Page 52 of Ancient Promises

“Are you sad, sweetheart?”

“Not sad-sad, just a little sad. Does that make sense?”

“Yes, of course,” he said. He put his arm around her and drew her close, kissing the top of her head.

“Did I tell you that I heard from the dragons in the nest? The ones who were friends to me and worked for my father?”

“The ones you helped keep safe when your brother was on a rampage after he killed your dad?”

“Yep.”

“No! When did you hear from them?”

“When I was loading the bed into the truck,” he said. “Benatrice called me.”

“What’s going on with them? Are they all safe?”

He pulled away from the house and headed toward home. “The FSA showed up the day after Zihndyr died and gathered the whole nest together, explaining what had happened. They were given thirty-six hours to choose a new king, or the nest was going to be dismantled and they would have to join up with a new nest or become exiles.”

“Thirty-six hours isn’t much time to make such a monumental decision,” she mused.

“No, not really. But fortunately, the elder dragons, the ones from before my father’s generation, sought direction from the nest’s laws. Basically, since Zihndyr is dead and I’m exiled, there’s no one left in our family line to take over the nest. That means the line of succession moves to the oldest family in the nest and the most eligible male.”

“Who is it?”

“His name is Gregorie. He’s a few years younger than me and mated. His family is well respected; his grandfather is one of the elders and served on my father’s council. They swore Gregorie in after the nest voted unanimously to move the line of succession to his family.”

“That’s really great news. And he’s a good guy? Benatrice and your other friends will be well cared for with him as ruler?”

“I love that you care about my friends,” he said. “And yes, Gregorie and his mate are good people. They’ll rule fairly, and the nest won’t be doing horrible things under the leadership of an insane male. And the female my brother stole from her father? She was returned to her family.”

“That’s good. Your brother was such an awful person.”

“Definitely.”

“Is her family still alive?”

Eivross hadn’t known exactly what happened to the other nest, but he had told her that a male dragon wouldn’t allow his daughter to be taken while he was still breathing.

“Her father was killed, but her mother managed to escape along with a younger sibling, and they were all reunited.”

“Some good definitely came from what we went through. A silver lining.”

“For sure you’re my silver lining.” He gave her one of his devastating smiles.

“I’m glad that she’s back with her family,” Diem said.

Eivross parked behind the bookstore and got out, coming around to her side to open her door. He offered his hand and she took it, allowing him to help her to her feet. She loved that he was a gentleman.

They walked up the stairs and into the apartment.

“Are you okay?” he asked, pulling her close.

“Of course. Why?”

“Your friend had to move out because of me.”

She grinned. “Because of the way you drive me wild in bed.”