Chapter 3
Abraxis
Whatever that ancient submission rite was, it fixed something in all of us.
The tension that once crackled between Klauth, Thauglor, and me has dissipated like morning mist under a harsh sun.
Instinctually, she went to the oldest drake first, Thauglor’s stern face softening as she knelt before him.
Then to me, having the longest bond with her, my heart thundering in my chest as she bared her neck.
Every submission after was in order of bonding, each gesture setting something right in the nest, like a dislocated joint finally sliding back into place.
I stand just outside of the neutral area, my shoulder pressed against the cool stone archway.
The scent of milk and clean linen drifts from the room where Mina sits cross-legged on the plush carpet with all the hatchlings.
They circle around her like planets to a sun, their chubby hands reaching for wooden blocks and colorful balls that roll across the floor with hollow thuds.
She decided today she would take the shift with the little ones so the mothers can have a break.
Her melodic voice rises and falls as she recites some nonsense rhyme that has the children giggling.
Each female in our flight is taking a rotation watching the little ones.
It helps build trust and bonds within the flight, creating a tapestry of connections that strengthens us all.
“She’s come a long way,” my mother whispers as she slides up alongside me. Her familiar scent of rosemary and vanilla wraps around me like a forgotten childhood blanket. She rests her head on the ball of my shoulder and sighs, her breath warm against my skin.
“Definitely,” I whisper back, careful not to disturb the peaceful scene before us.
“For someone who had brief contact with her own mother, I’m amazed she’s so attuned to the little ones.
” My voice carries quiet admiration as Klauth joins us, his heavy footsteps announcing his presence before his imposing frame fills the space to my right.
The subtle spice of his cologne mingles with my mother’s scent.
“Most of what our mate does is instinct,” he says with a smile that creases the corners of his eyes. “Thankfully, her instincts are as strong as she is.” Pride saturates his deep voice.
As we watch, Mina’s eyes glow, the ordinary pale yellow irises shifting to a luminous gold that reminds me of sunlight through aged whiskey.
The pupils contract into dragonic slits, vertical and predatory.
There’s a very low pitch that escapes her lips, barely audible to my ears but sending vibrations through the floor beneath my feet.
I watch several of the toddlers thrash on the floor, their little limbs jerking as if in the grip of an unseen force. My muscles tense instinctively.
“What’s she doing?” I look at Klauth, panic clawing up my throat, my fingers digging into the stone archway until my knuckles turn white.
“She’s trying to break the hold of the anointing oil,” Klauth says, his calm voice a stark contrast to my rising alarm. “It’s been her plan all along. It’s why she opted for today to watch the little ones.” The revelation hits me like a physical blow.
My mother looks at me, her brow furrowed in confusion, the fine lines around her eyes deepening.
I fill her in on what we’ve figured out about the anointing oil; the words tumbling from my lips in a hurried whisper.
Before I can finish, I hear the first chirp of a hatchling—high-pitched and bird-like. The sound sends a shiver down my spine.
One by one, the children shift from babies to hatchlings.
It’s like watching flowers bloom in fast motion—skin giving way to scales, soft curves transforming into sharp angles.
Eight little dragons stare up at Mina with gleaming, intelligent eyes in various shades of gold and amber.
Their scales catch the light filtering through the tall windows, creating a kaleidoscope of colors across the walls.
It’s now that I notice some of the bone plates in Mina’s face have shifted and are more angular, her cheekbones sharper, her jaw more defined.
A different low pitch escapes her lips, this one resonating in my chest like a bass drum.
The hatchlings respond immediately, scampering across the floor with clicks of tiny claws on stone.
They climb onto the furs piled in the corner and form a ball of intertwined limbs and tails, a living puzzle of scales and wings.
Only when they are all nestled together, their synchronized breathing creating a gentle rhythm, does Mina stand and walk towards us.
Scales cover her throat, emerald with silver edgings, coming up from out of the top of her shirt like an exotic necklace.
Her hands have shifted and are covered in the same emerald and silver scales, with lethal silver talons on display—beautiful but deadly.
Drawing in a slow, deep breath that fills my nostrils with her wild, earthy scent.
I watch the dragonic features slowly recede, melting back into her skin like ice under flame.
“Well, that was a success,” Mina says with a smile that doesn’t quite reach her eyes. Then she freezes, noticing my mother standing beside me. “Oh shit,” she whispers, and the contrast between her earlier power and current embarrassment is almost comical.
“I wasn’t aware the anointing oils locked away the hatchlings’ dragons,” my mother says, her voice even as she looks over at the ball of hatchlings fondly. The late afternoon sun casts long shadows across her face, highlighting the silver strands in her dark hair.
“Don’t feel bad. Neither did I,” Mina says, her voice dropping to a confidential tone.
“But after Klauth and Thauglor said dragons always had access to their shifts, it all clicked.” She pushes us gently out of the doorway, her touch leaving trails of warmth on my skin, and motions for one of the other females to step in and watch the little ones.
The woman—Serna, I think her name is—nods and slips past us, her floral perfume momentarily overwhelming.
“What do you mean it makes sense?” Cerce asks, my mother’s curiosity getting the better of her as we move down the corridor, our footsteps echoing off the stone walls.
“Your first grandson was instinctually afraid,” Mina explains, her hands moving animatedly as she speaks.
“He refused to shift until I forced it. They place the oil on the human baby, not the hatchling, locking them in that form.” Her eyes narrow in thought, the amber still swirling in their depths.
“I wonder if it was put on a hatchling, if they would be stuck in their scales?” She pauses, and I can almost see the gears turning behind her eyes, thoughts racing like quicksilver.
