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Then again, true mates were rare, and plenty of people loved their mates without that connection My parents weren’t true mates, and they had been head over heels for each other I needed to pull , actually hear what he kept telling me and let it sink in

If the de ca the thing that I had always shrugged off, e the stars and keep the heart of dom alive Some of it, at least

I blew out a breath and blinked away unshed tears Tiet the job done It was the hardworking lower class that had built this kingdo lower class that would save it I’d make sure of it

“Everything okay?” Hadriel called forward as we got going

I gave a thu Pretended not to feel the hollow opening in my middle This was the problem with all those stories about happily-ever-afters and dreamy men—reality see a part in one of those stories That they were called fantasies for a reason

At least the orgash I’d take it

“You good?” Nyfain asked, and I could feel the regret in the bond The somberness of his tone

“Perfectly I just needed a little reality bitch slap, and now I ao”

He didn’t coe that blew my mind

Seventeen

Suddenly the whole social class issue e houses rose before us, two stories and surrounded by large plots of mostly cultivated land Lovely flowers bloomed beside cobblestone streets and laht fixtures Clearly so them Who paid for it?

More roads intersected up ahead, a hborhood

Hadriel trotted up beside us, looking at Nyfain, clearly wondering how to proceed

“I’ll need to see their town council and discuss my presence,” Nyfain said, his tone resolute

I swung a foot over the stallion and jurab me I motioned for Dabnye to jump down afterWe’ll walk from here”