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"Rothishel wait!" Liolyn had to jump out of bed to grab the dragon's tail before he reached the balcony. Still, the dragon being so much bigger than her, Liolyn was thrown off her feet before Rothishel slid to a top. She landed hard on her side, tile floor offering little cushion as she hissed in pain.

"Lily!" Rothishel helped her sit up. "I'm so sorry--are you okay? Talk to me--"

Liolyn grabbed one of his horns and shook his head. "You talk to me before you go running off to get yourself killed. Kenna's cunt my hip hurts."

Rothishel hovered around her like a chick dropped from its nest. "Are you alright? Can you stand? I'll run a hot bath--"

When his head turned she yanked on it to get him to look at her again. "I'll be fine, Rothishel. Come on, help me up, there we go--let's just sit on the bed and talk, dear." He helped her climb back on the bed, her wings unfolding and flapping a little for balance before she fell back onto the wide mattress, feeling all the world like a frog settled at the edge of a pond. Liolyn pointed out as Rothishel hopped up as well, "You're not helping Prince Sirtas with his morning cleanse."

"Finn who are punished are not allowed to leave their tower until the scarring on their hide is less noticeable."

A flash of anger in Liolyn's gut almost made her curse the prince. She swallowed it, told her such swings of emotion were magically induced and not productive in this situation. "Barbaric," she muttered before asking, "How much time do we have until we're checked on?"

A flicker of excitement: "Actually, I was sent up to attend to you until you were ready to leave. No one else is supposed to come up here so your privacy can be respected."

She understood what this meant for them both. Time alone--no frantic meetings in the gardens or static letters. A chance to actually get to know the dragon in front of her. She giggled and touched his cheek. The two exchanged an affectionate nuzzle, but Rothishel grumbled, "You let Sirtas fuck you last night."

"Yes, I..." Liolyn considered her words, then asked, "How does that make you feel?"

"Jealous," Rothishel growled.

"Are you mad at me?"

He studied her face a moment, then admitted, "No..." She sighed in relief. "I'm mad it wasn't me. What happened last night?"

And Liolyn told Rothishel the truth. "Prince Sirtas ran into me in the gardens. I agreed to go on a stroll, and we walked for a time. He used magic to seduce me, and we ended up here."

"Did he hurt you at all?"

"No," Liolyn shook her head. "I am still trying to figure out if I am mad at him or not--I do find him attractive." Rothishel growled and she shoved his head back playfully. "Oh shut up! I did hesitate; I told him I was in love with another dragon. He did not force me to say who, thankfully."

The green dragon perked up a little, wings stretching out some. "And who is this dragon you are in love with?"

"Well, it is silly, but I fell for him the first time I saw him. We've hardly talked, which makes it seem even more dubious."

"It sounds like you barely know him," Rothishel said with a little toothy grin.

"I plan to rectify that."

"Hehehe," he burrowed into the collar of black feathers around her neck again. "I love you, too, Lily."

She held him next to her, brushing down his sinuous neck before she finally said, "It's good we have time to talk. I figured out why we feel we know each other, Rothishel."

He pulled away with a gasp. "You did?"

She nodded and offered him her hand. He took it in his forepaw and it rested on the bed between them while Liolyn explained, "The two of us share a soul bond. Before either of us were born we were bound by magic."

"So do we even know if these feelings are..."

"I am not sure," Liolyn admitted wryly. "It is hard to know if what we feel for each other is ours--can ever be ours."

Rothishel became troubled. He stared at where they had twined their fingers together. Her thin black fingers almost disappeared between his larger green digits. "I see..."

"Rothishel?"

"What do you want to do, Lily?"

She squeezed his forepaw, studying it as well. "I am not sure. The bond we share, I only learned about it yesterday. We could break it, and then perhaps neither of us would feel so afflicted. Could think rationally about each other."

"That would seem the safest thing to do for both of us."

"It makes me sick to think of it."

"Me too," Rothishel grumbled. He lifted her hand to his snout and nuzzled it. "But if you wanted to, I would support it."

"What do you want?" she asked him, and his surprised expression told Liolyn it might have been the first time someone asked him that.

"I..." his mouth hung open a moment, "I want you, but this isn't about what I want."

She scooted closer and hugged him around the neck. "You foolish Finn," she whispered up into his earfrill. "What you want will always matter to me--even if we get rid of this connection between us."

He hugged her tighter. "I... thank you, Lily. You are enormously kind."

They held the embrace for a few moments before, gently, Liolyn backed away. She tucked a loose strand of hair behind her ear and said, "There is something else, and I cannot be totally certain of this, but I believe I know who we were in our past lives."

"You do?"

Liolyn laughed a little, but it was tinged with sourness. "You gave me the last clue, actually." Rothishel frowned as Liolyn glanced to the altar Sirtas used for some kind of spellwork. "Magical bonds like ours, typically only a prince can do it. When I found out about this bond I had this sense of who I was, but couldn't really make it out. Things were foggy about the details. I knew I was a dragoness and you were a dragon. Then I read the letter you wrote me and--"

"You think I am--" Rothishel swallowed a lump in his throat, "was Prince Rothishel?"

