Naga's Concubine [Chronicles of the Shifter Directive 4] (Siren Publishing Epic Romance, ManLove)

by Scarlet Hyacinth

  His voice was gentle, but the reprimand in it obvious. Zaire had always been like that, somehow managing to convey disapproval as well as affection through one single word. Camden’s mother always said that he was a lot like his sire, although that had never bothered Camden’s father, Nikhil.

  Camden winced. “I’m only trying to do what’s best,” he said softly.

  “We know. And believe it or not, Anais, Nikhil, and I have been musing over what you said.”

  “So have you reached a decision?” Camden inquired, his mouth dry with panic.

  “As much as we’d like not to make this step, we cannot hesitate. There is a saying in the world of the humans. Do not strike a man when he’s down. Well, for us shifters, it is necessary to exploit any weakness if we’re going to build a better world for the chimeras.” Camden’s father paused. “But you’re right in that not all the draechen have to suffer, not to mention that a war would hurt us, too. This is a complicated situation, and we cannot be rash about it.”

  “What are you going to do?” Camden asked his sire, not even daring to hope.

  “We’ve agreed to assess Emperor Hareematek’s potential and act accordingly once we’ve figured out where he stands with regard to chimeras,” Zaire replied. “To tell you the truth, I don’t have much faith in him. So you will stay here with me and your mother, since you are clearly not ready to be there when the inevitable happens.”

  “But, Sire…”

  “No buts,” his sire interrupted him. Kissing Camden’s forehead, he added, “This is for the best. Once we are in charge, all the persecution will stop. The shifters will truly have peace, and there will be no more hatred.”

  As he watched his sire go, Camden desperately wanted to ask where exactly the draechen would stand in this new world order. But he’d already said too much and had trapped himself in Patala. Who was going to help Sage now? Who would make his parents see that draechen weren’t so bad after all? The chill swept over him again, and this time, there was no one there to chase it away.

  * * * *

  “There he is. Emperor Hareematek is coming.”

  Sage suppressed a grimace as the excited female murmurs reached his ears. The new emperor—well, the next one, since he hadn’t officially taken position—hadn’t even announced any plans of mating yet, and already, all eligible draechen females, and some males, were gathering to court him. The throne room was already teeming with people, and the actual event they’d supposedly come from hadn’t even started yet. It pissed Sage off, especially since he was waiting for a special guest.

  By his side, Karein took Sage’s arm and squeezed it. “Watch Hareem,” he mouthed. “Make sure none of these people approach him.”

  “With all due respect, Highness,” Sage answered, “you’re far more likely to succeed in that than me.”

  Karein arched a brow at him, but didn’t argue. Together with Sage and a few other guards, he formed a barrier in front of Hareematek, keeping everyone away. Not even the most daring individuals would attempt to pass now, far too aware of the power Karein wielded. Behind them, Hareematek released a barely audible groan and gestured for Karein to approach. Taking Karein’s arm, the future emperor slid out of the room, much to the disappointment of the gathered individuals.

  Sage watched them all with increasing restlessness. By rights, he shouldn’t have been so anxious, not yet anyway. He didn’t doubt his own ability to perform his duties and protect the new emperor. However, there was a deep feeling of discontent gripping him, one he couldn’t really understand. He had to guess it originated from his excitement to see Camden. But what if there was more to it than that? What if something had happened to Camden?

  Sage shook the thought away, reining in his dragon. His beast wanted to just leave Draechenburg behind and find the mysterious Patala Camden had mentioned. But he didn’t even know how to start, or on which continent. The general belief was that Patala had to be somewhere in Asia, specifically in the Indian subcontinent, but recent information on naga claimed that the city had been uprooted to a different location that wouldn’t be pinpointed so easily.

  Sage had to admit that his dragon wouldn’t be able to withstand much more of this. He’d tried to focus solely on his work, and it helped somewhat, but nothing could ever wipe away the desperate need for his mate. The only thing that soothed him was the memory of the brief vision High Priestess Eanera had given him, back when he’d rescued Prince Sareltae. Revisiting those images over and over made him believe that Camden would keep his promise and they would be reunited soon.

