by G. Bailey
She is my mate. She is our mate.
“Oh god,” I hear Isola cry in the distance. “Not Jonas.” Her cries mix in with our tears and Sophie’s whimpering. There is so, so much pain.
“Melody is with his body now, and she needs her sister.” I look over to see Dabriel flying towards us as a guy I don’t know comforts Queen Isola. I think he is King Elias, though I always forget their names. Sophie stands awkwardly at her side, tears rolling down her cheeks just as Atti comes over and opens his arms for her. She hugs him, crying more as Dabriel lands next to us and places his hands on Adelaide’s cheeks.
“Jonas is dead?” I question, seeing Isola walking away with one of her kings. Nath only nods, and I grit my teeth. He was a good friend, a very good man, and Adie is going to be crushed.
“She will live. She hasn’t turned. She was close, and you will feel her pain more from the mating bond, Rick, but she is alive,” Dabriel says. I suck in air as I’ve never felt so relieved in my entire life. I bow my head, resting my hand on her shoulder as Josh tucks some of her hair behind her ear.
“She’s alive, kid. It’s alright,” I hear Atti telling Sophie, who only cries more.
“It’s alright,” I mutter, resting my head on Adie’s shoulder and thanking the fates who did not take her from us.
Our mate will live.
21
I’m sure I hear a baby’s cry as I wake up, blinking my eyes open only to close them once more from the shining light in my eyes. My body hurts, my throat feels sore, and I sense some of my mates are near from my bond alone.
“Adie?” Rick’s worried voice drifts to me, and I roll onto my side, seeing him right in front of me, his eyes tired and puffy, though some light appears in them when he looks at me.
“Is she okay?” I hear Nath ask, and I look up to see him holding a small baby in a white blanket, gently singing to him or her. Whose baby is that? Where are we? When I see that Jaxson and Dabriel are at his side, a hand gently falls on my shoulder.
“Do you want a glass of water?” Queen Winter asks me, and I quickly realise whose baby that is. Winter looks amazing, almost perfect even though she just had a baby, but there is tiredness in her gaze.
“Yes, please,” I answer, my voice scratchy as I feel my stomach, looking for the cut and finding a small scar. Rick helps me sit up as I look ahead of me, seeing Sophie sleeping on another bed, and Casella is on another, curled up in a ball, her wings fluttering behind her. A woman I don’t know with long blonde hair and a pretty crown is sitting with her, gently talking.
“That’s Queen Isola. We will introduce you soon,” Winter explains to me, handing me a glass of water.
“Is Sophie?” I ask Rick, and he nods.
“Just sleeping. She tried to stay awake the last twenty-four hours with you but lost that battle in the end,” he explains to me.
“And Josh? Mich?” I ask.
“Josh is staying in Frayan with Mich to deal with the aftermath of the war. All the injured are here, and Josh sent a letter only an hour ago to say all Lilyanne’s surviving soldiers have given up. Frayan is ours,” he tells me, and I smile. That is amazing to hear, but as the memory of the battle comes back to me, I remember the moment I saw Jonas die. I remember when we first met, a massive dragon catching me out of the sky and saving my life. Jonas was so loyal to me, all the way from the start, and my heart breaks that my joyful friend won’t be with us anymore.
“At a dear price,” I say, my voice catching as I look back at Casella. She lost her mate. I have to tell her what Jonas did before he died and how he will never, ever be forgotten by us all.
“I know,” Rick says, holding me to his chest as I sob a little. Nath, not holding a baby this time, comes and sits at my side on the bed, taking my hand and kissing the back.
“You okay?” he asks.
“I will be, that’s all that is important,” I reply to him, reaching up to touch the three cuts on his cheek.
“Adie!” Sophie cries, and I look over just as she climbs off her bed and runs over, throwing herself on my lap and bursting into tears. I cry with her, holding her tight.
