At the same moment, Baldewin left his chair and hugged him on the other side, placing a kiss on the top of his head. Tori laughed a little, the sound choked as it was strangled by tears, and he felt far more loved than he ever had. Some of his fears fell away as he realized that these people had demanded he have the right to stay. There was no doubt that he’d been evaluated—and deemed enough.
“Thank god,” Baldewin breathed against him, his arms tight around Tori’s waist. “I didn’t want to influence you, but I hoped you’d say that.”
Oh. Was that why he’d sat all the way over there? Tori tried to put an arm around both Baldewin and Ha Na, hugging them both to him. After a squeeze, Ha Na let him go so she could hug Alric.
“You made the right decision,” she informed her grandson-in-law.
“I’m glad you think so,” Alric returned, a touch sardonically. “But really, do you think I’d say anything else? Every single woman in this room was glaring daggers at me, daring me to say something different. I do have some survival instincts, you know. Never mind that Baldewin would pout for centuries if I didn’t bring Tori in.”
Baldewin pulled Tori tighter against his side. “I would not have. I would have followed him.”
Tori flushed, a smile lighting his face by degrees. Baldewin really did like him, didn’t he? The idea that this dragon would have run away with him if that were the only choice made him ridiculously happy. He was a little giddy under the emotion. He couldn’t help but react to it all. Tori lifted a hand to Baldewin’s cheek, pulling his head around so he could kiss him, sweet and lingering. Baldewin didn’t let him go with just one kiss, pressing back in for another, this one impossibly sweeter. It felt like an affirmation. He was very important to Baldewin, and the feeling of growing affection and desire was mutual. It wasn’t just on his end.
And wasn’t that incredible? Tori felt like he was flying under that emotion. The way Baldewin touched him made it clear he felt the same.
“Yes, Ha Na, I see the obvious when it’s right in front of my face.”
“You and Cam are just as bad,” Ha Na informed him, a trace of evil in her tone.
“I have no doubt,” Alric returned placidly.
Reminded of their audience, Tori pulled back. But he had every intention of following up with Baldewin later, when they had privacy. Baldewin’s declaration was sincere, and it hinted that the dragon was serious about him. And damn if Tori would ignore that.
There were indulgent smiles on everyone’s faces as Baldewin withdrew a few inches, allowing Tori to see the room again. Tori refused to feel embarrassed by it, though. He cleared his throat and tried to get them back to practical matters. “Thank you, King Alric, for inviting me in.”
“You are quite welcome. And truly, thank you for accepting. I know something of the road you have walked to arrive here, and I’m grateful you gave us a chance.” Alric leaned forward slightly in his chair, smile benign. “There’s a bit of formality yet to do, as we have paperwork to change your name over and citizenry forms. But as far as we dragons are concerned, you are now a Burkhard. I’ll find a moment to formally introduce you to the clan in the next few days.”
Pleasantly overwhelmed, Tori nodded. He got to live in this amazing castle with these incredibly sweet people, and he couldn’t be more thrilled. It was almost impossible to sit still, but he forced himself to stay planted. “I look forward to it.”
“I didn’t ask before about how to approach your clan head and inform him? Her?”
Oh yes! That’s right. “I don’t know the procedure, I’m sorry. No one in living memory has left the clan. I’m not even sure if we have a procedure. But I can tell you the clan head’s contact information, and you can call her. Um, I should warn you—” He winced, imagining the reaction Alric was likely to get. “They won’t take this well. I snuck out and abandoned them. I’ve been either fielding or ignoring messages and phone calls for weeks now about returning home. They won’t take it well that I’ve chosen a dragon clan over them.”
“I don’t anticipate anything else.” Still, Alric frowned, brows drawn together as he stared down at his hands. “I worry about how to straighten out this lie they’ve been told.”
He had to tell them. Tori hated to, but he had to tell them. “I don’t think you can draw any other mages from my old clan or make friends with them. It’s not just the lie they believe. It’s…everything else. They’re extremely homophobic. They won’t be able to accept the same-sex pairings in this clan, especially your marriage, King Alric. It’s bad enough in their eyes that you chose a male consort, but a male mage? Only women are supposed to be mages, in their eyes.”
Oh, Alric didn’t like that. His nostrils flared with anger, and was that a hint of steam coming out? Like he would actually blow fire in his human form? “Nonsense. That is utter nonsense. How did your clan become so skewed by hatred?”
“I have no idea. It’s just been that way for a long time. Certainly as long as I’ve been alive. It’s why I had to leave.” And Tori blessed that decision more with every passing day. “I really don’t think you can get through to them. Although I’ll understand if you try anyway.”
“We must,” Alric sighed, although he looked troubled. “We have so few mages, and I’ve already promised the ice dragons that I would introduce them. We also have the Jaeggi to worry about. Still, I take your words of caution to heart. I will approach them as carefully as I know how. I would appreciate you sitting with me later and crafting an initial message.”
“I’ll be happy to help.” He just wasn’t sure if words existed in any language that could break through his clan’s icy guard.
Lisette came to stand at Alric’s shoulder, and she poked him. “Let’s leave that aside for a moment. You’ve skipped over something important. Alric, it’s all well and good for you to accept Tori into the clan, but I want him appointed as a mage of the clan.”
Tori’s jaw dropped. What did she just say?!
Head canted to look up at her, Alric inquired, “He has all the skills required, then?”
“From what I’ve seen, he does. His herbology is top-notch. At least on that subject, I doubt there’s much left for me to teach him, not as a student.” Lisette threw Tori a wink. “After a full day of working alongside him, not to mention all that he did on the way here, I think he’ll pass every possible trial I can think to set him. I only need to formally sit down with him and review his knowledge so I know how to best employ his skills.”
“Ah. Very well, then he’s a mage of Burkhard.” Alric rubbed his hands together like a giddy child. “More mages for the clan. I never thought I’d see the day we gained so many in such a short amount of time.”
Tori sat there, reeling under the casual declaration. He was a mage. For the first time in his life, he was accepted as a mage in the clan. He felt lightheaded and dizzy with it.
A warm hand settled over his chest. “Tori? Tori, breathe.”
He sucked in a ragged breath, realizing belatedly that his mind had been so shocked, he’d forgotten that basic function. He was a mage. A mage, and one recognized and appointed in a clan. He’d never sleep again. He was far too excited and in shock to ever settle enough to sleep.