Page 200 of The Forbidden Dragon King
“I was your King,” I grumble. “Treason is generally still considered wrong.”
“It’s not treason but our love language. I try to kill you, you throw me in a cell. You order me to kneel, I tell you togo fuck yourself with the pointy end of your dagger. Good times.”
My lips curl into a hard smile. “I’ll miss them.”
“Me too. I’m nostalgic already.”
I glance around myself.
War and Lucius are strolling down the road behind us on bodyguard duty. They’re holding hands, however, and War has treated Lucius to so many pretty baubles that he can hardly carry them.
I roll my eyes.
She spoils her Omega. Although, I don’t blame her.
Lucius deserves to be spoiled.
Should I be buying my Omega gifts like that? I should have paid more attention to Omega courting rules.
I’m a rough warrior, not a charming playboy like Daire.
I grab Freya’s hand, dragging her closer against my side.
She looks up at me with those eyes that have stolen my soul.
“You look beautiful tonight.” I lower my head to Freya’s hair, taking a deep breath of her intoxicating rose scent. “You look beautiful every night.”
Freya nuzzles against me, glowing. “Thanks for these costumes. This carnival is amazing. Being out of the court like this together with you is everything that I’ve been hoping for but never expected. Plus, being cooped up for so long in the palace has been tough.”
“Hmm,” I agree. Freya doesn’t know that I have been cooped up my entire life. “I will make sure that you have as much freedom as you want from now on. The Golden Family and I can keep you safe.”
“I noticed that they’re working as shadows themselves tonight.”
“They’re good at that.”
Reaching the stall, I narrow my eyes at Daire, who is eagerly leaning over the piles of cakes and sniffing them, twitching his fingers like he can’t decide what to pick first.
“What do you want, love?” Daire points out a small apple and pomegranate tart. “We’ll take three of them and?—”
I catch him by the shoulder. “You’ve already eatenyour weight in flame cakes. Where are you fitting all of this food? In your wings?”
All evening, Daire has been darting between stalls, examining everything with a type of joy and playfulness that has confused me, as much as it has delighted Freya.
I watched him in case he was still stiff from the beating. He appears to have healed, however, as much as is possible.
Thank the Shadow Gods that I didn’t turn up any later on the day of his flogging. I knew that he would be punished after the trial. I wanted both Daire and Freya to learn how dangerous their decision to join the academy had been.
Yet I had no idea that my uncle would give Caligo a cursed iron whip. I had no idea that Daire could have died.
Guilt swirls low in my gut.
Daire shrugs me off. “I’m not eating all of them, idiot. One for each of us.”
My cheeks redden.
I didn’t expect that.
“With what coin?” I say to cover my embarrassment.
