Page 77 of Valor’s Flight (The New Protectorate #5)

Both healers’ eyebrows raised. The one with the nose ring, clearly trying to be respectful while still skeptical, asked, “And why do you think that?”

“Because he’s my husband,” she answered, casting a glance at Taevas. “I’m a nymph. When we married, I… Well, he’s in the hyphae.”

The younger healer didn’t appear to understand what she was trying to say, but after a long moment, the older of the pair made a thoughtful sound.

Snapping his fingers, he said, “Arbuscular mycorrhizal nymphalia. I’ve never seen it myself, but I remember reading about it in my apprenticeship.

Do you mind if I confirm it’s the same infection? ”

He held out one smooth hand. Shrugging, she put her hand in his.

There was that ticklish warmth again, but it only lasted a moment before he let her go.

Giving his partner a nod, the healer said, “Identical. And fascinating.” He paused, his mind clearly working fast behind those red-brown eyes.

“I am very interested in the way it interacts with your nervous system, Emand — and what that might mean for the Isand.”

Alashiya blinked. “Well, I don’t really—”

“Sovereigns on approach,” Vael announced, the tips of his fingers pressed to the space above one ear.

Instantly, all members of the Wing lost their casual postures.

Every dragon rose up as one. Vael vaulted over the couch to stand at attention directly behind Taevas.

Radek joined him to take up his post behind her.

The other dragons assembled by the glass wall, where they stood at attention, their backs perfectly straight and chins up.

The faintest sound of whirring wind began to filter through the glass as a shadow passed over the rooftop patio.

Sniffing, Taevas rose from the couch. Offering her his hand, he told the healers, “We’ll continue this conversation after my meeting with the sovereigns.”

The healers made their polite goodbyes and rushed off toward the door, where a beautiful dragon in a pencil skirt had manifested out of thin air. Gesturing for the healers to pass through the door with her tablet, she called out, “Isand, Lee Seymour is requesting a call.”

Taevas narrowed his eyes. “Oh, I’ve got some things to say to Lee. Katya, tell him I’ll call him tonight.”

“Yes, sir. And when the Emand is ready, she has several messages as well.”

Alashiya started. “I do?”

“Yes, ma’am,” Katya replied. “The nymph representative from the United Congress has called several times, and a few others have left messages as well.”

Nymphs want to talk to me? Alashiya paled.

“Don’t worry about any of that right now. You’re the Emand. Everyone can and will wait until you’re ready,” Taevas muttered.

“What if I never am?” she whispered, wiping her sweaty palms on her pretty silk skirt.

“My brave queen? Impossible.” Taevas shook his head. Stroking her back, he crisply informed Katya, “Hold all calls for her until she says she’s ready.”

“Understood.” Katya nodded and turned on her white stiletto heel to follow the healers out.

“Deep breath, metsalill,” he murmured as he guided her out of the sitting area and toward the wall of windows. “Remember, elves only bite if you insult their mothers. And witches… well, best to get on their good side early.”

“Ha-ha,” she deadpanned, jabbing her elbow into his side.

Nerves tightened her stomach as she watched a small white aircraft with a golden sun and thistle crest on its tail land across the rooftop.

The whooshing sound cut off abruptly, and not a moment later a door opened on the craft’s side.

A short silver staircase extended. Several helmeted, black-clad soldiers jogged smoothly down the steps and fanned out around it, making two columns.

A massive figure in a sharp black suit appeared at the top of the steps.

A much smaller person stood beside him, their hands linked.

Her red hair whipped in the wind as he guided her down to the roof.

Only when they passed under the awning attached to the glass wall did she notice the man was pale blue.

Taevas nodded toward Pasha, who tapped what looked like a small screen on the wall. One of the massive panels of glass slid aside. Wind whistled inside immediately, rustling her hastily braided hair. Alashiya braced herself as the sovereigns stepped inside, their clothing flapping.

She’d never seen an elf in person before, but she’d read about them. Jewel-toned, towering, almost indestructible, and secretive, they kept themselves apart from every other group in the world. Stand-offish was the nicest way she’d seen them described.

It came as a bit of a surprise, then, when the blue elf paused, gently released his wife’s hand, grabbed a fistful of Taevas’s shirt, and dragged him in for a rough embrace.

“You son of a bitch,” the elf hissed.

