Page 55 of Naga Warlord's Mate

The servers brought platters of food, and Andear’s protective instincts flared as he filled Priscilla’s plate first. The mate bond thrummed with her amusement at his possessive care.

“You’re hovering,” she teased, but her eyes sparkled with affection.

“A warlord provides for his mate,” he rumbled back, his eyes intense as he watched her take the first bite.

Mila laughed, the sound bright and free. “She’s found her match in you, warlord. Someone as stubborn as she is.”

Andear’s chest swelled with joy as he observed both sisters—once slaves, now members of Niri society. His tail moved restlessly across the floor as he remembered how close they’d come to losing everything to the Xirath. But they had prevailed, and now his mate sat beside him, marked and claimed, her future secure.

Through their bond, he felt Priscilla’s complete contentment. She had found her purpose, her home, her place at his side. His tail coiled around her, protective and possessive.

“My fierce little warrior,” he whispered against her ear, making her shiver. “Now everyone will know your true worth.”

Chapter 30

Priscilla

Priscilla’smusclesburnedwithsatisfaction as she corrected a young warrior’s stance. The twin suns of Nirum beat down on the training grounds, turning the stone courtyard into a furnace. She didn’t mind the heat anymore. It had become as familiar as the weight of the blade at her hip.

“Your guard is too high,” she said, demonstrating the proper position. “Leave it there, and a faster opponent will gut you before you can blink.”

The warrior adjusted, his scales gleaming with sweat. “Yes, Advisor.”

From his position on the observation platform, Andear watched her with that intense focus that still made her catch her breath. Even after a year, even after everything they’d been through, his presence commanded attention. His tail coiled lazily around one of the stone pillars as he tracked her movements.

“Again,” Priscilla called to her students. “This time, remember what I taught you about reading your opponent’s weight distribution.”

The clash of training weapons filled the air. She moved between the pairs, making corrections, remembering how she had once been in their position. Now she stood as their teacher, their leader—titles she’d never dreamed possible in her old life.

“Your warriors improve quickly,” Andear’s deep voice soon rumbled behind her. He’d moved silently, as always, but she’dlearned to sense his approach. “Though not as quickly as you did.”

Priscilla turned, meeting his golden gaze. “They haven’t had your personal attention.” She smirked. “Or your particular brand of motivation.”

His hand brushed the mating mark on her neck, sending a shiver down her spine. “Is that what you call it?”

“I call it being thrown across the training grounds until I learned to dodge properly.”

Andear’s lips curved into that predatory smile she knew so well. “You were stubborn.”

“I still am.” She stepped closer, close enough to feel the heat radiating from his scales. “That’s why you chose me as your second in command.”

His tail wrapped around her waist, a possessive gesture that made several of the younger warriors quickly avert their eyes. “I chose you because you earned it. The same way you earned your place on the council.”

Pride swelled in her chest. She had earned it—through blood, sweat, and unwavering determination. The same way she’d earned her place at his side.

“Speaking of the council,” she said, “we have a meeting soon. Something about trade negotiations with the outer colonies.”

Andear growled low in his throat. “Politics.”

“Don’t worry, my fierce warlord. I’ll do the talking.” She patted his chest. “You just stand there and look intimidating.”

Priscilla’s breath hitched as Andear’s massive hand spread across her still-flat belly. The heat of his palm seeped through her thin training clothes, making her skin tingle where he touched her. His golden eyes held an intensity she’d never seen before—not even during battle.

“Watch yourself, little warrior,” he murmured, his deep voice dropping to a reverent whisper that made her shiver. “You are carrying my heir.”

The possessiveness in his tone should’ve bothered her. Once, it might have. But now it filled her with warmth, belonging. She placed her smaller hand over his, marveling at the contrast between her pale skin and his dark scales.

“Our heir,” she corrected softly, meeting his gaze with a gentle challenge. The corner of his mouth twitched upward, and his tail curled around her waist and pulled her closer against his broad chest.

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