Her Elemental Dragons: The Complete Series

by Elizabeth Briggs

  How could Auric have kept something this big from me? He’d already done something like this once when he’d hid that he was a prince from me, but I’d forgiven him for that and even understood why he did it. Now I wondered how I could ever trust him again. He should have at least mentioned his betrothal to me at some point. Did he love this other woman? Was that why he’d kept it a secret?

  Brin led us up a glorious white spiral staircase with a gilded handrail, then down a hallway with a soft carpeted floor that felt like I was walking on clouds. She spoke to a servant briefly to order up some tea, then swept us into a room done in pale yellow and soft pink.

  Once we were all inside, Brin gestured for each of us to sit on the plush chairs and loveseats. I hesitated, worried I would dirty the elegant fabric with my clothes that had touched a prison floor not long ago, until she patted the cushion. I reluctantly sat across from her and opened my mouth to speak, but then a servant wheeled a cart into the room and we were forced to sit in awkward, tense silence while she poured us all a cup of tea. It seemed to take forever, yet at the same time I was afraid of what would happen once she finished and the truth came out.

  As soon as we were alone again, Brin took a sip of tea and smiled at us. “Now we can talk.”

  Auric glanced between us with solemn eyes. “Kira, Brin, I owe you both apologies and explanations.”

  “And us,” Jasin added, before he grabbed one of the small pastries off the tray and shoved it in his mouth.

  “Yes, we’re supposed to be a team,” Slade said.

  “Is it true?” I asked Auric, still hoping this was all a misunderstanding. “Is she your betrothed?”

  “Yes, but it isn’t what you think,” Auric said quickly. “Our parents arranged our marriage when we were children, but we’re not in love.”

  Brin laughed. “Gods, no. Auric is like a brother to me.” She leaned close, like she was telling me a secret. “Besides, I prefer women.”

  Auric nodded. “Brin is my closest friend, and we agreed to marry since it seemed the best option to appease our parents. They expect us to marry within the noble families, and Brin is the only noble I can tolerate.”

  Brin playfully touched Auric’s arm. “Aw, that’s so sweet. You’re the only man I could even imagine spending my entire life with.” She turned her dazzling smile on me next. “Auric and I never planned to be exclusive with each other, and we never expected a grand romance or love of that sort. Truth be told, I only agreed to marry a man to continue the family lineage, but I fully expected to take a woman or two on the side.” She glanced at my mates with amusement. “Or four.”

  “But why didn’t you tell me?” I asked Auric.

  He raked a hand through his golden hair. “I was planning to tell you, I truly was. I almost did when we were on the ship, but then we were attacked by elementals, and after that things were so chaotic… But I should have found the time. I’m truly sorry.”

  Brin touched my knee lightly. “If he was with you, I doubt he was thinking about me at all.”

  “Maybe, but it doesn’t change the fact that your families expect you to marry.” I gave Auric a pointed look. “And we have…other duties.”

  “Is that so?” Brin asked, arching one of her perfect eyebrows at Auric. “Does this have to do with why you disappeared for a month?”

  “Yes, but I can’t tell you more than that,” he said. “I’m sorry, Brin, but I can’t marry you. My path is with Kira, as is my heart.”

  She let out a dramatic sigh. “It’s quite all right. Mom and Dad will be furious, but I’m happy you found someone you love.”

  Auric took my hand in his. “Kira, I’m so sorry I never told you about Brin. There were so many other more pressing things to deal with on our journey so far, and I rarely thought about my previous life here at all. But I should have told you about this and found a better way to handle all it in advance.”

  “Yes, you should have.” I pulled my hand away, unable to hide the bitterness in my voice, and Jasin rubbed my back in support. Auric might be sorry, but would he have ever told me about Brin if we hadn’t been forced to come to the palace? Was he hiding anything else? How would I ever know?

  “This is why you didn’t want to return to Stormhaven,” Slade said. He’d remained standing along with Reven, and they both watched Auric with stony expressions.

