Chapter 5

In the world I grew up in, power and respect were two sides of the same coin. I’d understood this from a young age. The Sun Fae, my kind, weren’t the most powerful, but we knew who were and depended on them to maintain peace in our lives.

Their world, however, was a different ball game. It was a realm of power and privilege, a world you had to be born into to truly understand. This was the world I was being thrust into, and I knew I had to learn its ways quickly to carve out a place for myself.

I just didn’t anticipate having to do it so soon.

As Navine and I stepped out of the palace into the courtyard, the sound of large wings flapping overhead filled the air. I looked up to see a figure descending from the sky. The sight brought back memories of the day I’d seen Navine flying, and he’d spotted me.

But unlike Navine, this Dragon’s wings were a deep, inky black, spreading out as he landed softly on the grass near us.

To call him handsome would be an understatement. Like Navine, he was tall, his muscular physique evident even beneath his dark blue shirt. His dark skin glowed in the late afternoon light, and thick black and white locks framed his striking face.

But it was his eyes that were truly captivating. Like other Dragons, his eyes had black scalars, but instead of gold irises like Navine’s, his were a brilliant blue.

We stood there, the three of us, locked in a silent exchange for a few moments before he finally broke the silence with his deep, commanding voice.

“Good. You sensed me,” he said.

“Of course I did. I never let my guard down, especially not around my home,” Navine retorted, crossing his arms.

“True, but I did wonder if you’d choose to ignore my arrival. You’ve been making a habit of doing so lately,” the Dragon replied. His gaze then shifted to me. “And this is a surprise. I can’t remember the last time you allowed visitors. She doesn’t look like a servant.”

“She’s not. Raelina is my new bride,” Navine informed him.

“Bride?” the Dragon echoed, skepticism lacing his voice. “Since when did you want a bride?”

“People change their minds over time. And you’re being rude—asking questions without introducing yourself,” Navine chided.

The Dragon frowned at Navine before turning to me. “I didn’t mean to be rude, whether you’re a servant or not. I apologize for not introducing myself earlier.” He bowed slightly. “I am Niles, the Onyx Dragon.”

“It’s nice to meet you, Lord Niles. I am Raelina,” I replied.

Lord Niles straightened up and studied me. “You’re quite different from most Fae women I’ve met. Yet, there’s something familiar about you. Which sect are you from?”

“I’m a Sun Faerie. Our sect was wiped out by lycans when I was five. I was the only survivor,” I explained.

“Ah, I see. I remember meeting some Sun Fae long ago, and you do have their distinctive looks. I also heard about that tragedy. So, you’re the young one Jekia found and saved. It’s good to see you’ve grown up peacefully, although I’m surprised you’re Navine’s bride,” Lord Niles responded.

“There was nothing sudden about it. I just didn’t want to discuss it with any of you until it was done,” Navine interjected.

“Really?” Niles raised an eyebrow at him. “Is that because you wanted to give Raelina time to adjust to her new home, or were you trying to keep Dominick from finding out about her?”

“Don’t talk about that!” Navine snapped.

Lord Niles shrugged off Navine’s anger. “All right. Let’s not continue this conversation then. If you don’t mind, I’d like to come in and discuss what I came for. I’d also like to spend some time with Raelina while I’m here.”

It was clear this wasn’t a request, and Navine didn’t argue.

“All right, I’ll listen. You’ve been pretty persistent about wanting to talk, and it wouldn’t hurt for Raelina to get to know you a bit. You do have a knack for showing up uninvited,” he finally gave in.

“Of course I do. We’ve always been allies. It’s only natural that we continue to be,” Lord Niles replied.

“You two grew up together?” I asked as we made our way back into the palace.

“We did. We’ve been friends and comrades in arms our whole lives. Such alliances are beneficial to everyone, not just our kind,” Navine explained.

Lord Niles nodded in agreement. “That’s true. It’s one of the main reasons the remaining Dragons try to stay connected. There’s strength in numbers, even when the numbers are small.”

