by Laurie Roma
“Apparently.” Arik turned his scowl on Tynan. “Bring them back here. We were not done with them.”
“I cannot, father. It was not us. We did not send them anywhere.”
“Liandra is the one who transported them,” Ryder said. “At least, I think she did it. Or it could have been one of the Mazer brothers. You wanted to know how Braden, Jasyn, and Aeron planned on providing for Liandra, but the truth is she can take care of herself now. She was right. They are destined to be together.”
“I’m going to have to ask them how they figured out how to transport so quickly,” Allie muttered. “Sorry, that’s not important at the moment.”
Solan blinked at her, then he grinned. “Are you saying our sister has magic now?”
“Aye, she does,” Cael confirmed, making a point to meet Arik and Falon’s stunned gazes before adding, “It is time to accept the truth, fathers. We did not lose a princess. Our family has just gained four new Dragon Warriors.”
CHAPTER THIRTEEN
When the light faded, Aeron was startled to discover that they were no longer in the great hall. Instead, he found himself standing on the dark beach with Liandra and his brothers. The wind whipped over the water, making the waves surge up on the sand close to their feet.
His skin still hummed with residual energy, and he felt drunk with the power she had unleashed within him. The moment her light had entered his body, he had felt her magic unlock his own. Somehow, he knew that the blood bond they had formed the night before had made it all possible. Her blood had been the key needed to bind them together and give them back a piece of themselves they hadn’t even known was missing.
Their exchange with her fathers might not have gone as well as they would have liked, but it satisfied their need to inform the kings of their intentions before they claimed her. Now there was nothing standing in their way. Her spirited defense of them had made his heart swell with pride, and the way she had believed in them enough to free them from the restrictions that had been holding them back left him in awe of her.
Defying her fathers might have seemed like a small thing to some, but challenging centuries of oppressive customs took daring and fortitude. She had faced the unknown and embraced the extraordinary gift the gods had given her without hesitation.
It was hard to believe that fate had chosen her for them, that someone or something thought they were worthy of being mated to such a kind, courageous, beautiful female. Their hearts had chosen Liandra before they knew they were destined to be together, but having it validated gave him a profound sense of satisfaction he couldn’t put into words.
By the gods, he loved her with everything in him.
“You did it,” he whispered.
“We did it,” she corrected with a brilliant smile. “I feel different.”
Night had fallen, and the moons were covered by a thick layer of clouds that had gathered in the sky, but he could see her clearly. Even though her skin was no longer glowing with light, she still looked luminous. While she had always been the most stunning female he’d ever seen, the infusion of magic had enhanced her beauty in a way that made her irresistible. Her golden eyes glowed brighter, her flawless skin had a tantalizing shimmer to it, and her very essence hinted at the power she held within herself.
“You look amazing,” Jasyn said. “Different, yet the same.”
“As do you.” Her admiring gaze swept over all three of them, then she let out a soft purr. “And you are all mine.”
Unable to stop himself, Aeron leaned down and captured her mouth with his. He delighted in the taste of her, then forced himself to pull back. When he realized he didn’t have to hold back anymore, he kissed her again, long and deep. After long minutes, Jasyn snatched her away and took his turn kissing her enthusiastically. Her laughter rang out as she was pulled out of his hold and swept into Braden’s arms. Her long hair whipped around them, and she reached up to push the stray strands out of her face.
“We need to get you out of this wind. How did we get out here?”
“I think I did it,” she said in a baffled voice. “I am not sure how, though.”
“You are magic,” Jasyn praised.
“Aye,” Braden agreed before leaning down to brush his lips over hers. “But I would have preferred it if you had taken us straight to your bedchamber.”
“Is that so? Then let us go home. Nay, that is no longer where we live,” she said when he started carrying her away from the beach. Lifting her hand, she pointed out toward the water. “That is our new home.”
When they turned, their jaws dropped in astonishment. The magnificent island palace suddenly appeared floating on the sea. Glowing trees and flowers surrounded the purple stone palace, marking the magical paradise as a shining beacon in the darkness. It should have been difficult to see the crystal bridge that connected the island to the beach, but the crystal softly glowed with inner light as if the moonlight had been stored inside of it to help guide their way.
“It was another gift from Lunaria and Silas. Apparently, we now own an island. Come on, I have not been there yet, and I am dying to see it all.” She laughed. “Put me down, Braden. I can walk.”
“I know you can.” He stole another kiss. “But now that we have made it clear that you belong to us, I never have to let you go.”
She wrapped her arms around his neck and smiled. “I like the sound of that.”
“You will have to share her with us at some point,” Aeron grumbled.
“I like the sound of that, too,” she murmured in between kissing Braden’s cheeks. “In fact, I think the next part of my birthday celebration should include me having my way with the three of you.”
Jasyn pressed his lips against her shoulder. “I think that can be arranged.”
