Chapter 9

Even after all these years, I still dream about my family and the life we could have had. Most of my memories from those first five years are filled with joy. I remember a loving home, hard-working parents, and a sect that was as kind as they were diligent.

Sometimes, I can’t help but wonder how different my life would be if they were still here. Would I have been content to stay, maybe even settle down with one of the Sun Fae boys I grew up with?

I don’t think so, even if they had survived. My dreams were always bigger than that.

One memory in particular stands out. It was a few months before the attack on our sect. I was sitting in our cozy kitchen with my mom, talking about the future.

It was a beautiful day. The kitchen was bathed in morning sunlight, and a warm breeze wafted in through the open windows, carrying the sweet scent of flowers and leaves. I felt so peaceful, as if I was really there and everything that had happened since was just a fleeting dream.

“Are you sure about that, Raelina? You don’t think you’ll marry one of the boys here?” Mom asked.

I shook my head, leaning back in my chair. “No. I’m not meant to marry any of them.”

“But you’re a Sun Fae. Who else would you marry if not one of your own kind?” Mom countered. Her tone was light and teasing, as if she’d heard this before and still found it hard to believe.

“I’ve told you and Daddy. I’m going to marry an alpha. He just lives far away,” I replied.

Mom chuckled. “And how do you plan to meet this alpha if he’s so far away? Are you going to leave us when you grow up to find him?”

“No,” I shook my head. “He’ll find me. I just have to wait.”

I was so sure of it. He would come for me when I was older. I didn’t know when or where or who he would be, but I was certain that my heart would recognize him when we met.

My dream faded to black, and I slowly started to wake up. It took me a moment to remember where I was—the sound of Navine’s steady heartbeat in my ear.

It seemed it would take me longer than I thought to get used to waking up like this. I felt Navine’s fingers gently comb through my hair. His voice was soft as he spoke.

“Finally awake?”

“Did I oversleep?” I whispered, lifting my head to glance at the clock on the wall. It read 7:15.

“No, and I didn’t want to wake you. This is quite comfortable,” Navine replied.

“It is.”

I snuggled against him, closing my eyes as the dream replayed in my mind. It was strange. For years, I’d convinced myself that the alpha I was meant to marry was Rayne. But now, I was sure I’d been wrong. Yes, I did end up with an alpha, but it was Navine—someone I hadn’t even known existed when I was a child.

After a few minutes of comfortable silence, Navine spoke again.

“As much as I hate to disturb this peace, we need to discuss the meeting you requested. I plan to send out the invitations to the other Dragons this afternoon.”

That caught my attention, and I shifted to look at him. “Really? How many are you inviting?”

“There’s no need for a large gathering or a lengthy meeting. An hour or two should suffice. I’ll just invite the other leaders,” Navine said.

“That makes sense,” I agreed. “How many leaders are there?”

“There are only five of us leading the remaining Dragons. There’s me, Niles, the Onyx Dragon, Dominick, the Prism Dragon, Loralei, the Scarlet Dragon, and Mordecai, the Silver Dragon,” Navine explained.

Ivory, Onyx, Prism, Scarlet, and Silver. These were the most powerful Dragons left. And it seemed one of them was a woman.

“So the Scarlet Dragon is a woman. Are there usually only a few Dragons powerful enough to be recognized?” I asked him.

“Sadly, that’s usually the way it goes. Most of us would never dream of disrespecting a woman, but they often lack the physical strength to become alphas. That said, their spirit is not to be underestimated, even if they end up as Betas,” Navine shared with me.

I hugged him, smiling. “It’s comforting to hear you say that. It’s good to know you respect us.”

“I could never disrespect any woman, especially not you. You’ve survived more than you even realize,” he said, tracing the scars on my back with his fingers. It was odd. I’d almost forgotten about them since coming here with him.

“I’ve always wondered, do you miss flying?”

“Sometimes, but it’s been so long I barely remember what it was like,” I confessed.

“But you can still experience it through me. If there’s anywhere you want to go, I’ll take you. All you have to do is ask,” Navine offered.

“That’s very generous of you. I might take you up on that, but I won’t insist if you have responsibilities. I understand the burden of your position,” I replied.

“My position is what I make of it, and I won’t let it interfere with us,” Navine declared. He shifted so we could both sit up. “Let’s get up so I can take care of my duties, then I can devote the rest of my day to you.”

“Sounds good. I’m looking forward to it. But first, let me make us some breakfast. I enjoy doing that for us,” I suggested.

“I won’t argue with that. You’ve spoiled me since we met. You even insist on making our meals yourself.”

“Why not? I enjoy cooking for you, and I’ve always believed a wife should do that for her husband.”

“As I said, I’m spoiled. Especially by you, my beautiful Raelina.”

