Her Dragon King (Her Dragon King Duet 2)

Not wanting her disapproval, he had ceased seeking such animals out. But her sentiments had relaxed much over the winters, and here this ice bear. He’d heard tales of such bears losing the sea ice too soon to return to their ice caves and being forced to find a hibernation spot in the caves at the edge of their woods. But this was the only time he’d seen one with his own eyes south of the fjords.

The sight of the ice bear stopped him in his tracks. The beast was digging into a carcass. A reindeer perhaps, or an elk. Something it had killed for survival, and now fed upon, blood covering its white snout.

Fenris stared at the bear who had not yet sighted him, calculations running through his head. He only had one arrow left, and he hadn’t brought his sword along because it was too heavy to carry on hunts such as these. But the fat from this bear would allow Chloe to make his favorite fried chicken, its meat would feed them well, and its hide would make for a fine rug or coat. Surely, Chloe would relax her objections for such a prize.

He raised his lone arrow, deciding to take the risk.

But then the wind shifted and a new scent hit his nose. Fenris froze.

For the scent was one he had smelled before. Fire and ash behind a wall of scaled skin. The same as the serpent enemy they vanquished on those fields so long ago.

At least, he thought they had vanquished them. When he turned around, he found a serpent standing before him. Tall as a tree, the darkest of blue, with golden eyes shining above its steaming nostrils.

Fenris instantly rued not bringing his trusted but much too heavy sword along on a hunt he believed would only require his bow and arrows.

Too few arrows. For now, he stood before this monstrous blue serpent hopelessly outmatched.

He would die here this day. He knew this even as he raised his bow.

But before he aimed his sole arrow, he closed his eyes, to deliver an apology to his mate, though he knew she was too far away to hear it, “Chloe…I am sorry. I am sorry I could not keep my promise.”

Escaping his mortal enemy was how he’d first come to his fated mate, but all his spells were spent. And there was no escape to be had from this serpent.

Chloe…

His mate’s name was the great fenrir’s very last thought before he let go of his final arrow.

Part III

“Only a fated mate can save our Fenris and his queen. Otherwise will they perish at the hand of this brimstone enemy, if you and your brother cannot this challenge meet.”

—Sorceress Bera, Her Viking Wolves

Chapter Thirty-Two

OLA

Reconciliation is not possible as we stand. It is best for you and Basileios to return to North Dakota.

The words from the note Damianos left me swirl in my head as I sit in the North Dakota kingdom house with Bazzi perched in my lap.

So that happened.

So that happened.

So that really, really happened.

I’m back in North Dakota, once again being yelled at. This time, in real life, no holo. Myrna and Rafes are here, along with my dads and mom. And both of the other two Nightwolf Triplets for some reason. I guess Rafes was like, “Hey, I’m going to North Dakota with a squad of wolf soldiers to read Ola for filth. Wanna meet up?” And Nago and Knud were like, “Bros’ Trip!”

Anyway, Damianos was right about one thing in the short note he left me. Reconciliation is definitely not possible.

“I’m going to officially recommend a federal trial to strip her of her title,” Rafes announces over the rest of the people yelling at me. “She can’t leave the way she did and then show up here a week later, expecting to finally take over as Queen of North Dakota. No, I won’t allow it.”

“Rafes, please, I know she has to be sanctioned, but a federal trial is too much,” Mom says, shaking her head at my president cousin.

“Is it?” Papa Olafr asks his mate, his voice tight with anger. Usually, he’s our family’s peace facilitator, but he hasn’t looked at me since he and my parents came through the door.

Neither has FJ, who points out to mom, “She forsook us to be with that serpent. She forsook her throne. She is obviously not fit to be queen.”

I cuddle Bazzi, happy now for his fur.

Breaking News, he shifted into wolf form for the first time soon after everybody started arriving, letting us all know with certainty that he was definitely a boy. When that happened with Fensa’s twins, my dads just about threw them a parade.

Not so much this time. Everybody’s too busy yelling to acknowledge the cute wolf pup with the dragon wings extending from his back. And unfortunately, Bazzi’s not sleeping through this fight. His furry head swings back and forth between all the yelling people, and I wouldn’t be surprised if he decided to take flight any moment now.