Nadyah stood and shook out her skirts after a servant came with instructions from Prince Kaiden to lead them to their suite of rooms. She walked around the pile of tinder no one seemed inclined to talk about. She was still on edge after the horrific display Nash had put on.

Really, she couldn’t believe he’d be so ridiculous.

Roxy followed close and Nadyah felt a bit unsure of their relationship at the moment. They weren’t exactly friends or companions really. Not like her and Adelina were, but they were lovers. Roxy’s dominant instincts were pushing her to stay by Nadyah’s side, to protect her.

Her loyalty was without question, but still Nadyah wondered if Roxy would ever really let her walls down and allow Nadyah and Adelina in all the way.

Even after the incredible sex, Roxy had kept Nadyah at arm’s length. It was a strange situation for Nadyah. She wasn’t used to being in the same living space as a lover – other than Adelina, but Adelina was also her pupil and princess. In any other situation her client would leave and the only time Nadyah would see them again was when they booked her for another day.

When a client came back for more Nadyah was able to really assess them, help them open up until she could find what it was they hid behind their walls. With Roxy it was a constant struggle to get her to open up, and Nadyah truly didn’t think she would be able to.

“You’re really not worried about your wife?” Roxy asked Varan as they walked through the stone corridors; taking flight after flight of spiraling stairs with the contingent of Draga guards close behind them.

Varan didn’t smile. He was more serious than Nadyah had ever seen him before, except perhaps when he’d found out Lina was a princess. He shrugged with his hands in his pockets, still so very much the Prince of Thieves, but with his look slightly elevated. “She is more than capable of handling herself,” Varan said. “And I do not believe one male here would dare harm a hair on her head.”

Nadyah nodded in agreement, assessing the silent servant leading them through the maze of the eyrie. The males seemed to view all females as precious, not just their beloved Drakesthai princesses.

They went up another spiral staircase and despite the chill of the stone castle, Nadyah’s forehead had a sheen of sweat on it from the exercise. No doubt they would be on one of the top floors to make it difficult for them to escape, or move about without being seen. But did these dragons not even possess lifts?

Just then a Drakesthai male darted through the window from the outside, barely sparing them a glance as he disappeared farther into the castle. No, she supposed with wings they didn’t need lifts with the way the eyrie was built.

Finally, the servant stopped before a set of doors. He placed his hand on them and the scan was much like the ones in Draga. Once he keyed in the code he had each of them do the same and handed Varan a slip of paper with the key code on it. “Please, scan Princess Adelina’s hand when she returns so she may have access.”

Varan agreed and took the paper. The servant walked to the nearest window and leapt out, probably finding a quicker route to where he needed to go. Nadyah’s heart stopped as she watched him plummet, but then he rose and banked as graceful as any bird of prey. She doubted she would ever get used to such a thing.

She and Roxy were ushered in by Varan and then he locked the door behind them with the small contingent of guards staying outside in the hall.

Instantly Nadyah inspected the space, pulling out her simulcast. She sent a cast to the servants on The Jasmine requesting a trunk of clothes for each of them. With no clue how long the proceedings would be she was glad she’d already set one aside for everyone.

The main suite reminded her of the waiting room downstairs near the Council’s cavern. Everything was cut from the rock of the mountain: the walls, the fireplace, the windows along the farthest side, carved pillars, and even the dining table rose from the floor. The dining area was set before open doors that led out to a large balcony and Nadyah went to close them against the wind.

Varan pulled out a small device and activated it. It popped up out of his hand and began its scan of the rooms.

Nadyah nodded once in approval, best to be safe before they said anything damning especially when the dragons could speak their language. She never would have thought…did they understand Ilashyan then? She put it on her mental list to test at some point.

There were three rooms attached and even though she and Roxy occasionally had sex she was grateful for her own space. The trip to Hai hadn’t been as difficult as she’d anticipated with newlyweds on board. Nadyah had worried with Adelina’s attention so focused on her husband – as it should be during the honeymoon phase – she would feel depressed or angry.

