Chapter Three
Rosalyn
“What’s this?” Galsthenn asked as he gently grabbed my hand and studied the ring that sat on my left ring finger.
The silver band was simple and small, with a large oval sapphire in the middle. There were no diamonds to be found, only the depth of the massive sapphire. “It was my sisters,” I said, trying not to sound sad or to make him feel sorry for me. “She died a couple of years ago, and she left it to me.”
“Oh,” he said before thumbing over the blue stone. “It’s stunning, much like you.”
I nodded and smiled, putting my free hand over his and gently guiding it away from the jewelry. “I hope that doesn’t… uh… offend you or anything?” I said unsurely. “I know shifters don’t do wedding rings or anything so… I mean, if you wanted to put it on a different finger–”
“You worry too much,” he teased as he tapped his finger against my nose. “I’m sorry about your sister.”
“It’s fine,” I said with a wave of my hand.
It wasn’t fine, but this had become the thing that I said to people when they tried to express their condolences for my loss. I hated that. Knowing I had a loss meant an immediate weakness, or that’s how it felt. For that reason, I immediately dismissed people when they tried to broach the subject. I didn’t want anyone to have anything over me: nothing they could use to try and hurt me.
The beautiful white shifter offered me his charming, sincere smile and we fell back into the comfortable silence that found its way to us after only a week’s worth of time together. I loved being around him.
I had spent my days exploring Udora and meeting dignitaries while he worked. Then we would spend our nights going to marvelous dinners and fantastic dances. When we would come home, we would sit in his opulent living room warming ourselves by the fire and reading to one another. I loved that he was a reader.
We would take turns reading our favorite literature to one another. He was absolutely fixated on Earth’s history: our wars, our castles, our kingships. He wanted to know it all. Fact or fiction, he would read it with the utmost reverence. On my nights, I would read love stories and poetry to him, or talk to him about my experiences nursing with different alien species, wondering how I could incorporate my studies into helping Udora.
Then we would make love.
And that’s truly what it was: making love. I had yet to orgasm from the experience, but if it was at all possible, I could feel his love for me permeate through each session. He was slow and calm and sweet. His kisses were wrought with passion, and they were never ending, in the best way possible. His hands were soft on my skin, and I was always ready to explore his body.
It was strange and beautiful being with a shifter. His scales made me feel like some kind of sex goddess. His tale seemed like some other tool of his that he could use to wrap me up in his being, and his wings seemed so strong and secure… or so I thought.
He had yet to share this dragon side with me. In fact, he seemed more interested in human nature than showing me what he could do with that shifting pull.
Sex was great, I told myself. But there was no… throw down.
He desired me and was eager to please me, but everything was gentle and slow. Not that I didn’t appreciate it, but there were some nights when all I wanted to do was be taken and used. I knew that sounded horrible and so I never said it out loud.
All I’d heard in years of gossip was how amazing Weredragons were as lovers. How all women craved was to be claimed by one.
We arrived by glass elevator to a grand party being thrown in our honor. Here I would meet and dine with his parents. After I’d been chosen, Zaphira had laughed at my ignorance about shifter culture and politics. She said if I knew anything about Galsthenn’s family that I would be scared. But I wasn’t.
I was polite and knew how to handle myself socially… well, for the most part, anyway. Why should I fear his parents? To me, this was like dating someone who happened to have a governor for a dad. Sure, he made big decisions, but he was human like the rest of us.
Okay, so, maybe not the human part in this case but… he was a family man like my father had been. What was so different that I should be shaking?
“Welcome, my dear,” came the warm and genuine greeting from Galsthenn’s mother. Grayna. She had pale, freckled skin and long, fiery red hair. She looked about 50 or so and held the hand of her mate as they approached.
“How do you like Udora so far?” his mother asked as he wrapped her regal arm around me. She wore a long silk dress that was ivory and shimmering, much like her son’s colors.
“I like it very much. Cold,” I laughed, “but beautiful.”
“The world is about more than scenery. You’ll learn that soon enough,” came the strong and dismissive tones of his father. He looked to Galsthenn with an approving nod, and my mate smiled back at him.
“She’s allowed to enjoy the scenery, dear,” his wife cooed, batting him away with her hand.
The man gave a gruff smile, and it was then I knew only Grayna could speak to him in such a way. When the apples of his cheeks formed, I could see highlights of scars and scales that flooded his dark skin. I averted my gaze but knew a shifter with his much power and influence probably had some great tales to tell. Looking over at Galsthenn, I couldn’t help but wonder if he would undergo the same trials. Jealousy, strife, battle…
“Are you a party girl?” Grayna asked, raising a curious brow as she began leading me through the grand party.
