"I am glad to see you," Romilly told Soren. "We should all go ahead and move toward the Council chambers. I am sure Father is already there. He told me he would be gathering everyone right away once he left the archives.”
Eden frowned. "What were you doing in there with all that old stuff?"
Romilly turned and began walking. They left the Little room and moved down the hallways of the castle as a group. Archer knew they had to look formidable. Even with him curled around his Daddy, looking all pliant and soft, the four large dragon shifters were scary.
Not to him, of course, but to anyone else.
As they walked, they spoke. "I was looking for proof that dragons had mated with humans in the past. I knew it had happened, and I figured the old scrolls would be the best place to find something."
"I am guessing you did find what you were after," Soren noted.
"Yes, I did," Romilly said.
Archer desperately wanted to ask more about the scrolls. He didn't have to, though, because his mate was willing to share the information with his siblings and Archer.
“There were two instances in the past of dragons mating with humans. Both were catalogued extensively, with information ranging all the way from how they met to how they continued their family lines.”
"The humans were able to conceive?" Hadrian asked, seemingly shocked.This had to be new information for him as well.
Archer thought about what it would be like to carry a child. He'd never considered it, because he was a human male without the biology to do so. Though there were surgeries and advancements in technology now, he hadn't looked into it, because he was too busy living a life where he felt like a burden. Bringing a child along wasn't ideal. And while adoption was a thing in the human world, he hadn't considered that either, because he'd thought he'd need a partner first if he was ever going to have a family.
Romilly pulled Archer closer to his side, as if he could feel the emotions his mate was going through. Maybe he could. Archer had sensed Romilly's tension before his mate had even spoken. He had chalked it up to reading body language, but maybe there was some magic to it after all. Kind of like how the tug in his stomach had led him to Soren.
“It is okay, little mate. I was going to talk to you about this later, and it is nothing so urgent we must discuss it now. To answer your question, Hadrian—yes, in those instances they were able to conceive. There was magic involved with the help of the Fae. It was only successful once the human mates had been given plenty of time to acclimate into dragon culture. Their bodies, through Fae magic, adapted for the most part. TheFae were there to ensure the pregnancies were sustained. They carried fully to term, and the children were full dragon shifters. Their only human traits were that they were able to blend in better with society and hide their scent from others.”
"Hide their scent?" Eden asked curiously.
Romilly smirked, looking sideways at his brother for a moment. "Yes, hide their scent. Good thing you do not have that skill. You would be up to no good."
Eden had a twinkle in his eyes that Archer noted. Romilly was right; the youngest of the Saints would use a skill like scent-masking to cause havoc. They were all sure of it, because the other two laughed.
“As for the rest of the information, it is pretty standard. The mating process was the same all throughout, and the humans lived an extended life.”
Archer hummed happily, tapping his fingers against his mate's chest where he was holding on tightly.
“Yes, little mate, I know it is very exciting. The future for us is bright. Later, when we're not in the middle of something, we can look into a discussion about our future and whether or not you want children.”
Archer nodded, confirming that the discussion could wait. His mind was already running through different scenarios. Having a child with Romilly,a biological one,would be amazing. It was intriguing, but not so much that he would interrupt his mate's current plan.
The conversation ended there, because they had arrived at the entrance to another set of elaborate doors. They opened as soon as Romilly approached.
Archer didn't know if there was some type of sensor, like they had in the human world, or if one of the dragons had commanded it. Maybe someone was watching out for them and pulled them open.
It didn't matter. As soon as there was enough room, Romilly strode inside, Archer on his hip, the three other dragons flanking behind him.
The chamber, as Romilly had described it, was a large room with chairs stationed in a round, circular space. Each large chair was filled with a different person. Well, a different dragon, Archer would have to guess. He looked at them one by one, trying to see if he could guess which was Nicholas.
As luck would have it, he didn't have to assume, because Silas Saint, patriarch of the family, had one man gripped by the neck and pressed to the floor in a kneeling position. There was a shimmering light around his body, and the healer Archer recognized from checking in on him stood on the man's other side, body in a position of attention, like you would see a military member. His gaze was on the man, his lips mumbling something.
It was magic. Archer knew as much, but seeing it was so different. He felt such wonder at all of it—the dragons, the magic, the mate bond.
Romilly moved through the room toward the largest chair in the space. He walked up the stairs to what Archer would consider a throne, turned around, and sat, shifting Archer into his lap. He wrapped his arms around his mate, pulling him into his chest.
Archer leaned back, facing the room as a whole. The Council members surrounding them watched. Their expressions were neutral, but Archer could pick up on some of the emotions surrounding them.
He wondered if this was some type of new magic he had. Did being Romilly's mate give him powers in some way? First the tug in his gut to track someone and now picking up on emotions. He'd have to ask about it when they were done here.
Soren, Eden, and Hadrian had followed Romilly and taken up position beside his throne. They were standing, and it didn't make them any less intense. They were guards, sentries over their king and brother.
