Page 46 of His Dragon Princess

Not many people compared me to my dad, King Stavrok. Those words were usually saved for Anselm. “I’ll take that as a compliment.”

“Oh, you should,” she said. “In lots of ways, you’re more like him than your siblings. You have his fire, his heart. And that’s the thing that sets Stavrok above most men. His good heart.”

I leaned forward and kissed Queen Marienne on the cheek. “Thank you.”

We began walking toward the doors. “Let’s go speak to everyone now,” Marienne said. “Cass isn’t going to like the fact she won’t have months to plan her only daughter’s wedding.”

I shrugged. “I don’t care so much for the party. I just want Veronica to be my wife.”

Marienne’s approval was obvious in the warmth of her smile. “Well said.”

I reached out to stop her from floating away. “Can I ask you one more thing before we go?”

“Of course.”

“What happened in Damon’s bedroom? Everyone keeps saying Veronica saved my life, but all I remember is passing out, then coming to in so much pain.” And the hatred in my heart had been terrible. I could still feel the shadow of it.

Marienne blew out a long breath and pressed her hand over her heart. “Oh, well that will be a story we will be telling our grandchildren. It is officially up there with Stavrok killing Magnik to save Lucy.”

I gulped. “You have to tell me now.”

She grinned, her white teeth flashing. “You died. The poison in your leg took over your whole body and your heart stopped.”

I stared at her, barely able to believe it. “But... no-one comes back from death.”

Marienne raised her eyebrows and gave me a knowing look. “Veronica has been in the human world, learnt their tricks for saving people when their hearts stop. She managed to breathe life into you, and keep your heart going while the healer flushed out your wound.”

My jaw dropped. “I don’t even know what to say.”

She laughed. “Then she had the... audacity to ask me to create lightning with my hands, and start your heart again. I’ve never been so scared, in all of my life.”

Now I had a hundred questions for the woman who would soon be my wife. “Sounds like Veronica learnt a lot from her time away.”

Marienne nodded. “She certainly did. It is only because of her that you’re here, alive and well. Your parents didn’t lose a beloved son. Veronica didn’t lose her fated mate. And you, lucky man, didn’t lose your life.”

I swallowed down the lump in my throat. I owed her far more than I’d realized. “I... I can’t...”

Marienne lay her hand on my sleeve. “Let’s go talk to Cass and Damon. You can thank Veronica for your life, later.”

Yes. Actions spoke louder than words, always.

“You’re right, Aunt Marienne. Let’s go.” And together we went in search of Veronica’s parents.

Cass and Damon were surprised by my request, but in the end, they laughed and jumped to help. Though not before Cass let out a screech and fluttered her hands over her breasts. “Tomorrow? Tomorrow? Oh my God!” She raced off to the kitchens to get the staff started on a royal banquet and Theo offered to fly to the other kingdoms to pass on the invitations.

“Thank you, brother,” I said to Theo, who punched me in the arm in return.

“You could have told me Veronica was yours.”

I laughed and ran a hand through my hair, frazzled as ever. I was going to get a lot of those remarks. “Yeah, well. I was a coward, mate. What can I say?”

Theo grabbed me in a hug. “Welcome to the family.”

Then he took off. It was late, and dark, but Theo wouldn’t be delayed. He stripped and took to the skies, taking my invitation with him.

Tomorrow, my whole family would appear and I’d be belted by all of them for not telling them the truth about Veronica earlier.

I smiled as I walked back to my mate’s bedroom and joined her in her big warm bed. Nothing mattered anymore. Not my pride. Not my fear. All that mattered was my love for the woman in my arms, and the future that we would build together.

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