Page 79 of Accidentally a Dragon Daddy

The tall, regal dragon shifter with brilliant white hair and high cheekbones that gave him a powerful stare used it now to ensure I was fully returned to reality, waiting several long breaths before he acknowledged my salute.

“Better,” the second most powerful dragon shifter in the entire kingdom said, relaxing.

“I’m sorry,” I said. “I was … lost in thought, and you startled me. I was not expecting a visitor in my home.”

Nor did I want one, but that wasn’t the sort of thing someone said to the heir of the dragon kingdom. They could go where they wanted, when they wanted, and one dragon’s anger was not something they cared about.

“You should have,” Vicek said. “Given what you did.”

I stiffened. Did he know about Elanya?

“You know I’m not a member of the War Party,” Vicek said. “But we still have rules and responsibilities, Damon. You can’t just go around doing things like this. Not where others can see.”

I blinked. “Pardon, Heir, but just what are you referring to?”

“The border,” Vicek said. “You let a human go. Not only that, you fought another dragon in order to let them go. Do you not remember? I received the report this morning.”

“Right,” I said. The report the other dragon had said he was filing.

Vicek’s eyes darted to the now-closed bedroom door.

“Care to explain what’s going on?” he asked, softening his tone slightly.

I wasn’t fooled. If I denied, if I said I didn’t want to tell him, he would just order me to talk about it. Then I would have to choose whether I wanted to test my devotion to duty. Or my privacy.

It bothered me that I didn’t know which one would win. So, I didn’t test it. I told him about Elanya, the one night, the shock of seeing her in the Isles, and my withholding of the truth about what I’d done to her.

“But she found out anyway,” I said. “So, when she asked me to, I let her go.”

“You let her go,” Vicek repeated. “A tribute sent to the dragons as part of the ceasefire terms.”

“Yes.”

“And you just took it upon yourself to let her go?”

“Yes,” I growled defiantly. “She’s my mate. She’s carrying my child. It was my decision to make. So, I let her go.”

Vicek’s eyebrows rose with shock before he once again glanced at the closed door. Apparently, the sovereign hadn’t told her son everything.

“She was carrying a dragon child. Your child,” Vicek said slowly. “And you let her go.”

I nodded. Hadn’t I made that part clear already?

“You idiot,” the heir said with a snort.

Biting back an impolite remark, I stood there and waited for Vicek to berate me even further. I wasn’t aware he was against the crossing of bloodlines, but given his irritation at the news, it was clear there was a fault growing between him and his mother. For a moment, I wondered where that would lead our people once the reign was given to him.

“What’s done is done,” I said. “She didn’t want an abortion, and neither did I.”

Vicek frowned. “I’m not referring to the baby, Damon. Recall, I have a human mate as well.”

In my anger, I had forgotten. “Then what …”

“I was calling you an idiot for letting her go when you so clearly care about her. You called her your mate. It’s obvious how your dragon feels. And judging by the self-loathing I could feel practically rippling off you when I walked into what could only be the baby’s room, you clearly care deeply, too.”

Grimacing, I looked down. “I don’t need you to berate me, too,” I said defensively, fighting back my temper.

Challenging Vicek would not be a smart move.

---