Fated Mate_Misty Woods Dragons)

by Juniper Hart

  3

  Daisy was reluctant to let go of her mother that morning. She didn’t want to face Nyle’s family again and would have preferred to stay in the Keys with her mother. However, she needed to be with Nyle and would never expect him to go through his grieving alone.

  “Are you sure you’ll be okay down here all by yourself?” Daisy asked her mom with a pouting expression on her lips. She didn’t like the thought of leaving her mother states away from home.

  “I’m forty-two, Daisy. I’ll be just fine,” Cassie assured her, giving her one last kiss on the cheek. She then stepped to Nyle, throwing her arms around him, “I’ll be thinking about you and your family,” she whispered to him.

  Daisy’s mother had lost both of her parents and knew all too well the sting of a loss, but also knew apologies and coddling weren't what he needed to hear.

  “Thank you, Miss Maddow,” Nyle replied, hugging her back and then standing straight.

  “Please, you know you can call me Cassie,” she corrected. “You guys be safe traveling home. I’ll see you in a few days.”

  Daisy waved goodbye to her mother as they walked to Evryn’s car. Putting their bags in the trunk, Daisy and Nyle slid into the back seat. A brief moment of panic always surged through Daisy when she got into the backseat of a car after the accident Mylora had caused. Her eyes shifted out to the reflections of both mirrors, as though to look for Mylora’s powder-blue antique car. It was never there, and it never would be. Nylyrias caught word that his father basically locked her up and threw away the key. They didn’t want her getting out and telling the kingdom that Nyle was with a human.

  Her head fell onto Nyle’s shoulder as they rode to the airstrip. Nyle was uncharacteristically quiet, but with good reason. Daisy wanted to give him his space and time to process his emotions about his dad dying. However, she also wished she knew what was going on in his head. Thalydias and Nyle had their problems, but they were still father and son. Nyle must have been confused, not even comprehending the complex emotions going on his head.

  Over the months Daisy and Nyle spent together, she learned that at one point, Nyle had a good relationship with his mother and father. Thalydias was strict and close-minded, but loving and proud. It was only when Thalydias fell sick that a strain began in their relationship because they started to push for Nyle to get married. She hated even thinking about the topic; it made her heart ache to know just how close he came to marrying another woman.

  It wasn’t long before they arrived at the airstrip. A lone jet was parked there, the La Flamme Corporation logo on the side of it. Daisy’s stomach churned. It felt like a lifetime ago since she walked the halls of the company building.

  Daisy met Nyle at the headquarters of La Flamme Corporation when she worked for Winslow Events. She helped plan an event for Nyle’s company, but instead resigned from Winslow Events to run away with Nyle.

  It had been a scary and invigorating step to leave her job to be with a man she just met, but she hadn’t regretted it once. It went without saying that her mother had been furious at the time and had held quite a grudge against Nyle for taking her daughter to Virginia. After a few months, Cassie relaxed and started to trust Daisy’s judgment a little more. After all, Daisy was extremely happy.

  Evryn, Nyle, and Daisy boarded the plane. Plush burgundy couches and recliners lined the walls of the aircraft with fluffy white pillows on them. They sure like to stick to a particular color scheme, Daisy thought to herself. Nyle’s clan decorated everything in burgundy, gray, and hues of white. Even Nyle was a little guilty of it, but he ventured into other palettes.

  As they walked over to a couch and sat down, Daisy noticed the flight attendants toward the back of the plane. They both had ash blonde hair and yellow-gold eyes, a dead giveaway that they were Royals as well.

  Daisy immediately felt uneasy, but forced her eyes away and looked down at her lap. They didn’t know her; they might have thought she was just some human girl Nyle was seeing. It was hard to tell, but it was enough to completely unnerve her. After Mylora and Thalydias’s reaction to Nyle and Daisy being together, she was, for a good reason, paranoid that people would be violently opposed to her relationship with Nyle. However, Evryn was all the proof she needed to know that not everyone thought the same as Mylora and his father.

