Page 37 of Ruling in Flames (Reborn 5)
“For so many reasons.” She looked around the room. “We have been in hiding for over one hundred years. Since the humans discovered phoenixes and began hunting us for our magic and blood, we have lived in fear. They were willing to extinguish us without a second thought, all for power. What they didn’t realize is that we would come back—just not to them.”
“How?” Maya frowned, no doubt thinking about her own experience when Tina had tried to drown her when she was young. I swallowed back my rage at that, fucking thrilled that she was dead.
“When we first gathered here out of necessity, knowing we'd be essentially unreachable, we used our ancestors’ magic to create a force in this realm that would compel a phoenix to be reborn here. It was a call on their magic. Of course, wards and other magic could interfere, but over time, more and more arrived—followed by dragons. It was how our community grew so fast in numbers. Well…until Ry began to hunt us.
“He was able to drain magic and kill phoenixes permanently—it was why we had to place our own ward around us. It hid us from him to an extent, but it didn’t protect us from him. We were left defenseless with no one strong enough to counter him,” she admitted in defeat. “We have lost so many, not only in the skies, but others who went down the mountain for supplies and never returned. So we stopped sending people, and it has not only made life more difficult up here, but also has isolated us completely.”
Shit.
Maya looked distraught. “Is that something you want? To be isolated?”
“No, of course not.” Nascha frowned, looking sad. “We never wanted to move away from the rest of humanity. We only did it as a means of self-preservation.”
“So you would take the opportunity to rejoin if you could?” my mate asked with a soft curiosity and hope.
“We could never return to Dreki,” Nascha admitted. “We left because we didn’t like it there. Our children were being sent on dangerous missions at young ages, coming back injured and hurt. While the crown did their best to keep tabs on it, the culture is ingrained, and it won’t change. We have come to terms with that.”
Yeah, she wasn’t wrong about that.
“What if there was a different option?” Maya stood and faced the room. “What if you didn’t have to go back but you could rejoin society and be safe and protected? Live life like you wanted when you first came to Earth?”
Maya met my gaze when no one said anything, and I offered her a nod of assurance that seemed to bolster her.
“I’m not planning to take over my mother’s throne,” Maya announced. “If I’m going to lead, I would like it to be on Earth. I would be honored to lead all of you back into society, to free you from this situation and fear. We could protect you and make sure you’re settled somewhere you can grow and thrive, to be safe and happy. I know you have no reason to trust me, and I know you’ll need to think about it, but if you’re willing to leave this mountain, I would love to be given a chance to prove that I could lead you.”
I looked around at the crowd, feeling a surge of pride as every eye focused on Maya.
“Nascha has led us for years!” someone called out.
“And I would never take that away from you,” Maya replied, directing her answer towards Nascha. “This would be a willing transfer of power. Before I was reborn, I was told I was meant to lead the dragons and phoenixes on Earth. I’m not willing to do that alone, though. I would need guidance. I wasn’t raised in the Dreki realm, so it will never be like that with me, but I know there are things you probably do that I don’t understand… I would like this to be a group effort.”
“And how do your mates feel? They were trained in Dreki,” another voice rang out.
She looked back at us and smiled confidently. “They support me completely.”
We did.We would do whatever she needed—bewhatever she needed.
Maya wore our marks in so many forms, but even without those, I would always be bonded to Maya in my heart and soul. I was tied to her, and I would follow her anywhere.
She was my mate.
My slice of perfection in such a messed-up world.
My kitten.
…and from what I could see on all of their faces, thefuture queenof this group.
