Page 64 of The Exiled Dragon

“Dad?” I heaved in a heavy breath.

“There’s my princess.” Both of our eyes became glassy. My legs took me to where my father stood, and I reached around his neck and pulled him close.

“Oh, dad!” I cried into his shoulder. His lips kissed the side of my head. Something he always did when he was proud of me. “How are you here? Everything is so crazy; I don’t know what…” My voice cracked, taking in the deep smell of his old cigar he tried so desperately to hide and the brandy that still tainted his breath. “How are you here?!” I begged again.

His hand pushed back my crazy curls; his eyes filled with sincerity. I took a mental picture of his bright blue eyes and the tiny crow’s feet that had visibly gone away. He was so healthy, his skin glowed and even his upper body looked stronger.

“I guess those drunken nights telling you about Dragons and faraway places was worth telling, eh?” I let him go.

“You knew about this place? This Bergarian place?” I muttered. His smile came down to pursed lips, and he glances over to the Dragons now curled around each other. They both laid their heads on each other’s backs, not caring for the conversation unfolding.

“I didn’t know the name, and I didn’t know how to get there, but I made a friend in Ireland who was a Dragon.” My eyes widened. “I saw him flying over one day as I hiked in the nearby woods. All the locals stayed away, saying it was haunted, but you know I needed an adventure and, behold, I found one!” He threw his head back and laughed. “He appeared right before me, thinking I would run away, but I didn’t. I stood there and tried to capture every detail with my mind before he mindlessly ripped me to pieces, but he didn’t.” Dad winked, causing me to laugh.

“There was an entire tribe of them.” He waved his hand. “They were hidden by magic and for some strange reason, this Dragon Shifter thought I was safe to bring back with him. He said he felt something,” Dad put his hand to his chest, “in here, that I was supposed to be there.” Dad pulled me to the side of the woods, the Dragons now sleeping peacefully. I didn’t think twice about leaving them because they had each other to look after.

Dad lead me through the forest until a cliff appeared, showing the large lands before us. For miles, you could see castles, one that looked like the Golden Light Kingdom in the distance, the darker area to the south, and many forests with birds flying in the air.

“They explained to me a land such as this, the Fairytales that were true, about gods and soulmates.” Dad waved his hand. “The Dragon dared say that I even had a mate, rare for a human, but that I had one! I wanted to go find her. It sounded too good to be true, but the Dragon, known as Rozure, said it was not my time to have her. That my mate was no longer here in either realm. She had passed away from a sickness. My mate, Sorin, had come to Rozure, her brother, in a dream, telling him the Fates would bring me here and was to give him the message. That I was to make a choice, that their Moon Goddess could pair me with another Dragon mate or wait for her like she had decided to do for me.”

Father bit his lips, picking up a stone below his feet and throwing it over the cliff. “I chose to wait until the next lifetime, for her.”

“You had a mate all along? Then why did you go with my birth mother?”

Father winced. “She is not your mother,” he spat. “A vessel that carried you, but nothing more.” Father’s eyes furrowed. “She was a dumb prostitute that spiked my drink the night before I went venturing into the woods. She stole my money, she did. Once she found out she was pregnant, she sought me out, and I took care of her because of you.” Father pulled me into his embrace, his lips touching my hair. “I knew you were my daughter the first time I laid eyes on you. I didn’t ask for a DNA test because I knew I would always be your father. I wanted to protect you, keep you away from her, so I kept you hidden as soon as I heard she went to try and awaken some sort of witch gene in her body.” Both of my dad’s hands landed on my shoulder.

“She wanted you back when you turned sixteen. I had a spell placed on our apartment. Even if I wasn't there, I thought you'd be safe. I’m sorry I didn’t tell you all this sooner!” His voice cracked. I pulled him back into my arms, the brandy seeping through my nose.

“It’s not your fault. You thought I was safe. You got so sick you didn’t even know your own name.” I chuckled. “Everything has worked out just fine. I’ve got a mate too,” I sniffed.

“That you do.” His laugh went through his bones. “And I approve. He is a magnificent Dragon.” A moment of silence went between us as we watched the setting sun.

“Do I get to meet your mate?” I cooed. “The one you waited until your death to meet? It’s pretty romantic.” I clasped my hands together, looking up at him dreamily.

“You want to meet her, huh?” I nodded. “It’s hard to believe that I have a mate, and a Dragon to a male human, well, was a human,” he smirked. I choked.

“You are a Dragon too now!?” Father laughed, head turning to the woods.

“Not as impressive as your Dragon, but a Dragon, nonetheless .” Father’s arm raised, his palm facing up, waiting. Sorin, with chestnut brown hair and golden highlights, came walking out in a blue sundress. Father gripped her hand, pulling her towards me. “Nice to meet you.” Her voice carried through the cliffs. “You are more beautiful than I imagined.”

“Wow, I’m so glad he waited.” I took her hand in mine. “Because I don’t think I’ve ever seen him this happy.” Her smile brightened, giggling at my cheesy lines.

“Me too, so happy that he did.” Her hand trailed his cheek, which immediately turned red. My dad was such a hopeless romantic. “I hope we can be one happy family, even if it’s only in your dreams for now.”

“So, this is all going to disappear when I wake up? You and dad?” Both of them looked at each other, clenching hands.

“We will be in here, princess.” He pointed to my heart. “Now that you are a Dragon supernatural , you can see us in dreams much more vividly, just like we are really there.” My sad smile wobbled.

“Hey, princess, don’t cry.” Dad’s arms wrapped around me. “We will always be there for you,” he whispered. “There are a lot of challenges for the both of you to come. Just know you are strong, you always have been, but now you have got the brawn. You aren’t just a helpless human in a world full of supernatural powers. Creed gave you this, wanted you to have it so he could always have you.” I sniffed, my eyes looking over his shoulder and at Sorin.

“We will always be here,” she whispered. “But now you must go.”

I shook my head, holding tightly to dad. “No, not just yet,” I begged.

“Your mate is waiting.” Father kissed my cheek. Before he came back into my line of vision, he and Sorin had faded into the setting sun. The heavy breathing behind me held that of Creed and my Dragon, both lowering their heads and touching each side of my face.

Chapter Forty

Odessa

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