Page 9

K ay was released, and she edged away from Vaayu and looked at the woman who had a well-worn beta look. You are very familiar.

The woman smiled and inclined her head. I have been close but not interfering for quite some time.

Well, there was Wren. I had to help her.

So much power and no focus. Her alpha was concerned with defensive magic.

She needed attack spells, so I helped you two out of the dark mage realm and then tutored her immediately after.

It was hard for her. She couldn t tell anyone, but she got through it and out the other side.

Regis looked at her. You own the company that built this building.

The woman grinned. Of course I do. Mother could not be everywhere.

Vaayu looked at her and said, That is not your normal-seeming.

She chuckled. Well-spotted. I will resume my actual appearance if I am allowed to hug her.

Vaayu nodded. You may have contact.

Kay stepped toward the woman, and when they made contact, she felt the burn of power through the woman.

The woman whispered, My name is Vega.

Kay leaned back, and the blue features with glowing eyes made her look just like her father. Swaths of midnight hair with stars in the locks hung to her ankles, and the simple black dress ended above her toes. You didn t hatch.

I did. Took a few hundred years. I hatched four hundred years ago and learned the world. Vega smiled. You moved in the world like a shadow, but I found you and helped when I could.

You didn t find a mate?

Nope. Lived free and single.

Vaayu snapped, Come here, girl.

Kay whispered, He means you. That s your father.

Vega turned to him and walked toward him. As she approached, Kay saw his eyes widen in shock. There was a surge of magic, and he gasped.

Kay looked and saw the markings that were all over Vega. They were the markings of the highborn djinn women who were at court. The difference here was that instead of them being the glittering white of Vemel s mate Asel, these were gold and dimensional.

Vega looked at her hands and flexed the digits covered with the gold designs and the two vambraces that were etched in patterns.

Vaayu said softly, You wield a sword?

Sword, spell, rock, cupcake. Whatever it takes. She remained looking straight at him. No bowing, no genuflecting.

He smiled. You know you can t stay here, right?

Yes. I gathered as much.

You are the sole daughter to the empress, so far. You will be educated and used in a political marriage.

Vega blinked. That is rather bold. Don t I have options?

Vaayu nodded. I will give you a choice out of five once you complete your training.

Vega shrugged. Whatever. I can use a change of scenery, but Kay is going to need to explain things to your descendants.

She has begun the explanation with the archive, but the elves can t explain it to everyone, so it needs a larger audience to explain how these betas transform into omegas and how the omegas grow far above species standard. She smiled. You have tall genetics.

He looked at her and blinked. How can this be accomplished?

She looked at Kay and grinned. Ford? He can get the word out.

Regis was there and said, I will send the invitation out. Um, Your Majesty, can you remain for one day? We have plenty of room here.

Yes. We will stay for a day.

Ira said, Do I get to skip school?

Regis sighed. For a day.

Elaheh appeared and looked around. Where did you go?

Regis smiled. Back home for family privacy. When did you learn to do that?

Uh, just now. She looked at the djinn guards and said, I am going to go to my room. I think that s safest.

She crossed the lawn a few feet, and Vaayu said, Stop.

Elaheh whirled and said, What?

Come back here.

I would rather not.

He looked at her. Now.

Elaheh stalked back to him. Yes, your blueness?

He smiled softly. You are injured.

Yup.

It hurts you to move.

You are not shedding any wisdom I am not privy to.

How were you injured?

Elaheh turned her head and said, Cover her ears.

Ira covered her own ears, Regis covered them as well, and Sirrush put his hands over that, covering her head and making her giggle while Elaheh explained her arrival at the new palace.

Vaayu scowled. This is common?

It is not unheard of but not common. Our physiology makes the light elves crazy. Like cat grass.

But the dark mages...

They set the power links to provide energy to the Stronghold. Uh, the old palace.

I see. You are very close to djinn.

I know. I have spoken to one of the two who were here. Not Vega.

He nodded. I know them. They raised Kaido. The emperor at the time gave them leave to leave court. I am guessing they came here.

Kaido had managed to inch a few feet away, her wings dismissed. She was about thirty feet away when Vaayu said, Excuse me.

He went after her with long strides, and she bolted but couldn t outrun him. He grabbed her around the waist and carried her back to the grouping.

Avor was chuckling. I am sorry, daughter, that I never taught you not to run.

