After brushing off my dress, I hugged Emrys and then Andras.
“Hello,” I said and smiled at them.
“Welcome to the Night of the Dragon Festival!” Emrys announced.
Lights, lanterns, and a huge bonfire roared to life.
I gasped and gawked at the amazing decorations and all of the dragons waiting.
“It’s gorgeous!” I yelled.
Gavin ran forward and grabbed my hand, a smile of pure joy on his face. “Come on, Sister!” he shouted.
Rhys nodded once, and I jogged beside Gavin to a vendor selling paper lanterns.
The vendor, a middle-aged man with gray specks in his hair and bright green eyes, bowed to me. “Princess, thank you for coming.”
The lanterns ranged from simple floral designs to elegant landscapes painted on them. I took my time admiring them, trying to find one that was just perfect for my first time. The vendor cleared his throat after several moments, making me look up.
He blushed and set a paper lantern on the counter top. It was painted with two dragons flying side by side, soaring through clouds together. They weren’t just any dragons, though.
“I hope you don’t mind, Princess. I just couldn’t get this image out of my mind. It’s an image of—”
“Rhys and I flying,” I finished for him. A tear slid down my cheek as I stared at the two gorgeous dragons in flight.
Rhys wiped the tear away. “She loves it,” he told the vendor. “So much so, that she can’t express her gratitude or emotions properly.” He handed the vendor some money.
“Can…” I cleared my throat. “Could you paint this again? On a canvas?”
He smiled and nodded, his gray speckled hair bobbing with the movement. “Yes, Your Highness. I’ll start on it first thing tomorrow.”
I held the lantern up to Rhys. “Isn’t it perfect?”
He smiled wide and kissed my cheek. “Yes, you are.”
“Are you hungry?” Gavin asked.
I had forgotten he was there. The puppy-like teenager didn’t seem to have realized that though. “Yes!” I exclaimed. “Take me to the best vendors!”
Gavin’s smile widened, and he took my hand again. More people bowed to me and I looked at Rhys in question as he trailed after us.
“Now that we’re fully mated, you are officially part of us,” Rhys explained.
I rolled my eyes. “So, the kings naming me princess and me being your queen, didn’t count?”
He shrugged. “Guess not.”
Gavin and I ate some fried food from one of the vendors on a bench while watching the dragons enjoying the festival. There were hundreds walking around, all smiling, except one woman.
Gavin stood, moving his body slightly in front of mine. “Mom,” he said, trying to pull her focus from me.
Her eyes were locked with mine, and I doubted he could do anything to distract her.
I remained seated and nibbled on my food but tapped Rhys’s and my mating bond to draw his attention.
She stopped by Gavin, her eyes still fixed on mine, and said, “You’re strange and I don’t like that.”
“I don’t like beating up women who were ordered to attack me because you’re too afraid to do it yourself,” I said.
Gavin’s jaw dropped open and he took a small step away from us.
Her eyes sparkled. “You may dislike me, but at least you finally completed the mating.”
I lowered my food. Had that been her goal all along? Had she successfully manipulated me?
I stood. “You had nothing to do with it.”
She arched a brow. “Whatever helps you sleep at night, Daughter.”
I growled and felt my scales begin to cover me.
She leaned forward and said, “He will always bow to me.”
My fist connected with her jaw and I gasped, not having planned it, but the crowd’s gasp drowned mine out.
She fell to her hands and knees.
“Don’t call me, Daughter, again until you mean it. And, he bows to no one, but me,” I hissed at her.
Mawrth landed beside his mother, and his eyes glowed as he looked at me.
Andras landed next to me and glared at Mawrth. “Don’t get involved unless you want me to break your other arm.”
Adelaide laughed and stood. “You’ve got spirit. I’m surprised someone with such a terrible past isn’t more broken than you are.”
“Love heals a lot of things,” I told her.
Rhys and Emrys walked over but stopped a short distance away.
