CHAPTER THIRTY-ONE
IWAKE WITH A JOLT, feeling like the last three days were a blissful fever-dream, but the aches—especially between my thighs—tell me it wasn’t.
“Rav? Please tell me you’re free from lust’s grip?” Nero moans dramatically.
A smile lights up my face. “I think so. How was everything?”
Talyn’s head nuzzles into my neck from behind me as he holds me closer.
Jesper’s snores and Aemon’s soft breaths sound peacefully through the room, while Killian watches us with a look of awe.
The morning light shines across the room and I can honestly say that I haven’t felt this much at peace in a long time—if ever.
“All is quiet. Ember, Roz and Lennox handled everything, including making sure I had enough snacks. We did almost have an issue when someone wandered too close to the dragon keep. Thankfully they were able to use the shadows to make a hasty exit before Voissor gobbled them up. But other than that, your realm is still intact! Now, tell me. How was eating at the buffet?” he babbles on, causing me to laugh.
“The buffet was delicious. Tell the others we will be down soon.” Cautiously I probe at my bond with Vasari. “Is it safe to approach?” I ask, adding a teasing tone.
Her amusement surrounds the bond. “It is now, yes. I’m assuming it is time?”
“Soon; we just need to round everyone up,” I tell her, knowing how much she wants to meet the other dragons without needing to feel it in the bond.
I sense her nerves briefly before she locks them down. “I will be here waiting, but do not test my patience overly. I would like to stretch my wings and take to the skies.”
“I’ll be as fast as possible,” I promise her, and then tack on, “Try not to eat anyone while you wait.”
Talyn hums. “Already making plans to leave the bed, Princess?” He nips my ear.
“I’m afraid so. As much as I enjoyed the last three days, we have questions that need answering, and I can’t help but feel like we are running out of time.”
Killian smirks, rising to his feet, moving towards us with a confidence I don’t remember him having before, but Fates it looks good on him. “Shall I help you wake your mates then?”
He eyes Jesper with a sparkle in his red eyes, and I can tell he is planning something so I nod, trying to contain the smile, but I do love a good prank. Killian winks at me and glances towards Jesper’s feet where I’m now noticing they are tied down, along with his hands.
His deep voice enters my mind. “He is in a great position to be tickled. It would be a shame if someone saw and tied his feet and hands down so our beautiful mate could assist me in getting revenge for all the pranks he’s pulled on me.
” His brow raises and I know why he is asking me to do the tickling, but even without his touch aversion, I would be all over this.
Talyn’s chest shakes silently from behind me as he lets me go, struggling to keep his laughter from spilling into the room. As I position myself onto my knees I notice Aemon awake and watching on in amusement.
I take a deep breath, winking at Killian before my fingers dance lightly across Jesper’s naked flesh, just for him to jerk awake in laughter.
“Rav?” he cries between peals of squealing and unhinged giggling. “This is classified as torture! I thought you loved me!”
His back arches off the bed as he tries to free himself from the restraints. “Beastie, why?” he squeals. “I’m going to piss myself.” Giggles. “I give! I give!”
I let up on my ministrations and at this point every single one of us is keeled over in laughter, feeling so much lighter than before. After a second I help Jesper untie his restraints.
He tackles me into the bed, his red hair surrounding us like a curtain as he leans in. “Now what could I have done to deserve the wrath of your tiny and very skilled fingers?”
My gaze narrows playfully. “That is a secret I shall take to the aether!”
“You little temptress—”
Aemon interrupts. “As much as I would love to stay here all day, I believe it is time for us to get ready to head north,” he reminds us.
Jesper leans in. “I’ll figure out your secrets, Little Beastie. After all, I could spend all day in that beautiful brain of yours.”
I dart up and kiss him, using the momentum and distraction to flip him before jumping up off the bed and scurrying to the bathroom to get ready. The door is almost shut when I hear Jesper.
“Fucking Fates, I could watch her walk away every day for the rest of our lives,” he mutters and a smack and grunt follows.
“Go get ready, we’ve been away long enough. I want this war ended so I can spend as much time with our female as possible. You can ogle her ass later,” Aemon tells him.
“Oh come on Aemon, I know you were watching too,” Talyn starts. “We all were. I still can’t believe she’s here… and ours. That she chose us back.”
“It was fate,” Killian adds. “We will always find her; and this time, we will keep her safe.”