Ira squirmed and yelled. Put her down. She s scared.

Kay had to admit, she was terrified. She had left him after her heat, and the next day, she was scheduled to be married off to one of the local nobles. She wasn t sure what was going to happen when she returned to the imperial house.

Vaayu murmured, Are you really frightened?

She looked up at him and nodded. What s going to happen to me?

I am taking you home. Your throne is ready, and you will settle as my empress. Weren t you listening earlier?

There was a roaring in my ears.

His arm tightened on her midsection. The next time you are carrying, it will be at my side so that I can help you.

The dragon helped. She sighed.

He swung her up and held her so she was facing him. I do not care. Do you know how dangerous you are?

She nodded. I know.

He looked to the sky. Do they?

She looked up and saw all of the dragons who were in the area, flying in and descending to the grass around them. I know some of them hope for a daughter who is a dragon, but it isn t really a good idea.

You only birthed once?

One clutch.

He came in close, and she was shocked by the kiss. Memories of hundreds of kisses over eight days swarmed her, and she clutched at his head. He smiled against her mouth. What did you do with your heats?

They are in bottles. I figured out how to bottle them, and I have been trading them over the centuries for favours for our children.

So many children. Have you had the time you needed with your family?

No. They didn t know who I was, and I couldn t even touch them for fear of starting a signal.

He chuckled. One must have held you for a while. The beacon was clear.

Kay sighed. Pandora. She was hanging on to me at the fashion show. She was really excited.

What was the event?

It was a creative display of costumes on a theme. It was a fundraiser for Ira s school. In a few years, there will be a lot of the elves around. They will need a school so they can be with their peers.

Peers?

Uh, monster-based alphas and omegas and betas.

He chuckled. So, we have a varied legacy.

You can say that. There are a few djinn who bred fairly true.

Ira called out. Ford s family!

Kay smiled. The omega, Ford, has a family with very specific markings. And you will see him soon; the cars are filling the parking lot.

Regis turned and smiled. Well, this is what this place was created for.

Kay murmured, You can put me down. I won t run.

You wish to help with the newcomers?

Um, yes.

Wings out. They need to know what you are.

She nodded, and her wings emerged. She felt better with them, but her dragon was pouting because now a full shift was out of the question. The cuffs and collar had enough power to make her look like a supernova to her other senses.

He sighed and set her on her feet. I need to speak to Sirrush and Vemel.

She nodded and began to move across the green.

Regis and Ira were at her sides in a moment, and they each took a hand. Kay sniffled, and Vega laughed from behind them. Vega moved up and took Ira s hand. Nice to finally meet you, Auntie.

Ira beamed. I am, aren t I?

Rex and her mates pulled up, and she charged toward them. What the hell happened?

Ira grinned. Kay is my sister. The big blue man is hers, and he put cuffs on her so she can t be a dragon again.

Rex stared, and the drakes halted in their tracks, staring at her. Kael said, No fucking way.

Rex snorted. What, are they rare or something?

Ignis said, They are world destroyers. A mated pair can flood a world with dragons in twenty heats.

Kay shrugged. Everybody wants females until there is one, and then... She held up her cuffs.

Regis asked, What do the cuffs do?

Kay smiled. It keeps me in this form. No giant dragon, no huge clutches of eggs, no dragonageddon.

Regis smiled softly. How many eggs did you have?

Fifty. The results are in the Elite omegas, the transforming betas, and all the enhanced alphas. They are all mine. Your grandchildren.

Regis stopped in her tracks. Grandchildren. Holy-

Ira grinned. I am an auntie. Oh, I am Pandora s auntie.

Kay smiled. Don t be too enthusiastic. The auntie has to buy nice birthday and holiday presents.

Oh, that could be expensive.

I am sure your dad will help you, Vega said.

Kay smiled. Or you can make something, but you have a lot of nieces and nephews.

Ira paused as they got close to the gathering crowd. How many?

All of your school buddies and all their parents and grandparents. A few hundred thousand around the world.

Regis murmured, Female dragons are dangerous.

Kay nodded. Now you are getting it. They normally kill us as soon as we manifest.

Ira clutched her hand tight. That is why you were so scared.

Regis said softly, Why didn t you shift and fly?

He knows I am here. He can follow me. He s killed dragons before. Kay spoke softly.

Regis and Ira immediately snapped to her side. Regis said, He isn t getting you.