Page 36 of Fire and Fate
I climb onto the bed carefully, positioning myself beside Kaia. The mattress is softer than anything I've ever felt, the linens finer than anything in the Valorian palace. Alessia remains standing on the other side, her hand resting lightly on the footboard as she watches us.
"She'll be fine," Alessia says gently, her voice carrying that same warmth as her smile. "She's in pre-heat right now, which means her body is preparing but hasn't fully committed yet. But she's in no condition to be traveling. The next stage will hit soon, within hours probably, and she'll need to be somewhere safe and stable when it does."
I don't answer because I'm not sure how to. What do I say to these dragon queens who are looking at my Omega like she's precious, like she belongs to them? What do I say when part ofme recognizes that look because I wear it myself every time I look at Kaia?
I just know that she's safe here in this moment, that we are somehow now in the presence of two powerful Alpha queens on display and at their mercy. We should be terrified. By all rights, we should be prisoners or dead. But it doesn't feel like the end of the line. It almost feels like the beginning of something I can't even name yet.
Zara crosses the room to stand beside Alessia, and the way they move together speaks of years of partnership, of knowing each other's rhythms and spaces. Zara's hand finds Alessia's waist naturally, and Alessia leans into the touch without thought. There's something beautiful about watching them together, something that makes me ache with a longing I don't understand.
"Alessia, let them rest," Zara says quietly. "We can question them later. They've traveled far and been through enough for one day."
Alessia nods, but she doesn't move immediately. Her eyes linger on Kaia, drinking in every detail like she's trying to memorize her features. Then she looks at me, and the intensity of her gaze makes my breath catch. "If you need anything, anything at all, pull that cord by the bed. Someone will come immediately. Food, water, more blankets, whatever you need."
"Thank you," I manage, my voice coming out rougher than I intended.
They move toward the door together, Zara's hand still at Alessia's waist. Just before they leave, Alessia looks back one more time, and the expression on her face is so full of hope and wonder. Then they're gone, the door closing softly behind them, and I'm alone with Kaia in a dragon queen's castle.
I slide down to lie beside Kaia, careful not to jostle her too much. She turns toward me immediately, seeking my warmthand scent even in her semi-conscious state. I wrap my arms around her, pulling her close, and finally, finally let myself breathe.
"We made it, Sol," Kaia murmurs against my shoulder, her voice thick with exhaustion and residual heat. "We actually made it."
Kaia
Iwake slowly, awareness filtering in through layers of warmth and comfort that feel almost foreign after days of hard travel. The bed beneath me is impossibly soft, the linens smooth against my skin, and there's an arm wrapped around my waist that anchors me to consciousness. I stretch languidly, every muscle protesting the movement after so many days on horseback, and breathe in deeply.
"You smell good," I murmur, still half-asleep. Solace's scent surrounds me, familiar and grounding, but there's something else underneath it. Something that makes my body hum with recognition even through the fog of exhaustion.
"I think we found your Alphas, princess," Solace says quietly, her voice rumbling against my back where I'm pressed against her chest. "Queens of another kingdom, but definitely yours."
The words filter through my sleepy mind slowly, piecing together with fragmented memories. The scale. The overwhelming scent. Collapsing. Being carried. Two women with eyes that saw straight through me. My heart starts to beat faster as reality reasserts itself.
"Yours too," I say, turning in her arms to look at her face. She looks tired, shadows under her eyes that speak of a sleepless night spent watching over me. But there's something else there too, something that looks almost like wonder mixed with fear.
"No, baby," Solace says firmly, though I can hear the uncertainty underneath. "They're not mine. I'm a Beta. This prophecy, this bond, it's for you and them. I'm just here to protect you."
I start to argue, to tell her she's wrong, but then I catch movement across the room and my breath catches in my throat. The two women from yesterday, the dragon queens, sit on a lounge at the edge of the bed. They're even more breathtaking in the morning light than they were in my heat-addled memories.
The blonde one, Alessia I think she said her name was, is draped across the other queen's lap with casual intimacy. She's wearing a flowing dress in pale blue that brings out the golden tones in her skin, and her hair falls in loose waves over her shoulders. The sunlight streaming through the windows catches the honey highlights, making her look almost ethereal. Her eyes are warm when they meet mine, soft brown with flecks of gold that seem to glow with their own light.
The other queen, Zara, sits with perfect posture despite having Alessia draped across her. She's dressed more formally in dark pants and a fitted top that shows off her athletic build. Her black hair is pulled back from her face, revealing sharp cheekbonesand a strong jawline. Her eyes are darker than Alessia's, almost black, but they hold the same warmth even if it's tempered with wariness. There's power in the way she holds herself, command and authority that makes my Omega instincts want to submit even as another part of me bristles at the thought.
They're both stunning in completely different ways, and together they create a picture of such perfect balance that it makes my chest ache.
"Solace comes with me," I blurt out, the words tumbling over themselves. "We're a package deal. I won't stay if she has to leave. I won't bond with anyone who won't accept her too."
Alessia laughs, the sound dancing through the room. She sits up slightly, though she doesn't leave Zara's lap. "I have no intention of separating you two. The bond includes you both. We found both your scents, both your presences. You belong together."
"As long as Solace doesn't disrespect this kingdom, there's no reason to make her leave our bed," Zara adds, her voice calm and measured. Her hand rests possessively on Alessia's hip, fingers splayed across the fabric of her dress.
I feel heat flood my cheeks at the casual way she says our bed, like it's already decided, like I've already agreed to this. I look between them, trying to process everything, trying to understand how my life went from being offered as a prize to suitors I didn't want, to this. To two dragon queens casually discussing sharing their bed with me and my Beta.
I scramble to my feet, suddenly aware that I'm still in my travel-stained clothes, that I probably smell like days of riding and the Shadowlands and heat. I bow my head out of respect, the way I was taught at court, but the movement is too fast and my vision swims. My legs, still weak from yesterday's collapse, buckle beneath me.
Alessia moves faster than I can track, suddenly there to catch me before I hit the floor. One moment she's across the room, the next her arms are around me, steadying me against her chest. I sag against her, unable to help it, and her scent washes over me completely. It's even better up close, warm and sweet with an underlying spice that makes my mouth water. My body recognizes her on an instinctive level that bypasses all logic and reason.
She presses a kiss to the top of my head. "I've waited a long time for you," she murmurs against my hair. “And as our Omega, you don’t need to bow.”
She tightens her hold on me, holding me like I'm precious, like I'm worth waiting centuries for, and I don't know what to do with that. No one's ever held me like this except Solace. No one's ever made me feel like I was worth more than my title or my designation.
