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“Not your father,” I said, matter-of-factly.
She stiffened, stunned by my response. Eyes flicking between mine, she seemed to want to assess the truth of my words.
“Raylor Caldes has many faults. For the longest time, he featured fairly high in the list of people I disliked. For all that, he was never a bigot,” I said calmly. “We mostly clashed on his conservative ideas, but he genuinely wants a better future for Braxia. He’s come a long way since we executed his firstborn. But Gerwin was always a horrible individual. Some people are simply born with a cruel streak, despite their parents’ best efforts. He also hung out with the wrong crowd, which reinforced his toxic behaviors.”
“I see,” Dawn said, sounding unconvinced.
I chuckled. “You do not have to make a decision now, but you should think on it. You could do the most good on your homeworld. Raylor should also have a chance to know he has a daughter, instead of only sons.”
“And become his property the minute I set foot on Braxia,” she retorted in a sharp tone.
I huffed. “It’s been nineteen years since Gerwin’s execution and the new laws were instated. That has changed. Females are no longer property. Once adult, you may make every decision for yourself, including telling your father to fuck off, if you so choose.”
Dawn laughed, her green eyes sparkling with amusement. “I’m sure that would go down well.”
I smiled. “Seriously, think on it. Raylor now sits on my father’s Council. I will keep him in mine once I ascend. Your clan isn’t the richest, but it’s very comfortable financiallyandis very influential. Should you take on this task, I have no doubt they would put any additional resources you might need behind you as your success would increase their own status. And Braxians are all about status, reputation, and honor.”
“You’ve given me much to think about,” she said pensively.
“To endless possibilities and new opportunities,” I said, raising my glass.
She raised hers, then we drank.
Chapter 7
Dawn
Keran inspected the guest room I had assigned to him. Although it was our best room—after mine—the accommodations would never qualify as fancy. The design of the large wooden bed shouted the fact that it was refurbished legacy furniture, like the ones in my office. However, the work had been well-done. The white beddings and pillows were clean, smelled fresh from me washing them this morning. Although not luxurious, they looked both inviting and comfortable. Unlike the presidential suites the Prince was undoubtedly used to, this room didn’t boast a seating area or breakfast table. Only a wide work desk with a medium-sized vidscreen occupied the left corner of the room, near the window.
“This is one of the bigger rooms with its own en suite hygiene room,” I said sheepishly.
The indulgent smile Keran gave me in response made me want to squirm. I really needed to stop acting so apologetic about how I was receiving him. If he wanted fancy, he could have gone to the VIP hotel in town. It just sucked to have so little to offer to someone who was likely used to being received with great pomp and fanfare.
“This is perfect,” Keran said. “Thank you.”
He placed the bag his guards had brought in while he and I were discussing in my office on the desk.
“There are towels and soap in the hygiene room,” I added, feeling irrationally nervous as he merely nodded, his stormy eyes leveled on me with their usual intensity. “Is there anything else you need or that I could do for you?”
Keran lifting his left brow in surprise took me aback for a second. My eyes nearly popped out as I replayed in my mind the words I’d just said.
“No, I mean… I didn’t…”
In my mortification, I stumbled all over my tongue.
Keran chuckled. “It’s okay. I’m set for now. Good night, Dawn.”
I mumbled something unintelligible before all but running out of his room. Fuck my life! Could I make more of a spectacle of myself? I hadn’t meant to come on to him. Despite my stupid face heating up, he’d understood that. Still, it stung that he hadn’t seemed remotely interested or even flirted a bit. He’d merely politely kicked me out.
Granted, I’d been more than eager to run the heck out of there. But my bruised ego had wished for a different reaction from him. The way he’d described all the reasons why he thought my plain self was in fact attractive would probably haunt me for the rest of my days. No man had ever described me like that.
I hastened to my bedroom at the end of the hall. As soon as the door closed behind me, the sense of being exposed and vulnerable finally ebbed. Annoyed with myself, I yanked my black dress off and tossed it onto the bed. It was as massive as the one in Keran’s room, but I had double the overall space. Where the guest rooms all had white linens and minimal decoration that would suit most visitors and species, my room had an explosion of colors.
I had a thing for dark blues and deep reds, which could be found in various degrees in pretty much everything, from the blankets to the drapes, and paintings on the wall.
Feeling emotionally drained by this crazy long day, I kicked off my sandals while detaching my bra. After also throwing it on the bed, I marched into the hygiene room. A steaming hot shower would help me relax.
However, the minute I entered the room, my reflection in the wall-length mirror called my attention. I went to stand in front of it and gave myself a critical once over. Despite Keran’s affirmations—and even though he’d sounded sincere as he spoke them—my face would never be deemed attractive. I wasn’t ugly, but definitely not pretty. My forehead was too broad, and the bridge of my nose too wide. I loved my eyes and crazy long lashes. They were truly feminine. My mouth, I had mixed feelings about. I had the type of full, perfectly shaped lips that many women paid ridiculous prices to acquire through expensive surgeries. But I found it too wide.
