now.” Soren shot the two men dark looks before searching my face. “And not tonight, I’m thinking.”

“No,” Brom agreed much more circumspectly before staring at me. “Pippin, I’m sorry for putting you through this.”

“No, I—” He silenced my attempt at a response with a wave of his hand.

“I thought… I wanted to believe that this wouldn’t be an issue, that the past was going to stay in the past. Draven led me to believe it would be…” Brom shook his head. “I should’ve known better than to trust him, but… My parents, my mother, Ada… You were confronted with my entire family history not long after tying yourself to me for expediency’s sake.”

“Not just expediency,” I corrected.

I saw hope flare in Brom’s eyes and he moved forward but not to sit down beside me on the edge of the bed, or flop down and draw me into his arms. Instead, he sank down onto one knee and pulled something from his jacket pocket.

“Oh gods…” Flynn hissed as Brom held out a ring.

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