  As the plane sped down the runway, Daisy held tightly to the arm of the couch and Nyle’s hand.

  His nose brushed against her cheek. “You aren’t afraid of flying, are you?”

  Daisy rolled her eyes, looking up at him. “Not at all. Just used to a smoother ride.”

  Nyle let out a throaty chuckle, relaxing back into his seat. His long fingers drifted through her hair. “Why don’t you get some more sleep? I’m thinking it’s going to be a long day.”

  “I’m fine,” Daisy insisted. She didn’t want to sleep and leave him alone with his thoughts.

  “What else are you going to do on a three-hour flight?” Nyle questioned.

  “Bother you I suppose,” Daisy shrugged.

  “As if you could ever bother me,” Nyle snorted. “You really should try and get a nap or something, Daisy Doll.”

  The little pet name never failed to make her lips curl into a smile. Even though it was mildly cheesy, it was just so cute. When he had first called her the name, Daisy had replied by oh-so-cleverly calling him Nyle Narwhal. It had been the only noun to come to her mind that started with the same letter as his name. She still hadn’t quite lived down the goofy comment.

  “Like I just said, I’m fine,” Daisy reiterated.

  “Stubborn little thing,” he muttered.

  “What’s the matter? Don’t want to spend time with me?” Daisy mock-pouted.

  “Oh, it would simply be torture. Trapped with you on a plane for hours… how will I ever survive?” Nyle sighed dramatically.

  “I truly have no idea.” Daisy grinned.

  “Well, if you’re so hell bent on us spending time together, what do you want to do?” Nyle asked her in a light-hearted manner.

  Daisy pondered, stretching her legs over his lap as she relaxed into the corner of the couch.

  “Tell me a story,” she decided. She wanted to keep his mind off whatever was going on in his head.

  He cocked a brow at her. “About what exactly?”

  She shrugged. “I don’t know… Maybe something about your kingdom? Like a history lesson or something.”

  “A history lesson?” Nyle questioned.

  When Daisy nodded, Nyle gave a weak smile. “Do you always have to be such a nerd?”

  “You knew what you were getting into,” Daisy teased.

  Their home in Virginia had an entire library, her personal office was filled with books, and they had two bookshelves in their room. Nyle had indeed given her the dream life she had always wanted, spending her days reading and learning new things. He loved spoiling her with books, but also enjoyed teasing her for being such a bookworm.

  Nyle stretched his arms out on the back of the couch. “All right, fine… Let me think for a second.” His honey eyes gazed to the ceiling of the plane as he tried to find a starting point. “Well, both Royals and Elementals are originally from Europe. Back then, we were just one big clan and had been since around the time Rome fell. When the Americas were discovered, the clan decided to start anew here. By that time, locals were starting to create stories about our kind, which was dangerous for us. My ancestors figured starting over in a new land would be promising.”

  “So, you all moved to the Americas?” asked Daisy.

  “Well, not all of us, but most of us.” He continued with the story after answering her question. “The unified dragon clan was well-established by the time the United States gained independence from Britain. However, when humans formed their own government, a divide showed itself in the clan. What now are considered Royals wanted to have influence in human politics, to sway them in our favor to make sure we stayed protected. To do that, it meant they had to become in
volved in profitable businesses. To humans, the only thing that matters is money, it seems. My ancestors became politicians, trying to hide amongst and rule the humans. The clan now known as the Elementals was irate. Their stance was we shouldn’t give a damn about humans and should just focus on simple living, and live close to nature like we had in the past.”

  Nyle added a side comment. “I think that if the Elementals could have traveled to the present day, they would have joined us without hesitation. We’ve been able to hide our true nature because we have a lot of influence at high levels. What the Elementals don’t realize is that it’s because of us they’ve never been discovered.”

  Daisy asked, “So Royals still hold political power?”

  “Yes,” said Nyle. “You’d be surprised at the influence my father has because some of our people are in very prestigious positions. However, we’ve branched out from politics. You must have money to play the political game. We own several financial groups and large corporations. We try to stay diversified, so we can use anything that gives us leverage,” Nyle explained, his hands idly rubbing her legs.

