“With all due respect, Your Majesty, no one is pretending here. Camden is my mate, and our bond is real and true. I would do anything for him.”
It was an honest statement, but he knew he’d said too much when a speculative expression appeared on Nikhil’s face. “Anything?” he repeated. “Would that include accepting another mate for Camden?”
At Nikhil’s inquiry, Sage’s dragon roared inside him, resenting the idea, wanting to hurt someone just at the suggestion. He gritted his teeth, struggling not to let it show. It helped that Camden slipped to his side and took his hand. Through that, Sage succeeded to gather his wits.
“If there was no other way, if the alternative meant losing Camden, I would accept it,” he finally replied. “No, cancel that. If it was something Camden wanted, I would support it.”
It would kill him to see someone else touching his mate, but if Camden needed it, he would do what was best for his other half.
“Understandable,” Anais answered, her dark eyes scanning Sage’s face. “But regardless of what you want, the fact remains that Camden would be coming back with us home to Patala.”
“Sage is my home,” Camden shot back. “You can’t separate us.”
Camden’s parents glowered at him. “You will do as you are told, child,” Zaire said. “I won’t have you disobeying us again. Plus you made us a promise.”
Camden winced, a flash of a memory passing through his mind. When Sage caught a glimpse of it, he bristled. The idea of what they planned for his mate made his dragon rear its head angrily. While Sage struggled to control his temper, Camden’s brother, Arlen, intervened. “We should take this conversation elsewhere,” he suggested softly. “I’m sure His Majesty has better things to worry about than our family problems.”
“Quite true,” the queen confirmed. “Let’s go, Camden. We’ll discuss this in our quarters. Lieutenant Zager, I trust you’ll have the respect to stay away.”
“I don’t think that would be a very good idea,” Sage replied. “The last time I did so, Camden got sick, and I wasn’t feeling too hot myself.”
“He has a point,” Camden’s sister, Krysta, offered. “We all know how serious the illness can get. Perhaps he could join us in Patala.”
“A draechen in our home?” Zaire scowled at his daughter. “Are you out of your—”
He stopped himself before he could finish the phrase when Nikhil threw a gaze his way. For a few moments, the naga leaders remained silent, obviously communicating through their mate bond.
Finally, Nikhil turned toward Sage. “Well? Are you interested in coming with us?”
Sage realized that he couldn’t expect Camden to stay here. The naga’s innocence might have been proven, but that didn’t make Draechenburg safe for Camden. He wasn’t foolish enough to believe the Isaiat would accept him just like that, but the alternative was simply unconceivable.
“Don’t be so hasty to accept,” Camden warned him. “Whatever agreement they force you into, it’s likely going to have very harsh conditions.”
“I wouldn’t be surprised,” Sage answered. “All the advantages are on their side. But as long as we’re together, I can take it.”
He’d failed Camden. He knew that. His mate should have never been locked up like a criminal. The Isaiat had every right to be angry. So Sage would agree to whatever they requested, as long as it didn’t imply a separation from Camden.
“Yes,” he said out loud. “I am.”
“You wouldn’t have the liberties you do now,” Zaire said, dark satisfaction in his voice. “You would be forbidden to use your magic and to shift into your dragon form. We’d assign you a room to stay in, but you could leave it only at our discretion and under heavy guard.”
In Camden’s memories, he appeared as a benevolent, open-minded figure, but it was obvious that once someone crossed the line, Zaire’s anger could become fierce. Sadly, Ornoz had created this situation by imprisoning Zaire’s family.
Even so, Camden gasped. “Sire, you can’t be serious. You can’t make Sage a prisoner.”
“Why not?” Nikhil arched a brow. “It is what the draechen did to us.”
“It’s all right, beautiful,” Sage sent to his mate, feeding calming waves of comfort into the bond. “I’m not afraid.” Straightening his back, he faced Zaire without hesitation.
“I agree to your terms, with one exception. I’ll need to shift from time to time, because otherwise, my dragon will get wild and I’ll become dangerous. As a second caveat, I want reassurance that you will not keep Camden from me and that you will give us privacy.”
