Page 13 of Beneath Scales and Shadows (Lost Lunas of Artania #1)

CHAPTER THIRTEEN

SORA

Sora walked beside Ignis, the silk of her gown whispering against the stone floors as they approached a set of substantive double doors she hadn’t seen before. A pair of dragons etched in ruby and obsidian stone for scales adorned the entryway. Two sentinels stood at attention, wings folded tightly against their backs, tails loosely hung by their sides, eyes forward but alert to every movement.

“Where are we going?” she asked, trying to mask her nervousness as guards bowed deeply at Ignis’s approach.

His crimson gaze shifted to her, the corner of his mouth lifting slightly. “To the Alliance Chamber. Representatives from our allied kingdoms have answered our crow call and have arrived to meet you.”

A flutter of panic seized her chest. “Meet me? But I’m not—”

“You are the first Luna,” he interrupted gently, his scaled hand coming to rest at the small of her back. Heat radiated through the fabric of her gown, steadying her. “The prophecy’s fulfillment affects all of Artania, not just dragonkind.”

The guards pulled the doors open, revealing a cavernous space unlike any she’d seen in the mountain fortress. The chamber opened to the sky, with a light blue crystal panel in the center of the ceiling capturing and refracting sunlight throughout the space. Glowstones framed the walls, adding an even soft light along the room’s edges. River-smooth stone formed a circular floor with raised steps leading to a central platform.

Around this platform stood a collection of beings so diverse that Sora momentarily forgot to breathe.

“The Alliance gathers once again,” Ignis announced, his voice carrying the weight of ceremony as he guided her forward. “My friends, it’s been a long time.”

His entire council was already present—Ember standing protectively near the entrance, Asher and Cinderfell conversing quietly with a group of elegant figures, and Zalaya perched on a stone ledge overlooking the proceedings. Blaze and Enixa flanked a gleaming table of living crystal that mirrored the one in the council chamber, its surface alight with maps and glowing markers.

But it was the newcomers who captured her attention.

Creatures of myth and legend from Earth stood before her in undeniable reality—three distinct groups positioned around the chamber.

To her right stood a pair of beings with midnight blue skin and silver-white hair that fell in intricate braids adorned with a speckled dark metal— stardust —that she’d read about in the library. Their pointed ears extended gracefully upward, adorned with delicate jeweled piercings that caught and refracted light with each slight movement. The taller one’s eyes glowed with inner luminescence, pupil-less and entirely silver, while his companion’s held vertical slits of deep violet against silver irises.

Elves, her mind supplied. But nothing like the gentle forest dwellers of Earth mythology. These beings must be the dark elves of Artania, those who dwelled in the caves of the mountain sides and harvested rare metal and stones, focusing on enchantments and mastered crafting stardust .

To her left, three large individuals lounged with predatory grace. Two were covered in sleek fur—one golden with black rosettes patterning his muscled torso, the other silver-gray with subtle striping. The third possessed gray-brown fur that seemed coarser, his amber eyes tracking her every movement with unnerving intensity. All three bare chested and wore loose flowing kilts secured with ornate belts with leather straps holding various veils.

Wulfkin and Felynx. Werewolves and werecats from Earth’s stories.

And directly before her, sitting delicately upon cushions of woven silk, were beings whose gossamer wings caught the chamber’s light in hypnotic rainbow patterns. Their features were almost painfully beautiful—high cheekbones, eyes silver and gold, skin that seemed to shimmer from within like liquid metal—or those glossy fine-glitter nail polish on Earth. One appeared female with iridescent green wings and flowing emerald hair, another male with midnight blue wings and matching hair, the third androgynous with wings that shifted between rose gold and silver depending on how the light struck them.

Fae. The fairies of childhood tales made manifest in inhuman beauty. She wondered if there was any truth about them stealing children—or trading theirs—and if they knew of ways to cross between worlds.

Or were stories about them fables, meant to scare—or explain how some families may have a child that doesn’t follow their familial familiarities.

Sora felt every gaze in the room lock onto her, assessing, measuring, judging. The weight of their collective attention pressed against her skin like physical force—similar to how she felt whenever she’d given talks about her newest research discovery.

“I present Sora Valerith,” Ignis stated, his voice resonating through the chamber as his wing curled protectively behind her. “The first of the twice-born. Luna of dragon-blood.”

Silence filled the chamber. Then, the taller elf stepped forward, silver eyes narrowing as he studied her.

“This is the hope prophesied?” His voice carried the cadence of a blizzard—beautiful and soft but cold. “She appears mostly human to me.”

“Appearances deceive, Nylrion,” Zalaya called from her perch, feathers rustling as she shifted. “Look closer.”

The dark elf—Nylrion—moved with liquid grace, circling Sora slowly. His companion joined him, violet eyes tracking over her form with scientific precision.

“Show them,” Ignis murmured near her ear.

