Page 65 of Fire and Fate
The fires are dying down now as the soldiers get further from Embrath proper. Kaia sits up slightly, her eyes tracking the flames. "But the fire isn't scorching anything," she observes, confusion mixing with her grief. "The grass is still green, the trees aren't burning. But the Alphas that always came back to Valoria were burned, scarred. They told stories of fire that consumed everything it touched."
"Our fire has many different forms," I explain, stroking her hair gently. "We can create fire that burns physically, that consumes and destroys. That's what we use in battle when weneed to kill, when defending ourselves against true threats. But we have other fires too. Magical fires that burn in different ways, that cause pain without permanent damage. You remember we mentioned that hurting others is a last resort for us. We don't enjoy causing suffering, we don't take pleasure in violence. But sometimes lessons need to be taught."
"My father needed to be taught a lesson," Kaia says quietly. It's not quite a question, more like she's testing the words, seeing how they feel.
"Your father must be taught that actions have consequences," I agree. "That he can't steal dragons, can't send warriors to kill us, can't treat people as property without eventually facing justice. But we don't want to kill him. Dying would be a sweet reward, an escape from accountability. He doesn't deserve that easy exit, not for taking one of our own and keeping her prisoner for decades."
Solace moves to stand beside the window, her eyes tracking the retreat below. "The warriors who came back burned were the ones who attacked first," she says quietly. "The ones who tried to kill dragons rather than negotiate. They earned their scars through violence. But your father isn't being given scars. He's being given a reminder, a constant pain that will follow him for the rest of his life but won't actually harm him physically."
"Is that better or worse?" Kaia asks, her voice small. "Never being able to escape the pain, always feeling like you're burning even though you're not?"
"That depends on your perspective," I say honestly. "For someone who caused as much suffering as your father has, who destroyed as many lives, I think it's appropriate. He'll live, he'll be able to function and rule if Valoria still accepts him as king. But he'll never forget what he did, never escape the consequences. Every moment will be a reminder of his crimes."
Kaia is quiet for a long time, watching the scene unfold below. The Valorian forces have reached the mountain pass now, scrambling through with desperate urgency. Zara follows them to the entrance but doesn't pursue further. She stays at the threshold, a guardian making sure they actually leave.
Frederik is the last one through, still clutching at himself and screaming. His soldiers have to practically drag him, pulling him away from Embrath toward the relative safety of the Shadowlands. Even from here, I can see the hatred on his face, the promise of revenge. This isn't over for him. He'll carry this grudge until his dying day.
But he won't be able to act on it. Not now that the passage is being sealed, not now that Embrath knows to expect further aggression from Valoria. We'll be ready next time, prepared to defend ourselves without mercy if necessary.
"I gave up my kingdom," Kaia says eventually. "I stood in front of all those soldiers and told them I wanted nothing to do with Valoria. They'll tell everyone what happened here, what I said. I can never go back now, can I?"
"Not as princess," I admit. "You've essentially abdicated by choosing us over your birthright. But Kaia, you can go back as our mate, as one of Embrath's queens if you want to. We can forge new relationships with Valoria once Frederik is gone, once new leadership takes over. You're not banned from your homeland, you've just chosen a different path."
"Do you regret it?" Solace asks quietly. "Giving up your claim to that throne?"
Kaia turns to look at both of us, her eyes red from crying but clear with certainty. "No. I don't regret it at all. That kingdom was built on lies and cruelty and greed. My father proved that today. He admitted he only took my mother for wealth, that he never loved her or me, that we were always just tools to him.Why would I want to rule a place created by that kind of man? Why would I want to perpetuate his legacy?"
"Then you've made the right choice," I say firmly. "And we'll support you in it completely. You're ours now, Kaia. Our Omega, our mate, our family. Embrath is your home if you want it to be."
"I want it to be," she says, fresh tears spilling down her cheeks. "I want to stay here with you and Zara and Solace. I want to learn how to be a dragon, how to access the magic my mother gave me. I want to help build something better than what my father created. I want to be part of something good for once in my life."
Kaia
Iwait near the courtyard entrance when Zara finally returns, my naked queen stepping through with the confidence of someone who's just accomplished something monumental. Her skin is streaked with soot and sweat, evidence of the magical fire she wielded and the dragon form she maintained for so long. But despite the obvious exhaustion in the set of her shoulders, she looks happy. Satisfied in a way that speaks of justice delivered and threats neutralized.
I go down to greet her immediately, my bare feet silent on the stone steps. The afternoon sun is warm on my skin, and I'm acutely aware that I'm wearing only a thin robe that does little to hide my body. But no one here cares about such things. Nudityand near-nudity are normal, natural, nothing to be ashamed of or hidden.
Zara's eyes find me as I approach, and her expression softens. She opens her arms and I walk into them gratefully, pressing my face against her chest and breathing in her scent. Smoke and magic and something uniquely her, a combination that makes me feel safe and grounded.
"Your father will never return to Embrath, sweet girl," she says quietly, her hand stroking down my back. "The passage is sealed with magic that will hold for centuries. You're safe here now. But should you ever desire to return to Valoria, to reclaim what you left behind or simply to visit, we will be at your sides. No one will force you to stay away from your homeland if you want to see it again."
I think about that, really consider it. There are a few happy memories in Valoria, scattered among the years of control and disappointment. Moments with my mother before she died, baking in the kitchens with the cooks who always snuck me extra sweets, afternoons in the gardens with Solace learning to fight. The castle staff who showed me kindness when my father showed me nothing but criticism.
I'll miss those people, miss the familiar halls and gardens where I grew up. There's a part of me that will always be connected to that place, for better or worse. But that part is small, overshadowed by the relief of being free from my father's control and the joy of finally belonging somewhere.
"No, I think I'll be happy in my place here," I say, pulling back to look up at Zara's face. "I like the magic here, the way it feels alive and welcoming rather than oppressive. And knowing my mother was a dragon, that half my blood comes from Embrath, it makes me feel like I belong here in a way I never belonged in Valoria. Like I was always meant to find my way home eventually."
Zara's smile is warm and genuine, her hand coming up to cup my face. "Then you will be mine, and Alessia's, and Sol's. And you will be a queen of Embrath, ruling alongside us as equals. Your voice will matter, your decisions will shape this kingdom, and your people will love you as we do."
The word people sends a thrill through me. My people. Not my father's subjects that I was supposed to smile at and wave to but never truly connect with. My people, dragons who will look to me for leadership and guidance, who will accept me as one of their own despite my mixed blood.
I smile up at Zara, feeling happiness bubble up inside me like champagne. Then I glance down at my shoulders, noticing something I hadn't seen before. My skin is shimmering slightly in the afternoon light, subtle iridescence that catches and reflects like scales. The colors shift as I move, gold and cream and hints of the same shades my mother's dragon form apparently carried.
"I wish I could have had more time with my mother," I say, my voice catching slightly with emotion. "To learn what she knew about being a dragon, about the magic we carry, about this place she came from. But I'll be satisfied knowing that I came back to the place she wanted me to be, even if it means leaving everything else behind. Maybe she's here somehow, watching, seeing that I made it home."
Zara laughs, the sound rich and full. She pulls me into her chest again, tilting my face up so she can kiss me soundly. Her lips are warm and claiming, the kiss deep enough to make my toes curl and my body respond with immediate heat. When she finally pulls back, I'm breathless and flushed.
Dragons around us start whooping and yelling, their voices carrying across the courtyard. I'd forgotten we have an audience, so focused on Zara that everything else faded away. But now I can see them gathering, dozens of dragons in human formwatching us with expressions ranging from joy to curiosity to satisfaction.
