Perfect Match: The Dragon King by i. T. Lucas

Author:i. T. Lucas [Lucas, I. T.]
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9781957139678
Publisher: Evening Star Press, LLC
Published: 2023-06-09T16:00:00+00:00

26

KING BRUCE

After forty years of what was essentially solitude, living a life of service that bore little resemblance to the future he could have had, Bruce was astonished to find himself…well, the only word for it was “courting.”

Charlotte wasn’t the sort of woman he would have pursued in his youth, as his parents would have insisted on a noble, but that wasn’t a bad thing.

Few people, much less noblewomen, were as interesting as Charlotte Cantref.

For starters, she was fearless. Absolutely fearless. Not in a way that made Bruce wonder if she would do something foolish, but in that she threw herself into the things that interested her without hesitation or reserve. When he asked for her help redesigning the courtyard, he ended up with three complete sets of plans, each with a slightly different focus.

“This one prioritizes space for petitioners,” she said as she laid the drawing out before him—yet another talent of hers that he hadn’t known about. “This one brings more of the natural world into the castle, and it will save space for a few trees by the doors here.” She pointed at the spot. “And this one offers the most space for you as you land in the evenings. I also think you should have a small pavilion or a gazebo where you can dress privately, eat at a table, and lie down to rest before entering the castle. You know, for the times that you are a bit more fatigued than usual. It’s important to think about your comfort.”

It was?

Bruce couldn’t remember the last time anyone had prioritized his comfort so openly. His servants were excellent and dutiful, of course, and he was never wanting for comfort when he was inside the castle. But Charlotte was thinking about both the man and the dragon. She was considering every side of him and sharing her ideas about what he might like best.

It was only fair that he return the favor. “What about something that blends a little bit of everything?” he asked, pointing to different aspects he appreciated. “Stackable seating that can be moved—simple benches would be easy to store along the walls back here. Three should be sufficient. That takes up the room for the trees, but we can keep the lilac bushes in place of the roses without sacrificing space for me to land. Usually, I have plenty of space—you could fit two of me in here, and I wouldn’t normally have a problem. What do you think?”

He looked up and was surprised to find Charlotte staring at him with a slightly dazzled expression. “What’s wrong?” he asked.

“You really want the lilac bushes?”

“Well, you like them so much. Why shouldn’t they have a place in the castle? I won’t add any rose bushes again, so…” He had nightmares with that scent pervading his nose and had woken up swinging once because he thought Rozia was right there. “But you’ll have to pick them out,” he added. “I’m not very good at choosing the right combination of colors.

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