She had endured a particularly acute case of nymphaea fever more than a year ago, one that couldn’t be remedied by anything other than the return of her mate, and so had locked down the entire Haven to the point of cutting off the Sanctuary from the Source. She’d effectively held the powerful well of magic for ransom, demanding that the ursa give up two of the dragons who were their guests, but whom Nyx perceived as the cause of the coming war and wished to punish.
She wasn’t that far off, but the truth was far more complicated. In the end, the war had come to us anyway, and we’d been forced to fight it in our home to protect the Source from our enemy. We’d won, thankfully, but our way of life was forever changed.
“Welcome to the Haven,” I said to Bodhi, then turned to Deva. “And welcome home.”
She slipped between me and Bodhi, twining her hands in ours. Keagan and Rohan stood to the sides of the path, waiting for us to pass, and fell into step behind us as we made our way up the polished glass steps to the enormous doors of the great hall.
I was certain word had already reached the Dionarchs that we were arriving. If it had just been me, I’d have entered through a side door, but I was bringing home Neph’s daughter, and the twins who ruled the Haven would expect to greet us formally.
“I thought Keagan was just joking when he called you princess,” Bodhi said under his breath. “I didn’t realize it was the fucking truth.”
“I’m not really a princess of anything,” Deva said. “Neph’s my adopted dad. My little sister Neha is princess of both the Haven and the Sanctuary—and the Dragon Glade, for that matter. She has three immortals for parents. My biological parents are both human, and as far from royalty as you can get.”
“Neph still considers you his daughter,” I said. “He never fails to remind me of that fact, either.”
“Then he should have no issue with you calling him Dad after today.”
24
Deva
Llyr only grunted in response to my comment, his gaze fixed on the huge doors that had just begun to swing inward. I was oddly calm, if slightly impatient that we had to pay service to the formalities of visiting the Dionarchs rather than head straight to the Source.
I squeezed Llyr’s hand and glanced up at him, hoping the gesture conveyed my understanding. We wouldn’t let anything deter us this time . . . not once we got through this.
“Fuck me,” Bodhi muttered and I turned back to the doors, inhaling sharply when they opened up to reveal a great hall packed to the gills with people. A deafening cheer erupted from within, and it was all I could do not to turn and run.
“I guess they missed you, princess,” Keagan said from behind me, his voice tinged with amusement.
“This is going to be tricky to avoid now,” I said as I pasted on a smile. We made our way down the aisle, cheering members of the higher races flanking us.
“Nonsense,” Llyr said. “If anything, a party will make it easier to slip away.”
“I’ll trust you to make it happen, then,” I said. “Sooner rather than later, preferably.”
“Let’s get this part over with,” he said, tugging me forward toward the dais at the end of the long path. Nymphs and ursa cheered on either side, along with a scattered collection of dragons and turul. I recognized the members of the Quorum at the end, the nearly two-dozen individuals who governed the higher races, which included my closest family.
I couldn’t help but smile as I approached, and hot tears threatened to overflow when my mother stepped forward, her dark skin surrounded in a nimbus of flames as she stretched out her arms to embrace me.
“Deva, baby,” she said, squeezing me tight, the searing heat of her hug the most comforting feeling in the world. “We missed you, but I’m told you’re making quite a place for yourself out there.”
She held me at arm’s length, her skin etched with the intricate scrollwork of the most elaborate dragon mark I’d ever seen, and her gaze slipped over the four men who stood behind me.
“I’m so proud of you. All of you,” she added.
With a sniffle, I stood back, registering the lift of her brows as she took in each of my companions. “Mama, these are my mates. Bodhi, Rohan, Keagan . . . ” I pointed at each man in turn, then took Llyr’s hand again. “And Llyr, who you already know.” I didn’t think it worth mentioning that he wasn’t my mate yet. That was going to happen soon enough, if we ever made it out of here.
She gave them a small wave, pulling back when Bodhi reached out. “Oh, you don’t want to shake my hand,” she said. “Still working on controlling the flames.”
