Embers (Scales 'N' Spells 4)

They weren’t a threat. The room would be filled to the rafters with dragons and mages. Most importantly, Gunter would be there to keep them physically safe.

But all the dragons and magic in the world couldn’t protect them from their own memories. Being at the mercy of those broken mages still lingered in their skin. Nikki felt the phantom memory of being drained in their magical core whenever they drew upon magic.

They’d been dreading this day since they’d first offered to help the Burkhard dragons find the Jaeggi. Eventually, Nikki would have to be face to face with his captors again. But they’d also been looking forward to it, the chance to have their revenge. It was a very mixed bag of emotions, one that hopped and skittered in their chest.

“Nikki?” Cameron’s voice echoed down the hall and Nikki jumped guiltily. They twisted around to see Cameron smiling at them, but worry shone in his eyes. “Are you coming to the meeting too?”

They nodded. “Alric and Gunter requested I be there.”

Cameron stopped when he reached them and started to place his hand on Nikki’s shoulder but arrested himself. It was sweet. Nikki had learned from watching Cameron he was a touchy-feely guy to people he considered friends, which naturally included nearly everyone in the castle. But he was holding back out of respect for Nikki.

He didn’t need to any longer. After everything that had happened recently, Nikki didn’t feel the same fear for mages. The Burkhard mages were not the Jaeggi. They would never hurt them.

“You know, you can always tell Alric and Gunter no if you’re not comfortable with something,” Cameron assured them. “They would understand. Especially when it comes to the Jaeggi.”

Nikki shook their head. “No, I’m okay. I promised to help. I want to help.”

“Okay, but your safety and health are our main priority here. We’re no better than the Jaeggi if we’re making you do something against your will.”

Nikki lightly punched Cameron’s arm. “Trust me, you’re nothing like the Jaeggi.”

Cameron’s face lit up. Yep. Just that little sign Nikki accepted him, and the consort was over the moon. “I certainly hope not.”

“I want to do this.”

“Good.”

They turned and started down the hall together. A goofy grin tugged at Nikki’s lips, and they found themself leaning close while dropping their voice to a whisper. “Besides, I wanted to tell you something.”

“Yeah?”

“Gunter did the tongue thing.”

Cameron’s brows furrowed over his slender nose, nearly getting lost behind his glasses as he looked at Nikki. The pieces suddenly snapped together, and his eyes widened. “Holy shit!” he shouted and then covered his mouth, looking around to see who’d overheard him. They were alone in the hallway but very close to Alric’s open door. Nikki was just trying not to giggle and dance like an idiot.

“Really? And?” Cameron prodded.

“Amazing! Gah…just…so…ahhh….my toes curl thinking about it.” Nikki was beyond complete sentences. They were lucky to use real words. Simply thinking about what Gunter had done to them in bed was making them hard. Why did they ever have to leave their rooms?

Cameron wrapped an arm around their shoulders and sighed, a knowing smile forming on his face. “Yeah, dragons are the best.”

At least they were laughing when they walked into Alric’s office. When they entered, Alric and Gunter stood near the doors, as if they were planning to investigate what all the noise in the hall was about.

“Should I even ask what you two were whispering about?” Alric asked.

Nikki’s face heated. Cameron simply smiled at his mate but said nothing.

“I have a feeling I might know,” Gunter said, raising one eyebrow at Nikki.

With a grin to match Cameron’s, Nikki touched their top lip with their tongue, causing an answering blush to bloom across Gunter’s pale cheeks. Beside them, Cameron nearly fell over laughing.

“I don’t want to know,” Alric muttered, shaking his head. He turned toward the table where the other kings waited.

Nikki glanced around, surprised to find that while the kings were seated at the table, Baldewin, Ravi, and two of the metal dragon bodyguards were also spread about the room, looking dark and menacing. It was the first time in any of the meetings there had been added security.

But then, this was the first meeting to include a member of the Jaeggi Clan.

Sucking in a deep breath, Nikki stepped forward, but they faltered when their eyes fell on the teenager.

“Lina?” they gasped.

They hadn’t expected her. Flashes of memories, of times they’d snuck in a quiet conversation, flitted through their head. Lina had been one of the few Jaeggi who never treated Nikki like trash or some convenience. But she was also so young to have been on her own, Nikki was conversely proud of her and worried at the same time.

The teenager’s black-and-red head popped up and her eyes widened. Some of the worry on her face eased, and Nikki didn’t miss the hope in her voice when she said, “Nikki!”