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Eventually.

If she gave in and gave him everything that being his mate required she wouldn’t.

Mortals, whether marked by and immortal or not, would deteriorate in the celestial realms. Her divinity would allow her to stay longer than others, but her succubus and elf side would wither. She would wither.

Yes. He could make her feel less alone, but if he ever left—she cut that thought off.

“I need some time.”

“Ro-”

“Please. Just a little space.”

“Okay.”

Rowan felt the slightest brush of his magic against her head, a pat of comfort before he phased.

Chapter 34

When Alessandro finally had time to make it to Rowan’s side, night was falling all over again.

He called through their link several times, but she hadn’t answered.

He considered giving her space to take in what she’d done by herself, but the thought of staying away longer than it took to get his dragons settled, the civilians treated and Barros into proper Judgment custody kicked his dragon into a tantrum.

He found her cabin settled on a beach he recognized at once. She was sitting in front of a pile of wings that refused to decompose onto the soft sands that Uzziel had abandoned them on.

Lucifer’s scent was faint. He’d been gone for hours.

She didn’t speak even as he settled next to her.

“Will you ignore me for the rest of our lives?” Were his first words.

She snorted.

“What’s going on in that head, Rowan?”

Her sigh was weary. He didn’t doubt she had yet to sleep.

“This won’t work, Alessandro.”

His nose flared. “What won’t work?”

“Us.” The word was nearly a breath. “You took my choice to stay and fight by your side. I’m not your queen. I’m little more than a precious pet.”

He felt his breath leave at that declaration. “You know that isn’t how I feel.”

She snapped her gaze to him, Odin’s Eye glistened like a tiny starry sky. “A queen’s position is by her king’s side.”

“You are not the queen of a regular kingdom, Rowan. You are queen of the Draconian Thunder, and we don’t play by the same rules.”

He could feel her fury warm her before he could see it redden her cheeks. “What? Am I supposed to be subservient? A meek little damsel to be protected? I will never be like that, not even for you!”

She let out a huff of frustration, crossing her arms and looking away, disgusted.

He growled, “Do you really think I’ve taken hundreds of years to choose a queen because I have a lack of damsels in distress?”

She didn’t deign him with even the slightest notion that she took in his words, but she was still there beside him, still willing to listen. Perhaps hoping that there was some reasonable explanation for what he’d done.