Page 75 of In the Embrace of Dragons

“I wonder if it’s happening right now.” My other hand snakes down under the water to smooth over her belly. “If my seed is taking in my wife.”

She lets out a startled breath and widens her legs so I can dip down between them. I close my eyes as I enjoy her soft human anatomy.

I know I need to go do my job and then smooth things over with Ragnakor—but I’ll enjoy this for now.

RAGNAKOR

I take pride in knowing when I am needed and when I am not. I was needed to bring the king and queen together; I am not needed to create an heir or rule the kingdom. That is for the two of them alone.

It was difficult to leave them, but it was the right thing to do. They need time to develop their stunted bond, and my relationships with each of them complicate that.

I did, however, return to my own room and relieve the pressure under my armor. My cock was hard and swollen, wishing it could have unleashed in that room with them. But I did my duty, and now it’s time to tend to the details.

All I have to do is remember Vizarios’s cock sliding in and out of his queen’s delectable cunt and I’m lurching forward, my seed arcing out and landing on the floor.

I wonder what it would be like to be inside Vizarios while he did it. What if I were the one filling up Nissia, instead?

These intrusive thoughts won’t clear away as I go to bed that night, and they chase me long into my dreams.

The next day,I am surprised to find the king never returned to his room. I wait outside the door patiently until, at last, Vizarios appears. He smells of sulfur from the hot springs, so I know where he’s been.

“I’m glad you showed her to the pools,” I say as Vizarios leads the way inside his quarters, where he takes off his old robe and exchanges it for a new, clean one.

“Nissia enjoyed it.” He turns to me as he covers himself up, then cinches his belt on. “A little grumpy I hadn’t taken her before.”

“I imagine you will be making up ground for some time.”

Vizarios merely quirks an eyebrow, when he surely would have snapped at me before for such an insolent remark.

“And what of you?” he asks, heading back out into the hall. He clearly intends on working today, so I follow him. “After you left and hurt my wife’s feelings?”

I balk. “What?”

“Mm-hmm.” Vizarios twirls one of the tassels on his robe. “She wondered what she did wrong for her Papa to leave her that way.”

Damn it. I didn’t want that.

“It’s what’s best,” I say instead.

He doesn’t answer, just hums and keeps walking until we reach his study. I feel like there is something he isn’t saying to me, which is an unusual turn of events.

All day while Vizarios works with Syzari, I chew over what he told me. I truly didn’t mean to upset the queen, not after such an intimate experience. But the place I hold in their relationship is a minor one, a supporting role to the main act.

I wish I could apologize, but what would I apologize for? She doesn’t need me the way she thinks she does, and I shouldn’t encourage her to see me the way she sees herhusband. While it’s not common, some dragons have relationships with multiple partners—but not the king and queen.

At last, evening rolls around, and Vizarios hastens to dinner with Nissia and her friend. I stand guard with Quillion while they talk and eat, and I do my best to keep my eyes straight ahead, though Nissia glances at me from time to time with a creased brow.

I always make sure to look away. I need to recede into the background of her mind and not encourage any relationship between us.

After dinner, I go to follow Vizarios when he departs, but the queen stops me.

“Ragnakor?” she asks, lightly touching my arm. “Can we talk? About last night?”

Vizarios pauses, looking over his shoulder at us. The last thing I want is to get in the middle of this new relationship, when Nissia’s attention should be on her husband.

I need to nip this in the bud and make it clear to her I am not a part of it.

“There is nothing to discuss,” I say in as neutral a tone as I can muster. Then I draw away from her, and her lips press together. The queen searches me with her gaze, looking for something I can’t offer her.