Chapter 42

Grace

“I didn’t mean to stare.” Said Terra. “I just knew with a name like that, he Had to be like you guys.”

“I mean… he’s a Keybler Elf, you aren’t wrong, but with different peoples come different cultures. Ear staring in their culture is rude, but you didn’t know that.” Said Aureus.

“Just if you can help it… don’t stare. We chastised him too. Instead of saying anything to clarify it, he yelled at you.” I said taking the rest of her cookies… if she didn’t want them, I would Gladly save them from going stale.

I can’t really Have them in large quantities, but it didn’t matter.

“Well, he’s gone, his ear’s fixed, and I got 2%. All’s good.” He smiled.

“It’s 6. Go ahead and go home. Oh, and the rebels have ben… dealt with…. Much faster than I thought it would…. You’re safe now, but Othek likes the neighborhood… He means to make a sheep farm.” Aureus facepalmed.

“Well, sometimes it isn’t about the money sir.” She smiled.

“To be fair, I kind of want to See what variety he’ll raise. There are a few that aren’t afraid of us.” I said thinking about the island… there were also Rainbow Wool sheep, cultivated by the earth elves. Those sheep had patches of fur of every color, and their yarn was soft, and hypoallergenic.

“After I finish sending these emails, I’ll-” He cut her off.

“You should go home. Email Mr. Weathers in the morning at your house. He won’t read it until he gets to his office anyway. And if you’re curious, he’s a male witch who hails to the Lady of Wind, Freeya.” He smiled. “Plus, I’m going to be gone from tonight and over the weekend.”

Today was Thursday…It made me curious what he was planning.

“Wow… that sounds cool.” She said getting up. He didn’t have to tell her twice.

“I think the story goes that witches were all made by different gods, though the Lord of Light made none. He’d forbid the creation of them, yet in secret many were made. They call on to who made them, and each coven, even those who worship the same deity, have different cultures. His is a freely loving, hippie coven who float around and make holistic products. He means to expand here, but I need to talk to Lord Rekon, the local Coven here. They hail to Lia, the Earth Goddess, and they don’t interfere with the human world at all.” Said Aureus.

“Wait…. Should I know this?” She asked.

“No, but you’re under my direct protection. So long as I am King, none will harm you.” Said my mate. He looked at her like he looks at his cat.

/She is not your pet./ I said linking him as silently as I could.

/I mean… She Kind of is…. If I didn’t see her this way, she wouldn’t be sitting here./ he complained. /Also thank you for the whisper… it doesn’t hurt at all anymore. / She indeed could not hear any of his rumbles, but I think she could feel it.

“What is That?” She asked. Indeed…. Her cup’s last bit of coffee rippled with his rumbles.

“Dragons can communicate long distances by rumbling. It’s too low to hear, but I didn’t realize you could feel it.” He said walking.

“I’ve felt it before, but I never paid any attention to it.” She said with a smile.

We held hands, and Terra rode with us. Othek stood in the garage, waiting for her.

/What are you doing?/ Demanded Aureus with crossed arms.

“I know this is a bit peculiar, but since Terra’s car is in the shop, I would like to ask if she would like a ride.” He asked with a bow. It was one to his king, as he held his hand over his heart, and he bowed to his waist.

/You better not be manipulating the human./ He warned the dragon’s way. “That better be your only intention Third.” He said in English, I assume as a warning for Terra.

“No, I have grown children, and no more concubines. I’m Done with children, and Fuck I’m Even More Done with Women.” He complained, snorting steam.

“Then Terra if you want, go ahead. If not, I can take you home.” Offered Aureus.

I could tell she was a little offended that they spoke of her like a pet, but she was professional about it.

“I kind of want to hear why you don’t want another…. Concubine?” She said in confusion.

“It’s a long story. I was Greedy was the short of it.” He said rolling his eyes. He escorted her to his orange Bently…. The same color as his scales. That seemed to be the common theme, but as I was escorted to my mate’s gold car… He grinned.

