Daisy kept her eyes closed the rest of the trip, as she tried to keep her nausea under control. She was still coughing intensely, and she was still slightly groggy from the chloroform.

Nyle descended before landing softly on all fours. She was in such shock and was so sick that she couldn’t let go of him. Her grasp remained tight as Nyle shifted back into his human form. Soon, she could feel his warm skin against hers. His hands went to her hips, bringing her around his torso to his chest. He peeled her face away from his body, cradling her face in his hands as he studied every inch of her face, tears brimming his smoldering golden eyes.

“Are you all right?” he asked in a whisper, his eyes taking in every cut and bruise on her visible skin.

Overcome with emotion, she was unable to speak. Daisy didn’t say a word before bursting into tears, still coughing from the smoke irritating her lungs. Nyle brought her back into his chest, holding her tightly to himself.

“I’ve got you,” he said to her. “I’m so sorry you were dragged into all this. I should have just been up front with my parents from the beginning. If I would’ve, none of this would have happened. It’s my fault.”

Daisy’s face was pressed deeply into his shoulder. She shook her head in disagreement. Daisy felt at fault. She shouldn’t have gone out to see her mother; she should have stayed in the safety of his penthouse. Hot tears rolled down her face, dripping onto his bare skin. One of Nyle’s hands clutched the back of her head, the other on her back.

Then someone near them cleared their throat. Nyle looked up to see Evryn extending a pair of pants to him.

“Your father is waiting for you in the throne room,” he notified him.

Throne room? Daisy sat up, tears still running down her face as she looked behind her. They were outside a grand home, so big that it could have been a fortress, but it was elegant. The palace was beige with burgundy trim, and several floors high with large towers.

They were at his family’s palace? She hadn’t slept in days, she was caked with blood, and she was a human. Great first impression, she thought sarcastically.

Daisy looked back to Nyle as he reluctantly pulled back long enough to pull the pants on that Evryn provided. He then helped her to her feet, pulling her into him.

“Don’t worry,” Nyle said. “We’ll be able to rest soon.”

With his arm firmly around her waist, he guided her to the palace. Evryn followed close behind.

Her eyes tried to take in the grandness of every detail, but it was too much. The palace was lavish, every piece of furniture and every piece of décor from the history of the Royals. Everything was masterfully handcrafted.

The palace provided insights into the Royal Dragons history and culture. It was very apparent that they worshiped their dragon forms. She noticed a lot of the paintings and art with crests, and the flags that adorned the walls all had images of dragons. Most of the décor included shades of burgundy, hues of white and cream, gray, and gold accents. The prints on the furniture and décor were circular swirled patterns, similar to the patterns she’d seen on the dragons from Nyle’s clan. Paintings and sculptures of golden suns were exhibited throughout Nyle’s home. Daisy remembered Nyle saying something about the Royals worshiping the sun.

After a long walk down a corridor, they reached a set of doors with two men standing at attention outside of them. Nyle then stepped in front of Daisy, taking her shoulders in his hands.

“Stay right here, all right? I’m going to talk to them first. Then I’ll call you in.”

A look of dismay washed over Daisy’s features, not liking the sound of being away from him in a palace surrounded by dragons. They hated humans. But then another hand rested between her shoulder blades. She looked up to Evryn, looking down at her with soft eyes.

“Don’t worry, my dear. I’ll stay with you.”

Her first response was to refuse; after all he had cut her with a blade that could have killed her, but then she noticed the gray swirls on his skin. His sleeves were rolled up a bit, and his fists cut up rather horribly. He was the gray dragon that helped rescue her. Daisy was in awe that he had decided to help them because he had looked so unsure back at the penthouse. She nodded at him, indicating her gratitude.

Before Nyle entered the doors to the throne room, he took a step closer to Daisy and cradled her cheek before kissing her deeply on the lips. The kiss was full of electricity and emotion. Daisy had to fight herself to peel back from him.

“I’ll see you in just a minute,” Nyle said as he turned to the guards, who opened the doors to let him in.

As soon as Nyle stepped into the throne room, his father bellowed from the throne, “My son, I’m glad to see you have returned safely and not too banged up, either.”

Nyle had a few scratches and bruises from tussling with the Elementals, but dragons healed quickly, and the wounds would be gone by morning.

The king asked, “Did you save your mate in time?”

“We did,” Nyle answered simply, walking up to his parents until he was just a couple of yards away from them.

“Well, that’s splendid, son. Where is she? Let’s meet her,” his father grinned.

“I wanted to talk to you first,” Nyle said.

“Oh? About what?”

“Do you believe that the soulmate bond should be honored and respected?”

“Well, of course, Nylyrias. We were only rushing you to marry because there was no telling when you would meet your soulmate. It could have been decades, and we don’t have that long. But I’m overjoyed that you have found your true mate. I’m sure it’s a relief for you as well.”