“Oh shit, I know that look,” I say, recognizing the dangerous gleam in her expression.
“What just dawned on you?” I wave my hand in front of Mina’s eyes, the cool air between us disturbed by the motion.
Slowly, she turns to look at me, and a chilling smile crosses her lips.
The hairs on the back of my neck stand on edge with that look in her eyes, a primal warning system activating in response to the predator before me.
“Gather the others after my shift,” she says, her voice deceptively soft, like velvet over steel.
“I have a plan.” The words hang in the air, pregnant with promise and threat in equal measure.
She leans in, kissing Klauth and then me goodbye, her lips warm against mine before she pulls away.
The taste of her—honey and something uniquely Mina—lingers as she ducks back into the room with the hatchlings.
The door closes behind her with a soft thud.
“Looks like that scares the scales off of me,” I mutter, feeling the rapid beat of my heart against my ribs. My eyes dart over to Klauth, and he nods slowly, his expression grave.
“Whatever just crossed that brilliant mind of hers, I think we’re all in for a possibly sleepless night,” Klauth says as he turns to leave, his broad shoulders tense under his thin cotton shirt.
“I’ll find Thauglor and Balor. You get the others.
” He waves over his shoulder before turning out of sight, his footsteps fading down the corridor.
I stand there for a moment longer, the cool stone of the wall against my back grounding me as I prepare myself for whatever storm is brewing.
My mate has that look in her eyes—the one that means worlds might burn before she’s done.
And despite everything, I can’t help the thrill that runs through me at the thought of standing beside her as she strikes the match.
As I step into Klauth’s office at the end of the day, the warm glow of the setting sun filters through the window, casting an ethereal light on Mina’s face.
She sits behind the desk, two boxes before her, a mischievous smile playing on her lips.
“What do you have there?” I ask, curiosity piqued by the glint in her eye.
“Wait for the others to get here,” she replies with a wink, leaning back in the chair, the picture of ease and confidence. It’s the same smile I swear I saw on Iris’s little dragon face when she proudly presented Lemon’s severed head.
Mina’s fingers tap a rhythmic pattern on the edge of the desk, her mind seemingly lost in a melody only she can hear. As the others trickle in, Klauth pauses, tilting his head as he takes in the scene. “Comfortable?” he asks, his gaze settling on Mina behind his desk.
She rolls her eyes, reaching down to retrieve the diadem Ziggy gifted her. As she places it upon her head, a sense of gravity settles over the room. Serious Mina is at the helm, and we’re all in deep shit.
Thauglor slips in, his eyes narrowing as he notices Mina’s demeanor. “This can’t be good. That look and the diadem...” He shakes his head, leaning against the wall opposite Klauth.
Mina stands, carefully lifting the boxes to reveal a bottle I recognize as the anointing oil and another containing a mysterious mixture. “Let me go through what I’m thinking, then I’ll answer questions,” she says, her voice steady and resolute. We nod, understanding the gravity of the situation.
“We recognize this as the anointing oil used on hatchlings,” she begins, motioning to the first bottle with a growl.
“This one,” she continues, tapping the stopper of the second bottle, a sly smile crossing her lips, “has a mix of my sleep toxin and nightshade blended into the oil. In combination, it should lock an adult shifter in whatever form it’s applied to.
” Her eyes sweep over us, gauging our reactions before she tilts her head, inviting our questions.
“How did you get the anointing oil?” Vaughn asks, his brow furrowed.
“Ziggy got it for me,” Mina replies, turning to smile at Ziggy before facing us once more.
Thauglor’s gaze settles on the second bottle. “What’s the purpose of the second mixture?” he inquires, and Mina’s expression turns feral.
“We’re not sure who, besides Kai, is an ally of my father’s,” she explains, pacing behind the desk, her footsteps muffled by the plush carpet.
“So, I’m going to weaponize the mixture after we test it on Kai.
Otherwise, I’ll just weaponize my sleep toxin and run with that.
” She shrugs, her shoulders rising and falling beneath the soft fabric of her shirt.
“Why weaponize anything?” I ask, tilting my head to the side, watching as the corner of her eye twitches.
“Why not? If I knock out the person attacking me, you can interrogate them and possibly get answers,” she counters, her gaze unwavering.
Ziggy looks between Leander and Mina, confusion etched on his face. “Sleep toxin?”
Vaughn rubs his temples, a grimace passing over his features. “Yeah, she knocked me out with it as a test on my gargoyle. It gave me a hell of a headache for several hours after I woke up.”
Balor’s eyes widen, darting from Vaughn to Mina. “She knocked you out?”
“There’s acid with the sleep toxin, so I can’t do it without burning someone,” Mina admits, her shoulders rising and falling in a shrug.
I survey the room, my gaze settling on each of my companions. “So, what’s the game plan?”
“Let’s test the new oil combo I made on Kai and circle back after seeing if it’s worth pursuing,” Mina suggests, her eyes moving from Klauth to Thauglor before finally landing on me.
A smile tugs at the corners of my mouth. “Sounds good.”
Mina beams, her face radiant as she removes the diadem from her head, tucking it back into its satin bag. “If anyone looks for me, I’ll be with the hatchlings,” she declares, grabbing Ziggy’s hand. In a blink, they vanish, leaving only the faint scent of her perfume lingering in the air.
Thauglor reaches for the oil concoction Mina created, arching a brow at me. “Let’s go test our mate’s theory,” he suggests, motioning for us to leave.
As we make our way to Blackhaven, curiosity gnaws at my insides. I’m eager to see if Mina’s mixture works as intended, to witness the effects firsthand. The anticipation is palpable, a current of electricity running through my veins as we draw closer to our destination and the moment of truth.