“I could walk, you know,” Sera protested.

“You were dead, Sera,” he argued. “You can take it easy for a day or two without running into battle and throwing yourself on your sword, sacrificing yourself for all of us. Start slow. Leave the saving of the world to those of us who aren’t dripping blood.”

She did feel a bit woozy, so she couldn’t really argue with that.

They passed Lara, who was wearing a dress with more holes than fabric. The design was obviously intentional—and so was the wink she gave Riley. As he winked back, Sera chuckled.

“Where are we?” she asked, glancing back at the house—or, more accurately, at the castle.

“We’re near Cologne, at Kai’s parents’ house.”

She noticed the tank parked on the lawn and laughed. “So has he let you drive it yet?”

Riley snorted. “I haven’t asked. We’ve all been too busy.”

Kai was standing just up ahead, so close Sera could feel the warm embrace of his magic.

“Check the defenses on the west side. The magic feels weak there,” he told Tony and Callum.

“What’s going on here?” she asked Riley.

“Alden is gone, but the aftermath of his actions lingers on.” He frowned. “There are quite a few supernaturals who aren’t happy that Dragon Born mages walk among us.”

“The Council?”

“It’s divided.”

Kai turned to face them. “Divided or not, I’m not giving them a choice. They will accept you.”

Sera couldn’t help but smile at him. The worried look on his face faded away, and he hurried over to her. Riley quickly joined Tony and Callum, and the three of them walked off, leaving Sera and Kai alone.

“I hope I’m not causing you trouble by being here,” she said.

“You are always trouble.” He smiled, brushing his hand through her hair. “How are you?”

“I’m all right, considering I was dead.”

His smile faded. “Don’t ever do that again,” he said in a hard voice. “When Naomi came back with your body and you weren’t breathing…I lost it.” Pain streaked his face. “I went into a rage. But your dragon merged with you, and you moved, then Dal began to heal you. Naomi snapped me out of it, telling me I could go on a mad rampage or I could save you. Suffice it to say, I chose to save you.”

“I’m glad you did. I didn’t think I’d ever see you again.”

Kai looked at her, his magic turbulent, his eyes raw with fresh pain. “Sera, you have to promise not to ever get it into your head to sacrifice yourself again. I don’t think I would survive it a second time. The world wouldn’t survive it either.”

She snorted. “A bit full of yourself, aren’t you?”

“It’s the truth.” There was no arrogance in his eyes this time, only raw honesty. “Together, Dal and I managed to heal you enough to move you. I brought you here. My family has the best healers in the world working for us. And you know what they told me after they finished healing you? They said they’d done everything they could and they weren’t sure you’d make it. Two weeks. You were out for two weeks. We didn’t know if you would ever wake up.”

“Dragons are stubborn.” She stood, taking a wobbly step toward him. A half-step, actually, as her legs immediately collapsed out from under her.

Kai caught her fall, drawing her into his arms. “You are strong.” He kissed her forehead. “Thank you for not giving up on living.”

Sera glanced at the guards patrolling the grounds. “And now we have another crisis.”

“It’s hardly a crisis.”

“A war?”

“More of a skirmish”

“Then why all the guards?” she asked.

“Merely a precaution.”

“I’m still being hunted for being Dragon Born.” Apparently, killing Alden and saving the world hadn’t changed that.

“No one will hunt you.” His hand stroked down her cheek. “I told the Magic Council we are changing that stupid rule.”

“I bet that went over well.”

His face went neutral. “There was resistance.”

“Seven hundred years of prejudice is not swept away in a single day.”

“I’m not giving them a choice. I told every one of them, the elite of the magical world, that if they want to take you out, they will have to go through me.”

Sera smiled up at him. “Were they shaking in their boots?”

“Naturally.”

She snorted.

“The Council is choosing to pretend you’re not Dragon Born for the moment. Who knows if this will continue, but for now, there is peace.”

“That’s something.” Sera linked her arm in his, trying that walking thing again. This time, she didn’t fall.

“The entire Drachenburg dynasty is standing with me,” he said.

“I’m putting your family in danger.”

“No. My family sticks together. And you are part of that family.”

A sappy, happy grin broke out on her lips.

“The Kensingtons are with us too,” he said.

The Drachenburgs and the Kensingtons were two of the oldest, most powerful magic dynasties in the world. Together, they were basically unstoppable.

“Ares and his family are with us too. And the Knights of the Occult.”