Embers (Scales 'N' Spells 4)

Nikki lifted a hand. “I, on the other hand, have no problem with blowing it to hell. I’ve already done something similar once to get you inside a city.”

Turning, Alric gave them a long, level look. “That’s true, you have prior experience. I’m inclined to think you have the best chance of going in. But Nikki, you have to understand, if something happens to you, I am not explaining it to Gunter.”

“It’ll be fine, Hoheit.” Nikki grinned at him. And it wasn’t that they didn’t understand the dangers—they did. But Nikki had been waiting a tree’s age to get revenge on the Jaeggi. This seemed like the prime time for it. And they wanted closure, the chance to heal, without lye being rubbed into an open wound every time they turned around.

Besides, if Gunter got to go, Nikki got to go as well, dammit. He was not allowed to leave Nikki behind like a fainting damsel in distress or some shit.

Rodrigo wiped his hand over his face, looking to the far wall for a moment. “This sits ill with me, sending them in alone.”

“It doesn’t sit well with me, either,” Alric admitted. “We have no way of reaching Nikki if something goes wrong, no way of coming to the rescue. It’s incredibly risky.”

“I know that, Hoheit,” Nikki assured him, touched the man was so worried. This was a king who worried about his people.

Alric turned and looked them dead in the eye. “Do you?”

“Yes, I do. But I deserve a chance at revenge. And I’m your best shot of getting this done.”

“You’re right, on both accounts.”

Seeing he still didn’t like it, Nikki gave him a wink. “It just means I have to do it right the first time.”

A fist thumped the table, and Roca spoke firmly. “I like their attitude. Let’s get in there. I’m tired of the Jaeggi being a thorn in our collective sides. If we plan this well, we can get Nikki in before the Jaeggi know what has hit them.”

Nikki was all for that.

This was a horrible idea.

How dare Alric even consider it, let alone put it before the other kings for a vote. It should never have been discussed. They should have come up with another solution.

Yes, Gunter was fine with Nikki going into battle with him. But the key words there were: with Gunter. Not going in alone. Just the idea of Nikki going in by themself was enough to make Gunter’s heart seize with panic.

Gunter didn’t know who to strangle first, Alric or Nikki.

Gunter paced their bedroom, vaguely aware Nikki sat on the end of the bed, watching him like a caged animal at the zoo. Not that he was acting much better than a wild, bloodthirsty beast.

“How could he betray me like that?” Gunter snarled for the third—or maybe fifth—time. “You’re my mate. If he’s plotting to put you in danger, to risk your life, he should have spoken to me first.”

Nikki barked out a loud, derisive laugh.

Gunter swung around to face Nikki and was shocked to find them glaring at him. Like he’d done something wrong.

“What?”

“Are you kidding me? You’re upset Alric didn’t consult you first about what I was willing to do? What I volunteered for? And yet, he failed to consult me about how you’ve volunteered to fly into battle against the Jaeggi. Last I checked, no one asked my feelings about that.”

“But, Liebling, it’s not the same thing.”

Nikki’s pale eyebrows flew up, and they hopped down from the bed. Shit. He’d very clearly stepped in it now. “Not the same thing?” Nikki repeated in a deceptively cool voice as they closed the distance between them. “How is it not the same thing? Because you’re a big, strong dragon and I’m just a lowly mage?”

“No! Of course not!”

“Because you’re older, wiser, more experienced?”

Okay, that was a tempting yes, but it also felt like a trap. “No.”

“Then what, Gunter? Why do you have autonomy over your person but I don’t? Why do you get a say in my decisions?”

Gunter stared at Nikki for a moment, his mouth hanging open, but no words came out. Even if he knew what to say, the sound couldn’t possibly crawl past the lump in his throat. His dragon was in full-blown panic mode, and his heart was breaking apart at the idea of Nikki sneaking into the Jaeggi encampment without anyone there to watch their back. He’d already been so close to losing Nikki once, before they’d even met. He’d battled with Nikki’s urges to leave for weeks before they finally pushed through it. Gunter had only just settled back into his own skin and felt like he’d finally won this amazing person over, and yet…and yet it was all being threatened again.

Gunter felt as if his heart rested on a house of cards.

After a moment, he stumbled over to a wingback chair and collapsed into it. He hung his head and blinked back the tears that had swelled, but a couple still escaped. He didn’t care.