House of Royale (Secret Keepers #4)(31)

I tilted my head to the side and faked a broad smile. “Seriously, alien … would you prefer BFFs?”

His lips tilted up, and I worked really hard to push down the memories of our kiss. Of how soft his full lips were. Of the way my body was craving our first moments together. His grin grew and I had to turn away. I was already in too deep.

Focus on the physical. I could not let emotions enter the equation.

Lexen, ignoring Xander, answered my question. “We have been friends from a very young age. There was just this … bond between us from the start.”

“It was instant,” Chase agreed.

Roland let out a low chuckle. “They thought they hid it from us, but we all knew they snuck around to meet each other. With the exception of previous Imperial overlords, we all agreed it was a great way to start returning unity to our land.”

Lexen made a rough sound of disbelief. “You knew?” he asked, shifting forward. “And approved?”

Roland nodded at his son. “I’ve always known, but it was safer for you all to keep it hidden. So … even though it pained us as parents, we never advised you to bring it out into the world. Not until you were all capable of defending yourselves. Defending this brotherhood.”

I could see that the three overlord minors in the room were honestly astonished by this. Emma and Maya looked surprised as well. I had no opinion on it, because I’d never really known any of this information until now. The original secret keepers were quietly observing and didn’t say anything. It kind of felt like they knew even less than me about the politics of this world. I was going to assume they’d always just lived as humans, with no reason to know about Overworld outside of the basics.

Xander stood a little straighter, understanding crossing his face. “I dismissed a lot of Emma’s theories about our ‘fated” existence simply because it’s not in my nature to accept the thought of being controlled, even by a higher power. But … only an idiot would deny it any longer. Even the simple fact that I feel protective toward Avalon tells me that this is beyond a simple right-time, right-place circumstance. The overlords and secret keepers are bonded, and now … now I want to know how they managed this. Because…” He gestured to Jet and Shirley at the table. “The previous secret keepers did not have any sort of bond. They were not closely connected to the houses. So why now?”

My breath had caught in my throat the moment he said he felt protective toward me. I didn’t really know how to process that. Attracted was one thing. That was purely hormonal. But protective … that spoke of something deeper.

Dammit. Damn him to hell. He was not allowed to bring anything deeper into it. I didn’t want to feel anything for him. Because the ending was always going to be the same: Xander and me separate.

“We have to find the Draygo who blessed each of the secret keepers’ births,” Lexen said, speaking almost to himself. “He’s the one who also hid the starslight stone. I don’t think anyone but that Draygo can give us answers.”

“How will you find him?” Emma asked. “You said no one has heard from that particular Draygo for eighteen years.”

Eighteen years? That was a long time to fall completely off the radar.

“How is this Draygo avoiding the network?” Maya asked, resting her face on her hands. “Wouldn’t someone that powerful be easy enough to find?”

Chase reached out and rubbed her back, his movements gentle and rhythmic. Her eyes got all blissed out and she probably missed it when he said, “There are ways to hide yourself if you don’t want to be found. Sort of like a do not disturb on a cell phone. This particular Draygo is on a permanent DND.”

Lexen studied the table in front of him, his darkly handsome face contemplative. Finally he said, “I wonder if Qenita could find him. The draygones are able to tap into energy beyond anything Daelighters can touch. The Draygo are somewhere between the two—Qenita has a lot more power than I do.”

Emma was on her feet in a heartbeat. “Ask her! Now! We have no time to waste.”

I swallowed hard. “When you say draygone … you mean…?”

Because it had sounded a lot like dragon-with-an-accent. I knew this was an alien world … but….

Maya and Emma both turned sparkling eyes and broad smiles on me. “Oh yeah, you know it, girl. Dragons!” Emma chirped.

“Motha-freaking-dragons,” Maya added.

Well, I’d be damned. They had dragons here. “Is the myth on Earth taken from Overworld?”

Emma and Maya both nodded. Chase answered. “We’re not totally sure, but there is a high possibility it was from stories passed on by Daelighters that crossed to Earth in the early days. Long before there was any treaty.”

“That’s cool,” I said softly. “It’s kind of nice to know there is an extensive history between our people. And no wars.”

I had no problem with peaceful invasions by aliens, that was for sure.

Lexen rose to his feet and reached down to lift Emma from her chair. “Em and I will speak with Qenita. If she thinks she knows the location of the Draygo, then we’ll take off to find him straight away.” He turned to Chase and Xander. “I’ll let you both know through the network. Keep an eye on the girls. Keep them safe. We’ll be back soon.”