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Nekoma cuddled the kitten in his arms while speaking to the raven.

“Thank you, friend.” Gronk. With that, the raven flew up to settle on the same branch the falcon had been perched on.

Nekoma walked up the steps and handed Daphne to Elle.

“I need to get back to work. There’s some cébtúm in the refrigerator, if you want it for lunch. ”

“Thank you, Koma. Why don’t you join us? I’ll bake some bread to go with it.”

“I’d like that.” Nekoma inclined his head before returning to the barn.

“Would you grab my mug?” Elle asked.

Anthony did, and he followed his mate and kitten inside.

Elle placed Daphne on the floor, and she scampered off toward the living room, sliding to a stop when she saw something that caught her eye.

Thank goodness Nekoma’s raven friend had been watching, or their little girl would have been falcon food.

Speaking of food, Anthony couldn’t wait for lunch.

Nekoma’s cébtúm , or stew, was some of the best Anthony had ever eaten.

Add Elle’s homemade bread? He rubbed his belly just thinking about it.

“Trinity said she’ll get your boots tomorrow since she’s babysitting this afternoon.”

“Do I need to send her some money? Those things aren’t cheap.”

“She said you can repay her by getting her a plane ticket to come visit.”

“Done.” Anthony didn’t mention asking Nekoma to portal Trinity to Atlanta.

He didn’t want his new brother to think he was using him for his gifts.

Speaking of, Anthony took the package of clothes upstairs to hang them up.

While he was in the bedroom, he undressed and tried on the leather pants.

Damn, they fit like a second skin. He’d never considered leather would be that comfortable.

He turned and looked at his ass in the mirror to see Elle’s reflection where she was watching him from the door.

“Yummy,” she muttered before stalking toward him and splaying her hands across his backside. She may have been late getting started on the bread.

Even though Nekoma assured them he was fine alone, Carleigh insisted on keeping him company while Anthony and Elle traveled to Evyndral.

Elle asked her brother to go with them, but he reminded her his kind wasn’t welcome within the royal province.

It was the first time the siblings argued since Nekoma had arrived on Earth, and Anthony hated that Elle’s feelings were hurt, but he also understood Nekoma’s side of things.

When Yari and Thran arrived Thursday morning, Yari asked where Nekoma was.

“He’s in the barn. Working,” Elle huffed. “He thinks he won’t be welcomed.”

“That’s ridiculous. I’ll get him.” Thran headed toward the barn, and Yari handed Anthony a large box.

He had already changed into the clothes Nekoma made for him, and now the boots were the finishing touch.

He took them into the house where he kicked off the sneakers he’d put on to keep his socks from getting dirty.

The leather boots were gray with blue stitching, perfectly matching his outfit.

It took him a few seconds to figure out how to lace them, as they had buttons on the side with a leather cord dangling from the bottom one.

When he had them both fastened, he tested them by pacing his bedroom.

He expected them to be stiff and unyielding, but they were comfortable.

When he returned to the living room, he froze.

Elle had transformed herself. Her hair was in an elaborate updo with two braids hanging down the sides of her face.

Instead of the thrift store dress, she wore one fit for royalty.

He didn’t know where she got it, but if he had to guess, Nekoma had sewn it for her, as the color and stitching matched Anthony’s clothes.

“Come stand by Elle,” Carleigh said. She had shown up to hang out with Nekoma, but now that the male was going with them, Carleigh was going to watch Daphne while they were all gone.

When he stood beside his mate, Carleigh snapped a few pictures.

“I’m going to print these out. You two are stunning. ”

After scrolling through the photos, Anthony pointed. “Have that one enlarged. I want to hang it above the fireplace,” Anthony told her.

Nekoma came downstairs dressed similarly to Anthony, but the colors were green and gold instead of blue and silver. His hair was also braided, and Carleigh whistled. “Looking mighty fine there, Koma.”

Nekoma blushed as he grinned. “Thank you. Shall we?”

“We shall.” Yari and Thran wore their guardian uniforms, complete with swords at their sides.

When they got outside, Elle waved a hand in front of Anthony’s face. “There. Now you look like one of us.” Anthony reached up to touch his ear, but it felt normal.

Yari rubbed the pendant at her neck, and a vortex opened.

She walked through first. Anthony made sure the language translator was still fastened around his wrist before holding out his arm for Elle.

When she clutched it, they followed her sister.

Thran and Nekoma came through next, and the portal closed behind them.

Whatever Anthony thought he would find in a different realm was so far from what he encountered.

They stood in a courtyard in front of a castle.

Male and female guards stood sentry, and dragons flew overhead.

Dragons, as in multiple beasts in an array of colors.

The massive wooden door of the castle opened, and an imposing couple stepped out, followed by Queen Zarina, Cassi, and who Anthony assumed was her brother, Prince Rhoan.

He was proved correct when Yari and Thran moved to take their places beside the siblings.

King Titus held out his arm, and Queen Penelope placed her hand atop it. Together, they glided down the steps, stopping a few feet away from Anthony, Elle, and Nekoma. Anthony and Nekoma placed their hands against their chests and bowed their heads, while Elle gave a low, elegant curtsy.

The dragons that had been flying all landed and shifted to their bipedal forms and formed a semi-circle around the courtyard with their guardians behind them standing at attention with a hand on the hilt of their weapons.

Anthony wished he could take a picture because it was like something out of a movie.

King Titus held up his free hand, gesturing toward Elle. “Elledan of Summerland, we welcome you and your family. Today, we honor you with a feast in your name. Please join us in—”

His words were cut off by a thunderous roar.

Above them was a dragon so large it blocked out the pink sun.

Its iridescent scales shimmered, and its golden eyes narrowed before spewing forth a burst of flames.

Those standing around stepped back as the beast aimed its head and dove for the courtyard. Anthony pulled Elle backward.

Nekoma gasped, frozen in place. “Holy goddess, that’s King Mórdrake.”