But thanks to Adelina’s careful handling of the situation and Roxy’s attentions Nadyah felt more settled than she had in a while, more in tune with herself. There was no jealousy and no strange yearning. She was truly happy for the female she loved and the male she had foolishly thought was her mate.

Roxy claimed the room closest to the door and Nadyah claimed the one that was obviously meant for one person as the third room was massive and clearly a master suite. She went in, eyeing the way Varan puttered around the small kitchen space.

She was concerned for him. The fight with Nash had been a success, but something was still off about him and Nadyah let herself absently focus on Varan while she inspected her princess’s room.

The bed was large enough for at least three people or two if one had wings. The closet was smaller than Adelina was used to, but the washroom was decent. Nadyah was surprisingly happy with all the stone. Even the large bathtub was carved from rock, but had running water just like Draga. It was strange to see so much old world charm mixed with real tech.

And the designer had balanced all that rock and stone with velvet and satin and fur. It gave texture and depth to an otherwise monotone space. The jewel tones set off the real jewels and gold that was set into each pillar and every door frame. The gold filigree carved into the windows glittered in the dim red light, making the space feel a bit brighter than it was.

Nadyah had never been outside the Draga Galaxy, but Hai was a fairy tale and a nightmare blended together. The fiery landscape and gloomy atmosphere made it impossible for her to relax completely, but the males weren’t as terrifying as she’d thought they’d be, and the décor was so delicate and gorgeous – so very like the palace on Draga Terra in a way.

Varan strolled into the room and gave it a cursory once over. “No spy tech and the suite is sealed against future attempts. I’ve also set up a few appetizers if you’re hungry.”

Nadyah checked the bed, running her hands over the material. Better to be cautious than end up with her princess poisoned. “Tell me what’s bothering you, Varan.”

“Nothing is bothering me,” he snapped.

She rolled her eyes. “Clearly.”

He sighed through his nose and then slumped down on the bench at the foot of the bed. “I am bothered with Nash.”

“Not Kaiden?” she asked, eyebrow raised in speculation.

Her simulcast chimed and Nadyah pulled it out. It was the servants letting her know they were on their way into the eyrie – not Ian. It had been days since she’d heard from him. Nadyah tried not to let it bother her.

“No, I don’t give a single hell about that winged prince,” Varan said, running his hand through his hair with irritation. “If Adelina wants him, then that’s fine with me. He seems decent enough, more submissive which would be a nice balance. It’s that thick-headed brute that’s got me all worked up.”

Nadyah used every single bit of training she’d had to read Varan. It was odd how truthful he was. She knew most males – even Kalan males – had some issue with more than one or two spouses. They could all be rather possessive. But he was right; Kaiden would create a nice balance.

“You won,” she stated. “Why are you still so concerned with him?”

“I did win,” Varan admitted. “But Nash hurt her, Nadyah. When he closed himself off and simply…left. I’ve only felt that kind of despair and resignation from her once and that was when she was a barely functioning mess after three nobles had been executed. He’s breaking her heart and he doesn’t even care. How can he claim to love her?”

Ah, well then. Nadyah watched Varan and was a bit surprised he meant every word. She never would have guessed he’d be so…dedicated. He was everything Adelina wanted and needed, but six months ago she wouldn’t have thought so. Had he always been like this and she simply hadn’t noticed, or was the show he liked to put on for his court too convincing?

“Nash is a Kharan royal, he is Corinthian through and through. They do not have many polyamorous relationships in the Khara Galaxy and so for him he feels betrayed by a half promise,” Nadyah tried to explain.

Varan glared at her.

She held up her hands. “I am simply stating the facts, not siding with him.”

The thief harrumphed his displeasure.

“He knew she might have to marry another,” Nadyah reminded him. “But I believe what bothers him the most is that you were the one to wed her. He feels betrayed by you, not her.” It was a complicated mess, but with her gifts of empathy she could see each side so clearly which did not always make things any easier. “Nash was rather impressed with your new strength, but he was hurt that he found out a male he considered a friend went ‘behind his back’ as he would say. The proposal seemed like another hit while he was hurt I assume,” Nadyah mused.

