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16
The glittering night sky was still visible through the skylight atop the mountain as I made my way through the sleeping market, towards the honeycombs. Evie was resting peacefully in our bed, but something inside called me here.
Not something… my other family.
My Dragon family.
My gaze lifted when I made it halfway up the never-ending trail of stairs, and to my surprise, I found Spartan—Kingston’s ride—coming down to greet me. He opened his palm for me, and I hopped onto it, letting him carry me to his back before we lifted into the honeycombs.
The Dragons began to emerge from their lairs as we reached them—Athina, Fulgur, Spike, Algor, Luna, Venom, Star, and many others—confirming the call I’d felt from them. They wanted me here. My gaze instinctively went to Ember’s now empty cave, and I found a golden glow emerging from its depths.
A large bonfire had been lit inside it.
“In remembrance,”Spartan offered.“So, her firespirit will never extinguish, and she’ll be welcomed in the Lake of Tranquility…”
An image of Ember and Storm, playing in the lake like Tharion had, developed in my mind’s eye, bringing a smile to my face.“It’s a beautiful tradition.”
Confusion gripped me when Spartan headed straight for Ember’s cave, and as we entered, all others followed. Passing the large fire that illuminated the space, we continued until the other end of the lair appeared. I half expected it to open to another part of the Hidden Kingdom, like the training fields, but it didn’t.
The lair turned into a tunnel, which connected to a different section of the cavernous mountains entirely, one only Dragons were able to access. When we finally came out, a vast space greeted me, almost larger than the part where the castle and city stood. The honeycombs were not present here. Only the tunnel from Ember’s cave marked the way in and out of here, and I wondered how many caverns like this one were actually connected to the Hidden Kingdom.
“Do Dragons have secret tunnels everywhere?”
With a single nod that confirmed my thoughts, Spartan landed, extending his wing for me to dismount him. Once I stepped down, he joined the others who landed along the enormous cavern—all surrounding me as they had when I first arrived here.
Just like that night, their energies hummed against my skin. Yet, when my Wizard magic connected to my Dragon essence, and my eyes lit up, the feeling increased tenfold. The space was instantly illuminated by my night vision, layered black walls, and naturally formed columns shimmering gold in the darkness.
What felt like raw power crackled over my skin, rushing up and down my spine, chest, and arms, making me feel invincible. I had never experience such a feeling, and still, my ancient Wizard essence knew I was channeling the energy of every Dragon present.
Whoa.
The next instant, a lightning cord extended from my chest, igniting the branches of our family tree and illuminating everyone around me, until they all occupied their rightful place. Golden auras danced in a breathtaking way, including the glow of the fire in Ember’s lair, making it seem like she was there with them.
It was then that I realized what Spartan truly meant about herfirespirit.
A new shudder of energy coursed through me, and I turned around to see Tharion approaching. When he sat before me, his radiant aura took my Dragon father’s place in the family tree.
“Filius…”The word thundered as both a proclamation and recognition.
My lips curved into a smile when deep understanding settled. For a moment, I searched my brain for the correct Latin term to answer him. “Genitor?”
“Sator,”Tharion corrected, meaning not onlySire,orFather, butCreator.
It made sense, since he’d just basically claimed me as his son.
Also, no wonder he never listened to me. He’d probably seen me as a spoiled child who expected his father to do everything he wanted. I hadn’t even known who I was, or who he was to me, but I expected him to do what I asked… I internally cringed at that.
Respect and appreciation swept through me now that I considered his true place in my life, but my lips still twitched. “Better.Genitorkind of sounds like genitals, and I’m not sure that I am down for calling you that.”
He huffed, shaking his head as a sliver of amusement filtered through our connection. Lowering towards me, Tharion tilted his forehead, and my hand immediately settled on his scaly skin. Raw and unbridled magic awoke in my core, illuminating my hand until the force of it rooted me in place. Tharion’s irises glowed brighter than they ever had, and a tremor ran the length of his spine too—all the way to his tail.
BOOM.
A ring of light shot from me with an ultrasonic whoosh, brightening the entire cavern and expanding outwards until it engulfed the entire thunder of Dragons. As the surge of my supreme Wizard magic swept over them, disappearing through the walls, their irises ignited, and a shimmer captured their forms inch by inch.
Their emotions rushed into me in waves, overwhelming me and capturing me whole—mind, body, and soul. Not just the feelings of those here, but what seemed like every Dragon in the realm swept over me.
I had connected to all of them.