  “One of the reasons, yes.” Auric stared at his hands, his face pained. “My parents won’t be pleased with me ending the engagement, but there’s no other option. In fact, I should probably meet with them now and tell them the news. They’ve no doubt heard that I’m in the palace and will be expecting me.”

  “They’ve been looking for you all over the kingdom and have been worried sick,” Brin said. “Your brother Garet has been in Thundercrest all this time looking for you. I hope you have a good explanation.”

  He swallowed. “Not exactly.”

  “Better come up with one quickly then.” Brin studied the five of us and tapped her red lips. “For now, we need to get you all some new clothes. We can’t have you meeting the royal family looking like you just rolled out of the sewer.”

  “I can get some clothes for me and the other men from my quarters,” Auric said, rising to his feet.

  “And I should have something that should fit Kira,” Brin said.

  My mates grumbled, but they followed Auric out of the suite, leaving me alone with Brin. She took my arm and led me into another room. “Come now, let’s get you ready to meet with the King and Queen.”

  I reluctantly followed her and watched while she began going through her wardrobe. “You don’t need to do this…”

  “Nonsense. It’s my honor to help the woman who’s captured Auric’s heart.” She pulled out a pale green gown that was finer than anything I’d ever owned and held it up to me. “Oh yes, this will be perfect on you with your beautiful red hair.”

  “Brin, I—”

  “I insist you take this dress as a small gift from me to apologize for any pain I’ve brought you.” She thrust the gown at me. “Besides, the King and Queen are waiting and you must look your best.”

  I hesitated, then took the luxurious silken dress from her. It was thin, like most of the clothes the people wore in the Air Realm, and would cling to my body. It was beautiful, and I couldn’t exactly meet the royal family dressed as I was in my dirty, worn hunting leathers, but I was reluctant to accept it. Even when Brin beamed and began searching for shoes to go with the gown.

  I didn’t want anything to do with Brin. I didn’t want to accept her gifts or spend a single second longer in her presence. I wanted to hate her for having a claim on Auric, but that was hard when she was being so friendly and kind. It wasn’t her fault that Auric had kept their betrothal from me, and she was trying to help me.

  So I swallowed my pain, clutched the dress close to my aching heart, and simply said, “Thank you.”

  14

  Auric

  Gods, I was an idiot. I should have told Kira about Brin back when we were on the boat. Or when she’d found out I was a prince. Or from the very beginning. Now I wasn’t sure I would ever be able to regain Kira’s trust, even though Brin had never been anything more than a friend. We would have had a marriage of convenience and nothing more, and after meeting Kira I’d already planned on ending the betrothal as soon as I could. I only wished I’d handled the situation better. I’d thought I would have more time, and never expected Brin would be staying here at the palace. Now I realized I’d just been trying to put off the inevitable as long as possible, like a fool. And I might have lost Kira because of it.

  Would she even want to bond with me once we reached the Air Temple? Or would she want someone else to be the Golden Dragon now? Somehow I would have to win her over again. And I would do it, no matter how long it took or what I had to do. But right now we had more immediate problems—like my parents.

  After I’d found proper attire for myself and Kira’s other mates, we met up with her at t
he top of the grand staircase. Kira wore a pale green silk gown that accentuated her strong, feminine body, and it was hard to tear my eyes away. She nodded at me, and the five of us descended the staircase and continued toward the back of the palace.

  Although this was my home and everything about it was familiar, walking through these halls was strange now. Even my clothing felt stiff and awkward compared to the clothes I’d worn while traveling. I supposed it was because I was different—no longer a prince who spent his time in the library and avoiding balls, but a warrior who had traveled three of the Realms, could control air itself, and would soon become a Dragon…if Kira still wanted me.

  A servant informed me that my parents weren’t in their main receiving room, but in the private garden where my father often met with close friends and family when the weather was nice. Stepping outside and breathing in the scent of the flowers and the sea air filled me with nostalgia for when I’d played in these gardens as a child with my siblings. The palace might be known for its impossibly-tall shining spires, but the lush gardens had always been one of my favorite places as a child, including the one surrounded by a hedge where my family now waited.

