I curl my hands into fists at my side. “Pray she still lives.”
For my sake, as well, I leave unspoken. I will never forgive myself if my mate suffers because I could not be the ruler my Clan needs. We all follow the rule of a broken leader even though I know it is wrong.
Tai shifts nervously, reentering the code to unlock the hallway of cells. A sharp beep and red flashing light draws my attention to the panel as he frowns. “The code is not working.”
Clenching my jaw, I turn my gaze in the direction of the throne room. My father is behind this, I know he is. A rumbling growl escapes my throat as I turn and start down the hallway. My father will pay for mistreating my mate. My vow.
“Where are you going?” Tai calls after me.
“To speak with my father.” I flex my wings as I reach the prison’s exit. I will reach him much faster by flying.
“But your injury, my prince—”
“I am not a fledgling!” I snarl. And it is time my father stopped treating me as such.
As I rush toward the throne room, the two guards stationed on either side of the doors barely have time to throw them open before I push my way inside.
Father’s eyes snap up to meet mine, relief softening his features as he stands. He extends his arms and steps forward as if to embrace me. “Raidyn, my son. Thank the Gods you are well.”
Although it pains me, I move away from his touch. My father loves me more than anything—he always has—but he has become overprotective since I am his only child and last connection to my mother. He loves me to the point of madness. I understand because I miss her too. But I cannot allow his all-consuming obsession with my health and safety to jeopardize my mate.
“Give me the code to the cells.”
His gaze hardens. “No. That female claims one of her kind injured you. They are dangerous.”
“She is my fated one, Father.” I meet his eyes evenly. “You cannot keep her from me.”
His mouth drifts open, dumbstruck. “Your fated one?”
I point to my chest. The glowing fate mark pattern swirls over my scales between my two hearts. “Yes. Now, give me the code.”
He leans forward, his eyes wide and locked on the fated mark. “That fragile creature cannot be your mate.”
I clench my jaw. “First, she is dangerous, and now, she is fragile. Which is it?”
Frustration burns through my veins as I read the indecision in his expression. My father was once a strong leader, decisive and confident. I see now that he is lost beyond recovery.
My gaze darts briefly to Tai, who has caught up to stand beside me. The warriors know my father’s leadership is unreliable and secretly look to me for guidance. I finally realize that we cannot continue in this way. Only one male can be King, and it cannot be the one who occupies the throne in front of me now. Not when we have so much to lose to the Fire Clan if we do not act swiftly.
Instead of answering, he poses another question. “How were you injured? What kind of weapon could pierce your scales?”
“I was in the desert,” I admit. “In Fire Clan territory when I rescued her.”
His brows shoot up to his forehead. “You broke the treaty?”
I ignore his question. “I believe her people crashed in the desert. I saw a strange light falling from the sky not long ago. That is why I crossed into the Fire Clan lands to investigate. And when I found her, my mate was under attack by one of her kind—a male. I rescued her, but he shot me with an energy discharge weapon, similar to what the Elveron use. He thought I was trying to harm her.”
“There are more?”
I nod. “Prince Varus of the Fire Clan had one with him. He claimed she was his linaya as well. It was my mate’s friend. She claimed this female was taken while scouting an area away from their crash site. We must find the rest of them before the Fire Clan does.”
I point again to the mark on my chest. “This proves she is mine. And this also proves they are compatible with our people. The Gods would not have fated us if it were not so. Others might be blessed to find their fated among her kind, but we must reach them before the Fire Clan does. If they take them, our warriors will never have a chance to find out if they are fated to any other human females.”
He shoots up from his chair. “Then we must free your mate so we can locate the rest. Before the Fire Clan do.”
I blink several times. His moods and his decisions change so quickly, it is hard to keep up. At least for now, he is making sense. “Then, you approve of my mate?”
“I suppose I have no choice,” he says grimly. “She does not appear to be strong, but the Gods do not make mistakes. They would not have paired her to you if she were as weak as she appears.” He looks to Tai and the rest of our guards in the throne room. “We will organize a wing to find the rest of her kind in the desert. We will pair them with our strongest males.”
My brow furrows deeply. “Pair them? You cannot force them to accept a male they do not choose.”
My cousin, Durzain, steps from out of the shadows. “Is that not what the Fire Clan would do if they found the rest of the females first?”
I shake my head. Varus may be many things, but dishonorable is not one of
