Page 116 of Heart of the High King
“Of course Sorcery D’Vaire is going to help. I’m sure they’re already thinking about it now that you’re healed. I’d like to suggest you speak with Jeremiah Wellsdraconis. He helped Elf prepare for his first shift and is doing the same for our Carter. Jeremiah’s still a drakeling, though he’s nearing his hundredth birthday. He’s a great guy and may have some ideas of his own.”
“Yeah, sure, I’d love to talk to him. Speaking of dragons, Dr. Suricata thinks you biting me a lot could help prevent me from getting sick and might help with any aging stuff.”
Aleksander brushed his lips over Rafe’s eyebrow. “Any time you want a dragon bite, let me know. I’ll drop everything, no matter what I’m doing.”
“Don’t start talking dirty to me, Sander. I’m swollen as fuck.”
“No worries, babe, we can take things as slow as you want.”
“Stop looking at me like that. The last thing I need right now is a hard-on, and I don’t know how to do this flirting thing.”
“Saved by the door,” Aleksander mused, rolling off the bed to let in Noirin and Kendrick, who were armed with their dinner on trays. Once the pair left them alone, Aleksander dug into his meal with gusto as did Rafe.
“Could you give me that guy Jeremiah’s phone number so I can call him tomorrow?” Rafe asked, returning to their original discussion.
“Absolutely. And why am I not surprised that you’re not even going to give yourself a few days to relax?”
“I’ve had months to do nothing but sit around. I’m sick of it. You think I could get some work done while I wait for the swelling to go down?”
“You’re going to continue to work for Elf and Chrys?”
Rafe nodded. “Why would I stop? I like helping them, and now I can get much further since I have more time.”
“Well, I’d like to enjoy your company for a few days.”
Their eyes met, and Rafe smiled sheepishly. “I wasn’t sure if you were going to sit in here with me until I can leave the stones.”
“Where else would I be?”
“I don’t know, maybe running this place?”
Aleksander chuckled. “I think they can manage for a few days without me. Speaking of which…High King D’Vairedraconis, you need to start attending our weekly meetings.”
“You didn’t invite me before.”
“That’s because by evening you were beat and already resting. But now you’re healthy, and you need to get to know the family as well as help me lead these crazies.”
“I don’t think they’re going to want me to waltz in and start barking out orders.”
“Fate made you a High King; they expect you to lead.”
“How’d you get to be a High King anyway?”
After setting aside his fork since he’d cleared his tray, Aleksander lifted it and set it near the door. Rafe tried to protest, but he did the same with his mate’s. Once his task was finished, he stretched out on the mattress and rolled to his side to face Rafe, who mirrored his position. “Never in a million years would I have guessed Chrys and Elf were going to not only give me this fancy title but include D’Vaire in the royal court. They didn’t warn me. I was just told to show up at their throne room. I was so nervous.”
“Because they invited you or because you rarely leave D’Vaire?”
“I’d spent a year with Their Majesties as we did everything we could to help Elf, so being around them doesn’t make me nervous anymore.”
“So, your issue was being in the throne room?”
“With every dragon king in the Council, yes. These are the men who shunned me and tried to make my family feel like shit because I was different. Everyone wants to run around talking about the political clout we have and our popularity, but it’s not because these dragons want anything to do with me. It’s the people under my roof who have changed history and the friends we love who already had power. Nothing about me has changed. I’m still the only bicolor of our kind, and I can’t go anywhere without dragons staring at me. I’m not stupid enough to believe that they’re over their fear and anger about my differences. The only thing that’s changed is that they can’t speak their thoughts out loud without insulting influential people that can make their lives difficult.”
“Well, if it means anything, I like that you’re unique, and I’ve already grown to love the navy in my hair since it reminds me of you.”
Aleksander’s smile was brilliant, and he stole a kiss. “You wear it well.”
“Did you have problems leaving your home when you were a drakeling?”