By then, we had reached the front parlor. I took a seat on the dark gray couch next to Navine, while Lord Niles settled into a chair nearby.

“It sounds like there aren’t many Dragons left. Anika mentioned something about that too. Did something happen to reduce your numbers?” I asked them.

“Our numbers have been dwindling for centuries, mostly due to internal conflicts. But that’s mostly in the past now, so there’s no need to dwell on it,” Navine reassured me.

“That’s true, but we’re still cautious. We can’t afford to let conflicts spiral out of control and destroy what’s left,” Lord Niles added. He leaned back, his wings folding around his shoulders. “That being said, Navine, I wish you wouldn’t avoid me so much. I have good reasons for seeking you out.”

“I know that, and I’m guessing you wanted to talk about Dominick again. He seems to be causing a lot of problems these days.”

“That’s true. You know his games all too well.”

As they spoke, I tried to remember where I’d heard that name before. ~Dominick~. Yes, he was the other Dragon Anika had mentioned.

“Dominick. He’s the Prism Dragon, right?” I asked.

“He is. I assume you heard about him from the Fae,” Lord Niles guessed.

“Anika mentioned him, along with you. She’s the Faerie who raised me after my sect was killed,” I clarified.

“I hope she didn’t lump me in with him,” Lord Niles said. It was meant to be a joke, but it didn’t sound like one.

“I doubt anyone would, so I wouldn’t worry about it,” Navine told him.

“True,” Lord Niles mused. “A Fae named Anika. Why does that name sound familiar?”

“She’s from the Rainbow Sect, which makes up most of Forge, the village near my mountain,” Navine explained.

“Ah, yes. I remember her now. She was Basil’s wife, wasn’t she?” Lord Niles asked.

“She was,” Navine confirmed. “She still runs the medicine shop in the village and took Raelina in after the massacre.”

“That’s good to hear, for both Raelina and her. I imagine she was quite lonely after Basil’s untimely death,” Lord Niles said.

“I think she was. She often told me how glad she was that I came into her life. But back to what you were saying earlier—are there ongoing issues with Lord Dominick that I should know about?” I asked them.

“In a way, yes, but you don’t need to worry about him. I’ll handle any problems that come up, and I definitely don’t want you interacting with him unless I’m there,” Navine assured me.

“It would be best if you didn’t, at least not at first,” Lord Niles agreed.

I tilted my head, feeling a bit confused. “You make it sound like Lord Dominick is nothing but trouble.”

“He’s caused a lot of problems in the past, even if he says he’s trying to change. That’s enough for me to be cautious about anything he gets involved in,” Navine said, turning back to Lord Niles.

“So, what did you want to talk to me about regarding him this time?”

“Right now, it’s not a pressing issue, but I’m worried he might exploit the situation. Navine, did you know that both of Jekia’s sons have picked their Betas in the past year?” Lord Niles asked.

I tried to keep my cool as he questioned Navine, even though the memory of the last time I saw Rayne flashed in my mind. I didn’t need to let that bother me anymore. Navine had chosen me, and I was his.

Navine shrugged. “I heard about it, but didn’t think much of it. What’s the connection?”

Lord Niles explained, “There seems to be a snag with one of those Betas. My sources tell me there are some nasty rumors about her, and they seem to be coming from the Matchmaking Houses.”

Navine nodded. “I see. You think Dominick might stir up trouble because of his ties to those Houses.”

I jumped in. “Can I ask what kind of trouble you’re talking about? I’m guessing you mean Lord Rayne’s beta, Lady Luna, right? As far as I know, Lord Rin’s beta, Lady Aurora, has been with him for over a year, and I haven’t heard any bad talk about her, even though she’s human.”

Lord Niles confirmed, “You’re right. The rumors are about Luna and seem to stem from her unusual heritage.”

I was even more puzzled. “Unusual heritage? But she’s a Willow Faerie. I didn’t think they were considered that unique.”

Lord Niles explained, “Usually, they’re not. But it seems you haven’t heard much about her yet, so let me fill you in. From what I understand, Luna is only half Willow Fae from her mother’s side. Her father was an Incubus.”

