Nerida drew herself up. “How dare you speak to me so! I am the—”
“I dare.” Jharak said.
Nerida stopped. Brennan could see that she hadn’t expected to hear from her husband.
“It is over, Nerida. Our son, as Iris so correctly pointed out, died many years ago. The man that stood here today was not our son. He was the creature of the Dragon King, and whatever plans were made in that Realm. That is a child of the man would have killed you, killed us all. We do not want or need such a child in our midst. We have enough to settle and deal with. I would suggest,” he added, seeing her begin to speak again, “That you exercise prudence, and take your leave. I will join you later,” and he turned towards Brennan and Drake.
Brennan felt sorry for his mother, but she had made this choice. She’d made the choice years ago, but only now did it come to fruition.
Wordlessly, Nerida left the hall.
“You’re going to pay for that,” Drake said to Jharak.
A smile creased his father’s face. “I always do. But she will come round.”
“I hope you’re right, Father,” Brennan said.
“Are you all right?” Jharak leaned down and helped Aine up. “I owe you my thanks for saving my son.”
Aine seemed uncomfortable with the praise. “She’d hurt so many people. I knew…” she glanced at Drake. “I knew who you were. She’d talked about you. You didn’t deserve to die like that.”
Drake looked away, his cheeks flushing.
Jharak stepped in. “Whatever your reasons, I thank you. Now, let us get all of this,” he gestured to the wrecked great hall, not looking at the bodies on the ground, “Taken care of. Shall we?” He offered his arm to Aine. “Drake, would you come with me?”
The three of them walked out of the hall, and Brennan could hear his father speaking to Aine.
He looked at Iris, and she ran to him.
“Finally,” she said.
“Oh?”
“I didn’t get much of a honeymoon,” she added.
He laughed. “So I hear. Trolls and a dungeon?”
“Not even what I wanted to do. Do you know how much they smell?”
He laughed again as he led her away. As they left the hall, he closed the door. They would remove the bodies discreetly, and no one would ever know.
As Dhysara said, it was time to look to the future.
Iris
After the scene in the great hall, I felt like I was going to fall asleep standing up, but the thought of being with Brennan kept me going. We walked towards our rooms, not speaking, holding hands. I think he had the same idea that I did.
Thinking about the dreams I’d had of him when we were looking for him made my pulse quicken. He’d been too tired and worn last night for me to do anything other than wrap myself around him and fall asleep, content that he was finally back with me, where he belonged.
But now? With the light of battle in our eyes, so to speak? And him obviously feeling better? Oh, it was time for the sexy times. For real. No dreams.
He wrenched open the door, and pulled me in after him. Before the door was closed, he had grabbed me, and pushed me against the wall, kissing me fiercely. I ran my fingers through his hair, loving the feel of him.
I’d missed his touch for so long, wanted to touch him every day. Not knowing if he was alive or dead—and now, here he was. Real, in the flesh, and…oh, just as ready as I was.
I wrapped my legs around him as he turned, moving towards the bed. I could have gotten things going right at the door, but after what seemed like sleeping on the ground forever, a bed sounded good.
His knees bumped the edge of the bed, and I unwound my legs to kneel on the bed in front of him. I took off my top, and then his.
“When did you bring your human clothes?” he murmured into my mouth.
“When we had to go and find your ass,” I said.
He laughed against my face, and I could feel the thrill of desire shoot all the way to below the waistline. Speaking of which, Brennan’s hands went to my buttons, and expertly, for a guy who didn’t deal with them, he undid them, and slid the jeans down my legs. I stood up, and let him slide them off, one leg at a time.
“What is this, my lady? Nothing under your clothing?”
I giggled. I’d forgotten to pack underwear in my mad dash home.
“The better to greet you with, don’t you think?”
He leaned against me then, his head next to my stomach. “To feel your skin next to mine, to smell you, my beloved…I wasn’t sure I’d see you again.”