She offered him a sad smile. "It makes sense, doesn't it?"

"Lily, I'm sorry, but this is so much to think about."

"Strange way to start a morning," she joked with a playful wave and cock of her head. "Hi there, I'm your soulmate from a past life."

Rothishel grumbled. "If it weren't for all the ways I feel for you I'd never believe it."

"So what do we do? Does knowing who we were change any of this?"

The dragon took a deep breath with his eyes shut. When they opened on the exhale, he hopped off the bed and unfurled a wing for Liolyn to hold when she climbed down. "I can't concentrate when you stink of sex. Let's get you a bath and then maybe we can talk more about this."

Liolyn took his wing and stepped down. The gryphon asked as they walked, "Don't like the smell?"

"Makes me want to wash it out with my own scent," Rothishel growled.

"I wouldn't mind that kind of bath first, you know."

All of Rothishel's bluster turned on its head the moment Liolyn mentioned sex. They had turned the corner on the wall of screens to a tea table with four dragon sized cushions placed around it. Each could make a modest bed for Liolyn. She giggled and asked, "Embarrassed? We've already done it once."

"That was just a dream," Rothishel grumbled.

Liolyn playfully fell back into one of the cushions and spread her thighs for him. Her sex was still a little swollen from the night before, the black lips puffing out around the fine fur covering her mound.

"Lily!"

"What?" she laughed. "Is it any different than in the dream?"

He scanned the room with a little panic, growling, "It was dark in the dream!"

"You got pretty close to it, though."

"That's because!"

"What?" she offered him a sultry smile.

"What if we get caught?" Rothishel hissed.

"We won't get caught."

"How do you know?"

Liolyn ignored him and slipped her hand against her sex. She split those black lips with a finger, sawing against it and making a showy gasp for Rothishel. The dragon stared, transfixed, while the finger slipped inside her cunny. She clenched on the digit and shivered; her chest puffed out, other hand playing with one of her pert breasts. "Oh, Rothishel!" she moaned.

The poor virgin had no idea she was putting on an act to tease him. He gawked at her, before she split her labia with two fingers and said, "I'm so empty down there. Are you really going to make me beg for it?"

He pounced on her with a snarl, which Liolyn answered with laughter, wrapping her arms around his neck. It was spur of the moment and incredibly dangerous, but when would sex between them ever be safe? And when would they ever get a chance like this again? Liolyn wanted Rothishel, now before the bath. It wouldn't do to stink of sex before others saw them.

The dragon's hips pressed down into hers. His growing arousal rubbed against her thigh, her navel. It quickly became turgid as he rocked back and forth against her. Liolyn, head rising just above his collarbone, reached up and led his face down to hers.

Rothishel froze up a moment, not sure what Liolyn wanted. "I-I'm sorry if I don't--"

"Shhh, it's okay," the gryphon whispered. "You know I'll guide you."

Already his weight and warmth made her heart race. Perhaps it was their bond heightening how much Liolyn enjoyed Rothishel's touch, his closeness, his eagerness. But she could not imagine his inexperience getting in the way of her enjoyment.

"Stay still for a moment?"

Rothishel nodded and Liolyn hooked her legs onto his thighs. He was bigger in every way than her, but his size was still more compatible than Prince Sirtas'. With her legs wrapped around him and laying back on the cushion, they could both push their hips flush even if Rothishel's cock had not reached its full mast. She felt the black spire swelling against her fur, and the dragon huffed and rubbed the slick length against her body. His shaft spread across her lips, and Liolyn enticed her lover with a soft moan.

Rothishel's huffed and asked. "A-are you comfortable?"

She giggled again. "Why wouldn't I be?"

A pant, that cock flexing between both their bodies. "I, ah, don't want to crush you."

"Hehe, Rothishel, sweet Rothishel, bring your face to mine."

His head swung closer, till they were beak to snout.

"Kiss me," she ordered.

"Uh, how do I--"

Liolyn rolled her eyes and yanked him by the horn into a kiss. She opened her beak and twisted his muzzle to the side so they may lock maws perpendicularly. It was hardly the eloquence two cats might share with their more blunt muzzles, but when her tongue ran along Rothishel's lips he got the idea. His mouth opened and tongue met hers. She humped into his waist while her narrower tongue rubbed against his thicker one. However, he still hesitated--it was her smaller muscle thrusting into his mouth, which simply would not do. She pulled back and urged, "With more force, dear." When they kissed again, Rothishel growled and his tongue spilled into her beak. She shivered beneath him and moaned encouragement. She loved having her maw overwhelmed by a dragon's powerful insistence, and she wanted Rothishel to claim it and her in a display of passion.

The thought occurred to her of being passed between Rothishel and Sirtas, each trying to lay claim on her and seed her first. There was, of course, some disgust at the thought of giving someone other than her soulmate a chance, but Liolyn knew, the part of her that was only this gryphon, thrilled at the fantasy. She'd even try to take them from both ends if only the boys would get along long enough.

