She and Ari had become fast friends and kept in touch. Felicity and Maeze had taken Ari and Kellen’s place in Swiftland, Ari’s brother’s kingdom which required much work. The people had hunkered down to die until Lajos the Swift and his new bride Stefana arrived to revive the country. Ari’s other brother had done the unheard of when he married the reigning queen of Montequirst. He wed Queen Raene and welcomed the duties of king upon their nuptials. It was in his realm where Lajos met Stefana. Both Aasguard warriors had proved to their kind that they could do better than merely protecting treasure and persons of wealth.

Now Ari and Kellen were determined to train new Aasguard warriors. They decided upon this course of action after learning the dismal, dwindling numbers of their kind. With a noticeable dearth now in the Aasguard ranks, this school provided hope for their revitalization.

Felicity admitted to excitement at being a part of this school but the pending arrival of the one Aasguard she didn’t wish to see made her heart protest.

Ari must have caught the nuance. “It is going to be difficult for you to see Rykert?” Her friend sent her an encompassing look.

Felicity’s mouth twisted. “It’s not that I do not want to see him.”

“It is that you should not.” Ari’s lips thinned. “Felicity, it has been months since Kellen and I joined our lives together. There is no reason why you and Rykert cannot do the same.”

This proved to be new information. “What? I thought we were supposed to refrain?”

“It has been over a year. Swiftland is prospering. Lajos and Stefana have not opened any additional portals. Neither have Kellen and I or Vidar and Raene. Raene is a full Aasguard now as well.” Ari had witnessed Stefana’s birth to Aasguard when they battled desampus, nasty reptilian horrors from another dimension. Ari and Kellen’s marriage was speculated to have opened the portal. A theory that could neither be denied nor confirmed.

Mages had locked all known portals and in the intervening months had discovered a couple of young wizards who could sense portals. Every one of the portals to other dimensions had been locked. Their belief however was that Aasguards should refrain from joining their lives together until it could be determined whether it was safe to mate.

Thus far she had resisted, despite Rykert’s overtures. He did not appear to have heard of the precautions and the man had been pursuing her relentlessly.

“So I can give in to the blasted man?”

Ari’s head jerked up and she searched Felicity’s face. “He has been chasing you?”
“With fervor.”

The chuckle that escaped her friend’s mouth eased the tension in her shoulders.

“I can believe that. He knew he wanted you from the moment you met, didn’t he?”

“Yes. And now Maeze is old enough to mate, so Felix is also making noises about joining.” Maeze, her blue dragon, had been too young upon their first meeting of Rykert the Bold and his bright yellow dragon, Felix. These days, Maeze was fully adult. Whether her crush on Felix had developed into something deeper remained to be seen.

Her dragon remained understanding as to why Felicity drug her heels. Maeze had been present during that portal opening and the ensuing battle. The only battle to date that Felicity had feared the outcome.

“I have not relieved your mind.”

“What if we give in to this and something terrible happens?” Felicity’s insides iced.

Ari didn’t rush to reassure her. More chill crept around her.

Rubbing her own arms failed to provide warmth.

The outline of a dragon and rider appeared on the horizon. Felix’s bright yellow girth couldn’t be missed. Much less the large, easy going warrior riding him. This pair brought sunshine and light to the masses, if the masses cared. At least to the Aasguard population. But Felicity had seen another side to the man.

The side that took him through the rigorous Aasguard training so long ago and kept him in this world for the millennia he had endured with only Felix for company. Everyone knew dragons enjoyed long naps.

Therefore they made good companions, but not great ones.

A warm hand gripped her arm. “I think you should give in to the urge to marry that man.” Ari squeezed her arm before releasing her.

They watched the dragon land with all the skill of one who has done so countless times through the centuries. The man who dismounted and patted the dragon is who drew her attention, however.

Tall, broad, muscled, but those red-gold curls caught the sun and played with the beams of light. Those same curls did not detract in any way from the impressive man or his skills. They might deceive the unwary, but never her. Rykert the Bold was a warrior through and through.

And so attractive he might melt her sword.

His blue eyes landed on her. Rykert’s long legs carried him quickly across the expanse of lawn. He nodded to Ari, but swept Felicity into his arms.

She gasped in surprise before his magnificent lips claimed hers.