by Aria Winter
“About that,” I mutter. “I don’t understand why you think that I’m—”
He cuts me off with another handsome grin. “Your mate?”
I nod.
He thumps a closed fist to his chest. “I bear the fate mark between my hearts. Do you not feel it here? You are mine and I am yours.”
It’s obvious now that he won’t harm me, but it seems we’re still suffering from a serious case of miscommunication. So, I decide to start at the beginning.
I hold out my hand to him. “I’m Skye. What’s your name?”
He stares at my hand for a moment before extending his. Lifting my hand to his lips, he places a tender kiss to the space between my thumb and forefinger. My lips part as my cheeks heat.
That was really romantic. Knight-in-shining-armor romantic.
His ice-blue eyes pierce mine. “I am Raidyn, Prince of the Wind Clan, and you are my princess.”
My jaw drops. Prince? Princess? “What are you talking about?”
His arm extends in a grand, sweeping gesture toward our surroundings while he smiles at me. “This is our kingdom. And this,” he motions to the beautiful castle behind me, “is our home.”
The entire structure practically gleams beneath the light of the sun. The white stone walls are lined with several large windows. Thick, rope-like, green vines with glowing blue flowers climb the walls, casting an almost ethereal glow to the castle.
We’re standing in a courtyard paved with cobbled white stones and surrounded by dozens of flowering plants with blooms of red, purple, blue and orange. It’s beautiful here, but I need to get back to my people.
“I can’t stay here,” I shake my head emphatically and his expression falls. “I have to find my friend. She disappeared in the desert and—” I stop abruptly when I remember Raidyn’s murderous intentions toward John. I open my mouth to speak, but the words won’t come. Drawing in a deep breath, I steel my nerves. I need to know if Lilly is alive or dead.
“Raidyn, did you…” I pause, swallowing thickly against the bile threatening to rise in my throat. “Did you kill my friend?”
He blinks slowly. “What?”
“Did you kill another human? Like me?”
He shakes his head. “I would never kill a female.”
My shoulders sag in relief and I release the breath I didn’t realize I was holding. “Well, did you see another female like me out in the desert?”
He frowns and an angry growl rumbles his chest. “Yes. Varus, Prince of the Fire Clan, had her.”
Simultaneously, hope and panic fill me. I hate the idea of Lilly being captured by a dragon, but if he Raidyn saw another woman, there’s a chance she’s still alive. “What did she look like?”
“Long hair the color of flame and pale skin dotted with several darker spots.”
“That’s her! That’s Lilly!” I cry in excitement. But I quickly sober as panic moves through me. “This fire guy—Varus, you said—he wouldn’t… eat her, right?”
He looks aghast at the idea. “Varus would never harm a female. None of my people would. Females are precious, treasured by my kind.”
That’s good to know. “Why is that?”
Sadness flits across his expression. “Several cycles ago, the Great Plague swept through our population, killing many of our females. Most who survived are barren. That is why our union is so special; the Gods have blessed us with the fated bond.” He cups my cheek, brushing the soft pad of his thumb over my skin in a tender gesture.
Something touches my foot and I look down to find his tail wrapped around my ankle. He pulls me close while his tail snakes further up my leg, winding around my thigh.
I admit, it’s not all that unpleasant.
Even as the thought enters my mind, I realize I need to get ahold of myself. I place a hand on his chest to gently push him away. “Wait a minute. What are you doing?” I glance down at his tail on my thigh.
His ice-blue eyes watch me with an emotion akin to longing. “I must touch you so we may speak. And I… never imagined the Gods would gift me with such a beautiful mate. My fated one. My linaya.” He tips his head to the side. “You say your race is called human.”
I nod.
He places a hand to his chest. “I am Drakarian, my beautiful Skye.”
As he stares at me, I realize just how easy it would be to get lost in his eyes. The way he regards me and his tender words touch something deep inside me. Why am I feeling so flustered?
