brain, the driver’s side door opened and Ravi jumped into the seat. He took one look at Sora and his smile disappeared.
“Everything okay?”
“Huh? Oh, yes!” Sora quickly said. Now was definitely not the time to be thinking about such things. “Just…I’m just thinking about the attack.”
“Yeah, unfortunately, the bodyguards are back without any Jaeggi. They scattered like cockroaches. I think it’s best if we get on the road before we’re swamped with reporters and police.”
“Good idea.” Leaning across the center console, Sora brushed a kiss across Ravi’s cheek, winning a surprised smile from the dragon. “Let’s get out of here. I’m sure King Alric is anxious to have this crazy caravan safely at Burkhard.”
“Too true.” Ravi deftly pulled the SUV out of the parking lot and started them on the two-hour journey back to Sonthofen.
Sora was grateful for the drive as it gave him time to turn over the seed his mother had so deftly planted. Ravi in the Sodalicium. Ravi in his home. Ravi able to fly with wind dragons, his own kind, at last. Was that temptation enough to lure him away from Burkhard?
Ravi didn’t take an easy breath until they finally pulled the SUVs into the massive courtyard of Burkhard Castle. While leaving the restaurant hadn’t exactly been easy, the drive from Munich to Sonthofen had proven to be quiet. Thank heaven.
Over the course of the two hours, Sora chatted with his parents, catching up on clan news and gossip about life back with the rest of the Sodalicium. There had been marriages, births, dating mishaps, and other shenanigans, which painfully reminded Ravi that Sora had an entire life with the rest of his clan on the other side of the world.
Yes, they were dating, and when a mage dated a dragon, it was understood that the intention was they would one day become mates, but did it mean something different to Sora and his clan? Would Sora seriously consider staying with the Burkhard Clan so they could be mates?
Or was he expecting Ravi to leave Burkhard and return to the Sodalicium with him?
Just the idea of leaving his home, his family, and his king made his stomach queasy. Burkhard was everything to him. Serving and protecting Alric and his family was everything. With the appearance of new mages, he’d even begun to look forward to the day when Alric and Cameron would have their first child and he would get to protect their baby dragon as they toddled around the castle.
But to claim Sora as his own. To build a life with Sora. To have a family with Sora. All those thoughts made his heart speed up and his head get all fuzzy. He didn’t want to imagine a day when he wouldn’t get to see Sora’s handsome face.
Ravi gave his head a hard shake. Now was not the time to worry about what would happen between himself and Sora. They’d suffered another attack by the Jaeggi. He had to get two kings, their mates, and Sora’s parents to the castle safely. They had a war to finish. It all needed to be done before Ravi could even think about a future with Sora.
And that was all assuming the mage wanted to keep him.
Outside the castle walls, there were decidedly fewer reporters and people claiming to be mages. In addition, Ravi noted that nearly every dragon who worked security was patrolling the walls and the skies around the castle to make sure the new arrivals were safe.
Near the center of the courtyard stood Alric, Cameron, Rodrigo, Dieter, Lisette, Baldewin, Tori, and Gunter. Everyone was in their fanciest clothes, and Ravi couldn’t have been prouder of his family. They might be small, but they were strong and impressive all the same.
As everyone got out of the car, Alric and Rodrigo stepped forward. Alric opened his mouth, likely prepared to offer a formal greeting, when Chalo’s booming laugh stopped him.
“My god! Alric, look at you. I remember seeing you and that friend of yours, Baldewin—” He paused and pointed at Baldewin, his smile growing even wider. “—running around the castle and driving your father crazy.”
Alric’s mouth hung open for a moment, but no sound came out. Ravi had to slap his hand over his mouth to stop the laughter. Cameron made a choked noise beside Alric, failing to hold in his own laughter. Poor Alric probably had this beautiful formal speech prepared, and Chalo had stolen the words away.
“Dear, if he was that young when you last saw