Page 16 of Trial By Fire

“What do we do? I don’t plan on staying here and waiting for her to return. I can’t do that. My Dragon won’t let me do it. All he wants to do is burst forth and take to the skies in search of her. It will drive us all crazy if we do,” I tell them all as I begin to pace. My skin tingles and my scales ripple underneath my skin. My Dragon is past agitation and ready to take control of the situation if I don’t.

“There was one thing that he said that puzzled me, though,” Dravyn says quietly. We all look at him expectantly.

“He called her daughter.” Dravyn’s brows lift in question, and I am absolutely stunned into silence.

“What do you mean he called her daughter? Cordelia’s fathers were murdered.” Twyla looks at Maddox, but Maddox scrunches his eyebrows and turns his back on us. Gray crosses the room and gathers Twyla in his arms. She relaxes instantly, and I can’t help but wonder how they survived without each other for so long. There is definitely a story there.

“If her dads are alive, we would have known by now, right?” Gale asks no one in particular.

“Do you think they were held captive in Incantatia?” Adrian counters. I rub my chin lost in thought. There would be no way Thaddeus could have pulled that off if he did that knowing they were still alive. Even if they were being held against their will.

“Thana would have felt them. She would have known they were still alive. This Fae couldn’t possibly be her father.” Twyla sighs and leans her head back on Gray’s shoulder. She’s used a lot of her magic today and it looks like she has still not fully recovered.

“Thana didn’t just have three mates. She had four.” We all gasp. Even Gray’s mouth hangs open at this revelation. How was it possible that no one knew this? Maddox sighs and hangs his head. “So, she found out. She found out about them. It wasn’t Thaddeus acting alone, it was Maurelle.” Maddox continues to talk, pacing back and forth as he speaks, but none of what he says makes sense to any of us. We don’t dare interrupt him. “I thought he was dead as well. Fae law restricts Fae from killing other Fae. Surely she wouldn’t kill her own brother, let alone her twin. I thought Dain was lost, which means Maurelle imprisoned her own brother.” Maddox falls silent again. We all hang on his every word, waiting for him to say more.

“Father, what do you know,” Twyla asks.

“Thana fell in love with Queen Maurelle’s emissary. The emissary’s name was Dain, and Maurelle’s twin brother. After a time, Dain spent more time in Arcadia than he did in Incantatia. He reported to Maurelle less and less. It was no secret in the palace that Thana took another mate. They might not have been fated or chosen by the Waters of Elysium, but they connected instantly. I wasn’t privy to everything, but I know Cordelia was conceived then. He was with her and her mates when she went into heat.” Maddox goes silent again as we all try to process this latest bomb drop. Cordelia is half-Fae. A hybrid. This changes everything. She could unite us all.

“This is why she’s so strong. The Fae are the only supernaturals who have full access to their magic on Earth. Cordelia’s magic could be limitless. It explains why her Dragon was able to call to you to push her Emergence.” Twyla stands then. Looking around the room at us all. Her eyes burn with determination.

“Dravyn, you have to get to her. You can’t let her fall into Maurelle’s hands. She has to know that Cordelia is her niece. Why else would she call on her brother to retrieve her? I can’t lose her. I need to go.” She turns and goes to leave. Gray is hot on her heels.

“Twyla. You can’t go after her for the same reason Torin, Adrian, and Gale can’t,” Maddox states. “We have to trust that Dain will protect his daughter and give Dravyn time to get to her.” Twyla says nothing in response as her tears fall freely. I can only imagine how she’s feeling. It was her mission to protect and keep Cordelia safe. To not be able to run and fight for her now must be killing Twyla. I feel it too. My inability to protect her and my feelings of failure creep back into my thoughts, attempting to smother me. Our hands are tied, we have to put our trust in Dravyn.

“Then we go home,” Adrian says. “We can’t stay here. We need to prepare for Cordelia’s return. Scout the situation around Saphir, at least. We need to do something.” I know he’s right. We need to check on our regions. Who knows what Thaddeus has done in our absence? A plan starts to form in my head, and this could possibly work out better if we work on both fronts.

“You will have Celestia’s full support. I am here for Cordelia in whatever way I can be. I will be sending Silva to her as soon as she is safe,” Maddox states. He goes to leave but stops.

“Cordelia is not only Arcadia’s savior, but she may just be the key to save us all. Think of the possibilities, of all the great things we could achieve if we work as one.” Maddox smiles as if he can already picture it. “I know it will all work out in the end; I just wish things could be easier for her.” Maddox nods to us all before leaving.

“I knew that there would be a time when I couldn’t be the one to pick her up after she fell. When she would have to stand on her own, and I guess this is that time.” Twyla sighs. “I will be waiting to hear from you. As soon as you know anything. Don’t hesitate. I will leave Celestia and defy my father if I must.” Twyla moves to the door, and Gray opens it and steps out of the room ahead of her.

“Do what you must. The lives of your people depend on her.” Twyla hangs her head and follows Gray as the door closes.

“Gale, Adrian, and I are going home.” I turn and look at Dravyn. “Make this a quick snatch and grab. Get our girl to Arcadia safely. Both of you.” We all start to move around the room, gathering what little we have to take with us. when suddenly, we all stop. Strong waves of emotions pass through our bond. Need. Lust. Longing. We all take a sharp inhalation of breath. My eyes search my brothers as we try to understand what’s happening. The urge to go to her is even stronger. My Dragon claws at my insides so hard that I grab at my chest to rub away the pain. Gale leans over the desk, taking deep breaths, his eyes shift to the emerald glow of his Dragon.

“This can’t be happening now,” Adrian says with a look of anguish on his face. He wraps his arms around himself, as if the action alone will hold him in place.

“She’s calling to us. Her body is calling to us,” Gale says through gritted teeth. I don’t know why it took me the longest to connect the dots, but I groan out loud in response to what they are saying.

“Now that she has Emerged, her Dragon is playing catch up. I didn’t expect this so soon. We aren’t ready," I say to them all.

This situation just went from complicated to a complete cluster fuck. Pun intended.

CHAPTERTWELVE

CORDELIA

Rough hands roam over my naked body. I know these hands. I open my eyes, and there they are, my mates. All four of them are within my reach. I’m safe. I never left my room, and I wonder if I had dreamed it all. The need and want is almost painful, it causes all thoughts of before to elude me. My body is in control, and it’s telling my brain to shut up and receive. I’ve never wanted to come so bad in my life.

Dravyn leans forward and takes my mouth in a scorching kiss. I open immediately allowing him deeper. Our tongues collide in a sensual battle of wills as I take what I need from him. I need, no, I want him. I need them all.

Why am I so hot? I think to myself.

Those thoughts slip away, carried off on the wind as Adrian takes my nipple between his teeth and bites down hard. Dravyn swallows my moans as I writhe underneath him. The pain and the pleasure wash over me as Torin takes my other nipple in his mouth. Warmth spreads and pools in my belly as he licks and sucks with such tenderness it brings tears to my eyes. In this moment, I am their universe, and they worship me like a goddess.

“Look how wet you are for us, gorgeous,” Gale says as he spreads my legs wide and slowly kisses his way up my thighs. Each touch and kiss leaves fire in its wake. I break off our kiss, panting, trying to catch my breath as Adrian takes Dravyn’s place.

---