Part Three: The Plan
Thirteen days passed in the blink of an eye. Rayne had never thought it would be possible for him to enjoy so much time away from work, completely out of contact with Caelan and the Erya government.
But the secluded mountain cabin was a slice of heaven.
Once he convinced his brain there was nothing he needed to do—or even could do—to assist Caelan, he relaxed.
Completely relaxed.
For thirteen days, he’d cooked, hiked, and slept. And that was when he wasn’t cuddled with his new husband, talking about anything and everything under the sun. They’d had serious conversations about the government, military, geopolitical concerns, and the future direction of the kingdom.
And they’d had ridiculous conversations about the right way to make a peanut butter and jelly sandwich and how to properly fold towels.
He was fairly certain he’d never spoken to Eno so much in his life. When they’d traveled with Cael, Drayce, and Adrian, someone else had almost always been around. And when they were in Stormbreak, their alone time was so very limited.
It was as if they’d managed to catch up on years of conversation in the span of two weeks.
Of course, besides the cooking, hiking, sleeping, cuddling, and talking, there was also copious amounts of sex.
So much sex.
The best sex of his life.
Why did he have to return to Stormbreak?
Couldn’t they just stay here, hidden from the world, talking and screwing like rabbits?
A pair of arms wrapped about him from behind, and Eno nuzzled a kiss into his shoulder through his thick hoodie. “Ready for one last walk?”
Rayne sighed, his shoulders slumping a little. “Did you really have to put it that way?”
Eno chuckled and turned Rayne to face him while still holding him. “We aren’t expected in Stormbreak for another two weeks. We can stay here that entire time if you’d like. There’s no rule stating that we have to go stay with the Omari.”
The pained look that had Rayne closing his eyes before he could roll them only made Eno laugh. He rested his arms loosely behind Eno’s head. “I know we can stay here, and Nori wouldn’t be offended in the slightest, but the responsible person that still resides in my brain is starting to speak up. It would be smart to spend time with the Omari. I would imagine that it would also give us the opportunity to speak with and learn more about the other clans.”
Tipping his head up, Eno pressed a kiss to the tip of Rayne’s nose. “I know, baby. I agree with you. I would like to get to know the dragons of the Omari as well as other clans better. Plus, I know the Omari will also give us space to spend time alone as well. Megumi was very clear that she would not let her clanmates interrupt our honeymoon.”
“Do you think Nori is back yet?”
Eno shook his head. “Possible, but not likely. He stated that he wanted to remain in Stormbreak for at least two weeks to spend time with Cael and to explore the city a bit. I can’t imagine he’d return early unless there was a major problem.”
Rayne grunted in agreement. He kissed Eno lightly and then turned back around. He’d been standing at the shore of the massive lake that was only about two hundred yards from Nori’s cabin. There was a wooden dock that was well maintained and painted a dark brown. They’d found a small rowboat in the garage attached to the cabin, but the air felt too crisp for rowing across the lake or fishing from the boat.
But even without going onto the water, Rayne loved walking down to the lake each day, watching the changing colors of the sky reflected in the ripples of the water while it was all framed by thick pine trees. Over the past several days, they’d hiked through the woods and up to hot springs in the mountains. Yet his favorite seemed to be this quiet time by the lake, listening to the call of the birds and the gentle lap of the water on the shore.
“Where would you like to walk today?” Eno asked.
Rayne lifted a hand and pointed to a location almost exactly across from where they were currently standing. “I just noticed—it looks like there’s a dock. Do you know if there’s another cabin over there?”
“There is.”
Rayne freed himself enough from Eno’s hold to turn to face him again when Eno didn’t elaborate. “Do you know who the cabin belongs to? Someone in the Omari?”
“It is. Would you like to see it?”
Pressing his lips together, Rayne tried not to glare at his husband, but it felt like he was failing. Why was his man being so secretive?
“Why does it feel like you know more than you’re telling me? Yes, I would like to see it, but now it’s because I’m sure you’re keeping a secret from me, and I must know what it is.”
Eno’s loud bark of laughter echoed across the lake and startled several birds from their roosts in the trees. Threading his fingers through Rayne’s, Eno began leading him around the lake with a smile on his lips. “Are you the only one who’s allowed to have secrets in this family?”
“I would prefer it if there were no secrets in this family—particularly between us.”
Eno lifted both eyebrows in a very skeptical look that he turned on Rayne.
At least Rayne had the good grace to blush lightly. “You know I’m not including state secrets that I’m not permitted to share with anyone beyond the king.”
Chuckling softly, Eno leaned over and brushed a kiss along Rayne’s jaw. “I’m teasing you. Nori did mention the cabin to me in passing, but only as reassurance that we would have the area to ourselves. So, I have one tiny secret…and one bit of personal speculation that I’d like to investigate.”
An answering laugh bubbled up in Rayne, and he shook his head as it flew free. “You win. I’m intrigued. Let’s go to this mysterious cabin, and you can tell me about your personal speculation.”
They walked along in companionable silence, enjoying the warmth of the sun as it cut between the branches of the trees. They stopped here and there to point out different wildlife they caught glimpses of before it scurried away. While Rayne’s mind was desperate to know the secrets, his heart was content to take a leisurely stroll. No reason to rush. He wanted to soak in every private second he had with this man.
