Her Elemental Dragons: The Complete Series

I pulled back from my tight hug to examine Slade for any injuries. “Are you all right?”

He nodded as he leaned against me, his hands still bound behind his back. “They asked me some questions and roughed me up a bit, but nothing I couldn’t handle. The biggest problem was that they think we kidnapped Auric.”

“Of course they did,” Reven muttered, as he bent down to cut the bindings on Slade’s wrist.

I gestured for Slade to get on the cot and then pulled up his shirt, revealing his hard muscles and smooth dark skin. As I pressed a hand to his ribs, he inhaled sharply. He’d definitely taken a beating and would likely be black and blue soon, not to mention whatever was going on inside of him. A broken rib maybe. I closed my eyes and willed his body to heal, causing his cool skin to warm under my touch.

“What did they ask you?” Reven asked him.

Slade’s eyes were closed and when he spoke it sounded pained. “They wanted to know what we were doing with Auric, how we had captured him, and why we had returned. I didn’t tell them anything. I wasn’t sure they’d even believe me if I did.”

“Probably not,” I said.

After I finished healing Slade, the door was thrown open and Jasin was pushed into the room by a guard. He stumbled forward and hit the ground on his knees, with a trail of blood trailing from his lip and his left eye puffy and swollen. Gods, what had they done to him? And why was he so much worse than Slade? Had he given them a hard time?

I rushed to Jasin’s side and took his face in my hands, eager to heal him, but a gloved hand gripped my arm. I looked up at the plumed helmet of the Captain.

“Come with us,” he said to me.

Two other guards stood behind him, pointing their swords at my chest. At the sight, Reven let out a low growl and summoned small blades of ice in his hands. Slade pushed himself to his feet and clenched his fists, while Jasin threw himself in front of me and growled, “Don’t touch her.”

A fight seemed inevitable even if I went willingly, and maybe fighting was the only way we would be able to escape and find Auric. I wished we could do it without shedding blood or revealing the secret of our magic, although I was less concerned about shedding blood after I’d seen what the guards had done to my men.

“Stop!” Auric yelled. My breath caught and relief rushed through me at the sight of him pushing through the wall of guards. As they parted, he stood tall before me, looking every inch the regal prince even in his common traveling clothes. “Let her go.”

The Captain released me. “Yes, your highness.”

Auric gestured at my other mates. “Release these people at once. As I told you earlier, there was no kidnapping. I left the Air Realm willingly, and these are my hired guards.”

The Captain hesitated, but then nodded and stepped back so we could leave the prison cell. All of the guards sheathed their weapons, while Slade helped Jasin stand. Reven glared at the Captain as he sauntered by, making his way to my side.

We were given back our things, including all our weapons, and then escorted out of the prison into the bright afternoon sunlight. Another group of guards awaited us there, along with a gilded carriage emblazoned with the royal crest.

And just like that, we were released.

I wrapped my arms around Auric and gave him a quick kiss. “I knew you would get us out of there.”

He kissed me back, but then grimaced. “Yes, I did. Unfortunately everyone knows I’m here now. Including my entire family.”

“Can we get some horses and leave the city tonight?” Slade asked.

“No, I’ve been ordered to return to the palace, and the Royal Guard will make sure I comply.” Auric glanced back at the prison, where the Captain and the other guards were watching us intently. “We have to meet with my parents before we can head for the Air Temple.”

A servant opened the carriage for us, which was quite different from the one we’d traveled in earlier with no windows. This one had lush purple interior trimmed with yellow accents, all made of the finest velvet and trimmed with real gold. I sank into the cushion with Jasin and Reven at my side, with Auric and Slade across from us. Everyone except Auric was disgusting and bloody after being in the prison, not to mention hungry and tired from our ordeal.

Auric leaned back into the seat, his finely sculpted, perfectly clean face the only one who looked like it belonged here. “I’m sorry for all of that. Did they hurt you?”

“Nothing a little of Kira’s touch won’t fix,” Jasin said, though he shifted uncomfortably in his seat. I took his hand to heal him and give him strength while the carriage began to roll forward.

“That should never have happened,” Auric said. “Again, I’m sorry. Please let me know if there is anything I can do to help.”

Slade grunted. “We’ll be fine.”

Auric sighed, leaning his head back. “Gods, this is a disaster. How am I going to explain this to my parents? I can’t exactly tell them the truth, but I don’t want to lie to them either.”

“Keep it vague,” Reven said.

“I shall. I told the guards you were mercenaries I’d hired to protect me during my travels. We’ll stick to that for now, I suppose. But my family is going to have a lot of questions for me.”

“Who else will we meet at the palace?” I asked. Although this wasn’t how we’d hoped to spend our time in Stormhaven, I couldn’t help but be curious about Auric’s family and his home. I only hoped it went better for us than our meeting with Jasin’s parents did.

“My mother and father. My siblings, if any of them are staying at the castle, though my oldest brother Niyal is probably at the palace in Mistvale and my sister Fema is likely on her estate with her husbands. My other brother Garet should be there though.” He hesitated and opened his mouth like he wanted to say more, but then thought better of it.

While Jasin and Slade dozed off, the rest of us stared through the windows at the city as we moved through it. Everywhere I looked people were walking by in brightly colored clothing that flowed loosely and revealed plenty of skin. They stopped at little shops and adorable cafes, while above us the tall spires reached high into the sky.

The carriage climbed a hill as we approached the palace, which shined under the sun like a beacon. Auric’s body was tense as we passed through a huge gate before traveling along a stone path lined with perfectly trimmed trees with tiny yellow and white flowers. I pressed my face close to the tiny window to see everything I could, filled with awe at the sight of the majestic white castle in front of us.

The carriage came to a halt in a courtyard in front of the palace. Auric stepped out first and glanced around with a tense expression, then turned to offer me a hand to help me out.

I stepped out of the carriage and gaped at the beautiful palace and all the guards and servants waiting for us, wishing that my hair was brushed, or that I wasn’t covered in dirt and blood, or that I wore finer clothes. I’d never had anything very nice to begin with and I’d left most of my clothes with our horses at the Fire Temple. I supposed my dirty hunting leathers fit Auric’s story that we were mercenaries, but I couldn’t help but feel like an imposter standing there among such finery.

As the other men stepped out of the carriage, a beautiful woman with long black hair and smooth golden skin rode up on a glorious white horse. “Auric! You’ve returned!”

She dropped off her horse and smoothed her peach silk riding habit, then throw her arms around Auric. She pressed a kiss to his cheek, which gave me an uncomfortable feeling in my stomach that I tried to ignore. She could be related to Auric, perhaps a cousin or other relative, but there was something about the way she touched him that seemed familiar in a different way.

Auric has never been with a woman, I reminded myself. Though he’d certainly kissed at least one before me.

“Brin, what are you doing here at the palace?” Auric asked, sounding alarmed.

“I’ve been staying here for the last month, ever since you vanished. I’m so relieved you’re all right.” She brushed a piece of dirt off Auric’s chest in a way that made me squirm. “I was so worried when you ran off like that without a word. Made me think you might want out of our arrangement.”

“Yes, about that…” He glanced over at me and cleared his throat. Brin turned toward us like she hadn’t even noticed us before. Her gaze swept over us with confusion on her lovely features.

“Auric, who is this?” I asked through gritted teeth.

“This is Lady Brin of House Pashona.” His face turned grim. “My betrothed.”