44. Jaxus
FORTY-FOUR
JAXUS
I ’d never expected the elders to gather the moment we landed. I knew they’d be upset, but I hoped they would at least understand why I had to bring Kiera here as my mate. The rest of what I suspected I wouldn’t even hint at.
But it seemed I judged wrong. If they wanted a briefing on the happenings in the First Kingdom, they would have summoned only me. Since they wanted Kiera too, it could only mean they were displeased.
To face the wrath of the elders without any explanation or even fully knowing what this place was, wasn’t fair to her.
They were already waiting when we filed into the council building.
They sat on their raised dais with stern faces and folded hands. I slipped my hand into Kiera’s. Even if she never forgave me, I’d present a united front here. I hoped she went along with it. Because of the damn blood oath, I couldn’t even prepare her for what might happen.
The building stood empty except for the elders. Which meant they didn’t want the rest of our people to know what took place here. I stopped in front of their dais, squaring my shoulders.
“Have a seat,” Hadeon ordered.
We took the seats we were provided and waited. I knew better than to try and pre-empt the elders. It was better to wait and thank the Goddess, Kiera followed suit.
“Jaxus,” Visha, the head of the council, spoke. “You were permitted to leave on a short reconnaissance trip with the outsiders, but you did not return with Augustus and Xavi. Instead, you took it upon yourself to stay outside our lands for six months and then return with another outsider in your company. Please, explain yourself to the council.”
“I apologize most humbly.” I said, trying to sound sincere. My eyes were fully open after living on the other side of the mountains and I no longer held the councils word in the highest of esteem. Our way of life might be more conducive to happiness, but this was still a prison of sorts and I saw that now. I would placate them, but it would be just that.
“I sent Augustus and Xavi back to you but I was duty bound to assist in returning the others to the First Kingdom. Nyx was still weakened and had witnessed his brother’s death and as well as his ryder there was another innocent fae to transport. Without help I don’t think they could have made it back to warn the King of the attack.”
“I see.” The head of the council steepled her fingers. “Go on.”
“Once at the First Kingdom’s capital, Amaya, I thought it best not to return and risk our exposure after I had been introduced to the court. For the safety of our land, I stayed away and have since begun to make a new life in the First Kingdom.
“And what brought you back? ”
“Whilst in the First Kingdom, I found my mate.” I gestured at Kiera.
There was a brief murmuring among the members of the council.
“As you can imagine, it’s difficult to maintain a blood oath when you are soul-bonded. And since I couldn’t risk my life and subsequently hers by telling our secret, I had no choice but to bring her here and show her what I could not say.
“So you placed the importance of two lives over those of all of our citizens?”
“My intention was not to endanger any lives. Kiera will swear the blood oath, too. You have no cause for concern.”
“There will be no need for any oaths this time since you will not be permitted to leave,” Visha informed us.
Kiera’s hand tightened in mine, and I felt her panic rising.
“It will be okay, Firefly,” I assured her, mind to mind.
“With respect to the council, Kiera is a vital healer to the First Kingdom and must return.”
“I am afraid that is not possible. You will both remain here,” the head said with finality.
“I have not broken my blood oath.” I met each one of their eyes in turn. “I’d be dead if I had.”
“We cannot risk?—”
I cut her off. “Where is the risk?” I demanded. “I have not broken any of our laws. I have kept my oath and my mate will swear one too, to ensure the continued safety of this land. Therefore, you have nothing to imprison us for.”
“There will be no imprisonment, Jaxus. You know that is against our ways. But we simply cannot allow an outsider to come and go as she pleases.”
“She is not an outsider. She is my soul-bonded.”
“But she is not one of us, and her mere presence here breaks our covenants. ”
“We’ve let others leave before her!” I barely kept my tone in control.
“Only because the safety of the continent was in jeopardy. You have not presented anything that leads us to believe that those circumstances apply here.”
“They will come looking for us,” I said, partly in threat.
“Maybe, maybe not.”
I locked my jaw, holding back all the vitriol I wanted to hurl in their direction. They had no idea what we faced. They had not been privy to what I’d seen in the last half year. They knew not of the rot growing by the day, nor would they listen if I tried to plead my case. I knew that much now. So I wouldn’t waste my breath or give them any indication I would fight back.
“Do you understand?” she asked when I didn’t say a word.