  He was snapped out of his thoughts when another guard slid into the room and made his way to his side. “Lieutenant, you’ve got a visitor.”

  “A visitor?” Sage repeated. For a brief moment, he entertained the notion that it might be Camden, before realizing how unlikely it was. “Who?”

  “Well, they’re actually visitors,” the other guard replied. “Your family is waiting outside.”

  Sage couldn’t help a small smile at that. Finally, his day was looking up. He had hoped his sister and parents would be able to come to Draechenburg soon, even if they didn’t live in Germany. To this day, they were not aware of his involvement in the coup that had changed the leadership of their people, as Sage had been careful to warn them away in the first days after Emperor Kavehquader’s fall. Most of the important draechen families were flying in for the crowning, though, so Sage had anticipated a reunion with his parents and sister.

  Still, his time was not his own. “I can’t abandon my post,” he said. “My duty is here.”

  “I can take over for you,” the guard offered.

  “That’s nice of you,” Sage countered, “but I cannot accept. General Shtamakarein clearly instructed that I should remain here and watch over the crowd.”

  “And you always obey the general, don’t you?” another guard asked, sneering. “I understand there are a lot of benefits. Such as—”

  Sage shot him a look before the man could repeat any of the rumors that had spread after he’d rescued Prince Sareltae. He didn’t have the patience to handle such stupidity right now. He was still puzzled about how the fae had managed to give Karein a child, but he was done doubting it. Besides, even if he or any other draechen had comments to make on Sareltae and Karein’s relationship, this was not the time and the place to do so.

  “I would advise you to be careful of what you say,” he told the other guard. “General Shtamakarein doesn’t appreciate any insinuations regarding his affairs.”

  Fortunately, the guard shut up after that, likely remembering that Karein wasn’t someone to be crossed. Anyone who even looked at Prince Sareltae wrong was replaced from service, sent away from Draechenburg. In fact, a lot of the former palace guards had been changed, many new faces brought in from other draechen outposts to replace the old ones. This particular guard was risking a lot just through that simple comment.

  As if summoned by Sage’s thoughts, Karein reappeared inside the throne room. “Go on, Sage,” he said. “Go speak to your family.”

  Several of the soldiers looked surprised and apprehensive that Karein had learned about the arrival of Sage’s parents and sister so quickly. Sage, however, guessed that Prince Sareltae must have shared it with him. In spite of being pregnant, the fae was doing his best to welcome every guest personally, and even if some people remained resentful of him, others began to like him more and more as they got accustomed to him. After all, they said, Prince Shtamakarein is no fool. No man who challenged a Tersain emperor could be hoodwinked by a fae.

  Sage was somewhat unsettled by the idea of Prince Sareltae meeting his family. His father could be somewhat…brusque and opinionated, and Sage hoped the older ice dragon wouldn’t offend Karein’s mate.

  “Thank you, General,” he told Karein. “I live and die by your command.”

  A flicker of distaste passed over Karein’s features, but he made no comment. Instead, he just ushered Sage off. Sage slipped out of the thro
ne room through a side door and made his way toward his quarters in the palace barracks.

  He never got the chance to reach his destination, as he ran into his general’s mate and his family halfway there. Prince Sareltae offered him a pleased smile. “Oh, Lieutenant. There you are. We’ve been looking all over for you. Your family is very eager to see you.”

  No sooner had Sareltae finished saying this than Sage found himself with an armful of twin sister. Chuckling, Sage hugged Hanna back. “How are you, sis?”

  “Better than you, I’d wager,” she whispered. “We really need to talk, don’t we?”

  Sage suppressed a sigh. He really should have known better than to believe he’d be able to hide his anxiety from Hanna. “We do,” he admitted. “But in private.”

  He wasn’t ready to share the truth about Camden with anyone except his sister. The only person he’d told was Karein, which meant that Prince Sareltae knew about it, too. Given the circumstances, that was more than enough. For the moment, though, he had to make sure his parents received comfortable accommodations.

