Page 49 of The Wild Prince’s Favorite (The Dragon Empire Saga #3)

“...I am not quite sure,” Tievin sighed. “You shall see for yourself in a minute.”

His words left Lorey curious, and she glanced ahead at the two siblings.

Despite an eight-year age gap, the two of them were so similar that they looked like twins.

She had always thought that the Prince looked older than his real age, and she found it even more true now that he had reached adulthood.

He held a very stern, serious, cold demeanor, while his older sister was more youthful and carefree.

Kiera was very tall for a woman, almost as tall as her brother, and quite toned too, with large shoulders and long limbs.

They had the same very defined jaw, and amongst all their siblings, Kiera and Kassein were also the only ones to not have their father’s black eyes nor their mother’s pale green eyes, but a mix between the two, a mysterious dark green.

Seeing the two of them walk together made Lorey smile; the pair hadn’t seen each other in a long while, but Kiera hadn’t hesitated a second before hopping on her brother’s dragon’s back to see what he needed her for.

Finally, they reached the Prince’s tent, and he seemed to tense up a little before the entrance. Kiera raised an eyebrow.

“Kassein, what kind of mess did you get into this time?”

“...You’ll see.”

Lorey and Kiera exchanged a glance, both curious, while Kassein led the way into his tent. When they walked in, they were surprised to find a woman there, in what ought to be the Prince’s bed, staring at them with a confused and nervous expression.

Immediately, Lorey knew that woman wasn’t from the Dragon Empire. Her skin color, her silky black hair, her eyes, and everything about her felt foreign. Kiera slapped her brother’s shoulder.

“You animal!”

“I haven’t touched her!” he protested.

“I can confirm, Your Highness,” said Tievin, clearing his throat while the siblings glared at each other. “The Commander in Chief has merely been caring for this tribeswoman for the past few days. He graciously left her his bed out of concern for her health.”

“What happened to her?” Lorey asked, who had immediately noticed the bruises and bandages.

“We don’t really know,” Kassein admitted, still rubbing his arm. “I found her in the mountains; some of the tribespeople were attacking her. They were about to kill her...”

“And you got involved?” Kiera guessed. “Gods, you’re so much like Dad... So you saved her? And then? She’s been here all along?”

“No. I did send her back to her tribe yesterday morning. At least, I tried. We parted ways in the mountains when she decided to, after sunrise, but just an hour later... Kein brought her back, and she... looked like this. Worse than when I left her.”

“Gods,” Lorey muttered, shocked. “Her own people did this to her?”

“Twice,” Kassein insisted, glaring at his sister.

“How awful...”

Alezya was staring at the four of them, legitimately confused about what was happening and who the two women were. Her eyes kept going between the four of them, frowning and nervously pulling the blanket to her. After a little while, Kassein went to sit next to her legs on the bed, not too close.

“...Her name is Alezya,” he said while looking at her.

Alezya stared at him once she heard her name, understanding that he might be explaining the situation to those women. Then, he turned back to his sister.

“That’s all I know so far,” he explained, “but I am not sending Alezya back to her people. Not after they did this to her.”

Kiera noticed how he was looking at that woman and let out a long sigh, massaging her temples.

“...Kassein, did you just make me travel half the continent to help you seduce a tribeswoman?”

“To help her,” he retorted. “You’re the one who knows foreign tribes more than anyone else.”

“I know Western tribes, not the Northern ones! ...And you do realize Kassian would rip your head off for this?”

Kassein glared furiously at the mention of their older brother. Meanwhile, Lorey ignored the siblings’ banter and approached the bed. With a gentle smile, she got on her knees to face Alezya, and talked to her.

“I’m Lorey,” she said, putting a hand on her chest. “Lorey.”

Alezya nodded, and put a hand on her own chest, mimicking her.

“Alezya.”

Lorey smiled.

“ Niu ga walashiu bilka? ” she then said, using a different language.

But Alezya only frowned, clearly not understanding her.

“Looks like she doesn’t speak the Rain Tribe’s language,” Lorey said.

“No. Her language is entirely different,” Kassein declared. “The one word she taught me isn’t like anything I know.”

“What did you learn?”

“...Food.”

A few seconds of silence passed, during which Lorey suppressed a chuckle and Tievin looked elsewhere.

“...That’s it?” Kiera scoffed. “Wow, Kassein, no wonder you needed us. You really know your way with a woman, don’t you?”

“How long has she been here?” Lorey asked before they could argue again.

“Just a few days,” Tievin answered, his eyes on Alezya. “We tried to conceal her existence in the camp so far. I am afraid the rumors will spread quite hastily now that she’s back.”

“You mean Kassein did whatever he wanted, and you tried to deal with the damages, like always,” Kiera sighed. “I don’t... Kassein, if Kassian hears about this...”

“He doesn’t need to know,” her brother angrily retorted.

But Kiera wasn’t convinced. She crossed her arms.

