Page 28 of Mantle (IMMORTAL FLAME #3)

“You cannot, Vorzyr,” Draven rumbled. “To interfere in an active pregnancy of a dragon ruler would require pure draconic magic, not the manufactured, warped kind that your sorcerer lover here used. It would also require House Titanus magic—yours—to break the bond between mother and child.”

“I’m aware. I’m a dragon heir, Draven.” I caught myself, the gut punch of it hitting me all over again.

“Former dragon heir. But I still have the means to do this until that is made into Draconic Decree and actually enforced, something they have been unable to do as yet because of what Kai leveraged over them.”

“You set foot back in Titanus Castle and you will perish. They are waiting for you. They are prepared this time. What they are not expecting is action to be taken by House Vortimer—my mother, myself, and all our people.”

“Let me get this straight, you want me to stand down and leave my innocent baby brother there in the middle of a fucking revolution?”

“If you intervene, all will be lost. Things are already in motion—pieces being moved across the proverbial board. The only way this won’t end in undue bloodshed—your brother’s included, because if a confrontation happens too early, we’ll have to eliminate Serapha—is for you to stand aside and let this unfold.

You know my mother. You know how protective she is of dragon children—not just those in her own House.

She would never allow harm to come to a baby.

But she can’t protect him if you interfere and send the plan to hell in the process.

We’ll have no choice but to overrun them—brutally.

She doesn’t want that. I don’t want that. And you certainly don’t.”

Every instinct screamed at me to act. To tear through the walls of that castle and rip my brother free from everything I’d once endured.

But Draven’s words rang too fucking true.

“Why bring this to him?” Kai asked with a noticeable edge as he slipped his hand into mine, a quiet comfort that felt so powerful.

I sighed, already knowing the answer.

“He wants my key.” I looked at Draven. “Isn’t that right?”

“Yes. They’re coming. Word has reached us that your parents are sending soldiers to retrieve it—agents of shadow, so the Guardian Movement won’t be alerted.

If they succeed, it will be taken. You will be killed for it.

Or... you can lend your support to House Vortimer—to dismantle your family’s legacy, one that has inflicted cruelty and tyranny without your knowledge.

Without the knowledge of many dragons. They are no longer fit to rule.

You’ve seen that for yourself, through what they did to you—invoking the horrific Ashbinding ritual.

House Vortimer will rectify it. And we will protect your brother.

My mother has already made preparations.

Torvek will be raised within our ice palace, but surrounded by House Titanus dragons as well—so he learns the way of fire, his true nature.

The shielding spell will remain in place until he comes of age.

Then, when the time is right, the truth of his Celestial power and the corrupted bloodline will be revealed to him.

You know he must be raised among his kind.

Not here. Keeping him here would deprive him of too much.

It could damage him. And you… you cannot return to the Dracoryn Realm. ”

“Handing you my key will see to that with certainty. I’ll be branded a traitor by all of House Titanus, not just my parents.”

“It is an unfortunate necessity. Even though what you will be doing is honorable, it will come at a cost because of draconic nature rooted in the belief of ultimate loyalty. You also being shunned as heir, even though dragon kind as a whole aren’t aware of the reason, sullies you in their eyes.”

“What is this key?” Kai queried.

Yeah, even he wouldn’t know about that.

It was a highly secretive thing.

The Guardian Movement knew that there was something that bound ruling dragon power, but even they didn’t know the details.

“It’s a living magical seal,” I told Kai.

“Bound to the heir’s blood and soul at birth.

It exists as a physical key forged in dragon bone with that imbued within it.

It unlocks a mythical chamber beneath the throne where ancestral fire, laws, and fate-binding contracts of dragon kind are kept.

It can be used to transfer power, rewrite succession laws and seal or break bloodlines. ”

“I see. Without it, House Vortimer cannot take power.”

“Exactly.”

Kai’s hand slipped from mine and he stepped up to Draven. “You’re asking a lot of him.”

“I’m aware.”

“Emotion has been known to cloud a dragon’s instincts.”

“You think I’m lying and that he’s not able to pick up on it because of how traumatizing and upsetting the subject matter is to him?”

“It crossed my mind.” Kai smirked in that menacing way.

“Fortunately for you, since the moment you revealed yourself, I’ve been mind-linking with the rest of our family here, and I’ve had Ariana Martel running a truth spell, glamoured by Nyx without your knowledge and completely undetectable to even draconic senses. ”

He’d been doing what?

In the next moment, Ariana teleported right on my other side with Nyx beside her.

Draven jolted, clearly caught off guard.

“Incubus,” he said coolly, greeting Nyx while trying to recover his composure.

Then his gaze shifted to Ariana—sweeping over her with something like reverence.

He bowed. Not deeply, just a half-bow. But even that was major coming from him.

From a dragon. And especially one bowing to someone who wasn’t a high-ranking dragon. “I am honored, deity,” he said.

She stepped forward right where Kai was, still up in his space.

As she did, Kai stepped back.

She held out her hand to Draven. “You’ve been speaking the truth this entire time and your intentions are honorable. This is an awful situation, and I see you working hard to do right by Vorzyr whom it’s clear, despite your attempt to hide that aspect, you greatly admire and respect.”

“Yes.”

“This must be his choice, though. Do you understand?”

“I do.”

I moved behind her and slid my hands around her waist as I pressed a kiss to the top of her head. “Thank you, goddess.”

She turned into my touch and smiled softly. “Of course. We’d do nothing less for you.”

I smiled back and released her. “I’m ready,” I told Draven. “This is the way it must be.”

Draven nodded and watched as I uttered the ancient incantation that they were all hearing for the first time, while my red magic spark on my palm.