“Right, sorry,” Bodhi said. “I’ve heard a lot about you Ms. Rainsong.”
My mother’s eyebrows lifted and she glanced at me, chuckling. “That isn’t me. I’m Deva’s biological mother, Neela.”
Bodhi grimaced and I tugged him close, slipping an arm around his waist. “Come on, I’ll introduce you to the others so you can keep them straight.”
I kissed my mother on the cheek and took a deep breath as I pulled Bodhi farther into the crowd, the others following close behind. Llyr had slipped away, hopefully to work on an excuse for us to disappear soon.
“You probably didn’t count on being thrown into a family reunion today, did you?” I asked.
Bodhi leaned in and kissed me on the temple. “No worries, angel. You’ve only had a small taste of my family. I’ll repay the favor soon enough.”
“We haven’t had the honor, either,” Rohan said. “I’m looking forward to getting to meet the Council in a social setting. Most dragons dread being in their presence. Usually, it means we’ve broken the law and are about to have our magic bound and serve as their sex slaves for a few centuries.”
“They abolished that practice almost two years ago,” I said. “All the unbound have been freed too. Come on . . . ”
I tugged on Bodhi’s hand and we worked our way through the group. I introduced him to Zorion and Zil, who were only a few steps from my mom. The pair of immortal dragons were two aspects of the same soul. Zorion was pure dragon fire and part of the magic that had contributed to my own immortality, while his darker half was all shadow.
Then we ran into my sister Asha, who was as light as Zil was dark, and joined at the hip with Naaz, her mate, who also happened to be my mother’s twin brother.
Finally we headed toward the pair of thrones on the dais, and I steeled myself for the little speech I’d prepared to tell the man who sat there exactly what I thought about his need to control my life.
I dipped my head to greet my Dionarch father, whose eyes glimmered intensely at my approach. Before I could lift my gaze again, he’d risen and swept me up in his arms, squeezing me tight.
“Deva, daughter. I’m so happy you returned to us.”
When Neph released me, I looked up into his worried face, my argument dissolving before I could voice it. Instead, I said, “I’m sorry about how I left. I wish things had been different.”
He nodded and pressed his lips into a tight line. “You have Nikhil to thank. His argument was what changed our minds. We’ll do whatever we can to help with Fate or the bloodline, but you have to tell us what you need.”
Surprised by his insistent tone, I glanced at Nyx, who stood beside him. She smiled. “Even if what you need is for us to stay out of the way. Just say so.”
“I will,” I told her. “Thank you.”
Several other figures came closer, and I found myself enveloped in the huge arms of my immortal dragon father and lifted off the floor. Aodh’s wintergreen scent was as familiar to me as the Glade itself, where I’d spent a quarter of my time before running away.
He rumbled his greeting before setting me down and holding me at arm’s length. “You’ve grown, daughter. Your power is unmistakable now.”
“Thanks, Papa Aodh. I had help.”
I introduced my mates to Neph and Aodh, and looked around the room for Llyr while they spoke. A light touch on my shoulder made me turn in anticipation, but
it wasn’t him.
I beamed at the pretty, dark-haired woman and immediately accepted her warm embrace. “Mama Vrishti! Gaia, how I missed you.”
“Your satyr is in the Quorum chamber with Dionysus,” she whispered in my ear. “I think they’re conspiring to start an orgy. This wouldn’t have anything to do with why you decided to risk showing your face here so soon? Not that I’m not thrilled you’re here, but Aodh and I frankly hoped you were out there living life.”
I glanced between her and the big, white-haired dragon and laughed. “You wanted me to stay away?”
“We want you to be happy. You literally grew up too fast, sweetie. I mean, look at you . . . ” She held my shoulders and swept her gaze down my frame, then back up. “You could be my sister, you know? I can’t believe I gave birth to you barely a year ago. But this world is full of things I wouldn’t have believed until I was thrown into it myself.”