I was stunned. Luna’s father was an Incubus? How on earth was Rayne allowed to choose someone like her?

But I instantly regretted that thought. It wasn’t fair for me to jump to conclusions when I knew nothing about her, and I couldn’t shake the feeling that some of this was coming from my own heart. Even though I’d said I was over Rayne, he was the first one I’d really liked.

Navine asked, “That being said, I don’t see why that should matter to anyone. Rayne wouldn’t have been allowed to choose her if it was a problem. So, are we saying the only issues are nasty rumors from people who might be jealous of her?”

Lord Niles replied, “It seems that way. While rumors shouldn’t be given much weight, I’m worried about how Dominick might fan the flames just for fun. He’s always liked stirring up trouble, especially when it involves the rulers.”

I added, “He might, but I doubt he’ll get far with just rumors, and he shouldn’t. Besides, Lord Rayne won’t let it go on once he finds out. He’s as honorable as Lord Jekia, and I bet he’s just as loyal to the one he believes is his soulmate.”

Navine agreed, “I think so too, and I don’t see how Dominick would gain anything by causing more trouble. That said, you’re right about Raelina being here, and no, I don’t like the idea of her meeting him. Not only will he be interested in her because she’s mine, but I’m sure he’ll also try to dig into her friendship with Rin and Rayne.”

I guessed, “So, you think he might try to turn me against them or you?”

Lord Niles reassured me, “It’s possible, but don’t worry too much. None of us will let him push you around.” He sighed quietly and looked at Navine. “That being said, you know you can’t avoid their meeting forever, or keep her a secret.”

Navine assured him, “I know that, and I don’t plan on hiding her forever. I just want to give Raelina some time to get used to being here and with me before you all start insisting on meeting her.”

I wasn’t entirely convinced, but I decided to roll with it. After all, he made a valid point. I wanted to adjust to being with him before I met the rest of the Dragons, especially the one who might stir up trouble. I needed to make sure our relationship was built on solid ground, and that was going to take some time given how fast we’d jumped into things.

“It’s a pleasure to meet you, Lord Niles, but I’m with Navine on this one. I need some time to adjust to everything before meeting the others,” I chimed in.

“That’s fair, and I have no problem keeping this under wraps for a while if that’s what you want. But it might be wise for Navine to think about having a small gathering with the Dragons to introduce you soon. That way, everyone will understand your role beside him and respect it,” Lord Niles suggested.

“I’ll think about it, but as I said, I want some alone time with her first,” Navine said, shifting the conversation slightly as he turned to me. “I hope you don’t mind, but could you give Niles and me some time alone? We have some things to discuss privately.”

“That’s fine. I’d like to explore this place a bit more on my own,” I agreed. I stood up and gave a polite nod to Lord Niles. “It was nice meeting you, Lord Niles, and I look forward to seeing more of you in the future.”

Lord Niles stood and returned my nod. “The feeling is mutual. Take care, my lady.”

As I left the room and walked down the hallway, I didn’t feel any resentment about meeting Lord Niles. He was nothing but polite to me. I could see myself forming a good friendship with him over time.

The conversation he had with Navine was still on my mind as I wandered aimlessly. The gossip about Luna—gossip that could be fueled by this other Dragon, Lord Dominick. I still couldn’t comprehend Luna’s true lineage.

Did Anika know and choose not to tell me, or did Lord Jekia try to hide it? No, I couldn’t imagine Lord Jekia doing something like that. It would only cause more problems.

And besides, who were we to judge Luna when we didn’t even know her? I was guilty of that when I first heard about her father. But just because she was born of an Incubus didn’t make her evil.

And on top of that, I trusted Rayne’s judgment as well as his father’s. They wouldn’t have associated with her if she were trying to manipulate him.

As I walked into the courtyard, I made up my mind. No, I wouldn’t judge Luna unfairly, nor would I entertain any gossip about her. Maybe one day I would get the chance to meet her.

Then I could form my own opinion. I knew I had other important things to think about too. I was now Navine’s wife, and this was my new home.