Nodding, Sora straightened her spine and extended her arms where silver scales now permanently adorned her skin. She turned her face toward the shaft of sunlight streaming through the prismatic ceiling. The light touched her, and scales shimmered across her cheekbones and temples, catching the glow and reflecting it back in metallic rainbows.

A collective murmur rippled through the gathered representatives.

“Dragon-blooded,” the violet-eyed dark elf whispered, reaching a slender blue finger toward her face but stopping short of touching her. “The pattern follows the celestial formation of the Dragon Mother.” He turned toward his companion. “Nylrion, she carries the marks.”

The larger fae drifted closer, wings creating gentle currents that carried the scent of exotic flowers. “She smells like no other,” they observed, voice like glass bell-like chimes. “Cinnamon, fire, and sweet moonflowers welcoming The Great Mother. Fascinating.”

“She’s no longer just human,” the golden felynx stated, pushing away from the wall where he’d been leaning. His movements were fluid as he approached, each step deliberately silent, like a predator hunting prey. “The Moon Goddess never mentioned her chosen would be other.”

“The prophecy speaks only of twice-born souls from the Blue Moon born as omegas on Artania,” Ignis countered, his tail shifting protectively behind Sora. “It never specified their final form.”

The silver-furred felynx tilted her head. “Perhaps this is why they are called Luna. Not merely for their connection to the Moon Goddess, but because they transform beneath her light.” Her vertical pupils fixed on Sora with predatory interest. “Are all Earth females so adaptable, I wonder?”

Heat crept up Sora’s neck. She cleared her throat and found her voice. “I can’t speak for all humans, but I suspect my transformation is unique. The dragon blood in this body was dormant until my Earth soul awakened it. The same can’t be said for any of the others who may arrive after me.”

“Ah, she speaks with a scholar’s precision,” Nylrion noted, his frigid demeanor warming slightly. “Interesting.”

The gray wulfkin approached next, his movements less graceful but no less lethal. “The question remains—is this transformation the result of humans taking monsters as mates in the past? Your kind has been stealing our essence through such unions for generations and look what it did to us. That wasn’t enough, so you’ve taken and killed our omegas. How can you be the answer to our troubles?”

Anger flashed through Sora at his accusatory tone. “I didn’t choose any of this,” she replied steadily, gesturing to the crystal powered 3D map. “Not death on Earth, not awakening here, not these scales or this destiny everyone keeps thrusting upon me. If you want to discuss bloodline theft, perhaps start with how Celestoria harvests omega essence rather than accusing me of crimes committed centuries before my birth.”

A stunned silence followed her outburst. Then, surprisingly, the wulfkin’s stern expression cracked into a toothy grin.

“She has fire,” he announced, turning to Ignis. “I approve.”

The fae with emerald wings laughed, the sound like silver bells. “Thornel approves of someone? Mark this day in the historical records.”

Tension in the chamber eased slightly as a ripple of amusement passed through the gathered representatives. Ignis’s hand pressed reassuringly against her back, and she felt a flicker of pride emanate from him.

“The Luna speaks truth,” Zalaya announced, her wings rustling as she descended to join the gathering. “The joining of bloodlines was once celebrated across Artania—sacred unions that strengthened all species. Before Celestoria’s kings perverted natural order, turning partnership into theft, balance into dominance. They are the real enemy, not Sora.”

Nylrion inclined his head. “Cythralis remembers. Our archives hold records of the First Age, when elven deltas bound themselves to human mates, creating bloodlines of seers and mages.”

“As do the Veil Kingdoms,” the emerald-winged fae added. “Tor’Vasha’s histories speak of human-fae unions that birthed dreamweavers—those who saw futures and pasts in dreams.” She performed an elegant gesture with her hand, and tiny lights danced from her fingertips. “It was a joyous time. We’d welcomed many humans—along with other monsters—within our territory then.”

The silver felynx stepped forward. “Zhyr’kai’s oldest songs tell of feline-blooded humans who ran alongside our hunters, their shared senses creating unparalleled tracking teams.”

“And Ilunthar’s moon-howls still name the humans who’d joined the many packs of our ancestors,” Thornel added gruffly. “Blood-siblings who carried the strength of the pack within their veins and birthed vinedancers—those who spoke to the plants and helped create our treehuts.”

Sora absorbed this information, cataloging each detail—it was odd that each species had their own variety of mages born within their bloodlines. The puzzle pieces of Artania’s fractured societies began shifting into a more coherent pattern.

Humans were welcomed in the monster kingdoms, and the Moon Goddess had gifted each union with an ability to carry their weight as they lived amongst them.

“The Celestorian royal family fears what these unions represented,” she said slowly. “Not just the potential power of combined bloodlines, but the unity between species they symbolized. Pure humans, no matter their hierarchy, were slowly becoming the weakest species on Artania.”

“Precisely,” Ignis confirmed. “A divided Artania is easier to control. The human kingdoms once stood alongside monster realms as equals—for we all are the Moon Goddess’s children. Their campaign against omegas wasn’t merely about preventing magical bloodlines—it was about severing the connections between our peoples and weakening us.”

