Page 49 of Keeper of All

Azim was delicate, yet something about him suggested an inner strength with the way he carried himself. “Since they dealt with Andromeda, Cassius retired when Riley got returned to him. Then Markov got pregnant, and they wanted a different life for their family. A safe one.”

Mao had listened to the kraken’s talk about protecting themselves after being hunted, so he had more understanding of why they wanted their children safe. “It’s a little isolated, isn’t it?” Mao could see the appeal, but he wasn’t sure about being surrounded by nothing but water.

Azim’s face brimmed with innate happiness when he looked at his mate. “It’s not isolation when a kraken can travel at a speed no other land animal can achieve in the water.”

Intrigued by the idea when his cat was fast, Mao asked, “How fast?”

“Faster than you can blink,” Azim replied smugly. “It would have been far faster if we’d traveled by water, let’s put it that way.”

“Please prepare for landing,” came over the intercom system. Mao suspected the crowded plane, and rioting children had sent the steward into the cockpit to hide.

The brothers took their seats and continued to look like they were having a discussion the way their heads kept turning in each other’s direction.

Mao was relieved to be getting off the jet with how his neck muscles were twinging at the silent talking tennis match he was watching.

Ekon didn’t stir even as folks left the plane. Mao waited until they’d all exited before he bent to kiss Ekon. “Babe, we’ve landed.”

He stirred slowly, his eyes doing several slow blinks until they focused. A dreamy smile appeared melting Mao’s heart. He reached and traced a gentle finger over his brow pushing his bangs off his forehead.

“Already?” he whispered.

Mao didn’t like the disconcerted feelings coming from his mate at how time was passing and his lack of awareness of it. “Want me to carry you?” he offered, waggling his eyebrows, hoping to make light of a situation that was anything but that.

Todd reappeared. “I’ll help.” He offered Ekon his hand, and as much as it annoyed him that Mao couldn’t help and wanted to, desperately, he gritted his teeth to stop a snappy comment.

“Yeah.” Ekon took it and rose with ease, his pale cheeks gaining some color.

He walked far easier with Todd’s hand, and Mao followed them off the jet. At the bottom of the steps, Mao came to a stop at the sight of a fifth kraken brother adding to the throng gathering around Ekon. They all had dark eyes and dark hair, but facially they all looked different. Yes, there were similarities around the shape of eyes and mouths that made them unmistakably family. Yet, it was still more their presence, even out in the open it was domineering, Todd being the only omega, radiated that same power. It was heady, and even being outside, Mao could feel it.

There was something about Markov that set off his cat and made it wary. “Has the boat arrived?” Mao asked, wanting the men crowding his mate to focus on something else.

“I see what you mean,” Markov said in a deep voice that sounded unusual, ignoring Mao’s question.

“Your kraken wants its say again I see.” Alexi’s grin was pure devilment as he winked at the others.

“Fuck off, Alexi,” Markov replied, his voice totally different.

Mao gawped and Magnus, Kelvin’s mate, slapped him on the shoulder. “Yep, if you’re thinking his kraken has a voice, you’d be right. It takes some getting used to.”

“I’m sure it does!” Mao didn’t know if his ass was his elbow, or his elbow was his ass right then. He’d never heard of an animal spirit having a voice of its own it could use in this way.

Markov gave Mao an impish nod. “It took me a while to adjust too!” He held out his hand. “Markov, and you must be Ben’s brother Mao.”

He took the hand and shook it. “I am for my sins. The boat, is it here?”

A gigantic man with military bearing came toward them with a boy running alongside and three girls much younger racing to keep up. “It is, we can trek over the island or I can have it come around the coast to here, just means we’ll need to swim to it.”

“I’d rather fly,” Lucas answered, looking at the water the same way Mao was. “I can take Ekon with Todd and Ki can take Mao with Abigail. It seems as Ekon does better with Todd being close?”

“Fly?” Mao looked between Ki and Lucas.

“Dragons, remember.”

Ekon visibly perked up, and Mao felt his excitement at riding on the back of a creature many thought were rarer than hens’ teeth. Mao’s cat wasn’t sure they should just take their chances in the water. Before he could reply Ekon was nodding. “We’d love a dragon ride.”

There was laughter as Cassius made a phone call, only Mao couldn’t concentrate. First kraken’s and now dragons, heavens, whatever the hell next? Mao was aware dragons existed—more the concept of them. He, like many others, had just never seen one up close or considered he’d get to ride one. Nope, not on any list he had or one he wanted to create.

His mate most definitely had an adventurous side.