  Daisy made a bit of a face. From where she stood, she could understand both sides. It was smart for the Royals to protect themselves by influencing human policy to work in their favor, but she didn’t exactly like the thought of the corruption that must have taken place over the years.

  Before Daisy could say anything in response, Nyle spoke again, “My family came into power directly after the split. You’ve met my father, but I wish you could have met my granddad, Gerardian. He was in charge for one-hundred-and-forty years. He died of a broken heart when his soulmate, my grandmother, passed away from someone poisoning her. It turned out to be an rogue Elemental. When my father got to power, he sought to avenge his parents.”

  Daisy gripped his hand, not wanting him to talk about his father if he didn’t want to. “Nyle, we don’t need to talk about your father if you don't feel like it.”

  “No, it’s okay. You ought to know,” he shrugged. “My grandfather pushed the Elementals out of our territory, down into Pennsylvania and onward. As soon as my father became king, he conquered Pennsylvania. He took an entire state away from the Elementals to punish them for his parents’ deaths. There had been countless battles between the two clans before he seized Pennsylvania, but it only ramped up from there. Now both sides are out for blood and willing to do anything to get ahead. My father once told me he had a plan to overtake Ohio before I was born, but the plan never came to fruition. I don’t think he ever got over my grandparents’ deaths and probably would have worked forever to avenge them. I suppose, in a way, he did…”

  Nyle’s eyes became glazed by tears and pain, his gaze fixated on a single area on the floor as he mulled over his thoughts. “My father has always been rooted in tradition. Hell, I think I can count on one hand how many times I saw him in a suit. He always wore the traditional robes and other garb.” He let out a breathy chuckle, “I remember the first time he saw me in human attire without needing to be at the office; he nearly lost his mind. He went on this whole rampage that I didn’t know what I had and I was only seeking out human culture because I didn’t appreciate the struggle my family had gone through. Really, I just like jeans. They’re comfortable.” He shrugged. “Feels a little silly to walk around in silk robes all the time.”

  “Remember when you asked for a soccer ball for your sixth birthday?” Evryn spoke up from a few seats away.

  Nyle laughed, running a hand over his face. “I’ve never seen someone so upset over a ball. He said that we had our own sports and that I shouldn’t concern myself with human pastimes.”

  “Seems like he really hates humans,” Daisy commented, getting even more weary of going to the palace. She didn’t want to agitate a dying man on his deathbed just by being there.

  Nyle nodded. “It’s wrong of him, but he thinks of humans as pawns. Little pieces to move around to get his way. Other than that, they are pests to him.” He noted the look on her face and smiled. “Don’t worry. You’re the cutest pest I’ve ever seen,” he teased, poking her in the nose.

  “Doesn’t mean I’ll get on his nerves any less,” Daisy grumbled, crossing her arms.

  A heavy sigh passed his lips. “I know. It’s callous of me, but I don’t care. When we first left New York, I had chosen you, and he knows that. If he expects me to go anywhere without my mate, then that’s his mistake. It’ll be okay; I promise,” Nyle tried to soothe her. “Thank you for coming with me, even though I know it’s uncomfortable for you.”

  Daisy smiled faintly. “I don’t like being away from you.”

  Nyle returned the grin. “I was thinking the same thing.”

  4

  Nyle’s stomach was in knots as the town car pulled up to the palace, his heart thumping in his ears. He couldn’t believe that it had been so long since he was last there. Flashbacks of the last conversation with his father played in Nyle’s head. A part of Nyle thought that maybe Evryn was tricking him and wanted Nyle to come home in hopes that he would apologize to his father. It just seemed so improbable to Nyle that his father wanted to make amends with him.

  His eyes fell to the woman slumped into his side, peacefully napping as she held to one of his arms. Daisy was going to be his source of strength through this entire process, even if she didn’t see it that way.

  Nyle gently shook her shoulder. “Daisy, we’re here,” he whispered to her.

