Page 38 of The Dragon King’s Pet

“He deserved everything I said and worse,” Mika said. “He thinks Lythia is beatable because she doesn’t have a title and happens to be a female. And she didn’t even defend herself while he did that to her.”

“What if I told you Lythia needed that? What if I told you she had an appetite for it?”

“What if I told you that’s a stupid idea,” Mika replied, annoyed. “She doesn’t need to be caned. She’s a sweet girl who always tries to please.”

“She tries to please you, true,” Casimer said. “But Lazarus does not punish for no reason. And like you, Lythia isn’t always innocent. I have no doubt Lazarus did what he needed to do. You may not like it, but he was well within his rights, and you will apologize for your rudeness.”

“Okay,” Mika said, chewing her lower lip. “I’ll do it—under one condition.”

“You are not in any position to be calling for conditions,” Casimer warned. “But you may make a request.”

“I want you to give Lythia to me. As my servant. Please. Lazarus is too cruel and I need a companion of my own. So I don’t have to distract the other maids. Or at least, distract them less.”

“You want your own serving maid, pet?”

“I don’t want a maid,” Mika said. “I mean, I don’t want someone to boss around.”

“I know,” Casimer smiled. “You want someone to get into trouble with. I do not know if I should give you a partner in crime, pet. But…” He held up his hand before she could launch into pleas and protests. “I will grant your wish if you are able to make a full apology to Lord Lazarus.”

“I didn’t do anything to him, except tell him the truth,” Mika said, her eyes narrowed with obvious contempt. “You know I’m only going to apologize to stop him from getting Lythia again.”

“I know you’re going to do it, which is all that matters,” Casimer said. “Sometimes a royal must act diplomatically.”

“You mean sometimes a royal must lie. Like calling me a royal, when in reality I’m your toy. Your pet.”

“You’re as much a part of this royal family as anyone ever has been,” Casimer replied. “You sleep in my bed, you have my ear…” His voice softened into a low rumble. “And my heart.”

“What…” Mika stared at him, her eyes suddenly welling. “Are you…”

“I love you, my sweet little naughty pet,” he said, pressing a kiss first to her forehead and then to her lips. “I have loved you from the beginning.”

“I love you too,” she said with a little sniff. “Thank you for… helping me when I got stuck in the dragon form. That was the strangest thing I’ve ever experienced. I was so scared. I couldn’t think properly, my brain was so strange…”

“That is the part of you which is forever and always dragon,” Casimer explained. “It will become easier for you to think and shift over time. You did very well, Mika. It could have been a much more traumatic event. You could have given in to your hunger. You could have flown into the distance. You could have done a hundred things, but you waited for me. That is why I am giving you Lythia. Because although your shift came at the cost of losing your temper at Lord Lazarus, you were obedient in that form.”

“I was, wasn’t I,” Mika smiled. She didn’t say that she’d been far too scared to even think about attempting flight, or getting something to eat. The experience of being clad in scales, of having great wings that flapped awkwardly had not been a pleasant one, and she was not looking forward to repeating it. If she never took her dragon form again it would be too soon.

“Mhm.” Casimer kissed her head, stood up, and scooped her from the bed. She stood there as he wrapped a gown and shawl about her shoulders. “Let’s go make that apology, pet.”

* * *

Casimer took her into the den of the douchebag himself. Mika still did not like Lazarus one bit, and the thought of apologizing to him was hateful. The thought of being punished by Casimer in her aching state was even less pleasant however.

The Lord Lazarus stood before her looking dark and serious. He was not an unappealing man, but Mika did not care for him at all, so his handsome qualities were irrelevant. He also failed to hold a candle to Casimer.

“I am sorry, Lord Lazarus, for…” She paused and gathered her resolve. “For speaking to you with such disrespect. I am sure it was very traumatic…”

“Mika…” Casimer’s low growl warned her.

“I am sore… I mean, sure, that it wasn’t appropriate, so I’m sorry about that.”

“That was not an apology,” Lazarus said bluntly.

“What do you want?” Mika scowled with frustration. “You hurt Lythia. I got angry at you. I’m apologizing because he’s making me, not because I’m sorry. I’m not sorry.”

“Well, at least she’s honest,” Lazarus said with a sigh. “I am sorry, sire, I do not think there will be anything gained here.”

“Remember, Mika. It is not just your fate that hangs in the balance,” Casimer hissed in her ear. “You are embarrassing me, but more than that, you are depriving Lythia the joy of becoming your servant—though that might be for the best, given your behavior. You do not deserve a servant, pet. You deserve a thorough thrashing, and a gag, as you apparently cannot contain the spite of your tongue.”