“You know I will always come for you, Amaya. You are my family.” He embraced her as her arms encircled his neck, his chest tightening. Someday, he would tell her the truth about her mother. It would hurt him because it would, in turn, cause her pain. However, he believed his sister was resilient enough to weather through it. She was a princess of Zhobghadi, after all, and the blood of their ancestors and The Great One ran through hers as much as it did through his.
Setting down Amaya, he turned back to Desiree, who was still in her father’s arms. Though he longed to hold her, he wanted them to have their moment. He waited patiently as they disentangled from each other, and as he predicted, she immediately looked to him. Walking up to her, he engulfed her with his arms and held her to his chest.
“You scare the ever-living daylights out of me, you know.” She pushed against his chest “Not just what you did now, but pulling that stunt with Daric.”
“Forgive me, Desiree. Habibti. My one and only.”
“Promise you won’t ever do that again.”
“I cannot promise that I will not put your safety above all else,” he said. “But I will promise that I will treat you with respect and as an equal. I—” He bit out a soft curse when he remembered what he had left when his clothes burned away when he transformed. The ring would be somewhere among the ashes of his clothes, but he had been so distracted, he forgot to go back for it.
Her brows knitted together. “What’s wrong?”
“It’s just …” He blew out a frustrated breath. “Now would have been the right moment.”
“Right moment for what?”
“To give you the ring I’ve been carrying around with me.”
Her mouth formed into a perfect O.
“Would you say yes?”
“Even without a ring.”
He cleared his throat, then got down on one knee. “Desiree—excuse me—Professor Desiree Desmond Creed—” She let out a chuckle, then nodded at him to continue. “Will you do me the honor of being my wife?”
“Yes, Karim.” Her eyes filled with tears. “I will.”
He got to his feet, lifted her in his arms and spun her around. “I have never been happier in my entire life.”
“Me too.” She cradled his face in her hands and planted her lips on his for a kiss that melted his insides and made his knees weak. When they were both out of breath, he pulled back and set her down on her feet.
“I am very glad for you both.”
Turning his head, he saw the warlock grinning at them, happiness gleaming in his ocean-colored eyes.
“Uncle Daric, did you see …” Desiree shook her head. “Never mind.”
“I’m happy for you too, Dee.”
Karim stiffened as his rival stepped forward. However, for the sake of his new fiancée, he would control the urge to punch that man’s face in.
“T-thank you, Cross.” The smile she gave her friend was warm, but nothing like any smile she had given Karim. “Thank you for everything.”
“Yes, thank you for bringing my mate and future child into the middle of a dangerous coup that also nearly turned into the apocalypse,” Karim bit out. He couldn’t help it.
“Karim!” Desiree slapped him playfully on the arm. “Behave, please.”
“All right.” If his future father-in-law could do it, he supposed he could too. So, he held out his hand. “Thank you for your assistance.”
Cross shook it, and squeezed his hand in a genuine gesture of friendship. “You’re welcome, Your Highness.”
“Now,” Karim said. “There is one last thing.”
“What’s that?” she asked.
He took her hand and then pulled her along, toward the edge of the balcony. She gasped when she looked down and saw the hundreds of people in the courtyard below them.
Karim addressed them in Zhobghadian, his voice booming. “My people, once again, the gods have saved us!”
A cheer rang out from the crowd.
“They have sent not only The Great One, but a second protector to raze our enemies to ashes! We will live and thrive for another thousand years.” He raised his fist high and then hit it over his chest. Below, the people followed suit, thudding sounds rippling across the courtyard.
“We have the gods to thank, but also our new allies. We owe our lives to these people who have put their safety at risk for our sake. And for that, we give them our heartfelt gratitude.”
Another raucous cheer burst from the crowd, this time lasting much longer, up until Karim held his hand up.
“And now, we have been given another gift. It was her people who came to our aid, and because of her presence here, we are still standing. My people, I present to you, Desiree Desmond Creed. Daughter of the dragon. And your future queen and mother of my heir.”