“Twenty on Jolie,” Emrys said with a smirk.
Adelaide looked at her mate in shock. “You think she can beat me?”
Emrys nodded.
She spun to face me. “I challenge you to a Three Bloods Rite!”
I looked at Andras.
“First to draw blood three times from their opponent wins. No maiming or killing allowed.”
I handed Andras my food and smiled viciously. “Challenge accepted.”
The crowd cheered.
Rhys held our lantern and smiled at me.
“Why are you happy about this?” I asked angrily.
He walked beside me towards the sand arena. “I have faith you’ll win.” He leaned closer and whispered, “And I won’t bow to anyone, but you.”
I smiled and kissed his cheek before turning to Emrys and asking, “Any tips?”
He smirked. “Don’t get cut.”
I glared at him. “Why do you want us to fight?”
“Because she needs to vent her anger and she hasn’t seen your secret weapon.”
No. No one except Emrys had seen it.
I glanced at Rhys, then Emrys. “I thought we weren’t going to show anyone?”
“You’re keeping secrets?” Rhys growled.
I batted my eyelashes. “I leveled up and haven’t had a chance to show you my new skill.”
“This isn’t a game,” he growled. “You could have shown me.”
“I ordered her not to,” Emrys said.
“As my mate, she can tell me anything and ignore your command.”
“This was before we fully mated,” I explained.
“She drops her left shoulder before using lunging attacks,” Andras told me.
I nodded and filed that information away.
Adelaide removed her jacket and stood with her dress tied through her legs and around her waist.
I turned one of my hands into a dragon’s talon and used it to cut the back of my dress so it was all one length.
Rhys kissed my cheek then motioned behind him. “Look who just showed up.”
Nico, Deryn, and Fox smiled at me from the fence lining the sand arena. I jogged over and kissed each of them. “What are you guys doing here?”
“Rhys invited us,” Nico said.
I spun and gaped at him and Emrys. “You planned this?”
Emrys smirked. “No, but we guessed it would happen. There’s normally at least a dozen Three Blood Rites at each festival.”
“Kick her butt!” Fox cheered.
After another kiss for each of my mates, I went to the center of the ring. Exhaling, I calmed myself like I did before each of my matches with Emrys.
Adelaide snarled at me. “Your pretty dress will look so much better when it’s soaking up your blood.”
“Talk, talk, talk. Let’s go!” I shouted. Opening my connection with all of the guys, I covered myself in scales and roared at her.
She did the same and charged forward.
I dodged her talon hands aimed at my face, dropped down, sliced open her legs with my now werewolf clawed hands, and rolled away.
“First blood!” Gavin announced.
The crowd was split between cheering and booing.
She growled and spun around, dropped her left shoulder, and charged. Andras had warned me, so I easily dodged, but she ducked to avoid my attack. Spinning, she sliced open my shoulder. Cheers and boos sounded.
“Now!” Emrys ordered me.
Creating a m
agic barrier that she couldn’t enter, I closed my eyes and took shallow breaths.
“What is she doing?” someone asked.
“Coward,” Adelaide hissed and pounded on my barrier.
Blocking out the sounds, I focused on my change. Dragon’s scales because they were the toughest, werewolf teeth and claws because they were the sharpest, elf vision because they saw the best, and mage magic because it was the best for defense and offense. Plus, I harnessed my dragon’s size, making myself larger.
The crowd gossiped, and someone screamed when I dropped the barrier and stood to my full height.
“She’s huge!” someone screamed.
Adelaide’s eyes widened, and she gaped.
“One move and it’s over,” I said in a frightening voice.
One second, I stood before her, the next, I was across the arena and both of her arms were bleeding.
“I didn’t see her move,” one of the crowd said.
“What the heck is she?” another asked.
“Holy mother of mana,” Nico whispered.
“Did you know she could do that?” Fox yelled at Rhys.
“Jolie is the winner!” Emrys announced and the crowd cheered.
