Page 51 of Knowing Trust

“Were they ever intimate on Earth?” Neldor threw back. “Or with their wings out? I’m sure this is absolutely about both royal lines being together. Yes, she’s half demigod. Fine, but—everyone needs to stop treating her as a freak. I am too. So is Craftsman. Hudson is—even other dragons look at him like he is. I’ve seen Juan stare at him during training. Enough.”

“Thanks, Nel,” I whispered, kissing his chin.

“We agree, Your Grace,” Stefanie said, giving a firm nod, gesturing between us. “It’s clearly the combo. Hell, this was the hope of your being together and the royal bloodlines bonding. I wish your first time was in Faerie for this magic to be released but given—”

“No, not with the connection the planet has with the princess,” Morgan argued. “It could have given Faerie more power over her, and that could be catastrophic.”

“Yes, agreed. Full stop,” Stephanie said firmly. “And we couldn’t have—none of us could have thought this would happen. Hell, I had no idea they were to this point. I knew they were somewhere and…” She cleared her throat. “I apologize for speaking as if you weren’t here.”

“No, I understand,” I sighed. “It’s not like—cat’s out of the bag now.” I gave Neldor a look and he nodded. “We’re not together—together. We…”

“Tamsin and I decided that we think the sentiment in Faerie may change in the next ten years where we could have something real without everyone assuming I would basically rule from behind her,” Neldor said for me. “Until then, we don’t want to risk the friendship and working relationship we have. We would get caught if we tried to date.”

“So you dare not respect my daughter enough and are only bedding her?” Lageos seethed.

“Dad, it was my call too,” I cut in. “For now. We agreed.” I huffed when steam about came out of his ears. “We basically have dates when we have meetings and meals. Just leave it—let us find our way, Dad. Please? He’s been—none of this is easy. He’s watching me with four other men, okay? I promise he’s not being the asshole here. I am.”

“Tams!” Neldor gasped. “No, you’re not!”

“Yeah, I really am,” I sighed, moving so he couldn’t hug me and comfort me. “I’m keeping us apart because of perception. No matter the valid points and everything else, that’s what it boils down to. Yes, I’m also doing it because if we don’t fix this now, whatever heir and children we have—if we don’t do this now, we leave a mess for them.

“So it’s not just about me and us. We have to fix this. We have to smack fairies and fair folk out of this mindset that heirs and queens are pawns and puppets and I’m useless without the ancients and elders or you to handle me. So it’s valid, but at the end of the day, I’m not letting us be together because of perception. That makes me the bitch here. I know that.”

“No, it’s not that because that perception could get you fucking killed, Tams. That’s no longer just a godsdamn perception then,” he argued.

Yeah, that took the wind out of my sails pretty fast. Then he put the final nail in the coffin.

“And could get our child killed if we don’t fix this. I agree. I agree with all of this. It’s not just you. We are on the same page of this. This is where we are for now. However long it takes. This is where we are. I love you and will…”

I blinked at him as his eyes practically bugged out of his head.

“Oh Nel,” Taeral whispered.

“You—me?” I asked, making it that much worse.

He swallowed loudly. “Could we say you heard me wrong and I say it the right way another time?”

I nodded. Yeah, I was pretty sure that was best.

Absolutely that was best.

“Thanks, baby doll.”

I snorted. “I think the top of my head would pop off if we didn’t do it that way right now. Everyone knows we had sex and…” I winced. “Do we have to tell them about all of it?” I winced when his face went pale.

Yeah, I was pretty sure we did.

Fuck.

People started asking us questions, but I used my magic to silence them. “Nope, no, I cannot fucking handle this. My stress is…” I focused on Calarel and let her speak. “We will tell you everything and you can decide. Seriously, I feel like—my blood pressure is through the roof and my eyes are twitching. Both.”

“Yes, that is more than fair,” she hurried to agree. “Clearly, it has to do with your wings being out during intercourse. That is why both of your power levels jumped and—you have had this happen before.” She waved me to be quiet. “You had the explosion of magic when you flapped your wings to take off. Your magic exploded then as your power jumped.”

“Good to know f—” I snapped my mouth so fast that I bit my tongue. I shot Neldor an apologetic look. “Sorry. This is—I get a pass. This is—”

He sighed, running his hands through his tangled hair before throwing it up in a messy bun which I’d never seen. “I get it. My mind is racing with snarky, crass things as well. We both get passes and forgive each other. I beg you because I will say something as well.”

Fair enough. I completely agreed.

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