Page 31 of Spectacle

“Well, now that the little bit of drama is over, let me be the first to welcome you to the family, Lila.” Tirrian’s father holds out his hands, taking both of mine and giving me a kiss on each cheek. “I can’t tell you how thrilled Tisa and I are that Tirrian finally took a mate, and what a beautiful mate you are. He tells me you can shift into dragon form. We would love to see it.”

There’s a rumble of voices, and I hear a few skeptical mutterings from the courtiers.

“I would be happy to shift for you if we could beg a moment of your time when you finish your meal. I’m afraid this is not exactly a social call.” I can tell by the knowing look on Tysar’s face that he knows exactly why we’re here. I’m sure Tirrian has briefed him on the reason we are on Fluxx.

“Shift and share a meal, then I and my dragons will assist with anything you request. You will be queen of them one day, and I’m sure they will jump at the chance to curry favor with their future queen.” He winks when there are more mutterings from the surrounding court, and I smother a chuckle. I get the feeling this man likes to stir shit, much like Xavier’s father. I wonder what dinner will be like with both men at the table, and goodness knows I probably shouldn’t let either of them babysit, let alone together.

With a snap of his fingers, chairs are placed along the opposite side of the table from the already seated guests. I find myself sitting next to Tirrian and across from his parents.

“Lila, we are so happy to meet you, but where are your babies I’ve heard so much about?” Tisa, Tirrian’s mother, asks, smiling widely. I look at my dragon mate. He’s blushing adorably. It’s fun, his cheeks turn the same pink as his wings so it’s not hard to miss.

“We left them with their fathers at Caspian’s parents’ place. We didn’t think it would be safe bringing them with us until we had dealt with the basilisk problem,” Xavier, who is seated on my other side, explains.

Her smile droops, and I feel terrible. “Don’t you worry. Tirrian has promised to retrieve them and bring them back to see his hoard as soon as we have,” I add, hoping that will make them feel better.

“That is excellent. We have arranged for six more caverns to be dug out for their own treasures. They are ready to be filled immediately,” Tysar tells me, taking a sip from the goblet in front of him and leaning back casually.

“Six? But I only have five children at the moment. And they really are too little to be collecting a hoard.” I look between the royal couple, and Tisa smirks.

“Yes, but you’re part dragon now, dear. You’re going to want your own hoard.”

“And it’s never too young to start. It is a tradition that everyone in the dragonling’s family donates something out of their own hoard to help start the new one, so all of us will be presenting them with something to start their collection,” Tysar explains, waving his hand up and down the table.

“Usually it’s not six items at once,” one of the men on the right of Tisa grumbles, but I can hear that it’s good-natured instead of resentful.

“She already has one, it’s just full of men.” The girl sitting next to Tisa winks at me cheerfully. “Hi, I’m Tallon, Tirrian’s sister. It will be nice to have more girls in the family. I only have brothers.” She points at the two males on her other side. “That’s Titas and Thorn.” Both brothers give me a cheerful wave. Titas is the one who grumbled about giving up his treasures.

“We can’t wait to meet our nieces and nephews. Tirrian is the first of us to have children, and on behalf of the rest of us, we thank you.” Titas grins broadly as plates of food are placed in front of us newcomers and liquid is poured into the ornate goblets at each of our settings.

Thorn stands up. “A toast to Tirrian and Lila, may their lives be full of happiness and their nest full of eggs.” The crowd shouts their toasts, and there are cheers and laughter as Tirrian blushes once again.

“You know he’s always dreamed of having many children. His dragons were so fussy, but obviously they were holding out for the right one,” Tallon says in a fake whisper, and Tirrian growls at her, but she just laughs.

I hear a grunt of disapproval on the other side of Destir. “The throne can’t be handed to a non-dragon. She is going to have to prove she can give birth to a purebred before you get too excited.”

I turn my attention to the sour-faced woman, but before I can even form a response, someone else does. “Now, Mother, don’t be like that. Uncle Tysar and Aunt Tisa have other children who will get the crown before any of us. You need to stop with your scheming, or you’re going to be accused of treason,” the female dragon sitting next to her hisses before turning an apologetic smile on me. “I’m sorry for my mother. Dylan’s treachery surprised us all. We hadn’t realized how unbalanced his dragon had become. Can you please forgive us?”

“No one blames you, Dacia,” Tirrian says to the female. “It was not your responsibility as his sister to make sure he was sane, nor yours, Darcan. Maybe your parents should have been paying more attention than spending so much time plotting.” Tirrian glares at Dylan’s parents, who glare back just as fiercely.

The male next to Dacia inclines his head. “Nevertheless, we don’t want you thinking everyone in this family supports our brother. As far as I’m concerned, he’s as good as dead.”

His mother, whose name I still don’t know, gasps and stands up.

“I can’t listen to any of this. Are you happy now?” she spits at Tysar. “You’ve turned our children against their brother and us. You should be ashamed of yourself.”

Tysar stands up, his fists clenched. “Brother, I suggest you get your wife out of my face before she says something she cannot recover from, and the two of you find yourselves joining your son in exile.”

Dylan’s parents quickly remove themselves, throwing looks of utter loathing at me.

CHAPTER EIGHTEEN

Lila

Dinner continues with comfortable conversation. Tirrian’s family is welcoming and friendly and nothing like I assumed they would be considering the asshole he was when he first arrived at the circus. Saxon, Link, and Xavier take great joy in telling his family all about it, while Tirrian grumbles beneath his breath, my hand clasped firmly in his. He hasn’t let go of it once, so I guess he’s feeling a little territorial. I allow him the boon and manage eating with one hand.

Brannock joins the conversation. He has stayed in his human glamour, which is basically as solid as one of my forms, not wanting to alarm the dragons, though the royal family is aware of his alien status. I hear him talking with both Titus and Thorn about what Earth is like. They are curious, and it wouldn’t surprise me if we get one if not two tagalongs once we leave Fluxx.

My gaze slides to Silac, and I can see how tense he is, barely touching his meal. He’s on two legs, but he keeps hissing and flaring his hood, and Dylan’s poor brother and sister keep jumping. He apologized, but I don’t think we should make him suffer any longer.

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