Chapter 18
“The Council would like to extend an official apology to our recently rediscovered Space Dragon, Amalthea Payne.” Lucia’s father spoke clearly into the video conference microphone, his voice ringing out in the Drekison’s living room where they all gathered again. This time with the addition of Ama, resting comfortably against Arkyn’s side as he draped his arm over her shoulder.
Not only was this one of his favorite places for her to be, it also communicated to the Council that she was fully accepted as a member of the Drekison clan. A show of clan solidarity the Council could ignore at their own peril.
The Elder looked particularly constipated, not that Arkyn gave a shit about his obvious discomfort. And the clarity and precision of the Elder’s words were no doubt so he didn’t have to repeat them. Arkyn didn’t particularly enjoy watching the Council eat crow in such a public forum, but Ama deserved to be thusly recognized by the same individuals who had only a week ago been so vocal about hunting and killing her dragon for no other reason than it existed.
“Um, excuse me, Mr. Councilman, that’s Space and Time Dragon.” Ama corrected gently, like she was encouraging a two-year-old to share a toy. “We recently discovered my dragon has some power to impact the passage of time as well.”
The Elder looked like he was going to throw up.
One of the other Elders stepped in to reprimand Ama. “That’s Council Elder to you, young miss.”
Arkyn growled. “You will forgive her lack of Dragon Council etiquette, Elder. Ama has only known about dragons and the Dragon Council for a week. And we’ve been busy with more urgent matters since then.”
Namely, battling for Ama to keep her job after word spread about her playground incident. The entire Drekison clan had taken up figurative arms to support Ama against the vocal demands she be fired and not allowed near children again. Bodil and Steph’s oldest, Hailee, and her husband had insisted Ama continue to be Teddy’s caregiver. And they’d rallied many of the other families to support her as well.
Even Ama’s mother had been involved, providing medical documentation that she’d discussed her concerns about Ama’s sleepwalking habit with her childhood doctor. Only the most stalwart opponents continued to pursue the resignation of a woman with a disorder.
Fortunately, Alexandria was a small town. Gossip spread about everyone at some point, and the Drekisons had not been shy about bringing to light some particularly embarrassing stories involving some of the louder naysayers. Truth be known, Ama was not the only resident to ever wind up naked and in a public location at some point.
The Elder on the television screen swallowed and backed down, even though she did not apologize for the reprimand. Ama looked at Arkyn, her admiring smile making it a challenge to refrain from throwing her over his shoulder caveman-style and whisking her home to fuck her properly. Again.
“Geez, get a room, you two.” Ulrik muttered softly enough the microphone didn’t pick up. Eydís laughed silently and swatted his leg.
Time passed. No one else in the Council deigned to say anything, much less correct what they’d already said, so Lucia leaned forward. “Council, thank you for that gracious apology”—Ivar snorted—“and for welcoming Ama into our dragon world”—Ivar snorted again—“We appreciate your time and bid you good night.”
When her father nodded in acknowledgment, Lucia turned off the camera.
“I thought you were going to take this opportunity to badger the Council to give us voting rights,” Ivar pushed.
Lucia nodded, then shook her head. “I was. But my gut tells me they’re clinging to the old ways for a reason.”
“I think they’re scared,” Father agreed, his fingertips steepled. “They’re threatened by us and that makes them dangerous, not open to any suggestion of change.”
“Why would they be threatened by us?” Ty shoved a Scotcheroo bar into his mouth. “They barely paid us any attention all this time and we’ve done nothing to earn their fear.”
“True. But look at the women you boys have fallen in love with.” Mother held her coffee mug like a scepter. “Powerful women with powerful dragons—” she nodded to Eydís in acknowledgment that, while she did not host a dragon, what she offered was no less powerful. “For all their numbers, the Council cannot force us to do anything we don’t want to do.”
“Meaning, we could emancipate ourselves from them?” Arkyn pondered the possibilities.
Ulrik shook his head. “They wouldn’t let us go willingly. We’d have to fight our brethren for the right to be free.”
“Free from their tyranny? Free from their emotional taxation without representation?” Ivar sat up straighter, placing a hand over his heart like a pledge. “We hold these truths to be self-evident.”
“Carpe the Diem, dude.” Lin added.
“Please don’t.” Ama’s brows furrowed with worry, and Arkyn pulled her closer. “My life was anarchy and chaos before I met all of you. I don’t want you to start a war.”
“Don’t worry, Ama.” Lucia assured her, then sent Ivar a brief glare. “I believe, with skilled negotiation and a little patience, we can get what we want from the Council. Without having to start a revolution to make it happen.”
Ivar huffed and crossed his arms over his chest like a pouty toddler. “Until then, I’ll be sharpening my bayonet. And practicing a little civil disobedience.”
Arkyn nuzzled Ama’s temple. “Would that be acceptable to you, elskr?”
“I’m obviously more of a make-love-not-war kind of dragon shifter, I guess.” She snuggled further against him. “But if this family decides to stand up to the Council, then count on me to throw a flaming hot baby star right up their asses.”