His dragon growled, irritated that this new, interesting person was suddenly going away. Alric firmly told it to hush. He didn’t need his dragon weighing in on things just then. It was complicated enough.
“Fine. Baldewin can take you,” Alric said, each word clipped and brisk.
Cameron’s shoulders immediately slumped in what Alric felt sure was relief.
“Hoheit?” Baldewin asked.
“Please see him safely to his hotel,” Alric ordered. He picked up his cold tea and forced himself to sip it. The issue was handled, and he had other important matters he needed to see to. After Cameron had time to think about what they’d discussed, they would speak more. Possibly he should introduce Cameron to Gunter. Two such intelligent, orderly minds would likely hit it right off. Gunter would be able to finish convincing Cameron of his heritage and possibly prove to be Cameron’s mate. Two birds, one stone. That was the efficient way a true leader managed his clan. None of this emotional nonsense and hesitation. A leader acted and always did what was in the best interest of his people. Not what he wanted.
Out of the corner of his eye, Alric watched Cameron march wordlessly out of the room. Baldewin lingered for only a second, a look of worry in his eyes before he followed on Cameron’s heels.
When the door closed behind his friend, Alric placed his cup back on his saucer with a loud clatter and sighed heavily. He absently rubbed his chest with his right hand, cursing himself and all his heavy-handed ways trying to manage Cameron. He never should have said the thing about saving the dragons and mages. Probably should have stuck with proposing that Cameron might be mage. Give him a chance to get used to the idea and discover it for himself.
But no, Alric had to be impatient. After five hundred years, couldn’t he afford to give Cameron at least a few days to get accustomed to the idea?
Of course he’d made a mess of it all.
His dragon grumbled again in agreement, wanting to follow Cameron and sniff him again. Possibly more, and would Alric move already? Alric gritted his teeth under the onslaught of images and emotions his dragon sent him.
No, he told his dragon self firmly.
Irritated, the dragon subsided grumpily.
The door opened again, and Alric immediately straightened, hope blooming for a second that Cameron had returned. It plummeted again at the sight of Dieter walking in. The lean man with steely grey and white hair had been his father’s right-hand man and advisor until his death. Not a day went by that Alric wasn’t grateful the dragon had survived the war. He’d had little idea of how to rule his people, but Dieter had always been there with a word of wisdom to whisper in his ear at just the right time.
Dieter paused in the act of closing the door to look at Alric, then finished closing the door with a low chuckle.
“What?” Alric snapped.
“Oh, I just have a feeling the meeting didn’t go so badly that it deserves that expression on your face.”
Alric growled low and shoved to his feet. He paced over to the far windows looking out across the valley. The one drawback to Dieter was that the man had known him since his birth. He knew Alric’s every mood. The man knew his mind even better than Alric did most days. That intimate knowledge had its uses, but mostly it was annoying as hell.
“You weren’t here. It was a disaster.”
“No, but I saw the mage marching down the hall, muttering to himself under his breath about annoying overgrown lizards and insufferable kings. It would have been a spectacular exit if he hadn’t taken a wrong turn and needed Baldewin to redirect him.”
Alric’s lips twitched against his will as the image flashed through his mind. Cameron was all brilliant emotion and vibrant energy. Matched with his equally brilliant mind, he was going to make someone a fantastic mate and be a stunningly skilled mage. The perfect addition to his clan.
Assuming Alric could still salvage this mess.
The start of Alric’s smile fell away, and his eyes followed a deep red dragon as it soared past his window. Its great wings were spread wide, catching the wind, lifting its large body higher to cut through the puffy white clouds. The cloaking spell set over the castle extended far into the air around them, giving the dragons some room to soar without the fear of detection. They all needed to stretch their wings on occasion.
Well, most of them.
“Eure Majestät, I’m sure it will all work out.”
“I made a mess of it, Dieter. He handled the dragon part of our talk well enough, but that was largely thanks to Ravi’s appearance. He refuses to believe he’s a mage or that he belongs with our clan.”