Total pages in book: 137
Estimated words: 128269 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 641(@200wpm)___ 513(@250wpm)___ 428(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 128269 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 641(@200wpm)___ 513(@250wpm)___ 428(@300wpm)
Alric sort of blinked mutely at him for several seconds, like his brain was struggling to catch up to events. Gunter had suffered from the same thing until he’d decided to just shut off his brain and let his heart handle decisions; at least until tomorrow.
“Now? Here?” Alric asked. “Just the three of us?”
“Couldn’t we invite the other dragons and mages?” Nikki asked as they crossed to the main living space of the apartment, their cellphone clutched tightly in both hands.
“That would be nice. Also, I wonder if the kitchen has any tarts or sweets. It’s not a bonding ceremony without something sweet.” Gunter’s hopeful look faded as he looked down at Nikki. “But it’s late. It would be difficult to pull people together, and then food too.”
Nikki’s face split into an enormous grin. “Not if I text Ravi.” They turned the phone screen around to face Gunter and Alric where they could clearly see Nikki’s text of:
HALP!!!!! Getting bonded to Gunter RIGHT NOW but I need my dragon and mage family with me.
Ravi had already replied with an explosion of hearts, crying, shouting, and other random emojis that had sort of devolved into gibberish. The translation being Ravi was excited and happy to help.
There was a rapid-fire knock on the door, but before Gunter could command the person to enter, Ravi burst through in a blur, swooping right past him to collide with Nikki.
“Really? Seriously? Tonight? You’re getting bonded tonight?”
“Good grief, Ravi. Did someone let you have caffeine again?” Alric muttered.
“Ha ha, Hoheit. Are you ready for this? I’m thinking we need to do this in the throne room. It’s the only room in the castle big enough to accommodate all the mages and dragons in the castle right now.”
Alric nodded. “That would be perfect. Start spreading the news. Get Cassie to help you. She’s good at those mass message things. Tell everyone they have twenty minutes to get down to the throne room.”
Ravi had already been moving for the door but stopped suddenly. “Twenty minutes? That’s it?”
“It’s getting late, and you know every bonding ceremony demands at least a small celebration afterward. The sooner we get them bonded, the sooner they can celebrate, and the less worried I will be about hungover dragons going into battle tomorrow night.”
The wind dragon darted off with a snicker, disappearing down the hall. Alric moved to follow him, his mind probably already on what he needed to prepare to bond them, but Gunter caught his hand.
Alric lifted questioning eyes, and for a moment, Gunter was simply overwhelmed. The world swirled around him. Mere minutes ago, he’d been in the middle of a full-blown panic over the idea of his mate waltzing into Jaeggi territory without protection. Now he was soaring above the clouds with the promise of finally being bonded to his mate. Everything about his life with Nikki was a roller-coaster ride, and he hoped that never changed.
“Alric, thank you,” he finally managed in a choked voice.
Alric pulled his hand free and wrapped Gunter in a tight hug. “You are my dear friend and brother. I am honored to serve you and your mate in this way.”
Gunter closed his eyes for a second and drew in a shuddering breath. Alric had been his friend and confidante for as long as he could remember. He didn’t know where he’d be without Alric in his life, and there was no better person in all the world to bond him to his mate.
With a shaky laugh, Alric released him and stepped back. His own blue eyes looked a little watery, and his smile was overly bright. “Nineteen minutes. The clock is ticking. Don’t be late,” he admonished, and disappeared out the door.
A loud squeal was Gunter’s only warning. He turned, and Nikki leapt into his arms. A laugh escaped him, and he spun them in a circle. In less than nineteen minutes, they’d stand before all the dragons and mages of Burkhard to proclaim their love and devotion to each other. Gunter couldn’t wait.
It took quite a bit longer than twenty minutes to gather dragons and mages together in the throne room. Probably closer to forty, by Gunter’s judgement. But he couldn’t complain since he’d spotted several people in robes and pajamas, hair mussed and looking very confused about the entire proceeding. Nikki might have even squealed when they spotted Tori near the front of the gathering wearing a pair of white bunny slippers, but Gunter wasn’t sure since the slippers had pointed teeth and looked decidedly carnivorous.
The white room dotted with elegant pillars that stretched up three stories was a rarely used area of the castle, but it gave the event some much needed gravitas since Gunter’s panic was rushing the bonding along faster than Nikki had initially wished. Colorful pennants and banners hung from the ceiling as reminders of an era long gone from the world. Each carried the symbols of mage clans now extinct thanks to the Jaeggi, as well as some clans who’d survived.