“I promise, in the name of the Almighty Varuna, that Camden will be allowed to visit you as is his pleasure,” the queen said. Sage didn’t miss the ambiguity of her phrasing, but he couldn’t ask for anything more.
“One more thing,” Zaire added. “As per the Directive, you will be forbidden to breed. I trust you haven’t been foolish enough to commit such a thing already. Also because of our circumstances, Camden will not be considered your concubine, but the other way around.”
“Actually, no, Sire,” Camden said between gritted teeth. “We are naga. We have no need for concubines. Sage is my mate, and if any of the candidates you suggest want to be considered, they’ll have to accept and be accepted by Sage as well.”
Sage squeezed Camden’s hand harder, wishing he could compensate for the pain coursing through Camden. His mate wanted a family with Sage, especially since he’d been so close to his parents and siblings. Sage had to admit that he felt the same, but it was true that the Directive prohibited breeding outside one’s own caste.
It was actually quite strange. Before meeting Camden, Sage had never expected to be placed in such a situation. Being a draechen in a pretty important position gave him privileges that second caste members simply didn’t have, even if they were royalty. Then again, Sage had always thought that, in many ways, the Directive had ridiculous provisions that shouldn’t exist in a modern piece of legislation. He was just glad that Camden had stood up for him.
He wondered if the Isaiat realized that Camden and Sage hadn’t even had penetrative sex yet. Sometimes, Sage himself was shocked that he hadn’t pounced Camden one day and simply taken him. And okay, he really shouldn’t be thinking about fucking his mate right now. He had to focus on the serious situation he and Camden were in, not on his libido.
Truth be told, Sage didn’t want to comply with this particular condition, but he was stuck in a corner. “We’ll agree for now, until we can come up with a better solution,” he sent to his mate.
Camden nodded. “It wouldn’t be wise to bring a child into the world under these circumstances anyway.”
He was right, but it really didn’t make Sage feel any better about it. Either way, he had no choice. “Very well,” he told the naga royal family. “I’ll agree to your terms.”
For the first time since the entire conversation had turned toward Sage’s private matters, Hareematek intervened. “As your emperor, I must caution against this, Lieutenant. I know my brother would say the same if he were here. Be wary.”
“Your Majesty, stay out of this,” King Nikhil said, narrowing his eyes.
“I cannot.” Hareematek frowned back. “This problem is my responsibility as well, and Sage is my subject.”
Before the issue could escalate into outright violence, the conversation was interrupted by a knock. The emperor almost looked relieved. “Enter!” he called out.
Predictably, Karein and his mate slid inside. “With your permission, Your Majesty, I bring good news,” Karein said. He glanced toward the naga sovereigns. “But perhaps now would not be the ideal time to deliver it.”
All the blood drained out of the naga queen’s face. “What did you do, you monster?” she hissed, the peculiarity of her voice now clearly showing her reptilian nature. “What happened to my people?”
“No one is a monster here, Queen Anais.” Prince Sareltae glared at her, protectiveness shining in his eyes. �
�We all want to avoid a war. Surely you can see that.”
“You don’t want to know what I think,” Anais replied, sneering at Sareltae.
She knew better than to insult the fae prince outright, but she was obviously not at all in control of the situation like she wanted to appear. Zaire’s hand landed on her shoulder, and some of the tension faded from her stance.
“What are you trying to prove, Emperor Hareematek? That you can defeat Patala so easily? Don’t make me laugh. No man, no matter how powerful, can go against an entire army.”
But Karein wasn’t just any man. He was the first black dragon to be born in generations, the heir of Prince Kaelezrin who had once been instrumental in defeating the vampires and werewolves.
Camden’s annoyance coursed through their bond, and to his surprise, Sage realized his mate was jealous. “You shouldn’t admire him so much,” Camden said through their bond. “He isn’t so great.”
“I respect him, and not only for his contribution to Ornoz’s welfare. He’s a good man, and he’s always been strong enough to do what was needed for the world as a whole.”
“You wanted to be his mate. You’d have been his now if he hadn’t refused you.”
