Elara led Serena to her quarters, Hale right behind. She immediately got a cloth wet with freezing cold water and dabbed Serena's neck.
Hale handed Serena a glass of water, which Serena downed.
"Thank you both," Serena whispered.
Hale's jaw was tight. Body tense. He didn't respond.
Gav entered a moment later, expression darkening. Serena's neck still had a rash, the one he'd seen earlier. Her eyes were red. Of course it would rattle her. Her composure made it easy to forget she had weaknesses. That she wasn't made of iron.
After being humiliated, she'd been forced to sit next to him. In front of one thousand people. The fact she didn't cry, that she held her composure through all of it, spoke volumes.
And Dexmon had the audacity to keep glancing at her. Like he was confused. Like he didn't understand why she wouldn't look at him.
It made Gav want to break something. Preferably Dexmon's face.
Serena looked up, catching him mid-stare. He grinned immediately, wiping the murder from his expression.
"See? The worst one done. And Queen Bellatrix surprisingly hated you slightly less than normal."
Serena shook her head and rolled her eyes.
Elara burst out laughing. "When she dipped to you after King Tiberon… the look that flashed across your face was…"
Gav started cracking up. "I don't know what was more surprising. Agnes entering with a crown on or Bellatrix kneeling."
Serena whacked him before Hale or Elara could.
"What?" he said playfully, hands in the air.
They made their way down to the dragons. Last meeting with Dexmon and then they'd separate.
Thank the gods.
She followed behind Gav and Hale. Elara at her side, looking entirely too excited to be at her first meeting as part of the Draken Forces. Even though she was nowhere near qualified.
Considering Serena had ridden Velkaris a grand total of three times, she also was nowhere near qualified.
All dragons were on the field. All riders present, assembling into formation. King Tiberon stood at the front, arms crossed. Expression unreadable per usual.
Dex was off to the side in front, speaking with Agnes. She was hugging him. Her laughs grew louder as Serena approached. She even glanced up at Serena with a smile.
Serena looked past and pretended not to notice.
None of this made sense. Dex was playful with her when they were alone. Overly affectionate, even. But in professional settings, he'd didn't touch her. Not like that. He'd treated her as an equal. The same way he treated Hale, Gav, and the high-ranking officers. Respect without spectacle.
This? This was spectacle.
Nothing was adding up.
Dexmon kissed Agnes on the lips. Once. Twice. Three times.
"Gods, what is that," Gav said, making a face.
Serena continued to look past it. Pretending not to see. Composed.
Her chest ached anyway. A dull, persistent throb where she used to feel Dexmon's emotions through their matebond. Now there was just silence.
Velkaris moved out of formation and ran to Serena, tail knocking over three training dummies in his excitement.
He nuzzled her immediately, affectionately. Serena laughed, unable to help herself at how adorable he was.
"Hello Velkaris, I missed you too," she said, petting him. "I'll see you after."
Velkaris shot Dex a dirty look and then moved back into formation at the front across the vast field fitting fifty dragons.
Of the two males bonded to her, the dragon was clearly the more emotionally intelligent one.
Serena continued walking next to Gav. As they crossed the field, every dragon bowed to Serena.
Right. Forgot about that small detail.
She dipped respectfully to Dexmon as protocol mandated, not meeting his eyes, and moved towards her spot.
Again, to her horror, every member of the Draken Forces got on one knee. This time in unison. It dawned on her then that every member of the Draken Forces was also a member of the Brotherhood. Obviously they would be.
There were different military divisions in Drakenfell and the Draken Forces was the most prestigious, most desirable one. It made sense.
But gods, why did they all have to kneel in unison?
Normally, it'd be fine. It might even be fun. But today. Of all days. She wanted out of the spotlight.
King Tiberon was the last to kneel. Dexmon stood behind Serena, unmoving.
"You honor me. I thank you," Serena said, her voice calm and gracious, carrying farther than she felt.
King Tiberon rose. Warriors, officers, and even the dragons rose with him.
From the second row, a voice rang out, clear and unwavering. "The honor is ours."
