“I don't want to be your concubine.”
“I didn't ask you to.”
“No, you didn't. But I want to be clear with you before this goes further. I'm not interested in romance, and I'm certainly not interested in being tied down to one place. I'm in my wander years.”
“Your what?”
“Volpers have life stages. The first is childhood. Next is our wander years, when we travel the world to see what interests us.”
He leaned forward onto the table. “What's next?”
“After wandering, we find a partner and make a home together.”
“That seems simple.”
“There's more to it. During the wander years, we take lovers, try different types of work, and generally decide what we want to settle on.”
“That makes sense. So, I'm a lover. That means you could decide on me.”
“Doubtful.”
The King burst out laughing. “I should be offended, but instead I'm fascinated. Why do you doubt that we could be good together?”
“Because you're a Dragon and a king. I am neither.”
“And you don't want to be with a Dragon or a king?”
“I don't think it our lives will merge well. Your people have mates, correct?”
King Falken's expression went strange, his gaze intensifying. “Yes. We are drawn to the person who will make us happiest.”
“You have no choice?”
“The Goddess chooses for us. She knows best. But it's always someone we want anyway. There has never been a mated Dragon who denies his mate or bemoans the Goddess's choice.”
I grunted. “So, I could decide on you, and you could decide on me, but it wouldn't matter if I wasn't your mate?”
He grinned. “But if youweremy mate, we'd be in an eternal, joyous union.”
“So you say.”
“So my people and my goddess say. You're a man of reason. You like proof. Well, thousands of Dragons have found their mates, and all of them are happy. How is that for proof?”
“You can't possibly know that.”
“All right. I have met many mated Dragons and all of them are happy.”
“Are these Dragons mated to other Dragons?”
“Some are while others are mated to people from other races.”
“And those who mate people from other races are happy?”
“Yes.”
“Are they mated the same as Dragons?”
“What do you mean?”