The violet-eyed elf nodded. “We call it the Great Sundering in our histories. When human fear was weaponized by ambitious rulers to consolidate power. Their wish is to be the only species on Artania.”

The chamber grew quiet as the weight of shared history settled over the gathering. Sora was starting to wonder if all the tales of monsters on Earth held some truth. That monsters had once roamed—perhaps in secret—but were slowly hunted until they were no more. How else could one explain why dragons, fae, and similar creatures kept reappearing in history from all edges of Earth, when civilizations had no connection with one another?

There had to be a connection. Perhaps even a realm gate—either forgotten or well-protected—that allowed beings from both worlds to cross freely.

That would explain how Artania’s monsters are commonly known on Earth—even though most believe they were fables and fiction.

There was a great significance of this moment—representatives from five different species standing together, unified for perhaps the first time in generations. She needed to make sure this wasn’t a one-time thing, and that the Dralux clan’s neighbors would become a strong alliance once again.

“Why have you come?” Sora asked finally, looking from one delegation to another. “What do you hope to gain from meeting me?”

The androgynous fae floated closer, rose-gold wings catching the light. “Hope,” they stated simply. “The prophecy speaks of thirteen Lunas who will restore balance to our realm. You are the first—fire-bringer, mate to the last pure dragon king.”

Heat rushed to Sora’s cheeks at the casual reference to her supposed destiny with Ignis. She resisted the urge to look at him—feeling his gaze on her as his wing and tail still surrounded her.

“We need to know if you are truly what was promised,” Nylrion added, his silver gaze penetrating. “If your arrival marks the beginning of Artania’s healing, or merely another false dawn.”

“I don’t have all the answers,” she admitted, meeting his gaze steadily. “I’m still learning what this world is, what I am within it. But I know enough about history—Earth’s and now Artania’s—to recognize patterns of oppression and resistance.”

She moved toward the crystal table, studying the glowing map of Artania’s fractured kingdoms, instantly missing Ignis’s warmth and silent protection. Her finger traced the borders between territories.

“These divisions aren’t natural,” she continued, confidence growing as she applied her unique perspective. “They’re engineered through fear and maintained through violence. The prophecy might have chosen me for reasons I don’t fully understand, but I recognize injustice when I see it.”

The representatives exchanged glances, silently nodding to each other, humming in agreement.

“She speaks with the clarity of one who sees from outside our ancient grudges,” the emerald-winged fae observed. “Perhaps that is precisely why the Moon Goddess chose souls from beyond our world.”

Thorntooth growled his agreement. “Fresh eyes see old wounds without centuries of pain clouding judgment.”

The golden felynx approached the table opposite Sora. “What would you propose then, Luna? How does one begin to heal centuries of division?”

The question hung in the air, weighted with expectation. Sora felt momentary panic—how could she possibly answer? She was a historian, not a politician or diplomat—and yet, she was forced to be all three and a warrior too. Then Ignis moved beside her, his presence steady and supportive—but he refused to wrap a wing or his tail around her.

The look in his eye and subtle nod indicated that he wanted her to prove herself to them on her own—to demonstrate that she could lead alongside him.

“By remembering what came before the division,” she said finally. “By recognizing that Artania’s natural state was one of union, not isolation.” She gestured to the representatives. “Your presence here, together, is already the beginning.”

The violet-eyed elf tilted his head. “An interesting perspective from one so new to our world.”

“What threat do you have with each other?” Sora challenged. “From all I could tell, no monster kingdom raised a claw against another. And the human kingdom, Elaris, still has unions with their dragon kingdom, Kaelthar. So why isolate from each other when you could’ve united and stopped all of the madness and damage that Celestoria had caused?”

Silence fell as the delegates considered her words. Sora felt the scrutiny of multiple species weighing her worth, measuring her against prophecies written before her birth.

It wasn’t her fault for what had happened to Artania, and yet, they were taking it out on her—someone who wasn’t even originally born here.

“My Luna is correct.” Ignis’s wing shifted slightly, brushing against her back in silent support. “We all secluded ourselves once our omegas started disappearing, and turned within ourselves as self-preservation. In a way, it just quickened our kingdoms’ own downfall.”

“I propose an alliance,” Nylrion said suddenly, stepping to Ignis and holding out his hand. “Not merely between our individual kingdoms and Dralux, but a united front against Celestorian aggression.”

Ignis accepted his hand, his own engulfing the dark elf’s. “Thank you.”

The emerald fae nodded, wings shimmering. “Tor’Vasha would join such an alliance. We may be the farthest kingdom out of the Veil, but the pain runs deep with us as well. Too long have we hidden in our forests while Celestoria expanded their influence upon their own land and beyond.”

“The packs of Ilunthar stand ready,” Thornel rumbled, amber eyes gleaming. “We’ve lost too many to their hunters, using our fur for coats and rugs.”