After nearly half an hour, they came through the final line of trees to a clearing where a cabin stood. It looked nearly identical to Nori’s cabin in every way except for the fact that there wasn’t a paved driveway up to the cabin. It appeared as if there had been a gravel drive, but it was now grown over with grass and weeds.
Otherwise, the cabin itself was carefully maintained and appeared very tidy. Just empty and lonely.
“Okay, Mr. Secrets. Who does the cabin belong to?” Rayne inquired now that they were standing in front of it.
“Caelan.”
Rayne frowned at his husband and then frowned at the cabin. Had Nori built it for Caelan in the hope that his grandson would one day visit the Isle of Stone? Unless…
“Caelan technically inherited it from his father, Kei,” Eno continued, likely to keep Rayne from punching him in the shoulder. “Nori mentioned that his son had built it a few years before he was chosen to go to Stormbreak.”
With a nod, Rayne turned his attention to the empty cabin. “And, naturally, after the death of Omari Kei, Caelan would inherit his father’s cabin. Did Nori tell Caelan?”
“He did.”
Eno gave his hand a little tug as he led him around the cabin toward the back that looked out on the lake. They stood together under the trees, watching the afternoon sun reflecting off the water.
“What’s the personal speculation on your part?”
A little smirk played on Eno’s lips as he glanced over at Rayne. “I think Caelan has been here before.”
“What? How?” Rayne gasped, turning to stand in front of Eno. “We were together nearly the entire time when we were staying on the Isle of Stone the last time. How? When could he have possibly visited here?”
“When he was little.”
Rayne’s lips parted but no sound came out. His brain was still shouting How? and When? while Eno held on to his secret little smile.
“He’s told all of us that he has so few memories of time alone with his mother, but there was this one trip he took when he was young. That was where Queen Amara first taught him how to use his connection to the Goddess of Life.” Eno turned and motioned toward the lake not far from them. “He talked about fishing in a lake, and the only other person he remembered being there with them was Hagen.”
Hagen Sigurd. Aka Omari Kei. Aka Caelan’s father.
None of them had known it until much more recently, though.
Rayne knew the trip Caelan spoke of. He didn’t remember it personally—that had happened well before his time working for the royal family.
But he couldn’t deny that there was a bit of logic to what Eno was saying. If the queen had wanted one family vacation away from the court to spend with her son and lover, this would be the perfect place. No one from Erya would know where to find them, and it was doubtful if even the dragons of the Isle of Stone had known they were there.
Other than maybe Nori and anyone he closely trusted.
“Did you ask Nori? Would he know?” Yet even as he spoke, Rayne was shaking his head. “If Omari Kei had brought his family here, wouldn’t Nori have seen Caelan? When they met a year ago, it sounded as if he were seeing Caelan for the first time?”
Eno shrugged. “Maybe Nori didn’t get to meet his grandson because they decided it was too much of a risk to Queen Amara and the young prince. Kei was never supposed to have returned.”
A sigh slipped from Rayne’s lips and he turned his gaze back toward the placid waters, wondering if maybe child Caelan had played near that shore so many years ago. It was a pretty idea. One he found he liked more and more as it took root. He wanted to believe that somewhere buried in Caelan’s mind was a warm, tender memory of two loving parents. He wanted to believe that Queen Amara had stolen this quiet moment to cherish both her son and the man who should have been her husband.
Wrapping an arm around Rayne’s waist, Eno leaned his head against his shoulder. “There is one more thing I like about this cabin.”
“What’s that?”
“We have a pretty good guess where our god-king is going to end up with his dragon husband when he gets tired of sitting on the throne.”
That was a very good thought. Caelan was happy to serve his kingdom for several decades as king, but there would come a time when he needed to do something else with his long existence. It didn’t hurt that he’d have a very long-lived dragon at his side. This was a very good place to quietly while away some of those years.
Another place to call home.
He wanted that for Cael and Drayce. A home they could call their own, away from the prying eyes of the world.
“You know, there’s a lot of open space up here,” Rayne said, motioning to the shore and lake. “We should tell Cael to have his grandfather build another cabin close by. Those two are going to need neighbors.”
“Really?” Eno gasped in a sort of shocked laugh.
“Of course. I have no intention of dying on that throne if I can help it, and this seems like a wonderful place to pass some of the later years of my life with my loving husband.”
Eno was chuckling as he turned them around and started walking toward the cabin they were borrowing for their honeymoon. “I can’t wait to tell the Omari clan leader that we’re planning to turn his secret lake hideaway into a retirement village for Erya royalty.”
“I don’t think he’d mind.” Rayne cocked his head so he could look Eno in the eye. “Do you?”
“Do I mind retiring to a beautiful lakeside cabin with my amazing husband while having two of my closest friends as neighbors? No, love. That sounds like heaven to me. Of course, anywhere you are sounds like heaven to me.”
“Excellent. Then it’s a plan.”
Rayne felt lighter, ready to take those first steps back to the rest of the world. He had Eno and a long, winding road stretching in front of them. It felt easier now with the perfect partner at his side, and the promise of a bright, warm tomorrow.