Page 182 of Heart of the High King
“Is cute the wrong thing to say?”
“No, I’ll take a compliment any way you want to hand them out, handsome.”
Rafe’s mouth lifted in a half smile. “I don’t get jealous either. I mean, it would’ve been weird if they were still sleeping together when I got here, like if you hadn’t met Brogan first.”
“Agreed. I’ve decided that this must be happening somewhere in a parallel universe, so I hope for the sake of everyone there that I didn’t meet Brogan while he was fucking around with Aleksander, because knowing my temper, I would’ve burned everything to the ground.”
“Being a sorcerer must be so cool.”
“Oh, it is, but dragons are pretty awesome themselves.”
“I find myself yearning for mine more and more. I want to know what it feels like to embrace my dragon and learn to live the way shifters are supposed to. I’m strong enough to be patient, but I’m also scared it won’t ever happen.”
“I believe in you, Rafe, and you’ve got Sorcery D’Vaire and every other crazy person in our family either working on ideas or rooting for you.”
“Thanks. I’m going to trust in those words and work on building my relationships with the entire family.”
“Put a checkmark next to my name. You and I are solid.”
∞∞∞
In the office, Rafe was busy kissing Aleksander when a phone rang. Aleksander brushed their lips together, then grabbed his device to answer it.
“Hello.” When Aleksander’s brows drew together and he broke eye contact, Rafe wasn’t sure what to make of things, but he wasn’t kept guessing long. The High King hung up and got to his feet. “The Reverent Knights and Alaric are on their way.”
“What’s going on?” Brogan asked as he straightened.
“Not sure.”
The three men in question strolled in after apparently teleporting to their rooms, and Rafe could read nothing in their gazes.
“Did something happen?” Worth demanded.
“No time. You got a television in here?” Drystan asked.
“No, let’s go into the living room,” Aleksander said, taking Rafe’s hand. The entire gang that was hanging out in their office followed them as they ventured down the hall.
“We got word that there’s a press conference about to start,” Conley revealed. “Dra’Kaedan, can you switch to the news?”
“Sure.”
Aleksander grabbed a seat on the sofa, and Rafe offered no protest when he was pulled onto his lap. “Who’s giving it?” Aleksander asked.
“King Boian Ethelindraconis,” Drystan stated.
“What the hell could that asshat have to say?” Noirin demanded, wandering in from the kitchen with her phone in her hand. “Dray’s on his way.”
“We have no idea, but considering his relationship with D’Vaire, we figured it would be a good idea to watch it here. The Emperors are in their office doing the same. They’ve given no clue as to what it might entail, but since King Boian signed a treaty with the Consilium Veneficus as a self-appointed representative of Draconis, it could be anything. Chrys and Elf are still pissed that he would dare try to usurp any of their authority,” Drystan said.
Dre’Kariston, Somerly, Dravyn, and Killian stalked in through the back door just as Aleksander’s father walked to the podium. Rafe hadn’t seen Boian before, and though he tried hard, he could find nothing of his mate in the man with the flat stare.
“Ladies and gentlemen, I have called you here today to speak of a matter of utmost importance,” Boian intoned with no inflection. “The Consilium Veneficus does everything it can to care for its members and offer them better lives, but still the Council of Sorcery and Shifters spends their time smearing our reputation. They tell pretty lies about the supposed prosperity they provide while simultaneously slandering our government with horrid accusations with no basis in truth. While the Consilium does what it can to fight back, we are the consummate underdog lacking the population of the Council and the distance works to our disadvantage, so it is no surprise there are people swayed by their lure to join. King Charlton Kestledraconis was one of those dragons and found himself trapped in yet another injustice orchestrated by the High Court of D’Vairedraconis and its evil ruler. They have trapped his middle child, who recently was the unfortunate victim of a most cruel beating and warped his mind into believing it was his very own family who hurt him.”
Aleksander pulled Rafe closer when Boian took a moment to stare into the camera. “While the Council continues to bestow honor upon the D’Vaire name, the Consilium sees the man for what he truly is—a vile freak with no morals or ethics. It is my hope that Duke Rafferty Kestledraconis will see me standing up here for him and his family. Your father and brother miss you and want you to leave D’Vaire to protect yourself. King Charlton and Duke Sullivan have wisely left the Council, and Court Ethelin is proud to be able to offer them assistance so that we may rebuild the court Emperors Chrysander and Ellery Draconis have so cruelly dismantled. I urge every dragon king to see D’Vaire for the conniving liar he is and return to the days where he was rightfully shunned from our people.”
King Ethelin stalked off, ignoring the shouted questions of the reporters, and Rafe’s attention went to Aleksander, whose face was white with rage.
“You okay?”
