The Dragon's Queen (Dragon Lords) (12 page)

Llyr knew this as certainly as he knew anything. Of course these were words that would never be spoken. A king couldn’t admit such things.
But he felt the truth of them.

Grabbing her by her naked ass, he lifted her off the ground.
She wrapped her legs around his waist. Llyr tried to keep kissing her as he looked for a good spot. The ground was a course combination of damp sand and patches of mud. It clung to his feet and made for an unworthy bed. Without testing the water, which he imagined would be fairly cold, he didn’t want to take her swimming and risk killing the erection now pressed between them. Opting for a cavern wall, he carried her to it and pressed her back to the moss-cushioned stone.

Llyr kept hold of her legs. Mede grasped at the
vines hanging behind her head before wrapping the thick cord around her wrist to help support her weight. Within seconds he had himself aimed to take her. Seeing a breast close to his lips, he moaned. He opened his mouth wide and took a gentle bite. The nipple puckered against his tongue as he sucked it. The moist heat of her sex called to him and he thrust hard. A high-pitched noise escaped her at the claim.

He mov
ed inside her, unable to help the frantic drive of his hips. Desperately, he needed her to feel what he did, to know what he knew and to admit to her feelings. That desperation manifested as wild passion.

The slick hold of her body sheathed him perfectly
. Everything about her was made for him. Her breast slipped from his mouth.

Llyr gripped her thighs
and leaned his forehead to touch hers. Mede panted. Her gaze held his, her eyes swirling with a shift.

The pleasure
came over them hard, climaxing in a dizzying explosion that nearly dropped him to his knees. He pressed her back into the stone as his muscles stiffened. Mede pulled on the vine. He saw her arm flex seconds before the plant snapped. The sudden release of her weight caused him to stumble backwards. His foot slid in the mud and she rode his body to the ground.

The hard grit of sand
scraped his naked ass. Mede straddled his waist, bouncing on his cock when they landed. She made a strange groaning noise as her body jerked violently. Her hands pressed to his chest as she shook again, still finding release.

A stunned, short laugh escaped her.
“Are you injured?”

“I don’t know.” Llyr shifted his hips. The movement on his cock still inside her caused a tiny spasm of release.
He closed his eyes and moaned at the pleasure.

“
I think maybe we should rethink our positioning next time.”

Llyr opened an eye. “Next time?”

“I need a new adventure,” she whispered, leaning over to kiss the tip of his nose. “Until we’re forced to go to the Breeding Ceremony to look for mates, you’re it.”

“So you are going to the ceremony?” He let his hands move up her hips.

“I have to attend. I don’t have to marry.” Mede moved to stand. She winced as her legs straightened. Her knees were scraped from the fall. She silently offered to help him up.

Llyr reached to brush the sand from his ass. The flesh stung.
“There’s a medic unit in the bag.”

“Clean up first,” Mede said.
She walked to the water and skimmed a toe over the top. “You don’t want the medic healing bits of sand into your flesh. I like your ass as it is. No need to morph that pretty finish into something resembling a shaved yorkin.”

“As my lady wishes,” Llyr answered.

Mede arched a brow, but this time she didn’t correct his use of the title.

“
The king sent a runner to summons you back to the palace immediately,” Tomos said. He kept his eyes averted from Mede as he looked at Prince Llyr. “He did not say why, only that there is a royal matter requiring your attendance.”

“
Was there no hint?” Llyr asked.

“
None,” Tomos said. “Only that you are to make the trip immediately.”

Mede wat
ched the two men with interest. Llyr had managed to lead her out of the cave without incident. The miners could be heard working in a different chamber, away from where they walked. When they’d emerged, Tomos had been lounging against a boulder waiting for them.

Llyr nodded and then turned to her. “
Join me?”

“
At the palace?” Mede shook her head in instant denial. “No.”

“
Tomos is staying here with his family,” Llyr insisted. “I’d like the company.”

Mede glanced at Tomos who seemed
surprise by the plan. Her voice a little too high, she answered, “No. I think I’ll go home to help my mother…do…some things. It’s not a long run to the palace. The paths are easy. You’ll be fine.”

“
As prince, you shouldn’t travel alone,” Tomos said. “Burden of the crown.”

Llyr nodded at him. Mede gave Tomos a hard look. The man lifted his hands a
nd backed away from her. He walked several paces ahead on the path, leaving them to some privacy.

“
Are you scared of the palace?” Llyr arched a brow.

“
I’m not scared of anything.” Mede stiffened.

“
I’m not so sure. You’ve been avoiding royal invitations for some time now.”

Mede bit her lip. Lowering her voice, she asked, “
So they’ve noticed?”