As Braden carried her toward the crystal bridge, Jasyn moved in front of them and took the lead while Aeron guarded their backs. The island palace might have been gifts from the gods, but the brothers still remained cautious. It didn’t matter that she had magic now. It was their honor and privilege to look out for her, and they would always see to her protection, no matter how capable she was.
“Why would the Goddess of the Moons and God of the Sun give us such an extravagant gift?” Aeron asked, clearly perplexed. “Did they foresee your fathers banning us from the palace?”
“I do not think that is the reason. Lunaria knew of my desire to have a safe place where we could bring unmated females and males together instead of allowing males to visit the havens.”
“So, we are to use the island as a venue for matchmaking?”
She could tell Jasyn was amused by the tone of his voice, but she still had to ask, “Do you mind?”
“Of course not. I have to admit that I am quite thrilled to have our own home, though. And such a spectacular one, at that. Things might be a little tense in the main palace for a bit. This way, your family will still be close by, but we will have more privacy.”
“I do not think privacy will be an issue,” Aeron told them when they made it to the island. “The bridge has disappeared behind us. I was just thinking it would be easier to defend our new home if it were gone and…”
“That is one way to ensure we have time alone.” Her delighted laughter rang out. “How clever you are to have learned how to use your magic so quickly.”
“Do not give me too much credit. I simply thought it, and it happened.”
“I guess that is how we ended up out here as well. I just wanted to get away from it all and be alone with you. And I wanted to share this with you,” she said, gesturing toward the island palace.
Aeron sighed. “This is going to take some getting used to. I still do not understand…how is this even possible? Princess Allie only received her powers after she was taken to the Isle of Dreams with the Goddess of the Moons and the God of the Sun. And it took time for her, Tynan, Cael, and Ryder to develop their abilities. How do we have magic already?”
“I think it took longer for Allie because s
he had to go through the conversion process first. From what I was told, there was once a time when all Arcadians had magic and the ability to shift into their dragon forms. I am not exactly sure what happened, but we lost those abilities, and over the many cycles, people have forgotten our true history. I believe love is the key to unlocking our gifts.”
“It was for us,” Aeron said, smiling broadly.
“How did we lose our abilities in the first place?” Braden asked.
Liandra didn’t have all the answers they wanted, but she could share what she knew with them now that the block was gone. She began telling them about her meeting Lunaria and Silas. Her words came out in a fast, rambling mess, and she had to backtrack and elaborate several times when they asked more questions.
After they walked down the pathway toward the entrance, the heavy double doors automatically swung opened in welcome. They were disoriented as they entered the palace. The ceiling seemed too high, the rooms far too large to fit into the structure they had seen from outside. Magic had been used to shield the truth of what was inside, and the clever illusion only added to the security of the building. Braden, Jasyn, and Aeron wanted to do a quick scan of each floor to make sure it was safe for her to be there, but she insisted they tour their new home together.
“Put me down,” she implored. “There is so much to see, and I want to explore.”
Braden sighed. “If I must.”
“The only room I wish to explore right now is our bedchamber,” Aeron complained.
Jasyn groaned. “That is going to have to wait. She is distracted now.”
Despite their words, she could tell they weren’t angry with her. In fact, they wanted to explore their new home as much as she did. She could feel their excitement and their curiosity as they wandered through the furnished rooms. While the palace looked impressive from the outside, the inside was absolutely magnificent.
The main level was mostly wide, open spaces ideal for entertaining large groups of people. Everything was decorated in red, gold, and silver, which was oddly complemented by the pale purple stone walls and silver floors. Light crystals stuck out of the walls, illuminating the space with a soft glow, and the walls were covered in intricate carvings, including images of dragons and some symbols none of them had seen before.
There was a massive kitchen, a dining area with several tables, and smaller sitting rooms with glass doors that led out into the impressive gardens that surrounded the building. When they went upstairs, they discovered more lounge areas along with a plethora of suites that could be used by staff or guests. Like the magical modifications that had been done on the main level, more floors were hidden inside the palace than were visible from the outside view.
By the time they reached the suite of rooms that took up the whole top two levels of the palace, all four of them were feeling a little overwhelmed. A balcony wrapped around the entire length of both floors, giving them spectacular views of the sea, sky, and land. The suite was almost five times the size of her quarters back in the main palace and contained every amenity they could want, including a private garden, pool, kitchen, and a large sitting area on the lower level.
Up a short flight of stairs was an enormous bedchamber with a massive bed positioned in the center of the room. Since it was big enough to sleep a dozen people, the four of them could share it every night instead of having one of the brothers sleep in a different room each night as was custom. Through a wide, open doorway was a large bathing pool that was situated half inside the suite and half out on the balcony. Instead of the standard pink water found in most bathing pools, the water shimmered a brilliant amethyst color that signified it had been blessed by the Goddess of the Moons herself.
Rain had begun to fall while they had been exploring the other levels, but none of the water came into the bedchamber since it was protected by a magical barrier. A waterfall spilled down into the bathing pool from a small opening in the roof. In turn, the overflow poured down into the pool located in a garden area on the level below.
