Nya has enjoyed her time on Arcros, mediating minor disputes and arranging marriages. She never expected that she had been offered the position based on her suitability to be a Draikyn mate, and that her soon to be lover was working his way through stone pathways to her side. Hyfor is not what she was expecting, but as she was expecting to work in obscurity, she wasn’t really prepared for anything. Mating with a dragon might be a good bar joke, but the reality far eclipsed the fantasy.
Nya blinked in surprise and bided her time. She finished her own food while Berenghetti got her thoughts together.
“He is waking up and I have accidentally allowed the Evian onto his territory.”
“I see. Do you want me to mediate?”
“No, an agreement has already been reached. I just wanted to make sure that you were aware of the terms.”
The avatar was sipping at her wine, studiously not looking Nya in the eye. Suspicion immediately flared.
“Please explain why I need to be included in this little matter.” She leaned back in her chair and crossed her arms over her breasts.
“Well, I accidentally let the Evian mine in the nesting site he had contracted for and since I was in default, he demanded that I produce his match immediately.” Berenghetti turned her head and it was Arcros meeting Nya’s gaze with calm and serenity. “We engaged in the search and found you.”
The brilliant glowing green energy was quite noticeable in comparison to the normal placid red of Berenghetti’s gaze.
“I see. So, I am a default on a contract?” She had to look at it in the confines of her job or she would fly apart.
“No, of course not. He would have courted you himself, but he has been burrowing out from under the Evian mines for the last few months and he wishes to be presentable when you meet.”
Nya knew that Terrans were in demand as mates for certain species, but she was fairly sure that the Draikyn were not completely compatible with humans. “The last few months?”
“He started to shift his position the moment that you landed. Hyfor will be here in a matter of days.”
“I can’t possibly be his mate. From the little that I remember from basic training, Draikyn were on our incompatible list.” She was clutching at straws, but it was all she could come up with on such short notice. The idea that there was a dragon under the settlements digging closer to her was a little mind boggling.