Yes, in that moment of frantic dry humping and tonguing, Liolyn still desired Sirtas, and she knew if the prince did try courting her anymore she would not protest. After all, closeness to the prince is what let her have this moment with her precious Rothishel.

Liolyn reached beneath her and touched Rothishel's messy tip. He positively dripped in her palm and would likely not last much longer. Still, she rolled her hips and led his cock to her entrance. Rothishel froze up when his spade brushed her flower. He broke the kiss, burying his head in the cushion beside her. Liolyn kept him from penetrating her for a moment and whispered, "Think you can knot me this time?"

"Yes," the dragon whined. "I-I need it," this said edged with a snarl. She released him and his dick ploughed inside her used vent. Still sensitive from the night before, she ached a little at the penetration. But it was a pleasurable soreness that she released in a sigh. The dragon's hips jerked a little forward and back before slamming to the knot. Rothishel cursed into the cushion. She clamped her walls down, enjoying the pulse of life on every ridge of the dragon's cock. He spread her so well, fit her perfectly. His spade stabbed her cervix, threatening to open it.

"Fuck me, Rothishel," she urged in his ear. Liolyn rolled her hips, grinding up and down on that knot. "Knot me, breed me."

"Lily..." he whined, "Y-you're so wet and warm..."

The poor virgin quivered a few more times before finally drawing back.

"That's it," Liolyn urged, "Stir me up. Make me scream."

The dragon growled and pounded her snatch again. Her body rocked with the whole cushion, and she moaned nice and loud for him; Rothishel's hips yanked back and rammed forward. He began a familiar wet smack smack smack of his knot on her snatch. And she adored it. She dug her claws into his shoulders and tried her best to hang on as he found his rhythm. Slow, uncertain thrusts became steady slams into her body. His spade churned along her cervix in a dance to tease it open. And her lips yawned wider and wider around the knot about to split her open. Liolyn knew he would knot her this time. The first time any dragon had.

When Rothishel split her mound open and hammered into her egg chamber, Liolyn screamed. A burst of pain and pleasure made her clench the dragon with arms, legs, and cunt. She felt him twitch inside her until the young dragon's fertile cum poured into her belly; Liolyn sighed, arched her back into him as that heat washed over her, while it was not the heights of their shared dream or her night with Sirtas, a slow, shuddering orgasm still simmered through her. As if the pulse after pulse of virile cum made the waves of pleasure crest each time. Rothishel growled and whined in the cushion beside her while she nuzzled his earfrill and whispered, "Th-that's it... give me your clutch, Rothishel--ah," a strong twitch from the cock inside her caused pussy to spark around the soothing heat of his essence. Her belly felt full of seed, but it kept draining inside her until her skin drew a little taut.

Eventually, Rothishel stirred a little.

"You okay?" Liolyn whispered.

"Y-yeah..." he took a deep breath and sat up. "Thank you."

She caressed his jaw. "Of course, dear. It may not be ideal, but I'm glad I got to share your first time."

Rothishel, reminded of their surroundings, scanned the room. "I think we should be fine--though, I'm worried about what to do when my knot comes undone."

"You're worried about leaving a mess?"

"Yes," Rothishel said, still on watch for any disturbance. "I can clean it, but other Finn will definitely notice and ask questions."

"Can you carry me to the bath like this?"

"What?" Rothishel hissed. "Lily you can't be--"

"Why not?"

Rothishel grimaced. "Just hang on tight to me."

She giggled, "I don't think I'll--oh!" she was interrupted when he stood. She did need to scramble to squeeze her legs tight and grab onto his shoulders best she could.

"You're claws are digging into--"

"I'm sorry," Liolyn eased her grip.

"I'll try to be quick," Rothishel whispered as if they might be caught by a patrol at any moment. Feeling all too silly, Liolyn hugged the dragon tight as he walked best he could toward the bath. That knot rubbed inside her and stimulated both joined partners in a way that might have been pleasant if they also did not feel so ridiculous. She watched the floor of the room skirt by until they reached a smooth, sloping basin of marble. Rothishel slipped inside it, spun and crouched at the lip before settling down so Lily might rest on her back. Just in time, too. Her arms and thighs were burning from the exertion of clinging to the dragon's underside.

"How-how long do you think until this goes down?" Rothishel asked.

"You don't know your own knot?"

"I've never had it inside someone before. Besides, masturbating in my chambers where my mother and sister sleep--"

"I get it," Liolyn said. She sensed they were both equally tense at the situation they found themselves in, so she sighed and tried to offer, "It should take ten minutes or so at this point."

"That's so long."

"Yes, well, I'm only guessing given my experience with other dragons."

Rothishel rested his head over the lip of the basin and on the floor. Liolyn heard above her, "You have so much more experience than me."

Was that insecurity? She rested a hand on his plated chest. "Yes, but I'm older than you, and I didn't live my life as a Finn."

"Fair," Rothishel grumbled. "If we were bonded, why did we have to come back like this?"

"You mean with you as a Finn?"

"I could have been anyone, Lily, yet my soul never left the palace."

