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“Ah, she didn’t tell you, of course.” His hand slid to the back of her neck. “This one was offered to me by the previous emperor. Eventually, I took advantage of his offer when her heat was high. Eight days later, I woke from our bed to hear her footfalls and the crashing of glass as a female dragon was seen at the imperial court.”

Kay blushed furiously.

Vaayu tugged on her hair. “Why did you do that, Kaido?”

She swallowed. “I needed to shift fully to do what I needed to do.”

“And what was that?”

“I needed to have enough material to lay eggs so that my people would hatch and cover the world.” She smiled. “It worked. Our bloodlines spread across the world.”

Vaayu murmured, “And no prince or princess for me.”

A calm voice said, “Well, there was one, but let’s take this somewhere private.”

Kay looked over and saw the speaker, and her heart warmed as she recognized the woman who worked at the local diner. It was a face she saw several times per week.

The woman raised her hand, and a moment later, they were all at the new palace.

Chapter Six

Kay was released, andshe edged away from Vaayu and looked at the woman who had a well-worn beta look. “You are very familiar.”

The woman smiled and inclined her head. “I have been close but not interfering for quite some time. Well, there was Wren. I had to help her. So much power and no focus. Her alpha was concerned with defensive magic. She needed attack spells, so I helped you two out of the dark mage realm and then tutored her immediately after. It was hard for her. She couldn’t tell anyone, but she got through it and out the other side.”

Regis looked at her. “You own the company that built this building.”

The woman grinned. “Of course I do. Mother could not be everywhere.”

Vaayu looked at her and said, “That is not your normal-seeming.”

She chuckled. “Well-spotted. I will resume my actual appearance if I am allowed to hug her.”

Vaayu nodded. “You may have contact.”

Kay stepped toward the woman, and when they made contact, she felt the burn of power through the woman.