Dragon 6 Chapter 4 (Patreon)

The lunch that Summer offered was a quick affair. My mates then hurried off with her outside to explore the giant terrace where the wedding would be held.

“You don’t seem that excited.” Maeve sat down next to me as I watched it all out the nearby window.

They were happy, even as they all debated this or that detail. I smiled, enjoying watching them fuss.

Evelyn came by and served us both tea, leaning far further over than she needed to and giving me a view down her shirt. She smiled when I couldn’t help but look, and then hurried off before Maeve scolded her.

“I’m thrilled to get married to each of them. I am not excited to pick out color swatches. They know that.” I took a sip; the tea was fantastic.

“So while they are doing this, what are you going to be doing here for a month?” Maeve asked.

“Sneaking off with whichever one of them isn’t involved at the moment and having a little fun?” I smirked, but I also meant it. I had been so busy lately, I hadn’t had a lot of time to spend with each of them. The month vacation would be great for reconnecting.

Maeve didn’t touch her tea, and I could tell she had an ask of me. I waited, letting her decide when she was ready. A look of determination filled her face as she peered up at me. “I would ask a favor of you.”

I raised a brow in question.

“My mother should have been back by now.” Maeve sighed. “Summer has been pushing me to become Queen and count my mother as dead, but I’m not ready for that.”

Fumbling my teacup, I managed to get it on the table without breaking it. “That’s big news.”

Maeve pursed her lips and looked out the window. “I want your help. You had my mother apologize three times, and that would have formed a connection between you two.”

“Of course, Maeve. I’ll help however I can. Just tell me.” I said it with certainty. Maeve had helped me on more than one occasion, and this was her mother.

“Careful what you say. It would involve going into the Fae Wilds. Your connection is about the only thing that will work out there. Even the wilds respect a promise said thrice.” Maeve didn’t take advantage of my answer, giving me an out.

“I’m sure. Need me to say it three times?” I hazarded, getting a small smile out of her.

“No.” She shook her head like it was ridiculous. “It’ll be a hard journey, but with you acting as a compass, we should be able to find her.”

I frowned. “If it is so hard to find things in the Fae Wilds, how do we get back?”

Maeve smiled. “Any fae worth their magic can go into the wilds and find their way out. Now, navigating within it, that’s a task that even a queen can’t do reliably. Those that figure out ways through the wilds are… odd.”

I could think of a single instance. “Like Ikta?”

Maeve scowled at me, using the Spider Queen’s name. “Yes, like… that woman. The wilds twist and wind upon themselves. Archways are made with the smallest of branches and vines. If you take one wrong step, you could end up in a completely unfamiliar area of the wilds. And you can’t just backtrack. You often have to go deeper in order to get back to where you started.”

What she described sounded like a riddle turned into actual land. Now I understand why they called it wild.

“Do you have a time that I should leave by?” I asked, looking out at my soon to be wives buzzing around the venue outside.

“Enjoy the time with your women. We don’t need to leave just yet. I need to prepare a few things. You can bring some of them, but only those who are marked by you.” Maeve looked me in the eye, as if searching to see if I had the resolve required.

“You make it sound like you’re coming with us.” I asked, surprised. “Don’t you have a war to lead?”

“We are just retreating repeatedly right now.” She shook her head. “Not much for me to do. Soon that will pause as Summer comes into the height of her power and the war takes a break. If that happens and my mother has yet to return, I have to take the throne and return the balance.”

I understood her hesitation to take on the throne. Leading the fae was a heavy burden, and it grew heavier if taking that responsibility meant declaring your mother dead.

I grabbed her hand. “We’ll find your mother.”

“I hope so.” She gave me a rare, full smile. “Excuse me then. I have no time to waste.”

Maeve got up, and Evelyn fell into line behind her Fall Lady.

“That looked intense.” Agent Till replaced Maeve. “Trouble in paradise?”

“Her mother needs to return for the stability of the fae realm and for the seasons in our world.” I explained simply. “There is a lot of weight on her until she does.”

Till nodded along. “Yeah, Helena has explained some of it to me. But whatever that included was more than just consoling her. She walked away happy, so you’ve given her some sort of support.”

I sighed. Till was an FBI agent; I should know that she’d be able to read situations well.

“I am able to hunt her mother down, unlike most others. Apparently, a trick I played on her mother has created a bond between us that works in the wilds.”

“No one else?” Till asked, surprised.

“Probably. Or at least, no one else that Maeve trusts as much as me. Besides, there are a few other perks to traveling the jungle with me.” I smirked.

The agent rolled her eyes. “Can you stop thinking about sex? Seriously, I swear I’m living with a bunch of horny teenagers that are chugging viagra. Like, do you realize that when you have some ‘fun’ at the Scalewright’s home, you literately shake the building?”

I gave her a flat stare. “I meant that I’m a giant dragon capable of killing most things and protecting her. Thanks for the information, though.”

“Oh.” The agent’s face turned beet red. “Can we forget what I just said?”