“
My parents? Yes, of course the king and queen have noticed the only female dragon on the planet has slighted the queen’s invitation by sending excuses in her stead. Repeatedly.”

Mede
stepped closer. One of her boots had been tossed into the pool when they undressed and now it squished every time she put weight on her right foot. She turned her head away from Tomos’ direction, to whisper, “Was the queen upset?” She thought of her mother, crying in disappointment at something Mede had failed to do.

Llyr didn
’t answer and she couldn’t read his expression.

“
If you insist I make an appearance at the palace, I will go.” She straightened her shoulders and tried to act unconcerned. They had bathed, but her clothes weren’t really fit for the royal court. Maybe if she made a bad impression, the queen would not invite her back. That thought didn’t make her as happy as it should have. She wanted them to like her. Not simply because they were the king and queen, but she wanted Llyr’s parents to like her.

“
Wonderful.” Llyr grabbed her elbow gently urging her to fall into step beside him. “The queen will be very pleased.” He dropped her arm and patted Tomos on the shoulder as they moved past him. “See you at the festival, Tomos. Good luck finding a bride.”

Mede gave Tomos a strained smile. The water-logged boot made an audible
squish-squish-squish
noise as she walked after Llyr. The palace? What had she gotten herself into?

* * *

The run to the palace was easier in shifted form. Llyr wouldn’t admit it, but the summons worried him. His parents hadn’t called him back to the palace since he was a child. He checked in regularly, knew his diplomatic schedule, and sneaked away during his free time to hunt or camp, or more recently to pursue his future bride. Needlessly glancing over his shoulder, he confirmed what he already knew. Mede was there, shifted and running barefoot over the rough terrain. He’d offered to find her shoes but she’d just laughed at him, saying her boot would dry faster if she carried it.

There were no clouds in the green-tinted heavens and the suns shone bright and hot, but Mede did not complain
—not that he expected she would. The wide red and gray path they traveled was a direct route to the palace near the base of the mountains. Spear-shaped peaks shot up from the land behind them like a warning from the earth, becoming gentler as they headed south into the foothills. The farther they traveled, the redder the ground became, until the gray disappeared altogether.

The feelings of dread did not dissipate as he neared the palace, though he could not fathom why he should be apprehensive. He wanted Mede to meet his parents. By all rights, he should be excited by the fact.
Instead, he had the most overwhelming urge to order her home.

“
Someone’s coming,” Mede said, slowing her run to a walk. When he glanced back at her, she’d shifted to human form but her eyes glowed as she listened to the distance. “One man.”

Llyr heard it a
s well. “We’re near the palace. It’s probably a guard.”

“
No. It’s Rolant,” Mede said. “I spent hours running with him during my initiations. I know his stride.”

As if to prove her point, Llyr
’s brother appeared on the path. Mede had a good ear. Llyr nodded, impressed.

Rolant gave him a tight smile and nodded in greeting before turning to Mede. Instantly, he froze. Charging to Llyr, he demanded, “
Gods’ bones, Llyr, why did you bring her?”

Mede gasped in obvious shock.

“I’m taking her to the palace.” Llyr glared at his brother in warning. Rolant glanced at Llyr’s neck where he still wore the wrong stone. “The queen has wanted to meet her for some time.”

“
Don’t you know what’s happened?” Rolant asked, his body remaining tense. “I thought you came back for—”

“
Father sent a runner to find me. He just said there was an important matter that I needed to attend to,” Llyr answered.

“
What’s going on, Rolant?” Mede inquired, coming to stand beside the brothers.

“
Cynan is gone,” Rolant said. “Two days now. Saben and Dylan found his abandoned campsite and Saben tracked a party of Var shifters into the shadowed marshes near Lord Myrddin’s fortress.”

“
What you’re suggesting is an act of war,” Mede said. “Do you think Lord Myrddin had anything to do with this? I know he hates us, but would he dare?”

“
We have no proof beyond his men patrolling closer to our borders since your run,” Rolant said. “That blond fur had to come from someone at the palace. I don’t know why, but most of the blond-furred cats are recruited as palace guards. I suppose it’s to match the décor?”

“
Did the catshifter give you any clue as to his identity?” Llyr thought of what she’d told him, of how the man had taken liberties and kissed her. The primal dragon in him wanted to find the palace guard and beat him for it. The more logical, albeit barely, male in him held the dragon back from such possessively dominant shows of love.

Mede shook her head. “
He was just a Var running in the forest near the marsh farmer. He was well groomed and spoke eloquently, but after Owain anything would have looked well groomed. He might have been protecting someone else in the forest. I heard a woman and man…”

“
What?” Rolant demanded.

“
They were coupling,” she mumbled weakly. “Maybe the guard was there as protection? He said the woman was an offworlder and they weren’t married. Maybe the prince was running around the forest with someone who was not his wife? I heard married Var men often sleep with women they’re not married to.”

