Chapter 38: The Gifted Princess

Adam's head was tilted to one side as he took in Jasper's request. Dolores imagined that he never even suspected that Jasper, the Sage, or anyone would be interested in her. Dolores looked back and forth between the two males. Not knowing if she should speak or not.

Jasper stood his ground, casual and in control, where Adam seemed to be pondering what trading his sister, a Princess, would mean for him. She knew Adam would have no issue forcing her to sleep with Jasper or any male for that matter in private, but selling his Princess sister for an answer to a question and to the head of the Wizard Society at that.

Dolores sucked in a breath as she waited for his response, her eyes wide with shock and fear when Adam looked over at her.

"Brother, Please, my King." She dramatically begged.

"Why her?" Adam plainly asked, flicking his eye over Dolores before looking back to Jasper.

Jasper smiled greedily. "Didn't you say yourself that all males love beautiful high ranking females, and a who better fit that description than a Princess of Kreqin?"

Adam took the information in, and Dolores knew that Jasper had won. She knew too well that Adam had believed that Jasper was just like him, wanting to bed every beautiful female he could, especially after a ritual. That is what he had done after all when he was crowned Alpha King of Kerquin.

Dolores had learned that Adam had slept with over a dozen females the night he had become Alpha King, but they were all just humble mistresses, willing to spread their legs for the new King. Dolores imagined the jealousy Adam must be feeling knowing that he has yet to lay with a Princess, and now the Sage he mocked just a day before was asking for one of his sisters, Dolores, who had been thin and covered in dirt when she first arrived in Mesa but had grown into a true Princess.

"Dolores is my sister." Adam abruptly said, a carnivorous smile pulling at his mouth. "If you promise to send a High Priest immediately to the palace as well as answer my question, you have a deal."

"Your Majesty!" Dolores cried, forcing tears to drop from her eyes.

Adam grabbed Dolores's arm, pulling her close so that they looked like they were sharing a warm embrace to anyone who passed by them. "Remember, you must obey me." He hissed into Dolores's ear. "Or do you want to experience more pain as you did last night?"

"No, no, your Majesty," Dolores whispered.

Jasper cleared his throat. "Do we have a deal?"

"Yes," Adam announced.

"Excellent When you leave Wulf Mountains, A High Priest will accompany you back to the Capital," Jasper confirmed.

Satisfaction spread across Adam's face. "Now, may I know the answer to my question?"

Jasper nodded. "Your answer is yes. There are indeed dragons in this world."

Adam drew back in surprise. Dolores was shocked as well that Jasper had told Adam the truth. One glance at Adam told her that he suspected that the answer was a lie. Only the answer couldn't be a lie.

The Witch Association had strict rules. They could never lie to any being. This was made sure by a spell placed on them when they gained their powers. The Witch Association wanted to ensure that every being could trust them and, in doing so, would keep them constantly turning to The Wizards' Society.

Dolores wondered if now that Adam knew the truth about Dragons, he would realize that she wasn't lying about the New Moon Ceremony, but she figured he would try not to focus on that information because he would have to do so admit the truth; That adam is not the true Alpha King of Kerquin but Dolores was the true and rightful Alpha Queen of Kerquin.

Adam eyed Dolores, a vicious smile forming on his lips. He believed that she was still under his control. Dolores tried not to let her pride show as Adam took her in, making her features submissive and obedient. She knew Adam revealed in the knowledge of Dolores being enslaved here on top of a mountain, forced to obey his every demand, to perhaps even spy for him.

Making his features, troubled Adam embarrassed Dolores in a pathetic show of affection. "Do not worry, my dear sister, I will give your mother some land and let her live out the remainder of her days there in your name."

Dolores's blood ran cold when he mentioned her mother. "Thank you, Your Majesty." She forced her mouth to say.

Handing Dolores to Jasper, Adam made his goodbyes quickly now that he had what he had come for and with one less sibling to worry about, or so he thought. Jasper had presented him with an ancient white-bearded High Priest. The aged man looked experienced, and Adam looked pleased as the Priest and the royal guards headed down the long stairs of the mountain.

Once Adam and his party were nothing more than tiny dots bobbing down the grand staircase, Jasper burst into laughter. "Well, I hope our false King enjoys Lex!"

Dolores looked at her mate quizzically, not understanding what he found so funny. "Why do you say that?"

"Because, my sweet Lo, Lex is undoubtedly the oldest wizard we have here, but his hearing is hardly there, and his eyes have begun to fail him as well. I heard a healer say that he will be blind by next winter."

Dolores snorted, unable to help herself. Jasper wrapped his arm around her, and the two of them laughed till they cried, and the tiny dots drifting down the mountain faded into nothing.

"I can't believe I'm finally free." Dolores said, "Or at least for a little while. As long as I'm with you, I'll take all the time I can have."

Jasper kissed the top of her head. "Come. Let me show you your new home."

Dolores let Jasper take her hand and lead her back to the meadow. There she met Jaspers Witch and Wizards as they ate, drank, and talked. As the sun began to set, Jasper led her back to the wizard's complex, but this time he took her to his Palace that sat high above the complex she had slept in the night before.

Walking through his winding halls, Dolores spots Heather on her hands and knees washing the marble floor. Spotting Dolores a second after Dolores had spotted her, Heather angrily jumped up onto her feet, starting for her Dolores.

Daflons guards grabbed Heather before she could slap Dolores across the face, dragging her away.

"So this is how you treated the oh so beautiful females my brother gifted to you?" Dolores teased.

"Well, in my defense, there are only two kinds of females in my eyes." Jasper pulled Dolores close to his chest, wrapping his arms around her in a loving embrace. "The first kind is you, my mate."

Dolores reached on her tiptoes to give him the soft kiss, giggling as he rested his forehead on hers.

"And the second?"

"The second...makes no difference to me," Jasper stated.

Dolores blushed. "Soon, everyone will know I have been sold to you!" She grieved

"I wouldn't worry about such things, my sweet. Adam will not say anything. He knows that in doing so he would bring great insult to the Royal Family and besides---"

"But Adam plans to use me against you," Dolores interrupted. "and he doesn't seem like a male that wouldn't use a secret for his own personal gain. He'll seize every opportunity to humiliate me. To him, I am just a tool, a commodity."

"You are not a tool!" Jasper demanded, his hands on either side of Dolores's face, his voice insisting and demanding. "You are my mate, and you should be the queen of Kreqin."

Dolores looked down at her feet. She wasn't ready to be a Queen, let alone take back the throne that was rightfully hers. That part of her future was still so far away. She had only just begun to feel like a Princess.

As if hearing her inner thoughts, Jasper pulled Dolores' focus back to him. She gave him a warm smile. She may not be ready to be a Queen, but she was prepared to be his mate. A spark flicked in Jasper's eyes and pulled her mouth to his.

The kiss was soft and lingering, their lips sliding between the others. A flame came to life within Dolores, and she parted her mouth, letting Jasper's tongue sweep over hers. She arched into him, wanting to feel more of him, to pick up where they had left of only a night ago.

Pushing her head away, Jasper chuckled deeply. "Ah, my sweet, I must say the idea of making a beautiful Princess my slave does give all sorts of fun ideas." He nipped at the sensitive skin along her neck. "I think You are the best *gift* I have ever had."