She nuzzled into his broad collarbone and whispered, "I don't know, Rothishel, but I'm glad we're together again."

"Are you?"

The question gave the gryphon pause. Liolyn knew Rothishel was asking beyond their soul bond. Did she, the gryphon Liolyn, really want this? Want him?

"Rothishel, whatever we are or aren't in this life, I know I don't want to let you go."

"Even though--"

"I'll spend my life trying to find a way to free you," Liolyn whispered.

"Lily," Rothishel shifted so he could look down at her. She saw tears in the corner of his eyes. "You have no idea what that means to me... thank you." The two nuzzled cheeks, which drew another grumble from the dragon. "You still smell like Prince Sirtas."

"His scent on me is a small price to pay to get to spend this time with you, don't you think?"

"If you say so."

"Rothishel!"

The dragon snorted.

"Trust me--I know what I'm doing."

Rothishel studied her face a moment, then his expression softened again. "I will, I promise. I just can't help being frustrated."

"Mmm, someday we'll both be far away from here and you will have nothing to be frustrated about."

"You promise?"

"I do."

***

After Rothishel's knot went down, Liolyn was able to see more of Prince Sirtas' suite. This section of the partitioned room was mostly consumed with a large depression in the floor that made the tub. It was, frankly, of a size with the massive bed in the chamber, and Rothishel had actually taken Liolyn to an adjoining tub clearly carved out for bipeds. It made Liolyn wonder just how often Sirtas had women like her over.

Both baths had plumbing with hot water, and Rothishel brought over a bucket of soaps, shampoos, and a towel he'd carried up to the room before finding her. She washed up while her lover kept her company. Liolyn wished for him to join her, but if they were found with the dragon dripping wet Rothishel's very life could be imperiled.

The Finn gave Liolyn a better view of life in the palace than any book had. Rothishel, and all his kindred, lived in a basement floor. A dank, cramped space where the families of about fifty Finn lived. Each tower kept roughly the same number of servants, and breeding among the caste of dragons was thoroughly regulated by their own kind. Apparently, a "House Finn" managed their day to day duties. This role usually fell on the elder of the house, who knew the family's estate best and was too old to run about doing the typical chores of servants.

By the time Liolyn finished her bath, she learned just how little room Rothishel had to escape to her. Their blessed morning together happened to be pure luck, and any other time together would surely come with some level of risk.

They stayed together long as Rothishel thought they could before he descended back into the tower. Unlike her, he had to walk everywhere like a wingless biped. A rule that, surely, only existed to humiliate and inconvenience the Finn. Liolyn did not wish to leave just yet, so, after putting her clothes and coat back on, she explored Sirtas' suite. Eventually she found her way to a nook where several heavy shelves had been arranged like a cubicle. A "small" library for a regular-sized dragon.

That was where Sirtas found her an hour later. The gryphon had pulled a dozen different books and scrolls off the shelf. She had nothing in mind in her casual perusal, just a general curiosity. Sirtas had everything from step charts for draconic dances to first editions of the Vulpine Odes. Some books were of a size for a biped while others she needed to lug clutched tight to her chest and turn the page with two hands.

She was sitting on a cushion that smelled like the prince, tomes scattered and opened about her when Sirtas announced himself with, "You know, digging through my library without permission, some might wrongly think you are trying to get into something you shouldn't."

Liolyn glanced up and offered the prince a smirk. She had, admittedly, been waiting for him. "Please, you would never keep the good stuff in your rooms."

Sirtas chuckled as he approached her. "True, I suppose you're not planning to break into my lab later?"

"Not today, at least."

"Heh, cheeky today. What happened to the flustered ambassador I left this morning?"

"She had time to think things over," Liolyn said before shutting the book. "I should be very mad at you for what you did, but..." she looked up at him, "for some reason I don't think you have any plans to use me."

"And I have come with a gift just to prove that," Sirtas said as he sat down next to her.

"Oh?"

"Your hand please, Lady Alabaster."

A little nervous, she presented him with her hand. He brought his snout to it and exhaled. On her middle finger materialized a silver band with amethyst threaded in a spiral around it.

"A ring that will protect you from any spell I might cast. So you know next time I will not be able to resort to such dirty tricks."

Liolyn studied the ring for a moment. The amethyst matched her eyes, and the silver complemented her blue and black colors. "Surely you did not make this for me."

"Oh, but what do you think I spent my morning doing?"

She felt heat flush her cheeks, but managed to retort, "So you think there is going to be a next time?"

He offered her a fanged grin. "With any luck, but I've been a poor host leaving you alone all morning."

"I've rather enjoyed it," Liolyn said, thinking of how most of that time Rothishel was beside her, on top of her, or in her.

"Well, that makes my job easy." He stood, "Perhaps I should leave you to your reading then?"

"No!" Liolyn blurted so quickly that Prince Sirtas' smirk embarrassed her. She started to gather up the smaller books in his collection. "I would like to, um, get to know you better, your highness."

"Oh? Did you read the dossier the consulate provided? I thought it gave quite a thorough, if dry, biography of me."

"You know what I mean," Liolyn said as she quickly shelved books.

