Chapter 5
Chapter
Five
T he commotion made Cadeyrn stare up the mountain, his eyesight so much more trained than everyone around him. Something up there drew his eye, some flurry of activity, and he broke off his conversation with Elder Trianne, his nose twitching, his wings trying to sprout on his back.
She laughed. “Have you heard a word I’ve said, Cadeyrn?”
He bowed. “I am sorry, Elder. I?—”
“You need to go see. It’s your nature.” She put a hand on his chest, and he felt a slight glow of power. “Go on, now.”
“Thank you.” He walked away, and within moments, he had bought grailin buns from the baker and had a basket full of them and his clothing as he took off into the air.
Everyone was outside at the Rocky Mountain clan, everyone, and the door to the portal house was open.
It was open, and Cadeyrn desperately wanted to see who was coming out.
Everything in him was awake and excited, alert.
Beau waved to him as soon as they caught sight of one another. “Cade. Cade, come see. We’re about to meet our new dragons; they’ve decided it’s time.”
Beau was smiling, but there was a quiet stillness inside the new guardian that pleased Cadeyrn to the core.
Pretty pink Cosmo came out, leading the way, and then there he was, the prism dragon.
Cadeyrn shivered. Look at him shine, even as a human. He could see the dragon in there, just waiting to come out. All of the new dragon’s energies were focused inside, focused on the child, on protecting her, and that was so dear.
But the light. Cade was so tempted to just go up and wrap him in an embrace and soak up all that wonderful light.
He never felt that urge to touch another, to hold someone. Never.
“Do you know his name, Beau?”
“Poe. His name is Poe. The little girl is Tanya. Come, brother. You should be the first of the villagers to meet him.”
“Yes. Yes, of course. Well, I’ll just—we’ll all meet them together. I brought rolls.”
“Excellent, Justin and Helena and the others have been cooking up a storm. There’s a feast. Your rolls will be most welcome.”
Cosmo waved his hands, catching their attention. “Everyone, everyone. I’d like you to meet Poe and Tanya.”
Arielle and Nevvy, Sebby and Lia all went rushing up, along with Esther the werebear, and Spirit who was a bear-bear. Esther and Spirit had obviously been wrestling, because both black and white bear rolled up forming a strange bi-color double crescent on their way.
“Are those bears, Papa?” Tanya moved into Poe’s arms, and he held her close.
“I’m sure they’re friendly. No one is panicking, see?”
“This is Esther. She’s mine,” determined little Lia said. “Don’t be scared. No one’s going to hurt you.”
Nevvy stepped right up, Sebby following close behind. “No one, we promise. I know about vampires. They killed my whole family, and I have a new family now, but they don’t have vampires here,” Nevvy said.
“No,” Arielle said, pushing up until she stood with Seb. “And if they did, I would burn them.”
“I can too. I did .” Flames were beginning to lick from Tanya’s nose, the corner of her frown. “I will not let any vampires come here.”
The power there stunned him.
“No flames necessary, kiddo,” Poe said, patting her back and smiling at them all. His silvery eyes widened when they fell on Cadeyrn, and he felt the impact of that stare like a blow to the chest.
He moved to stand behind the children. “I am from the village. I am Cadeyrn of the Galinea clutch.” He bowed. “Welcome.”
“And I’m Zeke from the Rocky Mountain clutch,” Zeke said, clapping Cade on the shoulder. “Welcome to the new world, my friend. There are a lot of us, and it will get overwhelming fast, but just tell us to slow down any time.”
“There are many of you. We’re very pleased to meet everyone, aren’t we, Tanya? Thank you for your hospitality. I had no idea that there was a place for dragons, a world. It’s snowing on the other side of the house.”
Seth chuckled, jostling one baby in his arms. “That was weird to us too, when we got here. Everything’s just a little off on that, kinda totally opposite. You get used to it.”
Eagan nodded, with a warm smile. “We just celebrated two Yules the first year and then went back to living by the seasons.”
Cadeyrn chuckled softly. He’d heard this about these new dragons. Days of power were days of power, and they all had their own traditions that they brought. They celebrated Julku, as well. It was a joyous holiday of the dragon star goddess.
“Can Tanya come play?” Nevvy asked, holding out a stuffed toy to the new girl, who lit right up. “We’ll stay right here.”
“But nobody wants to stay and listen to you guys, you’re so grown up and boring .” That was Arielle, who grinned wickedly, winking at Tyson.
Beau shook his head and chuckled. “That girl. She’s something else.”
“That’s up to Tanya,” Poe said. “Do you want to go?”
She handed over an overstuffed bag and a pillow, then took the offered toy. “Thank you. Uh-huh. I’ll be right over there if you need me.”
Poe smiled at her. “I’ll be right over here if you need me .”
Then they all watched as the younglings folded Tanya in—from the grande dame Arielle herself to the babies just crawling.
Poe took a deep breath, and Cadeyrn could see the dragon begin to shake, the bag in his hands rattling. “I told her she could bring her things. She was very excited.”
The adult dragons all shared a glance, then Cosmo stepped up, hugging Poe tight. “Of course she can bring her own things. This is home now.”
“Th-thanks. I think I might need a little sugar? I feel shocky.”
“There’s a whole buffet set up, man.” Beau waved toward where all the food lived. “Come on.”