“And Zhyr’kai would add our claws to this cause,” the silver felynx added, tail lashing behind her. “Our hunters report increased human activity at our shores. We’ve been able to repel them, but they’ve grown bold over the years.”

Energy shifted in the chamber, after centuries of isolation, neighbors were ready to become allies to face a common threat.

“What role would your Luna play in this alliance?” the androgynous fae asked, addressing Ignis directly. “Will she stand beside you as mere symbol, or as true power?”

Ignis’s crimson gaze settled on Sora, something unreadable shifting behind his eyes. “That is not for me to decide,” he answered. “It’s up to her what she wants to do. I won’t become like our enemies and force her hand.”

Unexpected warmth bloomed in her chest at his words. Not possession or control, but respect for her autonomy. He could strike his claim on her, force her hand by demanding her aid in front of the leaders gathered, but instead… he was making the decision up to her.

“Thank you.” She found herself leaning slightly closer to him, drawing strength from his unwavering faith. “I’ll contribute whatever knowledge and abilities I possess,” she told the gathered representatives, meeting each of their gazes. “Earth history is filled with parallels to your situation—oppressed peoples uniting against tyrannical regimes, forgotten alliances rekindled in times of need.”

The diplomats nodded, seemingly satisfied with her answer, and didn’t press farther.

The discussion transitioned to pragmatic issues of cooperation and communication, emphasizing the need to safeguard each other from emerging dangers and restore trade pathways among kingdoms.

Ignis stepped forward, his wings extending slightly in a gesture that commanded attention without demanding it.

“Since discovering Sora at the Selection Ball, events have accelerated beyond what any of us anticipated,” he began, his voice resonating through the chamber as he gestures to the crystal 3D display map. “Celestoria’s forces gather at our borders with weapons infused with corrupted omega essence. They’ve killed our scouts and captured our delta spy, Coal.”

The room stilled at this revelation as the representatives exchanged concerned glances.

“A delta taken?” Nylrion’s silver eyes narrowed. “This suggests a new strategy. Historically, they’ve only targeted omegas, knowing how powerful their presence is. All of our kingdoms’ numbers have dwindled, as if we’ve fallen from the Moon Goddess’s grace for not protecting her most cherished ones.”

“Precisely,” Ignis agreed, his tail lashing behind him. “They know we are weak because of them, especially since there are only a few omegas within our combined kingdoms. And now they’ve begun targeting deltas, but for what reason? Our deltas aren’t human, so they weren’t born with any unique abilities. Unless… they want to do something as nefarious as using them to breed with pure humans.”

“That’s barbaric,” Ember spat from her post next to the door. “For them to stoop so low… Coal would rather end himself than give them what they want.”

Thornel growled, a sound that rivaled a dragon, vibrating through the stone beneath their feet. “They’ve grown bolder.”

“We must act before they become unstoppable,” Ignis said, his crimson gaze sweeping across the chamber. “Before balance becomes unachievable.”

Sora studied the map spread across the crystal table, noting the strategic markers placed by Blaze and Enixa. “They’re creating a perimeter,” she observed, tracing the pattern of Celestorian troop movements. “Not just around the Dralux mountains, but expanding outward toward all your territories.”

“A containment strategy,” the emerald-winged fae murmured, her luminescent eyes tracking the markers. “Isolate each northern kingdom before launching coordinated attacks. Who knows how the other kingdoms in the southern islands are weathering, and if Celestoria had already started advancing toward them too.”

“Divide and conquer,” Sora murmured. “One of the oldest military tactics in human history.”

“Then we must respond with unity before it’s too late,” Ignis declared, his gaze sweeping the assembled representatives. “Not as separate kingdoms with temporary alliances, but as Artania united once more.”

One by one, the representatives pledged to bring proposals before their rulers. Promises of swift return filled the chamber, Ignis offered accommodations within the mountain fortress, but all declined, citing urgency.

As the chamber emptied of visiting dignitaries, Ignis dismissed his council members with quiet instructions. Ember disappeared to increase border patrols, Blaze and Enixa departed to brief their wing leaders, and Zalaya took flight toward the sacred archives. Only Asher lingered briefly, his healer’s gaze assessing Sora with professional concern.

“Your transformation is near completion,” he observed quietly. “You should eat soon. The body requires substantial energy, especially with your first heat near.”

With that, he too departed with a bow, leaving Sora and Ignis alone in the now-empty Alliance Chamber. The absence of the various delegations made the space feel cavernous, dimming sunlight streaming through the large prismatic panel creating long shadows along the walls. The glowstones seemed brighter in the sudden change in lighting, a gentle reminder of how much time had passed.

“Are you well?” Ignis asked, his voice gentle as he studied her face.

The question surprised her—not the concern itself, but the timing. With Coal kidnapped, war preparations underway and alliances forming, her personal comfort seemed inconsequential.