“Yeah, well…he’s a right bastard,” Varan grumbled, crossing his arms over his chest.

She chuckled at that. “Yes, I don’t disagree with you there. I assume he will have to wrap his small mind around the concept and then consider if she is worth the chafing it would cause to have you rank higher than he. I wonder if he even minds sharing so much as he minds sharing with you.” Nadyah poked him in the ribs and Varan glared.

But he seemed more himself and less likely to explode at any moment.

“I don’t think it’s over yet,” he murmured, the glare easing from his face. “I’ll have to stay on my toes because Nash wants that title of first husband.”

Nadyah scoffed. “Adelina wouldn’t allow it. Don’t be daft.”

Varan smiled at her. “Thank you, Nadyah. This is the first time since everything happened where I feel like we are truly friends.”

It was such a relief to her as well. “I’m glad we could move past all that drama. Thank you for wanting to remain friends, Varan.” Nadyah kissed his cheek.

Varan stood and dusted off the sleeves of his coat. Nadyah watched him putter around the master bedroom, inspecting every nook and cranny until he was satisfied.

The way Varan was with Adelina…it reminded her a lot how Ian had been after they’d discovered they were each other’s mates.

She’d only heard from Ian a handful of times since the wedding and once they’d reached the Outer Rim he’d told her it wasn’t safe to communicate so much. Who knew what the Neprijat would do with the messages they may or may not intercept. If they thought Nadyah was a favorite or could potentially end up a princess she didn’t think they’d hesitate to kidnap her if the opportunity arose.

Surprisingly, she missed Ian’s little messages, the small notes he’d send to her about his day or a small poem he’d read somewhere. Nadyah particularly missed his speculations about the future.

Ian wasn’t a romantic, not really, but the way he approached life with such care and gentleness it was as though romance was his default setting. Somehow he’d managed to get her to admit she’d prefer to live in the palace rather than in a house in the first circle.

Nadyah had admitted it was because she wanted to be close to Adelina who already felt like family. It didn’t seem to bother Ian at all. He’d taken her love for Adelina in stride and just accepted it. She had to admit that his nonchalance about the entire matter had made her heart soften for him.

Well, at least the room was in order. Adelina should be happy with the suite.

Nadyah sighed a bit. She felt them drifting apart already and it saddened her. But she was not naïve. Adelina was Heir to Draga now and held so many responsibilities. It wasn’t just a marriage that was getting in their way.

It was everything – even Nadyah’s hesitance to tell Adelina about Ian being her mate. She wanted to tell her, but the timing just wasn’t right. Any chance had been disrupted by Varan or Roxy or pirates…being on a starship was even more difficult than being in the palace. There was no place to escape to, no gardens to walk through for a breath of fresh air.

They just had to get through the next few days. If they spent more time on Hai Delta Nadyah vowed she would tell Adelina about Ian. There had to be somewhere they could walk in private.

There was a crash as the door to the suite burst open. “Help! I need help!” Kaiden called in a panic.

It sent her heart racing and Nadyah feared the worst. She jumped to her feet and ran into the main suite. The sight of Adelina limp in the dragon’s arms sent a spike of fear through her heart like she’d never felt before.

But Varan beat her to them. “What the hells happened?” he demanded. The spicy scent of winterflowers filled the room and it instantly put her on edge when Varan flexed the full extent of his dominance.

Roxy came out of her room and eyed the situation with apprehension, but stayed out of the way. Kaiden set Adelina down on one of the couches and he looked desperate. “One minute she was fine and the next…is she alive?”

Nadyah pushed past the males and felt for a pulse. It was rapid and Adelina’s skin was clammy, but she was alive. “She’s just unconscious,” she stated, feeling her forehead and noting the pallid complexion.

“I’m sorry, love,” Nadyah muttered. Then she slapped Adelina’s cheek hard enough Varan took a step forward in protest.

Adelina jerked to a sitting position, eyes wide as she took in her surroundings. Varan gently pushed her back down while Nadyah got up and fetched some water. Amora help her, her princess was so pale. Adelina groaned and held her head as though the pain were unbearable.