"Very well, I have just the thing." Sirtas waved with his wing to a set of two tables when Liolyn turned around. Tiled boards rested on top of them with a small jar of stones placed on each. One set was dragon sized, the other matched hers. "Care to play me? I'm curious if all that draconic knowledge has gone anywhere else, or if it's all in pleasing males and speaking eloquently."

Liolyn said, "Only if your highness doesn't mind losing to a biped."

"Oh-ho-ho, we'll see about that you cheeky little jay."

She whipped her tailfeathers against his forearm as she passed, which he returned with a teasing swipe at her bottom. Liolyn nearly squawked, but was glad for the flirtation. She did not know exactly which one would wrap the other around their finger first, but she couldn't deny she enjoyed their banter. The gryphon sat on her knees before her table and took a bead from one of the jars. It was black on one side and white on the other; the smooth stone felt good to set black-side-down in the center of the board.

"Shall I go first?" Liolyn asked.

"Certainly. Which rules are you using?" Sirtas asked as he took a seat at the table beside hers. His bulk dwarfed her as he set his own stone on his table. It was the size of her fist. They would mirror each other's moves to play each other without making Liolyn have to also haul around heavy stones for the entirety of their game.

"Traditional, of course. I prefer the Cumulus version."

"In a Cirrus house, really?"

"Cirrus is for children who just like to line up the stones on the board."

"Ah," Sirtas set his stone directly above hers. "There is no accounting for taste."

Liolyn mirrored his move and said, "I thought you wanted to see my wit."

"Cirrus rules allow for an art to the game. Cumulus is like droning on and on about multiplication tables."

Liolyn giggled as she placed her next bead diagonal of the first. The game was called Cloud Carving. The goal was to take up as much of the board as possible in one's color, with rules for capturing and converting the other players beads. The game ended once a player could not capture any of the other player's clouds.

The_tack_ and thwump of beads and stones echoed each other as the two played. Once they established a rhythm, Liolyn asked, "Is it true you're the only one at the palace who can use breath magic?"

"Haven't you seen and felt more than your fair share of evidence?"

"Yes, but the other princes could be holding back their powers from us bipeds."

"So nosy," Sirtas punctuated this by laying down a stone that flipped six of Liolyn's beads. He was better than she thought. "If I didn't know better, I'd say you were a spy."

"Speaking of, when do you plan to give me a tour of your lab and the arcane vault?"

Sirtas laughed. "Cheeky girl!" He slapped his tail on the floor in amusement before setting his stone to match her next move. "Fine, none of the other princes can. They say once in a generation for a reason, my dear." Sirtas gave her a wink.

Breath magic was incredibly rare and powerful. Most other forms of magic could be controlled, regulated, or at least stymied. But breath magic could only be stopped by suffocating the user. At any time, Sirtas might cast any spell he pleased by adjusting his breathing. It took both years of diligent practice and a great deal of raw magical power to master it.

Liolyn asked after he made his next move, "Have you chosen a dragon to mentor yet?"

"Hoping to be my apprentice?"

"I'm hardly a dragon."

"In body perhaps, but you certainly fooled me. Why, I'd dare say you were a dragon in a past life."

Fortunately for Liolyn, at that moment she played a bead that flipped two dozen of Sirtas' own stones. The dragon was too distracted by the move to notice her cringe. Liolyn said after he made his next move, "You dodged my question."

"The answer is no. We've yet to find a dragon of royal lineage with the talent yet."

"Is there a demonstration that must be done to prove yourself?"

"Not a purposeful one. Really it is about raw power. My mentor chose me after having dinner with my parents and sensing my presence from the floor below. I was still an adolescent at the time."

"Who was your mentor?" Liolyn asked without concern for what the answer might be. All she attempted was idle conversation as she played her next piece. But Sirtas did not echo her movement this time. He had gone still, lost in thought. Liolyn frowned. "Did I say something wrong?"

"No," Sirtas released a heavy sigh. "Being reminded of him always leaves me lanced with grief."

"Ah," Liolyn understood; hesitated, but pressed on, "It was Prince Rothishel."

Sirtas played his next piece, deflated. "We were very close, he and I."

She chose her words very carefully: "Most masters and apprentices are."

They played in silence for some time. The change in subject made Sirtas play worse than before. In a matter of moves, Liolyn had locked Sirtas into a Front. Meaning the game had been decided, and the losing player could only work to keep as many of their stones as possible. Sirtas eventually broke the silence with, "He is the only person I loved."

Liolyn was taken aback by the sudden admission. "Um, I... are you sure you should be telling me this?"

A rueful expression on his face before he shifted on his haunches. "Strangely, Lady Alabaster, I think you can keep a secret."

Liolyn glanced at their game. "I suppose we are finished playing."

"Come out to the balcony with me?" Sirtas asked it like a plea, even as he stood up.

Liolyn rose as well but asked first, "Are you certain I'm who you want to discuss this with? Your highness--"

"Sirtas, please."

"Sirtas," Liolyn corrected, "we still barely no each other. I could use your secrets to blackmail you into doing whatever the Crown wants."

