Warm.
Soft.
"Mmmm," Kel hummed, snuggling deeper into the blanket surrounding her.
Her cot had never been so comfortable before. And since when was her scratchy blanket so smooth? And heavy? And… breathing?
Kel's eyes fluttered open.
The warm blanket her nose was buried in turned out to be a bare chest with two protruding arms wound tightly around her.
Slowly pulling away, Kel looked up at the owner of the chest. His eyes were closed and soft breaths flowed out of his slightly parted lips.
Carefully, she reached out and gently traced the features of the man's sleeping face. She'd never seen the Dragon Emperor this way before. He looked vulnerable and almost childlike.
The emperor winced as Kel's fingers trailed down to the black tip of a dragon's wing, barely visible over the top of his shoulder. The skin hidden by the mark felt stretched and uneven, like some kind of scar.
A sudden rustle outside the tent startled Kel.