“Darling, tell me what’s going on before I torture it out of the winged one you seem so fond of,” Varan murmured in a deceptively calm voice.

Nadyah wanted to know as well. Something terrible must have happened for her to simply faint. The only time such a thing ever happened was when her nerves got the best of her.

Adelina waved her hand at Kaiden as she gratefully sipped at the water. All eyes went to him.

He cleared his throat awkwardly. “She was not aware the two of you were mates.”

Roxy burst out laughing. “I’m sorry, Princess, but you have to admit it’s amusing.”

“He’s serious,” Nadyah murmured eyes wide as she studied Kaiden. She could barely believe it herself, but Kaiden was easy to read and had no reason to lie. How he even knew…how could he tell?

“That’s impossible!” Roxy protested. “The gene was deactivated!”

“My sweet,” Nadyah snapped. “Adelina is not a full courtesan. She’s not even half. There is little we know about those who are more than courtesan, and more than royal. The combination of the two could have endless possibilities.”

Goddess…Nadyah was annoyed at Roxy for blurting such a thing without Adelina’s express approval in front of a male they hardly even knew. But…she supposed it was possible. Adelina was a mixture of so many things no one really knew what she was fully capable of and there was no ‘normal’ with her. Anything that was standard practice for a Kalan was a measuring tool that didn’t apply to someone with so many different genetic possibilities.

“Apparently Kaiden is my mate as well. He can smell it,” Adelina admitted, watching Varan closely.

Nadyah felt her stomach drop as she took that in. She glanced at the winged male and knew instantly it was the truth. The Drakesthai could smell their mates…goodness how much simpler that would have made her life – and any other courtesan’s.

“I don’t understand,” Nadyah said, frowning. “Adelina can’t have two mates. That’s impossible.”

She watched Varan’s face pale and he stared at Adelina like he didn’t want to believe. “I’m your mate?” he whispered. Nadyah could hear the hope in his voice and her heart ached for him.

“Ian would have to confirm,” Adelina murmured. “But I believe him.”

Varan’s eyes filled with actual tears as Nadyah watched him just stare at the princess. After all the issues with the ‘maybe he was or maybe he wasn’t,’ she was surprised he was so moved by the revelation. It was permanent, and before Adelina Nadyah would have said something like that would have frightened the thief off.

He’d changed for Adelina in ways Nadyah hadn’t thought possible. Or…he was finally removing his mask for her.

“Are you angry?” Adelina asked, her shoulders hunching.

Nadyah felt so relieved for the princess when Varan pulled her into his arms and hugged her tight. “No, I am ecstatic,” he said.

“Even though you have to share?”

“I don’t care, Adelina. I wish I could explain to you this sensation – the world I see in your eyes. You are stardust with a heart of flame,” Varan confessed, kissing one eyelid and then the other. “You have the soul and strength of a warrior and I love you with every bit of energy I possess. My life is yours, Adelina, my soul is yours. I would sacrifice everything I am and more for you. Darling, do you understand how irrefutably bound to you I am?”

“It’s the bond,” Kaiden insisted. “It ties both together.”

Adelina yanked back and studied Varan like she’d never seen him before. “He’s bonded to me as well?”

“Yes, of course.” Kaiden’s confusion was almost amusing.

And then Varan pressed a kiss to Adelina’s lips so hard and bruising she gasped and Nadyah saw him taste her tongue with his own.

It was a private moment, but it also belonged to Nadyah, because she loved Adelina in a way that was difficult to explain. She had to wipe her own tears away as she felt a boundless happiness fill her.

When Adelina had asked to keep the mate gene deactivated she’d felt devastated her princess would never know a mate’s love. But now…somehow she did.

Nadyah reached for Roxy and even though she knew it made the engineer and mechanic uncomfortable, Roxy took her hand and stepped closer so that Nadyah could feel her warmth. As she watched Varan and Adelina, Nadyah knew she was witnessing her first reciprocal mate bond. It looked wonderful. And it would be the same for Nadyah and Ian. It gave her a shred of hope for the future and some of the fear at leaving Adelina eased.