This time, the crowd’s noise was deafening. Happy cries, shouts, and praise rang up to the heavens. The people saluted them and began to chant her name.
“What are they …” Recognition and awe lit up her face. “Are they calling my name?”
“Yes, habibti.” He planted a kiss on her cheek, then stepped back. “I have told them that it is because of you and your people we are saved and that you will be their queen.”
The Great One was roaring in his head, and he couldn’t ignore it. So, for now, he allowed the beast to take over. He transformed into his dragon form, then jumped off the balcony as his wings sprouted. The crowd cheered when The Great One appeared, veering upwards just in time. As it soared overhead, the chants of his mate’s name grew even louder.
It let out a roar as a burst of fire exploded in the sky. Over and over again, the words repeated in Karim’s mind.
Mine. Ours. Mate.
And then it added. Heir.
Epilogue
One year later …
Coffee cup in hand, Deedee strode out onto the balcony, taking in a deep breath. With the Easifat behind them, the air smelled fresh and light, while the rising desert sun felt warm and comforting on her skin. It was days like this that made her want to just laze around in bed, especially when she knew her husband was waiting for her.
Her she-wolf mewled, not liking the fact that it was away from their mate.
He needs his sleep, she told her animal. Both of them do. They’ve been flying all night, remember?
It let out a whine.
Yes, I miss them too when they’re gone, but it’s all done now.
A familiar voice interrupted her conversation with her inner animal. “Good morning, my Queen.”
Swiveling around, she returned the greeting. “It’s certainly a beautiful one, Arvin, especially now that the sandstorms are gone.”
“The gods are good.” He bowed his head. “Should we have our morning meeting now that we are once again able to communicate with the outside world?”
She gestured toward the table set up behind her. “How about just an informal chat over breakfast, to give us some time to get back into the swing of things. It’s been a nice holiday, and so we should ease ourselves into work.”
“As you wish, Majesty.”
As they sat down to breakfast, Deedee contemplated on how much she had relied on Arvin in the past year. As Zafirah had said, he really did know nothing about the plot to overthrow Karim and install him as king. He had been shocked, of course, and anguished by the turn of events. Karim accepted his resignation from his position as Vizier, and Arvin made an official proclamation renouncing any claim to the throne. He even offered to go into exile abroad, but with Zafirah in prison for the rest of her life, that would mean he would never see her again.
Desiree had seen the sincerity and true remorse in Arvin, and since she knew he was innocent in all this, offered him a position on her staff instead—as her personal adviser, to help her with her duties as queen and navigate the tricky ins and outs of Zhobghadian culture and royal protocol. And what a godsend he was. She was sure she would have committed dozens of faux pas without him.
Arvin poured her some
more coffee. “Who would you like to speak with first once the communications towers are running?”
“Oxford, definitely. I know they’re waiting for my answer about the dates for the dig.”
Though as Queen of Zhobghadi, she didn’t need to work another day of her life, she couldn’t bear to just completely put her beloved career behind her. And so, she established the first ever Department of Archeology at Zhobghadi University, with the help of her alma mater. Her former colleagues and professors at Oxford had been excited at the prospect of being the first ever team to be invited into the country, and they were eager to begin.
“And you still want them here in a month?”
“Yes, definitely.”
Of course, Deedee would have invited them sooner, but the whole Hanford affair had shaken the academic world to its core, and for months, it was the only thing anyone would talk about.
About a few weeks after her wedding and coronation, a group of women had come out accusing Hanford of sexual misconduct. And after that, even more women came forward, and it seemed that he’d been preying on women since he was a graduate student. There was a lot of mud-slinging and intimidation throughout the whole affair, especially against those poor girls who had found the courage to blow the whistle on him.