The dragon began walking for the nearest balcony. They were nearly on the opposite end where Sirtas first carried her into his suite last night. This balcony did not have a view of the palace, but instead looked out into the mountain range that continued west. Sirtas said as they stepped into the sunlight, "You are right. But we both know you did not come to Kor's Stairway to be an ambassador, Lady Alabaster."

"Lily, is fine," she offered him. Before she might have used the prince, but knowing he shared this connection to the previous Rothishel did endear Sirtas more to her.

"Lily," he tested it with a slight smile. As if speaking her name soothed whatever grief he felt. "You do have a lovely name."

"Thank you." She followed him to the edge of the balcony where he sat down. She stood to his side, unsure what to do. The gryphon added, "I doubt my name is what you wished to come out here to talk about."

"No, it is not." He sighed. "I've never shared what I want to share with you, Lily."

"Then why share it with me?"

"Because I know that, whatever tangled path you took in order for us to meet, you never walked it for power. You have no reason to want power over me, far as I am concerned. Which makes you more trustworthy than any dragon in this palace or the city."

Thinking of her promise to Rothishel, she had one very distinct thing she wanted power over Sirtas for, but the prince did not need to know that.

"You've been lonely for a long time, haven't you?"

Sirtas gave her the look that told her just how deep her question had cut. He resumed studying their view. "You are far, far too sharp for the dragons of the palace. You'll have all of us enamored with you before too long."

Liolyn stepped closer and placed a hand on his side. "Fortunately, there's only one dragon I care about in the palace." She meant the statement for Rothishel, but now it tasted like a lie.

Sirtas chose to ignore what she might mean by that and said, "It is not uncommon for teachers to have relationships with their students, you know. It was not why Rothishel chose me, and I had been an adult for several years before he made any advances. I had fallen for him long before that, but I was scared to press anything..." Liolyn noticed Sirtas' claws had extended and pinched into the stone. "I did not need his physical affections to be in love with him. He was my whole world."

"Did you know?" Liolyn asked. She felt she knew the answer but needed to hear it from Sirtas.

"No, Rothishel cared too greatly about me. Truth be told, had I known, I likely would have tried to protect him and would have been killed myself. Breath magic means only death can contain your powers, and I would pose too great a risk to simply be kept in a dungeon."

Liolyn was a little floored by the admission. If that were true, then why the welts on her Rothishel's flank? She almost wanted to ask, but betraying she knew what really happened to the late prince was far too risky.

"Did it feel like he betrayed you as well?"

"Of course it did," Sirtas said through a pained snarl. "I still wish he had told me--I wish I had known, but he knew better. When my father and the other princes learned the truth, I was one of the first dragons they interrogated. They cast a truth spell on me much like the one they cast on you, and they humiliated me with it."

"Humiliated you?"

"First they asked me if I knew about Prince Rothishel's m--" Sirtas stopped himself. Liolyn realized he'd almost let slip the truth. "His coup," he began again, "I did not, of course. But they forced me to admit my love for him, they wanted to know if I would rush to his aid knowing what I knew. And I had to tell them I wanted to, regardless what he'd done." Liolyn watched the dragon hold back a sob. With tears flowing down his muzzle, Sirtas said, "They didn't even let me see him. And overnight he was branded this rot, this traitorous tumor carved out of our nation and spat on. He was beloved by everyone and they changed that, viciously. And I could say nothing without risking everything."

Liolyn felt a familiar rise of anger she needed to quell. It did no good to chastise the prince for his cowardice. She leaned against him and merely said, "I won't say anything about this."

"Thank you, Lily. Thank you for letting me say all this. I did not mean to ruin our fun."

"Nonsense," she said. "Let's just enjoy this view."

His familiar, rumbling chuckle came out a little drier now. "It seems I am going to owe many more favors, Lily."

***

"Ah, you're back, Lady Alabaster. How was your evening at the palace?" Lyman asked when Liolyn passed the desk. It took her a moment to recognize the wolf with everything she had on her mind.

She said, "Sir--Prince Sirtas sent word?"

"He informed us last night that you would be his guest." Lyman nodded to an open book on a lectern. In it, messages could be sent magically to the consulate.

"When?" Liolyn asked. She needed to know if--

"Sometime past midnight was when the clerk recorded it," Lyman told her. After Liolyn had fallen asleep. Regardless of whether or not she forgave Sirtas for the spells, at least his actions had not been premeditated.

"Alright, any messages for me?"

"Lady Surepaw asked you send word when you arrive at the consulate."

Mavin, she would want to know what happened. Liolyn did not know what to tell the vixen. She said, "Can you have a dinner service sent to my rooms and let Lady Surepaw know I await her in my chambers an hour from now?"

"Of course, Lady Alabaster."

"You're a saint, Lyman."

The old wolf offered her a sweet smile before she rushed back to her apartment. She saw some other members of the consulate give her looks as she passed. Of course whatever message Sirtas sent would become gossip among those who worked and lived here. It was not very often an ambassador stayed the night with a prince of dragons.