  Turning toward his mother and father, he bowed slightly. “I trust you had a good trip.”

  “It was…tolerable,” his father said coolly.

  “Ignore Benton,” his mother said, elbowing the draechen in question in the stomach. She slid to Sage’s side and hugged him. “It was just too long, because we missed you a great deal.”

  They hadn’t changed in the slightest. His mother, an earth dragon, was warm and nurturing, without having the impulsive temper a fire dragon would have had. Meanwhile, his father was, naturally, as cold as ice. In fact, Bentoniezel and Lekishatek Zager were known as one of the unlikeliest couples in present draechen society. Sage was a lot like his father, which was why they didn’t always get along, but even so, he cared about his parents a lot.

  Today, however, he found he couldn’t truly enjoy the reunion. His thoughts kept wandering to Camden and what his mate could be doing right now. Fortunately, his mother must have noticed his distraction. “Perhaps we should leave you and Hanna to talk a bit. I know both of you would like to reconnect.”

  “If you’ll follow me,” Prince Sareltae piped up, “I can lead you to your rooms.”

  “You are too kind, Your Highness,” Sage’s father offered. “Please do.”

  As his parents departed, led away by Sareltae, Hanna pulled Sage aside. “Okay. Now you’re really going to tell me everything.”

  Sage guided his twin into a nearby empty room. Finally, when they were behind closed doors, he blurted out, “I found my mate. He’s a naga prince.”

  Hanna’s eyes widened. “Oh, shit.”

  “My thoughts exactly, sis. My thoughts exactly.”

  Chapter Two

  A few days later

  “You know, I still don’t get why you said all that to Mother.” Arlen huffed and narrowed his eyes at Camden. “You could be going with us now.”

  Camden curled into a ball and covered himself with one of the blankets. “It’s not right,” he whispered to his brother. “You can’t allow it.”

  “We can’t do anything to change it,” his sister, Krysta, said. “The decision is in the hands of our parents.”

  Camden’s teeth were chattering so hard he couldn’t reply. Arlen’s expression of annoyance changed into one of concern. “Camden, forget about the draechen,” he said. “You’re sick. You need to hear Mother out and look at the list of candidates.”

  “A–Arlen… I need you to listen.” Camden forced himself to remember what he wanted to say, pushing away the chill. “I don’t need candidates. I need to go with you to Draechenburg.”

  “You’re crazy.” Arlen shook his head. “I don’t know what’s gotten into you, but you need a doctor.”

  Camden realized all too well that his siblings were his last chance. His mother would never believe him, not now, when he was so clearly affected by the cold. She insisted on finding Camden a naga mate, and was in fact actively questing for one, even with Camden’s refusal to consider it. Camden’s condition had worsened, and both his mother and his sire were attempting to solve the problem. The entire thing had taken all of them by surprise, because Camden was far too young for the affliction to settle in. But Camden knew the cause, and he knew the cure. At this point, he was beyond caring about what happened to him, since his emotions were already starting to fade. But there was one feeling that kept the cold from fully taking over, the burning urge to see Sage.

  “Listen, please,” he repeated. This was his last gamble, since his family would be leaving for Draechenburg today. “I have to go with you. I feel like I’m being summoned there.”

  Krysta shot him a concerned look. “No, Camden. You’re not well.”

  “I’ll feel better,” Camden assured them. “The alternative is leaving me here. Mother thinks she’s doing the right thing, for me and for the naga, but she doesn’t understand what’s going on.”

  “Well, neither do we, brother,” Arlen said. “Besides, even if we did try to bring you along, there’s no way our parents will agree. We can’t exactly sneak you into the transport. Bypassing Sire’s vigilance is next to impossible. You know how he’s like. Nothing escapes him.”

  They had a point. While Camden’s sire Zaire tended to be more laid back, his siblings’ sire—and his father—Nikhil was also the commander in chief of the naga army. Krysta and Arlen might be great at espionage, but Nikhil had taught them everything they knew.