Softly, I shake my head as I push down my emotions. I’ve obviously read one too many romance novels. I need to focus on getting Lilliana back. “When you saw my friend with the fire guy, what was he doing with her?”
“He claimed she was his fated one,” he replies matter-of-factly. His expression morphs into one of anger and a snarl escapes his throat.
“What’s wrong?”
“I knew he was keeping secrets from me. If I had not found you when I did, you could have been hurt.” He clenches his jaw. “I will never forgive him.”
“We never saw your friend,” I explain. “Lilliana disappeared from the site where you found me. But the fire guy never visited our camp.”
He looks shocked. “He did not?”
I shake my head. “No.”
“Then… he does not know the location of the remaining humans.”
“Not unless Lilliana told him,” I counter.
His expression darkens. “We must take a team of warriors to rescue your people from the Fire Clan territory and bring them here.”
“Wait a minute,” I shove his chest. “If he’s part of the Fire Clan and that desert is his territory, what about you?”
He dips his chin in a subtle bow. “I am of the Wind Clan. This is our territory.”
“So, the desert belongs to the Fire Clan,” I mutter as I commit this information to memory. “And these floating islands are yours.”
“Yes,” he answers impatiently. “We must go get your people at once.”
I meet his eyes evenly. “And what if I want to return to the desert and stay with my people instead?”
He frowns. “Why would you want that? We are fated, you and I.”
A soft puff of air escapes me as I flash him a nervous grin. “That’s… not how it works for humans. You seem like a nice guy, but I barely know you, Raidyn.”
A smile quirks his lips. “What would you like to know? I will tell you everything.”
He looks so earnest that his reaction would be endearing if he wasn’t so stubborn as well.
“I’m sorry, Raidyn, but I’m not your mate.”
“Yes, you are,” he states firmly.
“No,” I reply, equally as firm. “I am not.”
“I do not understand why you are upset with me.” His brow furrows softly. “Is it my scar?”
“Your scar?” I parrot as my gaze drifts over his face. “Why would I care about your scar?”
He blinks, taken by surprise. “My disfigurement does not bother you?”
“It’s just a scar, Raidyn. But that’s not the point. I don’t belong to you.”
“We belong to each other,” he counters.
I cross my arms over my chest and glare up at him. “Shouldn’t I have a say in that?”
He gives me a curious look. “What is there to say?”
“I refuse to be your prisoner.”
He gestures again to his palace. “You are not a prisoner; you are my mate. You will enjoy all the freedom in the world. You are the Princess of the Wind Clan. This is your kingdom now, as much as it is mine.”
“And what if I don’t want to stay in Wind Clan territory?”
He frowns. “Why would you want to leave? Where do you want us to go if not here?”
Rolling my eyes, I huff out a frustrated breath. “We’re not going anywhere,” I gesture back and forth between us for emphasis. “But I’m going back to my people.”
“You want me to return you to the desert and abandon you?” He stares at me in shock.
“What kind of male do you think I am? I am not a dishonorable male. I would never abandon my mate.”
I sigh heavily. This argument is getting me nowhere.
“Here.” He grips my hand. “Let me show you our rooms. You can bathe and get clean. I will send for the Healer to fit you with a translator chip.”
Mildly annoyed that he just implied I smell bad, I glare. “Shouldn’t you see the Healer first?”
“Why?”
“You’re injured.” I point to his wound.
“Do not worry.” He tips his chin up slightly. “I am strong and capable of protecting my mate.”
Even as he brags, I note the slight sway in his stance as he straightens.
“You don’t look so good, Raidyn.”
He frowns. “I thought you did not care about my scar.”
I place my hands on my hips. “I’m not talking about your scar. I’m talking about your injury. It needs to be tended.”
“I am strong.” He thumps his chest caveman-style. “Allow me to take care of you, my beautiful mate.” He drops to his knees before me. “I vow that I will worship and protect you until I draw my last breath in this world.”
