⛥

"Rionach," Vyshena told the scrollkeeper as she kept her wide eyes on the dragon resting beside Tairn and Andarna. "Right," she spoke, writing down the name as General Sorrengail, Melgren, and some other commanding officers ran for the princess. "How did you bond Rio? Did you go into the Vale?" General Sorrengail asked quickly as Vyshena stared at her with wide, surprised eyes.

"She showed up with Tairn and threw me onto her back. A person does not pick their dragon, General." Sorrengail tested her luck and looked at Rio, who bent her neck forward and barred her teeth at the woman. "Oh, she doesn't like you." Vyshena chuckled as she left formation and Violet with her mother, who now wondered how her daughter bonded with Tairn.

Xaden stood at Rio's feet, his arms crossed as he waited for Vyshena to walk to him. "Fyda and Eon won't be happy." He spoke under his breath as she stood under Rio's chest. "Fyda and Eon don't have a say in what happens. I'm just happy they didn't try and roast me." Vyshena laid her hand on Rio's leg, feeling the hardness of her scales against her calloused skin.

"Why would we roast an equal of ours?" Rio asked and Xaden smiled, "she's right."

"I am always right, boy." Vyshena rose her eyebrows at the response while she didn't hide the smile on her lips. "Oh, she really doesn't like you." Rio's chest rattled in response and Xaden's face fell. "Well, Sorrengail bonded to Tairn." Vyshena didn't realize it at first, but her smile soon dropped as she stared Xaden in his golden eyes. Searching for anything besides content. "You know what that means?" He asked and Vyshena wanted to snarl, "yes, I know what that means, dumbass."

Sgaeyl had walked to them, and Vyshena smiled wide as she walked past Xaden and held out her arms. Wrapping them around Sgaeyl's leg as the dragon purred and nudged her gently with her snout. "I missed you, my queen." Rio huffed in response to what her newly bonded told her sister and Vyshena rolled her eyes in response, giving Sgaeyl a warm smile.

"So beautiful." Sgaeyl slowly blinked her eyes in response, Vyshena deciding to ignore how Tairn bonded with Violet. Sgaeyl's mate, and walked back to Rio. "So, where's it going to be?" She sighed, looking at the beast. Her eye was triple the size of Vyshena, "where would you like it?" She questioned and Vyshena studied her body. "How big?" She question and Rio laughed in her head.

"As big as I want it to be." She commanded and Vyshena rose her brows in response. "Do I have a choice?" And as soon as she finished her sentence, her back erupted into something similar of being lit on fire. Xaden smiled when Vyshena's lips parted and sweat beaded at her forehead. "Breathe," she wouldn't dare tell Xaden she thought it felt good. "It feels good for her, boy." Rio spoke and Xaden's arms dropped to his side, examining Vyshena closer as she chewed on the inside of her cheeks as the burning stopped. Her face was red, in either embarrassment or from the pain that felt good.

If it was up to Xaden, he'd pick her up and shove a chair under his already warded door. Tell Vyshena to block out all noise, and spend the rest of the night hurting her.

"The only big enough, empty space." Xaden took a step forward, "where?" He asked and Vyshena stared at him. "None of your business." She answered, while turning quickly at the hell breaking loose at the podium. "Andarna also bonded to Violet." Rio told Vyshena who shot her head to Xaden.

"We can go retrieve your children,"

"No!" Vyshena said and noticed the confusion on Rio's face. "They aren't safe here."

Rio chuckled, "you believe harm will come to them, now that I have bonded to you?" Her lips parted, ignoring the yells behind her as Xaden paid attention closely to the large group. "They would be safest here, behind the wards." Rio instructed and Xaden turned back to her. "How do we get her there?" He asked and Rio shifted her gaze to him.

"Tell him he does not have authority to talk to me." Vyshena took a step forward. "They can come?" She said, and Xaden saw the confusion on her face. "Yes, but I would wait. Be dramatic with it, princess." Rio spoke and she slowly turned to Xaden. That same hurt, and betrayal on her face. "You lied to me, again?" She asked and Xaden's shoulders slouched in defeat. He would never win.

"I am only told what Sgaeyl tells me, and at the time you didn't have Rio on your side. How was I to know?" Vyshena only shook her head, "I don't know who you are." She spoke, walking away, leaving Rio who leaned down and barred her teeth at Xaden. "I'm going." He held his hands up and stalked to Bodhi who waited in the corner for him.

"Rio told her Fyda and Eon can come," the cousin gasped and Xaden nodded his head. "Is that why she's pissed again?" Xaden saw Liam sprint toward her, wrapping under her arms and spinning her in a hug. She wrapped her legs around his waist, as he kept his arms tight around her to hold her up, their cheeks pressed together when Violet limped toward them with a wide smile.

⛥

When the dragons left for their meeting behind the Vale, Vyshena found Violet in the healers tent. "Big, badass, dragon for you." Violet smiled wide, "same for you!" She said with equal excitement as the healer dismissed Violet. "Two, dragons." Vyshena corrected. "Uh, one dragon and one puppy." Violet corrected and Vyshena smiled, remembering her beasts at Andarna's age. "We're your surprised to learn she is a baby?"

"Yeah, her voice is so different from Tairn's."

"Tairn is also a hundred years old."

"Grandpa."

"Hena, Vi!" They both shot their heads to Rhiannon, and Violet cried out of relief as she limped toward Rhiannon. "You bonded the two, fiercest dragons, holy fuck!" Rhiannon sighed as she engulfed them into a tight hug. As the rest of their squad joined them, Vyshena spoke quietly to Liam who had introduced himself quickly to the conversation.

