Page 68 of Fire and Fate
We fly for several minutes, soaring over forests and valleys and streams. I show her Embrath from above, the beauty of our kingdom spread out like a tapestry. The city with its white stone buildings, the terraced gardens cascading down mountainsides, the rivers winding through green valleys. This is what we've been protecting, what we've fought to keep safe.
Then I dip lower, heading toward a specific section of forest on the northern edge of our territory. The trees here are ancient, their trunks massive and their branches forming a canopy that blocks out most of the sunlight. It's peaceful and sacred, a place we've designated for honoring those we've lost.
We land in a small clearing, and I shift back to human form. Kaia slides off carefully, her legs slightly unsteady from the flight, Alessia landing beside us with Solace.
"This way," I say, leading them deeper into the clearing.
Small plaques of white marble dot the space, each one marking someone Embrath has lost over the centuries. Names are carved into the stone, along with dates and sometimes brief messages from loved ones. It's our memorial garden, the place we come to remember and mourn and honor those who are gone.
I nod toward a specific plaque, one I've visited countless times over the decades. Kaia follows my gesture, walking slowly toward it. When she's close enough to read the inscription, she stops, her hand covering her mouth.
"Is this for Isolde?" she asks through the mindlink, her mental voice thick with emotion.
"Yes," I confirm. "We set it here when we feared she wasn't coming back, when we finally accepted that she was truly gone. Her body isn't here, of course. We never found her remains. But we believe her spirit returned at some point, drawn back to the place she loved. It's most likely part of the magic that was calling you, her essence reaching out to her daughter."
Kaia's eyes fill with tears as she drops to her knees before the plaque. Her fingers trace over the carved letters of her mother's name, gentle and reverent. Then she looks back at Solace, who's moved to stand just behind her.
"My mom's here, Sol," Kaia says, her voice breaking. "It's all here. Everything is here. All the pieces of who she was, where she came from, the people who loved her. She's been here this whole time, waiting for me."
Solace kneels beside her, wrapping an arm around Kaia's shoulders. "She'd be so proud of you, princess. For finding your way here, for claiming your heritage, for being brave enough to leave everything behind to discover the truth."
Alessia and I shift back to human form completely, giving up our dragon bodies to stand as women before our mates. Kaiarushes toward me, throwing herself into my arms for kisses and hugs that I return eagerly. Then she does the same to Alessia, clinging to her with desperate gratitude.
"You will make a great queen, sweet girl," I tell her when she comes back to me. "With your mother's magic to guide you and the three of us behind you. You're already so strong, so brave. You're going to do amazing things for Embrath."
"Maybe it's too soon to say this," Kaia says, her voice trembling. "But I love you. Not just because of all this, not just because you brought me here and showed me my mother's memorial. But because you stood up to my father. You protected me and Solace when he threatened us. You made me feel safe for the first time in my life. And the magic, the bond between us, it feels so right. Like it was always meant to be this way."
My chest tightens with emotion. "I love you too," I say firmly. "I've loved you since the moment I smelled your scent in our bed, since I watched you ride through our gates in Solace's arms. You're everything we've been waiting for and more than we ever imagined."
"I love you too, Kaia," Alessia adds, coming to stand beside us. "You've brought light back into our lives, hope we thought we'd lost. You're precious beyond measure."
"And I love you," Solace says quietly. "I've loved you for years, princess. But now I get to say it out loud, get to claim you openly. That's a gift I never thought I'd receive."
Kaia turns back toward the plaque, her tears flowing freely now. She walks to it slowly, kneeling before it again. Her hands press flat against the white marble, and she leans forward until her forehead rests against the stone.
"Mom," she whispers. "I'm home. I'm sorry we didn't have more time together, sorry I didn't know the truth while you were still alive. But I'm home now, okay? I found Embrath. I found your people. I found my mates, the ones the magic chose for me.And I'm going to make you proud. I'm going to be the queen you would have wanted me to be, the daughter who honors your memory by living freely and loving completely. I'm home, Mom. Finally, I'm home."
The wind rustles through the trees, and for just a moment, I swear I feel Isolde's presence. Not physically, but spiritually. A warmth in the air, an approval, a mother's love reaching across the veil to touch her daughter one last time. Then it's gone, leaving only peace behind.
Kaia stays there for a long time, communing with her mother in whatever way feels right to her. The three of us give her space, standing back and letting her have this private moment. This is her grief, her closure, her chance to say goodbye to the woman who shaped her even if she couldn't tell her the whole truth.
Finally, Kaia stands, wiping her tears away. She looks lighter somehow, like a burden has been lifted. When she turns back to us, there's peace in her expression despite the tear tracks on her cheeks.
"Thank you," she says simply. "For bringing me here, for showing me this. It means everything."
"You're welcome," I say. "And you can come back whenever you need to. This place will always be here for you."
Six Months Later
Kaia
Six months have passed since I found my mother's memorial, since I truly accepted Embrath as home. Six months of learning to be a queen, of understanding dragon politics and magic, of growing into the person I was always meant to be. But apparently, there's one aspect of queenship I haven't quite grasped yet.
"And when will you have the royal heirs?" Lady Thera asks during our afternoon tea in the garden. She's one of the elder dragons, a noble who's been advising the throne for decades. "Everyone is waiting! The prophecy is fulfilled, you're properly bonded, and yet there's been no announcement of younglings on the way."
I sigh dramatically, setting down my teacup with perhaps more force than necessary. "Is that really something we need to discuss right now? We've been bonded for six months. That's hardly any time at all."
Alessia grins from across the table, clearly amused by my discomfort. "It's not for lack of trying, I can assure you. But the magic isn't ready yet. These things happen on their own timeline, not ours."