Cade wanted to fold Poe into his arms and wings and hold him. He blinked. That was…still odd.
But he followed along, automatically checking on the sky, on the children, making sure nothing lurked in the trees and such around them.
“Oh…wow, look at all of this. Thank you, guys. That’s quite a welcome.” Poe’s silver-gray eyes went wide, shining like a hrakn’s when the big ebony bird saw a gemstone.
“Welcome home,” Gavin said, his voice booming out. “Welcome to Lunastra.”
Poe nodded, filling his lungs. “I have so many questions. I don’t know where to start. I didn’t even know this place existed, much less to look for it.”
The fear and worry pouring from Poe had Cadeyrn moving closer, needing to offer succor. “You are well come here. We have so much to share, so much joy here. You have not seen it from your window in the portal house, but there is a village in the valley where the children can go to school. There is a trail down, or you can fly. There’s an entire world here. I have seen maps. There is even an ocean.”
He’d never been to it, but it was drawn on the map by ones who had.
“Yeah? That’s cool.” Poe found a smile for him, and his heart fluttered a little, which was a bit more than a touch terrifying. “I’m really more a mountain guy than a beach guy, but it’s good to know. I’ve never lived anywhere where you could actually be a dragon without worrying about it.”
He’d heard this over and over again from this clan that they had lived in secret, that they had hidden themselves and their true needs away. As if what they were was something shameful, what they were was offensive.
But they were glorious, multicolored and multifaceted, able to fly. Roar. Dance together in the sky.
What a horror to have to be constantly acting as if one was less than what they were.
“Here, being a dragon is welcome. I brought rolls.” He pointed to the bread that he had procured, preening just a bit. “They are from the best baker in town.”
“Well then, I totally need one of those. In fact, this all looks amazing.” Poe admired the table, the wood groaning under the weight of the bounty it held. “There’s familiar things and non- familiar things. That’s great, it’ll make it easier for Tanya to transition.”
“Trust me.” One of the twin omegas snorted dramatically. Cadeyrn had a terrible time telling them apart. “Sorry. It is so much easier for the kids to adjust and to make this transition than it is for us. They’re like, ohh, food! Yum yum yum. They don’t go oh, my gosh, it’s a black apple. What is that? Oh, my goodness. That looks like X and it’s Y. Is that macaroni and cheese, or is that slugs and slime? They just go oh yum yum yum, and they eat it all. It’s us; we’re the ones who have to adjust.”
Soft laughter rippled through the clan, and Zeke shook his head. “Brandon’s little one is Stella. She’s…special and brilliant and always hungry.”
A streak of light zipped across the table, the tiny silver feathered dragon screeching with all her might.
Cadeyrn believed little Stella unique in all the world, her soul that of a dragon, but her body formed from something quite different.
Lovely.
Poe ducked as if instinctively but then laughed when a snowy little owl also came fluttering by, circling them.
“Wow. That’s amazing.”
Beau caught the wee girl in his arms. “Stella, this is Poe.”
Stella chirped, her eyes wide.
“Yes. He’s going to be living here for a bit.”
She made all these sweet noises, then lifted up out of Beau’s arms to go touch noses with Poe.
Cadeyrn melted. That was the sweetest thing he’d ever seen.
Poe chuckled, the sound delighted. “Hello, little one. I’m so glad to meet you.”
For a heartbeat, Stella was wrapped in pure light, and she basked in it, her eyes happy and her sounds joyous.
Cadeyrn gasped, drawn to that light, that brightness. He wanted to reach over, simply touch that lean hand.
Poe blinked at him, swaying toward him.
“You okay, Poe?” Beau asked. He raised an eyebrow at Cade, who cleared his throat.
“Um. Yes. I am. Hi.”
Cade breathed easier, and he tried for a smile, though that was not natural to his countenance. “Hello.”
“So, this is all amazing. But I need a bun.” Poe nibbled one of the pastries Cade had brought.
And Cade’s body had a wholly inappropriate response. He almost stared down at himself in stunned amazement, because it had been so long since that had happened.
Poe stopped with the pastry halfway to his mouth for a second bite, staring. All of the air seemed to leave Cade’s lungs, and all he could do was stand there like a clunch.
Staring back.
“Ahem.” Zeke clapped him on the back. “You should try something you never have. Here. Try a fried pie.”
“Pie? That is fried?” He blinked hard. “Why?” They had all manner of pies in the village. Meat ones. Fish ones. Mince, with fruit and nuts and?—
“Here. See for yourself. This one is cherry.”
Still staring at Poe, he took a bite of the pie. The flaky crust crunched when he did, and the sweet glaze and tart fruit combined to make him moan.
“I think he likes it.” Poe grinned at him, winking. “Good, isn’t it?”
Good?
Good wasn’t near enough for this deliciousness. Not at all. He licked crumbs off his lips, then looked at his hand. Which was empty. “May I have another?” He was a big dragon. He could eat…a lot.
“Of course.” Zeke chuckled. “You eat like we do.”
“I swear, you big alpha types can pack away the food.” That was… Puck? He thought it was Puck.
Cade didn’t care, really. He just wanted to be near Poe and eat pie.
Poe took a hand pie and broke it in half. “Here. I just need a few bites.”
“Thank you.” He bowed as he accepted. Sharing food was a fine start to a courtship, he thought.
And this was definitely a courtship about to happen.