“Maybe. If you’re good.”
✽✽✽
There wasn’t going to be a round two. After her bath, Shira and Levi curled up in bed for a nap and I joined Seff in the kitchen to help with dinner. We’d barely had a chance to eat today, so he’d planned a feast for us. Despite what Shira and my flight brothers thought, I wasn’t proud of being useless in the kitchen. I wasn’t proud of being useless at anything.
I’d gone through life thinking I was pretty much good at everything. I was obviously hilarious. I’d attracted plenty of female attention throughout my teen years. All the local golds had hoped I’d be their mate someday. I’d mastered my magic faster than any of my brothers had when my dragon emerged. My mother was adamant, and she’d never lie to me. I was her favorite.
It wasn’t until Shira came along that I’d questioned my awesomeness. It had taken six months to even get her out of the fae prison. Strike one against me. Then she’d spun into our lives like a hurricane and instantly demanded to leave again. Strike two. And then she’d gone and left. Strike three.
Here I was, thinking I was this fucking hotshot, and my mate had shrugged her shoulders and gone on her merry way. We hadn’t talked a lot about the time we spent apart, and it still bothered me that Shira hadn’t seemed as affected by it as I was. She kept her emotions so locked down most of the time — except for the random short bursts of tears and post-orgasm smiles — it was hard to know what she was thinking.
Shira and Levi woke up just as Seff and I started putting the food out on the table, and the look in her eye when she saw the roast goose was almost as sexy as her orgasm face. I was about to offer her a quickie before dinner, but the look Oren gave me shut me up. He was the only one who hadn’t consummated his mating with Shira, and the urge to even out the bond must be riding him hard.
I could restrain myself. Probably. For his benefit.
None of us startled when a dragon landed outside our front door. We were on edge, waiting for our next task from the Council. There was no way they'd draw it out — aside from wanting the seat filled, Nerio and his flight would push to get it done quickly hoping to secure their son's flight in the position.
Besides, they would probably be threatened by us. Or by Shira, at least. I'm sure they thought if they could get Flight Mentrus in the seat, they could sweep Shira's run for Council under the rug before word spread. I tilted my head, considering that idea as Levi went to get the door.
We had a natural inclination to hide Shira away from the world. We'd been improving in some areas since she'd come back, but that was still a weak spot for us. Maybe what Shira needed — what our run at the Council needed — was some attention.
“Let’s move to the parlor,” Ezra said, giving the food a longing look. “And get this over and done with quickly.”
“Agreed,” I muttered. I’d spent ages helping Seff in the kitchen. The food was going to get cold!
“Nerio,” Ezra said curtly, as Levi led him into the parlor. Of all the Councilors, he was the one I least wanted to see. Shira moved to stand beside Ezra, painting an intimidating picture despite her short stature. Shira didn't need extra height or bulging muscles to let you know not to fuck with her. It was written all over her resting I-am-not-impressed face.
“Flight Galon,” Nerio replied with thinly veiled disdain. Seff, Levi and I sat down on the couch, letting our Alpha power couple handle Nerio.
“Have you come to update us on the results of the first task?” Ezra asked, inclining his head as he studied the elderly Councilor.
“After some deliberation, the Council agreed to vote on the performances of both flights based on all three tasks,” Nerio sniffed, looking like that hadn't been his idea at all. Ha, good. “We require your presence at an emergency meeting tomorrow at midday. Something has come up, conveniently providing a second task for you and Flight Mentrus.”
“We'll be there,” Ezra replied, still doing his best stoic Alpha face. Nerio hesitated, a sly glint in his eye that made me know whatever was coming would not be good