Chapter 6

I lingered at the gate, watching as Navine and Lord Niles emerged, oblivious to Nanash’s earlier presence—or perhaps choosing to ignore it. Nanash had long since disappeared.

The atmosphere remained pleasant in the moments that followed. Lord Niles, pressed for time, bid me goodbye, assuring me of his return. I found myself looking forward to his next visit, eager to know him better, and hopefully the other Dragons too.

But as dusk fell, the reality of my situation began to sink in. This was my first night in the palace, my first night as the wife of my new husband.

In simpler terms, my first night as a newlywed.

I wasn’t entirely sure how Navine intended to announce our marriage, but I wasn’t naive enough to think he wouldn’t expect more from me that night. I convinced myself I was ready, though I couldn’t deny the nerves fluttering in my stomach.

I knew the basics of relationships and intimacy, thanks to my teenage curiosity and the wisdom of Anika. But knowledge and experience are two different things, and I was acutely aware of that.

Lost in these thoughts, I stood on the balcony, gazing at the darkening, multicolored horizon. The air was growing chillier, but I wasn’t ready to retreat indoors. Instead, I mulled over the revelations of the day.

The information I’d learned was startling, and I longed to discuss it with Anika, though I knew Navine would likely forbid it. I was shocked to discover Luna’s father was an Incubus and that malicious rumors were circulating about her.

Were these rumors born out of spite and jealousy? As much as I hated to admit it, they seemed plausible. Yet, I felt I knew Rayne well, and Lord Jekia and his family too.

I couldn’t believe they would let Luna become Rayne’s beta if they thought there was any risk, especially Emelio. That mage was as protective as they come—a duty bestowed upon him by the Higher Powers.

He wouldn’t have allowed any of this if there was too much risk. He wouldn’t let anything disrupt the royal family.

This led me to wonder about the Dragons’ potential role in all this, particularly Lord Dominick. He seemed to relish stirring up trouble and had close ties with the Matchmaking Houses.

~Matchmaking Houses! What a farce they are!~

I never hid my contempt for the Matchmaking Houses. It wasn’t their pandering to the upper classes that irked me, but their very ethos. The girls they groomed were taught to be “proper” young women, ready to be married off to powerful creatures.

There was rarely any genuine courtship or love. They were simply convenient wives, and the Houses profited handsomely. But standing there, I had to admit, my situation wasn’t much different.

Navine hadn’t chosen me out of love. Sure, there was an attraction, but that was it. We had no history, no foundation to build upon.

Still, I didn’t feel like this was akin to the Matchmaking Houses’ dealings. After all, Navine had sought me out, chosen me. I’d made my choice the moment we met, even if I’d tried to deny it.

Did that mean there was a deeper connection between us than I’d realized? Perhaps, but I also couldn’t ignore my eagerness to move on from Rayne.

I was already emotionally scarred from the loss of my parents and sect, despite my attempts to appear strong. Even a minor heartbreak was a struggle for me.

~I should tread carefully here.~

I tensed as arms encircled me from behind, pulling me gently against a firm body.

“Did I scare you? I figured you’d be more aware of your surroundings,” Navine teased me gently.

“I usually am, but I guess I let my thoughts drift a little too far,” I admitted, sinking back into his arms.

“Are you having doubts?” Navine asked.

“Not at all. If I were, I wouldn’t be this relaxed,” I reassured him.

“I guess you’re right.” He chuckled, planting a kiss on my forehead. “The sun’s gone down. Let’s eat and call it a night. It’s getting chilly out here—you should come in before you catch a cold.”

“Sounds good. I’d rather not get sick, and I’m starting to feel a bit peckish,” I agreed.

He released me and we both walked inside through the double doors leading to the bedroom. The wall lamps were lit, casting just enough light to see clearly but leaving the corners of the room shrouded in darkness.

The hallway looked the same as when we entered, and I have to admit, it felt a bit creepy. Maybe it was the sheer size of the place, or maybe I just wasn’t used to it yet.

