A Crown Forged in Flame: (Daughters of the Flame, Book 1) by J.M. Wallace

Author:J.M. Wallace [Wallace, J.M.]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: anonymous
Published: 2024-03-04T00:00:00+00:00

Despite Callum’s protests, the palace healers tended to his wound. They fawned over his handiwork at sewing himself back together and he soaked up the praise with sly glances in Adalina’s direction. She rolled her eyes in joking exasperation. He really was never going to let her live this down.

He seemed happy to lounge lazily as one person after another came to pamper him with food, gifts, or words of encouragement. Once the parade of his adoring fans cleared out, she flopped on the sofa beside him. He moved his feet quickly before she squished them and propped himself up on his elbows.

“How are you doing?” he asked with sincerity.

“Fine,” she said, though she was still trying to process everything.

Knowing it really could be the frost breathers should have either comforted her or terrified her. They had been defeated once before and that gave her hope that they could be again. But really, the moment she and Callum had gotten back to their chambers, she’d felt rather numb. Unsure of what to do with herself while they waited for King Alistair to make a plan.

All he seemed to have so far was to send Callum to Windshire. She and her husband would go and request that the ruling nobility ready their men in the event of a fight. But it would take time and effort to convince the nobles to give up enough gold to pay and feed an army. Especially when King Alistair had gone through so much trouble keeping the severity of the situation from them. Only telling his innermost circle might very well be his downfall. If the lords didn’t believe Callum when he presented the threat to them, then they would never secure their support.

Her chest ached at the thought.

To her surprise, Callum sat up and scooted closer to her. “I’m hesitant to admit it to you, but I was afraid out there.”

“Who could blame you? Anyone who says getting shot doesn’t frighten them is lying.”

“No,” he shook his head, and a few strands of his hair fell over his eyes. She fought the urge to push it back and run her fingers through it as he said, “I was afraid for you. When I saw you on that field, it was like someone plunged a knife into my heart.”

“Nope,” she teased, “just an arrow in your shoulder.”

His laughter didn’t reach his eyes. “I was worried I wouldn’t be able to…”

He bit his bottom lip, and for a moment she longed to taste it again. To lose herself in his kiss if only to make them both forget how horrible things could have gone that day. But she held back. They were home safe and now they knew what they were up against.

When he didn’t finish his sentence, she asked, “Afraid you wouldn’t be able to protect me?” She shifted, pulling her feet crisscross onto the sofa to face him. “You do recall that I had a dragon sitting behind me, right?”

He paled, and she wondered if he might be sick.

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