“I’m fine,” she assured him, though exhaustion pulled at her limbs. “Just... processing everything.”

His expression softened with understanding. “Even for those born to this world, such meetings are taxing. That was for me. I’m not used to interacting with members of the other kingdom, especially not in my half-form. For one still adapting to Artania’s reality, it must be overwhelming.”

“A bit,” she admitted, smoothing her damp hands over her gown—she hadn’t noticed how nervous and full of anxiety she’d been. “Though not as overwhelming as watching my body transform before my eyes over these last few days.”

Ignis offered his arm. “Come. You need nourishment, and I suspect it’s quieter right now.”

“What about you?” She scanned his body. “You must be exhausted in that form for so long.”

“While I would prefer to be in my true form freely, I can’t traverse the halls in it.” He gestured to himself. “My dragoon form hasn’t been as taxing since I’ve met you.”

“Dragoon? What does my presence have to do with it?”

“The true name of our half-forms,” Idnis explained. “Your presence—as an omega—naturally brings peace to the clan. The more present you are within a kingdom, the more stable the alphas become—their minds clearer, their instincts easier to control. It also helps others maintain their lesser forms for longer periods, with little effort.”

“Which is another reason why Celestoria must be stopped.”

They made their way to the dining hall, where Ignis requested food prepared for transport rather than formal service. Sora watched as he efficiently packed various dishes into containers of polished stone, wanting to service her instead of letting his attendants do so.

They walked in companionable silence through corridors, glowstones lighting the way, passing clan members who bowed respectfully. The gesture no longer seemed directed solely at Ignis; many now inclined their heads specifically toward Sora, acknowledgment in their eyes.

Their shared chambers welcomed them with familiar warmth, easing the tension in Sora’s shoulders. She exhaled slowly, eyes closing as solitude wrapped around her. The balcony beckoned with its view of the night sky, twin moons embracing each other, their love lightning up the wintery mountain range.

They settled on cushioned stone seats, Ignis arranged the food between them on a low table. He prepared her plate with surprising attentiveness, selecting items with nutritional value suitable for her changing body, while explaining their names and their properties.

“You handled the delegation impressively.” Ignis held out a jeweled grape-sized berry for her to sample. She accepted his offer from his extended fingers and was shocked that it tasted like rainbow sorbet ice cream. “The representatives were impressed with your insight.”

“Are you sure?” She licked her lips, eying the plate, craving more.

“If they didn’t agree with you, they would’ve stated so,” he replied with a toothy smirk as he followed her gaze and picked up another berry, offering it to her. “My hope is that their leaders will agree with them, and the northern alliance would be reformed once more.”

They ate in comfortable silence for several moments, the night air cool against Sora’s heated skin. She could sense more scales forming, as the itching sensation started to return.

“What happens next?” she asked finally, setting aside her empty plate. “With the alliance, with Celestoria... with everything?”

Ignis sighed, his wings shifting slightly. “The representatives return to their realms with proposals. We strengthen our defenses and gather intelligence until it’s ready for us to meet up with them at the pass.”

“And Coal? What of him?”

Pain flickered across his features. “We attempt rescue when opportunity presents itself. He knew the risks, but that doesn’t diminish our responsibility.”

The simple loyalty in his statement moved something within her. This wasn’t the impersonal calculation of a ruler maximizing advantage, but the fierce commitment of a leader to his people. She knew most would rather cut off any caught by the enemy as sacrifices—one man’s life wasn’t worth the cost of many.

Only heroic—and faithful—leaders would entertain a rescue mission, where the results may not have the best outcome.

Moonlight spilled across the balcony as clouds parted overhead, bathing them in silver luminescence.

Below them, the central cavern of Dralux Mountain hummed with activity even at this late hour. Dragons in various forms moved with purpose—warriors training and artisans crafting armor for their brethren.

It reminded her that in a couple days they would be facing the Celestorian forces.

“Your people are beautiful,” she murmured, watching a group of leatherworkers and metalworkers strap on a plated mask on a large dark copper dragon with bronze wings. “So different from how Earth’s myths portrayed dragons.”

“How did your world see us?” Ignis asked, genuine curiosity in his tone.

“As monsters, mostly. Beasts to be slain by heroes,” she replied, watching his reaction carefully. “Though some cultures revered dragons as symbols of wisdom and power.”

A soft rumble of amusement escaped him. “Both contain elements of truth. We were once a fierce species, respected by many and worshipped by the human kingdoms. But we were too prideful for our own good. Our unique relationships with humans—an intimate rider relationship—made us believe they would never betray us.”

“Did dragons ever have a rider partnership with another monster species?” She tilted her head slightly, brows knitting as her eyes searched his face for more. “I can’t recall ever reading such a thing in the tomes—and yet, I haven’t had time to return to the library with everything going on.”