Sage gaped at Camden. Out of all the possible things that could come back to bite him in the ass, why did Camden have to zero on that offer he’d made so long ago? Camden was the one who wanted two mates, not Sage. The fact that he’d agreed to it didn’t mean that he was happy about it, or that he wanted someone else himself.
As he and Sage glared at each other, the emperor went rigid. “I believe it’s time we ended this meeting.”
His voice had become almost a growl, which was quite strange because he’d been quite calm until then. Similarly, Karein took a threatening step forward, and whatever calm the naga sovereigns had mustered was thrown out the window. King Zaire actually turned into his naga form, his lower half becoming snake-like.
The sight distracted Sage from his own disagreement with Camden. Sage was halfway into summoning a spell when he realized what he was doing. This wasn’t what he wanted. He valued his mate’s family, because Camden did. And why were he and Camden suddenly arguing about something so irrelevant to their current circumstances?
“Something’s wrong,” Camden said through their connection. Taking a few deep breaths, he leaned against Sage. Sage wrapped an arm around Camden’s shoulder, trying to sort his wild emotions.
Meanwhile, Prince Sareltae stepped between the naga and his mate. “Everyone, please, remain calm,” Sareltae said. “This isn’t what you want.”
“And what would you know about we want, Prince Sareltae?” Zaire hissed. “Perhaps I show give you a hint.”
He swept his tail over the floor, the blow aimed directly at Sareltae. The fae threw up a shield, but it wasn’t even necessary. Karein was already there, intercepting Zaire. Before anyone could even blink, he gripped Zaire in an iron-like vise, his power flowing over the naga and making him go limp.
Chaos exploded over the throne room. It was like a scene torn out from one of Sage’s worst nightmares. He had dreaded this, dreaded the unavoidable clash between the two species. He had hoped to avoid it, but it seemed that things wouldn’t go his way.
Out of the blue, Karein released Zaire, dropping him onto the floor. He slipped to Sareltae’s side and took the fae in his arms. Zaire’s mates and children rushed to his side, and Sage was forced to release Camden, too, so that his other half could make sure his sire was all right.
Fortunately, Zaire seemed unharmed. He shared a brief kiss with Anais, and another with Nikhil, then, as his reptilian side became human again, he hugged Camden. Camden helped Zaire up. It was quite humbling to watch them together, and Sage had to admit he felt a little abandoned.
“Don’t,” Camden whispered in his mind. “We’ll figure this out. I promise you.”
Sage pushed back his apprehension and forced himself to think positively. “Yes, we will.”
As he spoke, Karein pulled away from Sareltae, breathing hard. He didn’t speak, just staring at the naga family in silence. In the end, it was the emperor who broke the standoff. “This incident is very regrettable and should have never occurred.”
“The mistake was on our side first,” Nikhil said reluctantly. “We shouldn’t have attacked Prince Shtamakarein’s mate.”
“Indeed,” Karein said. “But I am willing to let it slide, just this once. Something just doesn’t feel right about this whole thing. I don’t suppose you have any other dubious secrets and connections?”
“What exactly are you implying?” Anais asked.
“Nothing,” Karein answered. “It was merely a simple inquiry. That is all.”
“Of course it was,” Hareematek said. “And since we have this misunderstanding out of the way, perhaps you’d like to give an opinion on the matter we were discussing. It seems that Their Highnesses aren’t happy with us at all, and they mean to take it out on Lieutenant Zager.”
Sage was aware of the risk he was taking by agreeing to this proposition. However, he also understood the naga’s position and anger. If he’d been in their situation, he’d have felt furious as well, and, to a certain extent, he did, although his anger was directed toward the previous emperor and empress. In any case, the fact remained that, in some ways, he had failed Camden and his family, and he was willing to pay for that. He just didn’t want to do so through a separation from Camden.
“What we mean to do regarding our son’s mating is none of Prince Shtamakarein’s concern,” Anais said. “We don’t make a habit of accepting strangers in Patala. If we are to do so, Lieutenant Zager has to abide by some rules.”
