I will set the guard spells. No one will be able to enter or exit the castle until our return. They will be fine.
Morgan sighed in relief trusting Eben knew what he was doing and said her goodbyes. She was worried about how quiet and tired Melly appeared but hoped that a decent nights rest would help.
Meanwhile she was not looking forward to meeting the council. From what she had seen, dragons did not have a high opinion of humans. What would their reaction be to a human mate? Would her family be forced to leave the only place of safety they had ever found?
You will remove this worry from your mind. A mate is a sacred thing. The council is old and set in their ways, as am I, but they know what it is to find a mate.
And my family? If they make them leave, I will not desert them to the world.
As I told the hatchling. I protect what is mine.
Against your own people? I know you work for the council. What if it’s an order?
You need not ask, only look into my heart and you will know the answer.
So Morgan opened her senses fully and felt the conviction and absolute surety that Eben could and would protect her family against all comers. She'd been afraid to look, she realized, afraid of what she would see. The tension went out of her shoulders as Eben pulled her into his embrace, and off her feet, his words spoken directly into her ear. “There is nothing that could take you from me. To my last breath of fire I will keep you and your family safe."
Her doubt had hurt him. She hugged him close sending him her love and faith. "I should have more courage."
He laughed, and she felt it in her bones. "More courage? I have not felt fear for 6000 years, but you bring me to my knees with worry over the courage you display hourly. Have pity on the mates that wish for nothing more than your safety and happiness. I beg you, no more courage. No more flying on bed sheets or trying to storm blood mage castles."
He placed her back on her feet smiling down at her while she rolled her eyes at the impossible idea of Eben Kinkaid "brought to his knees".
"You old dragons seem prone to drama. As if anything would bring you to your knees." She teased, rubbing her hand down his fierce face. "You forget I've seen inside your stubborn proud head. There is not one thing on this earth that could bring you low."
He took her hand from his face and kissed the back of her fingers. "There is one thing." Then his grip tightened and he used his other arm to sweep around her waist and pull her bone crushingly close. "I will not lose you. Shameaa." His eyes of old gold bore into hers. "Not your smile, not your scent,” He breathed in; his eyes closing in appreciation. "Not the way you feel in my arms and not the way you feel in my heart. Not any part of you. I would take on the world to keep your family safe and you by my side."
The intensity of his deep need was as awful as it was awe-inspiring. It buffeted her from all sides like a great tide that would drown her. How could she, as young and insignificant as she was give this powerful being what he yearned for? How could she be enough? Morgan shivered out a breath and opened her heart as far as she could flooding him with her fears and insecurities, but also her wish to be all that he needed. She felt his full body shudder and then he relaxed his grip incrementally.
And, in his love that flowed over her, she found the words to speak. "I don't have great wisdom, or courage. My powers may seem truly insignificant in your world where magic can be breathed like air, but I know you, Eben Kinkaid, I see you, not the nightmare of dragon kind. I see the heart that you think has been long lost to blood and time. I doubt myself and my good fortune to find you when life has always been so hard. But I do not doubt you, or your strength, or your valiant heart. It's precious to me," she said once again brushing her free hand down his cheek, “as is your smile."
His grip released further and he leaned down placing his forehead against hers. She wound her arms around his neck and held him as he breathed her in. "Would that you always see me thus."
"I believe I am jealous." Ladon said, causing Eben and Morgan to look up. He stood leaning against the wall, his well-muscled arms crossed. He was dressed in brown leather breeches and a sleeveless tunic held almost closed over his massive chest by a wide leather belt. There was gold threaded through the tunic marking him house of fire and his shiny black boots stopped above the knee. He was mouthwateringly gorgeous from his leather shod feet to his incandescent gold hair. Morgan felt her mouth fall open further and again had to wonder at her good fortune. He was entirely too beautiful to be hers.
Ladon pushed off from the wall with a sudden broad smile. "Never mind."
Morgan continued to gawk as he came closer and lifted her chin pulling her eyes off his amazing chest and closing her mouth. "If you keep looking at me like that we'll never make the council meeting."
That was bad right?
"Now I believe I am jealous." Eben said darkly, making Ladon laugh. Eben grabbed Morgan around the waist until her back met his front. She couldn't hide her all over body shiver when he bit the arch of her neck in warning.
"Come Shameaa. We must make ourselves as presentable as the young princeling." Morgan couldn't help a disbelieving sniff. Maybe Eben would look that good but her?
Ladon stepped forward until they were nose to chest with Eben at her back. She looked up into his suddenly serious face her head falling back to hit Ebens chest. "You will look stunning dressed in my fire, little falcon. Never doubt it. There will not be a dragon who sees you that will not wish to steal such a treasure."
She felt Ebens growls resonate everywhere they touched. "And there is not another dragon alive who could handle you." Ladon said smiling wickedly.
Morgan rolled her eyes. "Very funny."
He leaned forward and rubbed noses with her playfully. "Who jokes?" He said then, stealing a kiss, his lips soft on hers. "Clearly the great father knew you couldn't be tamed by one measly dragon mate."
"Tamed?" She grumbled tilting her head in clear invitation for another kiss. "You are taking that falcon nickname too much to heart. I'm not a bird to be trussed and hooded."
He kissed her again this time he did such a thorough job of it she had completely lost track of what he was saying. Or that the council still had to be faced. Or her name. "I would have you always flying free and at my side."
"Come." Eben said kissing the top of her head before stepping back and pulling Morgan along by her arm. "Time grows near and there is much to do."
"Wait till you see what I made for you to wear." Ladon laughed again at her chagrined face and grabbed her hand to follow, or keep her from escaping. One or the other.
Why does that statement make me want to run away? Very fast?
"You just haven't seen it yet. My family is known throughout the dragon reaches for their impeccable style. Just wait, you’ll see."
She looked at Eben for help.
"The house of fire is known for its flair with artifice." He said.
"Hey, just because you never wear anything but black, black, and more black doesn't mean all dragons are so inclined." Ladon harrumphed, rather snootily too. "Some of us have an imagination."
That statement wasn't at all reassuring. She was going to look ridiculous she just knew it.
It was worse than she thought. The dress was beautiful, full to the floor in burnished gold nearly identical to Ladons hair; it came off the shoulders and hinted at her cleavage. The sleeves were long and narrow, the waist cinched in to the top of the hips. Her hair had been magically twirled up in a deceptively simple upsweep and shimmered. The problem was in no way that it was an ugly dress. The problem was the sparkling lady looking back at her was not one she recognized.