  As we approached, I heard raised voices and spotted someone standing with my parents through the hedge: a man with pale skin and black hair tied back in a severe ponytail, who instantly sent terror down my spine. I’d met him officially only once, but I’d seen him in the palace a handful of other times. I’d always been afraid of him, but that was nothing compared to the panic I felt now.

  At first I worried he was there for us, but then Isen, the Golden Dragon, stared down my father with a sneer on his lips. “Are you telling me no?”

  My father’s face was stoic. “Of course not. I’m telling you it will take time.”

  “Time is the only luxury we do not have right now,” Isen snapped.

  The King spread his hands. “We’re doing the best we can.”

  “Somehow I doubt that. Meet these demands, or you won’t like the consequences.” Isen’s eyes shifted to my mother almost threateningly. “And neither will your people.”

  His form shimmered and then grew, quickly becoming a large reptilian beast with a long tail, large wings, and sharp talons and fangs. He darted into the air with barely a flap of his wings, his golden scales flashing bright under the sun.

  “What’s he doing here?” Jasin asked, his voice barely above a whisper.

  Kira’s eyes widened. “Is he looking for us?”

  “I don’t think so,” I said. “It seems he’s visiting the King for other reasons.”

  “Does he visit often?” Slade asked.

  “Not often, but I’ve seen him many times over the years,” I said. “Think of it this way. If Sark is the Black Dragon’s enforcer, then Isen is her ambassador. He deals with the nobility, which mostly means keeping us in line and making sure we are loyal. Sometimes the Black Dragon decrees new laws and regulations, and he’s the one who makes sure the rulers carry them out.”

  “You’ve met him before?” Kira asked.

  “Yes, once. He’s never very friendly.” I drew in a breath and glanced back at my parents, who had sat at the table under a flowering olive tree and were speaking quietly to each other. “Are you ready to speak with my parents?”

  Kira wouldn’t meet my eyes. “No, but what choice do we have?”

  I nodded, sharing her sentiment, and steeled myself before stepping forward into the patio where my parents were sitting. Both of them had the lush golden hair so prized in the Air Realm, and I’d gotten my gray eyes from my mother and my height from my father. At the sight of me, both of them jumped to their feet.

  “Auric!” my mother cried out. She crossed the distance between us and threw her arms around me. “Where have you been all this time?”

  “Son,” my father said, resting a heavy hand on my shoulder. His disapproving eyes seemed to pierce right to my soul, seeing all my secrets, judging my actions, and finding me wanting. It was like being a kid all over again and realizing I was in deep trouble. “We’re so glad you’ve returned. But we have a lot of questions.”

  “I’m sure you do,” I said. “I’ve been traveling across the Realms, but I’m back now, at least for a short while.”

  “I’m so relieved you’re safe, but who are these people with you?” the Queen asked, looking past me.

  “These are my…friends and traveling companions. May I introduce Kira, Reven, Jasin, and Slade. And these are my parents, King Terel and Queen Hala.”

  Kira dropped to a curtsy, while the men beside her bowed. “Your majesties.”

  My parents looked suitably confused at being introduced to commoners, but managed to nod at them in return, though my father couldn’t hide the pinch of his forehead. “I think it’s time you told us where you’ve been all this time,” he said.

  Under his stony eyes I found I couldn’t lie, and I couldn’t come up with a good excuse. “I’m sorry, but I can’t tell you.”

  “What do you mean, can’t?” the King said.

  My mother’s eyes widened. “Were you captured? Held against your will? Truly, you can tell us anything. We’ll love you no matter what.”

  “No, I left the Air Realm of my own free will.” Gods, this was harder than I’d expected. I wracked my brain for a way to explain without telling them the whole truth. “I needed to get away from the palace and find my place in the world.”

