Page 48 of The Lost Princess

Nasi sat his bowl down, and propped his hands on his knees. He looked bashful and a tad helpless. “This is not a topic I’m very good at—”

“You’re all I have,” I interrupted rudely with a touch of desperation leaking through my tone. I didn’t care how embarrassed either of us were. He was likely the only one who would give me straight answers.

“I suppose you are right,” he admitted. He looked at me oddly, and I flushed. He took a deep breath, and began. “Sex is when the male penetrates the female. Regardless of species.” He raised an eyebrow at me as if to gauge whether or not I understood.

I didn’t. “Penetrate with what? Your …that?” Not wanting to say the word, I pointed at his crotch.

He snorted. “Yes.That.”

I paused, remembering how large it had been when he’d been feral and prancing around the cave naked and how it had pressed against my rear, long and firm as he pinned me to the ground. I enjoyed it before it turned into fear of the unknown and I pushed him away.

“And you put that inside me?” I asked doubtfully. It didn’t seem like it would fit.

Nasi smirked as if reading my mind. “Your body stretches. How else would a child come out during birth?”

Alright, he had a point there even if it didn’t seem completely plausible to me. Babies had to come out somehow, didn’t they?

“You weren’t penetrating me just now, though,” I argued. “Yet you still grasped yourself and rushed away.”

He definitely blushed at that, eyes going down to his soup.

“Nasi,” I prodded sharply.

He glared. “When males finish, our … uh, essence comes out. That is what happened,” he finished quickly as though proud he’d managed to come up with the proper word for it.

“Essence?” I choked out, trying not to laugh. “That is what makes children?” I clarified, not wanting to miss anything important.

Nasi nodded wordlessly.

I put a few more pieces together. “I assume you weren’t supposed to release this essence earlier with me? Or you didn’t mean to?”

Nasi held his hands out helplessly, then rubbed the back of his neck. “Some males consider it shameful to … finish like that.”

I shrugged. “I don’t see why. I had already finished, if that is what such intense uh, moments are. I don’t have any essence, do I?”

He seemed perturbed by my bluntness. “No, I mean … Well …” he trailed off uncomfortably, then lifted the bowl to his lips as if to have an excuse to do something else. His eyebrows raised. “This is good soup.”

My inner draken puffed my chest out, pleased. “Thanks. I do know a bit about plants and herbs.”

“And singing,” he added, giving me a sultry look.

I blushed. “And that,” I admitted, narrowing my eyes. “Don’t change the subject.”

The bowl clanged on the ground. “Kaida, have mercy on an old, weary draken.”

I snorted. “You are not old.”

He truly frowned at that. “I do not know how much time I’ve lost.”

I picked up his bowl, and set it to the side, gathering his hands in mine. I could see he was struggling with his mind again. His face always twisted when that happened. It was as if he was gearing up for an internal battle.

“Well, you don’t look old. And nevertheless, I like you anyhow.”

That drew his eyes immediately to mine, clear and bright. A thought occurred to me though I hesitated in voicing it.

“What is it?” he asked, ever mindful of my changing moods and needs, ever mindful of me and what I desired—unlike my father.

My throat closed a bit, emotion welling in my chest. I pushed it away, forcing up a small smile for Nasi. “Nasi, your darkness is better when I’m here. I’m able to snap you out of it.”

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