Page 23 of The Dragon King's Awakening

"The ritual chamber is prepared," Racha announces, returning her attention to us.

"Wait, how did you…" Rachel glances at the door, where no assistant has appeared."You didn't make any calls."

Racha taps her temple with a smile."Dragons can communicate telepathically, especially within a bonded network.Once you complete your marking bond, you'll share the same connection with these two."Her gaze shifts between Zahraxis and me."Though I suspect you've already felt hints of it."

She's right.The way Rachel can sense our emotions, the pull between us that's been there since the beginning—it's more than just attraction or intuition.

"The healing ritual will take several hours," Racha continues."Given what's coming, we need you at full strength, Ancient One."Her eyes meet each of ours in turn."All of you.The combined marking bond will amplify your collective power."

"And if we refuse?"Zahraxis asks, though there's less challenge in his voice than before.

"Then you're welcome to try healing naturally," Racha says with a shrug."But when the Titans come—and they will come—you'll wish you hadn't let pride stand in the way of power."

Rachel squeezes Zahraxis' hand."We've come this far.What's a few more hours of magical sex if it helps save the world?"

I barely contain my laugh while Corey mutters something that sounds suspiciously like, "That should be the school's motto."

"Very well," Zahraxis says, his formal tone at odds with the way his aura pulses with anticipation."We accept your guidance, my queen."

"Not accept—choose," Racha corrects gently."That's the difference between then and now, Ancient One.We choose our paths, our mates, our battles."She gestures for us to follow."Now, shall we begin?"

I feel Rachel's mix of nervousness and excitement as we move toward the door.But there's no hesitation in her step, no doubt in her aura.When she looks up at me, her gaze is awestruck.I reach down between us and pinch her backside.

"Ow!What was that for?"

"Just wanted to make sure you know you're not dreaming.You're going to be our mate, Rachel."

She cocks one eyebrow while we wait for the elevator again."The way I see it, the two of you will bemine."

Chapter13

Rachel

The descent feels different than our earlier rise to the Queen's office.Both dragons seem more at ease as the elevator carries us deeper beneath the city, as if drawing closer to the earth's core settles something primal in their nature.Zahraxis even relaxes his death grip on my hand, though his thumb still traces idle patterns against my skin that send shivers up my arm.

"You two look more comfortable going down than up," I observe.

Finn's lips quirk."Dragons are creatures of fire.The deeper we go toward the Earth's core, the more we feel its power."His eyes gleam with banked heat."Especially now."

The elevator opens directly into a vast chamber that steals my breath.Veins of jade in every shade imaginable stretch as far as I can see—deep forest green bleeding into seafoam, shot through with ribbons of gold and midnight blue.The stone's surface ripples like water frozen in mid-flow.No, not frozen; the stone itself seems alive, undulating in patterns that suggest both liquid grace and flames licking at the air.The effect is hypnotic, making it impossible to tell where one curve ends and another begins.

In the center of the chamber, a raised platform draws my gaze.The jade here has been shaped into something like a massive chaise or bench, its edges smooth and inviting despite the hard material.Around the chamber's perimeter, I count perhaps a dozen dragons in human form, their auras pulsing with carefully contained power.

My steps falter."I didn't realize we'd have an audience."

"They're here to help channel healing energy," Racha explains.At my obvious discomfort, she exhales a long stream of green smoke that coalesces into a shimmering curtain around the platform.The barrier sparkles like diamond dust caught in sunlight.

"You won't see or hear anything beyond the veil unless you choose to," she says."And they won't perceive anything from their side."Her green eyes meet mine."The stone will amplify their power, feeding it into your bond as it forms.The rest..."A small smile plays at her lips."Well, I suspect you three have that part figured out."

Zahraxis makes a low sound of impatience, his skin already beginning to ripple with scales.The raw need in his golden gaze when he looks at me makes my knees weak.Finn's hand settles at the small of my back, steadying me even as his touch sends fresh heat coursing through my body.

"Shall we?"he murmurs close to my ear.

I manage a shaky nod, and they guide me toward the platform.The moment we pass through the smoke barrier, the rest of the world falls away.The only sound is our breathing and the faint hum of power from the jade beneath our feet.

The jade chamber breathes around us, its living stone rippling with anticipation.

We're alone in our own pocket of space, but the air itself feels charged with possibility.When I activate my dragon sight, I can see threads of power weaving through the stone like veins of precious metal, waiting to be tapped.

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