Another followed, just as loud. "You sit where you belong, and we will continue to serve."
Serena swallowed, held her composure, and gave a brief nod to a few more faces as she moved toward the side of the front row, reserved for the true bondeds. Elara was already there.
As she walked, many gave her a respectful nod. Acknowledgment. Their expressions were what she expected. Warrior-still, resolute, respectful.
Then she noticed the shift.
Perplexity. Disgust. Irritation.
She knew why without needing to see it. She refused to give him attention and did not look back until she reached her place. When she turned, she saw what they were looking at.
Dexmon and Agnes were kissing again.
Not just pecks, no.
This was full blown making out.
Of course they were.
She briefly wondered if they were aware other people existed. Or if the concept of an audience had escaped them entirely.
He pulled away and whispered something to her, kissing her hand. She nodded with an exaggerated laugh and walked towards the castle.
Velkaris growled. His eyes narrowed at her.
He wasn't the only one. Every single pair of dragon eyes glared at Agnes, watching her until she was off the field.
Dexmon gave his commands for tonight's ambush. Tomorrow's War Summit did not allow much time for recovery, but with precautions in place they would hold their ground.
He seemed aware. The voice he used to speak was different than his usual. Deeper. It sounded older. A voice Serena hadn't heard him use before, but it sounded so familiar.
It stirred something in her. A memory trying to surface where none existed. A pull toward him that made no sense, that had nothing to do with the man standing in front of her and everything to do with something older. Deeper.
Something her soul recognized even if her mind didn't.
She shook it off. Whatever that was, it did her no good.
She watched him command his forces and felt the strangest grief. This was the man who had held her in the bath and kissed her temple. Who had called her baby and meant it. Who had said I love you in a dream and then again when she woke.
That man was gone. Or maybe he had never existed at all.
Either way, she had to let him go.
As much as he hurt her, they would always share Velkaris. Nothing could sever her dragon bond. But for now, that was all they were. Two people connected by a dragon and nothing else.
She fell in love with him. She shook her head once, chasing those thoughts away. She would not rehash what she saw last night or this morning.
He was having sex with Agnes. The same hands that had touched her so carefully. The same mouth that had kissed her mark and called her his.
Not only that, but in ways they'd never done yet. He'd been patient with her because she was new to all of it. He'd said hang on, baby and gone slow.
Agnes didn't need slow. Agnes had the audacity to smile at Serena this morning while she rode Dexmon.
A smile. Never did Serena think she'd walk in on someone having sex and the woman on top wave at her like she was greeting a neighbor.
Like they'd bumped into each other at the market. 'Oh hello, Serena. Lovely weather we're having.'
Agnes was not shy about her naked body. Serena was. If someone had walked in on her, she'd have screamed and hidden under the covers.
Maybe Dexmon needed someone bolder in the bedroom. Fine. Serena was bold in her own ways. But she was not Agnes. That was for certain.
She would add it to the list. Right after commanding fire for the first time without burning a wall down and shifting for the first time. Bedroom boldness could wait.
She was not going to pine after someone who didn't want her. Who wouldn't be faithful.
She was jolted out of her thoughts when everyone around her brought their fists to their chests in salute. The meeting was over. She mirrored those around her out of respect for the Draken Forces. For what it stood for. Not for the man leading them.
Talented and powerful? Yes. But it didn't matter. He'd lost her respect.
Finally it had finished.
Serena made her way back to the castle with Gav, Hale, and Elara. She was silent, pretending not to notice the sympathetic looks she was being given. The redness on her neck was back with a vengeance.
Wonderful. In case anyone missed it at the Battle Address, please enjoy this encore presentation of my stress rash. Free of charge. Tell your friends.
She would have rather they ignored her. The looks made her want to cry. So she didn't meet anyone's eyes and looked down or forward as they walked.
They headed straight to Hyran's study, to her relief.
Finally time to leave for the War Summit. Which, as horrible as this sounded, was at the perfect time.
Get me the fuck out of here.
Hyran studied Serena for a moment and clapped a hand on her shoulder.
No words were exchanged, but she understood.