Raja chuckled at my surprised expression. “What else were you expecting?”
“Not sure. Maybe an elevator or something,” I said with a smile.
His eyes sparkled with good humor. “Can you make it up there?”
“Of course.”
I shifted partially, letting dragon wings jut out of my back. I pushed off the ground and flew towards the platform. By the time I landed, there was someone else there.
A breathtakingly beautiful black panther.
Raja’s eyes glinted gold and his tail waved back and forth in an arc as he growled playfully. He shifted to human form a moment later and said, “Beat you up here.”
With a wink, he entered the hut and gestured for me to follow.
Inside, the light scent of incense floated in the air. Raja’s parents waited at the table in human form again, sitting with their hands neatly folded. Their eyes followed us expectantly. Raja took the opposite seat and nodded at the empty chair beside him, so I took the hint and sat.
Eka observed me closely and hummed. “So, you’ve finally come. We have been expecting you for a long time.”
The statement seemed strange, since Raja and I only met recently, but I didn’t want to interrupt Eka. Thankfully, Raja understood my confusion. He put a hand on my mine to get my attention. It was a slight touch, only for a single moment, but it made my heart flutter. When he drew his hand away, I felt disappointed. I mentally scolded myself. Icouldn’tbecome attached to him. This was only a fake relationship and nothing more.
“My father has visions,” Raja explained. “Apparently when I was born, he had a vision of a giant silver beast - your dragon form. It was hovering over me as a baby”
As he Raja spoke, I got the feeling he didn’t quite believe it. But why wouldn’t he? Was it his father’s visions in general he didn’t believe in, or that particular vision?
“At first we thought it was a bad omen,” his mother Kali added, “but now we understand that it was destiny. You are the silver dragon in Eka’s vision. You are Raja’s fated mate.”
The shocking words hit me like ice water. Raja and I only had plans for a fake marriage - where was all this about fated mates coming from? From the corner of my eye, I saw Raja’s lip curl tightly. A fake smile. He didn’t believe in his father’s vision. That explained why he spoke hesitantly earlier.
Both of his parents watched me intently, waiting for a reply.
“Yes, I understand,” I said slowly. “I’m what you saw in the vision. Then this must be incredibly important to you.”
Kali grinned. “Yes! You should see what we have planned for the wedding - oh! Which we are having as soon as possible, by the way.”
Eka raised a hand to calm his wife for a moment. “The wedding ceremony is important, yes. But first, Lorenzo, I must tell you something. We are counting on you to protect our son. We understand he wants to travel and explore the world, but he needs someone to look after him. Not simply anyone - a powerful alpha, such as yourself. You must protect Raja.”
Suddenly both Eka and Kali were serious again. With a tinge of dread, it dawned on me that this fake marriage meanteverythingto them. They didn’t know it was just a scheme orchestrated by their son to escape his parents’ controlling grasp. I suddenly felt sympathy for them. Even though Raja deserved his freedom, we were lying right to his parents’ faces.
“I understand,” I said seriously. “I will protect Raja.”
I felt Raja’s eyes on me.
“Very well,” Eka said. He stood slowly and grasped his cane. “Then we can begin preparations right away.”
“Hang on, Lorenzo’s been flying for a long time,” Raja said suddenly. “Don’t you think he should take a break first? Maybe wash up?”
Kali mulled this over. “Hm… Yes, it’s no good if he looks tired and sweaty at the ceremony.” She ushered us towards the door. “Raja, take him to Zumi’s and have her mother look after him. Sera will take him to the water and then dress him for tonight.”
Tonight? That’s so soon,I thought. I wondered if the hurried wedding was Raja’s idea or his parents’.
“Okay,” Raja said.
“Then come back here. You need to get ready too. Your hair is all out of place.” She licked her thumb and ran it aggressively over Raja’s brow.
“Ugh, mom!” he groaned, escaping her grasp.
“Go on, now, go,” she hurried. “Be back before the sun sets!”
