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“One more thing,” the Wing-Liege said, holding up his hand. “Lady Camille, you have the right to claim damages for what happened to you. We should not have let him go free when he tried to kill Vishana and are we indirectly responsible for his assault on you. We owe you reparations. What would you ask? Jewels? Gold? A home of your own here in the Dragon Reaches?”
I stared at the man, at his stance, at the emblems he wore denoting his rank. He’d just offered me the key to the kingdom. Then glanced over at my mother-in-law. She believed in honor. She’d been just and fair with me.
“Sir, Lady . . . gold and gems are lovely, but they do not bring lasting joy. I have a home back Earthside. And one here—my husband’s home is enough for me. But what I would ask . . . You know of our war against the demons? Smo—Lord Iampaatar told me that much.”
“We do.”
“Then I ask a boon. I ask that when—if—we need your help to fight against the demons, the dragons will come to our aid. That you will be on our side in the demonic war we’re fighting.”
The Wing-Liege sucked in a deep breath, but then he smiled, full lipped and sensuous. “Lady Camille, such a request is greater by far than our most brilliant gems. But it is also one we cannot—and will not—refuse. Consider us your allies.”
And then we were surrounded again, by dragons on all sides in their human forms, wanting to meet me, wanting to congratulate us on surviving Hyto’s attacks.
After another half hour, we were able to slip away.
“I need to get home. They must be frantic with worry.”
“Patience, love. We can go now. But sometime, we’ll come back and explore, and you can truly get a feel for how grand this place is.”
I already had a feel for it but decided to play along. Smoky was proud of his home, and well he should be. I wrapped my arms around his neck, holding the wedding present between us, as he swept me up and we whirled our way into the Ionyc Seas and returned to the barrow.
As soon as we came out of it, I just wanted to sleep. The Ionyc Seas always made me tired, but I couldn’t let it stop me—I had to get inside and—
“Camille! It’s Camille and Smoky! They’re alive!” Iris was standing outside the door, and she screamed to the others inside when she saw us. A little unsteady on my feet, I made my way over to her and caught her in my arms and she reached for me, holding her tight. The next moment a teary-eyed Delilah came bounding out, followed by everyone else. We stood in the freezing snow, hugging, all talking at once.
“We thought you were dead. I was getting ready to go to Y’Elestrial to see if your soul statue was still unbroken. We thought . . . we thought . . .” Delilah burst into huge sobs and Shade pulled her into his arms.
“Enough!” Smoky’s voice thundered over the mayhem. “Everyone inside so we can tell you what happened.”
As we entered the barrow, I saw that Hanna was up, a haunted look on her face. And there were Georgio and Estelle. Thank gods for Shade. He’d saved our poor friend, and I would forever love him for that. I was tired of collateral damage. Hurt me? Fine. Hurt my friends? Not so much.
Everybody settled down, and I realized that we were near sunset. “Give it ten minutes until Menolly is up—I don’t want to have to repeat this.”
“Nice dress,” Trillian said, his eyes shining at me. “You are so beautiful. I was so worried, my love.”
“Make that two of us,” Morio said, forcing his way out of the wheelchair. “I don’t know what I’d do without you.”
I kissed him first, then pushed him back into the chair. “Sharah says you need another two weeks in that, buster. So sit down. And this dress”—I turned to Trillian—“was a gift from my mother-in-law.” Then, after kissing him, I turned around to see Menolly standing at the edge of the chasm behind the living room, holding a very playful Maggie.
“What happened while I was asleep? Something, obviously.”
I let out a laugh, and then, with Smoky’s help, told them everything that happened. Well, almost everything. We left our lovemaking out of it. Trillian and Morio could know, but not everybody wanted or needed to hear that much detail. Sometimes TMI was TMI.
“So, he’s dead.” Delilah glanced up at me. “Are you going to be okay?”
“Yeah, I am. I will. It may take some time, but Hyto can’t hurt us again.”
“Unless his ghost makes a visit,” Morio mumbled. “He’s been cursed to limbo. We’d better put up wards. I don’t want any more angry ghosts or hungry ghosts popping in to say hi. Especially a dragon’s spirit.”
Choosing to push that thought out of my mind, I sucked in a deep breath. “Tomorrow night is the Solstice. I enter Aeval’s Court. After what I went through with Hyto, I think I’m ready. And I’m ready to start hunting down Telazhar. Give me demons and spirit seals any day over an angry dragon.”
Smoky pulled me onto his lap as we sat at the table. “Speaking of dragons, my mother likes you. Open your wedding present. She is sending us something else later on—this is just to tide you over.”
I stared at the box he held out, wondering what it was. As I untied the ribbon and unfolded the silk wrapped around the box, I thought about what family meant. The dragons were now our allies. And they were part of my family. Smoky wanted to have a child, to cement our bonds. Though I wasn’t the mothering type, I was beginning to see the wisdom of this, the politics of it, and . . . it would make him happy.
Perhaps when the war was over . . . when things were safer . . . but then, I’d have to have Trillian’s child first if I had one from Smoky, and then Morio’s. It would mean a lot of trouble and nannies because, although I knew I’d make a good mother emotionally, I wasn’t the type to be a stay-at-home mom. Minivans and soccer practice and picket fences weren’t my speed.
But for now the whole question was moot. We were a long way from winning the war. And we were a long way from knowing we’d even survive the next battle.