Liolyn shut the door to her rooms, hung her coat in the closet, and collapsed face down on the bed. She groaned in her sheets, exhausted from her day at House Cirrus split between two very different dragons. After their conversation on the balcony, Liolyn pointed out they never finished their walk around the gardens. She made Sirtas fly down with her, and by the time they lapped the palace he was in better spirits. She left him at the bridge, a little taken aback when he nuzzled her cheek before letting her go. It was a public display of affection in broad daylight that other dragons saw.

Liolyn also worried a Finn might have seen it, that word might have gotten back to Rothishel. The gryphon wanted to explain, but when she considered what it was she wanted to explain, her mouth went dry.

Rolling on her back she studied the stone ceiling above her. Her apartment felt claustrophobic after spending all that time in House Cirrus. Each tower floor was large enough for her to comfortably fly about if she wished. Liolyn's chest stirred with confused longing as she thought of the palace, the two dragons inside of it.

Liolyn could not deny that she wanted to spend more time with Prince Sirtas. She needed to know if her desires for the prince were what made her believe he really was not so bad--or if there was the chance for goodness in him. He had learned what Prince Rothishel had done, siring children with a Finn, letting them live freely as he could, and Sirtas had been forced to admit he still wished to defend Prince Rothishel. And yet her Rothishel still had the marks on his flank where Sirtas ordered the dragon punished.

Liolyn's most dangerous thought of all returned to the forefront of her mind: What would Sirtas do if he knew his old lover had been reincarnated in his house, as a Finn no less? And beyond that, if the prince's love could truly make him act or speak out against some of Kor's oldest laws, would the result be any different than it had for Prince Rothishel? He had not even freed the Finn of House Stratus, only given them a semblance of freedom in his own house, and for that he'd been executed for treason.

Did the Finn really present that much threat to the royal houses? Liolyn rubbed her temples, a slight headache worming behind her skull. She had this sense that something was off. The gryphon sensed some sort of memory, one from her meeting with Lunara, that told her there was more to this. But it was opaque, and concentrating on it just made her headache worse. All she could know for certain was that the Finn existed for more reasons than their use as slaves. Prince Rothishel had whispered it in her ear once, decades past. A secret she kept--too dangerous to tell even the other Finn.

"Lady Alabaster?"

Liolyn yelled, starting and almost falling out of bed. She sat up, almost as rattled as the slim lynx that had opened her door.

"Did you even knock?" the gryphon demanded, embarrassed.

"Yes, but there was no response." The lynx opened the door further, and the short woman pushed in a cart. "I apologize for startling you. Where would you like me to leave your dinner."

"On the desk, please."

The lynx served her, bowed, and departed. The gryphon could tell she left her server annoyed. Liolyn would see to it that Lyman forwarded an apology tomorrow. No reason to be so terse with the consulate staff.

Liolyn's dinner was a fish caught from the lake and served over a bed of rice. It was, like most things she ate at the consulate, a mixture of perfectly cooked but bland food. It was a habit of dragons she found. They loved their raw meats, pure flavors, and eschewed most spices. Liolyn, as she finished up her meal, felt homesick for the Crown when there was a knock on the door.

Mavin. "Come in," she called. Since she only had the chair at the desk, Liolyn sat on her bed as the vixen walked through the door. Mavin wore an evening dress, and the second she saw the gryphon ran to her side. "Oh Lily!" The vixen hugged her tight.

Liolyn gasped and reluctantly hugged her friend back. The vixen had the floral sting of a recently applied perfume. She backed off and Liolyn asked, "Were you out?"

"Going, dear, till I received your message."

"You don't have to cancel plans on my behalf."

"Oh, I'm not, you're going to come with me."

"Excuse me?" Liolyn rasped.

"Absolutely! I'll brook no argument. You could use a night out on the town. Something to reinvigorate your spirits after getting rid of that wretched soul bond."

"Mavin."

The vixen, who had crossed the room to look through Liolyn's closet, turned her head. "Yes?"

"I didn't break my soul bond last night."

"Then why did you..." Mavin trailed off, jaw hanging open. She sat back on the bed beside her and hissed, "Lady Liolyn Alabaster you did not."

"It was more what he did--"

"The prince? Why would he--well of course you're beautiful, dear, but why would a prince--"

Liolyn grabbed the fox's muzzle and she stopped babbling. "I've had a very long day. You can either cancel your plans and we can talk, or I need you to just let me rest."

The vixen wriggled out of her grip and scowled. "There's no reason to be rude about it, dear. I'll let the ladies know, stay right here."

Mavin rushed out of the room and Liolyn sighed. She glanced at her closet and decided a change of clothes would do her good. By the time she pulled her nightgown over her shoulders, her friend opened the door. Mavin stopped in the doorway, eyeing the gryphon a moment before whispering, "Well..."

"Mavin?"

"I can see why the prince took you back to bed."

"Just get in here and shut the door!" Liolyn snapped.

The fox laughed and teased as she came inside, "Indulge an old vixen, won't you? _I_used to look that good when I was your age."

"You're hardly old."

