Chapter Five
Landon
Were butterflies customary for a man about to go to dinner with a King who was hundreds of years old? Landon hoped so since his stomach was full of them. The average dragon lived long. Gold, diamond and onyx dragons all lived well into their hundreds and more. But, no one really knew the lifespan of an emerald dragon. Vale's father had been their first King when he was too elderly to rule, Vale had taken over. In that time span, the other tribes had seen generations of successors.
What did a man who had seen the rise and fall of civilizations talk about over dinner? More importantly, what did he want with Landon? His first thought: Landon was being used as a tool. It was impossible for him to deny the spark between Vale and his royal adviser. Something happened between those two, maybe the King didn't have any other ideas on how to get his best friend back.
That should have hurt his feelings, at the least, it should have made Landon less excited for dinner. The knowledge did neither.
"I was going to come to get you," Vale said, catching up to Landon in the corridor.
Landon scrunched his nose. "Why?"
Flustered, the King responded. "Because that's how they do it, do these…things…"
The way he spoke, like he'd almost admitted to something he'd rather not admit, made Landon curious. "What have you done with your day? I saw you so many hours ago."
"I'm the King," Vale said as if that answered the question.
"You're King of a nation that never has to face the outside world, lives isolated in a place with a strict legal system and a punishment strong enough to keep everyone in line. What is there for you to do?"
Vale stiffened. "What would you have me do? Open our doors to the dangers of the world? Give everyone a key?"
Landon set his hand on Vale's forearm, worried by the way the King stood and spoke that he would just brush off the touch. "That isn't what I meant. Your first job is to keep your people safe, that's what you're doing."
The muscles under Landon's palm relaxed and Vale smiled again. "I apologize, I'm more accustomed to having my leadership criticized and I was too quick to defend myself."
By that point, the smells of dinner came wafting down the hallway. Landon breathed them in, feeling his lips relax into a smile. Somehow, the hallway smelled like home, like walking down the marketplace right before the midday rush. "Did you bring my island to me?" Landon asked, his feet quickening. While he'd only been away from home for a few days, he missed the familiar sights, smells and sounds. When he turned the last corner into a dining room with an intimate table elegantly set for two, he paused, letting his home wash over him. "This is amazing," he said, feeling Vale move to the space behind him. At first, Landon thought he might just want Landon to move over or forward. Then, the heat of the other man began to build. He wasn't touching Landon, but it felt like he was. As if his mere presence was a limb that could caress Landon without moving a muscle. Landon's groin tightened uncomfortably, and he would have whimpered if he hadn't been saved from making such an embarrassing sound by the waitstaff that entered the room at that moment.
"Sir!" the first one exclaimed upon seeing them. "Your dinner is prepared. Please, sit when you are able."
Landon didn't miss the low growl Vale gave, though he didn't know if Vale had wanted him to hear it. That thought also made Landon smile.
"I had no idea food from your home would make you this happy. I should have had a traditional diamond dragon breakfast prepared this morning as well."
Tucking a napkin into his lap, Landon looked up at Vale, not truly believing where he was or what had happened. It had all been so fast, from arriving to be remaining, to now. "It isn't just the food, but yes, that is part of it. Thank you for the effort, I guess that is what I am trying to say." He had to stop before something really embarrassing happened.
"You're worth so much more," Vale replied.
Landon looked away and he pulled his bottom lip in, nibbling on it. Vale reached over the small table to hook a finger under Landon's chin and bring his gaze back.
"You don't like it when I compliment you?"
Despite not being able to turn his head away, Landon kept his gaze down. "I don't believe you."
"You think I'm lying?" Vale asked with equal amounts of shock and humor.
"Do I have to map it out? You're a King! You've been a King for longer than two of my lifetimes, and you have this adviser that when the two of you get together, whoa." Landon leaned back, sliding out from Vale's grip as he settled his spine against the chair. "I'd be an idiot not to see the sparks that fly between you two. And you're both, oh my god, perfect."
"If I had known I was going to be the topic of conversation, I would have arrived sooner." The deep voice that washed over Landon seemed to wash over Vale in much the same way—for a fraction of a second. Then, Vale stiffened and glowered. His anger was palpable at the unexpected intrusion.
"What are you doing here?" he asked Blaze, despite the answer being obvious.
