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“Why do you seem so happy about that?”

“You will be staying with me, but this will be a new game we will get to play.”

She watched him dart his tongue out to lick his maw as he shifted his weight between each paw in excitement.Such a strange male.

She waved her hand like she didn’t care.

“And what of King Bradwick? You told me you wished to return to his palace.”

She highly doubted that was a possibility now.

“I will convince him to let you stay within the palace with me, or else I move to a new kingdom.” However, a large smirk, one of confidence, crept into his features. “But he will cave to me. I have made sure he does not trust anyone as strongly as he does me.”

Once Faerydae was finished conversing with the Elders, who were curious about him, he stepped away to face her. They walked away to laze about on their cushions, pillows, and furs, but they didn’t seem as relaxed as before.

No, they were being very watchful.

“You remind me of Farrah. She was beautiful like you, with your brown hair and wintergreen eyes.” His eyes drooped in memory of the human female he’d fallen for, before they refocused. “She had much more life to her, though; that is what truly captivated me.”

Geryon set her down so she could speak to him properly. He didn’t release her from his tail, like he still felt the need to protect her.

“What do you mean?” Valerie asked.

“She held not an ounce of fear when she saw me. Rather, she tried to warm me with her words of strength and encouragement before I was to take her life. She was easy to make laugh and smile, and in the small amount of time she was offered as a sacrifice, she had won me.”

He paused as he thought on the memory for a long while. He even gave a short chuckle before he came back to the present.

“I have seen such life in you, but only recently.” His gaze flicked briefly to Geryon. “It is for this reason alone I have stepped in.”

Then, he leaned forward to place a claw under her chin to lift her head higher. She held onto it.

“You are the way you are, and I do not foresee you changing. However, allow yourself those moments, because you look so much like my beloved in those times, and you honour her by doing so.”

“I did not know I look like Farrah. Her identity has always been a mystery.”

“All my daughters have a piece of her. It is why I cursed my bloodline to only give birth to girls, so that I could see her for eternity in all our offspring.”

“You truly loved her.” Valerie let a real smile fill her features for him as his eyes flickered between hers.

“Yes, and our line has honoured me with their magic and allowed me to pull her from the human gods to my afterlife plane, where all our children come eventually. I have much to be thankful for. I have watched you care for your sisters and teach them the old ways. You made a sacrifice to save your sister, another one of my children, at great cost to yourself. You have done this many times. You deserved my assistance more than anyone else.”

“Thank you. It is an honour to have met you.” Valerie tried to bow her head for him, but he wouldn’t let her with his claw.

“Do not bow to anyone. You have my blood in you. Those around you should fear and respect you instead.” Her small smile grew, and he returned it with a bright one of his own. “I must go, before I drain all of the magic given to me.”

“When my magic is released, I will make sure to feed you more.”

“Please do. I could need it again one day.” He gave a chuckle before his ethereal form began to fade, although much slower than how he’d entered.

“I barely believed he was truly your Dragon parent,” Geryon said, and she turned to face him. “Shows I was wrong.”

“Be thankful that you were! Otherwise, I would be a burnt pile of ash and you would be punished.”

“True, and now no one can dispute your bloodline.” He turned, pushing his tail behind her so she could walk as well. “Come, we should leave. The Elders have not stopped glaring at us.”

She peeked over her shoulder to see he was right. “Your mother is an Elder.”

“My mother is a pain, and I have been avoiding her for years.” He shook his head when they went through the doorway.