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Regis said, You never had a sister. We died the night you were born, baby.

Ira sighed. Yes, I did. She just never came out of your tummy.

Regis froze. Baby, you haven t mentioned it.

She has a spell like our house. We can t remember her.

Avor said, Why can you remember her now?

Because you two finally are together. She doesn t have to hide anymore.

Regis swallowed. Honey, where is she?

Ira pointed, and Regis turned to see Kay striding toward the glowing light. It stopped, and she went down on her knees, arms stretched out in front of her.

Avor whispered, The emperor is here.

He looked around and nodded to Vemel. He kept his arm around Regis, and she kept her arm around Ira. They walked across the open field and toward the light.

Regis stared, and the light slowly faded. Five djinn were there, and the one wearing armour studded with gemstones was staring down at Kay.

Regis took in the image of tiny beta Kay in front of the warrior djinn. She started to stride toward them while her blood began to rise. Kay s features were Ira s features, all grown up. How had she not seen it?

Regis muttered, Why are we not running?

Because charging him would be a mistake, Avor said softly.

* * * *

K ay kept her full-court bow going as she felt the fury directed at the back of her neck.

She heard the soft rumble of his voice. Eight hundred years, Kaido. You have locked me out of this world for eight hundred years.

She didn t look up. I am a lowly worm. I do not deserve speech, but may you destroy me somewhere else? There are too many witnesses.

A hand threaded in her hair and pulled it back as he crouched next to her. How many of them are there, Kaido?

She swallowed. In total?

Yes.

Fifty turned into four hundred thousand around the globe. She whispered it as his white-hot eyes pierced her soul.

There was a gasp behind her.

Without looking away from her, her captor said, Vemel, it seems you survived the insurrection.

Yes, Emperor Vaayu. How long have you enjoyed the throne?

Seven hundred and eighty years. He spoke softly and then used his grip on her hair to lift her. It would have been enjoyable if my bride had remained within my grasp.

Kay reached up to grab her hair. I was a concubine to the previous emperor. I am not now, nor have I ever been, a bride. She was hanging by her hair in front of the man she had known as General Vaayu.

He looked down at her. What are you wearing?

Her jeans and sweatshirt dissolved in glitter, and she was in a backless gown with delicate slippers and jewels on every inch of her.

Vaayu looked at her and nodded, setting her on her feet. Better. Oh, look, your family.

She couldn t move her head. I will take your word for it, Your Imperial Majesty.

He chuckled, Very polite. How scared are you?

Pretty scared. Why are you here, Your Imperial Majesty?

Because the veils between worlds thinned enough for us to walk through them.

Vemel said, I don t think she can move her head, cousin.

Vaayu smiled. I am not letting go of her until she s restrained.

Kay looked at him, and glittering tears began to flow.

He snorted. I do not trust your tears, Kaido.

Vaayu reached to his belt and pulled off a cuff, snapping the gold onto her wrist. She felt the restriction and fought him when he did the second.

Regis s voice snapped out, What are you doing? Let her go.

Vaayu looked to the man with Regis and said, Sirrush, control your mate.

Emperor Vaayu, we have just been told that this is our child. We are conflicted, and my mate is going into a defensive mode.

Vaayu looked at her and said, You actually did not tell anyone who you were?

No, Your Imperial Majesty. One or two figured it out along the way, but not a whisper from my lips.

That was the spell. I had to keep my mouth shut and keep myself away from them, or it would crack.

They are back together and safe. My life doesn t matter.

She winced as the second cuff clicked into place.

One more, Kaido.

He lifted the last band from his belt, and she closed her eyes as the slim band clicked around her neck. Her beast howled, but she remained calm.

Vemel murmured, Those are shifter bands.

Regis said, So, she s a shapeshifter. So what? She s harmless.

Vaayu laughed. Sirrush, what being is bound this way?

Her mate said, That is a restraint system for a dragon, but there aren t any female dragons.

Vaayu pulled her next to him and murmured to her, Show them.

Kay looked at him and nodded, letting her gold wings flare wide. She couldn t take dragon form with the heavily enchanted cuffs and collar.

Vemel blinked. Kaido. Holy crap.

Sirrush asked, What?

Kaido. It means looks like a dragon.

Kay s wings slowly opened and closed. She couldn t look at her family.

Ira s voice sounded from in front of her. You are a pretty dragon, princess. Will I look like you when I grow up?

Yeah. We were twins that first time.

You stayed to bring us back?

Yeah. I am bad at manipulation, but I managed to get everyone where they were supposed to be, though so many were hurt in the process. Kay was miserable.

Vaayu stroked between her wings, and she gasped. You are lovely with wings, Kaido. I only caught a glimpse that time.

She swallowed.

Sirrush asked, Emperor, why are you holding her? What is her punishment for?

Ah, she didn t tell you, of course. His hand slid to the back of her neck.

This one was offered to me by the previous emperor.

Eventually, I took advantage of his offer when her heat was high.

Eight days later, I woke from our bed to hear her footfalls and the crashing of glass as a female dragon was seen at the imperial court.

Kay blushed furiously.

Vaayu tugged on her hair. Why did you do that, Kaido?

She swallowed. I needed to shift fully to do what I needed to do.

And what was that?

I needed to have enough material to lay eggs so that my people would hatch and cover the world. She smiled. It worked. Our bloodlines spread across the world.

Vaayu murmured, And no prince or princess for me.

A calm voice said, Well, there was one, but let s take this somewhere private.

Kay looked over and saw the speaker, and her heart warmed as she recognized the woman who worked at the local diner. It was a face she saw several times per week.

The woman raised her hand, and a moment later, they were all at the new palace.