"You told me earlier about dinner. I assumed that meant you wanted me to come." Blaze's grin never faltered while he disappeared for a moment and then reappeared carrying a large chair that he'd obviously stolen from one of the nearby rooms. Made from a thick wood, the chair was sturdy and clearly not meant to be easily portable. Blaze dragged it in, letting the chair legs squeal against the ground, and then, slid it into place between Vale and Landon. He sat down with a grin that caused the scar that ran down his face to curl up, like an extension of his smile. When he slid Vale's place setting to the spot in front of him, Landon laughed out loud, unable to catch the sound with the hand he slapped over his mouth.
Vale's frown deepened while Blaze's eyes twinkled. Landon, having never been on a date much less a date in a circumstance like this one, had nothing to fall back on as he tried to decide what was right and proper. Vale had asked him out and was King, so that had to award him a certain level of loyalty. But Blaze was…so unabashedly himself. Earlier, when Landon had been grabbed by a stranger for touching his flower, he'd been scared. The crowds had been pressing in on him, but Blaze had been there so quickly Landon hadn't had time to be scared for long.
Even now, when a few moments ago it had been just Landon and Vale, he'd been nervous, enjoying himself, but still a little on edge, now that the three of them were there, Landon couldn't explain how relaxed he felt. Probably because what you are feeling is too strange to have a name, Pebble. Pick a side! But he couldn't, not right now anyway.
The waitstaff appeared again, whipping away the dishes they'd brought the first time and replacing them with two bowls of spring soup. Made from the dandelion blossoms that rooted in the rocky crevices on the east side of the island, it was a dish they traditionally made to celebrate the changing of the seasons. They did a double take when they saw Blaze that ended with questioning eyes on their King.
Vale had his face rested against his hands that were steepled together and propped up on the table at the elbows. "Get him some if there is enough," he said, obviously begrudgingly. That anyone could get a King, and this King, in particular, to do anything begrudgingly, had to say something.
Landon lifted his glass and tipped the contents into his mouth. He'd been expecting water, or some other diamond drink, what he'd gotten was a clear liquid that was both crisp and sweet and slid down his throat easily. He took a second sip. "What type of juice is this?"
"It's wine made from the sea berries that grow topside. You may be the first foreigner in hundreds of years to have our sea berry wine," Vale replied proudly.
Landon thought he had reason to be proud. The drink was delicious, it had the added benefit of making Landon feel completely at ease. "It is very good. My mother never allowed me spirits. She said they made me—" Landon hiccupped and then giggled. "Goofy."
It seemed like Blaze and Vale shared a look, but Landon thought that must have been the sea berry wine making it seem that way.
"Sorry, did someone say something?" Landon asked when he noticed the other two staring at him.
"Do you miss your mother?" Vale asked while Blaze sneakily slid Landon's wine glass away.
Landon gave him a look, but Blaze was unapologetic. "This is my first time away," he admitted. "But I don't mind. If I can help the madwoman who killed my friend see justice, then I'm happy." Or he should be. So far on this mission, he'd been terrified, curious and aroused, but not quite happy. He would be, once the Golden Grandmother paid for her crimes.
"Avia is a tricky dragon, I don't think you should have much interaction with her," Blaze said and to Landon's surprise, Vale nodded his agreement. So, they could agree on something, bossing Landon around.
"I'm here to guard her," Landon replied indignantly.
"The graveyard guards enough for us. You're here as my guest," Vale told him. "Blaze is right, Avia is tricky. I don't want you going down there at all, but if you must, you are not allowed to go down without me."
"But, I thought I needed an emerald dragon for the pods to even work?" Landon asked.
Vale's eyebrows furrowed but not at Landon, at Blaze. "You do, and some emerald dragons may be desperate enough to allow you to do anything, even very dangerous things if it means gaining your favor. I'm putting my foot down, Landon, do not go down there."
Landon wasn't so stubborn that he would fight against something he didn't even really want to do. He reached for his wine and found it had been replaced by water when he wasn't looking. "I'm feeling very ganged up on," he muttered, half joking. Then, he looked up and gasped. The way the sunlight filtered down, through the layers of water and dome to shine on these two men. The sun's rays were tinted pink and orange, telling Landon that it was sunset topside. Here, in the dining room, it was twilight and both men stared back at him as if, for that moment, as a united front. "You're beautiful," he said to them both.
"Thank you," they replied at the same time before looking at each other.
The three of them fell into an expectant silence.
"King Vale," Juniper burst into the room, her cheeks red. "Something has happened."
