Chapter 8
Maya
Iwas slow to get ready. Despite being eager to see my parents and brothers, I knew that it would mean a large conversation—one where I would have to tell them about what I’d learned when I’d been reborn.
One where I would have to face the reality that fate had chosen me to lead not the Dreki realm, but the dragon and phoenix communities here on Earth realm.
Somehow defeating Ry had seemed like an easier task.
Atlas braided my freshly washed hair for me, his hands working diligently as he completely focused on his task, my gaze moving to his own braid.
I’d asked if we could have matching ones, and he’d been delighted by my request. Now I was dressed in an oversized robe as Marco sat nearby, his gaze on the plate of food in front of me.
Whenever I stopped eating, he tapped the plate, seemingly hyper-focused on me eating.
The comfortable silence between us was only broken by my occasional giggle at his intensity about food or Atlas shifting my head slightly so he could continue his efforts.
I didn’t know where the others were, but I figured outside of these doors was an entire mess of people—unless they’d just fled the compound—but if I knew anything from being imprisoned, it was that freedom could be equally as confusing and stressful.
It propelled me to sit forward as Atlas finished my hair and I drained my third glass of water.
I was feeling a tiny bit sore from Atlas’s amazing treatment of my body, but overall I felt relieved, and my body felt like melted honey. It was absolutely amazing.
“Wear something warm, it’s drafty in this damn place,” Marco instructed, Atlas nodding towards a large chest of clothing that had been brought into the room.
I knelt down in front of it as they talked quietly, deciding to go with a pair of leggings and an oversized sweater with fuzzy pink socks.
Somehow I had a feeling that these types of clothes weren’t normally found in Ry’s compound.
No, this seemed handpicked by my mates. The perfectly sized panties and bra were a giveaway.
After getting dressed, I made sure to look over the large pink diamond still present on my finger and the sigil I’d now been given.
Between those, the flight crest on my wrist, and all of the mating marks, it was impossible to forget who I’d given my heart to.
Suddenly a slight panic hit me as I looked around for something I hadn’t wanted to lose but was now worried that I had amidst the battle.
Azrael’s feather.
Walking towards the bed, my breathing became tight as I searched through each piece of bedding, shifting the pillows, wishing I had been far more careful?—
The feather floated up into the air and back down onto the bed, having been tucked underneath my pillow. I let out a soft, relieved sigh, tucking it into my bra and against my chest. It felt right there, and I found myself wondering if I could find a locket for it or something.
I wasn’t positive what Atlas and Marco’s conversation was about, but it was enough that they didn’t notice the full search I had done or that I was finished changing until I walked up to them and offered a small smile.
“I’m ready,” I announced.
Marco looked over at me and nodded, pressing a kiss to my temple. “Put on some boots and prepare yourself, baby girl—you’re about to be bombarded by people when we get downstairs.”
“Way too many fucking people,” Atlas grunted.
“Are you okay with that?”
I drew my bottom lip in with my teeth before nodding. “Yeah, I’m good.” I turned towards Atlas with wide eyes. “Can we see Bella first?”
“She’s in the nursery with the little ones. That may be a good first stop,” Atlas agreed.
Nodding, I looked around at the room I’d been put in, realizing that it was somewhat elaborate—light in color, gilded gold, and sparkling in the muted mountain light.
It made me wonder what the rest of the compound was like, considering my only experience in it before this had been the prison cells.
After I slipped on the boots, we left the room and I gripped both of their hands, looking around the large stone hallways that reminded me of a medieval castle.
It was gorgeous, and the large stained glass windows, while blocking the view outside, lit the walls in a cheerful array of lights that didn’t match the chaos that had happened here.
Something that was showcased as we turned the next corner and found part of the wall missing, pieces of the ceiling having fallen in from the fight.
I had a feeling there were many other sights like this within the compound.
“Are we safe here?” I asked.
“Everyone left alive has sworn allegiance,” Atlas said simply. I nodded, understanding what he was saying—anyone who had still been on Ry’s side had been dealt with. Dead.
I shivered, thinking about the cruelty of those guards and the torture they had inflicted on me…I didn’t feel bad. I should have, and I felt guilty about not feeling that way, but when it came to the safety of my mates and those I loved, I wouldn’t stand for it.
I also didn’t want to feel imprisoned again. Being here made me realize how quickly I had become used to freedom. How much I had savored it.
“Here we are?—”
Marco opened the door, and a ball of fur launched itself at me, a pleased, affectionate noise coming from my throat. Bella.
Tears welled in my eyes as I held her against me and rubbed my nose against her fur.
There were people talking around us, but all I could focus on was the way Bella was purring and the lick she placed on my cheek, making me giggle.
When I pulled back, I noticed that her color was broken in part, the white in her fur was covered in a dusting of fresh dirt—probably from playing with the little ones I could hear in the room—but she looked okay outside of that.
“Did you keep them safe?” I asked in a whisper, and I swear she nodded in response. “Of course you did, you’re so amazing and sweet.”
“Maya?” Ember’s voice had me looking up and offering the young phoenix a smile. The last time I had seen Ember she had looked…well, rougher than my mates, who’d had the crap beaten out of them. Now, though, she was positively glowing.
Her skin was a golden color, her strawberry blonde hair was freshly washed, and she was wearing clean clothes.
Seeing her this way, I was even more sure about my estimate on her being twelve, and despite looking exhausted—and not the type that is fixed by a few nights of sleep—she offered me a big smile.
“Thank you for looking after Bella,” I said softly, approaching her. “I want to get you a kitten of your own, if you’re okay with that.”
Her large eyes filled with tears as she nodded. “I would love that.”
“Miss Maya?”