  “But why didn’t you tell us?” the Queen asked. “We were so worried.”

  “Because you would have tried to stop me, or would have sent guards with me. This was something I needed to do alone, but I’m sorry I made you worry. As you can see, I’m perfectly fine.”

  My father’s frown deepened. “Does this have anything to do with your engagement to Brin?”

  I cleared my throat. “Yes, in a way. I’m sorry, but I can’t marry Brin anymore.”

  “Why ever not?” my mother asked.

  I took Kira’s hand in mine. “Because I’ve given my heart to another, and my future is with her.”

  Now I’d truly shocked them. For a moment they were both speechless, and then my mother pressed a hand to her chest and asked the others, “Would you mind giving us a moment to speak to our son alone?”

  “Yes, of course,” Kira said, as she met my eyes with a frown. I doubted she wanted to be here anyway after everything that had happened in the last few hours. I couldn’t count on the other men to back me up either. I had to face my parents alone.

  A servant whisked Kira and her other mates away, and as soon as they were gone my mother asked, “You wish to marry that…commoner?”

  I bowed my head. “I do.”

  “No,” my father said. “I forbid it.”

  My heart sank, but my resolve strengthened. “I’m sorry, but I’m going to be with Kira whether you like it or not.”

  He shook his head. “Son, you barely know this woman. Where is she even from? And who were those other three men?”

  “It’s complicated—”

  “How do you know she doesn’t only want you because you’re a prince?” the Queen asked.

  I raked a hand through my hair, frustrated with this questioning. Couldn’t they trust that I wouldn’t be with someone like that? “She didn’t know I was a prince at first. She doesn’t care about my money or status at all.”

  “I find that hard to believe,” the King said. He sat in one of the patio chairs and gestured for me to do the same. “Tell us everything about her, along with a detailed account of your travels over the last few weeks.”

  I sank into the chair with a sigh. I could already tell was going to be a long night.

  15

  Kira

  While Auric spoke in private with his parents, we were taken to another small sitting room where supper was brought to us. I tried not to devour all of it within seconds, and I noticed my mates were eating just as quickly. None of us had eaten since we’d been on the boat in the morning, and for days we’d been
living off of old bread and fish, plus whatever else Calla and her mates had left for us on the boat. It was a nice change to have someone else cook for us, and the food was exquisite—chicken roasted in a crisp lemon sauce with peppers and onions in oil and garlic, plus fresh bread, soft cheese, and olives. It was said the cuisine in the Air Realm was the best in the world, and tonight I thought that might be true.

  The men kept stealing glances at me as we ate and asked numerous times if I was okay, but all I could do was nod. I simply couldn’t find the energy to speak about what had happened in the last few hours with Auric. I needed some time alone to go over my thoughts and emotions before making a decision about what we would do next.

  After we finished eating I was shown to my room, and I was so physically and emotionally exhausted I wanted nothing more than to collapse onto the bed and pass out. But when I stepped inside, the room was so beautiful it made me hesitate to touch anything. The room was done in sky blue and soft cream, making me feel like I was outside under an endless sky. In the center stood a huge four-poster bed, much larger and fancier than anything I’d slept in before, with more pillows than I'd seen in my life. Truly, how could anyone need that many pillows? I could construct an entire new bed out of them.

  Large windows on either side of the bed looked out at the ocean from behind some soft curtains, and there was also a small sitting area, dresser, and wardrobe. All of it was so beautiful and luxurious that it only served as a reminder that I didn't belong here...or with Auric. Meeting his parents and Brin had made that clear. I’d immediately seen the disdain in his parents’ eyes when Auric announced he wanted to be with me, and after meeting Brin, I understood why—she was what they wanted for their son, and I had to admit it made more sense for them to be together.

  How could I have thought his being a prince didn't matter? We'd lived completely different lives. He'd grown up in a castle with servants waiting on him hand and foot. I'd been on the run for years, taking whatever jobs I could to earn money. Auric should be with someone who understood this life, not me.