Draechen's Mate [Chronicles of the Shifter Directive 2] (Siren Publishing Epic Romance, ManLove) by Scarlet Hyacinth

never been told outright what reasons his leaders had for making this choice, but whatever they were, he still wished his general could refuse.
    But Sage was only a soldier, and he couldn’t intervene in those decisions. The only thing he could do was to be there for Prince Shtamakarein when the older draechen beckoned. “Yes, Your Highness?” he asked at once. “What is it?”
    “I need a word.” The general gestured Sage to follow him, and together, they walked away from the other guard.
    For a few moments, Shtamakarein didn’t say anything. Sage didn’t prod, knowing that walls had ears in the palace and aware of the secrets the prince kept. Finally, Prince Shtamakarein stepped outside, heading toward the cliff that served as a landing space for both modern aircrafts and draechen in shifted form. There were more guards all over the place, especially around the fae jet. They saluted as Shtamakarein passed, but the general didn’t stop, acknowledging them with only brisk nods.
    As they reached the edge of the cliff, Shtamakarein started to take his clothes off. It was highly unlikely that he’d decided to take Sage up on his old offer to couple, so Sage surmised he planned to shift. Judging by the fact that the general had summoned Sage here, Shtamakarein probably wanted Sage to accompany him on a flight. It wasn’t unusual since they had many times done so in the past, especially when they needed to discuss issues of grave importance. Sage knew better than to believe the prince shared everything with him, but in some respects, Shtamakarein trusted him.
    And so, Sage pulled off his own uniform and summoned his beast. As always, it took a little time for him to change shapes, and by the time he finished, a majestic black dragon already stood in front of him.
    The general launched himself into the air, and Sage didn’t hesitate in following his example. As they flew away from the cliff, he wondered what in the world had determined the prince to demand this sudden departure from the palace. He had been monitoring the fae, but so far, he couldn’t imagine what they could have done. Like she had been told, Princess Akarawem had led them to their quarters and strongly suggested that they should stay there until dinner. They had the freedom to move around—after all, the emperor could hardly make them prisoners—but they had guards on them at all times.
    It seemed that the prince had every intention to explain the situation. When they were far enough away, Shtamakarein flew down, heading toward the forest beneath. Both he and Sage landed on the grassy ground and changed shapes. “What is the matter, Highness?” Sage inquired as soon as his dragon allowed him to speak.
    “What I’m going to tell you now is very important, Sage.” Shtamakarein gave him a serious look. “Before I speak, I need to know something. You have been in my service for decades, and you’ve never disappointed me. Recently, you’ve given me a show of loyalty that I have not forgotten. But I have to hear from your mouth. Who do you trust? Who do you obey? Emperor Kavehquader or me?”
    It was a tricky question. Usually, obeying Shtamakarein meant that, indirectly, he was following Kavehquader’s orders. It seemed that, this time around, things would be different. Sage considered the question and decided to provide an honest reply. “As a draechen, I am aware that my duty is above all to Ornoz. But if I were to choose, if I was presented with an either-or option, I would always say that you are the one I trust.”
    If this was a trap, Sage could have easily signed his own death sentence by saying that. But being in the general’s command for decades had taught him a thing or two about Shtamakarein. No matter what rumors said, Prince Shtamakarein wasn’t mindlessly ruthless. He did what he had to do and obeyed the Directive, as they all had to. He caught the rebels, but insofar as he could, kept the other draechen from being unnecessarily