"You won't be saying that when you're fifty, my dear. Now," Mavin turned around Liolyn's desk chair and sat back in it, "Tell me everything."

"Even the--"

"I asked you to indulge me, didn't I?"

Liolyn sat across from Mavin on her bed and divulged everything. Frankly, the fox kept her secrets this long, so Liolyn did not stop at her night with Prince Sirtas. She went over Rothishel's letter, her morning with the Finn, their lovemaking, and then her conversation about Prince Sirtas' relationship to the "traitorous" Prince Rothishel.

By the end of it, Mavin asked, "Let's get this out of the way, Lily, did you take a contraceptive at all?"

Liolyn cursed. "Shit, I was careless."

"I have some powder in my room, I'll go grab it and we can order a tea service to go with it."

"Oh, you don't mean--"

"Yes, it's the only guarantee at this point. Especially given the potency of _your_partners."

"Why even keep it if you--"

"Why to look out for the girls here, obviously." Mavin left the room. While she was gone, Liolyn became anxious about whether telling the fox everything was a good idea or not. But everything about Mavin showed what mattered most to her was the safety of the women of the consulate. Liolyn had no reason not to trust her, and she was too smart to let these matters become idle gossip.

The fox returned with a small bag and informed Liolyn, "Tea should be here in five."

The gryphon groaned. "Ugh, I had my last period just two weeks ago."

"How often do gryphons get them?"

"Every two months."

"Oh you poor soul--well, this is what you get. Next time bring some herbs with you."

Liolyn said, "Mine are not subtle, either. I tend to spend at least one day immobile and in bed."

The vixen reached over and squeezed her arm. "You poor dear. I will cover for you, but it is likely you will be the talk of much gossip, regardless."

"What do you think I should do, Mavin?"

"Goodness, you think I know?"

At that moment their tea service arrived. Mavin ordered them a sweet berry tea which she applied an extra dollop of honey to before breaking in the powder into Liolyn's cup. After they settled, each cradling their own delicate mug, the gryphon asked again, "Let me change my question a bit: What would you do in my situation?"

"I am not sure I would have made that promise to Rothishel. He seems a good sort, but Lily you're liable to get yourself killed trying to help him."

Her beak pinched in a frown. "Not exactly encouraging."

The vixen shrugged and took a drink. "You asked--granted, I am not under the thrall of some spell."

"It's not a thrall, Mavin."

"Fine fine," the vixen dismissed with a wave. "Very well, if your plan is to keep your promise to Rothishel, do you plan to keep this bond as well?"

Liolyn had not even considered those might be two separate concerns. "You think I should still cut it off?"

"Dear how can you ever know if what you feel for him is genuine?"

Mavin made a good point. Liolyn sipped her mug and stared at the few leaves at the bottom of the cup. She said into the maroon liquid, "I mean, does it matter?"

"It would matter to me," Mavin said curtly. "Frankly I'd be quite alarmed that I was swooning for a male when they've never appealed to me--not that I am one to judge, Lily, dear. But I would not let this bond cloud where my true desires lie."

"So you think I should break my bond with Rothishel?" Liolyn felt a little sick just saying it aloud.

"Sirtas might be all too happy to do it for you."

"It scares me to do it--I won't without Rothishel's permission."

"And who asked you if you wanted this?" Mavin shot back. "Lily, I understand you wanting to respect these dragons but you must respect yourself first and foremost."

But the more they argued the more firmly Liolyn made up her mind. "I am keeping it for the time being. If only because I don't want to risk exposing Rothishel by trying to remove it."

"Then what will you do?"

Liolyn bounced her heel for a moment, then said, "I have a feeling there is even more to this story that I don't know yet. And I am not sure if the Finn will give it to me."

Mavin laughed a little. "Do you plan to court Prince Sirtas then?"

"Why not?"

"Lily!"

"What?" Liolyn shot back, her ears getting a little heated. "He is attractive, charming--"

"Troubled, dangerous, and has already shown he will use you."

Liolyn held up the hand where Sirtas' ring still rested on her finger. "I have this don't I?"

"And how do you know that ring does what he says? He could be using it to make you fall for him too!"

Liolyn rolled her eyes and took off the ring. She shoved it into Mavin's free hand and said, "You put it on and tell me if you feel any different."

"I'm not--"

"Fine," Liolyn said. She took a longer drought of her tea. "Take it Lunara for me, ask her what enchantment is on it. And if it is trouble you can throw it in the crater for all I care."

Mavin set the ring on the desk. "Please dear, a piece like that should be pawned." They both took a drink, silence cast between both. Mavin finally asked, "You're certain you want to do this?"

"It is how I can get close to both dragons, and I think Sirtas and I already share..."

"A spark?"

"It's nothing like I feel for Rothishel!" Liolyn added perhaps a little too quickly.

"Oh dear, what are we going to do with you?"

"You know, I don't have to tell you any of this."

The fox scoffed. "Hardly! You must keep me up to date or I'll spill every little secret out of boredom. Lady Liolyn Alabaster you're the most interesting thing to happen to this place since I've been here!"