Ignis’s gaze dropped to his people below as he shook his head, a quiet frown tugging at his lips. “Sadly, most prefer to have their feet firmly on the ground. The only few interested were the elves and even then, such bonds were few and far between before halting when the Great Sundering happened.”

“That’s unfortunate.” She followed his gaze and watched the newly geared copper and bronze dragon take off, circling lazily around the large secluded crater. “I can’t fathom what it would be like to fly with such an intimate connection.”

She turned to face the alpha dragon king, the last pure-bred of his line, and found herself studying Ignis’s profile as he continued to watch the activity below.

She took in the sharp angles of his face, the way moonlight caught on his ruby scales, the contained power in his large frame even in this half-form. All increasingly familiar—and somehow, more appealing—as she began to see him in a different light.

His looming presence felt like a pull—gentle, comforting, constant, and unexpectedly alluring—everything that she dared to crave.

His gaze brushed over her, a softness settled in his eyes when they met hers, barely visible—quickly buried. “We could be something extraordinary, if only—”

Without conscious decision, Sora moved from her seat to the stone bench where he sat.

“Sora?” Her name emerged as a question, uncertainty threading through his usually confident tone as surprise and something darker flickering in his crimson eyes.

She shook her head slowly, palm finding the warmth of his scaled face. The contact sent a jolt cascading through her, settling like liquid fire in her core.

His restraint was palpable, a force of will she could almost taste in the air between them. Always holding back, always giving her choice, always respecting boundaries she herself wasn’t sure she needed anymore.

“I’m tired of wondering,” she whispered, leaning closer. “Tired of analyzing this pull between us, categorizing it as biology or prophecy or coincidence.”

His breathing deepened, the scent of midnight stone and ancient fire intensifying around them. “What do you want, Sora?”

The simplicity of the question cut through her remaining hesitation.

What did she want? Not what destiny demanded or biology dictated—but what she truly desired?

“You,” she answered, and closed the distance between them.

Her lips met his maw, and the world fell away. Not the hesitant exploration of their first kiss at the Selection Ball, but certainty—deliberate choice meeting absolute recognition.

For a heartbeat, Ignis remained perfectly still, as though afraid any movement might shatter the moment. Then his control broke. His arms encircled her, pulling her closer with hunger long restrained, as a dark growl radiated deep within him.

Heat from his scales matched the fire building beneath her own skin, washing away her doubts in its molten wake.

Her fingers dug into the scaled ridges of Ignis’s shoulders, anchoring herself to him—responding to his touch as naturally as breathing.

She shifted, swinging one leg over his lap, straddling him with a boldness she barely recognized as her own. This wasn’t lust—or not just lust. It was deeper, more profound—a recognition that she didn’t care what he was.

Or form he was in—a human wearing an enchanted mask, dragoon, or dragon.

His crimson eyes widened, pupils expanding until only a thin ring of color remained. She felt small perched on his lap, yet powerful too.

The silver scales along her skin caught the moonlight, shimmering like stars scattered across her flesh. As they brushed against his ruby and gold, the contrast was breathtaking—like starlight tangled with treasure, radiant and impossibly beautiful.

“I don’t know how to explain it,” she whispered against his maw. “But with you... I feel comfortable. Safe.” She needed him to understand this wasn’t about biology or prophecy or fate. “And it’s not about this alpha-omega hierarchy everyone keeps forcing on me. It’s you. The way you defend me, respect me, care for me… I want that.”

She pressed her forehead against his chest, her long blonde hair cascading around her, creating a curtain to shield her burning face from his view.

Her heart hammered against her ribs, as she wondered if she’d made a mistake. Dragons didn’t kiss —and here she was on top of his lap craving his attention.

She loved feeling the heat radiate from his scaled form, the smoky scent of his skin, and the way his tail twitched, covering her feet.

Electricity sparked where they connected, a current running to her core, making her slick with need. Her thoughts wandered, imagining what it would feel like to be filled by him. She tried to reason through it: what would his cock be like? How would it fit inside her?

“Your words please me.”

His purr deepened, vibrating through her where their bodies touched, and suddenly he was lifting her as though she weighed nothing.

His clawed hands found her thighs, gripping them with a possessive tenderness that sent ripples of anticipation through her body. Her core pressed against him, dripping with need… she’d had to force herself from grinding against his warmth.

“Leading the clan—it’s a weight I carry alone,” he rumbled, his voice rough with emotion as he gazed down at her. “My council, my friends, they’re loyal, fierce. But none stand beside me as an equal. No partner. No mate. Until you came… and gave me hope.”

When he claimed her mouth again, she yielded without hesitation, opening to him as his forked tongue traced hers. The taste of him—smoke and ancient magic—filled her senses, drowning out any doubts of how they could work.

Filling her in ways she couldn’t fathom…

His scale patterns felt somehow familiar against her palms as she slid her hands to the base of his wings, feeling the powerful muscles tense beneath her touch.

