Her parents had detected Marcus's changing behavior fifteen years ago and had sent Honoria to live with distant cousins in America. While she'd never quite felt at home with Clan WildCanyon near San Francisco, she'd done her best to make a new life in California. Yes, her accent had always set her apart, as had her name—no American was ever called Honoria in the modern age. But she'd made friends, earned a degree in business, and had been on the cusp of launching a joint venture between the American Department of Dragon Affairs for the West Coast region and Clan WildCanyon. She'd just about set her life in motion, toward a more permanent standing with the American dragon-shifters, when news of Clan Skyhunter's upheaval and Marcus King's removal had reached the States.
As soon as she'd heard of the upcoming clan leader trials, Honoria's gut and dragon had urged her to return home. Still, she'd been on the fence. No female had led a dragon-shifter clan in recent memory.
However, with news of a female clan leader's existence—Teagan O'Shea—and her actions spreading around the world, that had been the final push she'd needed to pick up her life once again and return to England. Being female was no longer a reason to not lead a clan, especially as more and more of Teagan's deeds in Ireland became known.
Her dragon spoke up. Of course females can lead. It's silly to think otherwise.
You thinking we can lead and others accepting it are two different things. However, Teagan taking down the corrupt Irish clan leaders has proven to all that a female can be strong, too.
Her dragon sniffed and fell silent.
Honoria went back to rhythmic breathing to calm her nerves as she waited in the conference room for things to begin. And then the last person she'd thought to see take part in the trials walked in.
Asher King.
At one time they'd been friends. More than friends, to be honest. However, Honoria had been whisked away to a different country without being able to say goodbye to him.
As an adult, she understood her parents' caution and need to act quickly. But as a teenage girl in love, it had devastated her for nearly a year.
Her dragon murmured, But he's here now.
Right, and now he's a rival. Besides, I'm sure an honorable male like him would've found his mate by now.
Her beast's voice turned soft. Not unless someone had been willing to wait five years for him be set free.
Not long after Honoria had arrived back on Skyhunter, she'd heard details about the former leader's reign that hadn't made it to the international media—torture, imprisonment, and deliberately baiting some clan members against each other. It couldn't have been easy for any honorable dragon-shifter to survive.
However, before her thoughts strayed to all the rumors she'd heard, the DDA employee began talking.
It was only when the human had left that Honoria debated what to do. Talking with Asher—or any of the other candidates—would be a bad idea. She needed to remain impartial if she wanted any chance of winning the right to lead Skyhunter and bring them back from ruin.
Just as her dragon was about to speak, Asher's deep voice carried in the room. "So when did you get back, Ria?"
The syllables of how he said her nickname rolled over her. Unable to resist, she met his blue eyes.
As teenagers, they'd always been full of amusement or laughter. Now, she only saw hardness and determination.
She wondered exactly what horrors had happened to Asher under Marcus King's leadership. Something had turned the teasing, smiling boy into what he was now.
More than ever, she thought her parents had been right to send her away.
Too bad it wasn't the time or place to ask Asher for details. Instead, she kept her tone light as she replied, "I returned here a week ago."
He nodded. "Good to hear you still have your accent."
"I made a point to keep it. You'd be surprised how much Americans love to hear it."
Silence fell, and Honoria debated keeping the conversation going. She was curious to know more about her childhood boyfriend, and yet it would be better to keep her distance.
Her dragon spoke up. I don't want to keep our distance. He's harder, more intense. I want him.
Since Honoria didn't sense any urgency or constant need from her beast, she had a feeling Asher wasn't her true mate.
Usually a kiss let a dragon-shifter know if a person was their true mate. If so, it would kick off a mate-claim frenzy, which was more like a sex marathon until the female was finally pregnant.
Yes, she'd kissed
Asher as a young girl, but frenzies only happened after a female hit twenty years of age or so.