The others murmur in agreement and I softly snick the door shut, my heart feeling so incredibly full, and I’m determined to do everything in my power to keep them safe too.
NERO SWOOPS DOWN from the sky and barrels into me making me catch him and cradle him to my chest. “Oh good, you showered,” he says. “Don’t ever leave me for that long again. No one else’s shoulders felt the same. It was torture. I’d rather sit in that iron maiden of a flight-cage.”
I laugh and my mates join in as they hear Nero’s antics.
“I will do my best to not leave you like that again. I’ve missed you too,” I tell him, kissing him on the top of his head.
Ember smiles as she approaches. “I’m glad to see you’re still in one piece. Everything has been handled, although Madame Windwhisper and Sir Geoffrey have been antsy and eager with all the planning for their grand ball, even though it won’t be for a while.”
“Thank you for taking care of everything. I really appreciate it.”
Killian steps up to my side. “Any problems with the guard?”
Ember straightens, soldier mode fully on. “Everything stayed clear and quiet on rounds. No one got into any trouble other than the one fae who got a little too close to the Keep.”
He nods. “Good job.”
I place Nero on my shoulder and take Ember’s hand. “Come on.”
We continue making our way through the courtyard toward the dragons waiting for us, and Vasari’s impatience has my skin prickling, urging me forward.
“It’s about time you got here. We need to go; we’ve been stagnant far too long,” she grumbles as I enter into the Keep.
My hands perch on my waist as I raise my brow at her. “Need I remind you that we could have left three days ago if you weren’t meddling in our sex lives.”
Her long neck arches up as she stares down at me. “It was necessary for us to be as strong as possible. Plus you enjoyed it, and you and your males are finally working as a unit. You should be thanking me.” She snorts and a plume of smoke puffs from her nostrils.
I chuckle and shake my head, a smile pulling at my lips. “Yes, thank you Vasari.”
She was right about it bringing us closer.
Before all the bonds between us felt separate, yet entangled; and now?
It is as if we all merged together. I can sense her dragon mates easily if I wanted, and my mind and heart feel full with all my mates.
One would think it would be overwhelming, but it’s not.
It feels right, like they’ve always been there.
Nero sighs, “Alright, lock me away.” He does his best version of a pout, glaring at his traveling contraption.
“Actually,” Aemon starts, clearing his throat. “I had the leatherworker make this.” He holds up what looks like a small harness and a leash. “You attach it to your saddle and it would let him glide and not have to worry about falling behind with our speed.”
My eyes prick with tears at the thoughtfulness of my mate.
Suddenly, Nero flies at Aemon, landing on his shoulder as he aggressively nuzzles his cheek. “This one is now my favorite. He may get one free Nero pass and keep his eyeballs if he pisses me off,” he declares.
Aemon laughs and pulls out some trail mix, giving him some before turning his attention to me. “We should get going. According to the intel we received, the other dragons are far off, high in the Gratandi Mountains. It’s going to take a few days to get there.”
I dip my head. “Then it’s best we get going now.”
Roz runs into the Keep next with bed-head. “Sorry I’m late. I wasn’t sure what leathers to pack, so I decided to bring most of them.” He gestures to his over-stuffed pack.
“Do you think he needs so many because Ember helps him make a mess of them?” Nero ribs, cawing in laughter.
Aemon smirks. “Better hurry and saddle Thornwing—we leave in five, or Vasari might eat you.”
His eyes widen before he grabs Ember’s hand and rushes towards his dragon, but he is smart enough to wait for her to mount the dual saddle on her own, getting everything else ready in a flash before climbing up to perch proudly in front of her.
“Wait, where’s Lennox?” I ask, peeking out of the Keep to see if I can spot him.
Ember turns and smirks with a twinkle in her eye. “He’s staying behind because he doesn’t want his gryphon eaten by a bunch of wild dragons. But I think it’s because I heard a rumor that Cynder invited him to dinner tonight with the Raiders.”
I raise my brow in Roz’s direction and he shrugs. “What can I say—like me, he knows what he wants.” He kisses Ember’s head and goes back to getting Thornwing ready.
I’m hoping he’s not staying behind for other less-positive reasons, but maybe he needs a bit of space.
I don’t want to be overbearing, but I do worry for our friend.
I sigh, climbing onto Vasari. Hopefully this trip will give us the answers we need, because I will do anything to keep my loved ones safe. And I do mean anything.