It’s been two days since the war, and two days of not being allowed out of bed until I’ve healed. It’s no surprise my mates have fallen fast asleep tonight at my sides, and I slowly climb out of bed, picking up a black cloak resting on a chair nearby. I clip it on and walk to Sophie, kissing her forehead and tucking her into her bed before feeling eyes on me. I look up to see Casella staring at me, the moonlight highlighting her tear-stained cheeks and pale eyes. I walk around to her and pull her into a hug, a little surprised when she holds me back.
“He is gone,” she whimpers.
“But never, ever forgotten. I promise you that,” I tell her, and I mean it.
“I’m pregnant,” she whispers. “It’s super early, but the angel told me.”
“Congratulations,” I tell her, even though the news is sad. Jonas would have been an amazing father, I just know it.
“Do you think Jonas would have been happy?” she asks. “We never spoke about children, all we spoke of was travelling Frayan when the war was over. Sitting on beaches, climbing mountains. We had so much planned and now…”
“Casella, he loved you so much, and he would have adored this baby. I’m sure wherever his soul is, he is smiling down at you, and perhaps you can have that adventure with his child one day,” I say, and she bursts into tears. I hold her for a long time until she lets me lay her down and pull a blanket over her. She soon drifts off to sleep, and I walk out of the room into a small, empty corridor.
I walk down it and get to a balcony behind glass doors, where someone is outside. I push the doors open, and Queen Winter looks back at me, holding a small baby in her arms as she sings a song to him or her.
“This is my son, Lucian. He doesn’t like to sleep inside, but oddly, outside makes him happy,” Winter explains to me. “Would you like to hold him?” she asks me as I walk to her side. I nod, and she hands me the tiny, sleeping baby. He is lighter than I expected him to be, and he is so adorable.
“Congratulations,” I say to Winter, looking up at her.
“I knew Jonas very well from my visits to Dragca to see Isola. You would love her; she is very kind and like us,” she explains to me.
“Like us?” I ask.
“Brought up on Earth and destined for so, so much more,” she tells me. “We three haven’t had it easy getting here, but here is worth it. You will see that soon, Adie.”
“Is that my portal?” I ask, looking towards the giant circle-shaped light in the forest ahead of us.
“Yes, and it looks like it isn’t going anywhere,” she says. “We can trade between our worlds and see each other far more now.”
“I left everything here in a bit of a mess before. Are the hunters still bothering you?” I ask.
“No, we have come to an agreement with the world leaders. The agreement means we will not attack them and they will not harm us. If anyone in our community commits a human murder, we will give them over to the human system to be sentenced. We are also making plans to work with the humans, as they have jobs we could make a little easier.”
“I’m glad to hear it,” I tell her.
“Me too. This place is an academy and will be the home for young supernaturals. We have an academy on Dragca as well. Could there be one on Frayan perhaps?” she asks.
“Yes, I have just the place in mind. We have a lot of rebuilding to do first,” I explain. “Like pulling a broken crystal bridge out of the sea.”
“We can help with that,” Winter says and winks at me. “I believe all races should be equal and grow up together. Love each other, not fight wars. How about we make a deal to open an academy for all supernaturals between the worlds? They should spend four years mixing and learning about the worlds before choosing where they would like to live and work.”
“What would we call such an academy?” I ask, loving the idea. We need peace, and this could
just guarantee that will be our future.
“The Guardian Academy,” she suggests. It has a good ring to it. The Guardian Academy could be a future that changes everything for us.
For the better.
22
“Tell Josh I love him dearly, and I will be bringing his brothers to see him very soon,” Winter says to Rick, kissing his cheek after hugging us all. Rick nods in agreement and goes to hug his father goodbye as Winter moves to me. She takes my hands and squeezes them tightly.
“You got this, Queen Adelaide,” she tells me with a big grin. Sophie hugs her before coming back to my side and taking my offered hand. She is a shell of herself since the war, and she won’t speak about what happened in the time she was a prisoner of Lilyanne, but the fear in her eyes tells me enough. And the fact she is terrified of the dark now. I know she will speak to me one day, when she is ready and not a moment sooner. All her pack can do is be here for her now and hope that’s enough. Casella is standing silently with Queen Isola, who pats her gently on the shoulder before walking over to me.
