distance. It didn't
take long before something like this could get out of hand,
and he didn't want Trisha frightened. Scanning the crowd,
he pointed to one of the few reporters he recognized.
"Gena?"
"Is she the prince's daughter?"
"Yes." There was no point in denying it. They
wouldn't be there if someone hadn't already tipped them
off.
"Why is she leaving? I heard you were registering
her."
He resisted the urge to ask where she'd heard that,
but it could've been anyone on the staff. A school of this
caliber should have better protection for its students.
"I refuse to register her at a school that has no arts
program. Exposure to the arts is what feeds the soul of
society," Raven said, warming up to one of his favorite
issues. He'd spent a great deal of time and money bringing
arts programs to lesser developed planets and poor areas
throughout the galaxy. To find such backward thinking at a
68
Mate Dance
Amber Kell
top school was unforgiveable from his point of view.
"There is no way Trisha is going to attend a school that not
only doesn't feel that arts are important but spurns them.
The leaders of tomorrow need to be well-rounded
individuals who appreciate all facets of the human spirit,
not just contract negotiations and war room rules. To
understand a civilization is to understand their people's
soul."
"So where will she be going?"
"I'll be making some phone calls."
"Won't Prince Kaemon object to your removing her
from the school?"
When Raven hesitated to answer, Trisha piped up.
"Raven is my father's mate. My father put him in charge of
my education."
Raven thought that was stretching the truth a bit, but
he didn't contradict her as the reporters pounced, pelting
him with questions.
"How long have you been dating?"
"Are there any plans for marriage?"
"Are you going to be living here, Raven?"
"Are you giving up your career for love?'
Raven held up his hands, laughing. The press had
never intimidated him. He'd been dealing with them since
his first public dance performance. "The prince and I met a
69
Mate Dance
Amber Kell
few days ago. I'm doing him a favor this morning." He shot
a glare at Trisha. He wasn't even going to go into the whole
mating thing. "Now please excuse us. I have to get Trisha
to a new school."
Putting a hand around Trisha's waist, he helped her
through the crowd. The driver rushed over to keep reporters
back, but it proved unnecessary as even the pushiest
reporter kept a respectful distance.
The driver opened the passenger door, and they
rushed inside.
Raven pulled out his communicator and scrolled
down the list. One name caught his eyes.
Perfect.
"Where are you taking me?"
"A friend of mine runs a school for the arts a few
miles from here. Let's go see if she'll let you in."
"Why wouldn't she let me in? My father's a prince,
and my grandfather is the king."
Raven looked at Trisha and saw the underlying
nervousness beneath those words.
"Because in this school, they let you in because of
skill, not because your father is royalty."
Trisha gave him a sweet smile. "Good. I think I'd
like that better anyway. That other school was probably
filled with a bunch of snobs." She gave Raven an anxious
70
Mate Dance
Amber Kell
look. "Do you think Father is going to be angry with you?"
Raven shrugged. "If he is, then he should've taken
you to school himself."
* * * *
Kaemon disconnected his call and looked at his
father, stunned.
"What?"
"That was Headmaster Franklin. He said the person
we sent to register Trisha refused to admit her into a school
that had no arts program."
"That's what you get for sending a dancer to sign up
your daughter for school," his father said with a laugh.
"You should've taken her yourself."
"I was hoping they'd bond."
"Don't you want to bond with your only child?"
Kaemon nodded. "But if I can get Raven to bond
with her, then I get her and my mate. The fact that he
wouldn't admit her into the
take long before something like this could get out of hand,
and he didn't want Trisha frightened. Scanning the crowd,
he pointed to one of the few reporters he recognized.
"Gena?"
"Is she the prince's daughter?"
"Yes." There was no point in denying it. They
wouldn't be there if someone hadn't already tipped them
off.
"Why is she leaving? I heard you were registering
her."
He resisted the urge to ask where she'd heard that,
but it could've been anyone on the staff. A school of this
caliber should have better protection for its students.
"I refuse to register her at a school that has no arts
program. Exposure to the arts is what feeds the soul of
society," Raven said, warming up to one of his favorite
issues. He'd spent a great deal of time and money bringing
arts programs to lesser developed planets and poor areas
throughout the galaxy. To find such backward thinking at a
68
Mate Dance
Amber Kell
top school was unforgiveable from his point of view.
"There is no way Trisha is going to attend a school that not
only doesn't feel that arts are important but spurns them.
The leaders of tomorrow need to be well-rounded
individuals who appreciate all facets of the human spirit,
not just contract negotiations and war room rules. To
understand a civilization is to understand their people's
soul."
"So where will she be going?"
"I'll be making some phone calls."
"Won't Prince Kaemon object to your removing her
from the school?"
When Raven hesitated to answer, Trisha piped up.
"Raven is my father's mate. My father put him in charge of
my education."
Raven thought that was stretching the truth a bit, but
he didn't contradict her as the reporters pounced, pelting
him with questions.
"How long have you been dating?"
"Are there any plans for marriage?"
"Are you going to be living here, Raven?"
"Are you giving up your career for love?'
Raven held up his hands, laughing. The press had
never intimidated him. He'd been dealing with them since
his first public dance performance. "The prince and I met a
69
Mate Dance
Amber Kell
few days ago. I'm doing him a favor this morning." He shot
a glare at Trisha. He wasn't even going to go into the whole
mating thing. "Now please excuse us. I have to get Trisha
to a new school."
Putting a hand around Trisha's waist, he helped her
through the crowd. The driver rushed over to keep reporters
back, but it proved unnecessary as even the pushiest
reporter kept a respectful distance.
The driver opened the passenger door, and they
rushed inside.
Raven pulled out his communicator and scrolled
down the list. One name caught his eyes.
Perfect.
"Where are you taking me?"
"A friend of mine runs a school for the arts a few
miles from here. Let's go see if she'll let you in."
"Why wouldn't she let me in? My father's a prince,
and my grandfather is the king."
Raven looked at Trisha and saw the underlying
nervousness beneath those words.
"Because in this school, they let you in because of
skill, not because your father is royalty."
Trisha gave him a sweet smile. "Good. I think I'd
like that better anyway. That other school was probably
filled with a bunch of snobs." She gave Raven an anxious
70
Mate Dance
Amber Kell
look. "Do you think Father is going to be angry with you?"
Raven shrugged. "If he is, then he should've taken
you to school himself."
* * * *
Kaemon disconnected his call and looked at his
father, stunned.
"What?"
"That was Headmaster Franklin. He said the person
we sent to register Trisha refused to admit her into a school
that had no arts program."
"That's what you get for sending a dancer to sign up
your daughter for school," his father said with a laugh.
"You should've taken her yourself."
"I was hoping they'd bond."
"Don't you want to bond with your only child?"
Kaemon nodded. "But if I can get Raven to bond
with her, then I get her and my mate. The fact that he
wouldn't admit her into the
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