John glares at me and then turns to face his people. “I think we should stay here and take our chances in the desert rather than entrust our lives to these monsters.”
With a frustrated sigh, I arch a brow at my mate. “He does realize we can understand everything he is saying, does he not?”
She rolls her eyes, shaking her head before addressing her people. “I know it seems scary to entrust our lives to a bunch of aliens. Ones that can shift into dragons, at that. But,” she takes my hand and entwines our fingers, holding them up for her people to see, “Varus rescued me from a predator that would have killed me in the desert. He has done nothing but take care of me since then.”
She turns her gaze to my warriors. “I cannot speak for the Wind Clan, but I can tell you that the Fire Clan are good people. And they are willing to welcome us into their city and offer us a new, safe life.” Her eyes drift over their pitiful settlement. “Besides, our chance of survival is much better with them than out here in the desert.”
Several murmurs of agreement follow her statement. One by one, the females step forward. Four more males join John, standing beside him, three of them leveling a dark gaze at me and my warriors. It seems they are not happy with this turn of events, but they are pitifully outnumbered.
As my gaze rakes over their forms, it is easy to see how much taller and stronger my people are compared to human males. No wonder these females do not feel protected. Their males are weak.
Talia turns to the others. “This calls for a vote. How many are in favor of going with Lilliana and her…” She turns to me with a nervous smile before looking back at her people, “her mate… er… husband?”
All the females raise their hands and all but one of the males do not. It is official. They have lost the vote and I care not if they decide to stay behind. Especially the one named John.
Mistrust shines in the males’ eyes, but I suppose I would be protective of the females as well in their place. In truth, I should not fault them. As pitiful as they may be, they are obviously trying their best to appear strong and capable.
I face Lilliana. “It is decided, then. Each human will go with one of my warriors to fly back to the city.”
After she relays the message, my men begin to shift form. Several of the females and a few of the males inhale sharply as they watch.
My mate places a hand on my forearm, drawing my attention back to her. “What about Skye? We have to get her back, Varus.”
“We will,” I tell her. “But first, we must return to the city.”
Her worried eyes remain locked on mine and I reach out to cup her cheek. “I vow to you, my beautiful mate, Raidyn and his people would never harm a female. She is safe.” I turn a dark gaze toward John. “I suspect there is more to the story of how she was taken than that male is telling us.”
She narrows her eyes. “I get the same feeling.”
“We will send an ambassador to the Wind Clan to find out why she was taken and to ask for her return."
Lilliana nods.
As we fly back in formation, I note several of my warriors seem pleased with the female on their backs. I wonder if any of them have identified their fated mate, as I did when I first saw Lilliana.
The ghost of a smile seems permanently frozen onto Rakan’s normally stoic face while we cross the desert, heading back to the city.
I will ask my father to offer Lilliana’s Clan all the rights granted to our people so that they may live among us as equals. Whatever the future holds, we will now face it together—as one people instead of two.
Epilogue
Lilliana
Although it feels like I’ve known Varus forever, it hasn’t really been that long since he found me in the desert. After his people brought mine to their city, the Fire Clan embraced us with open arms, especially when they found out our species is compatible with theirs.
I stand next to my mate as we watch the Ambassador to the Wind Clan cross the room to greet us. He bows low before straightening.
“My prince,” he greets Varus, then turns to me. “Princess, I’ve just returned from the Wind Clan territory. Your friend, it seems, was indeed taken by a member of the Wind Clan.”
I inhale sharply as worry fills my mind. “Did you talk to her? What did she say? Was it her choice?”
Sadness and concern reflect in his eyes as he shakes his head softly. “Forgive me, Princess, but I was not permitted to see her. The royal family refused to grant me an audience.”
I grip Varus’s arm. “We have to go get her. We have to—”
He takes both of my hands in his as his green eyes pierce mine. “I promise you, Lilliana, no male Drakarian would ever hurt a female. That is a crime none of my people would ever commit.”
“Then why wouldn’t they let the ambassador see her?”
“I do not know. But I can promise you that Prince Raidyn would never harm her.” He lowers his gaze in a pensive look. “Perhaps it has something to do with the king—Raidyn’s father. It is well known that the king is half-mad. The death of Raidyn’s mother broke him many cycles ago. Perhaps he is paranoid that we sent an ambassador to his kingdom to inquire about his son.”
The ambassador steps forward. “We will send a message to Prince Raidyn assuring him that his mate’s people simply wish to speak with her. To confirm that she is safe.”
His statement worries me. An unstable king never boded well in old