Even Taevas, her outgoing and affectionate husband, seemed taken aback. It took him a second to catch up before he wrapped his arms around the elf with a hearty slap to his back. “Hey, kid,” he rumbled, pleasure warming his voice.

“You picked a shitty time to take a vacation, old man.”

“This is the thanks I get for giving you time to shine?” Taevas pulled back to grip his shoulders. Peering closely at the elf’s handsome blue face, he asked, “You okay?”

“We’re okay,” the elf answered. Clearing his throat, he gestured toward the woman who’d come with him. “Lost a decade off my life, probably, but other than that…”

Taevas released him and offered the small redhead, clearly the witch of the pair, a smile.

“I know how that feels.” He half-turned and extended his hand to Alashiya, who took it tentatively.

Reeling her into his side, he announced, “I’d like you to meet my Chosen, Alashiya Ardz.

She saved my life and brought me back to the ’Riik.

Shiya, this is my protege, Theodore Solbourne, and his much more talented wife Margot Goode. They run the Elvish Protectorate.”

Margot, a keen-eyed young woman with fox-like features, came forward to take her free hand. “Hi, Alashiya. It’s a pleasure to meet you. I can’t tell you how relieved everyone is that you brought your mate back to us.”

Trying not to shy away from their scrutiny, she shook Margot’s hand and gave them both quick smiles. “I’m happy he’s back with his people, too,” she replied, still uneasy about everyone knowing her before she knew them.

“I’m not his protege,” Theodore brusquely informed her.

Despite that, he took Alashiya’s hand from his wife and gave it a long, grateful squeeze.

“Thank you. He’s annoying, but I’m fond of him.

And I really wasn’t looking forward to all the meetings I’d have to take if he was replaced.

I cannot wait to hear exactly how all of this played out.

I’m extremely curious about how he managed to go from kidnapped to mated to a hero like yourself. ”

It was bizarre in the extreme to be the focus of so much warmth and admiration from people who were so important.

She’d gotten used to Taevas, but she also hadn’t really believed him when he told her who he was.

Now it was all very, very real, and that meant she had to act like it didn’t feel like a fever dream to have the leaders of a territory treat her like she was important.

Somehow it felt more natural when it was just the dragons doing it.

When the sovereigns looked at her like that, Alashiya had to fight the urge to squirm.

Only Taevas’s steadying hand on her back stopped her from blurting out that she really wasn’t anyone of note, that she’d just done what felt right, and that there was never any choice when it came to her husband.

Instead, she took a deep breath, straightened her spine, and replied, “Welcome to our home. I’m… I’m very happy I finally get to meet you.”

Her husband’s lips twisted in a rueful smile. “You’re going to love the part where I crashed through the roof of her barn.”

She gave the elf’s hand a shake before sidling a bit closer to Taevas. Theodore seemed lovely, but it was true that all elves carried with them a predatory aura. Just standing near him made ancient instincts bristle.

Probably because a few in her line had been eaten by elves, back when they could get away with that sort of thing.

Wrapping her arm around his waist, she fell back onto the manners ingrained into her DNA. “Have you two eaten? I haven’t found the kitchen yet, but I’m sure I can make us something if Taevas points me in the right direction.”

The reaction from the pair was instant. Theodore waved one massive hand, dismissing her offer, and Margot protested, “No, absolutely not. I can only imagine what you’ve been through in the last few days.

There is no way you’re cooking for us. Besides, my husband only eats raw meat.

I don’t know much about nymphs, but I’m pretty sure you’re vegetarian, aren’t you? ”

Alashiya balked. “Ah, yes. I… I don’t know if I can do that.”

Theodore laughed. Running his claws through his wavy black hair, he teased, “You and my wife have that in common. It’d be an honor to be served a meal made by the new Emand, but I wouldn’t do that to you. That’s not why we came, anyway.”

Suddenly serious, Taevas asked, “You didn’t just come to see us, did you?”

Theodore clapped a hand on Taevas's shoulder. “No,” he answered, a peculiar note in his voice. “We didn’t.”

He turned toward the windows and gestured for one of the masked guards that had followed them inside to open the door. Alashiya and Taevas shared a glance as the elf lifted two fingers, his dark gaze fixed on the white aircraft across the roof.

From within the darkness of the open hatch door, a hulking figure emerged. Light glinted off metal-capped horns as a bloody and shackled Sergei was escorted down the steps by his own small fleet of guards.

Sounding grimly pleased, Theodore announced, “We brought you a present.”