“Kind of hard to. Chugging Viagra? Does it come in liquid form now?” I asked.

She slapped her face into her palm. “No, it does not. I meant like pouring pills out of a bottle, but that’s not what you cared about. So, you are off on an adventure. As much as I’d love to, I’m on vacation. But you could take Helena. She’s not one to sit still for a day, much less a month. And I’m starting to worry that if we go back and they keep interrogating us, she’s going to rip somebody’s head off and make it so much worse. She could use a little adventure.”

I pictured it as Till said it, and I couldn’t say she was entirely wrong.

But her statement also made my mind swirl with the options of who I would bring with me. All the women would want to come, but we had a wedding to plan.

As much fun as it would be to bring Frank or Maddie for moral support, they were a liability. And Maddie would be in danger if she ever got separated; Vampires were currently the top enemy of the fae. And Morgana would be at the same risk. As badass as she was, she couldn’t bring her arsenal into the wilds with us.

“Penny for your thoughts?” Agent Till accepted a cup of coffee from one of the servers and just smelled it for a moment.

“I’m trying to decide who comes with and who stays here, working to organize everything.” I thought aloud and immediately ruled out the sisters, Jadelyn, and unfortunately Scarlett. Scarlett needed to figure out all the protocols and logistics for the wedding.

“Basically, I’m down to Sabrina, Helena and Kelly. The others will do better here.” I replied.

Till finally stopped smelling her coffee and took a sip. “Why not the dragons?”

I nodded, already knowing it was going to be a battle with my dragonettes to stay behind and not come to protect me. “Whoever comes needs to be marked, according to Maeve.”

“Why?” Till just kept asking questions, but I wasn’t against her pushing me to think this through.

Maeve hadn’t actually answered that, but I had a theory based on what she’d said about her mother and I. My guess was the mark created a similar bond that allowed us to find each other. I already could sense them even when they were halfway around the world.

“The bond I form when I mark someone is strong. We won’t get separated that way.”

“No. I mean, why not just mark the dragonettes? I mean, pretty sure they would fall over each other if you offered to mark them. Besides, if you don’t mark Poly soon, I’m a little concerned that she’s going to kill someone.” Till hid behind her cup of coffee after saying it.

She had a point.

I considered what she’d said. I wasn’t against marking the dragonettes. Part of me had hoped to use this vacation to get close enough to a few of them that I might call them mates by the end.

But marking them now would be doing it backwards. I’d be declaring them mine before we’d had a chance to truly get to that point. The beast in me growled, not seeming to understand the issue of claiming more beautiful women. And when it came to the dragonettes, we had been through a lot together. I enjoyed their company, and they did fit into my family.

“Okay, so we include the dragonettes in the running.” I said, leaning back and thinking about who I’d bring.

“Poly, Poly and Poly would be great.” The agent suggested.

I chuckled. “I got the feeling you would throw in a vote for Polydora.”

“I’d like not to die. And I’m definitely not going to be nearby if you end up telling her you’re taking one of the other dragonettes over her.” Agent Till did a mock shiver. “But it also makes sense. She’s the best fighter of the group, and I’m pretty sure whatever culture she grew up in starts with ‘Ancient’ and ends with a shit ton of badass skills.”

“She was an actual amazon.” I clarified for her.

“Shit. Like for real? Greek legends?” Till leaned forward, excited for more.

Shrugging, I couldn’t give her much more. I wasn’t super clear on the details myself. “All I know is that a number of the dragons were actually part of the ancient pantheons.”

“Who was Zeus?” Till asked excitedly, going down a new chain of questions.

I shrugged. “Not sure. If they were the leader back then, I would expect his abilities to have some sort of basis in gold. But he’s associated with lighting. Although, I guess it could be one of Bahamut’s reincarnations.” My mind started spinning with possibilities as I became curious. Bart might know. Or I could ask the reincarnations in my crystal.

My brain continued spiraling. If Bahamut was Zeus, would that make Hera Tiamat? They weren’t really married, but she would still probably be throwing a fit as he ran around sleeping with everyone else and sabotaging their relationship.

The more I thought about it, the more it felt right that Zeus had been one of Bahamut’s previous lives.

“Stop smiling. Spill.” Till seemed more excited about our new discussion. “I want to know if you are the son of Zeus.”

“Not directly. My actual parents went missing. But now that I think about it, Zeus was almost certainly Bahamut’s reincarnation, and Hera was Tiamat’s. They couldn’t have a child together without risking breaking the seal on Ikta, but Tiamut was probably as clingy as a typical wife in those times.”

“Huh.” The agent sat back. “That puts a new spin on it.”

“Fun to think about, but not particularly helpful here.” I pointed out. “So, here’s where I’m landing. We bring Poly, Helena, and Maeve. Who else?”

“You need one of the two healers, or at least, that would be the smart thing to do.” The agent pointed out the obvious.

