“Do we have a plan, Hoheit? A next step?” Baldewin asked.
“I would not be opposed to scooping up that Mathilda and dropping her on an iceberg in the middle of the ocean,” Rodrigo snarled.
“I think he meant something useful,” Evora countered, and Baldewin tried hard not to smile.
“I believe that solution would be very useful in terms of freeing the Taavi Clan from her negative influence,” Alric announced to Baldewin’s surprise. “We might not be able to get through to some of the older, thickheaded mages, but certainly the younger mages, Tori’s generation and younger, might be willing to listen to us. Be willing to save themselves from such acidic, hate-filled rhetoric.”
“Hoheit, you can’t be serious,” Baldewin replied in a firm voice. Alric was usually a reasonable person. The only time he’d seen Alric completely lose his mind was when Cameron had been kidnapped. The encounter with the Taavi Clan was coming in a close second.
“He’s not,” Cameron said sharply. Alric glared at his mate, and Cameron glared right back at him, daring the dragon king to cross him.
“Cam. Liebling—”
“Oh, don’t ‘Liebling’ me,” Cameron shot back. “I know you’re pissed. I’m pissed, too. That-that witch could be standing between our clanmates and happiness. She could be keeping Rodrigo’s clanmates from finding happiness. I’d be thrilled to knock some sense into her using a two-by-four, but how is that going to look to the rest of the Taavi Clan? Is roaring in there breathing ice and fire going to prove to them that we’re not exactly what the Jaeggi have said we are?”
Alric stared at his mate for another second, but Baldewin could already see some of the telltale lines around Alric’s eyes disappearing. “I don’t think I want you having anymore lessons with Dieter. It’s interfering with my ability to act impulsively.”
Cameron smiled and leaned down to press a kiss to Alric’s cheek. “There are plenty of other ways for you to be impulsive.”
“Where does that leave us?” Rodrigo said sharply. “Do we leave? Pretend this clan does not even exist when I have dragons in need of mates? Do we leave them vulnerable to the Jaeggi?” He stopped and shoved a hand through his hair. “I know I said I would be content even if I walked away empty handed, but I was still hoping to avoid that if possible.”
“Do you want a mage if they believe the things about us that Mathilda described? Or what Tori told us?” Thiago inquired.
Rodrigo lifted a helpless hand. “And if we bring such a mage into our clan, we risk that person sowing discord. I feel damned no matter which choice I make. My life is the well-being of my clan. My dragons need mates, and I can’t turn away potential mates, but I also cannot bring such unhappiness and hatred to my dragons.”
“That’s why we’re going to talk to them again,” Alric declared. All eyes snapped to the king, and Baldewin sat up a little straighter. “This is not a problem to be fixed quickly, but we can show them that we are open to dialogue. We may never be able to reach all of them, but I think we will be able to reach some. Like Tori, there may be others who are looking to leave but are afraid to speak up.”
Shoving his hands into the pockets of his slacks, Rodrigo stood in the center of the room, his shoulders slightly slumped and a look of utter heartbreak on his handsome face. Baldewin glanced around to find that the rest of Rodrigo’s retinue had a similar expression. They looked both worried for their king as well as sad for their own fate.
He understood their position all too well, because he’d been in their shoes not so long ago. An entire clan of mages was at their fingertips, but years of anger, hatred, and misinformation had been ingrained in generation after generation. Such things were not going to be wiped out in one visit.
“King Alric is correct, I think,” Rodrigo sighed. “There is nothing to be accomplished by attempting to force them to see our point of view. It will take time and patience.” He looked up at his fellow Valerii dragons and smiled a bit crookedly. “We ice dragons have the long patience of a slow-moving glacier. We will find our mates. The gods would not dare allow the world to become overpopulated with fire dragons. Ice dragons are needed as balance.”
Alric smirked. “Fire and ice.”
Cameron chuckled. “Don’t tell Ravi that.”
Rodrigo cocked his head to the side. “The little wind dragon? He’s fun. You should send him to me. He would enjoy Prainha Lefts.”
“Yes, but would it survive Ravi?” Baldewin murmured.
Cameron nodded as he cuddled closer to Alric. “That is so true.”
“Our next plan of action?” Rodrigo inquired.
“We meet after breakfast and return to the town. We will try speaking with Mathilda again. Maybe some other members of the clan if we can manage it. At least spread the word that there are dragons in Germany and Brazil eager to meet with mages. If that fails, we will return to Burkhard and draw up plans to send regular emissaries to the clan.”
“Good plan. I am going to bed, then. I have had enough of this day and wish to hurry tomorrow along.”
The Valerii Clan wished them a good evening and filed steadily out of the room. When they’d all left, Ravi dipped inside and secured the door behind him.
“You should be returning to your own mate, as well,” Alric prodded.
Baldewin’s head popped up, and he found himself hesitating. He was practically vibrating with need to get back to Tori’s side. His sense of the mage was strong, and he didn’t think he was in trouble. It was more of a need to see him sleeping peacefully, to wrap himself around his mate and hold him.
But he was the head of the king’s security. He was Alric’s personal bodyguard, which also made him Cameron’s bodyguard. His first duty was to protect king and consort, not his own wishes and needs.
“Go, my friend,” Alric said, almost laughing. “We have Ravi and Gunter to watch over us. Rodrigo is across the hall, along with his bodyguards. Cameron and I are plenty safe. You need to protect your mage mate.”
“I’m not sure protecting is among his brain’s top five things he wants to do to Tori,” Ravi taunted.
“I’m sure it’s at least in the top ten,” Cameron added with a giggle.
“I think you’re both wrong in assuming his brain is working at all right now,” Gunter added.
With a grunt, Baldewin shoved to his feet. “I’d rather be with my mate than listen to this mocking. I accept your generous offer, Hoheit. Sleep well.”
“Sleep well, Baldewin,” Alric said and then grinned wickedly. “And try to get some sleep. We need Tori to be well rested tomorrow when it comes to dealing with the Taavi.”
“True words spoken by a man too often tempted by his own mate,” Baldewin taunted right back.
Alric wrapped an arm around Cameron’s waist, pulling his mate into his lap who yelped in surprise. “This one has been a bad influence on me.”
Baldewin left the suite to the sounds of laughter and mock fighting. Spirits might have been dampened by the meeting with the Taavi Clan, but Alric was not willing to give up. It might be slow going, but they would make some progress in convincing them that dragons were not evil.