Rhys, Nico, Fox, and Deryn came over to me and then walked around me in a circle.
“She’s tapping into all of our powers at once,” Nico said, blinking and shaking his head.
“I didn’t know that was possible,” Deryn whispered, running a hand through his dark hair.
“What do I look like?” I asked, suddenly feeling a little self-conscious.
“Like a goddess,” Fox whispered, his eyes wide in appreciation.
Deryn snapped a picture with his phone and smirked.
“Catch me,” I gasped, then reverted to my human form and collapsed. My energy was gone, like a candle snuffed out.
Deryn, who stood closest, caught me. “You alright?” he asked, his eyes glowing momentarily in his worry.
I snuggled into him and nodded. “Just takes a lot of energy to do that form.”
“Amazing!” Emrys shouted, a huge smile on his face as he walked to me. “That was the best version of that form I’ve seen yet.”
“Maybe their proximity helped,” I suggested.
He scratched his chin and nodded slowly. “Possibly.”
“Let’s find a comfy patch of grass to lie on,” Deryn whispered and nuzzled me behind the ear.
“The lanterns,” I said and looked at Rhys.
“We still have a bit of time until we launch them,” Rhys assured me.
“I’ll get some snacks,” Fox said and ran off into the crowd with Nico following him a moment later.
Deryn carried me to a small grassy hill, then lay me down beside him, letting me use his bicep as a pillow.
“You were great today,” he whispered against my forehead.
“Thanks.”
“Do you have plans tomorrow? I thought we could go on a date, just us two,” he said.
“I think I’m free. That sounds amazing,” I told him, my eyelids drooping lower and lower.
“Rest, my queen. I will guard you,” he whispered.
I awoke from my cat nap at the scent of the food Fox and Nico brought over.
“Food,” I mumbled sleepily.
“I see she’s channeling Rhys in the mornings,” Fox teased.
I opened my eyes and sat up, my mates sitting in a circle with me on the grass. “What did I miss?” I asked.
Rhys shrugged. “A few fights, but none involving us.”
Fox scooted closer to me and held out a fluffy piece of bread. I broke it apart and ate it slowly. It tasted like buttery clouds.
“How’s the crystal coming?” I asked Nico.
He scowled. “It’s still not working right.”
“Then, maybe I should just get four,” I suggested. “I can put two on each side.”
“I’m still working on it,” Nico said, shaking his head. “Give me a week.”
“Okay,” I agreed.
Andras sat down in our circle, eating a piece of meat. “How do you feel?” he asked.
“Still tired, but better,” I replied.
Gavin landed behind me in dragon form and curled up with his head behind my back. His breath was warm and made me realize how cold I was.
“Gav, can you move your snout closer?” I requested.
He made a purring sound of acknowledgement and did as I asked, then began taking deeper and slower breaths.
I shivered, then his warm breath wrapped around me. “Thank you.”
Rhian giggled a few yards away with three male teenage dragons talking to her. Rhys growled and stood.
“Leave her alone,” I said with a smile. “They’re just talking and we can see them from here.”
“They—”
“I got it,” Andras said and walked to the group with his hands in his pockets and a deep scowl. I had to admit, it was intimidating.
“Overprotective,” I grumbled.
“What did you do today?” Deryn asked Nico.
I leaned my side against Deryn and listened to them discuss their day. Fox continued to feed me food and I ate it while being warmed by Gavin’s dragon breath.
“Jolie. Where are you?” a male voice asked.
“Who?”
“I’m near. I’ll find you soon,” he promised.
I jerked awake, heart pounding. Was it a dream? Who was it? The voice did not sound familiar.
Deryn smoothed back my hair, a frown once again in place. “What is it?”
“I think a dream.”
“Of?” Fox asked, his serious face on.
“A guy, saying he was near and would find me.”
“Threatening?” Nico asked.
“Someone you know?” Rhys asked.