“I’ve waited for you,” he whispered against her lips, the words a brand upon her soul. “Through decades of solitude, through the slow diminishing of my kind, I’ve waited for the one who would see me—not as king, not as dragon, not as an alpha—but as Ignis.”

Tears pricked behind her eyes. How could fate be so cruel yet so kind? To tear her from one world only to give her something more precious than she’d ever known.

“I’m caught between worlds,” she confessed. “Between who I was and who I’m becoming.” She traced the scales along his jaw, marveling at their smoothness beneath her fingertips. “But with you, I feel... like home. Like this could be my home.”

Their bodies so different, their worlds apart.

Yet as his wings curved tighter around her, sheltering her from everything but him, those doubts dissolved like mist under sunlight. She didn’t just want this to work—she needed it to, craved it with an intensity that bordered on madness.

His loneliness resonated within her, a perfect mirror to the emptiness she’d carried for so long.

The emptiness she’d carried all her life—the loneliness that had followed her through lecture halls and dusty archives, through quiet apartments and solitary research. She’d longed for a companion—a partner—to share her victories and discoveries with…

It’d been years since she’d had anything remotely serious—and yet, on his lips, in his arms, surrounded by his wings—she believed she could make it work.

The weight of decades pressed on his shoulders—watching his clan dwindle, ruling alone, waiting for a prophecy that might never come true. She wanted to ease that burden, to stand beside him not just as his mate but as his partner—his equal.

“You’re my bridge, between Earth and Artania, between human and dragon, between lost and found,” she breathed against his maw, her hands sliding up to grip the curved horns that crowned his head. “Please help me cross it…”

Her boldness triggered something primal in him. A growl—deeper than his purr, rawer—rumbled from his chest as he buried his face in the curve of her neck, inhaling deeply. His tongue flicked against her pulse point, tasting the rapid beat of her heart beneath her skin.

“Let me be your guide,” he soothed, his voice deep and rumbly. “Tell me what you want.”

“I want you.” She closed her eyes, exposing more of her neck to him, submitting to his touch. “All of you.”

“You smell divine, my sweet Sora,” he murmured, voice rough with barely contained need. His hand shifted from her thigh, talons carefully retracted as his palm skimmed upward, finding the heat between her legs. “Already so wet, so needy.”

A moan escaped her as his touch sent lightning through her veins. Her skin burned everywhere—scales shimmering brighter as her body responded to him—as if her body was melting onto his. She arched against his hand, seeking more, needing relief from the ache building within her—hoping he was willing to provide.

“Please,” she gasped, fingers tightening on his horns as her head fell back. “I need—I need—”

“I know what you need,” he rumbled, using his fingers to gather the slickness there with deliberate patience, as though mapping territory he intended to claim for eternity.

The reverence in his touch unraveled her completely.

“So perfect. So slick for me,” Ignis whispered against her throat, his forked tongue flicking out to taste the salt of her skin. “Do you feel how your body knows mine already? Your very essence calls to me, sweet Luna.”

Sora’s head fell back, throat exposed to him in instinctive surrender.

“Yes,” she gasped as his finger circled her entrance, gathering more wetness before pressing inside with exquisite care. The intrusion burned briefly from his digit’s thickness—then bloomed into pleasure so acute she clutched his horns tighter, anchoring herself.

His growl rumbled against her collarbone, raw satisfaction pouring through him at her response. “Your body accepts me so beautifully,” he praised, adding a second finger, stretching her with careful precision. “So tight, so perfect for me. A century I’ve waited, and now—” His voice cracked with emotion that transformed into raw hunger. “Now you’re here in my arms, wrapped up in my wings.” He added yet another finger, stretching her gently as his thumb found the bundle of nerves above. “Let me care for you, my queen.”

The dragon king’s thumb found the sensitive bundle of nerves above her entrance, circling it as his fingers curled inside her. Her thighs trembled around his waist as pleasure coursed through her.

She rocked against his hand, chasing the building pressure, lost in the dual sensations of his mouth on her neck and his fingers working inside her.

Every coherent thought scattered, leaving only sensation—his scales against hers, his wings enclosing her, his fingers igniting fire within her core.

“Look at me,” he commanded, his alpha voice roughened by desire rather than domination. When her heavy-lidded eyes met his, the naked vulnerability there stole what little breath remained in her lungs. “I need to see you come undone for me. Spill your essence upon my hand so I can imprint it forever in my memory.”

He curled his fingers deeper, finding a spot inside her that made stars explode behind her eyelids. Her thighs trembled around his waist, her body clenching around his intrusion, greedy for more despite the stretch.

“Such a treasure. My treasure,” Ignis murmured, his unoccupied hand rising to cup her face with heartbreaking gentleness while his other hand continued its relentless rhythm. “My luna, my dragon-blooded omega. The way you respond to me—” His pupils expanded until crimson was merely a thin ring around fathomless black and breathed in deeply. “I can scent your pleasure, taste it on the air. It calls to me.”

