Page 58 of Crown of Draga

“Nash?” King Orion practically roared. “That’s impossible! I made sure you could never be mated.”

At least it confirmed one aspect of her new identity. “I know Father, but there were other indications. The level of my submissiveness despite being a royal Draga, my…reaction to Nash as well as Nadyah, it was enough for me to make sure there was no chance I’d accidentally end up mated. So I asked Ian to check.”

Her father was quiet and Adelina folded her hands in her lap, eyes on his feet. Finally he let out a huge sigh and she dared to look up into his face.

“We wanted a child the three of us could claim as ours. Elara ended up mated to your mother during the official camerraleto Adele underwent for her marriage to me. At the time your mother and I were already in love, and Elara was dear to me as she had instructed me in my own camerraleto as well. It’s an odd arrangement, one your mother and I never expected. I still needed a queen and wife to bear my children and we did love each other.”

The king waved a hand helplessly as if he needed to explain himself to a Justice Overseer. “The only thing to do that made sense for everyone was to declare Elara as my Mistress. I paid her debt to the House and she came to live with us here in the palace. She gave me Ian, but your mother and Elara wanted a child of their own as well. A child born of love and not politics who would still be considered legitimate…we chose a doctor in his third century, bound him to secrecy and had him alter your genetics at the same time he scrubbed your genes of diseases; the normal treatments for fetuses. Not only did he scrub your genetics of deformities and diseases, but he injected Elara’s DNA into yours. A few weeks later he made sure that it took, and then altered the mate gene to ensure it never activated while he selected your coloring.”

Tears ran down her father’s face and for once Adelina couldn’t read him. Were the tears born of sadness or joy?

“We chose you, Adelina to be the love child of the three of us. I fear now we were foolish, but I hope you do not hate me for this. You are very special, my dear.”

Adelina slipped to the floor and knelt before her father. She laid her head on his knees like she used to when she was small and Father stroked her hair. His hand was tremulous and weathered, no longer strong like it had been not very long ago.

“I do not hate you Papa, your explanation is…beautiful.” Adelina couldn’t help the tears as she smiled up at him. “I couldn’t be more proud to have been born of love and not duty.”

There was so much to absorb and consider. Should she tell her father about her dominance status? Adelina studied him and his smile was radiant. No, he already knew. Father was one of the few who had always known what she was fully capable of, before even Adelina knew herself.

Adelina hugged him close and prayed once more that the goddess give them just a little more time before she had to take him from her. “Go and get some rest, Papa,” she said, wiping the wetness from his cheeks.

The books he’d given her went into the crook of her arm and Adelina gave him a quick peck as she headed to the stairs. The books would be infinitely useful when she could finally find what she needed amid all the drudgery.

“Let me know if you need assistance finding more books,” King Orion called after her.

Adelina placed her hand on the panel and reassured her father that she would. It slid open after the A.I. verified there was no one in the alcove. She stepped out with a small smile. Suddenly a hand wrapped around her wrist and yanked. Adelina dropped the stack of books and before she could react a large hand covered her mouth.

“Don’t scream,” Nash’s voice washed over her.

It took more strength than she thought it would not to clamp her sharp teeth down on his hand. How dare he treat her so, assuming she would scream? What nonsense. Adelina glared up into those gorgeous eyes of his and ignored the confusing clash of emotions.

Part of her was relieved he’d found her, that Nash would even look for her after their fights. The other part was furious he would risk speaking to her when she was alone, no matter how quiet and empty the exclusive parts of the library were.

Adelina grabbed the small amount of flesh on his hip and squeezed with her nails, pinching him hard. Nash yelped and released her. “What the shikta is wrong with you?” he demanded in a hiss.

“I don’t like to be manhandled,” Adelina snapped.

The yellow and red in Nash’s eyes sparked and he took a step forward and pressed her back against a shelf. His arms planted on either side, effectively trapping her. “Are you sure about that?” he asked, his low voice suggestive.

The spark of desire settled deep inside her and Adelina tried to ignore it. “You risk both our lives coming here,” she said instead, trying to figure out how to get past him without having to touch him.

Nash leaned forward, bending so his head was nearly level with hers. Scars trailed up his neck, so white they were nearly invisible; as beautiful as a spider’s web and nearly as delicate. Was that a tattoo? Her eyes widened when she realized how intently he studied her.

“I was careful, no one saw me.”

Finally Adelina looked up into his eyes and saw conflict there. He was still angry with her, but he didn’t want to back off. Knowing what she did now, she could pay him back for all the grief he’d given her. There was no risk in playing with him anymore. Nash must have sensed the change somehow because he suddenly looked wary and pulled back, putting distance between them.

“I came to apologize,” Nash said.

If he had said he could grow wings and fly that wouldn’t have shocked her as much as those words did. “For what?” Adelina asked.

He sighed and ran his hand through his hair. She couldn’t help but watch the ripple of muscles. Nash was a gorgeous male, and with his broad shoulders and strength Adelina would have nothing to fear by his side. She cleared her throat to focus. Those thoughts would only drag her down into a special hellish place where she could never really have what she wanted.

“I want to apologize for assuming you owe me anything. We hardly know each other. Other than my attraction for you we have not had a chance to learn about each other.” His eyes raked over her body and Adelina shivered as she wondered what thoughts were hidden behind those eyes of his. “We have not been able to learn about more than what is on the surface. You know nothing of me and there is much you haven’t confided in me. A kiss does not mean you owe me your secrets.”

A kiss he said. Adelina knew it had been so much more than that, but she kept her mouth shut.

“You’ve done nothing more for me than an ally is supposed to,” he continued. “I understand the danger and challenges you’ve faced to uphold that honor, but it does not somehow mean you are mine.”

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