Chapter 3

Making enemies comes with my position, but I didn't expect to make one so early in my reign. As Dwen slams the door on his way out, the gnawing in my gut remains. I clenched my fists as I tried to calm myself. There is a part of me that nudges at the fact that I am the ripe age of twenty-three, and others would see me as too young, and since I'm a female, they would pull that card out, too. I sigh heavily, and to distract myself, I start setting up my little area with thick blankets and pillows, then go through my paintings. A painting of my mother catches my eye and draws my attention. With a heavy heart, I pick it up. Her beauty wasn't for this world. And my father was too selfish to see it.

People said that she and I were twins. The same heart-shaped face is similar in stature: her thick, smokey black hair and a wildness in her violet eyes. Father couldn't stand it. But I felt the most like myself when I was with her. I hug the picture, "I hope you can forgive me." I whisper to her, "Because I'm not sorry…"

The sound of rummaging gets my attention, and out of the corner of my eye, I see Aneth flipping through pages of a book. I bit my lip in a smile when I saw the red cover. "Of course, you pick that," I crawl over to him and snake the romance book out of his hands, but he grabs it back and flips to a particular page with a very intimate picture.

My eyes widen as he points at it. It was a woman and a man engulfed in passion. I didn't want to start them out with this, but Aneth seemed to be curious enough.

Please don't let it backfire on me…

"Alright, well, what you have in your hands is a Romance novel. A Book that you read that focuses on love and romance between characters." I clear my throat, "For example, You and I." I place a hand on his chest, then mine. "Characters."

Good goddess, how could I explain romance without going overbroad…

A light bulb goes off in my head as I remember how Koa almost kissed me. I get on my knees and get close to Aneth; then, I re-enact how Koa softly touched my lips and drew close. "Romance," I whisper to him in a soft voice.

I watch his eyes dilate, and his chest pumps in and out, "You feel this," I place my hand on his chest, feeling his heart pounding, "When we're close, this is how it makes you feel." I couldn't deny my heart was racing to be this close to him. I didn't know how he would re-react, but I didn't want to waste an opportunity to teach him when he was interested. I grab his hand and put it on my chest. "Do you feel it?" I ask.

"Yes." He says, staring at his hand upon my flesh.

I smile, then back away from Aneth; I grab the book from him. "Good. Now you know."

Well, it was all he needed to know for now. When I feel the cold chill, I get into my blankets and notice Koa and Nye staring at me. It could be from the interaction with Aneth.

I curl my knees to my chest, "It goes for you two as well." I smile. Nye tilts his head; Koa glances at Nye but puts his head down.

"I have other blankets if you guys get cold." I stand up with a clutch of them in my arms. "Here."

Nye's brows furrow. He looks at the blankets before me and gives me a half-smile. The lure of his eyes ensnares me like a fish in a net. I froze for a moment, a warmth trailing up my spine.

This happened when Nye gazed at me like this in his dragon form. I couldn't move. What was he doing to me?

I drop the blankets as my limbs go numb. My body grows heavy, and before I know it, my knees buckle, and I start to fall sideways. Nye catches me, letting me down easily. My vision starts to blur, and before I black out, I see Nye's eyes shift into serpent form.

I can't stay awake…