I felt a familiar warmth spread within me as he kissed me. It was a feeling I was starting to crave as much as the desire he stirred in me. Was it because I was truly happy for the first time since I was a child? I wanted to believe that. Maybe I’d finally found the one I’d been waiting for, just like I’d predicted.

Our morning routine was the same as it had been since I’d arrived a few days ago. Navine and I got up, freshened up, and went downstairs. I headed to the kitchen while he collected the papers waiting for him in the library. He joined me in the dining room when breakfast was ready.

After breakfast, Navine went to his study to prepare invitations for the other Dragons. I stepped outside to check the courtyard for any storm damage from the day before.

The scent of damp grass and leaves greeted me as I opened the glass door. Bright sunlight shone down, making the remaining droplets on the plants and gates sparkle.

I stepped out carefully to avoid slipping, taking in the peaceful scene around me. It didn’t look like the storm had caused any damage. Just a few small branches and scattered leaves littered the grass.

I took a deep breath, inhaling the fresh scents again. My body and soul felt at peace. This place was truly incredible, like a hidden paradise.

I wouldn’t mind staying here with Navine forever. A pang of longing hit me as I thought about that. I stopped in the middle of the courtyard, looking at the towering trees outside the walls.

Yes, it would be wonderful to stay here forever, but I missed Anika. Maybe Navine would take me to see her once things settled down with the other Dragons, especially Dominick.

The sound of movement outside the gate snapped me back to reality. I looked over to see a large shape slithering down from a nearby tree. I relaxed when I realized it was Nanash.

It looked like he’d come back to visit.

“Good morning, Nanash,” I greeted him as I walked over.

“Morning, my lady. You seem to have weathered the storms quite well,” he replied, coiling his lower body as he settled near the gate.

“I managed okay, thanks to Navine. I’m not the kind who handles storms well, no matter how severe,” I confessed, chuckling a bit at my own expense.

Nanash joined in my laughter. “Don’t beat yourself up about it. Lots of people are scared of storms, and they have good reasons for it,” he comforted me.

His gaze wandered further into the courtyard. “Looks like the storm didn’t do much damage here. That’s a relief. I saw a few fallen trees near my place this morning and wondered how this area held up since it’s so close. So, I thought I’d come and see.”

I was curious. “How close do you live to here? You seem to hang around these gates quite a bit.”

“I’ve got a place just outside this gate. And before you ask, yes, Lord Navine knows about it. We talk from time to time, and he knows I mean no harm. I just want to live my life the way I want,” Nanash replied.

“I remember you mentioning that before, and I believe you,” I assured him.

Nanash looked toward the palace. “I haven’t seen Navine around this morning. I thought he’d be out here checking things too. Is he tied up with something inside?”

“Not exactly. We decided last night to invite the other Dragons here to meet me. So, he’s busy preparing the invitations,” I explained.

His interest was piqued. “Really? I wouldn’t have thought Lord Navine would do something like that. The most I’ve seen here is Lord Niles.”

“Well, some of it was my idea. Plus, Lord Dominick has heard about me and wants to meet me. We thought this would be a good way to address that,” I added.

“Lord Dominick wants to meet you?” Nanash’s face turned serious. “Maybe this is the best decision, then.”

I moved closer to the gate. “You know more about Lord Dominick, don’t you? Is his reputation just about stirring up trouble, or is there more to it that people don’t talk about?”

Nanash hesitated, glancing at the palace. He seemed cautious about saying too much, but he did give me an answer.

“There are things you want to know, but there’s only so much I can say without crossing a line. But I will tell you this: be careful around Lord Dominick. He’s the third most powerful Dragon, but his pleasures are…different from the others. And he doesn’t hesitate to push his limits—especially with Lord Navine.”

It wasn’t a lot, but it gave me a better idea of what this Dragon was like. If my hunch was right, I’d need to learn to read between the lines with him quickly to avoid getting caught up in anything.

Maybe I should stick close to Navine during our first meeting.

“I appreciate your honesty, and I’ll take your advice—and Navine’s—to be careful around him. Even though I’d love to tell him to stop spreading rumors about Lord Rayne’s beta. No one should be saying such things about anyone, especially if they’ve never met them,” I argued.

“You seem to feel strongly about this. Is it because of your time with Lord Jekia’s family, or do you just feel bad for this Faerie?” Nanash asked.

I sighed. “I won’t deny that I had mixed feelings about Lady Luna, but that doesn’t mean I wish her any harm. Besides, I know now that I belong here with Navine, and she belongs with Lord Rayne.”

“Really? You’re sure about that after such a short time with him?” Nanash questioned.

“I am. I’ve known for a long time that I was going to marry an alpha, and now I’m sure that he’s the one I’ve been waiting for,” I told him.

My words seemed to surprise Nanash. His ears perked up, and he stiffened a bit.

“So, you’ve always believed you were destined to marry Navine?” he sought confirmation.

