Page 80 of A Luna’s Dynasty (Celestial #1)

Alice and an older-looking man walked up to Lita and Xander, their eyes full of curiosity.

“Does his touch not hurt you?” the older man asked.

Lita smiled. “No, it doesn’t.”

“Who is this young lady?” The man turned and looked at Alice with intense curiosity.

“This is my daughter Lita, the future queen. Lita, this is the Great Dragon Sage, and that little boy is the Prince of the West Dragon Kingdom.”

Lita looked at the man and then back down to the child beside her. They were dragons. Lita extended her hand to the older man.

The man chuckled. “You can call me Grandpa Sage, sweet child.” He grabbed her hand with two hands and shook it warmly.

He then tugged her closer to him and cupped her chin in his hand.

He stared deep into her eyes. “Well, I’ll be damned.

” Grandpa Sage chuckled, withdrawing his hands.

“You’ve got a very protective fire deity watching over you. She doesn’t like me prying.”

Lita was confused. “Prying?”

“The Sage has prophetic abilities. He can also sense things about others that they may not even know about themselves.” Alice felt awestruck.

She watched Xander walk up and grab Lita’s hand.

She couldn’t touch the child, because his touch burned her.

Her daughter was very special. Maybe she really could be the bridge between dragons and fairies.

“It looks like my young prince is quite smitten with you.” Grandpa Sage chuckled, looking at the young boy. He was grinning ear to ear as he held Lita’s hand.

“You told me that I only ever needed to ask someone to be my wife and it would be so … but she said no.” Xander pouted. Laughter filled the air.

“Ah, my young lord, you can’t steal someone else’s mate though, right?” Grandpa Sage gave him a very gentle smile. Xander was a child and had not developed a prejudice against fairies. He hoped that he would keep his open attitude in the future.

“Yeah, I guess so. Hey, want to see what I can do?!” Xander blew hard, and a small flame and smoke came from his mouth. “I just learned it! Pretty cool, huh?”

“Wow, that’s amazing!” Lita gushed over the child, making him puff his chest out proudly.

“I bet you wish you could do something cool like that, huh?” Xander said with an arrogant little attitude.

Lita’s eyes flashed with a twinkle in them. She grinned and opened up her hand. A flame immediately appeared. The flickering orange and yellow light danced in her hand before she made it vanish instantly. She winked at Xander, whose jaw had dropped.

“Grandpa Sage! Did you see that? She’s a dragon too!” Xander squealed in excitement.

“Hahaha, no, not quite. She’s the fairy princess, but she is very special, just like you are.” Grandpa Sage chuckled at the young boy.

“You asked me before if his touch hurt me. Why would you ask that? Should it?” Lita wanted to know more about that issue.

“The young prince of the West was born very powerful … so powerful that lower-tiered dragons can’t stand to touch his skin without feeling immense pain.

Only upper-tiered dragons can be around him.

You are the only non-dragon that has been able to be near him for so long.

Even more, you can touch him. Look at your mother.

Even she is beginning to sweat in his presence. ”

He was right. Lita could see that her mother was perspiring and looking a bit uncomfortable. “Is it because of Seraphina that it doesn’t bother me?”

“I don’t know. All I know is that you must be very special. This is a meeting we will not soon forget.” Grandpa Sage knew this was an important moment. He could feel it. This was the start of something important, though time would tell what that would be.

“Awww, that means it’s time to leave.” Xander pouted and clung to Lita’s hand.

Lita bent down and pulled him into a hug. “Don’t worry, young man. Friends are friends forever. Time and distance won’t change that. Continue to believe in me and I will believe in you.” She watched his smile widen and he nodded up to her happily.

“I’ll never stop believing in you. You were my first kiss.” Xander pointed to his forehead and giggled.

Lita smiled but was frowning inwardly. It seemed like he was lacking love and nurturing from others.

She wished she could give it to him, be his big sister.

She knew loneliness when she saw it. She’d lived it, too.

She watched him walk into Grandpa Sage's arms and felt compelled to say something else.

“If you ever need me for anything … I won’t be living here yet, but my mother can reach me.”