“I am happy,” I said. “Or I’m trying to be, anyway. You already figured out where you belong, even though it was all new to you. It’s all I’ve known, and I’m still trying to work that out for myself, but I’m close.”
“You will figure it out, and I want you to know I’m on your side no matter what. Though I see you’ve had no trouble finding love while you were out there.”
She eyed the three handsome men looking distinctly uncomfortable as my two immortal dads interrogated them. Then she frowned and added, “I haven’t seen Ozzie. I would think he’d be with the others.”
My stomach flipped and I grimaced. “He’s lost, thanks to Fate, which is one of the things I need to discuss with the Quorum while we’re here. Can we call a meeting soon? Now, preferably.”
Just then, the big doors at the rear of the room flew open and Llyr emerged with Dionysus on his heels. The enormous, horned god paused between the pair of thrones on the dais, hands resting on the backs of the seats as he stared out at the room over the heads of the pair of Dionarchs.
Everyone had gone silent, waiting for him to speak. Llyr moved off to the side, his three Thiasoi brothers joining him a moment later. He glanced around the room until his gaze found mine and his lips curled into a pleased smile. Then he winked and nodded toward Dionysus as the god began to speak.
“The bonfires are already built for tonight’s Beltane celebrations, but we have a special addition to the festivities. First, all four of the Winds will be in attendance, as this marks the day of their joining the Quorum to represent the turul race. And second . . . ” He turned his intense gaze toward me, his eyes glinting. “As we did on the Equinox, this Beltane we shall fill the Haven with as much fertile power as we can. Our young chimera is home and needs our assistance. There will be no rules today, friends. Let your wildest impulses guide your pleasure, for chaos is our goal.”
My eyes widened and a thrill shot through me as I glanced at Llyr again. He’d already told Dionysus everything while I was busy introducing the others to my family. He grinned back at me for a second before I lost sight of him through the rejoicing crowd.
The doors to the great hall opened and everyone started pouring out. Music began to play from somewhere outside and the scent of wine hit my nostrils, sweet and pungent. I quickly kissed Vrishti goodbye and pushed against the flow of bodies toward where Llyr had been, Keagan and the others close behind.
In the blink of an eye, Llyr appeared behind me and encircled my waist with his arms, warm breath gusting over my ear.
“Hold on, sweetness.”
25
Deva
The rush of the drift made my skin tingle, and a moment later we were standing in hip-deep water beneath the shade of the Silas Tree. Sunlight filtered through in a spatter of gold across the surface of the Source, the power already seeping in through my skin as my skirt billowed out around my legs in the clear water.
The noise of the revelry at the palace echoed around us and the music grew in volume, a combination of flutes and strings that I only ever associated with the parties thrown in the Haven. Listening to them now, I realized how reminiscent they were of the jazz melodies I’d played to try to channel the essence of Chaos while commanding my hounds to search for his mate.
Llyr’s warmth against my back contrasted with the coolness of the water and he slipped his hands up my sides, barely grazing fingertips beneath my breasts before hooking them over my shoulders and turning me.
I stared up into aqua eyes I expected to be wild with need, but met only vibrant, placid depths. My breath caught at the intensity in his gaze.
“Do you see me, or him?” he asked, lifting a hand to my cheek.
“I see you both, but I know the difference now. The difference is distance. You’re here, he isn’t.”
“It isn’t his fault,” he said.
“No, but it doesn’t change the facts.” I glanced past his shoulder and around the shaded Source.
The pool at the base of the enormous waterfall was partitioned by a tangle of dense roots. The monolithic tree was named for my cousin Assana’s ursa mate, Silas. When my aunt Nyx had gone mad, she’d cut off all access to the Source from the other realms. Silas had transformed himself into the tree and been trapped in that form in an effort to restore the magic of the Source to the dying ursa Sanctuary above us.