I reached down, and took his face in my hands. “I would never let you go, Brennan. Never. Would you have left me to die?”
“Never.”
“That goes both ways, pal. And why are you still dressed?”
He slid off his trousers, and melded his body next to mine as we fell onto the bed. He was still too thin, but his body was warm and felt so good next to me.
“I don’t know if I can wait,” he breathed into my neck. “I’ve seen you in my dreams so many times, that I can’t stand to wait.”
“Don’t.”
That one word energized him. He pulled me to him, and into the middle of the bed. He kissed my neck, nipping gently at my collarbone. Then he bent his head and took my nipple into his mouth, sucking hard. I arched towards him. I didn’t know if I could wait either.
Brennan slid an arm under me, pulling me closer. He bit down on my other nipple, and I felt the rush of wetness between my legs. This was so much better than a dream.
“I need you,” he murmured.
“Take me,” I replied.
We didn’t go to sleep for a long time.
Chapter Nineteen
Iris
I stretched, feeling sore in all sorts of good places. We’d made love twice more before finally falling asleep in one another’s arms. My arm fell to the other side of the bed, and found it empty. I sat up, heart racing.
Brennan stood by the window, trousers on, but with no shirt. I admired the muscles of his back. Even thin, he was still the most handsome, sexy attractive man I’d ever seen. I took the sheet from the bed, wrapping it around me as I swung my legs out, and walked over to him. I wrapped my arms around him, laying my head on his back.
“Are you all right?”
“I was thinking what a waste this all was, what a mess.”
“This is not your fault, Brennan.”
“You could have died, Iris.”
I slid under his arm so I could see him. “You could have died, Brennan.”
He opened his mouth, and then closed it. “Yes, and I nearly did. Had Aine not come in and healed me, I would have.”
“Who is she?” I asked.
“I am not sure. She was some part of Eilor’s schemes that much I know. We thought it was all Cian, but from what Cian, Ailla, and Aine have said, this was the doing of Eilor.”
I thought about the Dragon King. From what I’d seen, he didn’t put out the crafty schemer vibe. I said so.
“No, he did not. Which makes him all the more dangerous. We have to find him.”
“What will happen to Dhysara?”
He looked out the window, shrugging lightly. “I’m not sure. I have some ideas, but it will depend on Father.”
“I’m sorry about your mom,” I said. I could have kicked her ass, but no one wanted to see their mom like that.
Brennan sighed. “It will take time, but she will heal. I’m not sure she’ll get over the loss of a grandchild soon, however. That may take a while longer.”
I ducked my head into his chest, smiling to myself. “Well, maybe not.”
Silence. Then he pushed me away from him, holding my arms.
“What are you saying, Iris?”
This was not quite the reception I’d been expecting. But I couldn’t stop from smiling as I said, “Well, she’s about to get a grandchild from the non-crazy side of the family.”
“You’re sure?”
S
hit. I couldn’t tell what he was thinking.
“I am.”
“That was…that was very fast.” His brow furrowed.
“We had a lot of sex before you were kidnapped.”
“No, no…just that Fae women—”
“Mostly human, remember?” I pointed at myself. “No matter what else may be changing. We get pregnant pretty quickly when you’re not using any birth control”
“What?”
“Nothing. Listen, genius, I’m getting a little upset here. Are you happy about this or not? Or do you need to interrogate me some more?”
His face went completely blank, and then he picked me up off the ground and crushed me to him. “Am I happy? Of course I am happy! I didn’t expect that we’d be parents so soon.”
He kissed me, the big smile that was on my face blooming on his.
“Why don’t we go back to bed?” I asked, letting the sheet fall as much as I could while he held me.
“But we’re—”
“Later. Bed!” I pointed behind him.
We were late for breakfast that morning.
Brennan
Hand in hand, he walked with Iris towards the smaller dining room. His father had sent a servant asking that they join him for a late mid-afternoon meal. Brennan smiled. He understood that Jharak was needling him a bit about not being up earlier, but he felt that he had earned a late morning with his wife.