“Trina.” I said maybe a little too quickly. I had nothing against Amira, but if I was wounded in the middle of the fae wilds, I wanted the dragon who had spent hundreds of years as a doctor.

“Honestly, that sounds like a pretty rockstar team.” Agent Till sounded proud of herself.

“Maybe. I’ll talk to Kelly and give her the option.” But even as I said it, I realized that she didn’t have her pack nearby to draw power from.

When I’d seen pack magic, it always strained and thinned over the distance, and I wasn’t sure just how alpha my alpha wolf was this far away from her pack.

The thought of the connection formed brought my mind back to the markings.

“This means I have to mark those two dragons.” I stated.

“And not get killed by the rest, as you do.” Agent Till smiled over her coffee.

“You’re enjoying this a little too much.” I teased her. “But thanks for thinking it through with me.”

I knew she didn’t have to come and try to help me.

She shrugged. “I’m part of ‘Team Dragon King’ now. Jadelyn even gave me a plushie. Not only do I finally get to solve cases that the rest of the FBI thinks are impossible, but I recognize that you need help too.”

“Do I now?” I asked, not loving the way she phrased the statement.

She put down her coffee and held up her hands. “You are twenty-one and currently being given responsibilities equal to or greater than heads of states. It’s okay to get some help. And it doesn’t help that the ‘state’ you represent is in hiding.”

I grunted, grudgingly agreeing that she was right. “Thankfully, I have such helpful advisers.”

Agent Till pointed to herself with a smile. “Oh? Helpful? Do say more.”

“I was talking about the ancient dragons.” Smirking, I felt a little better when she playfully wilted.

I looked back at my women. They’d moved a bit more around the area, but they were still talking about details.

A part of me was sad knowing I’d lose some of our vacation, but Maeve was a friend, and bringing her mother back was in the best interest of the broader world. It was hard to ignore.

“Well then, want me to go chase down two dragons? If you go out there…” Her eyes tracked over to the window where the girls were gathering down amid the vines. There was already sheer white cloth clinging to the terrace. “I’m not sure you’ll make it out without at least a few hours of wedding talk.”

“Yes, please.” I quickly replied, the speed of my answer making Till smirk.

As she started moving, I noticed that the agent had her normal blazer and trousers on, but she had pink fluffy slippers on her feet.

I couldn’t help snorting a laugh as she left.

“More food?” One of the summer fae came by with a selection of breakfast meats on her tray.

“Eh… why not? Put the whole thing down.” I shrugged. If I didn’t eat it all, then Poly would help me.

The server smiled as she gently placed the tray. “Is there anything else I can help you with?” She tucked her blonde hair behind her ears with a suggestive bite of her lip.

“No, thank you.” I felt bad, but I was far more interested in the food in front of me. If I had those types of needs, I had many women interested in working through them with me.

Polydora was the first to come into the room after Agent Till had gone to collect them.

She walked in with quick strides. Her red jacket sleeves were rolled up as she stepped through the door for a moment, scanning the room and finding me before hurrying over. “My apologies, My King. We got excited and left you without a guard.”

Trina wasn’t far behind her, but she had the disadvantage of much shorter legs.

I raised a brow before realizing that Till had likely made up an excuse. “That’s not why I needed you two.” I paused. “Maybe it is best if you both sit down for this one.”

Poly spun the chair around and sat in it backwards as she leaned on the back, using her arms as a rest for her chin.

Trina sat in her chair normally, crossing her legs and lacing her fingers in her lap.

Both of them looked stone cold serious.

I paused, trying to decide how to begin.

If I mentioned marking them, I was worried they wouldn’t hear a word that I said after it. So I started with the broader context.

“Maeve says because of the three apologies I received from her mother, I have the ability to track her mother down amid the wilds. And she has been gone too long. Maeve is concerned.” I started.

“My king, I’m not sure you understand just how dangerous the fae wilds are. There is a reason that our ancestors joined hands with two queens to banish Ikta. Now that she is free and has a particular interest in you, it is doubly dangerous.” Polydora stated quickly, leaning forward harder into the back of the chair.

Nodding along with her, I understood where she was going. “Besides getting lost, I’m sure there are all manner of beasts. But the winter fae are in a dire situation, and I’m prepared to help.”

The two dragons communicated through a few shared glances.

Trina spoke. “So you want to bring the two of us? A wise choice.” She nodded slowly and Polydora joined her in the motion.

She eyed me. “But that’s not all? What else is there? We are your guard. We will follow your lead.”

I cleared my throat. “The fae wilds are a confusing place, and it is helpful to have a way to keep our group together. Maeve suggested a way that I have access to.”

Trina’s face turned confused, but when her eyes widened to the size of saucers, I knew that she’d pieced it together.

Polydora, however, had not. “Spit it out.”

“I need to mark those going with me.” I braced.

As soon as I finished my sentence, it was punctuated by a loud groaning of warping metal as Polydora crushed her chair in surprise.

She had a wide grin plastered across her face even as she balanced on the ruined chair. “It would be my honor, my king! But I have a request.”