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“There are more?” Kylan asked in shock. “How?”
“I don’t know. I haven’t run into them yet, but we could smell them. They aren’t even masking it like we do,” I explained.
“That clarifies the army in the mountains,” Quinn said. “There were tons of huge dragons waiting, some up close and some tucked away, biding their time.”
“How many?” Levi asked quietly.
“At least twenty, if not more,” she answered.
“How do they know you’re here? Because I assume that’s why they’re coming, right? That’s far too big of a thing to be a mere coincidence,” Draven guessed.
“You’re right. It can’t be,” I agreed. “I’ve got royal blood. I don’t know what triggered it, but dragons tend to gravitate toward their brood. I guess mine is starting to form?”
“What exactly is a brood? Your group?” Quinn asked. Her question was innocent, so I didn’t mind clarifying.
“A brood is the community of dragons under the royal dragon’s care. Growing up, I lived in a stronghold, a community of dragons that belonged to one brood. If these dragons do come, they’d become part of my brood and stronghold, as would anyone here who wishes to be under our protection. It’s not quite so formal anymore, but who knows what will happen. And technically, if I’m a royal dragon, then they’re my consorts.” That term earned a chuckle from Avi and a fake glare from Kane. Niko and Levi just grinned.
“Can omegas lead a brood?” Quinn asked.
“With an alpha by her side. Brood royalty is generally an alpha, beta, and omega. It seems mine is a bit different, but I also have no interest in leading. I can’t take responsibility for a fucking brood. The last ones fell. How do I protect a new one?”
“It’s a different time,” Kylan said. “And I know that sounds crazy coming from a coven just attacked for mixing species, but our attacker was swiftly dealt with by our elders. She was made an example and won’t be returning. It’s certainly not a normal thing, but if word gets out, you’re right. You’ll be an oddity and need protection.”
“I have protection now,” I said. “And now that I don’t have to hide, maybe it’s time to take off my amulet.” Just having that thought had my heart slamming in my chest with a mix of fear and anxiety, but also exhilaration. This moment was what I’d always dreamt about but dared not hope for.
“I didn’t even think of that,” Levi whispered in shock. “Do you know how weird it feels having your magic suppressed all of the time?”
“Awful,” I agreed. “But it’s second nature now.”
“Not anymore,” Kane said. “Let that magic be a warning for anyone willing to cross you.” His anger was now channeled into determination. He was ready to burn down the entire mountain for me.
“When it’s off, will it be even more of a beacon?” Kylan asked. It was a smart question, one I had no answer to.
“This is all new to me,” I said, “but it holds merit. That very well could be the case. Letting go is essentially dragons coming out of hiding.”
“Are you ready for that?” Niko asked. His brown eyes pierced through me, ready to detect anything I was hiding. I breathed deep, taking in my mates’ scents and letting them bolster my confidence.
“No. But I have to be.”
Nikolaus
The vision Quinn had had of Farren rested heavily on me. We never expected to find her, but now that we had, we knew we had to keep her safe. I’d do anything to keep my omegas out of harm’s way. She didn’t know our reason for coming yet, but after her promise this morning, I was no longer afraid.
The one thing I couldn’t shake was the description of the man in her vision. I hadn’t voiced it, unsure if the others had the same thought as me, but the dark hair sounded an awful lot like the Arch Mage. But we weren’t even positive he was alive, and such a vague description likely meant it was my paranoia acting up more than anything. Indecision was not a comfortable feeling for an alpha used to leading.
We paused the heaviness long enough to order takeout. Emberwood only had a few options, but Quinn jumped at the chance to have Chinese, so she and Farren handled that while the rest of us talked plans.
“I’ve got security set up around town. I’d be happy to come up to the hotel,” Maxon offered. “If you’re interested, I’ve got a spot at the police station. Nolan’s the new deputy, so he’ll talk to the sheriff about precautions.”
Nolan nodded. “Should I keep what you are under wraps?”
Levi and Farren shared a look, nodding in unison after their eyes unfocused, talking to their dragon halves.
“No. They have a right to know what’s coming their way,” she finally said. Her face was set in a determined mask, true fire in her eyes. “It’s time we came out of hiding.” I was so fucking proud of her and the way she was taking all of this in stride. She’d been given so much over the last few days, but it was like a switch had flipped, her protective mode shining through. Some liked to think that alphas were the strongest, but it was omegas who were the protective ones. They’d fight for their mates and were far more terrifying when angry. We had brawn, sure, but they had the bite. And Farren, she had enough built-up aggression on her side to shake up the world. If she truly was fated to lead a new brood, then we’d be by her side.
“Speaking of…” I said, seeing an opportunity and taking it. “That’s not all we have to worry about.”
“So much for moving here to live out our lives in peace.” Draven snorted, but there was no anger or heat behind it. He almost looked excited, ready for a break from small town life even though they’d just arrived.