He’d asked Iris if he could share their news, and she’d agreed. He was so excited he didn’t know what to do with himself. An heir had always been an expected thing, but he hadn’t really seen himself in the role as a father. The role of a husband was so new…but to know that he would be a father, and a father to Iris’ child…he looked down at the top of her head, and kissed it.
She smiled up at him, and he could see the roses in her cheeks. Already she looked even more beautiful.
He couldn’t wait to share the news. They reached the door of the dining room, and he pushed it open to come upon Jharak and Drake, nose to nose, obviously arguing.
“I won’t do it!” Drake said, almost shouting.
“You must. There is no one else that I trust.” Jharak was calm.
“Are we interrupting?” he asked politely.
Drake turned to him, furious. “Tell him! Tell him, Bren! Tell him I cannot be a king!”
“Why not? You’re the son of a king.”
Drake looked at him. Whatever he’d been expecting, this wasn’t it. “Thank you, brother. Good to know you’ve got my back in a fight.” Then he turned back to Jharak. “The Dragon Realm already has a king.”
“A traitor, who even now has disappeared. You heard what Aine told us this morning. The court was in chaos even before Cian made his move. We cannot leave things the way they are. Someone completely unsuitable will rise to power. We cannot have anyone other than one of ours in power. Not with that court. Not with the dragons.”
“Then let her do it!” Drake gestured to Aine.
She shook her head. “I’ve told you. The court knows me as some sort of experiment. They would never trust me. I am too closely tied to Eilor in their minds. And I don’t want to rule. I do want to go back, because I want to make sure the dragons are cared for.”
“Why don’t we just kill them, and the threat will be done?”
Aine stood, and Brennan took a step back at the ferocity in her face. “Why don’t I kill you, because you come from the wrong stock? They have done nothing for centuries, other than what Eilor forced them too! I’m not demanding we go and kill your human ancestors, am I? I don’t know exactly how I am part of it, but I am part of the dragons. They will be protected, or I will not help you!”
Jharak held up a hand. “The dragons are not going to be harmed. I’ve been speaking with Aine for some time. Most of the dragons are sleeping, spelled into a dream state. Am I correct?”
She nodded, some of the ferocity fading from her. “As best I can tell. He was very secretive about what he did with them.”
“Where do you think he is?” Brennan asked.
“I’ve sent Taranath and a contingent of guards to the Dragon Realm. I hope you don’t mind—” Jharak spoke to Brennan. “I felt he was the wisest choice. The fewer people who know the truth, the better.”
Brennan nodded. “What’s been done with Cian and Ailla?”
“We disposed of them this morning. Buried in unmarked areas, far from here.” Drake sounded almost normal.
“Did you tell Mother?”
Jharak shook his head. “No. I felt it best that I take care of this on my own.”
“I don’t envy you that conversation. Where did you send Dhysara?”
“We have not sent her anywhere yet. She’s been keeping to her rooms. When he returns, I will have Taranath remove her memories. But I wanted to speak with you about this, Brennan. Where should we locate her? While she’s said nothing—I don’t think she should be in the same place she was before.” Jharak looked concerned.
Iris spoke then. “Can Taranath actually reorder her memories?”
Brennan answered her. “Yes, he can. We would never do this without someone requesting it. It’s very rare that they do. But I don’t feel her request is out of order.”
Iris squeezed his hand, and he felt a thrill of desire shoot through him. Something about the thought of her carrying his child made it hard for him to concentrate.
She let go and went to sit down next to Aine at the table. Brennan could tell, although they had not spoken of it, that Iris liked the other woman. Given how jealous she’d been before, he was glad to see it. He knew, in his mind, that the jealousy was part of the spell Ailla had put on Iris; that didn’t mean he wasn’t aware of the possibility.
One more reason to be glad that Ailla was gone.
“What are you going to tell everyone about Ailla?” Iris asked. “Won’t the Dragon Court be upset? What will Eilor think?”