Vale looked up at her with annoyance. "What has happened, Juniper? Something so important that you've interrupted my dinner?"
She swayed back a little and lowered her face. "Sir, yes. This is very important. You must come." Her eyes darted from Landon and then back like she didn't want to say what she had to say in front of him.
All the dragon tribes were secretive, but so far, Landon thought the emerald dragons took that cake.
Vale stood, and Landon copied him, only to have Vale wave for him to sit back down. "You stay, the food won't keep, and I believe there are at least nine more courses. Blaze?" Clearly, Vale expected Blaze to leave. The stubborn dragon just leaned back and crossed his arms over his chest.
"I'll make sure your half doesn't go to waste," he said.
"Sir, please," Juniper repeated and Landon worried that Avia had gotten free or something worse.
"Can we help?" Landon asked.
Vale sighed as Juniper began literally bouncing on the balls of her feet. Whatever had happened, she was eager to show Vale.
Vale walked around the table and bent down to one knee at Landon's feet. "Thank you for the offer but no. It seems tonight won't be when I finally get to start spending time with you. I must go now but you stay. Enjoy the dinner." He lifted Landon's hand and kissed his knuckles before rising to face Blaze. "No more wine," he ordered, adding enough growl to his words that they both knew he meant it. "Food and then bed. Separate beds."
Landon felt his face burn at the King's implication. "King Vale, you don't have to…I mean I've never… as if my first time would be…" His words trailed when he made the mistake of looking up. His words hadn't reassured anyone. Now, Vale looked tortured to leave and Blaze's eyes burned.
"I mean it," Vale repeated. "Food and then bed."
After one last scorching look, Vale left, Juniper's footsteps were like rapid gunshots fading down the hallway.
The waitstaff returned, taking the mostly untouched soup and replacing it with yet another dish.
Landon looked at the beautifully arranged plate. "What do you think happened?"
"With those two?" Blaze said. "Probably just graffiti on a wall or something like that." He stabbed a dried vegetable and stuck it in his mouth. "What is this?" he asked with a grimace as he chewed.
"A traditional salad, though, the cook got it wrong. We can have fresh vegetables now."
"There was a time when you couldn't have fresh vegetables?" Blazed asked with horror.
Landon nodded solemnly. "Our King was cursed. He lost the man he believed to be his mate and fell into a deep depression. Anything that reminded him of the man was banished from the kingdom. That included fresh plants, fruits and vegetables as well as music. It took finding his true mate for King Sebastian to lift the ban."
"The crazy things we do for love," Blaze commented.
Landon looked through the door Vale had just left from. "Indeed."
Blaze cleared his throat. "So, how have you liked your time here?"
"It's been…interesting," Landon replied. Simply experiencing all the new sights and sounds would have been exciting enough, but with the King's attention and Blaze always showing up, Landon was stuck between giddy and nauseous.
"Interesting doesn't sound bad, how can I help you bring it up to amazing?" Blaze asked the twinkle back in his eye.
"I had a dream about you. This afternoon when I went back to my room. I took a short nap and you looked at me just that way." Landon wanted to be able to blame the sea berry wine for his honesty, but actually, the words had just flown out of his mouth.
Blaze looked entirely too pleased to hear that Landon had been dreaming of him.
"You were both there." Landon began to sweat as he finally remembered how the dream had ended.
"What?" Blaze asked his gaze on Landon's suddenly clenched fist.
"I just remembered that dream hadn't ended nicely. It started fine, we were there in a field of roses. They were gleaming and beautiful just as they are, and we were all there. We were happy I think. But that dream ended with a fire. A huge, roaring fire of black flame burned through the roses and the flames continued, bearing down upon us. I remember being covered by your bodies and then…"
"And then?" Blaze pressed.
"Then I woke up."
"I wouldn't put much stock into dreams. Especially ones that don't end happily. In my time I've had dreams that I wish were real and dreams where I was glad when I woke up and realized they were imaginary. I have yet to have a dream come true, however."
Landon didn't think that Blaze even realized the way his gaze had darted toward the door while he spoke. Landon had a good idea of the things that Blaze had dreamed of. "Were the two of you ever more than King and royal adviser? Did one of you mention being best friends?" Landon asked.
"Why? What did Vale tell you?"
"Nothing really. But I'm not dumb, Blaze. I see that you're here but that you wish you were with him."
