Page 39 of Consorting with Dragons

“You had a Lycan mate bite. You’re lucky that you’re even conscious. I’d give you some of my clothes but they’re all way too big. Wrap a blanket around you and let’s go out and have something to eat. I’m starving.”

“No! Are you crazy? You go if you want to and try to find me some clothes from my closet. You can bring them to me.”

We were saved from further arguments about it when a loud knock came on the door, and it suddenly swung open to reveal the consort standing framed in the doorway. Rylan dived beneath the covers with a little squeak.

“Rylan,” the consort said, “Stop all this foolishness and come out here.” Blake swung his gaze over to me. “You too, General. We have things to discuss.” He closed the door and I got dressed to go out. When I opened the door, Blake stood framed in the doorway and held out a hand imperiously to me, so I took it. I let him lead me out to the main living area and gave Rylan a backward, apologetic glance, but I knew better than to tell this man no.

Rylan’s father, or omak as he called him, was sitting on a wooden chair sipping a cup of something that was probably tea, since I didn’t have much else in my kitchen. He nodded to me as I came out. “Is Rylan coming?” he asked.

“He, uh, doesn’t want to, but I imagine he will in a minute.”

“Why don’t you sit down and have some tea and some of these pastries? I sent the guards out early this morning to find some kind of bake shop to buy them for us, and they found these. They’re quite good.”

“Your Highness…”

“Oh, call me Vannos. I know what happened last night. We all do. Rylan woke up the entire house. The question now is, how soon can we get you married.”

“We can do it today if you like.”

“A quick answer. I like that at least. Tell me, General, was last night your idea or my son’s?”

“I-I don’t like to say. What difference does it make? It’s happened now, and I take full responsibility.”

Vannos exchanged a look with his father and then cleared his throat “I see. Very well. Would you make those arrangements, please?”

“Certainly.” I stood up to go, but Rylan walked out then, a blanket wrapped around his beautiful body and trailing to the floor. His face was bright red, and I couldn’t help but go to him and whisper in his ear. “It’ll be all right. They’ve asked me to make the wedding arrangements for later today, and I’m going to do that now.” I gazed down at him. “Is that all right? Is it too soon?”

He shook his head, raising a troubled face to me. “It’s fine with me if it is with you. Are you sure? Don’t let them bully you into anything.”

“I won’t. And they don’t seem angry, so stop being so nervous. Do you want me to stay here with you?”

“Yes, please,” he said, taking my hand. I kissed his sweet lips, just a quick brushing of them, and led him over to where I’d been sitting.

Blake was smiling at me. “We’re not going to eat him, General. You can go and make those arrangements. And Rylan, we’re simply going to talk about your wedding. I suppose it does no good now to bring up your shameless behavior, anyway, does it, General? I imagine my grandson has been fully claimed by this time?”

“He, uh…”

“That’s all right. You needn’t answer. Luckily for the both of you, Davos will be tied up in the foreseeable future with that uprising on Thalios. Some group calling themselves the Coalition of Small Planets.”

“From Thalios?” Vannos said, interrupting him. “Rylan, was that the coalition your father was thinking about joining? He talked about it at breakfast just before you left for Lycanus 3.”

“I think so.”

“Oh no. Father won’t like that too much.”

“No, I daresay he won’t,” Blake replied. “That will serve as just the distraction we needed to hide this from Davos and Mikos a little longer though. With any luck, the two of you will be married and all this will all be blown over before the rebellion is put down. And Vannos, you need to send a message to Stefan and tell him to stay out of this situation with Thalios and well away from my husband for a while. It may get pretty ugly.”

“Oh, believe me, I plan to. Though Stefan is stubborn too.”

“Hmm. Well, meanwhile, we’ll go ahead with this wedding.”

“Sounds like a plan.”

I left them to it and went to my office. I would need to make some calls to finish the arrangements. I felt oddly hopeful that maybe Rylan would soon settle in and be happy and my life would get back to normal.

Chapter Twelve

Rylan

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