Liam was quick to gently pull Vyshena to the side, away from Dain who pulled Violet away. "What's he saying?" Liam whispered while Vyshena stared at them. She was angry, and it shown on her face. "He's explaining how Tairn and Sgaeyl are a mated pair, and that she couldn't stay with him because of it." Vyshena broke from Liam and walked over to her, seeing Xaden on his way.

Vyshena debated on waiting, but she met him halfway and Violet felt Vyshena grab ahold of her hand gently. Dain stopped and stared at her. "You manipulated Threshing!" Dain accused Xaden, his shoulders tight as he stood between the two girls and Dain. "Is that an official accusation?" Xaden looks bored, hell, he was. "Did you step in?"

"He stood there and watched as I threw my blades in the bodies of Tynan, Jack, and Oren. Then flew away after we got our dragons. If anything, Sgaeyl brought herself to me, and Xaden just happened to be with her." Dain stared at Vyshena. "Yeah, she has a soft spot for me, to my advantage." Dain kept his brows furrowed, "you speak to Sgaeyl?" He asked and Vyshena rose her brows again.

"Sgaeyl speaks to me. You jealous, Aetos?" She asked, and Xaden turned his head looking at Vyshena with a small smirk on his lips. Violet caught it easily. "I had one dragon taken from me, I won't allow anyone to break the bond I have with Sgaeyl because of it. Or with Rio." Dain forgot about Rio, the elder dragon showing up with Vyshena on her back.

"How did you bond an elder? She's never bonded to anyone before, always refused." Vyshena looked at Xaden. "Because I don't have your blood, Aetos. I have the blood of the dragon and she sees me as an equal. Rather than Cath, who you spent months learning to ride and earn his respect. I don't need to earn it, because I am one." Vyshena told the boy, just as Xaden turned and grabbed her arm. She hated Dain for reasons she couldn't understand. She needed him to know that he had no power, anywhere. She said too much.

"No, get off me! You think you're high and mighty because you follow the rules of the Codex when all that's going to get you is hurt, lonely, and dead!" Xaden needed her to be quiet, not knowing where this sudden rage came from and what she'd expose because of it. "Be quiet," he hissed as she realized just how close she was to him. Their chests were pushed together as she shouted from his side, his hand tight on her arm as if warning her. But applying a little more pressure for the fun of it.

"You said too much." He growled and she sneered. "You don't say enough." She hissed, just when Tairn, Sgaeyl and Rio landed feet away from them. "Take. Your. Hands. Off. Of. Me." Xaden dropped his grip and took a step back. "I need to speak to Violet about what just happened. With Sgaeyl and Tairn." Vyshena had a sour look on her face. "Why are you debriefing it with me?" She asked and noticed how Sgaeyl snapped at her sister, both dragons growling in each others direction. Fighting like siblings. Gods, did she miss her children.

Both sticking up for Vyshena, but from the threat Rio made in Xaden's direction caused Sgaeyl to snap her jaws. "You know why." He said, his eyes never leaving hers. "If you get her hurt," Vyshena took a step toward Xaden and he chuckled. "I'll give you the sword to take my head. If she dies, I die." And then it came crashing down, just as her kingdom did the night of the rebellion. The stone of the dragon pit slowly crumbled, the ceiling caving in and surrounding Vyshena, the screech of the beasts, the unbearable warmth of dragons fire. The one thing Vyshena always wanted from him. The same bond she shared with her dragons, and he never allowed her to proceed with it, but now she has it with him.

He saw the hurt on her face, and the tears that rimmed her purple eyes as she took a step back in disbelief. "She-" Xaden sighed, his shoulders relaxing when Vyshena looked past him at Violet and Dain who were in another silent argument. "You're bonded to her?" Xaden knew he couldn't lie about this. "Because of Tairn and Sgaeyl. If I could have it the opposite, I would. But it didn't work like that. Rio chose you for a reason, and you know why. If I could have spoke to Sgaeyl about Tairn finding you, I would but I didn't know he or Rio were coming." Xaden explained in truth while Vyshena quickly wiped her eyes and laughed. This wasn't happening, no, this was happening.

"You," she shook her head. "I don't want it. It should tell you something that I never wanted it from you. I don't want it from anyone." He didn't mean for it to sound harsh but she choked quietly. Her heart being ripped from her chest, "you never wanted that with me?" She asked, her chin quivering. This was a bad idea, and Xaden knew it. "If you die, I will be right beside you whether or not we have that bond, I will follow you." Xaden whispered, leaning down to her height as she shook her head and stared into those beautiful, golden eyes.

"You guys deserve each other," Vyshena said, as much as it pained her. And she took another step back. "No, don't. Hena," Xaden reached a hand out. "Her bonding with Tairn means nothing to me other than the fact that I need to keep her alive. There is nothing else there." He said, and Vyshena didn't believe him.

"You've been watching her this entire year, Xaden. You think I don't see it?" She asked, holding a hand to her chest.

Violet turned to find her friend, but only found her in tears as she stared at Xaden. It looked like her heart was ripped from her chest and she was left bleeding out on the grass alone. He told her that her worst nightmare had came true, and it was coming for her. He was the one that told her about her parents and what they did to them.

Violet saw how Vyshena ripped a blade out and forced it in Xaden's hand. "Do it." She seethed, stepping to his chest, her hand held his wrist as the sharp edge of the blade prayed above her heart. She gripped his wrist tighter, "Do. It." She cried in anger. "Because this will hurt less than seeing you with her."

But it wasn't anything that Violet thought. It was worse.