Lilliana scoots closer to my side. “He really looks like he doesn’t like me. At all, Varus.”
I send her another nervous smile. “He’s angry with me for disappearing for two days.”
She purses her lips, not believing my lie as she gestures to my mother. “And what about her? Are you going to tell me that’s her I’m-happy-to-meet-you face?”
I lower my head, unable to hold her gaze and unwilling to lie anymore. “Forgive me,” I whisper. “I just do not want to upset you.”
My hearts clench at her faint smile. “It’s all right, Varus. I’m sure I’m”—she looks down, gesturing at her form—“something of a shock to them.”
I bring her hand to my lips and place a soft kiss to the space between her thumb and forefinger before I turn to glare at my father. “Calm down. You are scaring my mate.”
“He looks even more upset than your mother,” Lilly adds.
Unfortunately, my mate is perceptive. I turn and gently tuck a stray tendril of hair behind her ear as I stare deep into her luminous green eyes. “I am sorry, my linaya. You are the first fated mate of a different species. My parents are…” I cast about for a word that will not offend her. Drawing a blank, I finally finish, “stunned that you are my fated one. They will need some time to understand.”
She turns to face them, her eyes bright with tears as she places one hand over her hearts. “I don’t want to come between you and your son. I love him, but I… I lost my parents three years ago, so I understand how important family is.”
My father’s expression softens as my mother blinks back tears of her own.
When they don’t speak, Lilly turns to me. “They can understand me, right?”
I nod, then address them. “Lilliana is my fated one and I will not take anyone else as my mate.” She rewards me with a brilliant smile and happiness blooms in my chest, cementing my resolve. “Mother. Father. You cannot change the will of the Gods who sent her to me.”
I gesture at the spot on my chest directly over my beating hearts. “Here. If you need proof, here is the fated mark upon my scales.”
My father gapes as the pattern swirls across my chest. “It is truth,” he whispers to himself.
“And there are more of her people. Females,” I add. “They are lost in the desert and need our help to survive. While Lilliana and I were searching for them, we came across Raidyn. He saw my mate and—"
My father interrupts. “There are more females?”
“Yes.”
He turns to my mother. “The Gods would not have paired them if this species’ females were not biologically compatible with our race.” He pauses. “Do you realize what this could mean?”
Understanding dawns on my mother’s face and she smiles. “We still have a chance at grandchildren.”
I struggle to bite back a sigh of frustration. Grandchildren are all my mother seems to care about these days. The moment Noralla arrived, Mother decided to start decorating the room adjoining mine as a nursery for our future fledglings.
I continue. “Raidyn and I fought, but I managed to defeat him. However, I’m certain the Wind Clan is searching for Lilliana’s people already. We must find them first and bring them to our city, where we can protect them.”
My father curls his fists at his side in anger. “In attacking you, Raidyn has broken the alliance. We cannot allow his Clan to capture the females, nor can we allow his transgression to go unpunished.”
I lower my gaze, not bothering to tell him that Raidyn and I have sparred several times before. He is the one I seek out when I am angry and in need of a fight. We used to spar in tests of strength as children, releasing our aggression on each other. I’d like to think some sliver of our friendship still survives even though he blames our people for the death of his mother. After all, I have no wish to start a war with his Clan.
“I agree. But instead of declaring war upon the Wind Clan, we should simply concentrate on finding my mate’s people.”
Father gives me a solemn nod. “I will gather our best warriors to escort you into the desert and retrieve her people.”
I nod. “While you do, I will take Lilliana to the Healer to tend her wound.”
“Wound?” my mother repeats with wide eyes, suddenly concerned about the mate she dismissed so easily earlier. “What happened? Did Raidyn—”
I shake my head emphatically. Raidyn may have lost his way, but he is Drakarian first and foremost. A Drakarian would never injure a female. “No. She was attacked by a sand tarkin.”
“What are you waiting for?” Mother demands. “Take her to the Healer immediately and get her a translator chip while you’re there.”
I turn to Lilliana with a grin. “See? Now they like you.”
She smiles at both my parents as we leave my chambers.
When we cross the threshold, my father calls after us.
“I’ll assemble the warriors. We leave at first light.”
Chapter 18
Varus
As we make our way to the Medical Center, it’s hard to ignore the gawking people as we pass. Many of them whisper under their breath about my mate’s strange appearance. I’m glad that she does not have a translator chip yet, or the stares might make her self-conscious.
Lilliana tugs on my arm. “What are they saying? Are they talking about me?”
I don’t want to tell her, but I’m reluctant to lie again, so with a heavy sigh, I admit the truth. “Yes. They find your appearance… unique.”
To my surprise, she lifts her shoulders with a warm smile. “I guess I’m the alien here, aren’t I?”
A teasing smirk twists my lips. “And a strange one, at that.”
Her jaw drops in mock offense, but then she laughs and playfully hits my arm
