Page 95 of Taloned Heart

“A forever kind of mate,” he replied, tossing an arm over her shoulder. “The other half of my soul, I suppose you might say. Was she surprised?”

“She didn’t know whether to kill me or kiss me.”

“Sounds like her.” Draven gave her one more squeeze before laughing and releasing her. He held his hands up, backing away carefully. “I should go see my mother, anyway. Give the old bird what she’s been waiting for, I suppose. Thanks for the ride, Abraxas!”

Ah, of course. Lore’s confused expression cleared as she looked back toward Abraxas to see him glaring after the elf. “You let him ride you. I assumed that meant you had fixed things between the two of you.”

“He couldn’t ride either of them unless I wanted to see him dunked into the ocean.”

“Not too long ago, you would have enjoyed that.”

Abraxas snorted, but there was a softness in his eyes that she’d come to expect. Even though Draven would never be his best friend, or even close to a person that he favored, Abraxas saw the use in the elf now. And perhaps he’d seen how gentle Draven was with their daughter, and how precious he thought she was.

Her dragon shrugged. “He gets testy when wet. I have no interest in listening to all three of them complain for the entire trip, and why would I?”

Hyperion let out a squeal that made even his sister stop and step back. Nyx’s eyes had turned dark with worry. “Did I hurt you?”

Her brother sat up slowly and his dragon form melted away. Instead, he was just a handsome young man sitting there, glaring at his sister with a bruised eye. “What do you think, Nyx?”

“Oh, it’s just a black eye.” Her daughter melted into her human form as well, her lovely dark hair a waterfall at her back. She shook out her hair with a huff. “Don’t get in a fight with a lady if you’re going to complain about it.”

“A lady?” Hyperion shouted, hopping up to his feet with his fists already raised. “You are so far from a lady—”

“Enough, you two,” Lore called out the words before she could stop herself. Obviously, they should fight out whatever disagreement they might have, but the two of them had a lot of people to meet. “Introductions must be made, and I’d rather you not meet everyone with dirt all over you and twigs in your hair. Yes?”

Like the good children they were, the two teens walked over to her with chagrined expressions and eyes that didn’t quite meet hers. “Yes, Mother.”

“Good.” Lore released Abraxas to insert herself in between her children and wheel them toward the wall of dwarves that were waiting. “The dwarves are making all our armor and our weapons. They are very good fighters on their own and look at me like a goddess. Let’s be nice to them, yes?”

She pointed to where Zephyr and Beauty still stood at the edge of the forest, their eyes alight with glee. “Those two met you when you were just baby dragons. Hopefully you remember them. If not, their names are Zephyr and Beauty. He’s the brother of the previous king, but the good version of him.”

And then she moved her hand just to the trees beyond. “We’ll eventually end up in that forest right there to meet Draven’s family and the rest of the humans. I’ll need you both to be on your best behavior and impress everyone with how much you know. Got it?”

Though they both swallowed and nodded, it was Nyx who seemed to have more nerves than her brother.

Lore released the both of them, but held Nyx’s hand in her own and squeezed. “They’re all going to love you,” she added. “How could they not?”

Both her children meandered off with all the confidence Lore had never had. They strode up to the dwarves, introducing themselves, laughing and smiling at the antics of the dwarves and...

Oh.

Lore leaned back against Abraxas’s chest and pressed her hand to her heart. She felt full. Happy. This was everything she’d wanted and even though they were on the brink of yet another battle that would decide the fate of this kingdom...

It didn’t matter. None of it mattered right now while she watched her two worlds collide, meld, and then bloom.

CHAPTER37

“Are you sure about this?” he asked, making sure his lips were close to Lore’s ear.

They stood outside the Gloaming, staring together at the castle on the horizon. Lore had made it very clear that she wanted only her and Abraxas to go first. She refused to risk anyone else this close to the battle.

And perhaps, because his Lady of Starlight wanted to give the other elf one last chance. It was an unusual show of pity from her when she so rarely offered it these days. He needed to keep an eye on that behavior.

If she was going to get nervous, or perhaps even lose the ability to see reason at this moment, then he would have to make the choice for her. Margaret knew what she was doing, and what she had done. Margaret was a terrifying beast who had laid waste to this kingdom and needed retribution. They all knew this to be true.

Still, Lore wanted to give her that one last chance. And he wasn’t so sure he agreed with her that anyone deserved this. Not after what Margaret had done.

“Yes, I’m sure.” She kept her eyes on the horizon, not on him. “I don’t want her to feel threatened until the last moment. If I can save us all a battle, then that is even better. Wouldn’t you agree?”

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