“To see your son.”
“Why? What do you want with him now?” Dad growled.
“I love him,” Clarence said, squinting.
It was a shitty spot for him to be in. If he swung on my carrier I’d never forgive him. If he said the wrong thing my carrier might’ve eaten him whole before taking an antacid and going back to bed.
“You think love is enough?” Dad huffed.
“No, but love isn’t all I have,” Clarence said.
“Yeah, you got fancy words and empty promises too,” Dad nodded. “I know your type.”
“I’m here to ask Medwin to come back with me.”
My heart skipped a beat. Was Ferrick dead? Had I missed his death over the flight link while I was asleep?
“Why now?” my dad asked.
“Because I’m a shell of a man without him. Everything else means so little. Everything we’re doing to aid Moonscale Londonfeels empty. They’re my people but the world has no color without your son,” Clarence said and Dad considered his words for a long moment. “I love him and I can’t promise anything else. I have a plan and a group together to make it happen. It won’t happen quickly, but I don’t want it to happen at all if it means I’m spending years away from Medwin.”
“Like I said, you have pretty words,” Dad said.
“Medici,” my sire said from the bedroom door. “We can advise our hatchling on what we believe is the best course of action, but we cannot live his life for him. Obviously, Medwin is distressed about the current state of affairs. Why don’t you set the boy down and we’ll all have a spot of tea and talk this out? If he’s come here for nefarious purposes, I’ll hold him down while you eat him.”
My carrier looked over his shoulder at his mate. Their eyes met and he softened for the briefest second. I don’t know what passed between them in those few seconds, but Medici Smokescale set Clarence down and nodded at his mate. Then he stood with his hands on his hips waiting for Clarence to leave my bedroom. My carrier was old-fashioned and had no clue just how far he and I had gone already. He had no idea how far me and other various hookups and exes had gone before I met Clarence either.
When the alphas had left, he shut the door and hugged me tight. For a second it felt as if I was on the edge of a cliff and I had to make a choice to either jump or stay. It was as if I had to leave someone behind to make someone else’s day.
“No,” my carrier shook his head, picking up my thoughts over our family link. “It’s not like that. If he’s good to you, he’ll be family. If he hurts you, though,” he shook his head and tuttedhis tongue. “It won’t be pretty. You’ll understand one day. It might not even be when you have kids, but someday someone you love will look at someone like they hung the Moon and you’ll know in your gut that person is going to lead them into a world of hurt but they’re asking you to give your blessing. I’d have chosen anyone else to be your true-mate, Medi. I really would have. Even that giant brute that’s going to give the window a crack if he doesn’t lay off. Being the mate to that man means you’ll never know a day of peace in your life and the whole of the flight will always have their eyes on you.”
“But it also means, I’ll be able to make changes,” I said, feeling more and more like a teenager again with each word that tumbled off my tongue.
“I hope so.”
“I’ll kill Ferrick with my bare hands if there is no other way,” I whispered.
“I know. Just… Just make sure you’re able to limp home to me when you’re done, okay?” he asked and kissed my forehead.
***Notes from Medwin: This book will not include the actions of my parents or their groups as respect for the dead and in case a day comes where those tactics will once again need to be employed.
***Notes from Clarence: The above is half-true. Our grandson, Teal, doesn’t need further inspiration. He has fruit trees and Moonscale Meals and soon a council. Stay home with your kids and leave the golf course alone, Teal!
***Also, on a serious note. More and more, we’re asked what steps we’re taking to discover which of Cade and Eston’s firstborn triplets was actually firstborn. I would encourage the public to abandon the task just as I have. Upon reflection of who instituted this tradition, I have decided that maybe it is actually trash.**
**(From the editor) Clarence said this in a very polite way, but at our ages, one must call trash, trash. Otherwise, what is the point of being this damn old?
Chapter 11
Clarence Moonscale
Moonscale London Under the Reign of Ferrick Moonscale
Why it hadn’t occurred to me to ask the names of Medwin’s parents before meeting them, I didn’t know.
“We had a lot on our minds,”my dragon chimed into my thoughts as Borris Scartalon led me into the kitchen of their countryside home that could only be described as cute. Even the curtains had a dainty daisy pattern on them that matched the plaid style wallpaper. He pulled out my chair for me and put the kettle on.
While Borris Scartalon was the larger of the mated pair, he was far from the most impressive. He was an academic type that had spent many of his early decades in a lab studying medicine and history and whatever suited his fancy. The Scartalons were from further north where the days were short, and the weather was colder, but he came from old money. He was on his university’s rowing team and had once single-handedly transported a pod of beached whales back to safety. Still, his accomplishments paled next to Medici Smokescale’s.