“I don’t know why it happens, but dragons just Like things the same color as them. My horde is full of gold trinkets, some of which aren’t even gold…like goldstone, citrine, yellow sapphires, pyrite, and of course polished brass statues. I take at least 8 hours a month to polish them myself… it’s cathartic.” He smiled.

“Interesting… Wolves don’t care about trinkets. You’d have warmed up my father more with meat than the gold.” I smiled.

“I kind of knew that…. But I didn’t want to trade someone so priceless for MoundShire Farms hickory bacon.” He laughed.

“See you started something. I wasn’t even hungry.” I complained.

“We can eat on the flight.” He said casually.

I looked at him…. His smile was So proud. “Let me guess…. You own a private jet.” I said this shaking my head.

“I mean… you’re a wolf but you own a car.” He countered. “Hell, you can teleport too, something no one is really able to do, even witches.”

“I left it back at the pack.” I said thinking out loud. I completely forgot about that thing.

“What kind of car do you want?” He asked.

Adam likely had my old Nissan. It was the Gamma car after all. “Just a reliable car. I don’t want something fast or sporty.” I said truthfully. “Get me a Honda Civic.”

“I’ll get you a Corvette.” He said with a grin.

“I won’t drive it.” I said with a smile.

“A gaudy, metallic gold wrapped Corvette with spoilers.” He said this evilly. “With solid gold rims.”

“Oh my gods.” I facepalmed. “Tell me what happened to Othek?”

“Oh, you want to hear the Juice. WELL, Othek had 3 concubines… His first got killed by a hunter several thousand years ago, but his first concubine had his strongest sons, Chad and Brad… He didn’t claim them. Othek O’sairus had Gem Scaled Children and Hid it from father… I didn’t even Know he was my brother until the meeting.” I cut him off.

“Who Aren’t you related too?” I asked.

“I don’t know… I was told father has 243 known bastards, and about half are unclaimed, just flying around out there.” He grumbled. “He claimed him as a council member, but refused to acknowledge the children, and keep them hidden from court affairs when he Did. My nephews work for the police force somewhere in Jentucky or Tennessaw.

We got on the interstate now that we were out the city. It seemed the airport we were going to, wasn’t the closest one.

“But that’s not the juiciest part. The Biggest portion of this was that his other two concubines Knew of the twins, and sought to kill them about 3 months ago… Those twins had been out the picture since their 20’s or so… but regardless, the living concubines of Course wanted to make sure Their kid was Heir. Father accidently created that situation, because until Then, he hadn’t asked any of the Council who they were naming as their heirs.”

“Chad and Brad killed the concubines’ sons, didn’t they?” I said seeing him nod.

“Yeah, But the concubines left also turned on each other, and wound up getting their den burned down. Their spontaneous fight in the sky last week attracted hunters…. And a mass evacuation ensued. There were a thousand dragons in their little village, but only about 850 made it. So hundreds of people died from a dragoness fight, and with all his children dead except his bastards…”

He continued, pausing to make a right.

“That did Not go well with the survivors, and they now serve Sainevvi…. He needs to claim them in order to have an heir for his seat. He doesn’t Want to, because his first concubine wasn’t officially registered, and the mistress of Arbon, the Steel Scale…. The Eighth Seat. He’d committed a Crime, and as King, father would have had to punish him. Plus, neither son is keen on helping him, since they were not claimed.”

“So he has no heir, no mates… no den… And probably needs to find someone who will sire him children.” I mumbled.

“He’s banking on turning around his sons. I doubt it though. They lived their lives without influence of the crown. It would not make any sense to keep trying, but I won’t get involved.” He grumbled.

“Maybe you should?” I asked. “All council members should have at least One heir… otherwise there may be a large power grab if he dies.” I said thinking out loud… I knew I wasn’t wrong about this either.

Council seats for dragons were Just like wolves. The Seat number is its own throne. Having an heir is important, since numbers Don’t change, and bloodlines stay the Same number regardless of the death of a member… unless they’re defeated… or in Othek’s case, dying without an official replacement….

“I’ll think about it. Right now, We’re going to Alaskeh.” He smiled.