Eli led Auburn through the palace, up a grand staircase, and deeper into the palace to the areas reserved for the royal family. It was warmer there, cozier, but it still felt strange.

As they rounded a corner, Eli slowed and pulled her against him.

A man stood in the hall checking his reflection in a polished silver urn. He was impeccably turned out in an elegant jacket and deep blue waistcoat that made his gray eyes appear blue. An expensive sapphire pin held his cravat in place. He smoothed his artfully tousled blonde curls, cultivating a careless appearance despite the time and effort it took.

Auburn sucked in a breath, straightened her spine, and surveyed the hall for a weapon. This was the man from her vision.

He smiled at Eli, but the expression never reached his eyes. “Welcome home, cousin.”

“Fredrick,” Eli said with a nod.

The thick muscles in Eli’s arm tightened under her fingers.

“Qumaref must’ve been fun.” Fredrick leaned negligently against the table. “You missed your wedding.”

Eli shrugged once.

“Some might say that’s fortuitous. Couldn’t imagine being married to an ice queen, prophecy or not.”

“I’m sure that relieves Lady Daniella.”

Fredrick’s gaze flicked over to Auburn and slid up and down her body. “Not as pretty as Daniella.”

Eli tightened his hold on Auburn, his eyes narrowing in warning.

“I hadn’t expected you to take a mistress while in Qumaref, much less parade her through the palace.” Fredrick grinned. “Glad you’re finally enjoying the perks of being a prince.”

“Auburn is my fiancée, and you will treat her accordingly.”

Fredrick’s eyes widened, genuine surprise mirrored in the gray depths. “And Uncle Garrett is permitting it? She’s not a Tamarian noble. Her clothes look Qumarefi even if she doesn’t.”

“King Garrett has posed no objection.”

“The Dragon Church will. All the more reason we need to talk. I have a proposition you’ll want to hear.”

Eli nodded once and eased in front of Auburn as he faced his cousin. “It’s been a long voyage. I’m taking my fiancée to her rooms.”

Fredrick said nothing as he watched Eli wrap an arm around Auburn and guide her down the hall, the prince keeping himself between Fredrick and his fiancée.

Fredrick stared at her, his dark gazed fixed as if a hawk had spied a hare.

“He hates me,” she said in Qumarefi as she glanced back down the hall.

“You surprised him, and he doesn’t like surprises.”

Auburn glanced towards the guards and then back down the hallway. “He’s the one from my vision, the one who wants to destroy Tamryn.”

Eli held her close as he turned back towards his cousin and raised a brow in challenge.

Fredrick strode away.

Taking her hand, Eli guided Auburn further down the hall and opened the door to a luxurious study dominated by a large desk and high windows. The prince brought her over to a small settee nestled in the corner and sat beside her.

“What did you see in these visions?” Eli asked.

The warm sun chased away the shadows of fear and Auburn explained the vision. The darkness, the snakes, the gold dragon. She knew it was a warning but little more.

“Sounds like you saw shadow magic. Most likely Rashalee or Uzakiel, though snakes are most often associated with Rashalee.”

“I wonder what Fredrick wants to talk to you about.”

“I don’t know, but I doubt he’d kill me himself. He’d make it look like an accident, or try to.” Eli brushed his lips across her temple. “I’m even more concerned that we have to wait a week to marry.”

“You think Fredrick will try something?”

“Depends how desperate he is. I have no intention of leaving you alone at night until I’ve dealt with him.” Eli touched his lips to hers. “To the hells with protocol and propriety. My one indiscretion, and I’ll remedy it by marrying you.”

“Indiscretion?”

Eli lifted Auburn into his arms and carried her back to his rooms. “Welcome home.”

She slid her arms around him and laid her head against his chest as she studied the spacious suite. Heavy velvet curtains covered the windows, and a large four poster bed dressed in rich masculine colors dominated the center of the suite. It was a comfortable but practical space with a wide table and chairs, thickly cushioned sofas, and a large marble fireplace.

Opulence without pretension.

His lips found hers, gentle at first, but she could sense the need lurking beneath his cool exterior. Eli set her on her feet and kissed each of her hands.

“I love you,” he whispered, the words caressing her flesh and stealing through her.

“And I love you.”