“Queen Adelaide,” she says, holding her hand out for me. “I’m Queen Isola of Dragca, a world you are more than welcome to visit when you are ready.”
“Thank you for your army and your help in Frayan,” I tell her. “You are also always welcome in Frayan. I hope we can talk soon.”
“I will always help my friends,” she replies. “Winter taught me that: even if you aren’t a friend yet, you still help. It shows that we can do better than those before us.”
“I’m sorry about Jonas, can you tell your sister that? He was a good man, and he loved Melody,” I tell her, my voice catching. “For Jonas, any dragon will be welcome in Frayan. I owe him so very much, and there is no way I can repay him now. I loved him as a dear friend, and Frayan will never forget his sacrifice.
“I will tell her, though she already knows everything. His funeral will be in two weeks,” she tells me. “I wish for you to attend if possible.”
“I will see you then,” I tell her, as there is no way I’m missing that.
“As will we,” Winter says and hugs Isola tightly.
“Are you ready to go home?” Rick asks, coming to my side and wrapping his arm around me. Nath is saying goodbye to his mother, who waves at me. We have invited her to come and live in Frayan with Nath, but she wants to say goodbye to some people here first before coming through. It’s been three days since the war, and hell, I really miss Mich and Nath.
And Frayan. It’s my home. On Earth, I can feel my magic draining just like Rick told me it would do, so we cannot stay long. I hope we can find a way to fix this, maybe a magical amulet of some kind. For now, I know I won’t be spending much time on Earth in the future, as it isn’t good for me or for Nath, for that matter.
“Thank you for everything,” I say, really meaning it, and Winter nods. Isola smiles at me as I let Rick guide me to the portal, with Sophie’s hand in mine. I walk into the purple magic portal that looks like purple water. It washes over me like a cold splash of water, and we come out in the burnt forest on the other side. There are camps set up all around, and I see Josh and Mich like there is no one else. They run to me at the same time I run to them, getting to Josh first who hugs me tightly as Mich wraps us both up in a hug. I feel Rick, Nath and Sophie hug us too as we all fall to our knees on the burnt ground.
“Don’t forget me!” I hear Tay exclaim before feeling her moving my hair as she sits on my shoulder.
“Our royals,” Casella says loudly, and we let go so I can stand. All around us, everyone is bowed on their knees, including Casella. “Long live Queen Adelaide and her four kings!” Everyone cheers after her shout, and I close my eyes in the sound.
We finally have peace.
23
“May all rise for Queen Adelaide Autumn and the four kings of Frayan!” Cirro shouts after he has placed each of our crowns on our heads. I look to my right, where Mich and Nath are on their thrones, and to my left, where Josh and Rick are seated on their thrones, just as the hundreds of people cheer, setting off the cheers from the rest of the people of Frayan outside the castle. Someone starts ringing the castle bells as Queen Winter and her mates, holding two toddlers in their arms, come up to us first. I hug Winter, looking over her shoulder to see Casella talking to Sophie, both of them in stunning blue dresses. Sophie looks up to me, and she smiles, a real smile that I haven’t seen in a long time. It gives me hope that she might find her happiness here in Frayan, just like I have.
I look over all the people that are here today to celebrate our royal wedding and our crowning. I certainly have a big family now, that’s for sure. Nath’s mother is here, crying, the dragons are cheering louder than anyone else, and even Melody, who is still heartbroken from Jonas’s death, made it. I look at Casella and her small baby bump, which she is always resting a hand on. She is staying in the castle until the baby is born, and then she wants to return to the Winter court where a home is being built for her. I have to hope her baby will give her some comfort, but I cannot imagine her pain. Jonas will never be forgotten, and he will always be missed. I look down at the shiny gold floors that reflect my red dress back to me, showing how it flows out into a ballgown fit for a queen. I look like my mother; that’s all I can think as I stare at myself.