Either way, I found myself sticking close to Navine, a fact he didn’t miss.

“Still worried about getting lost?” he asked, a teasing note in his voice.

“Not at all,” I retorted. “I’m just not used to the dark, and all these shadows make me a bit uneasy.”

“I see. Well, if that’s the case, we can always brighten up the lights.” Navine snapped his fingers, and the hallway lights brightened.

I have to admit, it was a relief, even if I didn’t tell him. The dim light and shadows were too reminiscent of that awful night.

“Is that better?”

“Yes. I like being able to see my surroundings. I hope you don’t mind the brighter lights,” I replied.

“Not at all. I just didn’t see the need for brighter lights before, but if you prefer it, it’s fine by me,” Navine reassured me.

As he said this, we entered the dining room, and I was surprised to see two plates of food already set on the round glass table, along with drinks in beautiful crystal glasses.

“Did you do this?” I asked as Navine pulled out an ivory chair for me.

“Yes. I thought I’d make us dinner before I came to get you. I hope you like it,” he replied.

I looked at my plate as he moved to his chair. The dinner looked amazing. The meat was tender and well-seasoned, and there were fresh greens on the side. I tasted them—and they were as good as they looked.

I picked up the glass, a floral scent wafting up as I brought it to my lips. Herbal tea, maybe? A sip confirmed my guess.

“This food is amazing, and the tea is wonderful,” I praised him.

Navine smiled at me. “Thank you for the compliment. I’m glad you like it. I enjoy cooking—and it’s nice to share my food with you.”

“I’m honored to be eating it. What kind of tea is this?” I asked.

“It’s a blend I came up with when I first moved to this mountain. It’s good for your health. There are many plants on these mountains that you won’t find anywhere else, and we Dragons use them for food and medicine. We even share them with people like Anika,” he explained.

“I didn’t know Anika got some of her herbs from you. She said she hardly ever sees you,” I mentioned.

“That’s true. I usually don’t interact with them when I drop off the herbs. I just send them with the Sprites,” Navine clarified.

“I see.” I continued eating my dinner, savoring the taste even as my thoughts wandered. If he was talking about cooperating with other creatures on this mountain, it gave me an opening to bring up Nanash.

“Just curious, do you socialize much with the other creatures living on this mountain?”

Navine shrugged. “Not really. Most creatures on this mountain are wild and wouldn’t even try to socialize with me or anyone else, although there are a few that are sociable enough.”

“Interesting. Do they come around the palace gates to socialize?” I asked.

“Sometimes,” Navine said, looking at me with a knowing gaze. “I get the feeling you’ve already met one of our scaly friends while you were out in the courtyard.”

I decided to be honest. “I did. His name was Nanash, a snake. I was surprised to find a snake living up here in the mountains, but he said you both allowed and helped him to settle here.”

“Ah, Nanash,” Navine mused. “I had a hunch he might sense you and come to investigate. Though, I’m not thrilled he didn’t mention it to me.”

“You sound a bit possessive,” I pointed out.

“I won’t deny that,” Navine admitted, setting his fork down and resting his cheek on his hand. “But don’t worry. I doubt he’d cause any trouble. His curiosity just gets the better of him sometimes. Anyway,” he said, changing the subject, “there’s something I’ve been meaning to ask you since our meeting with Niles.”

“What’s that?” I asked, trying to hide my sudden unease. I wasn’t about to let him see me rattled.

Navine, as always, seemed to read me like an open book. “Don’t worry,” he said, soothing my nerves. “I just wanted to clarify something from our first meeting. You mentioned having your heart broken because the one you loved chose someone else. Were you talking about Jekia’s son, Rayne?”

I was taken aback. “How did you know?”

“It wasn’t hard to guess. You were heartbroken over someone when we met, and you’ve been so interested in his beta’s situation,” Navine explained.

I couldn’t look at him. The guilt of trying to hide this from him was overwhelming.

“I’m sorry. I should’ve been upfront about it from the beginning,” I apologized.

