30. Kiera
THIRTY
KIERA
“ D rink your tea first,” Jaxus insisted, fussing around again.
I refused to be anywhere near my bed after days laid up, but he was insisting on me being on the sofa with a blanket and plenty of medicinal tea for healing. Tea that he was blending himself from my garden, according to a recipe for cleansing he found in an old tome in the library.
I wanted him to go to the library for me to find a specific book I was missing on dragon bloodlines and their magics, but as always, it was a battle.
“Please, just drink the tea, Kiera. It’s good for you,” he pleaded.
I took in his hopeful eyes, the color of rich wild honey, and to my repeated annoyance, I couldn’t deny him. I took the tea from him and relented, sipping the brew. I wouldn’t admit it, but it had a similar taste to something Gran would make me as a child when the village had a winter bug affecting everyone. So it was probably a perfect tonic for my weakened immune system.
I had to admit I was feeling stronger and stronger by the day, and I knew it was in no small part because of his constant care. I was now based in my rooms and resting to Jaxus’ satisfaction, but I was being kept up to date with everything that was going on down the hall, which was helping ease the worry of still needing to rest.
It left time for us to research my theory on Nyx’s potential soul-bond to Kol, which was keeping me occupied. But we were getting nowhere fast and I couldn’t tell Jaxus that I knew where much more information could be found. It was frustrating.
There was a light tap on the door, and we both looked up to find my father in the doorway.
“I came to see how you were doing now that you’ve been discharged from our care,” he said, stepping in.
I opened my mouth to reply, but Jaxus beat me to the words.
“She’s doing well, still trying to do too much, but I’m taking care of her needs.” He said proudly, standing. “Take a seat. I’ll make you some tea.”
My father cut me a glance that I knew meant he was amused by Jaxus’ fussing. I was glad one of us could find humor in it.
“Sorry I couldn’t come sooner.” He came and sat in Jaxus’ place and gently slid my notes from my lap, taking a look for himself.
He read quietly for a moment and turned the page, taking in what I had in terms of a theory. As he came to the bottom of the page, his brows rose. “You think such a thing is possible?”
“I’d like to explore it,” I said, awaiting his thoughts.
He nodded, still reading. “You need to see what records we have here on multiple dragon births. I know they used to be more common, but with the decline in numbers over the last couple of centuries, they are almost unheard of now. Maybe there will be something in the library on the history of the dragon bloodlines that will give you a place to start. If you can find a time when some twins were recorded, it might narrow down the search for evidence in old healing ledgers from the time.”
“That’s actually a smart approach.” I agreed and looked to Jaxus because I was about to add more books to my library list for him to collect.
“Fine,” he huffed, handing Father his tea. “Since your father is here, I’ll go now and see what I can bring you back.”
I made a list of what we needed, and he slipped out, leaving us to discuss my ideas.
Father sipped his tea and looked over the cup as the taste hit his palette.
“Your gran would be proud,” he smiled.
“Not my work. It was Jaxus. He found the recipe all on his own.”
He set down his cup. “I have to say, the dragon is impressing me. All this help he has brought in, Kiera. And it’s the flyers, no less. I’d never have thought they had it in them. I’m reluctant to admit it, but I may have misjudged them all.”
“To be honest, I was shocked to hear that you approved of any of it.”
“I was hesitant at first,” he admitted. “But he makes a very persuasive argument, that dragon of yours.”
“Dragon of mine?” I asked, slightly aghast. He truly seemed quite taken with Jaxus, which I didn’t know what to do with.
“You are bonded, are you not? It is out of our hands now.”
“I’m just surprised how well you’re taking it, that’s all.” He hadn’t reacted at all how I imagined to any of this. He took it in his stride when I broke it to him that I would have to become a ryder, which I thought would cause so many issues.
“What would you have me do? I had your future planned out, but the Goddess had other ideas.” He was right. No fae could argue with what the Goddess decreed.
But still, I thought there would be some resistance .
“I just expected—I don’t know what I expected.” It turned out the only one resisting had been me.
“If you have to be bonded to a flyer, at least it’s one with a keen mind and a backbone,” he mused.
Now he was impressed with a flyer’s ideas. What was next? A cross-discipline training program? I almost laughed at the very thought.
I knew that Jaxus thought such a thing could one day be possible, but he was still new to our ways.
“He’s certainly no average flyer,” I agreed.
“He’s a breath of fresh air, for sure. Take advantage of that, my love. We don’t get many new ideas around here and it’s even harder to get the elders to listen. He’s a good match for you.”
I frowned. “What are you suggesting?”
“Only that you are well suited. He is driven and bright, just like you. Don’t squander it by doing the same thing we’ve always done. Change only happens when someone is brave enough to step outside the lines.”
I studied him. He was serious.
“I think he’ll be good for you.”
Good for me? What was he saying? He knew as well as I did that my future was mapped out.
Pushing those thoughts away. I returned to my notes. “You really think there will be anything here that can help with this?” I looked at him, pointedly not voicing what we both knew. He’d sent Jaxus on a fool’s errand because there would be nothing of use in that sanitized collection of knowledge the King kept.
He shook his head, confirming what I suspected. “You’ll need to look elsewhere for what you seek.”
I nodded. “That could be a problem.”
I couldn’t just go home. I would need to go alone, and Jaxus was a shadow I couldn’t shake. But I was finding more and more I didn’t want to. Which left me with another problem. I couldn’t have a ‘thing’ with my flyer. I had obligations, a duty. Casual flings were fine, but getting involved with someone I was bonded to for life wouldn’t work because it could never come to anything. And if my father knew I had those thoughts, I was sure his attitude would change.
My father put his hand on my knee. “He’s your bonded flyer, Kiera. You know you can trust him with our knowledge. It’s the nature of the bond.”
I was stunned. “The council would never approve.” I couldn’t believe he even would, let alone the old-fashioned, uptight elders of the clan.
“The council doesn’t have a say over what the Goddess manifests. And whether they approve or not, our bloodline has been appointed custodians of the archive, not them. The only elder you have to convince is?—”
“Gran,” I finished.
He nodded once.
I couldn’t believe he was suggesting it. I had thought that avenue of research was closed to me while Jaxus was helping me, but maybe?—
Our bond wasn’t going to change. One day I would have to make his introduction to the clan and deal with the inevitable stir it causes.
They had him to thank for my survival. They couldn’t turn him away.
“Think about it,” Father urged. “You’re still recovering, and we don’t want you back working until you are completely better. What better time for a visit home?”