I turned said palm upward and the key materialized right there.

A shard of bone, blackened by flame, carved with ancient draconic runes. Its handle was shaped like a twisted fang, and at the base, a flickering ember never stopped pulsing—my dragon fire trapped inside.

I held it out to Draven and he took it in awe, feeling the weight of it all.

“Give the Dracoryn Realm the ruler it deserves—House Vortimer.”

“Thank you, Vorzyr. I swear to you that your brother will never suffer or be scarred as you have. He will know love, he will know of you. And he will know peace and agency. I am very sorry that it was denied you.” He looked out at all four of us.

“Although it seems that you have that now with your… new family.”

“I do.”

Just as Draven hid the key away with his magic, Kai held up his hand. “One more thing before you take your leave.”

Kai’s power flared briefly, and then he was holding out a tiny bracelet to Draven.

I started as I saw that familiar dragon’s head pendant encrusted with rubies. The one that came from my necklace. “Kai, what’s going on? I asked you to destroy it.”

“You wanted it destroyed because of what it represented. I’ve altered that now.”

“How?”

“It will function similarly to the Nexus Band that I gave you. Your brother will wear it and it will grow as he does. With this we can monitor him, ensuring that he is safe, and also look in on him much like a holoscreen does. You’ll be connected to him no matter what.

It also can’t be removed so you can rest assured there as well. ”

“Holy… thank you, Kai.”

“My pleasure.” He handed it to Draven, who pocketed it in his coat.

“I will ensure it is placed on him as soon as he is born.” He stepped up to me and laid a hand on my shoulder. “I am sorry it had to happen this way. But I assure you, House Vortimer will do right by the Dracoryn Realm and its people. Thank you , Vorzyr.”

I gave him a chin lift, and then we all watched as he sprinted forward, leapt up into the air and shifted into dragon form, erupting into a shimmer of fractured frost as his body elongated, bones rearranging, and wings unfurling, vast and jagged at the edges and a glacial blue with frozen veins.

His tail lashed like a spiked serpent behind him, snow flurrying in his wake as he disappeared into the night.

I released a heavy sigh, and turned to my new family, my better family. “Thank you. All of you.”

Kai wrapped his arm around me, as Ariana slipped her hand into mine and gave it a squeeze.

Nyx planted a sweet kiss on my cheek. “Come on, let’s turn this night back around. Comfort, healing, fun, and a little dirtiness, here we go.”

That was his way of making it better.

And I loved him for it.

I loved all of them for it.

He bounded toward Hollowshade Hearth, calling out, “Feast time is coming! It’s on!”

His magic sparked as he disappeared inside, already getting down to it.

And despite everything, a hearty laugh escaped me.

It was fucking perfect.

Just what I’d needed.

What we’d all needed.

We lounged on a whole lot of fuzzy blankets and colorful pillows in the sunken hearth.

As Ariana nuzzled against me while Kai played with her hair, I absently rubbed my fingers over her pendant that she’d taken to wearing all the time now.

It was the right way to be gifted something by family—just out of love with no strings, honoring who she was.

At least now my gift was going to be used for good, to help my little brother.

Nyx was sprawled horizontally across all our legs, his head resting on Kai’s with a pillow tucked underneath.

He’d really outdone himself with the feast he’d conjured, and we were all lazily allowing that to settle now, full and satiated.

Well, satiated food-wise at least.

“So, Solumira renos… I’ve got some thoughts,” Nyx murmured, stretching his arms out lazily like a cat uncurling from its slumber.

“Let me guess,” I cut in. “You want an indoor playground to do your parkour shit on?”

“Like the ones humans take their kids to?” Nyx queried.

“Yes.”

He didn’t take offense, his eyes actually lit up. I knew it.

“Absolutely! That is happening!” He rolled around and did a little flip on us so he was on his stomach and facing me now, his head propped up on his hand.

“I was actually going to suggest we have Ariana create a permanent, perpetual heating spell throughout the building and the immediate area so that you’re never cold, seeing as though you hate it so much. ”

“Aww,” Ariana cried. “That’s so sweet.” She reached out and stroked his hair.

“Thank you, Luscious,” I said, giving his shoulder a squeeze.

“I’m gonna bring my lab over,” Kai spoke.

“Like magically move the entire thing?” Nyx asked.

“Yeah.”

“You love that cave aesthetic, baby,” Ariana said, grinning at him.

“Why not add in a sex dungeon then. I actually figured that was what you were going to suggest—fits with the cave thing and your dirtiness and hardcore nature. Whips, chains, ball gags.”

“I think you’re the one aiming for that, V.

As for the gags… definitely not. You know I live for the sexy moans and groans from all of you, your cries of ecstasy.

” He trailed his fingers down Ariana’s arm that was bare because she was just in her lacy black tank, her jacket discarded over by the curtain door.

“Especially your sexy little pleas. Ungh, Kai… more. Please. Fuck my ass… dirty me up like the slut that I am for you.”

She laughed and slapped his fingers off her. “Hey! You made half of that up.”

“It doesn’t have to be made up,” he said, his eyes flashing in erotic challenge.

“That’s it,” Ariana announced.

In the next second, she was pouncing on Kai and slamming him down beneath her.

“Fuck, yeah, sweetheart,” he choked. “Grind that sweet Celestial cunt all fucking over me. Own the shit out of me. I’m ready, willing, and beyond able.”

Motherfucker , he was in for it now.

Nyx burst out laughing, while somersaulting to his feet and hastily stripping his shirt off.

I pushed to my feet also, heat and rapidly escalating need pulsing through my veins.

This was how we did it.

And it was everything.