Blaze had started shaking his head no before Landon had even finished speaking. "You're wrong. Vale and I…we're oil and water, cats and dogs."
"How many years did you spend in the states?" Landon asked with a smile. Blaze looked like an emerald dragon, but he spoke like Sebastian's human mate, Flynn.
"I was taking a break." Blaze looked up to see Landon's expression. "A very long break. But, I'm back now. I heard you calling, I heard your call," Blaze repeated himself though Landon didn't know if it was for emphasis or if the two phrases were different enough that the meaning had changed.
For all his insistence Landon simply couldn't believe Blaze when he said that there was nothing left between him and his King. In fact, Landon began wondering if that was his true purpose here. As much as it hurt to think it, maybe it wasn't that these two men were fighting over him but that they needed him to help them find love.
How selfish would Landon have to be to refuse to help? "I don't think you two are very different at all. From what I've seen, you both simply care for your people, for this kingdom. I think you just care in different ways."
Blaze looked doubtful and Landon doubted himself. These two strong men had years of drama between them. Except, from the second Landon had thought of his new mission, a rightness had settled on his shoulders that wouldn't budge. He felt like the universe was trying to tell him something, finally. The universe had remained silent when Landon had wondered what he was meant to do with his life but for this, it would speak.
"If you two figured out a way to work together? I know The Garden would be an even more perfect place to live."
For a moment, Blaze's doubt cleared. He looked like he was giving Landon's words serious consideration. "Or, that's over and done and I should look forward to the next thing." Blaze leaned in, his fingers grazing Landon's hand on the table.
Landon licked his lips and Blaze's eyes followed the movement. If he leaned forward, would Landon allow a kiss? He lifted his gaze, was Blaze closer than he'd been? Landon couldn't stop looking at the man's full lips as they grew ever closer. In moments, the decision of whether to kiss Blaze wouldn't be Landon's to make. Blaze was going to make it for him.
Vale burst back into the room, his eyes falling on Blaze and Landon, narrowing. He'd been gone for less than an hour and his mood and demeanor had transformed entirely. His nostrils flared as he flexed, squeezing his hands into fists. Oddly, Landon didn't think Vale even saw him in that second. He had eyes for Blaze. You need to be fine with that if your plan is to leave once they're together.
"They're gone," Vale croaked, pacing the room instead of taking his seat.
The waitstaff appeared then to clear and serve the next course.
"Out!" Vale snapped. The servants scurried out as Blaze scowled.
"You don't have to take your anger out on them. What's gone? This can't be that big of a deal if you are already back."
Vale wheeled around, his motions stiff and a tad frenzied. Landon stiffened against the hostility flowing between the two powerful dragon men. Maybe Blaze was right. It had taken them moments to be at each other's throats.
Landon stood, moving to the space between the men. "What happened?" he asked softly. Vale looked to him, for a moment, his expression so naked and tortured it took Landon's breath away. He wanted to hug the King. To do anything he asked of him so that the King never looked that way again.
"The field, the same one we visited this morning. The flowers are all gone. They're dead. Petrified or something like it. IT's as if the entire field has been turned into stone." When he stopped talking to collect himself, he clenched his fist. "Someone has killed them and until I find out who no one on this entire island is getting the elixir."
Blaze moved so quickly he knocked over his heavy chair. "You cut people off and you'll have a riot! They get it too infrequently as it is."
"Do not start with me, Blaze! Are you not hearing me? An entire field of roses has been sabotaged. It can't be Avia, she's still passed out in the graveyard. I'm certain it wasn't anyone in this room, but that leaves an entire kingdom. I will find the criminal and until I do—"
"Everyone will pay for his or her crime?" Blaze asked angrily.
Vale pulled himself up so that he stood at his full height, his spine straight, his head held high. "If that is what it takes."
Landon looked between the two men. Minutes ago, he'd been hopeful about his mission, even a tad congratulatory. Now he saw, he had an impossible task.
"I will not live in fear of my people rebelling. I'll find the perpetrator, and I will deal with them." Vale stomped to the door and stopped. "Come, Landon, I will walk you to your room."
"Don't order him around like a pet," Blaze snapped, grabbing Landon's other wrist as he passed.
Landon sighed. This was the second time in only one day that he'd been literally tugged on from both ends. "I'm walking myself. Like I said, I know the way." He lifted his hand when it looked like Vale was going to argue. "You don't have time for this or me, go, deal with your emergency." With that, Landon left the dining room alone.