Page 28 of The Lost Princess

Thrilled to be on safer ground, I settled in happily to explain.

“I am a master hunter. Ever since I was a boy,” I offered, sliding my claws between the soft wool and the tender muscle. I was thrilled to remember this small piece of information. Kaida looked fascinated as I peeled back the skin to reveal the inner tendons, not recoiling at all at the sight of the blood. I would clean the stone floor later using water from the hot springs, washing it out of the cave mouth.

“My food always comes prepared,” Kaida confessed, frowning. “Do you know how to cook then? I don’t know how.” She blushed to the tips of her ears.

I grinned. “I mostly hunted. Others excelled at cooking. I know how though.” My chest puffed with pride, my inner draken pleased to be able to provide for our mate.

She’s not your mate, I snarled back internally.Quit it.

“Everything alright?” Kaida asked worriedly, noting the sudden shift in my demeanor.

I breathed out heavily, forcing my inner draken back.

“Yes. Fine. You try?” I turned my palm over to show her my claws and how to delicately slice between the skin and meat.

Kaida’s eyes lit up, and she effortlessly shifted back into draken form. We both winced as her wings cut through the dress I’d brought, ruining it.

“Oh no!” Kaida cried, clearly distressed, trying in vain to hold up the scraps of fabric on her back.

My brow furrowed. “Our females don’t wear so much. Gets in the way,” I noted. Then a thought hit me. “Can I show you?”

I wanted to tell her so much more, but it was still hard to push the words out. I assumed the more I talked, the easier it would get.

Kaida nodded eagerly and turned around to present me with the unblemished flesh of her back and wings.

I swallowed, then focused on my task. I tore off the dangling bits of fabric, gathering them in my claws lengthwise.

“Take off the dress now,” I advised, and she did so without hesitation, gathering the fabric to cover her waist and presenting me with an expanse of smooth skin.

I glanced at the floor as I held out the strips to her. “Bind these around your breasts, and I will fix the rest.”

I turned around to grant her privacy since it seemed important to her. I heard her struggling and muttering behind me, but I refused to turn around. Not yet.

“Ok, now what?”

I turned back, and quickly sliced through the top section of the dress that bunch around her waist. I cut the bottom up to her knees.

“There!” I announced, stepping back to review our handy work.

Kaida looked stunning despite her flustered expression. Her hands hung at her sides, hovering as though she didn’t feel covered even with the thick band of fabric that bound her breasts. The white skirt went from her waist to just above her knees, exposing her bare midriff and most of her legs. Her wings hung behind her on the ground, heavy and dragging.

The sight of her standing there dressed as a proper female draken triggered something in my mind. I saw my mother, wearing a similar style but in bright purples and greens. I was struck by memories of other females wearing gauzy material that flowed and spun prettily as they flew. There were bare midriffs all around me, and the sound of laughter that quickly morphed into screams.

I shook my head to banish it.

“I look ridiculous. You don’t have to say it.”

Kaida’s voice brought me back with an unpleasant bump. She glanced up, blowing a strand of hair out of her face.

I chuckled. “No. You look normal,” I insisted. Because saying incredible or gorgeous would scare her, even though she was.

Kaida gave me a heart-stopping smile. “That’s the first time anyone has told me that.” Her head tilted to the side. “I think I like it. Normal, that is.”

I stood up straight, my inner draken indignant. I was unable to contain myself as the words burst forth. “You arenotnormal. You aremagnificent.”

Kaida blushed, and I had to physically restrain myself from taking a step closer to her. She closed the gap herself, stepping into my chest and glancing up at me with wide eyes.

“I can smell things when I’m like this,” she said softly, her nostrils flaring. “What is it I smell on you?”

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