Sora’s fingers tightened on his horns, using them for leverage as she rocked against his hand, chasing the mounting pressure building at her core. Her body felt simultaneously familiar and foreign—heightened senses from her emerging scales responding deliciously to him.

“I can’t—” she panted, overwhelmed by the pleasure tightening in her lower belly. “Ignis, I need—”

“You can,” he assured her, circling his thumb faster as he pressed his thick fingers deeper. “Let go for me, Sora. I’ll catch you.”

His wings tightened around them, creating a universe consisting only of their joined bodies and shared breath. Their scents intensified—moonflowers merged with ancient fire—mingling with the musk of her arousal.

“When your heat comes,” Ignis rumbled against her ear, “I will worship every part of your body, leaving no scale untouched. I will fill you so completely you’ll forget where you end and I begin.” His fingers twisted slightly, hitting that perfect spot inside her as his thumb pressed down firmly. “I will claim you as mine with my seed, my mark, my essence, and you will never doubt your place again.”

“I need—”

“I want to claim you fully,” he confessed, voice strained with restraint. “To make you mine in every way. But you haven’t transformed completely.” His fingers curled inside her, thrusting harder that made her cry out. “Until your first heat comes, this will have to suffice. I won’t risk hurting you.”

Even in his feral need, he put her safety first. The realization washed over her, deepening her surrender to him.

The dam broke.

Pleasure crashed through her in violent waves, her inner walls clenching rhythmically around his fingers as she cried out his name.

Her entire body trembled, suspended in ecstasy as he worked her through it.

“Yes, just like that,” he crooned, voice thick with pride and restrained desire. “So beautiful, so perfect. I knew you could do it.”

Sora’s hands fell away from his horns, dropping to her sides as though made of water rather than bone. Her entire body felt weightless, exhausted, muscles turned into putty. She panted softly, each breath carrying the fading echoes of pleasure as her heartbeat gradually slowed from its frantic pace.

Ignis unfurled his wings as he gently withdrew his hand from between her thighs. His heated gaze never left hers as he brought glistening fingers to his mouth. His forked tongue darted out, lapping at her essence with reverent slowness, a growl of satisfaction rumbling from deep within his chest.

“Sweeter than snowberry nectar,” he murmured, lids lowering in bliss as he savored her taste. “A delicacy I could feast upon forever and never tire of.”

Suddenly, his strong arms cradled her against his scaled chest. The balcony blurred as he carried her in a bridal hold back inside their chamber with effortless grace, her body still humming with aftershocks of pleasure. The softness of her bed welcomed her as he laid her down with surprising tenderness for one so powerful.

Ignis sank to his knees beside the bed, his burly form folding with predatory grace. His clawed hands spread her thighs with gentle insistence, exposing her still-sensitive flesh to the warm cavern air. She barely had time to comprehend his intent before his head dipped between her legs, forked tongue finding her core with unerring precision.

“Ignis!” she gasped, back arching off the bed as renewed sensation jolted through her oversensitive nerves. His growl vibrated against her flesh, his tongue worshipping her. His scaled palms slid beneath her hips, lifting her to his mouth as though he was drinking from her offering, and her bed was her altar.

Her hands fisted in the silken blankets, pleasure rebuilding despite her exhaustion. Each deliberate stroke of his tongue sent ripples of electricity cascading through her limbs, making her tremble anew.

“What about you?” she managed between shallow breaths, her lids heavy as she struggled to maintain focus. “Don’t you need—”

“What I need,” he interrupted gently, lifting his head just enough to meet her gaze, “is for you to complete your transformation safely. I’ve waited a century for you. I can endure a few more days—or as long as it takes for you to be ready for me, for us.”

Her eyes drifted closed as she nodded, the weight of satiation and exhaustion too much to resist. Through half-lowered lashes, she caught movement—Ignis stepping back from the bed. His dragoon form shimmered, expanding in a cascade of ruby scales until the majestic dragon king stood in his true form—towering and magnificent.

His mammoth tail swept across the chamber floor, pushing aside scattered treasures to create space for his bulk. Satisfied with his work, he lowered himself beside her bed, forepaws extending to cradle her small form against his chest. The comparison was startling—her entire body could fit within his grasp, yet he handled her as though she was the most precious thing to him.

His treasure.

“Sleep, my Luna.” His voice resonated directly in her mind, a gentle command wrapped in tenderness. “Your body changes swiftly now. Rest will hasten the process.”

Through heavy eyes, she watched as he stretched his long neck, gathering a silken blanket in his jaws. With careful precision, he draped it over her body. His enormous head settled beside her on the bed, one gleaming eye fixed on her face with unblinking devotion.

Sora extended her hand with the last of her strength, palm pressing against the warm scales of his cheek. “Thank you,” she whispered, the words inadequate for the emotions swelling within her chest—ones she would categorize and think over later at another time.

The last thing she felt was his rumbling purr vibrating through the mattress, as sleep wrapped around her consciousness.