Page 31 of Retrograde

“Because that was Amelia. All she wanted was Rhys.Allshe wanted was Rhys,” he said firmly, his voice cracking. “And it almost broke Sagan being their child. It brokeAmeliaas he picked his position over her again and again. His royal family bullshit and it broke her. It will break you too, which means she will have a broken mate. That will destroy her.”

“You don’t know that, Darren,” Prince Fraser whispered. “I loved Amelia, but Sagan is stronger.”

“She is, but she’s emotionally stunted because of what they did to her—whateveryonedoes to her,” he replied, meeting Prince Fraser’s gaze head-on. “And it’s never going to stop. Ever.” He snorted when all of us went to argue. “It’s been made clear to me byseveralAlphas that her not wanting more than one mate doesn’t really matter to them.”

“What?” Princess Maple whispered.

Darren nodded and steam about came out of his ears. “They’ve been talking to me on the side as her advisor and now as her elder family member thinking I’ll be more level-headed. But they aren’t willing to have their family members be here for possiblyyearsonly to be embarrassed and rejected. There could be war if Sagan tries to only accept one.”

“Those fuckers,” Prince Fraser hissed. “They are so bold when—seriously, some of them need to be put in the ground.”

Darren’s gaze was on mine. “Are you ready to accept her with a few other mates? Is yourdragon?Because that was the one line Amelia couldn’t cross and she died inside when she knew Rhys considered it.”

“What?” Princess Maple gasped. “No, never. He would…” She swallowed loudly. “A conversation for private.”

“I don’t have anything more to tell you,” Darren admitted. “She asked me once if I would help her leave the castle and divorce Rhys if she needed to. I threatened to come in with guards if she didn’t tell me what was going on and she admitted that he was considering taking another mate or consort because of pressure and she couldn’t live that way.”

“I can,” I told him firmly, nodding when he snorted. “As long as they treat her right, then I can. I’ll work on my jealousy—she’s worth it, and forgive me because I did truly like your sister, but she was missing something to stand in such waters that Sagan and I have.”

“She was normal and loved,” Prince Fraser muttered. “I heard Father say it to Rhys once that she wouldn’t make him normal and have a happy life, but he would break hers.”

Darren didn’t say anything but clearly felt the same.

I leaned over and let him see the darkness in me, let him feel it from my dragon even. “Your sister was a kind woman, but the leader of Thovudin needs a beast at their side, especially when this world is so sexist. I want to be the darkness so she can finallybe the Sagan we get glimpses of, and if that means other men, then so be it.”

“I hope so, kid,” he whispered. “I really do because I cannot lose another family member to this fucking monarchy. I can’t.”

I watched him get up and leave, my heart hurting for what he carried.

“Losing Amelia was just as painful as finding out she wasn’t the woman he thought she was,” Princess Maple said as she focused on her food… And clearly was talking about her and Rhys as well.

What the fuck had been going on with the royal family beyond what I’d already realized?

And how did I help my future mate through it?

8

Sagan

My weekly interview with June was later than normal, her network deciding not to have it air on Sundays when most people were busy. Apparently, my “tantrum” the week before—as too many called it—shot the ratings up but mostly on YouTube and later, so they wanted the… I didn’t know how television all worked. Primer time of Monday night?

Plus, it was easier since we had to review it first. That, I more than understood.

“How are you?” June asked with genuine concern in her voice.

“I’m fine,” I answered, snickering when she rolled her eyes. “I’m the Queen of Thovudin, June, I’m not allowed to be anything else.”

“You’re a person too,” she argued.

I swallowed a sigh, hating to discuss this, but as much as people blasted me for anything I said, these interviews and the exposure were actually helping people’s opinions of me. Slowly—mind-numbingly slowly, but… It was helping.

“I’m grateful to the dedicated work of my security that they put the pieces together before something much, much worse happened,” I told her. “I’m relieved that Sunborough’s Alpha and his mate were able to see the situation for what it was andthere won’t be issues there. I’m disappointed Loraviel won’t take a plea and…”

“And thinks people will rally around him?”

“Haven’t they?” I chuckled darkly. “I’ve heard how I’m being a baby and it was just a party trick or whatever. Ignoring the drug is illegal; the people at parties agree to take the drug. I did not, and no matter how much Loraviel didn’t believe I would be harmed in the end, anyone withsensedoesn’t agree. My security has enough that we know the plot was to eventually kill me.”

She swallowed loudly. “You’re sure? The elder hasn’t been apprehended yet.”