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I barge into Argos’s room at my pub and he is still fussing around in front of the mirror. “Come on, Argos. You’re worse than any female. You look fine.”

Just seeing another big mirror honestly gives me chills. That whole dark magic situation was scary as hells. Argos told me even more about it and the whole draining thing last night over drinks. Thankfully, Rustion had the thieves sent to the king’s bench for sentencing. Those two won’t be getting free time any time soon and I’m very glad about that fact.

“It’s not just a looks thing,” Argos argues. “The horn chains are tradition, Cyrus. I have to wear them exactly the right way. My mother will gore me if the links are off by even an inch, let alone in number.”

“Minotaurs are so odd.” I lead the nervous bull out of the pub and toward the gate. “I like that Tully chose to handfast in the forest. Trees are so much better than a stuffy building.”

“She said witches have always made their promises under rowans and oaks and she wasn’t about to flout tradition.”

“So you two have that in common. Two rebels who strangely have a strong attachment to tradition.”

Argos laughs good-naturedly. He’s a good fellow, and I’m glad Tully found her mate.

“I’m honestly so glad to be settling down.”

“I hate that phrase. Settle down.” I shudder.

Shaking his head, Argos follows me through the town gate. The late afternoon clouds skirt over the treetops in the near distance and my wings ache to fly among them. The path toward the dark line of evergreens and newly budding deciduous trees winds like a river.

“I followed this path to its end one time when I was young,” I say, absentmindedly.

“Where does it end?” Argos asks.

The memory of a row of blue-painted shops and homes blinks through my mind. “At a little port town.”

“Were you just curious where you’d end up?”

The path enters the forest. Wrens chirp at one another and the pines sway in the breeze.

“Yes and no,” I say at last.

Some folks would ask for more information, but in the short time I’ve known him, I’ve realized Argos is the scientific sort who is good at studying, at watching and waiting. But he asked me to be his second at the handfasting, so I feel the inclination to share.

I look up into the forest canopy. The evergreens grab patches of the sunset as the light passes through to where we walk far below. “I don’t know anything about my kind.”

“Dragon shifters or pub owners?”

He chuckles, and I punch him lightly in the stomach.

“Arsehole. Anyway, I was raised by the humans who ran the pub before me. Even though they researched dragon shifters at the king’s library, they found nothing. I’ve met a couple of others like me, but they didn’t have any information either. I have always longed to take to the road and see if I can discover the truth about why we exist and if there are more of us somewhere.”

Argos nods. “I get that. Anyone would want to know more about their kind in that situation.”

I tuck my right wing in as we pass a massive oak whose low limbs are like bridges across the forest trail. “It’s not like I don’t have a great community. Leafshire Cove is wonderful.”

“I hope someday you get answers. If you want help looking, I’m here.”

“After the honeymoon, though, right?” I laugh as we walk into the more open area where the rest of the town is gathered for the handfasting because Argos’s jaw is basically on the ground as he stares at Tully.

I grip his shoulder and lean in. “Just remember to say yes when Rustion asks you any questions, pal.”

We walk up the makeshift aisle in the center of the gathering. Tully stands, grinning, next to Rustion. Laini and Kaya are to Tully’s left. Argos’s mother, a kind female named Mathilde if I remember correctly, sits in a dark wicker chair beside Tully. She is practically glowing even though she’s not a sprite like Nisa.

My own gaze is drawn to Kaya and I take an uneven breath. Kaya’s hair is down around her shoulders and her big eyes are trained on her friend. Heat shoots to my cock like it always does when Kaya is around. She’s my friend. I won’t ruin that. I’m a rake, and she’s an upstanding woman of the Cove. But my body has never really accepted that we will never be lovers.

She must feel my gaze on her because her head turns my way. A quick smile dances over her mouth. Blinking like the sun hit her eyes, she focuses once again on Tully.

I swallow and take my spot at the front of the crowd, just behind Argos, who takes a moment to kiss his mother’s cheek.

The ceremony goes as planned with the traditional wrapping of the couple’s hands, the blessing from the officiant, and the well wishes of the crowd.

Even though Tully casts a fun spell that creates a dazzling show of dark purple sparks in the air above us, I can’t stop glancing at Kaya. It’s just the hair. I’m not used to seeing it down because she’s always working. She works too much. I’ve told her that time and again. But of course, she won’t listen to me. I huff a quiet laugh as we leave the forest and head back to town for the celebration. Kaya is too smart to pay any attention to this rake.