Chapter 20 #2
As we entered the lobby, the cameras and voices lessened, making way for soft classical music.
My eyes searched the chandelier lit space as we neared a massive ballroom, two men standing at the entrance, before opening the door.
I tried to not look caught off guard at the stunning room but I mean.
.. Wow. Everything appeared to be diamond like with accents of gold, expensive dresses and tuxedos filling my sight as the scent of dragons, other shifters, and some scents I couldn’t identify filled the air.
I saw a few women, although the majority were men, and none of them seemed to offer me particularly friendly looks. They weren’t mean either, but everyone seemed to drop their eyes when Marco and the others, including myself, walked past. I wasn’t positive how I felt about that.
We neared a massive long table up front that mirrored four others, each containing one of the council women or men.
There were others surrounding them and I had to assume those were their flights.
However, the minute that we neared it seemed that they had less to say.
Immediately, one of the councilmen broke away and walked towards us, his smile authentic as he offered Marco a hand.
“Lucas,” Marco responded, looking relaxed despite the slight tension in his body, “you remember Maya, right?”
“Couldn’t forget her.” He winked and the handsome older man kissed my hand, making me smile. He was charming. I would give him that.
Atlas let out a frustrated sound that they all ignored as a woman stepped up next to Lucas, her smile soft but eyes sparkling.
I had to assume she was around Lucas’s age but I wasn’t positive.
I looked over her dark green dress that fell off the shoulders and her rich dark hair that was streaked with silver. She was very pretty.
“Maya!” She smiled, “My name is Heather, it is wonderful to finally meet the little phoenix that has everyone talking.”
I tilted my head, “It’s wonderful to meet you as well, are you--”
“His mate,” she offered a bigger smile, “yes, him and the other insane bastards at our table.” I blushed, letting out a laugh at her phrasing as my eyes darted over to a table of men that were watching her intently while pretending to have a conversation.
“You would have thought after one hundred years they would have learnt to calm down,” she continued shaking her head while trying not to laugh.
Before I could respond we were placed into a flurry of other hellos and welcomes including the other two councilmen that I wasn’t a fan of.
Oddly enough, tonight they didn’t seem to be as rude.
Instead they seemed a bit uncomfortable.
Larry, his hair somehow more white than before in comparison to his orange skin, offered me a slight grimace as Edmund nodded in my direction but didn’t say anything.
I noticed that their flights looked rather sullen, all of them in deep conversation or on their phones.
They had a far wider age range than Lucas’s flight had, it seemed.
Heather stayed by my side which calmed my nerves a bit because it made me feel more welcomed and not just from my wonderful mates.
Finally, the conversation I hadn’t been looking forward to occurred.
“Maya,” Anna’s voice chimed as Heather shook her head looking annoyed.
“Anna,” I offered, not putting out my hand because she didn’t offer her own. I didn’t say this very often but I wasn’t a fan of the woman. I mean, could you blame me? She had all but insinuated that her and Marco had been a thing.
I looked over her shoulder to who sat at her table, realizing it wasn’t a flight but rather a group of women that smelled like her…
a bit dragon and a bit wolf. So maybe a pack?
I tried to not panic as I saw Anani’s and Ledger’s ex-girlfriends glaring at me from where they stood.
When Ledger’s warm scent wrapped around me, I relaxed far easier.
“So you are really sticking it out, huh?” Anna purred, arching a brow.
Heather chuckled. “Don’t make her feel uncomfortable with finding her mates, Anna. We know you will, eventually.”
“Don’t want them.” She waved absently. “So where is the ring then?”
I blushed, “What?”
Anna smirked, “The ring. You know, this is an engagement party.”
Heather shook her head, “Each to their own pace, you know they didn’t even want to hold this stupid party. You can blame Edmund and Larry for that one.”
“Well, being a phoenix is a big deal,” Anna lamented, grinning as if it wasn’t, “let’s just hope they actually want you around and not just to make babies.” Then she was gone and I was trying to control the anger that fluttered in my chest. I would not get mad. I would not get mad…
“She’s not worth it,” Heather whispered softly.
“If dragons are only male, why is she on the Council?” I asked curiously, trying to hide my frustration.
She spoke softly, “Anna is a hybrid with dragon blood and wolf heritage, however her family has a large stake in most businesses in Los Angeles. No one put up much of a fight when she asked to be on the Council because she had such large family support. She doesn’t actually do much, but people flaunt it as the progress we’ve made from being an archaic society.
Although, I personally know a lot of other far more talented, stronger, and more educated women that would do a better job. ”
“Makes sense,” I mumbled because I didn’t know what else to say.
“Are we ready to meet the others?” Edmund asked, looking smug.
“Not entirely,” Marco stated softly, looking over from his conversation with Lucas.
“Maya, come here,” Sai beckoned softly. I circled the table as we stepped away slightly. I had my back towards the ballroom so when Sai pulled out a larger dark box from the inside of his jacket, I tilted my head curiously.
“What is that?” I asked, feeling a bit nervous.
His eyes flickered over my shoulder before focusing back on me, his words soft and heated. “Each flight has a crest of symbols, especially those that are formed within military units. We all have ours tattooed somewhere on our body.”
I so badly wanted to ask where his tattoo was…
He smirked, offering me a wicked glint. “Later. Trust me, later. But we had this made for you and if you will wear it, well, I know how much--”
“Yes!” I nodded enthusiastically, my heart squeezing so much my eyes nearly teared up.
“You haven’t seen it,” he chuckled softly.
“I know it will be beautiful,” I offered a soft smile.
I had been right, for the record, as he opened up the case my eyes went wide.
It was a stunning rose gold bracelet cuff that almost had a swirly snake like pattern, but with wings.
In the center of what I was now realizing was a dragon, was a dark almost red crest that glinted with jewels.
I immediately put out my hand and he slid it onto my forearm, the delicate piece wrapping around my arm and tightening to fit it perfectly with what I had to assume was magic.
I reached out to touch the piece but then something I couldn’t have expected happened.
It melted into my skin.
That was the best way to describe it. Like a tattoo, the embedded gold and ruby cuff-like piece was now flat against my arm and when I ran my finger over it all I could feel was soft skin.
“Holy shit!” Sai mumbled looking shocked. “I’ve never seen that happen.”
“Marco?” Atlas asked softly as I realized he was behind me.
“It has to be because she’s a phoenix...” Henry muttered in confusion.
“I think the Queen has a similar marking because of her flight.” Ledger offered quietly.
I could hear them debating over the reasoning on why it occurred, but none of that mattered to me.
I could feel slight tears welling in my eyes as I examined the marking, unconcerned on where it actually came from or why it happened.
Because for once, as if it was physical proof that I belonged, I wasn’t worried about my place in this world. I had a family. I had my mates.
I felt loved.
I had been nervous about what traveling to the Dreki realm would bring but no longer. I couldn’t be nervous with my mates by my side. If anything, I was excited. A pulse of magic ran through me and I closed my eyes hearing the beating of wings in my ear.
I was ready. Ready for whatever would happen next. Ready to break these chains that had always bound me to Earth and pain.
I was ready to soar.