“
It’s called half mating.” Rolant frowned. “But the royals don’t half mate, not that I’ve ever heard of. Is Prince Attor even married?”

“
I don’t believe he is.” Llyr turned to Mede. “I don’t see the prince leaving the luxury of the palace to have a liaison. I have heard he is a bit…”

“
Delicate,” Rolant supplied.

“
Yeah, delicate,” Llyr repeated, though that was putting it nicely. By all accounts, and by the few meetings he’d had with the man, the Var prince was a spoiled child. King Auguste had even indicated in conversation that Attor was a weakling. “Gods help the cats the day that man comes into power. You might have heard an old house noble. They are the true threat. The king is more of a figurehead.”

“
That’s all that happened.” Mede gave Llyr a pleading look. He wasn’t about to tell anyone about the kiss. “We heard the couple. I got the fur. I left. Now what is this about Cynan?” Mede brought the subject back around to the missing dragon. The worry was evident on her face. “And why don’t you want me here?”

“
The king has assembled the Dead Dragons. Since Cynan is one of our own we are to go after him. Any of us within a five minute run of the palace is to be gathered for the search party.”

“
Yes, of course,” Mede answered. “Let’s go now.”

“
Mede, this isn’t a run to skin a cat,” Llyr said. “This isn’t going to be friendly. We don’t know what’s happening.”

“
More reason for us to get going,” Mede ground out tightly. “I’ve trained my whole life for battle. I’m not scared. I don’t want war, but if I’m called to battle I’ll go. I will not dishonor my family name.”

“
I forbid it.” Llyr knew the mistake of his words the instant he said them, but he didn’t want to take them back. “It is too dangerous.”

“
You have no right to forbid me from going. You’re not my parent and I’m not a child. You’re not my king. You’re not my anything. You’re the prince who should be more worried about answering your father’s summons to the palace than lecturing me on what I can and cannot do. I
am
a Dead Dragon. I have rightfully earned my place. And Cynan is not only a brother dragon, he is my friend.” She turned to Rolant. “And you, how dare you try to leave me behind in the mountains. I’ll find the others and ready myself.”

Mede stormed away from them. Llyr moved to follow her
but Rolant grabbed his arm and jerked him back. “She’s right, you know. You have no authority to stop her now that she is here.”

Llyr reached into his pocket to hold up the stone. “
This gives me the authority. She’s my—”

“
Your what?” Rolant demanded. “You haven’t even told her. And you are not her husband. She has to choose you first.”

“
Send her home,” Llyr commanded.

“
I told you not to let her get marked. I warned you to stop it when you had a chance. Now it’s out of my hands. She’s one of us and I can’t play favorites. Ancient tradition and the king’s decree dictate otherwise.” Rolant placed a hand on his shoulder. “She is here. She is coming. I’ll protect her as I would any of my brothers.”

“
I’m coming with you.” Llyr made a move to follow Mede.

“
No.” Rolant grabbed his arm hard and squeezed. “You go to the palace. I have the impression there is more happening here than just Cynan. Find out what. Protect our people. Do your duty.”

“
If she goes, I go.” Llyr jerked his arm from Rolant’s grasp.

“
You know it is not the same for you. You’re our future king and commander and are needed at the palace. This is one mission you can’t join us on.”

“
I’m not scared of the Var,” Llyr denied, even though he knew is brother was right. He’d earned his mark into their order, but he was held to a higher duty first—ruling a planet. Unless they were to go to actual war, he was not to participate in fights. No one would think less of him for not going. In fact, if he did go they might think he didn’t care about his people’s future. But what of his future, his Mede?

“
You know better than to think like that.” Rolant frowned. “Our father would not have sent the order unless the situation was serious. There has to be more to this than Cynan going missing.”

Llyr hated his
current circumstances.

“
Go to the palace and find out.” Rolant shoved his shoulder to get him moving.

Llyr slowly nodded.
“Find Cynan and bring him home. And, Mede, please…”             

Rolant nodded. “
If necessary I’ll give my life for hers, Llyr, I swear it.”

Llyr already knew as much. Rolant ran after Mede to w
here the Dead Dragons would have gathered. He stared at the place where his brother had disappeared into the tree line. Everything inside told him to go after them. But if he did, he’d dishonor himself by defying their laws. And, worse, he’d dishonor Mede by implying she didn’t deserve to stand alongside men.

“
By all the gods, keep her safe,” Llyr whispered after his brother. Is this how wives felt when the Draig soldiers went off to battle? The gripping fear and panic he couldn’t show the world? The desires of the man warred with the duty of a prince. “I beg you, whatever it takes keep her safe.”