Galsthenn peeked through our shoulders and laughed awkwardly as he corrected, “She doesn’t mean that as it sounds… I think?”
Grayna frowned and reached her hand up to fix her carefully braided hair from Galsthenn’s touch. “Yes, of course. I mean are you the type to dance and socialize? Galsthenn tells me you’re much more of an introvert.”
“In the best way possible!” my mate interrupted.
“Yes,” I laughed. “Dancing is wonderful. Slow dancing,” I corrected. “I don’t have much rhythm for the faster stuff. Um… But yeah, I enjoy reading and sort of, staying home.”
“She’s perfect,” Bromis said with a laugh; his wings shaking with the effort. He patted his son on the shoulder, and the two of them grew enveloped in some serious conversation.
When I caught wind of their hushed tones, Grayna put her arm around me once more and drew me further into the celebration.
“Don’t mind them,” she breathed.
“Is everything alright?”
“There’s always something,” she said while grabbing a champagne glass off a moving serving plate. “But yes. You’ll learn that, in time. Has Galsthenn told you much about our politics?”
I shook my head, and she let out a hardy laugh. “Of course he hasn’t!”
“It’s not for her to worry about,” came Bromis’ input from behind us. “Now don’t go giving her ideas, dear. Just let the kids enjoy themselves.”
“She’s his mate now,” she laughed. “She’ll learn sooner or later when he takes his position in the Koth.”
“Then let her wait,” he said with only a hint of playfulness. “Let her grow to like the boy before she’s bogged down with his problems.”
“Oh, she likes him already!” she teased and waved her hands at her mate.
It was then I understood the words of Zaphira. There was something intense about being around Bromis, even when he was trying to be nice. He had a powerful countenance that made me feel nervous. I even began questioning the way I held my champagne glass, awkwardly fumbling with it between my fingers and wondering if I was looking enough like a lady for the crowd.
The night wore on beautifully. I danced with Galsthenn and met some of the Koth. I didn’t know much about Udorian politics, which I secretly thought was to his family’s preference. There had been too many women who’d come to Udora to try and sway the ideals of the Koth, or so his father said.
I got the distinct impression that something was amiss, however, when Grayna abruptly took me aside and up to a balcony away from the main ballroom. “Did our son say anything to you about security?”
“Like…?” I gave paused. “Sorry, no.”
She gave a single nod and set her glass in the palm of her hands, her eyes scanning the room carefully, as though she were looking for someone. “He’s supposed to be here already.” She laughed at the statement but sounded put on.
I smiled politely and scanned the room, suddenly feeling uneasy.
“Why will we be needing security?”
“Not we, dear. You. And Galsthenn, of course. But you’re going to need someone to escort you throughout the kingdom. There’s a lot going on right now, and you’re soon to be a woman of power.”
“Oh,” I stammered. “Well, I have no desire to be a woman of power, so…”
Her eyes watched me carefully before she offered a gentle touch to my arm. “None of us do. But, here we are! It’s inevitable. Especially with Galsthenn. He’s just like his father.” She seemed to silence herself with the comment before she scoffed, “Can’t keep things to himself. And they don’t. Leading the Koth is a difficult position that riddles them with information the rest of us would sooner ignore, but he has to deal with it. Do you know much about the rebellion?”
I twitched. I’d heard a few rumblings back at Riddell, but Zaphira and Amelia assured us everything was being taken care of. Apparently, there had been some tension between the Koth and some of the Weredragons. Many shifters had taken to the old world: ancient ruins beyond the mossy valleys of Udora. There they were said to be planning an attack on the Koth.
Still, I shook my head. “No, not really.”
“Well,” she began but seemed to think better of it as her husband approached.
“What are you filling her mind with now?” Bromis griped. “Wild stories of Galsthenn?”
“Oh, I hope not,” Galsthenn said with a flush. “Don’t believe a word.”
“No, dear.” Grayna smiled but said nothing else. Nothing of the rebellion or of the alleged security guard I would be getting. Instead, she turned to her husband and he gingerly slipped his hand along the curve of her back.
“We need to get going,” he whispered to her, his eyes furtively watching the room as he did so.
I followed his gaze and began to notice where all the security guards were. They stood in plain sight, dressed in chic suits and looking like any other guest at the party, but their hands draped dangerously close to the laser rifles at their side, and they watched the partygoers with more than the usual interest.
“Now?” she asked.
“Now,’ he nodded.
“We should be off then, too,” Galsthenn said quickly and escorted me to the exit.
“Is everything okay?” I whispered, now sounding some concern.
“They suspect there is a rebel present,” he whispered back to me, making sure we were out of earshot of his father.
I nodded. “Oh.”