I’d even kissed him just before Lord Niles showed up. I stopped in the middle of the courtyard as I remembered that, lightly touching my lips. How amazing.

I didn’t think a simple kiss could feel so incredible. Did that mean I was destined to be with Navine all along?

Slow down, Raelina! I scolded myself internally. You know you’re really attracted to Navine, so of course you’d enjoy kissing him. I couldn’t lie to myself about that.

I’d been drawn to Navine from the moment we met. That was a big reason why I’d agreed to all of this. Feeling such a strong attraction to him would help me get over Rayne.

It also helped that he’d been treating me well from the start. He hadn’t asked anything unreasonable of me, and he was offering me this beautiful home and giving me whatever I wanted. Yes, all of that made this transition a bit easier.

“You seem lost in thought,” a male voice suddenly said.

I gasped and quickly looked around for the source of the voice, but I didn’t see anyone else in the courtyard. The voice didn’t sound like Navine or Lord Niles. It had a slight hiss to it.

“Who’s there? Where are you?” I demanded.

“Don’t be so jumpy. I’m not here to hurt you, and I can’t come inside. I was just hoping we could chat for a bit. It’s been a while since anyone’s been willing to,” the man replied.

I tried to calm my racing heart, maintaining my cool as I stood rooted to the spot.

“Where are you? Don’t you think I should see who I’m talking to?” I asked.

“If you want to see me, I don’t mind. Come to the gate on your left so we can face each other,” he suggested.

I turned to my left, my gaze landing on the gate he mentioned. It was a large, black iron structure, and all I could see beyond it was the forest. Despite my nerves, curiosity won out, and I walked over, peering through the bars and scanning the trees and underbrush.

“I can’t see you,” I said, standing there.

“That’s because I haven’t come out yet,” he replied.

I felt a wave of irritation. “If you’re not coming out, then I’m going back inside. I won’t waste my time talking to you.”

I heard a soft chuckle, followed by the rustling of branches near the gate. Looking up, I saw a figure moving among the trees. Their body trailed into a long tail that wrapped around the branches as they slowly descended to the underbrush. After a few more seconds, they finally emerged by the gate.

From the waist up, their body resembled a man’s. He had broad shoulders and a muscular build under his loose, half-unbuttoned black shirt. His black hair fell around his shoulders, partially covering his bright green eyes. His face was handsome, his skin pale like marble, and his mouth extended across his cheeks. Looking down, I saw his skin transition into scales that formed his long tail.

“A Snake?” I blurted out.

“You sound surprised,” he remarked.

“A bit. I didn’t expect to see a Snake up here on the mountain,” I confessed.

“Usually, you wouldn’t. But I like to think I’m not your average Snake,” he said, sounding suspiciously proud.

“How can you survive up here? I know it’s warm now, but what about the cold nights and the coming winter?” I asked.

“I don’t worry about that. I’ve been around here for years and have learned to adapt,” he assured me. He coiled his serpentine body underneath him, settling comfortably.

“But I was surprised to see you here. Are you here to serve Lord Navine?”

“That depends on what you mean by serving him.”

He chuckled again. “You’re quite witty. I like that. It’s refreshing to meet a woman who’s both beautiful and sharp.”

“I wouldn’t say I’m particularly sharp-witted. It just comes out sometimes,” I admitted.

“It’s still there, so it counts,” he replied. He patted the ground. “Please, sit and talk with me. It’ll be more comfortable than standing, and I doubt you’re in a rush if you’re out here alone.”

“That’s true. I have some free time right now. Navine is meeting with Lord Niles, so I’m off the hook for now,” I confessed, sitting near the gate.

“I wouldn’t call that a bad thing. They’re probably just discussing local politics, which can get pretty dull.”

“True,” I agreed. “If I may ask, do you have a name, Mr. Snake?”

“Mr. Snake. How charming. But ‘mister’ doesn’t really suit me. You can call me Nanash,” he introduced himself.

“It’s nice to meet you, Nanash. I’m Raelina.”

