Page 184 of Golden Queen
I had never seen him look so open, so raw—so far away from his usual sardonic self.
This was his home—where his beating heart lay bare before me, and I struggled with the knot that formed in my throat at the idea that I could never be worthy of the honor he gifted me just by bringing me here.
If he was wrong about us being mates, he would pay for this. He would pay in blood, in family, in country, and then the choice would be my kingdom and all who lived there suffering under the yoke of the Shadowlands—or his life.
Anddear gods, there was no choice for me at all. There never had been. I would see them all burn for him, for his happiness, forthatlook on his perfect face. The realization shamed me as it always had.
I closed my eyes as a tear rolled down my cheek. I turned away so that he would not see—so that he would believe I was still looking at the Iyridian Pass and the kingdom that unfolded before us.
But of course, he felt the tumult. I had no privacy in my mind when it came to intense emotions.
He leaned forward. "Trust me, Sera."
"Stop reading my mind," I shot back at him, feeling immediately guilty for the sharpness of my tone.
He only chuckled against my cheek. "I'm not doing it on purpose—not really."
I turned around and glared at him, but it didn't last long before my features softened. I leaned against him again as the cool wind he let through the shield dried my tears.
"I'll try," he said. "To not feel what you're feeling. I've been working on shielding against it."
"Thank you," I said, laying my arm across his.
Something caught my attention to the right. Eroa. I hadn’t seen her much since we left Aben and Britaxia. She had been soaring ahead of us, flying much faster than Veles—taking advantage of her riderless state.
She fit in perfectly in Darkwatch. Her reflective scales picked up the colors around her, transforming her into a reflection of the aurora. I had to remind myself that this was as much her homecoming as it was Io's. She had been hatched here.
I turned to look forward again and shock rippled through me at the castle fortress in front of us.
Fortress, castle—those words did not do the Reach justice. It was monumental, colossal, enormous—an entire mountain in our path.
I knew Dragon's Reach was large, but I could never have put the size into the necessary perspective.
It stretched across the valley from one mountain to its twin peak on the other side of the expanse. The main edifice was supported by rows of massive stone pillars marching across the valley floor.
It was said that Dragon's Reach was itself a mountain. It had been carved out of the rock—every stone chipped away until the fortress was left behind.
I didn't know if that was true, but it was easy to believe it as I looked at the enormous pale-gray stone castle with its thousands of towers topped by tall spires reaching into the heavens. "Fates, Io, that is enormous. That cannot actually be your home!"
"Ourhome," he corrected with pride in his voice.
"Of course," I said, feeling that familiar ache at how much I wanted it to be true.
"Stop it, Sera," he chastised.
"Youstop it! You said you would not—"
"I said I would try. Iamtrying."
My attention was drawn by a roar in the distance. It echoed off the mountains, deep and primal.
Veles' answering roar vibrated through his body, sending shock waves through the air as the sound ripped the peaceful, silent valley in two.
A silvery gray dragon soared out from the fortress, heading in our direction with terrifying speed.
I tensed, but Io leaned down to my ear. "That's his mate, Freya."
"His mate?"