  Her blue-gray eyes opened slowly, allowing a faint light to illuminate her iris, her long lashes blinking in a sleepy fashion. She was so perfect it made Nyle’s heart hurt. Nyle reached and wiped away the tiny bit of drool that was coming out of the corner of her mouth, pressing a light kiss to her lips.

  The driver then opened Nyle’s door. He stepped out with Daisy’s hand in his. They gazed up to the beige castle, memories flooding Nyle’s mind. It was strange for him to not think of it as home anymore.

  Evryn joined at his side and paced toward the palace. “Most of the additional staff has been sent away for the time being. Only family, close allies, and necessary staff are here,” Evryn informed him.

  Nyle didn’t bother to ask why the staff had been sent away; he knew why. Funeral arrangements. He clenched his jaw, trying his best to contain the emotions that rose up inside of him. Daisy’s thumb rubbed the back of Nyle’s hand, making him realize he was clutching her hand too tightly. He gave her a nervous, apologetic smile and loosened his grip.

  They walked through the door of the palace. It didn’t surprise Nyle that nothing looked different. The palace had stayed the same Nyle’s entire life, only minor decorations changing to suit his mother’s fancy. The one thing that was different, though, was the noise level. The house was dead silent, no distant shuffling of feet or quiet chattering. It was as if they were moving through a museum. Their footsteps echoed through the chambers as Evryn led the way down the corridors toward Thalydias’s room.

  As soon as they turned a corner, Nyle’s eyes fell on his father’s door. His heart leaped into his throat, panic surging through him feeling his vascular muscles contracting ever faster. Was he ready to see his father in such a debilitated condition? It didn’t really matter if he was or not. It was either see Thalydias then or never. Evryn approached the heavy wooden door first, knocking lightly. A once powerful, but noticeably weakened voice from within called, “You may enter.”

  Evryn opened the door and stepped inside. His hands clasped in front of him, looking in the direction of the bed. “My king, Nylyrias and his mate are here.”

  There was a pause before Nyle heard his father’s weak, raspy voice. “Send them in,” Thalydias said in a hushed tone.

  Evryn turned to Nyle and waved them in. Taking a deep breath, Nyle paced to the door. He could hardly hear a thing over the sound of his heartbeat as they walked into the room. His eyes started from the far wall, taking in the familiar gold and burgundy decorations and the aroma of incense. He felt Daisy’s hand grip his harder; sh
e was already looking at Thalydias. Nyle bit down on his lip out of nervousness.

  Reluctantly, he gazed over to the large four-poster bed. His heart plummeted into his stomach. Thalydias, who had looked not a day older than forty, was a husk of the man he was. His father had lost an extraordinary amount of weight, and it looked like nothing more than skin draped over his bones. His pale skin was almost gray in color and looked as though it hugged his skeleton too tightly. Thalydias’s champagne-colored eyes were sunken with dark purple circles around them. His long white hair was completely gone, the only hair remaining being thin, patchy eyebrows.

  Thalydias had been battling a rare illness that only occurred in dragons. There was no cure, and the doctors still had no idea what caused it. It was attacking Thalydias’s entire body, slowly draining him of all his strength and abilities. The disease was finally winning. He remembered the doctors saying it was astonishing he had lived as long as he had. Thalydias was indeed a fighter.

  Nyle was frozen in his place as he stared at his father. Thalydias lifted a shaking, frail hand. “Nylyrias, my son, come here…”

  He blinked rapidly, letting out the breath he hadn’t realized he had been holding. Nyle slowly walked over to the bed, Daisy walking with him. His eyes only momentarily looked at his mother, Asalei. She was standing next to the bed, her eyes red and bloodshot from crying. Nyle’s heart went out to his mother; he couldn’t imagine how painful it was to be losing her soulmate.

  They sat in two chairs that were pulled up to the side of the bed. Nyle finally released Daisy’s hand, taking his father’s in both of his.

  “Hello, father,” he breathed to Thalydias, his voice pinched with pain.