It was then that she decided she could no longer keep quiet, and she too spoke up and even became a witness in the trial. Karim, her family, her clan, and the people of Zhobghadi supported her throughout the whole ordeal. The press had a field day, of course, but Deedee had used them to her advantage to bring light to the scandal and what women had gone through.
When Hanford was given a prison sentence that basically ensured he’d be put away for life, many legal analysts concluded that it was the queen of Zhobghadi’s testimony of how Hanford had assaulted her and left her for dead that had turned the case around. The whole time, Karim and her father had been plotting about a million long, painful, and tortuous ways to kill him. Hanford was probably lucky he ended up in prison instead.
By the time they finished their meeting and breakfast, the sun was already above the mountains in the distance. “I should go check on my son.” Deedee got up, and Arvin followed suit. “He’s probably hungry again.”
“My regards to the prince.”
Deedee bit her lip. “Arvin. How is … your mother?” She knew that he visited her almost every day in the Zhobghadian prison just on the outskirts of the capital city.
His face fell. “The same as always. She doesn’t speak much about what happened. Prefers to ask about my day. I don’t tell her any details about you of course, I swear—”
“Thank you.” She placed a hand on his arm. “I appreciate it. I just want to know that she’s … well.”
“Thank you, Majesty.” He saluted her. “If you’ll excuse me …”
“Of course.” She watched him go, sadness creeping into her. It really wasn’t fair that he’d been caught up in this ugliness. His relationship with Karim had been fractured, and even now, she could feel the strain between them. Hopefully, time would heal their wounds.
Heading back into their suite, she made a beeline for the nursery. The door was ajar, but she wasn’t surprised. This early, there could only be two people sneaking in to see Caspar.
“… and The Great One turned all the oubour into ashes,” Amaya said in a quiet voice as she stood over the crib on top of a stool, waving a stuffed silver dragon in her hand.
“Telling your nephew about the legend of The Great One and Prince Hammam?” Deedee asked as she approached them.
“No.” Amaya shook her head and then showed her what was in her other hand—a gold stuffed dragon. “I was telling Caspar about how Karim and Mr. Sebastian saved us all.”
She couldn’t stop the smile forming on her lips. “And when will you be telling him about mummies?”
“Not until he’s older, of course,” she said matter-of-factly. “Much older, if he’s anything like Ramin. He gets squeamish when I get to the part where they put the organs in the jars.”
Her gaze turned to the young man, who was standing beside Amaya, rolling his eyes. “I do not get squeamish, Highness.” He saluted Deedee. “Good morning, my Queen. How was your morning? What did you have for breakfast today?”
Deedee was determined to become fluent in the local language as quickly as possible, so she instructed Ramin and Amaya to only speak with her in Zhobghadian. “It was a good morning, Ramin. Thank you for asking.” The monophthongs still tripped her, so she had to speak slowly. “I had bread, honey, and coffee. How about you? What are your plans for today?”
“I have a sparring session with Jacob and Delacroix, then I will study for my exams.” Having recently turned eighteen, Ramin was now eligible for the Zhobghadian Royal Army. It seemed that he truly was resolved to join the ranks of the Almoravid someday, and Deedee had every faith he would pass his exams with flying colors and achieve his dreams.
A creaking sound of a door opening made them all freeze and turn toward the newcomer in the room. “Your Majesty.” Ramin got to his knee as he bowed.
“Good morning, Ramin. Amaya.” He gave them a curt nod. “Good morning, Desiree.” Karim’s velvety, rough voice caressed her skin, and he looked so deliciously rumpled from sleep. When he turned those cerulean blue eyes to hers, she just about melted. “Habibti, you left our bed before I could greet you good morning properly.”
“You’re here now and you just greeted her.” Amaya looked up with her dark, doe eyes, her brows furrowing in confusion.
Ramin coughed and then turned to Amaya. “Your Highness, perhaps we should head out to the balcony? Jacob and Delacroix should be waiting for us.”
