Page 26 of Alien Naga's Prize

“When were you going to mention this piece of information?” she says, her voice trembling. “Surely it was important?”

“I’m sorry, my goddess.” I go to embrace her, but she ducks away from me. Terror rises in my breast. “I didn’t want to overburden you with detail.”

The noise she makes is clearly me losing any chances I might have at mating her again this nova-century.

“What do you think I am?” Jenna lowers her voice, and my stomach quakes. “I was a security officer on my ship. I’m drilled in most weaponry, and I understand how a mission works, so I think I can manage the knowledge you’re Glyconroyalty.” She snarls the last word. “Azul, this isn’t going to work if you can’t trust me, and it most definitely will not work if I can’t trust you.”

Before I can reply, she’s marched angrily out of the room, and I hear the Lepke speaking with her. My scales bristle, my hood rises.

I do not want her talking to other males. Jenna is mine.

Only I just blew it because I didn’t want to tell her the truth. Now I don’t know if there’s any way back.

JENNA

Ishould be seething at Azul, given he thought it was a good idea to pretend to be a prince when he actually was a prince. My head aches from the way everything changed after the overheard conversation between him and the other Glycon.

Why did he not tell me who he was? What other secrets is Azul hiding?

But the reason I’m not as angry as I should be is the way his face fell when he realized I’d found out who he was. For a moment, he wasn’t a big brave warrior, a huge snake who could crush the life out of anyone who pissed him off. He was a male who’d cocked things up, big time.

Azul knew what he had done.

It’s hard to be angry at him, no matter how massive, scaly, and scary he is. Not when it seemed like his world had collapsed.

I am angry though. Angry he couldn’t trust me. We have an arrangement…an agreement…and even if this is temporary, I want it. For now.

The irritable mothman gives me a cool look as I approach the machine and I’m done with playing a part.

“I can’t wait to see what you’ve done,” I say. “I’m sure it’s going to be amazing.”

He blinks at me, slowly, his antenna twisting as if in a breeze. He’s trying to work out where the princess went, I suppose.

“The cycle is complete. I have placed your new wardrobe in your rooms.”

“Wow, that was quick,” I say, delighted and exhausted at the same time.

“I aim to please,” he says hesitantly, as if it’s not a sentiment he usually feels. “Anything you dislike, or if you wish to have the fit changed, the resort will arrange it.” He gives me the full force of his dark eyes, as if daring me to want anything else.

I smile at him, and it feels good not to play a part. “I was told you were the best and I expect nothing less.”

To my surprise, the mothman preens a little, his wings gently fanning.

“Thank you, princess.” He twists up his mouth into a sort of smile. “If you require my services again, you need only ask for me.”

He clicks his fingers, and the machine grows wheels, rolling away to the main doorway as the mothman walks past it without looking back and exits in front of the thing.

So far, so weird.

I make my way into the bedroom and to the closet where my new set of clothes hangs.

I have any number of tight-fitting dresses in all different shades of silky soft material or covered in sparkles which are reminiscent of Azul’s scales.

Because I need reminding of the snake who got me into this in the first place.

In addition, wrapped in velvet cloth in a drawer are items which look like they’re underwear. I pull them out to inspect. One is a gossamer like corset in a lacy fabric which feels like steel, and the others are similar. And there are a number of matching sets of knickers.

“I take it back,” a sinful voice rumbles behind me. “I’d pay to see you wear those items.”

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