“Well,” I hesitated, “I always knew I’d marry an alpha, but I didn’t know it would be him until we met.”

“Really?” Nanash mused. His fingers brushed his chin as he pondered. “No, it can’t be…”

“What can’t be?” I queried.

“That’s enough. We don’t need to discuss this further,” Navine interjected.

I turned to see him approaching us. He didn’t seem angry about my conversation with Nanash, just mildly annoyed.

“You’ve been coming around more frequently, Nanash. Do you enjoy talking to Raelina that much?”

“I do, and I hope it doesn’t upset you,” Nanash replied courteously, letting the previous topic drop.

“Not at all,” Navine conceded. “I’ve never minded your presence, especially when you’re ensuring safety outside my home. If you continue to do that, I’ll allow you to keep talking to Raelina. I trust you know what’s appropriate to say and do.”

“Indeed, and I appreciate your trust,” Nanash agreed. He moved a bit closer to the gate. “That being said, could I occasionally enter the courtyard to visit? It’s a bit difficult to keep talking through these bars.”

“I’ll think about it, but for now, I prefer things as they are. I hope you don’t think me cruel, but let’s not forget what you are,” Navine responded.

Nanash accepted his words gracefully. “You have every right to remind me, and I’ll do whatever it takes to prove myself worthy of being around both of you. It’s also good for my own mental health.”

“Is that so?” Navine pondered.

“I wouldn’t say it if I didn’t mean it,” Nanash affirmed.

“I’ve never known you to lie,” Navine agreed, crossing his arms. “That being said, I’ll let you visit with Raelina later. I want her to come inside with me so we can discuss our upcoming meeting with the others. I assume she’s told you a bit about it.”

“She has,” Nanash confirmed. “Am I correct in assuming you want me to stay out of sight?”

“Not at all. In fact, you can stay near the gates if you want. I’d appreciate it if you could keep any trouble away from them. There might be some wild ones attracted to the activity, and you could prove yourself by driving them away,” Navine suggested.

“Are you sure that’s safe?” I voiced my concern. “Nanash might be superior in many ways, but it could be dangerous if larger wild creatures are around.”

“Your worry is touching, but I can handle myself, my lady. I don’t mind fulfilling Lord Navine’s request. I know how to drive them off, and my poison is not to be trifled with,” Nanash reassured me.

He then turned back to Navine. “That being said, I’ll agree to your request if I can continue talking to Raelina. I find comfort in the idea of us being friends, especially since I’ve never really had any.”

“I suppose I can allow that. You’re a smart Snake who knows better than to cross either of us. If you behave, I’ll tolerate your presence even more,” Navine conceded.

“Thank you. I look forward to proving myself.” Nanash stepped back from the gate. “I’ll leave for now. Just call me whenever you want to talk, Raelina.”

I had to admit, this Snake was quite bold in his approach to Navine and me. He didn’t seem worried about angering my Dragon with his presence. But I liked that. I wanted a friend here besides Navine. If Nanash could be that friend, I’d welcome it.

“He’s quite arrogant, but his persistence is admirable,” Navine mused. He then turned to me. “Moving on, I want to show you the letters I’m sending out. You should be aware of everything that’s been said. It’ll be useful if anything comes up, whether it’s true or not.”

“I understand.”

He handed me a piece of paper. I quickly scanned the words written on it. The handwriting was neat and formal, just like the invitation to the palace that was written on the bronze parchment.

Not only was he inviting them to meet me, but he seemed excited about the idea of everyone gathering in the same place after such a long time.

“Has it been that long since all the powerful Dragons have been together?” I asked.

“It’s been a while,” Navine replied. “It’s about time we all met up, especially since they’ll get to meet you. Plus, you’ve been nudging me about my self-imposed isolation, and you might be onto something. I also want to see what the others are up to, especially considering the recent issues with Jekia’s family.”

“Do you think their problems could become ours?” I asked.

“I don’t believe in taking unnecessary risks,” he said.

His caution made sense. I hadn’t been able to stop thinking about the situation with Rayne and Luna. I was going to be careful, but I was determined to find out how much the other Dragons knew or were involved in all of that.

But I wasn’t going to tell Navine that. I didn’t want to discuss my past feelings for Rayne with him. It was better to let our relationship continue to grow and deepen.

“I understand, and I’ll take your advice to heart. I don’t want to cause any problems,” I promised, bowing my head.

Navine gently stroked my hair. He lifted my chin so I was looking at him. “I’m not worried about you causing trouble, Raelina. I know you’ll handle yourself well around them. Let’s go inside now, so I can tell you more about each of them. That way, you’ll be prepared for tomorrow.”

I nodded in agreement, trusting that everything would work out. I knew Navine wouldn’t let anyone take advantage of me, and I was confident that I wouldn’t be easily fooled. All I had to do was listen and remember, and soon, I’d be able to start fitting in with the others.