  “We have to speak to them again,” Krysta argued. “I’m sure they’ll know what to do.”

  Perhaps they did, but likely they’d never decide on something that would actually benefit Camden. Camden would have much preferred to leave them out of this altogether.

  As it turned out, though, his parents chose this exact moment to make their appearance. All three of them stepped into the room, nearly identical frowns on their faces. “What’s going on here?” Zaire asked Arlen and Krysta. “Why are you getting your brother so worked up?”

  “They aren’t,” Camden rushed to assure his sire. “I was merely telling them how much I wanted to come with you to Draechenburg.”

  “Absolutely not.” His father shook his head. “You’re very ill. You need to stay here where you’re safe.”

  For the first time since their argument, Camden’s mother smiled at him. “Your fathers and I have prepared a list of candidates for you to consider as mates. You will stay in Patala and find your other half.”

  “Candidates,” Camden repeated. She actually handed him a book, but Camden didn’t take it. Instead, he chuckled. “You do realize that this process is colder than what I feel inside, right?”

  “It might feel clinical right now,” Zaire said, “but give it a chance. No one is forcing you to take a mate you don’t want. You’ll just be looking over potential life partners. If this doesn’t work out, we’ll look somewhere else.”

  Both of them slithered to his side and hugged him. “Your words upset me a great deal, Camden,” Anais said. “I know that the kindness in you is struggling with the cold, and that’s why you don’t understand that we’re doing the right thing. I promise you that once the draechen are neutralized, the world will be much safer. It won’t be easy, and no one should have to suffer through a war. But sometimes there truly is no other way, not if the draechen attempt to take over the entire world.”

  “You don’t have to worry about that, though,” Zaire added, petting Camden’s hair. “It won’t be right now, even if it does happen. So just concentrate on yourself. You can spend more time with Ender and Endra if it helps, and if someone in the book appeals to you, we can summon him or her to the palace, perhaps arrange a date so you can get to know each other better.”

  His sire’s words sparked something in Camden’s mind. Forcing himself to relax, he finally took the book. “All right,” he told them. “I’ll consider it. But I want to go to Draechenburg with you first. That’s my condition.”

  His parents looked pained. �
�You can’t be serious,” Nikhil said. “Why is this so important to you?”

  Camden couldn’t tell them the truth. He couldn’t reveal that he’d promised himself to a draechen, not just yet. They were already reluctant to bring him along on the trip. If he revealed anything they’d consider suspicious, he would lose any possible chance he had to see Sage anytime soon.

  “I want our people to be safe,” he said. “I don’t think that a war with the draechen is necessary at this point. That’s my reason. Please. Trust me on this. I know my limits and my body. This is what I need.”

  His parents shared puzzled looks. Obviously, they didn’t know what to believe. Camden straightened his back, imagining the way Sage had been the last time they’d seen each other. The picture that popped into his mind managed to contain the cold, at least for now. He wanted to fall to his knees and insist, but he knew that pushing too hard would only make his parents refuse his request. They weren’t only his family, but also his sovereigns, and their will was law.

  Fortunately, Varuna seemed to be on his side. “Very well, Camden,” his mother said. “We will consider this, because we trust you. If you feel better until we need to depart, we will bring you along.”

  “And like I said, we have discussed the war, too, and we realize the implications. We’ve deemed it prudent to wait a little, until the dust settles,” his sire told him. “But know this. We will hold you to your promise to look over the candidates.”

  Camden swallowed around the sudden knot in his throat. Zaire might have been more open-minded as a rule, but when he got pissed, he was just as dangerous as Camden’s father, or perhaps more so. A promise to him—to all of them—was binding.

  But Camden had no choice. Besides, even if he did browse the list, no one would force him into accepting a mate not of his liking. He had to think about the positive aspects of what his sire was saying. They’d agreed not to mount an assault against the draechen, and they kept an open mind toward bringing Camden along. That was what mattered right now.