Page 52 of The Royal Marriage Alliance

He shakes his head. “No. The Dragon Council all live here, on the island.”

But he’s still not smiling and his hand has dropped away from me. He rubs a hand at the back of his neck, like he’s trying to rub away an oncoming headache. I want to see him smile again, so I reach out my hand, putting it on his bicep. It works because he grins and slips an arm around my waist, pulling me closer to him. The heat from his body envelops me, reminding me just how warm shifters are.

My husband is stupidly attractive and it’s so unfair.

“The council meetings last all day, and usually go on for a week or more,” Stellan says. “I’ll be leaving before you wake up and coming back after you’ve gone to sleep. I’d take you with me to the council meetings, but they’re dead boring and women aren’t allowed to go.”

I lift an eyebrow at that.

He chuckles. “Yeah, I know, it’s different than what you’re used to. Females aren’t as strong as males are in my world.”

“And that means they shouldn’t have a voice?” I ask.

“No. But womendohave a voice. I always talk with Natalia and my mother, to ask their opinion about things. And a lot of the council members take their wive’s and daughter’s opinions into consideration. It might seemstrange, but female dragon shifters are revered, not mistreated,” he says, to assure me.

I don’t doubt that. I’ve seen how they are with their soulmates. They’d lay down their life in a second to protect the other half of their soul. And part of me wonders how different things would be if fae had the same rule about female monarchs. As much as I never would admit it to a fae, I’m relieved not to be the next empress.

When I look at Stellan, I see a wrinkle on his forehead and he looks just past me. He’s probably thinking about the upcoming council meeting. Apparently, they’re just as fun as the meetings I’ve been forced to go to with the monarchs. Without giving it another thought, I wrap my arms around him, giving him a hug. I want to distract him, though admittedly, I want to feel more of his warmth. It isn’t until I feel him go rigid that I remember he’s in a towel—nothingbut a towel.

I start to pull away, but before I can Stellan wraps his arms around me, squeezing me against him. And if I thought his hug felt warm before, it’s nothing to the inferno that I feel now.

Safe. Protected. Wanted. And dare I say cherished? It’s all the things I’ve always wanted, but have been too afraid to hope for.

I feel his lips at the top of my head as he gives me the softest kiss. I melt even further into him and his arms tighten even more. I rest my head against his bare chest, no longer embarrassed by his near nakedness.

“Are you going to be okay while I’m gone?” Stellan’s voice rumbles.

I pull back a little so I can look up at him, but he doesn’t let go of me just yet.

“I’ll be fine,” I promise him. “Evander promised toteach me how to surf. And I have lots of romance books to read.”

“Good.” He gets a serious look in his eye. “Do me a favor and don’t go anywhere without Evander or Natalia. I can’t bear the thought of something happening to you. And until we figure out this situation with my uncle, I need to know you’re safe.”

“I won’t,” I promise him. “I don’t even know how to drive, so there is no threat of that.”

His eyes widen. “You can’t drive?”

“I never learned,” I admit, chewing on my bottom lip.

“Don’t tell Evander you said that—I don’t want my teenage brother teaching you how to drive while I’m gone. He’s a terrible driver. I will teach you once this council meeting is finished.” Stellan, with his arms still around me, looks into my eyes. “I am going to miss you more than I thought possible.”

My heart swells at the proclamation. “I will miss you too.”

“I’ll find a way to see you,” he declares.

“I know you will.” I can’t help but smile.

“I have to get ready and head out now.” He lets his arms drop from me, but he gives me a kiss on my forehead. Without another look, he turns and walks toward his room. Tears press against the back of my eyes, but I refuse to let them fall.

I can handle a few days with Stellan gone to these council meetings. We’ve hardly spent any time together since we got married anyway.

So why does my chest feel so heavy at the thought of not seeing him?

Stellan pauses before going into his room and glances at me over his shoulder. I see his smirk right before the towel falls.

“Stellan!” I squeak.

He just laughs and shuts the door behind him.

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