“So, you know how important and real the bond is to a soulmate, no matter who that person is?” Nyle questioned, his eyes narrowing in on his father, wanting to know his exact reaction.

Thalydias scoffed, “Yes, son. I know how serious the bond is.” The king placed his palm over his wife’s hand. “Your mate could be the very bottom ranked Royal, and I wouldn’t give a damn. As long as she makes you happy and will serve our people well. Now, where is she?”

Nyle studied him for a moment longer before calling behind him, “Evryn.”

The door opened again and the elder walked in with Daisy at his side. Nyle’s eyes didn’t leave his father. Thalydias’ expression had drawn itself in confusion as he noticed the petite, brunette woman with Evryn. The elder walked to Nyle, and Nyle immediately took Daisy under his arm, pressing a kiss to the top of her head.

“Is this some sort of joke?” Thalydias growled. “I am too ill for this, Nylyrias.”

“This isn’t a joke,” Nyle said firmly. “This is Daisy Maddow. She’s my mate, Father.”

Thalydias’ eyes were wild and his nostrils flared. “Guards, get out. No one remains but Evryn, my son, and the female.”

Eight guards marched out of the room, leaving the five of them alone in the massive room.

“Are you trying to tell me that you think a human is your mate? Are you sick in the head or just trying to kill me?”

“She is my mate, father,” Nyle groaned. Even though he had only explained it to Evryn, he was already tired of defending his relationship, knowing that he was going to be explaining it a lot in the years to come. “And she isn’t quite human.”

“What do you mean isn’t quite human?”

Nyle closed his eyes momentarily, knowing the next part was really going to disappoint his father. “Her mother is human, but we have reason to believe that her father is an Elemental. Which would make her half dragon, which explains how we ended up as mates.”

“This is complete nonsense,” Thalydias growled, his eyes landing on Evryn. “Are you standing by this theory, Elder Evryn?”

Evryn gave a single nod. “Yes, sir. I examined her myself. She doesn’t seem to have a dragon form or any of the obvious markings, but she was burned by chamaline. Also, she has shimmering silver in her eyes. She could very well have Elemental abilities, but without the training, her potential abilities will never be realized.” There was a pause before Evryn continued. “I understand your confusion and hostility, my King. But Nyle is sure of the bond they have, and the theory of her being a hybrid makes sense.”

“Then she is an abomination,” Thalydias scoffed, shaking his head. “Your bond to her must be a fluke.”

“It isn’t, Father,” Nyle urged. “Please, can’t you just hear me out? I know this isn’t ideal, but it isn’t like I planned it. She was an event planner the foundation contracted. Everything about how we met and everything that has followed has been… well… something larger than us. There has to be a reason that the universe has paired us together.”

He drew Daisy closer, his fingers going to her chin and turning her face to his. Nyle stared in the depths of her stormy eyes, the glistering silver flecks apparent from the flames of the chandelier having high above their heads.

“Before I met Daisy, none of the soulmate talk made sense to me. I know I wanted it, but that didn’t mean I grasped the concept. But from the moment I felt her presence, I understood. And while I know the road ahead of us is troubled, I know we are meant be together. Perhaps we were destined to bring peace between the clans. Daisy can learn about the half of herself she never knew existed through the Elementals, and help me lead our people with grace, dignity, and understanding.”

Daisy’s eyes gleamed at him, so touched by everything he had said. The corners of her lips pulled into a smile as she leaned into Nyle. The moment didn’t last.

The king’s voice cut through their moment of glee, “No.”

Daisy and Nyle turned their heads to face him.

The king continued. “No, I will not stand for this. I don’t care if you feel vindicated in this bond. It is unnatural, and I’m not undoing thousands of years of tradition and policy because you found this… this… creature and got attached to it. Our people need leaders, not for you and this half-blood to launch them into chaos.”

“Why do you have such little faith in me?” Nyle asked his father as hurt bled through his tone.

“It isn’t that I don’t have faith in you, my son. It’s that I don’t believe this union is what our people need.”

“So, are you asking me to go against nature? To leave her behind? Even though you yourself just admitted that the bond is real, no matter who that other person is.”

“If that person is a Royal,” Thalydias snapped.

“That doesn’t make sense,” Nyle grew annoyed with his bull-headed father. “Do you know why half our people don’t have their mates? It’s probably because they are Elementals, and we are going against nature by forcing a divide between the clans,” he hypothesized. Nyle inhaled deeply to calm down, knowing that getting angry with his father would get him nowhere. “I thought the same as you before I met Daisy, but in the couple of days that I’ve known her, my mind has opened. I thought the Elementals were evil and that humans were vile, but I don’t feel like that anymore. Those thoughts were ingrained from my upbringing, but I can’t believe the lies any longer. You are victim of the same mindset, Father. Are you really going to sit there and call my mate an abomination and get upset with me, when this is something the universe decided? Are you going to go against our nature to try and separate us?”

