school proves he's looking out
for her welfare. Not to mention he's my fated mate and I've
spent the last few days building a connection with him."
The king frowned. "Playing games with your mate
can backfire, son. I'd be careful if I were you."
"Maybe, but it's all I've got right now. If Trisha and
71
Mate Dance
Amber Kell
Raven bond, I get the entire package."
"And if they don't?"
Kaemon shrugged. "I guess we'll see. Though I'm
kind of curious about where he's taking her."
The king smiled. "Me too. I never liked that school
when I went there. I only sent you there because my father
was hounding me about tradition."
"Huh," Kaemon said, giving his father a long,
considering look. "I was only going to send her there for
the same reason."
"I guess it's a good thing your mate decided to
shake things up a bit."
Kaemon smiled. "I have a feeling that's not the only
thing my mate is going to shake up around here."
* * * *
Raven led Trisha up the steps of the School for
Arts, ignoring the slew of reporters following them. He was
barely at the top of the stairs when his old dance friend,
Jani Valle, raced through the doors and into his arms.
"Hi, handsome," she said, giving him a big hug.
"Hi, beautiful." Raven swung her around before
placing her back on her feet.
"I'm so pleased you called." She turned to Trisha.
72
Mate Dance
Amber Kell
"So you're Raven's friend, Trisha." Jani smiled and
held out her hand.
Trisha gave her the briefest handshake in history.
"My father, Prince Kaemon, is Raven's mate," she
announced.
Raven exchanged smiles with Jani at the child's
obvious protectiveness. She wanted to keep other predatory
females away from her father's mate. Instead of
commenting, he patted her on the back. "Let's go inside and
audition, shall we?"
"You have a mate?" Jani whispered as the trio
walked inside.
"We're working out the details," Raven whispered
back, not wanting Trisha to hear. "They are kind of
possessive on this planet."
Jani laughed. "Only the good ones." She wrapped
an arm around his waist and squeezed. "I'm so glad you're
here. You've sent us so much money over the years but
never had the time to come visit."
Raven felt a stab of guilt. "You know I would've
come, Jani, if I could have fit it into my schedule."
"I know, but now you're here, and you brought a
protégé. I can't tell you how thrilled I am. We don't usually
let people in mid-cycle you know, but for you, we're
willing to make an exception."
73
Mate Dance
Amber Kell
"Thank you, Jani." Raven hoped Trisha was as good
as she claimed. He knew they would probably let her in
anyway just because of his contributions to the school, but
he wanted her to get in on her own merits. Otherwise, she
might as well just go back to the other school and use her
father's title to get in.
They entered the large auditorium. Raven settled
into a seat up in front while Jani led Trisha to the dressing
rooms behind the stage.
A few minutes later, she came out wearing a basic
leotard and a pair of ballet slippers.
Jani led Trisha through the basic forms before
having her perform a few jumps. Lastly, she asked Trisha
to do any routine she was familiar with. Stepping off the
stage, Jani sat next to Raven, and together they watched
Trisha turn from a nervous girl into a confident dancer. Her
pirouettes were stunning, and her jumps were surprisingly
high for her height.
"She's good," Jani whispered.
"Good enough?" Raven asked. Although he
supported art education, he had no idea what was good at
what level any more. His beginning dance years were a
faded memory.
"You said she can draw also?"
Raven nodded. "I haven't seen any of her work, but
74
Mate Dance
Amber Kell
she said she'd won some awards."
"You know I'd let her in just for you." Jani patted
his arm. "But I'm relieved I don't have to. She'll fit in
nicely."
After kissing him on the cheek, she went to collect
her newest student.
An
for her welfare. Not to mention he's my fated mate and I've
spent the last few days building a connection with him."
The king frowned. "Playing games with your mate
can backfire, son. I'd be careful if I were you."
"Maybe, but it's all I've got right now. If Trisha and
71
Mate Dance
Amber Kell
Raven bond, I get the entire package."
"And if they don't?"
Kaemon shrugged. "I guess we'll see. Though I'm
kind of curious about where he's taking her."
The king smiled. "Me too. I never liked that school
when I went there. I only sent you there because my father
was hounding me about tradition."
"Huh," Kaemon said, giving his father a long,
considering look. "I was only going to send her there for
the same reason."
"I guess it's a good thing your mate decided to
shake things up a bit."
Kaemon smiled. "I have a feeling that's not the only
thing my mate is going to shake up around here."
* * * *
Raven led Trisha up the steps of the School for
Arts, ignoring the slew of reporters following them. He was
barely at the top of the stairs when his old dance friend,
Jani Valle, raced through the doors and into his arms.
"Hi, handsome," she said, giving him a big hug.
"Hi, beautiful." Raven swung her around before
placing her back on her feet.
"I'm so pleased you called." She turned to Trisha.
72
Mate Dance
Amber Kell
"So you're Raven's friend, Trisha." Jani smiled and
held out her hand.
Trisha gave her the briefest handshake in history.
"My father, Prince Kaemon, is Raven's mate," she
announced.
Raven exchanged smiles with Jani at the child's
obvious protectiveness. She wanted to keep other predatory
females away from her father's mate. Instead of
commenting, he patted her on the back. "Let's go inside and
audition, shall we?"
"You have a mate?" Jani whispered as the trio
walked inside.
"We're working out the details," Raven whispered
back, not wanting Trisha to hear. "They are kind of
possessive on this planet."
Jani laughed. "Only the good ones." She wrapped
an arm around his waist and squeezed. "I'm so glad you're
here. You've sent us so much money over the years but
never had the time to come visit."
Raven felt a stab of guilt. "You know I would've
come, Jani, if I could have fit it into my schedule."
"I know, but now you're here, and you brought a
protégé. I can't tell you how thrilled I am. We don't usually
let people in mid-cycle you know, but for you, we're
willing to make an exception."
73
Mate Dance
Amber Kell
"Thank you, Jani." Raven hoped Trisha was as good
as she claimed. He knew they would probably let her in
anyway just because of his contributions to the school, but
he wanted her to get in on her own merits. Otherwise, she
might as well just go back to the other school and use her
father's title to get in.
They entered the large auditorium. Raven settled
into a seat up in front while Jani led Trisha to the dressing
rooms behind the stage.
A few minutes later, she came out wearing a basic
leotard and a pair of ballet slippers.
Jani led Trisha through the basic forms before
having her perform a few jumps. Lastly, she asked Trisha
to do any routine she was familiar with. Stepping off the
stage, Jani sat next to Raven, and together they watched
Trisha turn from a nervous girl into a confident dancer. Her
pirouettes were stunning, and her jumps were surprisingly
high for her height.
"She's good," Jani whispered.
"Good enough?" Raven asked. Although he
supported art education, he had no idea what was good at
what level any more. His beginning dance years were a
faded memory.
"You said she can draw also?"
Raven nodded. "I haven't seen any of her work, but
74
Mate Dance
Amber Kell
she said she'd won some awards."
"You know I'd let her in just for you." Jani patted
his arm. "But I'm relieved I don't have to. She'll fit in
nicely."
After kissing him on the cheek, she went to collect
her newest student.
An
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