“That’s why you called me, isn’t it? You knew I was the one who wouldn’t snitch to our big brother about you taking one of the enemy’s women. ...Dara told me what happened in the Capital, Kassein.”

“Of course she did,” he groaned.

“I am not going to blame you,” Kiera insisted. “I’m sure the family berated you enough already. But this... Having a tribeswoman here is not going to help your case. If things get worse with the Northern tribes because of this...”

“Worse? What exactly could get worse?” Kassein angrily retorted, standing up. “Kassian already exiled me here. What kind of result do you think he expects? This was never about the tribes! He doesn’t care what I do here as long as I stay out of the way. Out of his way.”

“That’s not true,” Kiera said more calmly. “You know he cares. We all care about you, but–”

“But he got rid of me the second I became a nuisance,” Kassein hissed.

“The Emperor sent his troublesome, irresponsible brother as far away as he could the second I became a hindrance to his pristine reign, and everyone was satisfied. You’re the first to come here in two years, Kiera.

Don’t tell me everyone isn’t relieved with me being away. ”

“You’re the one who isn’t answering anyone’s letters! Sadara said you haven’t even been talking to Mom!”

“Don’t you dare mention her!” Kassein suddenly roared.

He then burst out of the tent. Kiera sighed, glaring at the door, but her gaze then went to Lorey, who was glaring back.

“What?” she said under her partner’s accusatory stare. “You know I didn’t say anything that wasn’t true!”

“...Did we come here to help or not?”

After a few seconds, Kiera rolled her eyes. As always, Lorey was the voice of reason. She looked at Alezya in the bed next to her.

The tribeswoman seemed worried, as she probably had no idea what had suddenly triggered Kassein to shout and leave. Her dark eyes were lingering on the tent’s entrance… In fact, her eyes were really stuck to where Kassein had disappeared seconds ago. That’s when Kiera realized.

That tribeswoman wasn’t just here against her will, or because she had no other choice.

She felt safe here. Kassein and that woman might have gotten closer than she initially thought.

Her brother hadn’t opened his heart to anyone in ages, and yet, it was clear he and that foreign woman cared about each other. Deeply.

The truth was, he would have never called for help if it hadn’t been for someone else’s sake.

.. for that woman’s sake. It wasn’t just that Kassian had cast their little brother away to these mountains; Kassein himself had chosen this exile.

He’d stopped answering their letters, and put up walls that no dragon could cross, not letting anybody in. Until now.

After a little while, Kiera turned to Tievin.

“Do they still try to kill each other?”

She did not need to mention who this was about. Lorey turned her eyes to Tievin too.

“...It has become rarer since Kein brought this woman here,” he admitted.

He preferred not to mention that they had very nearly murdered each other just a day ago when Kassein had briefly sent Alezya back.

Kiera, of all people, would understand what was implied.

She turned her eyes back to Alezya, staring at that woman.

Then, her eyes went to Lorey, and she eventually shook her head, before walking out. Tievin let out a heavy sigh.

“It can be tough serving the Imperial Family, can’t it?” Lorey smiled.

“Stubbornness is their most troublesome family trait,” he declared, “but, dare I say, the Commander is most likely relieved you and the Princess came.”

“She’s happy too. She missed her little brother.”

Tievin and Lorey exchanged a complicit glance, and their eyes turned back to Alezya. She was still visibly confused to be left with those two, but Lorey smiled reassuringly.

Outside the tent, Kiera found her brother just a few steps away, glaring at the top of the mountain. Kein had begun scouring the heights with menacing growls again, flying around and scanning for enemies like a bird of prey.

“We’re not alone,” she commented.

“They are watching her. We caught them spying several times.”

“Curious. The tribes have never acted so boldly before...”

For a few seconds, the two of them stood side by side, trying to spot the origin of the stares that triggered their instincts.

Kiera’s dragon, Kiki, had also taken flight to accompany Kein, seemingly more curious to inspect the mountains than feeling like hunting.

After a little while, she uncrossed her arms and turned to the camp.

Some of the soldiers close by opened their eyes wide upon seeing her, a striking female copy of their Commander.

“We will help you,” she finally said.

“...Because of her?”

“Because I believe Kassian was wrong.”

Kassein finally turned to her, shocked. His sister sighed.

“He’s always been harsh, and I believe he’s been so with you too.

It got worse when he took the throne and gave up on that woman.

.. I’m not saying what you did was right in any way, and you already know that, but you’re our little brother.

He shouldn’t have just sent you away. That’s not how our family solves things. ”

Her words took Kassein by surprise, so much so that he had nothing to answer for a while. Kiera looked up at Kein.

“I’ll help you,” she said again, “as long as you don’t tell the family I’m here too.”

He nodded.

“You know I have no reason to.”

Kiera smiled and gave a faint punch against his shoulder.

“The bad apples stick together,” she chuckled. “Come on, let’s get started. I am not letting that poor girl sleep one more night in your stinky tent.”