“All right.” Amaya took one last look at Caspar, then placed the stuffed dragons inside the crib. “They will keep you company until I return. Goodbye, Caspar, I will see you later.” She hopped off the stool, then happily skipped toward the door. “Let us go, Ramin. Maybe Jacob will show me that trick again with his fire.” The young man followed her as she disappeared out the door.
Karim crossed the distance between them. “Finally, I have you alone.” His hands slipped around her waist and pulled her to him. His warm scent and the feel of his body against hers never failed to make her knees weak.
“We were alone just two hours ago. Of course, you fell asleep right after,” she said wryly. “You didn’t even cuddle me.”
“You know these flights are tiring, habibti. But I keep you satisfied all the other nights of the year.” He wiggled an eyebrow at her.
“Well …” She traced her fingers down his chest. “If you get so tired, maybe we should invite my dad next year. He can tag team with you.”
Karim couldn’t hide his grimace. “We will talk about it.”
She chuckled. While Karim and her father weren’t exactly the best of friends, they had certainly put a lot of their differences behind them, for both Deedee and Caspar’s sake. “I was kidding. You know visiting here makes him uncomfortable. He finds it creepy that the people here worship him like he’s some kind of god.”
It had been a surprise to all of them that the people of Zhobghadi had accepted the existence of a second dragon. Though it did make sense seeing as half the city had seen the battle of the two dragons against the oubour.
“Thank An for small miracles. He is—”
A sharp cry interrupted him, and Karim turned to the crib. “What’s the matter, my son?”
“Probably hungry.” She reached in and cradled Caspar in her arms. “There, there now. Mommy’s here.” Walking over to the rocking chair, she untied her top and began to nurse him. Lord, he was so beautiful, her son. She never thought she would feel this way about a person, but it was like her heart would burst whenever she looked at him.
Karim knelt beside her, and began to stroke his small head. “You must eat, my boy, so you can grow strong like your father. And some day, you too will be able to call on The Great One.”
Since she was a Lycan, they kne
w there was a possibility that their son would be just like her. It would certainly be unprecedented, but they decided to just let things happen as it was meant to. However, when Caspar was born, Karim said that he could sense the soul of The Great One in him.
They sat in comfortable silence, waiting for their son to finish. When he did detach from her, Karim took him in his arms. “Allow me,” he said as he put him over his shoulder and burped him.
She stood up and re-tied her top. “How about some breakfast, my love? It’s still set up for you. Amaya’s probably on the balcony with Ramin, Jacob, and Delacroix.”
“Ah.” His dark brows furrowed. “Yes, we should probably go.” He changed Caspar’s position so he was nestled in his arms, and they walked out of the nursery together. “By the way, I have some news for you.”
“What news?”
“Nick Vrost sent me a message this morning. He wants the Cajun back in New York.”
“Oh.”
When Deedee moved to Zhobghadi, her father had insisted she take her two bodyguards with her as added protection. Karim didn’t object, seeing as the two men had certainly proved their mettle and their loyalty. However, Delacroix technically was a trainee for the New York Lycan security team, and was under the Beta’s command. As a personal favor to her father and husband, Vrost allowed Delacroix to go with her to Zhobghadi, with the condition that he could be recalled back any time.
“He says he’s ready to finally retire,” Karim continued. “And as his last act as Beta, he wants Delacroix back on the Guardian Initiative team.”
She chewed her lip. “I’m going to miss him, but I know they could use his help.” Since they had attacked Zhobghadi before, she and Karim made it a point to keep up with what was happening with the mages.
It seemed like they had grown stronger and bolder in the last year, as they attempted to steal the dagger several times and attacked many of the weaker Lycan clans over the world. The Guardian Initiative, a team that the Alpha and her father had set up to defeat the mages, were being run ragged, trying to pin down and stop the mages. Cross and his father had been crisscrossing the globe, trying to find the mages, the last artifact of Magus Aurelius, as well as keep the dagger safe.
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