Page 36 of Ruling in Flames (Reborn 5)
The strong inclination of her head and the confidence radiating off of her were new and growing. I wanted to protect that strength. I would willingly spend my life doing everything for her, but I could tell it made her feel empowered to do things for herself, and after everything she’d been through, I wanted that for her. I wanted her to feel capable and ready to face this intense world we lived in. Of course, I prayed to the Maker it wouldn’t always be this crazy…but still, I wanted her prepared for anything.
“It’s mostly women,” Maya noted softly. “Phoenixes.”
The surprise was shared by all of us because I don’t think I’d ever seen that many of them together. Dozens of them stood side by side, watching us with caution. Honestly, outside of our queen, phoenixes had become something of a legend, especially with how much time had passed without a word from any of them. We’d assumed they were nearly extinct.
It wasn’t just them, though. No, there were dragons as well, a mix of little ones standing between the groupings of women and the line of men standing protectively around them. Unlike in the Dreki realm, there was no sense of aggression or combativeness coming off the group. They seemed cautious, curious, and settled within their little bubble of magic completely. I relaxed slightly, Maya seeming to come to the same conclusion as she looked over the group as a whole. If I had to guess, there were around fifty in total, maybe less.
“Hi there!” Maya’s sweet voice rang out as she swayed slightly, looking a tad uncomfortable with everyone staring at her. She didn’t back down though, her determined gaze projecting just how important she viewed this meeting.
“Who are you?” An older woman stepped forward, her silver hair plaited down to her knees and her face lined with age. She had to beancient.We didn’t age, even after a few thousand years—well, not in the traditional sense according to appearance—which meant she had to be far older than that. It was hard for me to even conceive of that concept even though I knew it to be true.
Then again, that much time with Maya sounded absolutely amazing.
“Maya. My name is Maya, and I’m here to talk to you and hopefully share some good news.” She hesitated, her confidence faltering briefly at the critical look the woman offered her. I heard Marco rumble in frustration, but I simply rubbed a hand down Maya’s back, reminding her that we were right here, supporting her one hundred percent.
The woman arched a curious brow. “What possible good news could you bring? You break into our home, during our dinner, to tell us…what, exactly?”
The bite to her tone drove me fucking crazy, but Maya didn’t seem nearly offended. I followed her lead, understanding it was the best move here.
“Ry is dead. He’s gone. It’s my understanding that he’s been targeting your community for some time, and I wanted to let you know that he won’t be an issue any longer.” Maya’s voice was soft, and I could tell that while the message she was delivering was important to her, her main focus and the curiosity in her gaze was for this community existing in the first place. I could practically see the questions on the tip of her tongue, and I wouldn’t lie, I wanted to understand what was going on as well.
Silence followed her announcement, broken only by the woman’s hard, questioning tone. “You’ve killed the dragon god?”
“He’s dead. Yes.” Maya promised. Hushed whispers from the crowd filled the clearing.
Relief coated the woman’s face before she seemed to gather herself, turning to address the others. “Go back to your dinners for now. I want to speak to our guests before we get the full story. Okay?”
No one argued, making it clear that she was their leader. The woman approached us, looking cautious but hopeful as she examined my kitten’s face before letting out a small, almost amused noise. “You must be Cyra’s daughter.”
Well, shit, how the hell did she guess that?
Maya spoke in a hushed whisper, echoing my thoughts. “How did you know that?”
The woman offered a secret smile. “I was your mother’s tutor—I would know those eyes anywhere. I’ve also felt a change in our magic these past few days. It felt a lot like hers, but I now realize it was yours.”
Her tutor? Okay, she was far older than I thought, and I already thought she was ancient. I wasn’t positive how long Queen Cyra had been around before having Maya, but it hadn’t been a short period of time.
“It may have been partially my mom as well. She’s back at Ry’s compound—we’ve been using it as temporary lodging,” Maya explained, the woman nodding in understanding.
“And you’re positive that he has suffered true death?”
“We destroyed his heart,” Maya confirmed.
The woman visibly relaxed. “Very well. Come in, young heir—I know I’m not the only one who wants to know the story, and in return, I’ll tell you how we came to live here.”
* * *
It was absolutelyfascinating to watch and listen to Maya recount the tale of what happened to the large assembly of the village community, her shyness evaporating in the face of explaining how Ry was defeated. The empathy in her voice regarding those that had been imprisoned seemed to soften everyone towards her. Maya didn’t realize it, but she was unintentionally gaining loyalty purely by the way she talked about others and how she had taken control of such a dangerous situation, ensuring that no one died. It was insane to consider that somehow we had gone up against a dragon god and walked away without any fatalities, all because my mate was able to find a way to weaken him and then bring him to true death.
Maya may not have keyed into a combat and military mindset, but she still thought like a leader—just one that led with compassion and kindness rather than more traditional means like her mother. I had no doubt that she would end up being more strategic in her way of thinking over time, but I didn’t think she would ever fully be like that. Maya was just so damn unique.
I did notice that she didn’t mention anything about the stranger she’d come across—the one who had predicted she would lead the dragons and phoenixes on Earth. Rather, she chose to focus on the news that affected them, the plague of losses they suffered because of Ry. I wasn’t positive I would have the patience to do the same, because I knew that their response to the possibility of her leading them had the potential to drastically change our plans. Then again, I couldn’t think of a reason they wouldn’t want that—it was an offer to bring them back into full society.
When she finished her story and walked towards me, I captured her on my lap gently as she looked towards Nascha with a soft curiosity. “I hope that eases your mind a bit. All of your minds. He won’t be hurting you again.”
The woman nodded and stood, taking center stage. “Thank you, Maya. The action that you took, that all of you took is…well, it’s huge. We have been hiding in fear for so long.”
“Because of him?” Maya asked.