I notice his scales have paled, which is a feat considering they were light gray already. He looks so sick, I’m worried he’s about to make good on his promise of worshipping me as he draws his last breath, right here and now. His eyelids flutter open and closed as if he’s struggling to remain conscious.
I grip his shoulders. “What’s wrong? Are you all right?”
He meets my gaze evenly. “You must trust me.” His words slur. “I will be well after a short rest. Please, do not leave. I promise to be a mate worthy of you, my Skye. I—”
His eyes roll to the back of his head and he slumps forward, collapsing at my feet.
Oh Stars, please, don’t let him be dead.
Chapter 6
Skye
I press my palms to his side wound, attempting to stem the bleeding as I cry for help.
How was Raidyn able to stand for so long with such a deep injury? Anger sweeps through me as I think of John. This is all his fault. If he hadn’t tried to hurt me, Raidyn might never have intervened.
Another dragon-man rushes toward me. With dark-gray scales the color of stone and ice-blue eyes similar to Raidyn’s, he ogles me. Glancing over my shoulder, he calls out in harsh, guttural tones.
Several more dragon men approach, each narrowing their eyes at me as they growl in warning.
Oh my Stars, do they think I hurt him?
I raise my bloody hands in a gesture of surrender. “This isn’t what it looks like. I didn’t hurt him, I swear; one of my people did. He thought Raidyn was a monster trying to eat me.”
Judging by their hard expressions, they either don’t believe my words or can’t understand me.
“Can you understand me?” I ask the dark-gray alien, who nods. “Oh, thank goodness. That’s a relief. Are you getting help for Raidyn?”
He nods again, but I note that his expression is still stony.
“Tell them to hurry. I think he’s seriously hurt.” I shake my head in frustration. “He tried to act like he was fine, but he’s obviously not, and I—” I lift my gaze to the sky, trying to gather my thoughts. I tend to ramble when I’m nervous and I’ve never been more anxious before in my life.
“Raidyn says that I’m his—his mate.” I stumble awkwardly over the words. “He says we’re fated,” I add, hoping one of these men can explain all this to me.
The dark-gray dragon lifts his wrist to his face and speaks into some sort of wristband. His language is a frantic stream of harsh syllables and tones I can’t understand. Then he turns his sharp, furious gaze on me and begins speaking again.
“I don’t understand you!” I tell him. “I don’t have a translator chip. But I swear to you, I didn’t hurt him.”
He grabs my arm—gently, I note—and pulls me up to stand. He starts to lead me away from Raidyn, but I jerk my arm from his grasp. “Wait! I can’t just leave him!”
I don’t know why, but I feel strangely protective of this dragon-man I just met, who calls me his fated mate and regards me like I’m precious—the most precious thing in the world to him.
Yeah, I’ve definitely read one too many romance novels.
But I trust him more than these other guys. Despite touching him, I can’t understand a word this dark-gray man is saying.
I yelp in surprise when he hauls me over his shoulder and starts for the castle.
“Wait!” I kick and scream in his hold. “I don’t want to leave him!”
He bands his strong arm across the back of my legs, holding them still.
“Put me down!” I yell.
He keeps walking, giving me no indication that he’s going to listen. So, out of desperation, I clamp my mouth around his wing joint as hard as I can, though my teeth don’t even seem to make a dent.
However, that certainly gets his attention.
He hisses and jerks his wing from my grasp, then wraps his tail around my wrists, binding them together.
“What the hell?” I cry out. “Put me down! I’m innocent! I didn’t hurt him! I’m his mate! I don’t want to leave him!”
I‘m hoping that if I keep telling them that I’m Raidyn’s mate, they’ll let me go. I can’t help but be worried for him. At first, I thought he’d stolen me, but now I realize he thought he was saving me. And… he was. John would have probably raped me if not for him.
A horrible thought crosses my mind as the alien turns down a hallway with me slung over his shoulder. What if they’re going to eat me? Now that Raidyn’s down, who’s to say these guys even care who or what I am?