“No, but I respect your decision.”
“What?” Kiera practically screamed in my head.
“Trust me,” I replied, keeping my face neutral.
“Then we won’t keep you after your long flight. We will reconvene to discuss your findings from the outside once you have settled in. For now, you may return to your home.”
I took Kiera’s hand as the elders dismissed us.
She fought tears as we stepped onto the street.
“It will be okay. I promise,” I told her, taking her into my arms.
“Don’t be sweet. I don’t want them to see me cry.”
“Can you fly?”
“Why? How far is your house?” She glanced around at the small village.
I laughed. “It’s a nice walk, but a long one.”
I stepped out of my leathers in the middle of the street.
“Jaxus!” Kiera’s cheeks heated, and she glanced around.
No one gave me a second glance. In the First Kingdom, the flyers were still expected to be modest because of all the non- shifting fae, but in a place entirely dragon, this behavior was totally normal.
I threw my leathers at her. “No one cares.”
“Maybe I care,” she said in a half growl.
A smile curled at the corners of my lips. “Is that so?”
“I don’t want anyone else seeing what’s mine.” She locked her gaze on mine, and she’d never been sexier.
“I can’t fucking wait to get you alone,” I growled right back before I turned.
She vaulted onto my back, using her magic in a way she’d never done before, and I launched us into the air.
“What was that?”
“Just a little something I worked out.” She shrugged like it was nothing.
“Have I told you that you get sexier by the day?”
She giggled. “Stop.”
“You do.” I banked and followed the river around the curve of the mountain, bringing the sprawling city into view.
Homes were built up into the side of the mountain and the cliff face opposite. The city was fully bustling with the morning markets and trading. There were fae and dragons everywhere, some flying while others were just in that form for whatever reason. The ones in their fae form were in all states of undress, but very few wore more than scraps of clothes because of the heat. Thus, most leaned more towards wraps and dresses. Even most of the males preferred wraps and skirts of some kind, which I had noticed was not a thing in the First Kingdom.
Kiera gasped. “How many dragons live here?
“Many.”
“And the King doesn’t know?”
“No.”
“I understand why they don’t want us to leave.”
I landed on the roof of my building.
“Everything is made for—flyers here? ”
“Everyone flies, I don’t think we know another way.”
“I can’t imagine. It’s like home, I guess. Everything is made with healers in mind.” She walked to the edge of the roof to peer out at the street. “No wonder you’re not a meathead like the rest of the dragons. If the rest of them lived like this, we might have some normalcy.”
“It’s much different here than in the First Kingdom.”
“You willingly left all of this?” she asked, turning on me.
“I had to. And had I not, I would never have met you.”
“And you were willing to never come back here just to be with me?”
I nodded. “Of course, Firefly.”
“I’m sorry I doubted you.”
I wrapped my arms around her shoulders. “You had every right to.”
“This many dragons could turn the tide of the war.”
“I know.”
“And they won’t help.” It wasn’t a question.
“No. They don’t want anything to do with the Twelve Kingdoms and only let me go because I convinced them we had to know what could be on our borders before long.”
“They know what’s coming and still won’t help?”
“They don’t think it will affect them, so it’s not their problem. They’ve always been this way. I can’t live my life like that.” I exhaled a breath I felt like I’d been holding since I left Kerani before.
“And now we are trapped here all because I couldn’t trust you.” She sunk to her knees, defeated. “I can’t help Nyx and—” She put her face in her hands.
“We didn’t only come because I needed to show you,” I said into her mind. I was not comfortable saying it out loud. “I think the other half of the folie de grandeur is here.”
Her head snapped up. “What?”
“I don’t think they’ll give it to us.” I held out my hand for her to stand, and she took it. “But even if they let us near it, they won’t let us leave. So if we can get our hands on it, we will have to run.”
“Can we do it?”
“I don’t know. I don’t know how they will be with us or how they will treat you. I don’t know if we’ll be watched. I can’t decide what the best course of action is.” I was torn between two paths.
“What are you thinking?”
“I am torn between acting resigned to our fate and fighting with the elders.”
She shifted from foot to foot, looking out over Kerani. “Which is more in character for you? Because if you do one and they expect you to do the other, it will make them watch us closer.”
“Maybe we should do both.”
A plan started to form in my head.