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I lock my arms around her. “Please… I’m tired, I need you close.”

I rub slow circles into her back until she quits fighting me and lays her cheek down. My burns sting under her weight. I’m not moving her for anything.

“We’re supposed to meet with the Mer tomorrow,” she reminds me, and I stop.

I pick the circles back up. “I can’t, baby. I’ll put out a dragon’s call and have Sam and my father go on my behalf.”

Aya sits up and glares. “I’ll go⁠—”

I put my hand over her mouth. “No. I need you to stay here with me.”

She shoves my hand away.

I get ahead of it. “I’m too weak to travel. I’m not even sure my wings have healed. My dragon is sedated right now from all the hydration—I haven’t felt him stir once.”

Aya narrows her eyes at me.

I squeeze her hip. “Please, Aya. I understand you want to get to know them, and we will⁠—”

“They aren’t staying long,” she cuts me off. “This is our chance to convince them Wintermoon is a safe, welcoming space for them.”

I dig in. “I don’t trust them. Not yet. I need you to support me on this. Stay with me until I properly recover, and I’ll find a way for you to see the Mer.”

She turns toward the window.

“I’ll take you across the oceans, searching for them until we find them if they leave,” I promise her. “I swear it to you.”

“Ugh!” She slaps my chest and catches a burn. It hurts like hell, but I knew it was coming, and I’d have taken worse.

She flops back down to huff and puff like the gorgeous brat she is. She goes quiet. I’ll count that as submission, and it’s enough for me. If my dragon was awake, he’d be purring.

Valek and I have a transfer of power to deal with, but that can wait until I can stand up. I’m nearly asleep, but I could swear I hear Aya murmur, “Don’t thank me yet.”

Aw fuck, she’s going to make me chase her again.

There’s never been a better time for Mother Fate to turn me into a bear shifter so I can tame her.

She’d only run once if I was a bear.

31

AYA

Ezra’s heartbeat is steady under my cheek when I wake up. I’m sprawled across his chest with our legs tangled, and every breath he takes moves me with it. His woodsmoke scent is all over me. My wolf stretches out with no plans to go anywhere. I lift my head to check on him. His face is relaxed with his lips parted. The last of the bruising from Valek is almost gone from his cheek. He’s still running hot, and my nightgown is stuck to me everywhere we touch.

Getting off Ezra without waking him up is a whole operation. I ease my weight sideways a little at a time and slide off the edge of the bed with no creak from the springs. As soon as I’m gone, he drags his hand across the mattress with a low grumble and feels around for me. I stay where I am and watch his fingers close on empty sheet until he rolls onto his side and quits reaching. My wolf pushes at me to crawl back in next to him, but I’ve got a job to do.

I tiptoe to the bathroom and pull the door shut before I turn on the light. I splash water on my face and try not to make eye contact with myself in the mirror.

Back at the dresser I take my time. The drawer scrapes when I open it, and he stirs. His voice is rough with sleep. “Aya.”

I freeze until his breathing evens out again. I dig out my bra and a fitted shirt with some pants and change out of my nightgown as fast as I can. I grab my brush and drag it through my hair on my way down the stairs.

Claude is in the kitchen with a tray of meat portioned out on the island and ready to heat. Of course she’s here. It’s some big animal Ezra’s dragon likes to hunt, and the gamey smell has my wolf interested. Claude glances up and smiles when she hears me.

“I brought this for his recovery.” She frowns when she catches my scent.

“The Mer.” I step into my shoes. “Ezra’s too tired, so I’m going to do it for him.”