Raven, having heard her name mentioned, walks over slowly with the measured dignity of someone far older than her years. She shakes her head calmly while looking from Allister to Klauth, her sapphire eyes blazing with controlled fire. “Dads...” she says with respectful calm, addressing both Klauth and me. “Most of the older hatchlings agreed to allow the newest members to have first choice since they are not as big and strong as we are.”
She lowers her head respectfully and spreads her magnificent wings wide as she performs a perfect bow—a gesture of deference that makes my throat tight with emotion. When she straightens and turns her piercing gaze on her half-brother, her expression turns absolutely icy with barely contained fury.
“Someone thinks that because of his birthright, the agreement doesn’t apply to him,” she states with the quiet authority that could freeze blood in your veins.
“My father is a wyrm dragon and king. I should have first choice,” Alister responds with a venomous hiss that makes my hands clench into fists at my sides.
“You forget, soft one, my father is also a wyrm dragon,” Raven replies with devastating calm, her voice carrying undertones of barely leashed power. “Unlike you, my scales are hard like my parents.” The claws at the apex of her wings click rhythmically, a clear sign of her growing agitation that makes every protective instinct in my body roar to life.
Thauglor approaches just as the tension reaches its peak, his ancient eyes immediately assessing the situation with the wisdom of millennia. He takes in his daughter’s agitated state and the source of her distress with a single glance. “Come with me, Raven. The little ones are looking for you,” he sayswith gentle authority, wrapping a protective arm around her shoulders and guiding her away from the confrontation.
Before they’ve taken more than a few steps, Raven suddenly turns and spits a precise glob of acid at Allister’s feet. The caustic substance hisses violently when it hits the ground, sending up wisps of acrid smoke that make the arrogant little dragon leap backward in shock and fear. The message is crystal clear—she could have hit him directly if she’d chosen to, and everyone present knows it.
Klauth immediately takes Allister by the arm and walks off with him, his ancient face set in grim lines that suggest someone is about to receive a very stern talking-to indeed. I have a sinking feeling that even the most severe punishment won’t adjust that boy’s entitled attitude—he seems to have inherited the absolute worst traits from both red and green dragon lineages.
I rejoin the others, watching with warm satisfaction as the older children help their younger siblings with patient kindness. Raven and Lily have naturally taken it upon themselves to watch over the three newest additions to our nest, their protective instincts already fully developed despite their youth.
Mina returns from her flight holding Abraxis’s arm, his wing draped protectively over her shoulders in a gesture that speaks to their deep bond. “Klauth told me what happened,” she says, her melodious voice heavy with sadness that makes my heart ache. “I’m glad Raven stood up for the little ones.”
“We’ve talked about this,” Leander says quietly, moving to stand before her with shoulders slumped in defeat. He looks just as heartbroken as she does, and the sight of my friend’s pain cuts through me like a blade.
“I know...” Mina sighs deeply, pulling away from Abraxis to seek comfort in my arms. I wrap her in my embrace immediately, holding her close to my chest where she belongs, feeling her warmth seep into my very bones.
“They’re young. Give them time. Maybe Klauth can knock some sense into his son?” I suggest hopefully, though deep down I don’t believe even the most severe punishment will adjust Alister’s fundamental character flaws. Some attitudes run too deep to be easily corrected.
“I’m not going to hold my breath,” Mina replies with weary resignation, her golden eyes drifting to where Raven holds the rapt attention of all the children in the flight. “I’ve already brought up the topic of changing the line of succession. She’s a natural leader, and the children—and some adults—follow her without question.”
There’s a wistful quality to Mina’s voice when she talks about Raven that makes my heart clench with understanding. She sees in our daughter the leader she herself has become—someone who inspires loyalty through compassion rather than demanding it through force.
“She’ll make an excellent flight mother one day,” Abraxis observes, standing close to our little family group with obvious pride in his voice.
“She’s good to all the children regardless of species or parentage,” Leander points out with warm admiration, gesturing toward where Raven has picked up little Salem and settled him on her hip, enfolding him protectively within her wings like a living shelter.
“Can we give Raven a raise?” Vaughn asks with obvious relief as he approaches our group, his face creased with grateful amazement. “My son was having the mother of all meltdowns, and I don’t know what Raven did.” He motions back toward where she’s holding Salem with obvious expertise. “He calmed down immediately and wanted her to hold him.”
Mina and I exchange a knowing glance that speaks volumes about our understanding of dragon nature. Raven possesses the combined presence of both her remarkable parents—an aura of power and protection that makes the little ones feel inherently safe with her. It’s the bigger predator phenomenon at work, even at this young age. It’s an instinctive recognition of strength that offers security rather than threat.
Our nest is finally complete with ten precious little ones spread across three distinct age groups. Thankfully, because of how dragon family structures naturally function, the older children instinctively help care for their younger siblings with minimal direction required.
“Don’t forget we need to separate the older boys out soon,” I remind the others, my voice carrying the practical concern that comes with years of managing our complex household. With the accelerated growth they experience after shifting into their beast forms, they appear much older than their actual chronological ages—a development that requires careful consideration for everyone’s comfort and safety.
“The second room was finished yesterday,” Callan reports, his golden gaze tracking toward where Orpheus plays with his characteristic intensity. “Maybe, to be fair, we should put all the males together? There are only four of them.” His eyes dart meaningfully in the direction Klauth disappeared with the troublesome Allister.
“Sounds like a plan,” Mina agrees with obvious relief, her attention shifting to where Evan plays contentedly with little Thorne, their interaction speaking to bonds that run deeper than simple friendship.
I haven’t shared this observation with the rest of the nest yet, but I’m increasingly certain that Thorne will be Evan’s mate, just as Corvis will eventually claim Raven. Speaking of Corvis, I watch with warm amusement as he carefully carries a plate of food over to Raven, his youthful face serious with the importance of his self-appointed task.
We observe their interaction with the fond attention that parents reserve for their children’s most precious moments. Raven insists on carrying her baby brother Salem with her as she goes to eat with Corvis, creating an adorable picture of familial devotion that makes my heart practically overflow with love.
I lean down to whisper in Mina’s ear, my breath stirring the silken strands of her hair. “Do you think she feels the pull of the mate bond already?”
Mina sighs softly, the sound carrying both resignation and acceptance as she purrs in a way that always makes my pulse quicken. “I was feeling the tether to Abraxis with how often I found myself near him,” she admits quietly, pressing her forehead against my neck in a gesture of trust that never fails to move me. “I felt the pull to Callan after I received my dragon. With Balor, I didn’t understand why I needed to be close to him—he wasn’t acting like the other two.”
She shrugs with a graceful acceptance that marks her as truly wise beyond her years. “In short, yes, I think she feels it. He probably represents safety to her on a level she doesn’t consciously understand yet.”
“With as much time as he spends here, their bond will be incredibly strong by the time she fully understands what he means to her,” I whisper back, pressing a tender kiss to the crown of her head and breathing in the intoxicating scent that is uniquely hers.
Mina pulls away as our other mates join our little group, her face glowing with the profound contentment that comes from being surrounded by those she loves most. “Thank you, every one of you, for showing me what true love and support look like,” she says with emotion that makes her voice tremble slightly.
