Exactly.

Now it was Vigholf’s turn to sigh. Just wonderful.

Junius opened the door to his lady’s bedchamber. He motioned for his guards to wait outside and entered the room.

He stood wel away from the bed and quietly waited. The servant went to her lady’s side.

“My lady?” she said softly. “Lord Junius is here to see you.”

Smiling and stretching, the suns’ rays pouring through the floor-to-ceiling windows il uminating her naked body as she sat up, long silver hair framing her beautiful face, Lady Vateria greeted Junius with a large smile.

“My Lord Junius. What are you doing here so early?”

“We’l have a visitor soon, my lady.”

“A visitor?”

“Someone I think you’l be quite pleased to see.”

Vateria, grinning, eagerly slid out of bed, and walked over to him. “Are you sure?”

“Our god is sure, which means I am. I sent word to your patrols in the Western Mountains.”

“Wil the messengers reach them in time?”

“I am our god’s chosen mage, my lady. I need no messengers for such a task.”

Although al dragons could communicate with blood kin, at the Overlord’s command and their god’s agreement, Junius restricted that sort of thing within the Provinces. Only the messages he wanted to get through were al owed to leave or enter the region. It was how Junius had discovered the rebel ion growing within the Iron ranks and was able to nearly snuff it out. Although not completely finished with that situation, it was total y under control. And it would stay that way.

“Of course, of course.” She stepped closer to him, her excitement making her eyes bright, her ni**les harden. “Could she truly be so foolish as to come here?”

“Desperate, I think is the word you want. Once your father and Laudaricus join forces—nothing wil stop them. And chances are this is a test by whatever god is protecting her. Annwyl the Bloody wil not get what she wants until she comes here and completes some task.”

“You mean like assassinating me?”

“Most likely. But I plan to capture her before that.”

Vateria wrapped her arms around Junius’s neck, meaning he could now touch her as protocol dictated. He did, pul ing her close and gripping her ass.

“Another toy for my col ection,” she sighed.

“You’l have to be a little more careful with this one I’m afraid. The humans break much easier than our kind.”

“I know, I know. But I’ve grown bored with the toy I have. I yearn for another.”

“You’ve grown bored, yet you stil go to the dungeons to play. Nearly every day.” Her head dipped and she smiled. “Not every day.” She briefly chewed her bottom lip. “When?” she asked. “When wil she be here?”

“Soon, I’m sure. Then she’l be al yours.”

Vateria went up on her toes, kissed him. “You do so endlessly please me, my lord mage.”

“Shame your father seems to think that even with my connections and pure Iron bloodlines I’m so beneath you then.”

“Don’t worry about Daddy. He adores me and he always gives me what I want. And now”—she led him to her bed—“ you can give me what I want.”

“Morning!”

Rhona growled and covered her head with her arms. “Go away.”

“We must get on the road, female. Now rise and bless me with your presence.”

Laughing, despite her annoyance, Rhona let the Lightning pul her to her feet. But Vigholf was an extremely strong buck of a dragon and he yanked Rhona up and right into his chest, their bodies slamming together, startling them both. The pair stared at each other until Vigholf’s gaze moved over her face, final y resting on her mouth. She remembered his push for a kiss the previous evening, and she knew he was thinking about that now. But was he truly attracted to her or was she simply available? And even worse . . . why the hel s did she suddenly care? She shouldn’t care! She should be punching that look off his face before he did something stupid, like actual y kiss her.

Gods! Her own weakness annoyed her.

Rhona pul ed her arms from Vigholf’s grasp but tried to keep things light. “It’s too early for you to be this extremely ridiculous.”

“It’s never too early,” he joked, stepping away from her. “Now, did you sleep wel ?” She stretched her shoulders, desperately trying to forget how wel their bodies fit together in that brief moment. “I did.”

“So did I. I think we’l need to sleep together tonight to ensure that restfulness stays the same. It’s in our best interest.” Shaking her head, Rhona walked around him. “I need food.”

Vigholf examined the hil s. After a moment, he unleashed a bolt of lightning and a ram with several burn holes in its side tumbled down the hil and landed at Rhona’s feet.

Grinning, Vigholf said, “Food.”

Keeping her laughter in, Rhona nodded. “Thank you.” She adored how proud he looked.

“Welcome.”

They ate and walked, the horses fol owing behind them.

“I heard from my brother this morning,” Vigholf said.

“Was he angry?”

That was not the question Vigholf had expected her to ask. “About?”

“That you haven’t returned. That you’re not on your way back to Euphrasia readying your troops to destroy the Irons. That you’ve foolishly fol owed me on a death march after an insane monarch.”