My gaze moved down to one of the younger girls, maybe around six, who had bruises that were still healing but otherwise looked as vibrant as Ember.
“Hi.” I crouched down, and Bella jumped out of my arms, running to some of the other children in the room.
Half were still playing, and the other half were watching my mates cautiously.
I didn’t fully blame them—while I was aware they were total sweethearts, I understood how they could come across as intimidating.
“You saved us,” the little girl whispered, her voice filled with awe. “We saw you kill the dragon god. I’ve never seen a phoenix look like that—you weren’t in your bird form. I haven’t shifted yet, none of us have, but you looked different than any other phoenix I’ve seen?—”
“Breathe,” Ember reminded her as I squeezed the little girl’s hand, feeling a wave of emotion at the way she was looking at me.
I also felt a sliver of pride that I’d done something to earn this girl’s respect.
Even if she was young, it meant so much to me that she had seen the person who had trapped her brought down.
Immediately Malcolm popped into my head. What had happened to him? Did we know where he was? I felt myself pale at the idea of his escape, the man somehow scarier to me than Ry. But I didn’t say anything, instead standing on unsteady feet as Atlas wrapped an arm around me.
“How many?” I looked over the crowded room, cots and sleeping areas laid out, all of the children looking freshly bathed. There was food as well, spread on a long table at one end of the room, and it made my heart warm to hear their laughter fill the space.
“Nearly twenty throughout the compound,” Marco said.
I shook my head, watching Ember extract Bella from two younglings that couldn’t have been older than three, who were being watched over by children around twelve or thirteen.
None of them seemed to be acting their age, though, and I could practically see the weight of the world crashing over them with each moment as they tried to adjust to this normal.
“I want to get them into a secure situation,” I told him. “Let’s go talk to everyone.”
Before they could question it, I directed my question to Ember.
“Can you keep Bella here for now?” She smiled in excitement, and after I gave another parting snuggle to Bella, my mates led me from the room.
Something occurred to me as we made our way down the hallway, thinking about how I didn’t want any of them feeling alone—not for a single second.
“Did any of them find their parents?”
Atlas grunted. “Not that we can tell so far, but many of the older dragons fled. Most of them were young, though—early twenties—probably not old enough to have been the parents of these kids. I have to assume most of their parents were…”
“Killed.” Marco finished. My eyes pricked with tears, but I nodded in understanding.
“Peanut?”
Anani’s voice had me rushing down the hallway as he stepped out, looking like he’d just woken up, his torso all bandaged but his eyes lit with pleasure at seeing me. I wrapped my arms around his neck as he lifted me by my waist, burying his nose against my throat.
“I’m so damn glad you’re awake,” he breathed out. “Fuck, that was so damn terrifying. All of it.”
Pulling back, I cupped his jaw and offered a smile. “But we both made it out okay. We were both reborn—and so was Az.”
Anani let out a low rumble, but his eyes were light. “Yes, the angel.”
“He’s not going anywhere, is he?” Atlas asked, appearing behind me. My cheeks flushed.
“Considering she has a feather of his, probably not,” Marco said. My eyes widened—I shouldn’t have been surprised he noticed everything.
I turned to face the three of them and tried to fight my embarrassment at the range of emotions I was feeling towards Az.
“I…I don’t fully know how to explain what’s going on with him.
Because he sacrificed his life for me, we formed a sacrificial bond…
I don’t want to make anyone uncomfortable or upset?—”
“Hey.” Anani wrapped a hand around my waist and kissed my shoulder. “If you want him around, then we will have to learn how to deal with the bastard.”
Marco grunted. “He has my respect for what he did, but not my trust.”
I reached and squeezed his hand as I turned to look at Atlas, who examined my face before shaking his head.
“He has been helpful these past few days. More than that, actually—I don’t think he’s slept while trying to assure everyone was okay, but there is more to that bond than he’s telling you, angel.
I don’t understand it either, but angel feathers aren’t given away—their magic selects who they go to.
That feather was given to you for a reason. ”
But what was the reason?
“I suppose this would be a good time to ask,” Marco rumbled as a door opened at the end of the hall, letting in voices. But that wasn’t where my attention was focused. No, it was completely on Az, who was watching me intently, his eyes filled with a soft vulnerability.
Deciding to be bold, I approached him as the others talked quietly behind me, the door closing and muting the voices inside.
“Hey,” I greeted timidly.
Az’s eyes ran over me as he spoke with a quiet but intense tone. “You look different like this. You look well rested and happy—I like it.”
I smiled. “Well, not being in prison helps.”
He offered a tired chuckle, then stilled as I slipped my hand into his. “I thought I lost your feather when I was fighting Ry, but I found it underneath my pillow. If you’re okay with it, I would love to put it on a locket and wear it. I know it sounds silly?—”
My face was suddenly being held between two large hands as he looked at me with an intensity that left me breathless. Clearly I’d said something to make him happy. “You mean that? You would wear my feather?”
I nodded, and he let out a low rumble that sounded pleased. “I’ll get you one, mon lapin. I’ll get you one so you can always wear it.”
I flushed. “Okay, I would love that…but what does the feather mean? Atlas thinks it means something significant?”
His eyes flicked over my shoulder to the other men who were giving us a small amount of space. “Later. We need to talk about a lot later, that included.”
“Okay.” I nodded in understanding.
Before we could say another word, the doors opened and relief spilled through me.
I didn’t realize it until I saw her, but I’d been pretty sure I’d feared my mom had gotten hurt in the battle.
Instead she stood there with a big smile on her face as she looked over me, evaluating my health before offering me a hand.
“Come on in here before your fathers lose their minds. They need to see that you’re okay.”