“There’s no need to apologize. I’m not worried about it. Your feelings for him are in the past, and you’re with me now. There’s no reason for me to be concerned,” Navine reassured me.

I leaned back in my chair. “I’ve been friends with Lord Rayne, Lord Rin, and Lady Selenia since we were kids. Even after Anika adopted me, we stayed close. I started to think, as we got older, that maybe I was meant to be with him—that I was destined to be his beta. I even started looking forward to it.”

“So, it was a shock when you found out he’d chosen someone else,” Navine concluded.

“I won’t deny that,” I said. “And I was surprised to learn about Luna’s heritage. All I knew was that she was a Willow Faerie.” I sighed a long, weary sigh. “But I’ve had time to think about it all. I realize now that I was presuming too much. Rayne and I were just friends, even if I wanted more. And I can’t judge Luna. I don’t know her. I need to move on, find my own path. And I think that path is here, with you.”

Navine smiled a warm, pleased smile. “I’m glad to hear that,” he said. “And I hope you know that I didn’t bring you here just for my convenience. I chose you because I believe you’re the one for me.”

“I believe you,” I said. “And I accepted your offer because I feel the same way. I don’t know you very well yet, but I feel a connection to you—a stronger connection than I’ve ever felt before.”

“That’s how it is,” Navine said. “The connection between soulmates is always mutual, even if it’s hard to understand at first.” He stood up and pushed in his chair. “If you’re done eating, let’s go relax for the evening.”

“Sure,” I said, standing up with him.

I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t nervous. But I pushed that feeling aside as I followed him into the kitchen with my plate. Everything would be fine. Everything would come naturally.

Navine turned to me as I finished cleaning up. “There’s something else I’ve been thinking about. Would you mind coming with me to the east parlor?”

“Sure. Can I ask why we’re going there?” I asked as I followed him out of the dining room.

“You’ll see,” he said.

I felt a twinge of nervousness at his cryptic response, but I pushed it down. He couldn’t be planning anything bad. In fact, looking into his eyes, I could see a spark of excitement—even if he was doing his best to hide it.

The east parlor was a grand space, much like the rest of the palace. It was one of the larger rooms, with furniture scattered around the edges, leaving a generous open space in the center. The curtains were drawn over the expansive windows, and a glittering chandelier cast a warm glow throughout the room.

Navine moved to the far right corner of the room, where a gramophone sat on a polished wooden table. The brass speaker gleamed, reflecting the chandelier’s light off its polished surface. Navine browsed through the records for a moment before selecting one and placing it on the turntable. In no time, the room was filled with the soft, soothing sounds of Celtic music.

“How lovely. It’s been ages since I’ve heard this kind of music,” I remarked.

“I thought you might like it. Feel free to listen to any of these records whenever you want. I know the silence can be a bit much sometimes. I have a variety of music in my collection,” Navine said. He moved toward me, bowing gracefully and extending his hand. “Would you honor me with a dance?”

I accepted his hand with a smile. “I’d be delighted.”

Dancing with him felt like a dream. I’d danced with others before, but this was different—more intimate, more beautiful. I was swept up in the moment, wishing it could last forever. I barely registered when one song ended and another began.

“Is this something we can do often?” I asked as we paused after the second song.

“That’s the plan,” Navine replied. He leaned in, whispering in my ear, “I want to make you the happiest woman in the world, my Raelina.”

I blushed, looking away. “I appreciate that, but I don’t fully understand. What makes me so special if I’m not to be a beta?” I whispered back.

“That doesn’t matter. You’re mine, and that’s all that will ever matter,” Navine reassured me, cupping my face and leaning in for a kiss.

His kiss was intense, making my heart pound and drowning out the music. I leaned into him, a wave of pleasure washing over me. My nervousness was replaced by a thrilling new desire.

Navine pulled back, gently stroking my cheeks as I rested against his chest. His eyes were soft, his golden irises almost mesmerizing.

“Why don’t we continue this somewhere more comfortable?” he suggested quietly.

Somehow, I managed to nod.

“Yes. I’d like that.”