Page 9 of Daman

“Because you’re the most beautiful.”

Those words had smoothed Envy’s bitter edge. Out of all my brothers, Warrin had chosenme. My standoffish behavior chased people away, just as I’d intended. I was used to fading into the background and only being seen when I wanted to be—like when I went to Konnar’s club and let loose.

Yet, Warrin had seen me anyway.

“See?” Bellamy smiled. “Admit that you like him.”

“I don’t. How could I? I know nothing about the guy.”

“You know he’s hot as fuck,” Bellamy said before taking a drink of the spiced apple cider Raiden had made. “That’s what matters.”

I rolled my eyes. “Shallow, much?”

“Attraction is important. Lust sometimes leads to love.”

“I have no interest in love. If we didn’t need the alliance, I wouldn’t have agreed to the marriage.”

“You’ll still have fun fucking his brains out. Dragons are amazing in bed.” Bellamy released an exaggerated sigh. “I still haven’t banged a water dragon though.”

Kyo’s orange eyes slightly narrowed as he glanced up from his food. “And you never will.”

“Ouch.” Bellamy touched his chest. “Your husband is so feisty, Cas. I’m sure there are single dragons on your island, Kyo. Hook me up.”

“No.”

“What about your brother? He’s fucking beautiful.”

Kyo made a face. “Ew.”

I couldn’t help but smile.

After dinner, Raiden cut into the desserts. He’d baked apple pie, blueberry cobbler, and an apple cider donut cake. Clara had made a blackberry cheesecake and chocolate chip cookies. Gray, who was already hyper enough—when he wasn’t fighting a sleepy spell anyway—bounced off the walls.

“No more sugar,” Alastair said, hands on his hips.

Gray snuck another cookie and giggled as he ran from the kitchen.

“That little brat.” Alastair poured himself some spiked cider and looked at me. “We should discuss your trip. King Nikolai said we can accompany you to Russia.”

“You guys can come to the wedding, but you don’t have to stay once it’s over. Fuck knows how long I’ll have to be there.”

“At least long enough to get to know Prince Warrin’s people,” Alastair said. “To get to know him too. Regardless of the reason for the marriage, it’s a sacred bond that needs to be treated with respect.”

“Can’t I just divorce him when all of this is over?”

Alastair frowned. “Not even you are that heartless, Daman.”

“I don’t know. I might be.” I followed him into the living room and sat in the corner chair, bringing both legs up into the cushion. “Will I have to live in Russia? Or will he live here in Echo Bay?”

“Those things can be discussed with him after the wedding, I’m sure,” Alastair said. “When the war with Asa truly begins, where you call home won’t matter. He won’t stop until he’s dead or we are.”

“Can we not talk about depressing shit right now?” Raiden plopped down on the couch beside Alastair, holding the blueberry cobbler. Instead of dishing out a piece on a plate, he held the entire pie and ate it with a fork. “Today’s about being thankful for what we have. And I’m thankful for all of you, even if you’re assholes sometimes.”

“Know what I’m thankful for?” Castor said, popping his head around the corner. “This motherfuckin’ apple pie.”

“You better be thankful for me too, you ass,” Kyo said from the hall, and I heard a soft slap.

Castor grinned and ducked out of sight.