“You called Father.” He coughed to cover a partial laugh that escaped.
“Do not act clueless,” his father said. “I saw you standing in the shadows just as your sister was.” He stood from his throne. “What do you know of these females? That one will not be alive long if she disobeys the laws again.”
Ferrus’s dragon roared in his head, making him cringe just a bit. He would not allow that to happen.
His father rubbed his eyes. “I was told there were four transgressors. The other two are the gnoleon spies?”
“Not according to my men. They were hiding from someone farther down the mountainside.”
“I find it very convenient that two of the enemy are caught on our land a few cycles before we are to attack.”
Ferrus had to agree with his father. But he believed in his guards’ abilities. He had trained them, after all.
“I will speak with them,” Ferrus said. “Having their group separated makes them weak. We can threaten each with the others’ lives if need be. What are you going to do with those two females?” He was almost afraid to hear the answer. He was sure his little mate would not be happy with anything but being released.
And that was not happening whether he wanted her or not. She was never leaving unless it was with him. His men depended on him, so he was not going anywhere.
“They will remain with the rest of the women and do as they are told.” His father shrugged like the answer was obvious. The old fool trusted that the foreign women would bend to their rules. One thing he had learned from this meeting, the females—his female—would not go quietly. He worried his father had just stirred the stinger hive. He had a very bad feeling.
Ferrus bowed and backed toward the exiting wall. “I shall make sure the visitors and prisoners are taken care of, Father. Don’t worry yourself with them.”
“Good, I do not want to hear her voice again. Check with your sister. If they make trouble, return them to the cell, and I will decide what to do with them then.”
Chills ran down his back. His father did not mean to decide as in giving them freedom but giving them death.
While Ferra had the other two, he would go to the holding room to find out what he could from their enemy. Any information about the gnoleon’s plans would help with troop formation and time of the attack.
The thought of “attacking” his mate with his tongue buried deep inside her as she screamed his name made him instantly hard. Midstride, he stopped and shook his leg to readjust to an easier walking position. Dragon balls, he had not had this issue in eons. He wondered if the other males had the same problem.
A bit of anger crawled in him from how the mate laws forbade him from doing what he desired. Being the prince, he always got what he wanted. Not that he ever wanted much. He was content in the mountain with his people.
Coming into the restraining room, he nodded to the guard then saw the two gnoleons against the wall. The male was still unconscious. By the female’s expression and her care for him, Ferrus figured they were mates. Seeing them together, his heart did a funny thing, stopping him in his tracks.
Here, males and females did not intermingle or touch unless in the sleep room to relieve the males’ needs and create children. He wanted to feel his female’s body against him. Her lush ass and thighs were perfect for him to kiss and lick and… He stepped back into the tunnel for a moment to get himself under control. How this female made him crazy!
His garment loosening, he re-entered the room to see the female standing at the bars, scowling.
“Where are my friends? What have you done with them?”
He could not help the smile creeping across his face. This one had spirit also. He felt a bond with the male gnoleon concerning bold women.
“Your friends are safe. They are with the other females.”
Her eyes narrowed. “What do you want? We mean no harm. We were only crossing over the mountain.”
“As I remember,” he said, “the cave you were in is not on the trail to the other side.”
“We were hiding and planning to be gone as soon as the kappy went away.”
His brows arched toward the top of his head. “Kappies? You were hiding from kappies?” He grabbed hold of the bar to keep his balance while he guffawed harder than outside of his father’s throne room.
He wiped tears from his eyes. “You were hiding from kappies? What the mountain for? You cannot be afraid of such little creatures.”
“These little creatures burned down an entire forest—”
Ferrus put his hand up, stopping the woman from continuing. Several cycles back, the sky had been filled with opaque smoke that roiled with dark magic. Was that from the burning forest?
The use of the dark powers worried him. That side of the planet’s makeup hadn’t been strong for a millennium. Many species had fought hard and sacrificed much to live in the peace that now reigned. If the darkness had any chance of returning, they would squash it immediately.
Did any of these four have control of the dark side of the realm? He studied both in the cell, not seeing the shadows around them. Only a few of the more powerful could see the dark magic’s presence. He did not get a good enough look at his mate and the female with her. He needed more light.
Turning, he left the room quickly. “I shall return.” He needed to find out if his mate wielded any abilities that would get her killed.
Chapter Six
Ascending a very long twisty tunnel, Lilah followed the young lady who she supposed was the king’s daughter—a female who couldn’t speak to the king. How idiotic could someone be? Women not talking to men? She couldn’t imagine the sexual frustration this place must be full of. Men and women.
If anyone knew about sexual frustration, it was her. She hadn’t dated since her senior year in college five years ago. Her battery-powered boyfriend had been her best friend. He had never body-shamed her, told her she was too fat to fuck, or she should eat more salads. No, he appreciated the fact that she kept his batteries full and running. That would’ve been the only male who valued her.
Maybe this separation of the sexes was a great idea. The women wouldn’t have to put up with men’s stupid shit, and the men didn’t have to put up with women trying to make them better.
Wiping sweat from her forehead, legs becoming wobbly, Lilah wondered where they were going and how much longer it would take. When leaving the throne room, she didn’t think to ask. She wanted away from that old fart so badly. This girl did not look threatening, so Lilah had no problem going with her.
Now that she’d had time to think, she needed to pull her shit together. They needed to get Wren and Zee out of the prison cell and get the hell out of this place.
“Excuse me, Ferra?” She thought that was the girl’s name. The daughter turned back to her. “We need to get our friends and get back on the road. Can you help us with that?”
The young lady’s head tilted, brows drawn down. “You are one of us now. You do not need to go anywhere.”
Lilah chuckled and put an arm around the girl’s shoulders, the dumb cover-up limiting her movements. “You do not understand, honey. This is not our home. We are trying to get back to our family. You wouldn’t want someone to keep you from being here with your dad, right?”