“It is like the sacred pool in the Crystal Temple,” Braden said softly. “We truly have been blessed by the Goddess of the Moons.”
Aeron disappeared into another room and shouted, “All of our stuff is here. Our weapons collection is in its own room, and I am pretty sure most of the clothing in the closet is new.” He walked into the bedchamber carrying a square box that he set down on the foot of the bed. “I swear, we could fit half of the city in this place.”
Liandra stood frozen in shock as she looked around the bedchamber. It was all too much. There were so many fascinating details that she couldn’t figure out what to focus on. Baffled laughter rose up as Jasyn swung her in a circle before pulling her close again.
“What are you doing?”
“Dancing with you. We left the celebration before the dancing started. Do you remember when we taught you?”
Laughing again, she nodded. “I was too young to stay for my mother’s birthday celebration, and I was so upset I had been sent upstairs after the meal. I tried sneaking back downstairs, but you caught me.”
Jasyn spun her, and Aeron caught her in his arms.
“When you cried, we took you out onto the balcony of one of the lower level guest suites so we could hear the music.”
“And the three of you danced with me all night.” Staring into Aeron’s eyes, she said, “That was the night I fell in love with you.”
He chuckled. “You were very young back then.”
“But I knew what was in my heart. Aeron…”
“You are wondering why we do not have you stripped naked and in bed already."
“That thought has crossed my mind.”
“We will claim you this night, but we want to do things right. We have nothing but time, little princess. We wish to savor this night and make it everything you have ever dreamed of.”
“You already have.”
He spun her again, and when she came to a stop, her breath caught. The box Aeron had brought into the room was open, and Braden stood before her holding a beautiful mating torque in his hands. The delicate necklace was made of twisted strands of gold, silver, and bronze that held three large firestones in place near the center.
It matched the rings and bracelet she wore perfectly.
“I made this for you, thinking that we might never get the chance to give it to you. That is why I also made you the dagger,” Braden explained while Jasyn and Aeron moved to stand next to him. He stepped forward and placed the torque around her neck. “But now that your family has been told, we can show the world you belong to us.”
All three of them went to one knee in front of her, and they placed a fist over their hearts. “We claim you as our mate, for all time,” they pledged as one. “We vow to shield you with our bodies, surround you with our love, and to always provide whatever you may need. We will love you until the very last breath leaves our bodies, then beyond, into the afterlife.”
“Thank you for choosing us,” Braden added softly.
Tears had filled her eyes as they’d recited the formal mating vow. She could feel the truth in each word, in each promise they made. She desperately wished she had mating torques to give them in return since the whole thing didn’t seem complete without them. As soon as the thought flickered in her mind, she found herself holding three solid torques. They were made out of a combination of gold, silver, and bronze metal, and each piece had a single firestone in the center.
Magic truly was a wonderous thing.
“Liandra! That is amazing!” Jasyn exclaimed. “Do you know how difficult it is to create something so intricate using magic? And so soon?”
“Will you let her give them to us before you start examining the bloody things,” Aeron hissed softly.
Laughing, Liandra relaxed a little as she wiped at the tears that had spilled down her cheeks. Listening to their brotherly banter allowed her to regain control of her emotions. She wanted to make her own pledge without crying the entire
time. Stepping forward, she placed the first torque around Braden’s neck.
“You thanked me, yet I am the one who should be thanking you. We have known each other for so long, and I will always be grateful for every moment we have had together. You have helped make me who I am, but more than that, your love and support has given me the freedom to discover myself. And who I am is yours, unequivocally and without reservation.”
Not enough, she thought. Words were not enough to describe all that they had given her, all that she felt for them. She leaned down and pressed her lips against his. He let out a low growl of pleasure that made her smile. When she pulled back, she whispered, “I love you, Braden.”
“And I love you, Lia.”
Shifting over, she placed the second torque around Jasyn’s neck. “I claim the three of you as my mates, and in return for your pledge, I swear the same to you. I promise to be your confidant, your friend, your lover, and your greatest advocate. I will love and support you during this life and into the next.”
Jasyn put his hands on her hips and pulled her closer. She leaned down and kissed him, tasting the love on his lips as he whispered, “You are my everything. I love you, little one.”
“I love you, Jasyn. I always have.”
She kissed him again, then moved to stand in front of Aeron. She placed the final torque around his neck, but before she could say anything, he pulled her into his arms and kissed her breathless.
“I…I forgot what I was going to say,” she said as soon as she was able.
He chuckled softly. “I think I like distracting you.”
“Even when I am in the middle of telling you how much I love you?”
Grinning, he set her back on her feet. “I am ready to hear your declarations of love now, princess.”
Braden sighed. “You are lucky she already gave you a mating torque.”
“Or else we would have to move you to one of the suites downstairs,” Jasyn added.
Shaking her head, she laughed. Looking at Aeron, she said, “Our love was fated in the stars, but our trust in each other is what made it a reality. I was born to love you, and every day I will thank the gods for bringing you into my life.”