There was a brooding silence. The Royal Dragon King stared down his son and his hybrid lover. Thalydias was racked with anger and frustration, but the longer he sat in contemplation, the more he seemed to ease.

Nyle’s voice hung in his throat, hoping that his father would understand why Daisy was so important to him.

“I will not try and separate the two of you,” he announced. There was a sad gleam in his eyes. “However, I cannot approve of this bond, and our people cannot learn of her. It would be an embarrassment for our family. If you are to stay with her, my son, you will have to go into hiding. You may still have access to the family accounts, but you will not be permitted to show your face in the kingdom. Erasina will have to get married, and she and her husband will take your place as first in line for the throne. Do you understand this, Nylyrias? You may have the throne, or you can be with your mate. Given her genetics, you cannot have both.”

Nyle’s chest ached. The thought of choosing between his family and Daisy crushed his spirit.

When Nyle hesitated, the king spoke again. “Are you really going to choose a woman you just met over being king? You couldn’t possibly love her yet.”

“It isn’t about already being in love,” Nyle called to him. “We both know that love will come after a dragon finds his mate. I look forward to falling in love with her, and I look forward to the tears, laughter, and pain that will come with it. You must understand this, Father. You experienced the same feelings when you found my mother.”

Nyle looked over to his mother, who had visible pain in her eyes from watching her son struggle.

Nyle continued to try and reason with his father. “Being soulmates goes against all logic. It’s just a feeling, but it’s a feeling I’m not willing to ignore. Now that I’ve known her, I couldn’t possibly imagine being with anyone else. So… that’s my answer. I choose her.”

His father’s face fell, and his mother looked close to tears.

“If that is what you choose, then so be it. I hope that you can live with your decision,” the king said.

“There was never another option,” Nyle said firmly.

“Very well,” Thalydias said. “You have a week to clear anything you want from the Royal properties. After that, you’re to register everything under pseudonyms. Do not let yourself be tracked; you won’t have the protection like you do now. You know there are people out there who would love to see you dead.”

Nyle nodded in understanding.

“Goodbye, my son.”

“Goodbye, Father. Goodbye, Mother,” Nyle said in a painful breath.

He couldn’t believe things were ending so cold and abruptly—all because they wouldn’t open their minds to changing tradition. It wasn’t as if he expected his father to accept Daisy with open arms, but he didn’t expect them to react the way they did.

Throughout his entire life, he had trained for his ascension to the throne. As he grew older, his interactions with his parents were often about meeting expectations, the Royal Dragons’ history, and upholding traditions. He loved his parents with all his heart, and now his heart hurt. He hoped he would be able to see his family again, but if not, Nyle still felt he made the right decision.

As he turned with Daisy to guide her from the throne room, he found himself at peace. Perhaps Daisy wasn’t brought into his life to help bring peace between clans, but to liberate Nyle, to free him from the traditions and culture that had controlled his entire life.

As they left the throne room and walked through the halls, Nyle allowed himself to grieve a bit that the palace would no longer be a welcome place for him. His childhood days had been spent running through the halls with guards hot on his trail for one reason or another, and the evenings had been spent flying through the clear, open sky above the property. Nyle was thankful for the opportunities and freedoms he had been given through the years, but it was simply time for a new chapter in his life—a new chapter with Daisy.

As soon as they reached outside, Daisy stopped him in his tracks by hugging him tightly.

“You didn’t have to do that. I would never ask you to choose me over your family. I know that what we feel is special, but I—”

Nyle cut her off by crashing his lips against hers. He melted into her embrace, soaking in every sensation and emotion it conjured. He had made the right decision. The way he felt when he was with Daisy was the only assurance he needed. Their bond was pure, real, and magnificent. Pulling back from the kiss, Nyle stared down into her eyes, brushing locks of her mocha hair behind her ears.

“If there was ever a good reason for me leaving this place behind, it would be leaving for you. I meant every word I said to my father. I know you’re my destiny, Daisy.”

Her stormy eyes searched the smoldering cauldrons of his golden hues.

“You’re so perfect,” she said as her fingers ran through his snowy platinum locks and kissed him with fervor.

Nyle happily kissed her back, loving her passion. He pulled back and smiled down at her.

“Let’s go get you cleaned up and get the hell out of town.”

Taking her hand, he hurried her to one of his cars, a sleek black Mercedes. Once again, he felt like a teenager with his heart lifted at the thoughts of adventure and admiration for the woman in his hold. He opened her door for her before climbing in on his side. Once they were buckled in, Nyle speed off at top speed down the long, windy driveway. His hand found hers, clasping it tightly. No matter what lay ahead of them, Nyle knew Daisy was worth it. And while he knew he wasn’t in love with her yet, he knew it was coming like a freight train. And by god, he was going to embrace it.