“I have something for you.”

He walked over to a wardrobe, opened it, and clicked open a hidden compartment. Taking something out, he closed the wardrobe and brought a small navy silk box over to her.

Eli opened the box and withdrew a ring set with a large blue diamond surrounded by smaller white diamonds so brilliant they seemed to radiate light. Holding Auburn’s hand, Eli slipped the ring on her finger. “A bit late, but your betrothal ring.”

Her eyes widened as she stared at the exquisite and unfathomably expensive ring. “It’s beautiful.”

“Not as beautiful as you.” Eli touched his lips to hers in a gentle kiss. “How about a hot bath to warm you?”

Fighting back tears of happiness, Auburn nodded as she stared at the ring. She could feel the love it symbolized and knew he’d been saving it for someone special. Otherwise, he’d have given it to Lady Daniella. Actions, Sir Leopold had said, and Eli gave her those as well as his pretty words.

Eli ordered her bath, and after the servants filled the tub with steaming water, he helped her out of her gown and into the tub. Auburn sighed as she leaned back and let the hot water lap around her, soothing away the damp Tamryn summer and the lingering ache of fear.

Glancing over at the man she loved, she wondered how Dracor could hope to find a better king for Tamryn. “I’m surprised Dracor doesn’t favor you.”

Eli devoured the sight of her resting in the tub. “Who understands the whims of the gods?”

Her brows furrowed. “Did you ever ask the Dragon God for his favor?”

Trailing his hand across the steaming water, Eli teased it over her water-slicked breast. “I have no illusions as to the man I’ve become.”

Auburn laid her hand over top of his. “You’re a good man. Never forget that.”

“If I earned your love, I must not be all bad.”

Color heated her cheeks. “I’m just-”

“You could be royalty. A missing princess from a faraway land. Not that it matters. You’ve proven yourself time and again.”

She stared down at the scented water, letting the sweet scent of roses tease her senses.

“You saved the sultan’s life and mine. You found your way to Tamryn and are carrying the child you wanted.”

“Priyanka always told me I was stubborn.”

“Determined,” Eli said. “And I love you all the more for it.”

She stroked a hand along his cheek. After all she’d been through, she knew there was more to come. Possibly worse. But she’d have Eli at her side. And their son. Tamryn wasn’t perfect, but it was home.

Eli caught her fingers and brought them to his lips. “Done with your bath?”

“I can be.”

Desire darkened his eyes as he lifted her out of the tub. Steam rose off her, and goose flesh prickled her pale skin. Eli carried her over to the massive four poster bed and laid her between the sumptuous sheets. Laying down beside her, he cocooned her in his warmth.

His hands stroked over her damp flesh, his touch soft, almost reverent.

His lips found hers as he shrugged out his clothes and pulled her against him, her curves playing against his hard angles. He deepened the kiss, finding her tongue with his and stroking, a tender and tantalizing touch that had her softening against him.

Eli stroked down her flushed skin, and sensation flared at his touch, racing over her flesh and pooling in her belly. The heat of him enveloped her, and the rich masculine scent of him intoxicated her. She ached for more and pressed herself closer as she rubbed her breasts against his hard chest.

He deepened the kiss as he parted her, stroking the insides of her thighs and cupping her apex.

He loved her, and he showed her with each tender touch, each passionate kiss.

Wrapping her arms around him, she opened herself to him as a soft moan escaped her lips. He surrounded her, and his hard body pressed her back into the thick mattress as liquid desire seeped through her veins and chased away all thoughts but him.

“I love you,” he whispered as he gently parted her, stretched her, and filled her.

She welcomed him, holding him close and stroking his lightly stubbled cheek, his strong shoulders, and his dark hair as he moved within her, building their love into golden desire.

Her heart soared as she held him, her body matching and meeting his in a dance as old as time. Taking as she gave.

The Twins had blessed them. He loved her as she loved him, and her son would grow up knowing that, and knowing they loved him.

She finally had a family, a home, a place where she belonged.

The warm golden strands of passion wrapped around her, infused her, carried her higher and higher.

She held Eli close as her body moved with his, meeting him, matching him. Climbing to the dizzying cliffs of desire. And with a final thrust, they fell over together, washed away in the blissful rays of love.