“You don’t even want to allow him to shift, Mother,” Camden intervened. “Please. You can’t expect—”
“Enough!” Zaire snapped. “We won’t discuss this further. Your mate will do as we ask, or he won’t be allowed into Patala.”
Camden crossed his arms over his chest in a stubborn look. “And I won’t leave Sage’s side. Does that mean I’m not welcome in Patala anymore?”
Emotions were flaring brightly, much more than Sage had even expected. He didn’t like it, and under the circumstances, any answer could possibly ruin the relationship between Camden and his parents.
“It’s fine,” he rushed to assure everyone. “As long as we can all come to an agreement, I don’t mind having to sacrifice my freedom. It’s only fair.”
The emperor looked pained, but it was Karein who spoke out, “You don’t have to pay the price for the slight against the Isaiat, Sage. You’re a good man, and you did your best.”
He squeezed Sage’s shoulder, and might have actually hugged him, a gesture that wasn’t very common of him. However, Camden got in the way, attaching himself to Sage’s side and glowering at Karein. It was all very strange. The sharing mentality of the naga didn’t always stifle Camden’s jealousy, but even when Camden showed possessiveness, he did so discreetly. Not so, now. Sage really didn’t want to think about his own jealous nature, or what could stir it. He just needed to make sure that Camden would be safe and his bonds with his family unblemished.
“I’ll be fine,” he told Karein. “I have faith that fate wouldn’t have coupled me with Camden if we hadn’t been meant to be together. It might be hard for me to adapt at first, but I believe that, in time, we’ll all get accustomed to each other.”
Zaire scoffed, which wasn’t promising in the slightest. For his part, Karein didn’t seem convinced, but mercifully, he kept himself from making any further comments.
“Then it’s settled,” Anais finally said into the silence. “Lieutenant Zager will be coming with us, according to the terms we established. Be thankful, Emperor Hareematek. You’ve dodged another bullet.”
But no one was thankful, not really. In fact, out of every emotion of all the people present, gratitude was likely among the absent ones. There was so much about this entire situation that felt off, and not only because Sage had basically agreed to be
enslaved. The whole atmosphere seemed poisoned somehow. Could anyone else realize it, or was it just Sage’s imagination?
“No, it’s not just you,” Camden said through their bond. “I feel it, too, like there’s something fueling my anger. Perhaps it’s nothing, but to tell you the truth, I’d rather not stick around here much longer.”
Sage could empathize, given the less than pleasant experience Camden had with Draechenburg. He couldn’t say he was extremely happy about it, since Patala would likely be even worse for him, but he accepted that as a necessary thing.
“I promise I won’t let them hurt you,” Camden added. “If push comes to shove, we’ll run away together.”
The idea appealed to Sage, but something still weighed heavily on his heart. He’d have to say good-bye to his own family. Overlords only knew when he’d see them again. His father still hadn’t forgiven him for taking the naga’s side in the entire affair, even if their innocence had been proven beyond any shadow of a doubt. Sage hoped to at least say good-bye to his loved ones on friendly terms. Hanna would understand, and it was her that Sage would miss the most. But it couldn’t be helped. This was a sacrifice Sage had to make. Sage might have been confused and worried about some things, but there was one thing he felt certain of. Camden simply wasn’t safe around draechen.
“We’ll take one step at a time,” Sage sent to Camden. “Everything will be all right. You’ll see.”
As he spoke, he wrapped an arm around Camden’s waist. It wasn’t easy, but when Camden cuddled close to his side, Sage actually dared to believe his own words. Whatever came their way, he needed to have faith in their bond, in each other. They just had to stand firm and not allow anyone, not Camden’s family, or Sage’s people, to tear them apart. And that, Sage could do.
* * * *
“Take care of yourself, all right?” Hanna hugged Sage tightly, tears glittering at the corners of her eyes. “And don’t forget about us.”
“Never,” Sage replied as he returned her embrace. “You’re my sister and I love you, and I love our parents. That won’t ever change.”
Naga's Concubine [Chronicles of the Shifter Directive 4] (Siren Publishing Epic Romance, ManLove) Page 4