I shook my head. “I didn’t recognize the voice and he said it like he was rescuing me.”
“And it wasn’t one of your exes?” Deryn asked.
I shook my head.
“It’s time!” Emrys announced.
“We’ll do a sweep,” Deryn told Rhys.
Andras had joined us again at some point and stood too. “I’ll go too.”
Deryn nodded and he, Nico, Fox, and Andras went off in different directions.
Gavin growled and flew up into the sky to assist.
“It was probably just a dream,” I muttered to Rhys. I hated making them worry over nothing.
He pulled me to a stand, handed me our lantern, and said, “Probably, but your safety is important enough to check it out.”
I stayed at his side as we moved through the crowd to where Emrys and Adelaide stood. Adelaide wouldn’t look at me.
Wonderful.
Emrys lit his lantern and together, he and Adelaide, released it up into the sky.
Rhys blew out a bit of fire to light ours and smiled. “Ready?”
I took one side gently and nodded. Together, we pushed ours up into the sky and watched hundreds of others join it. Watching the lanterns float together like a swarm of firebugs was just as magical as I thought it would be.
Rhys wrapped his arms around me from behind and rested his chin on my shoulder. “I love you.”
“I love you, too. Thank you for sharing this with me.”
The group rejoined us a few moments later with nothing to report. We stood, watching the lanterns and enjoying a night of fun together.
“Is it going to hurt?” I asked Nico anxiously.
“Just a little,” he said and rested his forehead against mine. “Ready?”
“All my life,” I whispered.
My heart stuttered as he smirked at me. He was so handsome, and he was all mine.
Nico placed his hand on my heart and I placed mine on his. Wind stirred around us as he pulled out his magic. Using words I didn’t understand, he began the spell. His magic swirled from his hand into my chest, then spread down my arm into his chest. Warmth spilled within me and I could feel his emotions. Love. So much love.
<
br /> “Yes, I can feel your emotions, too,” he whispered and smiled at me.
“It still surprises me how much you love me,” I whispered back, a tear sliding down my cheek. “I just hope you feel or understand how much I love you.”
Our mating bond felt stronger than our bond as queen and guard. It was intense, more intense than Rhys’s mating bond with me.
“Why is our bond so strong?” I asked him.
“It takes it a bit to settle. Don’t worry, it won’t be this strong forever,” he assured me.
“Why is the bloodstone giving you trouble?” I asked. “I know others who have multiple mates and have a single bloodstone.”
“I think it has to do with our power levels. I’m able to get two of us, but when I add a third, the bloodstone explodes,” he explained.
“Explodes!” I screeched. Now I was really glad we hadn’t given in a try the night I had given them theirs.
He sighed. “Yeah. We may need to do two for you.”
“I’m fine with that,” I assured him.
“Will you put them on the same side?”
“Yes.”
He nodded. “Okay. I’ll get everyone together to finish the two.”
“What if these dreams are premonitions?” I asked. I had had the battle dream and dream of the man talking to me every night since the festival.
“Would you let me take a look?” he asked.
“At what?”
“I can use a spell to see your dreams,” he said.
“What are the possible repercussions?” Magic was unpredictable and could hurt more than heal at times.
“It could backlash and hurt me, but you won’t be hurt.”
I stepped out of his arms. “No.”
“Jolie—”
“No,” I said, sterner. “I won’t let you get hurt.”
“It’s just a possibility,” he said, his brows furrowing.
“Why don’t we go visit Fox?” I suggested.
He pulled me back into his arms and said, “I’ve got a better idea.”
I smirked, then squealed as he picked me up and carried me to his room.
“Sex isn’t required for a mage’s mating, but I haven’t had you alone in a while,” he said. “I shall take my time ravaging you. Then, I’ll fuck you senseless.”
“Promises, promises,” I taunted with a smirk.
He arched a brow, the bedroom door slammed closed, his front door locked, and a ward surrounded us to keep our sounds in.
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