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“Agreed,” Izidora said, wholly captivated by the show.
After a few more displays of obedience, the two pairs ended their act to an absolutely enthralled audience, the unique performance winning everyone over.
The ballroom brightened after they exited the stage, and the announcer returned, relaying the intermission information. I blinked rapidly at the change in light, and as my eyes adjusted I glanced to my left. A smug Kazimir still sat there, looking pointedly at me and then at my mate. Ignoring him, I returned my attention to Izidora. “Do you want to move around during the intermission or stay here?”
She yawned, covering her open mouth with the back of her hand. “I think I'll move around. Otherwise, I might fall asleep. I had too much wine.”
“But I need more,” Liliana declared, shaking the empty bottles on the table in front of her.
“I can get you both more,” Kazimir offered behind me, and Liliana glowered over my shoulder, a threat of death flashing in her eyes.
“On second thought, I think I agree with Izidora. I’ve had too much wine.” The ice in her tone rivaled the glaciers in the Agrenak Mountains, and the wine must have emboldened her because words sharper than icicles speared out of her mouth. “Why are you sitting there, Kazimir? No one wants you here. You should just leave.”
Izidora’s eyes widened, and I snapped my head around just in time to see Kazimir shoot to his feet, eyes turning black. “I am your king, Liliana, and you will address me as such.”
“How about no?” she challenged, and I held my breath, calling on my magic to defend the females sitting beside me.
“I will not tolerate your disrespect,” Kazimir snapped, banging his fists on the table and causing the silverware to jump.
Seconds later, Vadim and Endre had their hands on Kazimir’s arms and shoulders. “Liliana has had too much to drink, Kazimir. She won’t remember what she said in the morning. Let’s go get some food from the halls before the theaterperformance starts.” Vadim tried to soothe his mad king, but the asshole shrugged him off.
Scraping back his chair, Kazimir leveled a disdain-filled look on Liliana. “Drunkenness is no excuse. Do better.”
Vadim and Endre shot apologetic grimaces in our direction as they followed Kazimir out of the ballroom, and I released the breath I had been holding before cracking my knuckles one by one.
“Fuck him. You definitely made the right choice, Izidora,” Liliana grumbled, tossing her long hair over her shoulder.
“I think so too,” she confirmed, looking up at me with so much love I couldn’t imagine her making any other choice.
“I love you, mate.”
“I love you too.”
I ushered the females into the hall, keeping them close to me and using my heightened Dragon senses to watch for Kazimir. We ended up wandering around, mingling with people here and there, but the three of us were on edge from our earlier encounter. As the crowd began returning to their seats, I made a split-second decision. “Why don’t we skip the theater performance?”
“What would we do instead?” Izidora asked.
“We can go to Roc and enjoy the hot springs on the ground floor. No other female has set foot there, and I don’t want to bring Liliana with us unless you say it's okay.”
Izidora’s aquamarine eyes softened, and she reached up to cup my cheek.
“You take such good care of me, Ruslan. No one has ever taken my thoughts and feelings into consideration like you have. You make me feel like the most special female in the world.”
“Are you two talking through your bond again?” Liliana huffed, crossing her arms and rolling her eyes.
Izidora snickered and turned to her friend. “Yes. Do you want to come with us to ourrealhome?”
Liliana lifted an eyebrow. “Real home?”
I dropped my voice so no one could overhear our conversation. “Roc Palace. I built it for Izidora and myself to enjoy, away from the citadel.”
She swiped at her hair, then shrugged, as if she were trying to hide her jealousy. With how intoxicated she was, she couldn’t cover her pinched expression and the way her attention drifted down the table toward Endre. “Sure, let’s go.”
“Follow me,” I instructed, searching our surroundings for the stalker.
Slipping down a side hall, I navigated us to an empty room where we wouldn’t be disturbed. There was an entry on both sides, so if someone had followed us, when they barged in they would think we had exited through the other door. Taking a deep breath, I tapped into the well of black fire in my chest, then grasped both the females’ hands. The low chant of the spell to move us spilled from my lips, and Liliana jerked her hand as the magic settled over us. I tightened my grip, needing to concentrate on the words as I worked.
And then, we flew faster than light through the distance between Ryza and Roc as I bent space to return us to our home. When we halted in the entryway, I released them, and Liliana braced her hands on her knees, panting and swearing as she regained her bearings.