Frantic, I struggle harder, desperate to escape. “Please don’t eat me! My people taste terrible, I swear! We’re—we’re poisonous! You’ll die if you try to eat me!”
The guard’s shoulders shake, and I freeze.
Is he…? “Wait a minute. Are you laughing at me?”
Another guard joins him and the one holding me growls something to him. The new guy shakes his head and they both start chuckling.
Anger fills me. “Put me down right now,” I push through gritted teeth. “Or I swear you’ll regret it. When I get loose, you’re going down.”
They start guffawing, the guard beside my captor doubling over as he barks out another laugh.
That’s it—these guards are jerks. Once Raidyn wakes up, I’m going to tell him everything and then these two jokers are definitely going to get demoted.
At the end of the long hallway, they step through a set of ornate doors. From my angle, I can’t see the room, but I assume it must be massive since their footsteps echo loudly through the space.
The guard slings me forward and lightly places my feet on the floor. Despite his obvious attempt to treat me gently, I bat his hand away.
He stares gaping at me as if he cannot believe I’ve just hit him. He only has a moment to look stunned before both men drop to one knee, bowing in deference to someone behind me.
I still. The hair rises on the back of my neck as I slowly turn. My jaw drops when I come face-to-face with an older version of Raidyn.
This must be his father, the king.
Dressed in long, flowing, light-gray robes, he looks every bit as regal and aristocratic as his son. Right down to the stubborn set of his jaw as he glares at me.
One of the guards relays something and the king’s eyes fly wide, then narrow as he turns his attention back to me. He leans in and grips my chin firmly, studying me like I’m a strange animal that just wandered into his home uninvited.
His lips pull back in a feral snarl that rumbles in his throat.
“You need to let me go,” I tell him. “Raidyn says I’m his fated mate. He asked me not to leave him. I demand you take me back to him. Now.”
He relinquishes his grip on my jaw, snapping at the guards.
They scramble to their feet and without warning, the dark-gray one slings me o
ver his shoulder again. His tail wraps around my wrists and his arm encircles my legs, already anticipating that I’ll struggle. Which I do. Excessively.
“Let me go!” I cry. “You’d better hope Raidyn never wakes up. Because when he does, I’m going to make sure you both get demoted. Or better yet—fired.”
A chortled laugh escapes my captor.
“Yeah, laugh while you can, buddy. Soon, you’ll be jobless. Good luck working anywhere after you get fired from the royal palace. How’s that going to look on a résumé? I’ll make sure everyone knows how you’ve treated me.”
He stills and I wonder if he’s finally taking my threats seriously.
Instead, he pushes through a large set of doors and we’re plunged into almost total darkness as we start down another hallway. This one smaller than the last. Everything smells earthy and damp here. A cold breeze travels past us and I shiver. Whatever this place is, I already don’t like it.
A moment later, he tugs me forward and lowers me gently to the ground.
Still incensed, I open my mouth to yell at him but stop abruptly when a force field drops between us. I’m so stunned, I reach out to touch it, only to jerk my hand away when it zaps me, hissing in pain.
What. The. Hell?
The guard sends me a pitying look as he mumbles something low in his throat.
“Wait a minute. What’s going on? Why am I here? Is this a cell? Am I being locked up?”
An apology shines in his gaze. The other guard appears equally as upset, softly shaking his head. With a heavy sigh, one places his hand on the other’s shoulder and they turn away.
“Wait!” I plead. “You can’t just leave me here.”
I glance around my cell, finding only a cot. Even more concerning than the lack of facilities are the bars directly opposite the energy barrier. It might be a lovely view if a sheer drop off the floating island wasn’t waiting over the edge just on the other side of the bars. Raidyn’s words replay in my mind: You do not have any wings. Yeah, wings would be helpful right now. Even if I could escape, there’s no way for me to get off this island.