Page 97 of The Dragon Warlord

Even timid as he’s become, he’s imposing, and his stately features give his face a serene quality. His blue and white hair is soft but resembles ice, glittering under the glowing orbs that light The Tower for nighttime. There’s a long rune tattoo down his neck, running under his shirt. He wears the blue and white jacket that was crafted for him from his unique scales. One day he’ll join my army. I hope. For now, the dragon lord has permitted him to live in The Tower as a royal and given him the same privileges as his children.

He cannot remember his name, so the dragon lord gave him the name Leif.

“I heard you were back, Warlord. I’ve been working up the gumption to approach you. Oh wait, I’ve fucked this up already. I should be bowing.”

He moves to bow, but I hold out a hand to stop him. “No need for that right now. You do have to refer to me as Warlord in any public space, but feel free to call me Tristan in private.” My command of him was short, but dragons have long memories. There might always be part of him that looks up to me as a kind of master even though he’s a pure alpha dragon. I’m the authority figure around here anyway—after the dragon lord—but even if I wasn’t, he would.

“I’ll try, Warlord. I don’t know how to thank you for what you did for me but know that I consider myself indebted to you for life.”

“No need for that either. Saving dragons is what I do.”

“Are you in a hurry to have me join you? If that’s what you’d like, I will. The dragon lord has been so kind not asking anything of me, but I need to pull my weight at some point, or I’ll feel like a freeloader.”

There’s terror in his blue eyes. He feels safe here. What happened to him was horrific. Almost as horrific as hearing the words “the dragon lord has been so kind”. I wasn’t given any kind of holiday when I got here, and I still haven’t gotten a proper one. It’s always, “do this, Tristan, and get methatdragon, Tristan. Now, or I’ll take that awful whip to your backside”.

“When you’re ready, you’re welcome to, but there’s no rush.” In my opinion, I say let the guy do what he wants for the rest of his life. It’s been over three decades for him, if he’s not into being a warrior now, he might never be.

He nods. “It’s frustrating that my brain has forgotten the things I want to remember but can’t seem to forget the things I’d rather forget.” He shudders.

I didn’t experience what he did and just the thought of being in that cold dark place for so many years fills me with an ugly, haunted feeling. “You always have a friend in me, Leif. Come find me even if it’s just to talk.”

“Still helping me, eh, Warlord?”

“Always.”

We part ways and thoughts of River return like the birds to Markaytia every year. I can’t think of a single reason why I shouldn’t pick him up from his sister’s. They should be done by now and it’ll be fun to cause a little bit of a stir.

* * *

Iask the person who answers the door not to announce my presence and to, for the Gods’ sake, please get up off the floor. River will know I’m approaching if he’s paying attention, but I hope he’s drunk enough mead by this point not to notice.

It’s not often I get to see candid River.

He’s curled up with a glass of mead on his sister’s lounge chair in quiet contemplation. There is a difference in the way he is with them and the way he is with me. River looks at them differently too. It’s still with plenty of love, but there’s something extra when his sapphire gaze shines upon me.

“I love how much you adore him, Warlord,” a quiet voice says from beside me. Matrice.

Does it matter how the feelings began? They exist.

“I do. So much.”

“Then I wager—bond or not—he’ll live a happy life with you. Helivesa happy life with you.”

Blasted meddling Kanes. I frown. “Has he said something to you?”

“He’ll never tell you, but he’s struggling. He wants to do right by you, but his heart aches and yearns for you.”

“And why are you telling me? Shouldn’t you fear me?” I raise a brow. The Kanes siblings don’t generally fear me. They’re too Kanes.

She twists her wry lips. “All I know is what Ikara is going to say if he speaks with her about this and there’ll be no fear in the vicinity.”

“I won’t allow you or anyone else to—”

“He was so proud tonight walking in with those new marks. He didn’t say a word, but his smile said everything.”

When I glance back to my omega, his eyes are on me, but he hasn’t moved. I curl a finger at him, telling him to come to me. The room notices my presence—a few of Matrice and her alpha’s friends, a couple of other Kanes siblings—and there is a commotion as they rise from their seats to bow before me. River does too. Would kissing him get him to stop that every time I walked into a room? Or would he just do more of it?

Come up here, Riv, I say through our connection.