I just have to hope I make her proud. No. I will make her proud. I will make both my parents proud of me.
“I love your dress; the red is beautiful on you,” Winter tells me as she pulls back, and I’m soon tugged into Isola’s arms before I can even blink. Over the last few months, we have become close friends, all three of us, mostly as we put together the Guardian Academy, and we are officially opening the doors to new students in two months. The Frayan academy is now the home of the Year Threes. Year Ones go to Winter’s castle, Year Twos spend the year at Dragca academy, and the final year is spent on the witches’ island on Earth before the students can choose where to live and work. Cirro and Anthony worked together with king Atticus on a necklace which makes it possible for Fray to live on earth, without no side effects.
This way, our worlds will be forever linked, and there will be a peace like nothing any of us have seen.
“Wow, you have a big bump now,” I say, looking at the huge bump under Isola’s silver dress. “How long is left?” I ask her.
“Due any day. I might even be having my child here,” she says with a completely straight face. So much so, I start getting nervous. I really don’t think having a dragon baby in our castle would be the best idea, not with her scary ass mates freaking out.
Talking of which, all of them are walking over.
“What? Really?” I ask, and she laughs, shaking her head. “No, I have a few weeks left yet. Don’t worry.”
“Lucian! Don’t chew the throne seat!” Winter shouts, running off after her crawling toddler who is actually biting Nath’s throne arm.
“I’m afraid I’m stealing my queen. Go and enjoy the party, we will see you soon,” Josh says, slipping a hand around my waist and leading me away. Rick, Mich and Nath follow after us as we head to the side of the room and through the door there.
“Where are we going?”
“We want to celebrate. Together,” Rick answers me as we walk up the staircase to our bedroom. This room is much bigger than the room we had at the academy, and we have a bed that could sleep ten instead of just us five. I’m a little shocked when Josh kisses me, and I hear one of them locking the door. Rick moves behind me and starts undoing my dress, his lips finding my neck thanks to my hair being up.
“Do you know how beautiful and strong you looked in that dress, sitting on the throne?” I hear Mich say, and I also hear him taking his clothes off. My dress falls to the floor, leaving me completely naked between Josh and Rick. We have never done this before, not all five of us, and I’m curious.
And very, very turned on. Josh picks me up and carries me to the bed, dropping me in the middle of it before parting my legs. Rick and Nath sta
rt undressing as Mich climbs on the bed next to me, completely naked, and leans down, kissing me into a frenzy. Josh undresses himself as Mich moves his hands to my nipples, fondling them and turning me on so much, just before Josh parts my legs and dives in with his tongue. I moan against Mich’s lips as I reach my hand out, wrapping it around Mich’s cock as I crash into an orgasm and my back arches. Josh moves his lips up to my stomach, before kneeling and thrusting his cock inside me, almost feeling as good as my orgasm itself. I feel the bed dip as Josh thrusts in and out of me, his groans matching my own moans and Mich’s as I stroke his cock.
Rick moves my other hand to his cock, and he holds onto the headboard as I stroke him, and Nath kneels right at my side, his hand moving between my legs to my clit, rolling it as Josh continues to thrust in and out of me. I lean closer to Nath and guide his cock into my mouth, and then we are all lost in the pleasure of this moment. Mich comes in my hand at the same time Josh finishes inside me, setting off my orgasm. Nath pulls out of my mouth and flips me over on the bed, thrusting into me from behind, and Rick moves in front of me so I can take him in my mouth. Mich rolls my nipples as Josh plays with my clit, which only takes seconds for me to come so hard that I scream out incoherent words. Rick thrusts a few more times in my mouth before coming hard, and Nath bites down on my shoulder as he comes just after him.
We all collapse to the bed in a sweaty, breathless group, and as I come back to earth from the pleasure, I can only think of one thing.
“We are going to have to do that one more time before we go down to the party.” My mates chuckle, and I grin widely.
This is our perfect forever.