“They are too grateful to the Dragon Master, who saved their lives and healed them, to believe in anything else other than his benevolence,” Willow added, entering the room with Kingston. “They might not know him for long, but they don’t need to know Braxton to believe there is no world in which he would have saved them if he was evil.”
Her assurance brought a smile to my face. Leaving Braxton’s side, I turned to face her and opened my arms wide, silently calling her to me. My best friend rushed towards me, accepting my hug.
“Thank you for falling with me,” I whispered, a sentence that meant far more than the literal act. Willow had always been there with me, during the ups and downs, the wins and heart wrenching defeats.
“Always,” she whispered, squeezing the life out of me. When she pulled away, I noticed her eyes were puffy and still a bit red from the tears she’d shed for me.
My gaze instantly connected with Braxton’s, and he nodded, already knowing what I needed before I even spoke. His hand cradled Willow’s cheek, and with the stroke of his thumb, golden threads of magic danced over her skin, until she was fresh and rested once more.
“Show off,” she grumbled, narrowing her eyes at him, and making his smile turn into a full grin. Kingston chuckled behind her.
“How are you feeling?” she asked, caressing the strands of my messy hair.
“Free,” I finally admitted to myself. “It took me shattering to pieces to realize that hardening my heart to the pain and shielding myself from it only hurt me more in the end. Keeping it all inside didn’t make me stronger, it only weakened me, increasing the weight I carried.”
With glistening “I told you so” eyes, Willow hugged me again, and I enjoyed every second of it.
“I’m never closing myself again, I promise.” I placed a kiss on her cheek, winking at my guardian who looked so proud of me.
“Oh, good. You are all in here,” Imogen marched into our quarters. “The two of you need to get dressed,” she informed Braxton, “there is something you need to see.” Her expression softened when she glanced at me. “How are you doing, my queen?”
“Much better, thank you.”
Pleased by my answer, she bowed her head, but her gaze became concerned when it returned to Braxton. “Have you told her?”
“Tell me what?” I asked, seeing everyone’s demeanor immediately sober. “What is it?”
Sighing, Kingston glanced at Braxton too. “The Dragon ring is missing.”
Alarm gripped my being, and my gaze snapped to my mate. “What?!”
Braxton shook his head in frustration, rubbing both hands over his face. “When I brought you to the room last night, I found half the place was a mess. The dresser drawers were all opened, clothes thrown all around the floor, and the ring gone.”
“No,” I breathed, dread spreading through me. “What of the sword and crown?”
“They are safe,” my mate assured, as relieved as I felt. “Kingston had my sword on him since I couldn’t wear it with the wedding suit. And the crown was well hidden, still where you placed it in the bathroom. I doubt he even knows it exists.”
“He? Lachlan?” I asked, though it was the one question I didn’t want to ask.
“We believe so, yes,” Imogen answered. “He and his men must have ransacked the room during the ceremony.”
A bad feeling spread, prickling my spine, but I forced it away. It wouldn’t help us.
“We sent a group of sky riders after him, but we haven’t been able to find him or his people as of yet,” Kingston informed. “Wherever they headed, they are well hidden from us.”
“I tried to reach Saithar through our link, but she and the other Dragons with her are no longer connected to our tree,” Braxton revealed, a certain ache capturing his voice. “I don’t know how, but something is blocking them from me.”
“Do you think he knows it has power?” Willow asked, worry gripping her features.
“Not entirely sure,” my mate admitted. “I caught him looking at my ring the last time I wore it. He saw it glow while it connected to me.”
“He wanted to hurt the king by ripping something important away from him… Since he couldn’t take you from him.” Imogen’s expression transformed with her compassionate smile.
Shaking my head, I glanced at Braxton and took his hand in mine. “I’m sorry.”
“It’s not your fault.”
It was easier to say it than to believe it, but I couldn’t control what other people did, only my own actions, so I chose to believe him.
“Oh, no!” Willow gasped, suddenly grasping something. “Now the Anima Crystallum is incomplete, but you still need it to defeat Raithian. What are you going to do?”
“You don’t have to worry about that, Sis.” Placing a hand on her arm, Braxton squeezed it. “I will figure it out. I got this.”
“At least the foretold betrayal is done and over with.” Imogen shrugged. “Now we can focus on something else.”
“Imogen!” Kingston chided, eyes widening like he couldn’t believe she had actually said that so nonchalantly.
“It’s the truth!” Whirling around, she left the room without any other explanation.
“Let me help you get dressed. Imogen wants us all to see something, and it sounds important.”
Nodding to Willow, I walked with her towards the armoire where she kept my dresses, while Braxton moved towards his dresser.
Once ready, Braxton and I met my guardian and Imogen again outside the room. My hand reached for Kingston’s arm, stopping his advance before we all left the seventh floor. “May I talk to you for a moment?”
“Is everything alright?” Concern briefly gripped his features.
I nodded, love and devotion rushing to my eyes, but I no longer held back my emotions, letting them flow through me freely instead. “Kingston Knightsky, Honorable Chief of Battle of the Skyborne Legion, I hereby release you from your duty as my guardian.”
“No,” he protested, half shocked, half horrified. “If this is about Lady Willow and I being together, I can assure you that will never interfere with my commitment to—”
My fingers lifted to his lips, hindering his protest.
“Yes. This is about you and Lady Willow being together. Ever since I can remember you have been there for me, Kingston. Training me. Helping Amma raise me when my parents were gone, and then after Amma died. Risking your life to make sure I was safe. You are the second father I didn’t know I could have, Kingston. You have given up so much of yourself for me that I don’t think I’ll ever be able to repay you…”
I smiled at him, even though tears brimmed in my eyes, guided by the immeasurable love my heart held for him.
“It was my duty, Princess… my queen,” his voice broke with the words, eyes shining as he looked at me.
“Looking after me might have been your duty, but loving me like your own daughter never was. Being there for me every time I needed you wasn’t a job. That was you, being you. I’ve had the privilege of knowing that man my entire life. I’ve seen you grow and come into your own just like you have seen me.”