With a gentle smile, Grandpa Sage turned into a monstrous yellow dragon. He hoisted Xander onto his back, and with a mighty flap, he lifted into the air. Lita watched them silently as they flew away. She didn’t know it then, but she would never meet Xander as a child again.

Grandpa Sage was not at all like Grayson had described dragons. “They seemed nice.”

“The Sage is a rarity, I’m afraid. Xander will end up growing up just like the rest of them.

We are second class, second rate, barely even worth keeping up relations with.

” Alice frowned. She had managed to develop a good relationship with the Sage, but that was it.

The other dragons felt indifferent about the fairies.

They tolerated their existence. Allies, but not friends.

“Xander has a kind heart. One day, when he is king, I hope I can reach it. It’s my wish that we can truly be friends.

” Lita knew it would be a tough road. So much can change a person.

She would do what she could on her part in order to change the relationship between fairies and dragons.

She hoped that Xander would retain his kind heart and be receptive to her in the future.

“You can do it. You can succeed where no other queen could. You’re special, Lita.

I know it’s a lot, but the future depends on you.

” Alice held onto Lita’s hand. She wished it wasn’t so, but this was Lita’s burden to carry.

She would do what she could to help her, but already the sun was shining on Lita.

She had been chosen to lead. She was chosen to be there during their darkest hour. Her biggest test was still coming.

“If you’re telling me that I’ll have plenty of opportunities to show my strengths, then I’m on board.

Taking the demon trash out is high on my priority list. I don’t want that filth anywhere near my family.

” Lita gently placed a hand on her stomach.

She didn’t want her daughter to have to worry about that impertinent pig.

Lita felt a slight wave of dizziness wash over her. She sat down on one of the benches with her mother’s help.

“Right at the two-hour mark. You better call for your mate before it gets worse. He does treat you well, right?” Alice knew it was silly to ask, but she wanted to hear it from her daughter while she was alone.

“Yes. I’m very happy with him. It started out confusing.

Some communication issues and my own insecurities got in the way, but now he’s my other half.

I’m not complete without him. He’s my home.

” When Lita thought about Asher, all she could think about was how he was her existence.

Everything depended on him. She went from this independent, lonely girl to not being able to live without this man.

She was happy. She had a family … a growing one.

She had a pack who accepted her. Asher was her happiness.

He was the puzzle piece that was made just for her.

The moon goddess knew what she was doing when she paired the two of them together.

“I know it seems silly to ask. I can see the way he looks at you, but it helps to hear it from you. I just wanted to know if you were happy.”

“I am. I’m very happy.” I’m feeling a bit lightheaded. Can you come to me? I’m in the garden, down the long corridor, Lita mindlinked to Asher.

I’m on my way.

“He’s on his way.”

“Later this evening, I’d like to introduce you to Elysia, if you feel up to it.” Alice wanted to gather all of the fairies and formally introduce them to their future leaders.

“I think that sounds like a good idea. Then, maybe you can help fill me in on things that I should know. Maybe you can come and visit me in the Black Ice Pack as well?” Lita asked, with a bit of uncertainty.

“I plan to do just that. Besides, I have to be able to visit my new grandchild. Before you leave, we’ll fix it so that I can leave this place again.

” Alice turned as she heard the sound of someone rushing into the garden.

Asher’s eyes flicked around nervously until they landed on Lita.

He didn’t need to rush to her, but it was clear that he seemed nervous about having been apart from her.

He knelt in front of her, gently lifting her hands to his face. “Are you okay?” He gently kissed her fingers, causing her to giggle at the ticklish sensation.

“I’m fine. I just started to feel a bit tired.”

“I’ll be back shortly. I’ll have some refreshments brought out.

” Alice stood up and walked away, wanting to give them a moment alone.

They hadn’t had one since they found out they were expecting a child.

She smiled to herself, thinking about when she first found out that she was expecting.

It was such a special moment for her and Nathon.

While Lita and Asher didn’t have the private time they’d had, the two could use an intimate moment alone to reflect on the big change coming in their lives.