Page 14 of Immortal Bonds

It was a compromise that they were very happy to make. If only she would let him go.

On the way to the meeting, the tension between Silas and Thalric was palpable. "What has you all ruffled?" Thalric asked.

"It's nothing that you've done. Sorry if I made it seem that way. I’m concerned about the children. Maybe you could help."

Silas paused in the hallway. His hands went to his hips as he met Thalric's gaze head-on. "I'm worried about my children. Not Romilly, of course. He has his mate and is balanced. He's coming into more power every day. But Soren, Hadrian, and Eden are all still unmated and seem to be diverging in directions that I don't know how to navigate."

Thalric would have normally smirked at the words. What parent didn't want to micromanage their children? He may not have been a father, but he was an uncle, and he knew that the urge to step in was hard-fought. Besides, who was he to judge his brother-in-law for what he wanted in regard to his children?

"I think that everything is going to be fine, and I believe you know that as well. Fate will give them their mates when it is time and she deems it so. Until then, you can just be a guide for them. Be the support they need. Show them love and peace and all the other fancy words that they tell parents. Be open to them and all will balance out."

Silas took a deep breath and let it out slowly. "You're right. There's something in the air, something that’s building and brewing. and I can't put my finger on what. I know it involves one of my children, but I’m lost." He adjusted his coat. "I just feel like something is coming."

Thalric smiled, his voice turning teasing. "You said someone in the family. It could be anyone. Me or one of the other siblings Mira and I share."

Silas squinted at him. "Do you know something? Is that why you look all cheeky right now?"

Thalric mimed zipping his lips. "I know nothing. I was simply making a point that your words were vague enough to be interpreted any which way."

They turned their focus back to the meeting they needed to get to. The council wouldn't start without them, but it was best to be there and get whatever was going on over with.

Inside the chambers, Thalric got his first glimpse of Archer, the human mate. What he saw made him smile. He was precious. The cutest little button of a man. Perfect for Romilly. It was no wonder fate had put them together. He didn't wait for Silas to introduce them. He confidently strode across the space, eating up the distance until he was right in front of Romilly. He would have pulled the other man into his arms and hugged him as he had the rest of the family, but this was the king of the hordes, after all. The one in charge of it all.

Romilly smiled at him, and it took Thalric by surprise to realize his nephew was as tall as he was. "You've grown," was the first thing he said.

"You haven't," Romilly joked back.

They shared a laugh and then embraced. It was a quick, brief hug since it would do no good for the king to get all emotional right before an important meeting. When they pulled apart, Romilly placed his hand on Archer's back. "This is my mate, Archer. Archer, this is my uncle, Thalric. He lives in one of the far-off hordes and has been managing it for a number of years, and if we have it our way, he'll be moving back here after all is settled with the council."

Archer waved, and Thalric's heart warmed at the cute Little movement. "Hey there, darling. You sure are precious — perfect for my nephew. I want to say welcome to the family since I wasn't here to say it before, and I want you to know that if you have any problems with any of these knuckleheads, you just let me know. I will take care of them. It's my uncle duty to do so."

Archer giggled. "They've already gotten me into trouble."

His voice was light and airy, yet further proof of his match to Romilly's deeper tone. For a moment Thalric was jealous, deeply so, but he pushed it away. He didn't want his scent to give off anything, and he also didn't think it benefited him in any way to say anything.

He was happy for his nephew. Overjoyed that the man had found someone to love to the end of his days, someone to spend his life with and maybe one day grow a family with. Human or not, he was perfect. Thalric didn't believe in all that no-interspecies mess some people toed. You loved who you loved and whatever they were fit.

His Little Biter wasn't human, yet he wasn't a dragon, and he still cared for them. Then again, he didn't know what his Little Biter was. He suspected vampire given the name, but maybe he was just someone with an oral attachment to chewing on things.

He brought himself back into the conversation. Archer and Romilly were discussing the ways that Hadrian and Eden had been getting into trouble.

Thalric interrupted them. "And Soren doesn't do any of this?"

Romilly shook his head. "You know Soren has always been much more serious about things. They are very focused, and I don't foresee that changing anytime soon."

"Not even if they get a mate?" Thalric teased.

Romilly's brow dipped, and Archer pointedly looked away. Hmm, that was interesting. "Soren has no mate, and I won't speculate on whether or not they will have one anytime soon. It's their decision and their heart." Thalric noted how diplomatic it sounded. His dragon grumbled agreement, and he turned his focus to the rest of the room.

The council members were watching them, very obviously so. He greeted the ones he knew through his years of growing up with the council in place, and the ones he had not met in person but had corresponded with were also welcoming.

"Shall we convene?" Romilly asked the group as a whole.

Chairs were brought out for Silas, Thalric, and a few other elders within the horde as the council members took their seats. Thalric watched closely as Archer had not been given a chair, and Romilly had not let go of his mate's hand. When the king sat upon his throne, he tugged Archer down into his lap. Thalric had to blink a few times to make sure what he was seeing was real. When he looked over at Silas, the former king just shrugged.

"It's what they want."

Huh, he thought — it's what they want, and they get to have it. Could he have what he wanted? Being mated to his Little Biter was what he wanted. He also wanted to be his authentic self all the time. Not the mask he put on for everyone else.