Chapter 1
Planet Drakonia
“I don’t understand,” Blaze said to his mother.
They stood on the cliff ledge overlooking the great waters of Sandstrom. His mother asked him to help her to the overlook, since for the last few months she had not been able to walk. After carrying her for miles up the rocky cliff side, Blaze set her down on the stony surface. She was trying to tell him something, but none of it was making sense to him.
“My son, I mated my true mate, Raze, but he died before we could have any dragonlets. Distraught, I came here a few weeks after his death, intending to follow him to the next life. While sitting on this very spot, thinking about leaving this life and reuniting with Raze in the next, an old friend of your father’s joined me. He came to check on me, just as he promised Raze he would do if anything ever happened to him. He, too, was grieving the loss of Raze. He understood my pain, and he comforted me. And I offered the same to him.”
What was she saying? Her mind must be going. “Mother…”
“I was in heat but my grief covered the scent so neither of us noticed it. While consoling one another over Raze’s death, we shared sex. I wanted to feel alive at least once more. This male had always been attractive to me, but more importantly, he was kind and generous, and encouraged me that I could still live a happy and fulfilling life without Raze. We parted ways. It wasn’t until after he left that my scent changed and I realized I bred with him.”
“Wait, so you’re saying that…” Blaze couldn’t utter the words. He always assumed that his father had been Raze, the true mate his mother often spoke of. Now he was feeling a mix of emotions ranging from shock to anger. Had a male taken advantage of his grieving mother?
His mother looked at him somberly.
“Did he refuse to accept us when he found out you were carrying his dragonlet?” Blaze asked.
“He never found out about you.”
“But why? Were you embarrassed about me?”
“Of course not!” Lana caressed his cheek just like she always had, since he was a small child. “The male had responsibilities, and I didn’t want to burden him. He was honorable and would have tried to claim us, but I did not want him to give up his chance at finding his true lifemate. Also, I feared that you would be taken from me.”
“Our people would never separate a dragonlet from his mother.”
“Yourbirth father is special.”
“What’s so special about this dragon dung?”
“Please try to understand. He’s a good male, one who has not yet had any offspring. Once he learns of you, he will want to claim you for sure.”
“Well then, I’ll make sure he never knows.”
“Don’t do that. I’ve denied him his son all these years. None of it was his fault. Promise me, once I take my last flight, you will seek him out.”
“No.”
“Blaze, I’ve asked little of you. This is my last request. Do it to honor me, if nothing else.”
“He may not believe me.”
Lana pulled a wrapped item out of her pocket and placed it in his palm. “He gave me this and told me if I ever needed his help, I could contact him by presenting this to one of his guards at the castle.”
“One of his guards? Who is this male?”
“He is the good King Zocor.”
Disbelief filled him as he shook his head in denial. “You’re saying I’m the son of a king?”
“Yes. I knew he had nooffspring and would have wanted to claim you. I would not have been accepted as his queen and the thought of being separated from you terrified me. I couldn’t bear the thought of having you taken from me even for the king.”
“We don’t even live in that region.” Blaze could not wrap his mind around this shocking news.
“Fear made me do desperate things. I moved us here to keep you hidden from him. I have felt such guilt for my selfishness.”
“Why are you telling me this now?”