Nadyah shook her head and smiled. She needed to have a talk with Kaiden about the mate bond among the Drakesthai. If she could get some information from him and any medical studies perhaps she could give more autonomy and power back to the courtesans. If they could easily smell a mate without having to scan them – and to have the bond affect both? It would drastically reduce the suicides of mated courtesans that were rejected by their mates.

“Is Nash my mate as well?” Adelina asked Kaiden, turning to face him.

The tiny spark of hope in her voice broke Nadyah’s heart and she felt ready to track that bastard down so she could shred him to ribbons.

Kaiden didn’t move closer from his positon at the door, as though he didn’t feel welcome. He shrugged and crossed his arms over his chest in annoyance. “I haven’t been close enough to him to tell. He’s not an easy one to get along with.”

Adelina turned back to Varan as though the answer didn’t matter to her, but Nadyah knew better. “I need to message Ian right away.”

Varan looked to Kaiden. “What is the protocol here when you’ve found your mate?”

Kaiden cleared his throat, clearly uncomfortable with all of them looking to him for answers. “Normally both scent the bond and then request for official courtship with the Council. I’ve never experienced or seen a bond that was only scented by one person.” His brown skin darkened on the cheeks and Nadyah would have bet all her gold he was blushing, but still he stayed near the door as though he wanted to leave and give them privacy.

Nadyah had no idea what to do. Technically he was Adelina’s mate so he should be a part of their inner circle, but they’d just met him…he was a Drakesthai – from a race that was little more than shadow and rumor until twenty cycles ago.

If she could help him understand them. “You don’t smell like anything,” Nadyah admitted.

Adelina nodded. “When I first met you I could only smell the smoke and tang of rock.”

Kaiden cocked his head as he considered them. “It’s odd, but I suppose our sense of smell is different.” He jerked his chin at Varan. “You carry the scent of earth and soil. Princess Adelina smells of metal – gold.”

They all shared a look and Nadyah was intensely curious as one who sat outside the dominance spectrum. “And me?”

Kaiden sniffed the air and shrugged. “Salt – like ocean spray.”

She shared a look with Roxy and frowned. “Are you saying we all smell different?”

The massive winged male nodded. “The red-haired female smells like rocks and boulders, similar to her brother.”

Nadyah shook her head. “It’s so strange how different it is for you. I smell none of that. Adelina smells like jasmine flowers to me, and Roxy and Varan smell the same, but they are not blood.”

Kaiden looked as confused as she felt, but there was less awkward tension in the air. “They are not blood, but they smell like family—it is difficult to explain.” He hesitated as he studied Varan and Adelina. “It is not – required to court a mate,” he told them. “It is here with a Drakesthai female for the extra chance at offspring, but with the Unchanged Humans it’s up to the two participants as the bond isn’t sealed until intercourse.” He glanced at Varan on the last word, but the thief only had eyes for Adelina.

Nadyah was relieved that one thing at least about this mating was similar to what she knew. She was about to ask another question when Kaiden frowned and tapped a spot behind his ear like she’d seen the royal guards do.

“There is a Draga ship flying the royal crest, requesting an audience with you, Princess,” Kaiden stated.

Adelina frowned and glanced at Varan. “We aren’t expecting anyone else. Do you know who it is?”

Kaiden repeated the request in the Drakesthai tongue – such an odd language – and then turned back to Adelina. “He says Prince Asher sent him and his name is Alpha.”

Nadyah’s stomach flip-flopped and she tightened her grip on Roxy. Whatever he was doing here did not bode well, and after all they’d been through…she prayed to every god and goddess that all the royals were still alive.

“Please, allow him to land and I will see him in the first room you had us wait in,” Adelina said. Her voice was strong and her spine straight, despite how her hands shook.

Nadyah felt sick to her stomach, wondering if the reason Ian hadn’t sent her any recent messages was because…no she wouldn’t even think it. After all they were fated to be mates. She would have felt him leave this plane, but the other royals…she prayed they were all still alive because she didn’t know how much more her princess could take.