Read Border Lair for Free Online

said, kneeling at her side. “You’re Princess Amelia Jane of the House of Kent.”
    “That’s not my name.”
    “It was.” Nico shook his head. “But you never knew it, did you? You’ll be Princess Adora from now on, of the House of Kent. Welcome back to the family, cousin.”
    Adora tried to focus but was fast losing energy. It was a phenomenon she knew well. She had overextended herself in healing Sandor, but it was worth it to know he was whole again and no longer in pain. She just needed sleep to recover.
    Thank you, my princess, Sandor said gravely in her mind. I’m only sorry you tired yourself so on my behalf.
    “I’m fine. I just need sleep.”

    Jared lifted her into his arms as she leaned back against him, cuddling close to his warmth. He felt so good. It was heaven to rely on his strength for just this short moment.
    I’ll seek you out when you wake, princess. I have no knight partner at present, but I would be your guardian as I was your father’s before you.
    “That’s nice,” she mumbled. “You’re such a pretty copper color.”
    The dragon’s voice rumbled comfortingly through her mind as she drifted into unconsciousness. I match the lights in your hair, as I matched your mother’s.

    Jared found himself again tucking Adora into the bed in the guest chamber that was now hers. Kelzy wanted her adopted human daughter close and Jared found himself wanting to keep Adora close for entirely different reasons. If he wasn’t very careful, he could easily lose his heart to such an amazing woman. But his heart was too badly damaged to take such a chance again.
    He realized, despite his best intentions, he had spent a great deal of time in Adora’s room in the past few days, tucking the covers around this small, puzzling woman. No, he thought ruefully, make that this small, puzzling princess.
    He could still hardly believe Adora was lost royalty. True, she was not in direct line for the throne. In fact, her family line was quite remote from the ruling line—only very distant cousins at best—but the fact they had bred true and the males of the House of Kent could shift to dragon form made them all princes and princesses of the realm. It was a closely guarded secret—and something of a legend now to the people of this land—that their kings were descended from dragons.
    Few now knew how true the legend really was. Not only were they part dragon, but the males actually could become dragons when they chose. It was a very useful ability and one that allowed them to rule wisely over both human and dragon kind, giving them personal insight into both races.
    Jared had been a knight for quite a few years, but before that had served in old King Jon's household. He knew the royal secret and had seen them shift back and forth from human to dragon many times. Each time though, it was still a bit of a shock. He could only imagine what Adora must have thought seeing the roguish Prince Nico shift not five feet from her.
    Of the brothers, Nico was Jared’s favorite, though he’d be damned if he’d ever let that scamp know it. Nico had been the wild child—the one who constantly needed supervision—and more often than not, it fell to Jared to get the young prince out of whatever scrape he found himself in at the time. Over the years, Nico had come to respect Jared’s advice almost as a son would—or younger brother at least. Jared looked at Nico now and thought sadly of what might have been had his family not been torn apart by tragedy.
    For years it had been hard to be in Nico’s presence, but now after time and distance from the horrific deaths of his family, Jared found he missed Nico’s peculiar brand of deviltry. He thought of the prince as he had thought of his son, with an almost fatherly regard and a fondness deeper than most.
    “She’s quite a woman.” Nico’s voice drifted quietly from the archway as Jared straightened up and moved out of the small room.
    “You haven’t met her daughter