“You know what taking a mate means for you, Keir.” Maeba says cryptically, and I arch a brow, curious about what she’s not saying.
He nods and smiles, with no hesitation in his expression. “Raven is heir apparent of the Marzana Empire. King Ragnar changed the line of succession.” He pulls out his phone and shows his grandmother several shots of me on Hemlocke’s back—images I didn’t even know he’d taken, moments captured in secret. “The black unicorn is also her mate. She has a dragon mate too.” The way Keir says everything so calmly, with such pride, makes my heart flutter in my chest. He’s a good male. He doesn’t flinch at the complexity of our nest, doesn’t see my other mates as competition but as family.
Keir stands and kisses his grandmother’s cheek with obvious affection, then moves to bow and offer me his hand again. I accept and stand, being mindful of my balance and my healing wing. Before we move away, I kiss his grandmother’s cheek. Her skin is soft and smells of herbs and wood smoke and long life. “Thank you for allowing me here.”
“It’s not my choice who comes and goes. It’s Keir’s.” Maeba says and laughs to herself, the sound rich and knowing, like she sees far more than she says.
Keir leads me over to the fire pit, the heat washing over my skin and making my scales warm beneath my dress. He pulls out four skewers of meat before leading me over to the only bench I can see—positioned so my wings have room to spread without touching anyone. “Iknow you have questions.” He offers me two skewers, the meat still sizzling and dripping with fat.
I take the skewers and pull a chunk of meat off the end; the grease coating my fingers. I offer it to him, and his eyes light up like I’ve given him treasure. He accepts the meat from my fingers, his lips brushing my skin, then offers me a chunk in return. The ritual feels ancient, important. Gently, I take it from him and savor the flavor—gamey and rich, seasoned with something earthy that reminds me of forest floors. “I become the alpha of our pack once I take a mate.” Keir blurts out, and I realize this is what Maeba was hinting at.
“One day I’ll be queen. Sooner than that, I will be the flight mother of the Sovereign nest. That way, Mom, and Klauth will focus on running the empire.” I gaze out over the ocean, watching the waves crash against the sand in rhythmic patterns that match my heartbeat.
“You took the news better than I was expecting.” He says with a half-laugh, relief clear in his voice.
“I’m destined to be queen one day. Unless you turn out to be a god, not much will shock me at this point.” I arch a brow, looking at him, and we both laugh, the sound carrying on the ocean breeze.
“Well, I’ve been called a god before...” He laughs as his cheeks flush pink, and I wonder what that story is.
A laugh escapes my lips as I look up at him. “In that outfit, I bet.” I reach out and run my fingers over the tight material of the corset, feeling the texture of the stitching, the warmth of his body beneath. I look up at the position of the sun—lower now, painting the sky in shades of orange and pink and purple. “We need to meet Corvis on the cliffs. He needs to help me get airborne.” I stand, setting the empty skewers on the arm of the bench. My wing protests slightly—still stiff from being immobile for so long—but the anticipation building in my chest drowns out the discomfort.
“Oh... We’re really doing this now?” He stands up quicker than I expected and wraps his arms around me, his excitement palpable. Within seconds, we vanish from the pack party and reappear on the cliffs overlooking the ocean. The wind immediately catches my wings, and I have to adjust my stance, feeling the power in the air currents.
“Holy shit!” Corvis screams as he stumbles backward, his hand on his chest, clearly not expecting us to appear right in front of him.
I step forward and kiss Corvis, tasting the familiar sweetness of fresh-baked bread and home, then pat him on the ass. “Go shift, you big lug. I need to get airborne.”
Carefully, I stretch one wing at a time, testing the muscles, feeling for any weakness. So far, so good. Other than being a little tight and the slight ache in the healed bone, I feel good. Better than I have in weeks. Strong enough to fly. Strong enough to complete this bond.
Corvis backs up and shifts into his silver and iron dragon, his form expanding until he towers over us, magnificent and deadly. “Come on, Keir. I need to fly with you before we fully bond.” I lead him up onto Corvis’s back using the natural ridges as footholds, and sit down with him, feeling the familiar warmth of dragon scales beneath me. The heat seeps through my dress, comforting and right. With a gentle pat, Corvis stands, then leaps off the cliff into the open sky.
I feel the moment Keir panics—his entire body goes rigid, his breathing stops, his fingers dig into Corvis’s scales. I reach out to grab his hand, lacing our fingers together and squeezing for reassurance. “Soon as Corvis gets into some good thermals, I’m going to leap off his back and shift. You need to phase or blink onto my back for the flight. Corvis is going to follow us for a little while to make sure we’re okay before leaving.” I stare into Keir’s eyes, making sure he understands, seeing my reflection in those storm-gray depths. His pupils are dilated with fear and something else—trust.
“Okay, got it.” He forces a smile, and I know flight isn’t natural for hisspecies, so this has to be terrifying. But he’s doing it anyway. For me. For us.
Corvis rumbles beneath us—a sound of encouragement—and I smile before getting up and running to leap off his back. My heart pounds with exhilaration as I fall for several seconds—the wind screaming past my ears, my stomach dropping, the ocean rushing up to meet me—before my dragoness explodes into existence. The transformation is faster than usual, driven by need and joy and the rightness of this moment. Feeling the wind under my wings is amazing, and I almost forget why we’re doing this. My healed wing holds strong, the muscles responding eagerly, the bone solid beneath scaled leather.
The second I feel Keir’s weight settle on my back—his hands gripping the ridges between my shoulders, his warmth seeping into my scales—I turn toward my oasis. The place where I’ve taken my last two mates to seal the bonds.
It’s time to make mate number three mine. Time to complete what we started two weeks ago when I bit him. Time to bind our souls together in a way that can never be undone.
The sky welcomes me home, and for the first time in weeks, I feel whole again. The wind sings through my wings; the ocean stretches endlessly below, and my mate holds tight to my back, trusting me completely.
Tonight, everything changes.
Tonight, we become forever.
Chapter 42
Keir
My mate’sdragoness is massive, her obsidian scales gleaming under the harsh sun as she soars through the air. She even dwarfs her mate Corvis’s dragon, her wingspan casting shadows that race across the ground beneath us. We follow the coastline north, the salt spray occasionally misting my face as waves crash against the jagged cliffs below. The wind whistles past my ears, carrying the tang of salt and the earthy scent of the approaching mountains.
Raven banks sharply to the left, my stomach lurching pleasantly with the sudden movement. Below us, her mother’s flight circles the stone fortress, their iridescent scales flashing in the sunlight. I spot her parents standing on the upper courtyard, their posture rigid and alert as they watch our approach.
Raven roars, and I feel every vibration of her voice echoing through my bones like thunder. The sound reverberates in my chest, primal and powerful. A smaller black dragoness launches from the courtyard, her movements more nimble but less controlled. It must be her sister Lily. They play on the thermals for a few minutes, their bodies twisting and diving through invisible currents, before Lily turns back towardthe fortress.
Ahead of us, an oasis emerges from the barren landscape as if it were pulled straight from a fairy tale. The scent of tropical flowers in full bloom fills my nostrils—sweet jasmine, exotic orchids, and something spicy I can’t name. My mouth waters at the intense fragrance. Raven circles the small landing area three times, her massive wings creating gusts that bend the palm trees below, before setting down with surprising gentleness.