“He is probably gone,” Aine said. She spoke quietly, but everyone turned to her. “He was not entirely in favor of kidnapping you, but Cian wouldn’t listen to anyone other than himself, and Ailla long ago aligned herself with Cian.”
“Gone?” Drake asked. “Where would he go?”
Aine shrugged. “I don’t know. I just know that he would disappear at times for days on end, and he didn’t even tell Ailla where he’d been.”
“We have to assume he’s alive, and in hiding. All more reason for you to—” Jharak said to Drake.
Drake’s easy humor vanished. “No! I don’t want it!” He glared around the room, and stomped over towards the window, kicking one of the chairs at the table as he did so.
Aine, who had ignored Drake’s outburst in favor of the fruit plate in front of her, looked up. “You need to. Someone does. The Realm will go to pieces otherwise.” She took a bite of fruit and spoke through her chewing. “I’ll help you. I can’t rule, but I know the court. I can help you, or whomever it is that goes, to sort things out.” She focused on the plate again.
“There,” Jharak said. “You have an insider who will help you. There’s no one else I can trust, Drake.”
At the window, hands clenched on the stone sill, Drake’s shoulders tensed. Brennan understood. It was hard to resist their father when he was asking for help. He so rarely did so.
The room fell silent, everyone waiting to see what Drake would say. Brennan walked towards his brother, and put a hand on his shoulder. “Brother, you are suited for this. I know you don’t want it, but you are. You have been my rock for years. It’s time to be your own rock.”
He knew Drake didn’t want this, but he also knew this was the right thing. He could feel it. Even as he didn’t want to lose his best friend, Drake needed to find his place that was his, and his alone. Not as a part of the life of another.
“Leave you to your wife? Hope she doesn’t brain you in your sleep?” Drake asked, staring down at the sill. “You won’t make it a year, brother.”
“Well then I’ll have the G
oblin Realm all to myself,” Iris said from the table. “Not a bad deal.”
A moment, and then everyone, even Drake, laughed. Brennan shot a glance of gratitude towards Iris, and he could see that Aine smiled. That was a good sign as well. He hadn’t seen a smile from her since he’d met her that wasn’t tinged with bitterness or sarcasm.
This was genuine, and it gave him hope for Drake and what he could accomplish.
“All right, all right!” Drake hit the sill. “I’ll go. I am making no promises, none at all!” He turned to glare at both Jharak and Brennan. “I will go, and see what kind of mess that family of lunatics has left, and only then will I decide whether I stay.”
When neither Jharak nor Brennan responded, he continued, “And that’s it! That is the only promise you will get from me. If you’re going to yoke me to a throne, then I will determine whether or not it’s worth it.” His gaze landed on Aine. “And you will help me in whatever I need. I’m not going into that nest of vipers blind!”
She nodded, not even looking up from the fruit. “Of course. I want to see the Realm regain its health. I will be happy to help you.”
Drake threw up his hands, and stomped towards the door. He jerked it open, saying, “I need to go. I’ve lost my appetite!” The door slammed behind him as he left.
“Well, that went super well,” Iris said.
“He’ll come round,” Jharak didn’t sound concerned as he sat down at the table. “He knows it’s the best way for all of us. I appreciate your willingness to help him, my dear,” he said to Aine, smiling.
She met his eyes. “I have no choice, either. If I do not, the dragons will be killed. If not by you, then by the people of the Dragon Realm.”
“How do you know?” Iris asked.
“Eilor used them as a way to inspire fear. No one really knows much about them, only that he has some kept locked away. People probably think more than there are, but that’s what fear does, right?”
“I’m glad you’ll be with him,” Iris said.
Aine looked up at that.
“Really?”
Chapter Twenty
Iris
I smiled at her. “Yes, I will. I’m sad, though, because I would have liked to had you here longer.” I hoped she could tell that my words were genuine.
Realms of the Goblin King (The Realm Trilogy Book 3) Page 16
