Page 2 of Her Lawless Prince

“You shouldn’t be in the forest. It’s not safe. You could get lost and starve,” Payton said. “Go back to the city.”

Lack of food wasn’t the most dangerous threat. Some in the shifter community believed they’d done their duty by the Cysgodians and that it was time to send them on their way. Those factions were not opposed to forcibly escorting the aliens off-world to be done with it all. And, though Payton hated to admit it, a few feral cat-shifters would rather throw all aliens in a deep grave and bury them.

“Come with me,” she instructed. “I’ll escort you back to the city.”

“You’re her, aren’t you?” The man studied her.

Payton arched a brow.

“You’re the Var princess,” he insisted. “Payton.”

Payton nodded. She wasn’t surprised that he recognized her. She and several of the other royals had been making their presence seen in the city since taking over from the Federation.

The man continued to stare at her, and she wasn’t sure what to make of his forthright gaze.

“Yes,” she answered when he didn’t say anything else. “I’m Princess Payton.”

His attention remained steady. He stepped closer, and she stepped back to keep the same distance between them. Intensity radiated from him as if his very existence depended on taking in every detail of her face. The focus made her nervous.

She listened to the forest to see if they were alone. Her cousin, Roderic, and one of the dragon princes had been attacked a few months earlier by a Cysgodian faction that wanted to drink shifter blood under a misguided attempt at immortality.

Is that why she didn’t recognize him? Did he normally skulk around the city in a hooded cloak mumbling about blood magic and shifter oppression?

“Misplace your cloak?” she asked, half expecting Blood Fanatics to jump out of the trees even though she didn’t detect them.

He glanced down at his clothes and appeared confused.

“Never mind. Do you know where you are?” she asked.

“A forest?”

“The city is this way.” Payton motioned that he should walk with her. “I’ll show you back.”

“I’m not lost,” he said, moving to join her.

“Then what are you doing out here?”

“At the moment?” He gave a small laugh. “Walking with a princess.”

The man made her nervous. Payton didn’t fear for her physical safety. One swipe of her hand and she could claw him open. Instinct told her not to trust him, that he was not as he seemed.

“What is your name?” She became keenly aware of how close he walked as he matched his stride to hers. Her hand tingled, and she felt claws trying to extend from her fingers.

Why was the cat trying to come out now?

“Nyle.” His eyes stayed intently focused on her. “May I ask you something?”

“No, it doesn’t hurt to shift,” Payton answered before he could finish his thought. “Just as it does not hurt to breathe.”

It wasn’t exactly true. Yes, the shift was uncomfortable, but it was an old bone-cracking pain that she was used to. Non-shifters always wanted to know.

“That is not what I was going to ask,” Nyle said.

“No, I will not shift for you.” She wasn’t some kind of genetic oddity made for entertainment. “I’m sure you’ve seen us shifted in the city already.”

“Not that either.”

Payton stopped walking. “Ask.”

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