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“Because the veils between worlds thinned enough for us to walk through them.”

Vemel said, “I don’t think she can move her head, cousin.”

Vaayu smiled. “I am not letting go of her until she’s restrained.”

Kay looked at him, and glittering tears began to flow.

He snorted. “I do not trust your tears, Kaido.”

Vaayu reached to his belt and pulled off a cuff, snapping the gold onto her wrist. She felt the restriction and fought him when he did the second.

Regis’s voice snapped out, “What are you doing? Let her go.”

Vaayu looked to the man with Regis and said, “Sirrush, control your mate.”

“Emperor Vaayu, we have just been told that this is our child. We are conflicted, and my mate is going into a defensive mode.”

Vaayu looked at her and said, “You actually did not tell anyone who you were?”

“No, Your Imperial Majesty. One or two figured it out along the way, but not a whisper from my lips. That was the spell. I had to keep my mouth shut and keep myself away from them, or it would crack. They are back together and safe. My life doesn’t matter.” She winced as the second cuff clicked into place.

“One more, Kaido.”

He lifted the last band from his belt, and she closed her eyes as the slim band clicked around her neck. Her beast howled, but she remained calm.

Vemel murmured, “Those are shifter bands.”

Regis said, “So, she’s a shapeshifter. So what? She’s harmless.”

Vaayu laughed. “Sirrush, what being is bound this way?”

Her mate said, “That is a restraint system for a dragon, but there aren’t any female dragons.”

Vaayu pulled her next to him and murmured to her, “Show them.”

Kay looked at him and nodded, letting her gold wings flare wide. She couldn’t take dragon form with the heavily enchanted cuffs and collar.

Vemel blinked. “Kaido. Holy crap.”

Sirrush asked, “What?”

“Kaido. It meanslooks like a dragon.”

Kay’s wings slowly opened and closed. She couldn’t look at her family.

Ira’s voice sounded from in front of her. “You are a pretty dragon, princess. Will I look like you when I grow up?”

“Yeah. We were twins that first time.”

“You stayed to bring us back?”

“Yeah. I am bad at manipulation, but I managed to get everyone where they were supposed to be, though so many were hurt in the process.” Kay was miserable.

Vaayu stroked between her wings, and she gasped. “You are lovely with wings, Kaido. I only caught a glimpse that time.”

She swallowed.

Sirrush asked, “Emperor, why are you holding her? What is her punishment for?”