“As you wish.” Dragon watched as Jade’s demeanor changed before his eyes. The passion they had shared was replaced by a coldness that felt like a slap. He opened his arm to the side. “Please.”

A moment later, they were out of the Cove. Lars was waiting for them, alongside a few of Dragon’s personal guards. Their rides were patiently sitting on their haunches on top of the neighboring boulders.

Dragon should have known that Valerian would never leave him unprotected and that Lars would volunteer right away. Good thing that someone was keeping his head attached to his shoulders, because he sure wasn’t.

“Good morning.” He waved at his friend, who returned the greeting with a tired look on his face. Pale purple colored the sky in the pre-dawn light as Aurealis descended toward the horizon.

“Did you find the assassin’s body?” he asked when Lars flew closer.

“The last report was negative,” Lars answered.

“Not even the wings?”

Lars shook his head.

“Then we must assume he’s still alive.” Dragon could have done with good news.

The ride back to Sol Palace was a sad affair. He wished the flight would take longer, because he needed more time with Jade. Sitting astride the draglet, she kept her body away from his in an uncomfortable position. His hand ached to circle her waist and pull Jade to him.

Along the way, Dragon thought a few times to ditch Lars and his escort, change course, and go back to the Cove. He didn’t act on his impulse, though. Another hour with Jade would be torture, because she might soften her resolve for a moment, but he knew she would still want to leave at the end, and he already missed her.

At the sight of Sol Palace’s turrets, Dragon felt a heavy weight pressing against his chest, squeezing his heart.

Valerian paced Dragon’s terrace, brandishing a cloth bundle. When he saw Dragon and the squad approaching, his expression relaxed.

“Dragon, we should talk,” Valerian said as soon as Dragon’s borrowed ride landed on the stone floor. He pushed the bundle at Jade. “Clothes.”

“Is it about Carellian?” Dragon asked, and for the first time since leaving the Cove, Jade moved, turning to face Valerian.

“Carellian’s fine. The animal medicus told me the poison is already out of his system,” the lieutenant said.

“Good.” Dragon let out a sigh of relief, feeling lighter.

Lars landed in a gentle arc a few meters from Dragon. The rest of the guards remained hovering all around the terrace in a defensive formation.

Dragon helped Jade down and was pleased that she didn’t vault on her own, but allowed him that intimacy. “I’m going to visit Carellian, then I need an aircar, one that doesn’t have the High Lord crest on it.”

“Why?” both Valerian and Lars asked at the same time.

“Jade is leaving the planet, and I’m going to accompany her to the spaceport.” Dragon expected a load of questions, but they didn’t arrive. Instead, his two friends waited for him to explain his request. When Jade made to step away from him, he took her hand in his. “She’ll travel on my airship.”

“Dragon,” Jade murmured, turning to face him. Her big eyes were wide in surprise. “You don’t have to.”

“But I do,” he said, uncaring that Lars and Valerian were privy of the personal conversation. They too needed to understand the depth of his sentiments for Jade. “I told you I’m going to pay for your freedom, but in the meantime, you’ll be defenseless. Since you’ve made up your mind about leaving me, then I’ll make sure you are safe until I’ve negotiated a price with the Academy. Nobody will think of looking for you on one of my airships.”

“And you’ll know exactly where I am,” Jade said, but there was no sting in her statement.

“That too.” There was no point in denying the truth. “Well, I’ll know the last port my airship left you.”

A fleeting smile appeared on her face and she blushed.

In such a little time together, he had learned enough about her to know that she would flee as soon as she stepped outside of her ride. Still, it was better than fearing the worst every waking moment, because left by herself she would be dead before he could reach out to the Academy.

Seemingly relieved, Valerian nodded. “Carellian is still in the veterinarian medical bay. I’ll arrange for the vehicle to be brought there.”

Dragon patted Valerian’s shoulder. “Thank you, and you’ll take Jade with you.”

“I’ll remain here with the guards,” Lars said. “It’ll look like you are still in residence if anyone should be looking for you.”

“Thank you, Lars.” Dragon exchanged a one-arm salute with his friend, then said to Valerian, “Give us a moment,” and strode inside, pulling Jade along.

In his bedroom, he squeezed her hand. “Promise me you’ll board the aircar with Valerian.”

Nodding, she let her fingers slide away from his.

“Give me the time I need to fix this.” He leaned his forehead against hers. “I won’t ask anything else of you, I swear.” His mouth was on hers on the last word, needing her softness under him at least one more time.

With a defeated sigh, Jade threw her arms around his neck, her hands in his hair, kissing him back with as much passion as he poured into the act. It was madness, all his senses focused on the scent of her, on the little sounds she made in the back of her throat, on the way her body melted in his arms after the first moment of hesitation. His lips moved against hers as his tongue plunged deeper, mimicking what he wanted to do to her with the rest of his body. His hand slid down her back, pressing at the curve of her bottom, letting her know how much she affected him. With his other hand, he cupped her breast and found her nipple already stiff, needing attention.

He would never have enough of her. It wasn’t a matter of one last time. He would always yearn for more, another time, another kiss, another caress. His dragon roared in pain, asking for the mating mark. The mark he would have to perform on his betrotheds in less than a month and that he so much longed to give to Jade instead. Only to her.

Fate had been most cruel to Dragon. To find his soulmate on the eve of his wedding only to have to let her go was a joke in very bad taste. He couldn’t reconcile himself with the idea that he might be losing her forever.

“I’ll make it right,” he said, panting, his mouth hovering over her lips.

Jade’s sad smile was heartbreaking.

“Now, wear some clothes.” He pointed at the bundle that was now lying on the floor, forgotten. He hadn’t noticed when she dropped it.

She discarded his shirt and dressed as he hastily donned the fresh change left on his bed. A moment later, he beckoned for her to come close and she stepped back into his embrace.

“I will, you must trust me.” He hugged her tight, not wanting to ever let go. Before he would claim her mouth for another kiss, he tore himself away from her and walked to the glass door, motioning for Valerian to come closer. “I’ll leave her in your care,” he said to his lieutenant.

As she passed him, he brushed her trailing fingers and felt the hot energy flowing between them, leaving him breathless.