“Raelina. That’s a lovely name, and you seem like a lovely Fae. I haven’t met many, though. As you can imagine, most aren’t too keen on talking to—or even being around—creatures like me,” Nanash said.

“I can see why. Even if most Snakes aren’t as wild, they’re still dangerous predators to the Fae,” I reminded him.

Nanash gave a nonchalant shrug. “Sure, but I can’t say I’ve ever been particularly drawn to hunting Fae like you. My family, though, they might have been. They had a tendency to be pretty brutal, thinking they were more than they actually were. I never really liked that about them, among other things.”

“Is that why you chose this mountain? To get away from them?” I asked.

“You’ve got it,” Nanash confirmed. He shifted a bit, leaning closer to the gate.

“I vowed never to be like them, even if it meant a solitary and somewhat tough life. That’s why I came here. I’m not judged here, and I’ve been able to live as I please.”

“But does Navine know you’re here? This is his territory, even if you’re not on palace grounds.”

“He does, but we don’t talk much. I don’t cause any trouble, so he doesn’t mind my being here.”

“That makes sense.”

“So, what about you, Raelina?” Nanash asked. “I’m guessing Lord Navine brought you here. Are you his servant?”

“No. He brought me here to be his wife,” I replied.

Nanash’s expression faltered a bit. “His wife?”

“Yes. Is there a problem?” I asked him.

“No, not at all,” Nanash quickly reassured me, shaking his head. “It’s just surprising. I didn’t think Lord Navine would ever marry, considering how long he’s been alone. But this is good. Alphas are usually more stable when they’re in love.”

I looked down. “I wouldn’t exactly call it love yet. It’s more of an arrangement for now.”

“An arrangement? How so?” Nanash asked.

“I think that’s the best way to describe it. Navine and I met three days ago, and he proposed. I accepted,” I explained.

“I see. So it’s like when alphas choose their Betas,” Nanash concluded.

“Not exactly. I’m just his wife. He doesn’t want a beta,” I clarified.

“Interesting,” Nanash said. He seemed like he wanted to say more, but he let it go.

“I guess if that’s what he wants, it works. I assume he’ll let you stay in touch with your sect, so it shouldn’t be too hard for you here.”

“I don’t have a sect. They all died when I was five,” I corrected him.

“Your entire sect died? How did that happen?”

“They were killed by the lycans. I was the only one who escaped.”

Nanash looked shocked at this. His green eyes widened as if he remembered something. But they softened quickly, and he moved closer to the gate.

“I see. That’s really tragic, and I’m sorry it happened to you. But I’m sure your life will be better here,” he said.

“I hope so,” I agreed, moving closer to the gate with him. “I enjoy talking to you. There’s something comforting about it, even though you’re a Snake.”

Nanash’s smile was a bit sheepish. “I like to think I’m more than just a Snake, and I’m glad you enjoy talking to me. I hope we can talk more now that you’re here. It would be nice to have a friend, don’t you think?”

I returned his smile. “It would.”

“Also,” he added, glancing at the palace, “feel free to talk to me about anything. I know things might get complicated with Navine and the other Dragons. It might help to have someone impartial to listen and maybe give advice.”

I wondered if Nanash knew more about the Dragons than he was letting on, but I decided to let it go for now. I could always ask him more later, once we knew each other better.

“Thanks for that. I guess you must know a thing or two about them, having lived here for a while,” I said.

“Nanash, you sure do have a knack for knowing things,” I said. “But I guess we can save those stories for another day.”

I could feel the presence of Lord Navine and Lord Niles approaching. “I think it’s time for you to go. We wouldn’t want you to overstay your welcome.”

“I get it,” he said, rising to his feet.

Nanash gave me a quick, knowing smile before he slipped back into the underbrush, out of sight. I stayed put, right by the gate.

It was comforting to think that Nanash might turn out to be an ally, but I knew I had to tread lightly.

After all, snakes are known for their danger, and he could be setting me up for a fall.

But for now, all I could do was wait and see how things unfolded. I had to trust that I was safe here in this palace, under Navine’s protection.