Chapter 27 Mina #2
“I thought you had meetings today?” I tilt my head, looking at him, trying not to smile, feeling the corners of my mouth twitch with the effort.
“We do,” he motions between him and Thauglor, the movement casual yet precise. “But we can make time to get our family safely to school first.” His voice rumbles deep in his chest, the sound vibrating through the air between us.
“I hear those five males will run the gauntlet this afternoon,” Balor says, his smile positively feral, teeth gleaming white against his tanned skin. The anticipation in his voice makes my pulse quicken slightly.
A soft purr escapes my lips, the vibration pleasant in my throat. “Can we get watch spiders again? They were a fun adversary.” I giggle as Callan pulls me to him, his arms strong and secure around my waist. The heat of his body seeps through my clothes, a stark contrast to the morning chill.
“You really don’t want them to live, do you?” He nuzzles my cheek, then kisses me under my ear, his breath hot against my sensitive skin, sending a shiver down my spine.
“If we are adding males to the flight, I need to know they can fight or defend the territory. Otherwise, it’s dead weight being added, and that doesn’t help anyone.” I glance from Klauth to Abraxis, waiting to see what he thinks. Their expressions are guarded, giving nothing away.
“Mina has a point. Everyone in this house, minus Klauth and Thauglor, have run the gauntlet.” Abraxis shrugs his shoulders, the fabric of his shirt rustling softly with the movement. “What’s the worst that happens? They die?” His voice is flat, matter-of-fact, and cold as winter stone.
Leander shakes his head, a wry smile playing on his lips.
“You’re starting to sound like your ancestor.
” A laugh escapes his lips as we look up and they are standing the exact same way—arms crossed over their chests with the same scowl on their faces, their postures mirror images reflected across time.
“It’s gotta be a black dragon thing.” I grab my bag, the strap digging slightly into my shoulder as I adjust it, and head through the house to the upper courtyard to wait.
Those two are so similar, it’s scary at times.
Their shared mannerisms make me wonder how much is blood and how much is influence.
I walk to the edge and watch the sun as it crests over the horizon.
The vivid colors streak the sky—crimson, gold, and deep purple, bleeding into the fading night.
The air is still cool, crisp with morning dew and the scent of pine from the forests below.
It makes me sigh, the sound soft against the backdrop of awakening birdsong.
For the first time in years, I can draw in a deep breath, filling my lungs completely without the weight of fear pressing on my chest. The fear of my father hunting me is over, leaving a hollow space I’m not yet sure how to fill.
This moment of silence is something I never thought I would experience.
Watching and waiting for the next attack has become such a big part of my day that the silence is almost scary.
Slowly, I turn back around in time to watch Klauth shift.
The sound of bones reshaping, scales erupting from skin, fills the courtyard.
It’s not painful for him anymore, but still a symphony of restructuring that makes my own scales tingle in sympathy.
The size of his drake amazes me, his massive form blocking out the rising sun.
How something so enormous fits in his human body is mind-blowing.
Then again, it’s the nature of the shift and being of dragon blood, a mystery I’ve learned to accept without fully understanding.
Klauth lays down, and I watch the others climb on, even Thauglor, their movements practiced and efficient.
I go to climb on, and Klauth moves his tail forward.
I climb on, the scales warm and smooth beneath my hands.
He lifts me up and turns his head so I can sit by his horns.
I step off and sit down, feeling the hard ridges of his skull beneath me, warm and solid.
The minute I’m settled, he stands and leaps into the air, the powerful surge making my stomach drop pleasantly.
The wind rushes past, cool and fresh against my face, whipping my hair back.
The slow beat of his wings is soothing, a steady rhythm that matches the beating of my heart.
I know why I’m up here—he’s giving me time to get my head straight for the school day.
There’s a lot that I’m working through. Some things I’m not ready to admit to or talk fully through yet, but I’m getting there.
As long as I make a little progress every day, it’s better than nothing.
‘Did we figure out what teachers were working with my father and Lysander?’ I fire the one question that scares me most off to the ancients, the thought chilling despite the warmth of the rising sun on my skin.
‘Not yet. I’m sure they will reveal themselves soon. After all, their protectors are dead,’ Thauglor mentions. ‘Oh, the meetings today are happening on campus in case you need us.’ He adds as an afterthought, his mental voice a comforting rumble against my consciousness.
‘Good to know,’ I say to him through the bond, feeling the connection between us like a physical thread, strong and unbreakable.
‘Are you okay, my treasure?’ Klauth asks gently, his concern washing over me in a warm wave.
‘I will be. I am safe and loved. It can only get better from here.’ It’s the one truth I’m clinging to, a lifeline in the turbulent sea of my thoughts. The words taste sweet and hopeful on my tongue, a promise I’m determined to keep.
My life could have been so much worse. I could have been betrothed to a horrible male, my future decided by others, with no regard for my happiness.
Never met any of my current mates, never felt the security of being truly wanted for myself.
I could have been collared and bred to death in an egg chamber, never to see the light of day before drawing my last breath, used as nothing more than a vessel for continuing bloodlines.
All the brief hiccups my mates and I hit are nothing compared to the hell I could have been living.
I am grateful for the life I’ve been given; the feeling expanding in my chest like the growing light of dawn, warm and certain and real.