My surrogate ursa mother, Vrishti, had helped him find his way back to his human form and back to his lovers in the Haven, but the big tree had remained, tying the two realms together and forming this idyllic cove of shaded pools among the Source. A web of fine roots formed a floor beneath our feet and thicker roots rose up around us, twining into a bowl that sheltered us from view of the world beyond. But something was missing.
“You left the other three behind,” I said, arching a brow at Llyr. “On purpose?”
He smiled. “They’ll catch up. I wanted you to myself for a little while.”
I studied him in silence. As if reading my mind, he nodded and said, “I know. It isn’t really just you and me. Ozzie’s still here, in a sense, even though we have no idea where he is. I’m all right with that. Hell, if he were really here, I would happily share you with him. I miss him too.”
“You don’t have to share me today, you know,” I said, shaking my head.
“I do. I always will. The last time we were here, I was already sharing you, even though I didn’t know it yet.”
“I didn’t know it, either,” I said, a pang of fresh regret spiking through my belly. Regret that I could never think of my first time with Llyr without knowing what had come before. That he hadn’t been my first. But I didn’t regret the truth of the memory Fate had restored for me; I only regretted that they couldn’t have both been my first.
“I wish he was here now,” I said. “But I’m glad I get to be with you finally.”
I slid my hands up his smooth, broad chest, heartbeat quickening at his intake of breath. His head was bent, his gaze fixed on my face as I twined my fingers together at his nape and pulled him down to meet my mouth.
He kissed me lightly, hesitantly, then pulled back with a frown. “You should mark me before we make love.”
“Why does it matter when I mark you?” I asked.
“Your fever . . . It might come back when you have a nymphaea soul. I don’t want to take any chances.”
“You’re afraid I’ll be too consumed by madness to finish mating you,” I said, though I still didn’t see the urgency. I felt fine now, despite a growing need in my core. I ached for him, but my head was entirely clear.
He let out a shaky laugh. “The call for chaos is what frightens me more than anything. You’ll be capable of shifting into a primal nymph, by all indications as powerful as Nyx herself. And as dangerous, if you lose your mind thanks to all that wild magic flowing through the Haven when the orgies begin. I’ve survived thousands of years—it would be tragic if you killed me now.”
I shot him a sly grin. “You, Llyr Xanthos, elite Thiasoi warrior, are afraid I’m going to fuck you to death?”
His lips
curled in a smirk. “I didn’t say I wouldn’t enjoy it. But I’d rather have the chance to repay the favor.”
He hooked his thumbs beneath the damp straps of my dress, pushing them off my shoulders. My skin prickled at his touch, and at the magic that infused the water droplets coating his hands. He dipped his head and brushed his lips beneath my ear.
“Claim me, Deva, and we can make love for eternity.”
My entire body tingled with that gust of hot breath and the subsequent graze of his lips over my skin. Mouth watering, I summoned my dragon tongue, drawing on the magic in my soul to do just what he asked.
Staring at the tattoo on his chest, I paused, a strange sense of déjà vu overtaking me. Of course I’d done this before, three times already. Though Bodhi’s mark had gone on his neck, I’d etched both Keagan’s and Rohan’s over their own Fate’s Fools tattoos. Llyr’s was in the exact same spot, but seeing it now only reminded me of the first one I’d seen, though that memory was older than I’d thought.
“He wouldn’t let me mark him,” I whispered. “Maybe if I had, we’d have never had to worry. Fate couldn’t touch any of you if you’d been marked to begin with, even if you hadn’t shared your souls.”
“We’d have always shared our souls with you, Deva. The second we knew that was what you needed and how to give it to you, it became inevitable.”
He traced his index finger along the top edge of my bodice, pushing the fabric down until my own glowing dragon mark peeked out, thrumming with inner magic. It was the only mark any of them had given me, and even though it belonged to Rohan, Llyr’s light touch made it flare to life, a silent signal of the longing the three existing pieces of my soul shared to have the company of a fourth.
“I want you all to mark me when we find him. It isn’t enough that you’re mine. That I’ve marked you.”
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