Shrugging a broad shoulder, he amended, “Does it matter what I knew? You should be grateful, little girl, that I gave him his legs back. It took years to find all of these ingredients and convince Justin to create the spell.”
Justin. It took me a second to realize that was the Mage King’s name. Bash’s father’s name.
Dair had gone rigid in my arms, his muscles flexing and tensing. I rubbed his back, attempting to soothe the tension away.
“Show your gratitude,” Tavvy said stiffly. He moved to stand beside me, and I felt his finger caress a pathway down my arm. I shivered, but not in pleasure. Disgust curdled in my stomach at having a hand on me that wasn’t one of my mates’.
“We figured today would be an opportune time to test this potion,” the Mermaid King continued, a wicked glint to his eyes. I couldn’t quite understand the reason behind that emotion. “Since Dair and my sons will be accompanying you.”
“They will?” I blurted before I could stop myself. I had known Dair would come with me, but I hadn’t expected the others to come as well.
Tavvy’s smile was predatory, a Nightmare out for the kill.
“Of course,” he answered. The tips of his fingers brushed the sides of my breasts, and both Dair and I stiffened. I immediately pressed myself further against Dair, willing him to calm down. This, his legs, was a gift I had no doubt would be ripped away the second the King felt like it.
Fighting his brother would just fuel his already vindictive fire.
“Thank you, my King, for your gift,” I managed to spit out through gritted teeth. Those were words I never wanted to say to such a despicable man, but if they gave Dair his legs back, I would say them repeatedly.
When Dair continued to stare blankly over my head, at his father, I nudged his stomach. A muttered “thanks” left his lips.
What was going on with him?
I had thought he would be happy, overjoyed, to have his legs back. Why was he looking as if he had been punched repeatedly in the face?
As we moved to exit the room, I grabbed his hand and pulled him to a stop, waiting for the others to pass us. Both Tavvy and the King met my eyes when they passed. The King's expression was smug while Tavvy’s was...lustful.
“You okay?” I asked Dair in a whisper as soon as his family was out of earshot. He refused to meet my inquiring gaze, despite the fact I knew he could feel it probing his forehead.
“I’m fine.” His voice was resigned. Tired. Weak.
“Dair...you’re walking,” I stated, awed. With him on two feet, I realized that he was tall, nearly a foot taller than me. I wanted nothing more than to climb him like a tree, claim those pouty lips of his, wrap my legs around him...
“I’m walking,” he agreed, subdued. With a heavy sigh, he finally glanced down at me, meeting my eyes. Whatever he saw in my face had his own expression softening. His hand snatched a blonde curl, wrapping it around his finger. Another sigh. “Z...”
“Don’t,” I warned. “This is something to be happy over. Something to celebrate.” My throat closed with emotion, and I stood on my tiptoes to press my lips to his skin. I couldn’t quite reach his lips, so I brushed them against the hollow of his throat instead. He shuddered delicately, arms wrapping around my stomach. “You’re walking. You’re fucking walking.”
I wanted to scream it to the world. From the highest rooftops and mountains, from the lowest oceans and valleys. Happiness bubbled up inside of me, unlike anything I had ever felt before.
Dair met my excitement with a smile of his own. That smile turned from tentative to luminescent as his hands tugged me even closer, my body molding against his.
“I’m walking.” His voice was dazed. “I’m walking.”
His lips crushed mine in a bruising kiss. Possessiveness exuded from his body in waves as he held me to him. One hand cupped the back of my head while the other snagged my ass, kneading it.
Pulling back, we were both breathing heavily. I knew my face was as flushed as his.
“Go,” he urged me, swatting my butt. “Go say goodbye to your mates.”
“They’re not coming?” I asked, the amusement instantly waning. I didn’t know why I was surprised, but a part of me had expected them to join us. Join me. Their absence was going to kill me if just the mere thought pierced my heart.
“Some of them are,” he assured me, noting my rising panic. “But not all of them can sneak away.” When I opened my mouth to ask for more details, he held up his hands in a placating, universal “I don’t know everything, so don’t attack me” gesture.
Pressing a quick kiss to the corner of his lips, I allowed another smile to break through my apathetic facade. “I’m really happy right now.”
It took him a second to answer. His eyes were trained on something on the ceiling but they lowered after a moment, meeting my gaze. A tiny smile flicked his lips up. “Me too.”
With one last kiss, I glanced at the clock hanging overhead. One hour to find my mates.
And I knew which one I was starting with.
TWENTY-TWO
RYLAND
I knocked once on the plain white door. Silence greeted my announcement of arrival before a warm voiced carried.
“Come in.”
Stuffing my hands into my pockets, I stepped into a room as familiar to me as my own bedroom.
Father’s office was cluttered - that was the only word adequate enough. Having spent years traveling when he was a prince, he had procured quite a collection. Ornately carved wood interwoven with threads hung from the ceiling. Dream catchers, he had told me. Created by humans and spelled by Mages at a time when the two races had worked together. The shelves were adorned with books, all varying in age and wear. Dust coated the spines and
