Ride the Wave

30

I couldn’t have gotten to this point with Reven if not for the other men, and I saw now how each one complemented me and made me become a better person. Including Reven.

“Trust in the Gods,” the dragon said. “We created you. We chose you. And we have reasons for everything we do.”

With that, he collapsed with a huge splash, and was gone. I had to give the Gods credit, they were good at dramatic entrances and exits.

Reven turned toward me and slid his hand around my waist, bringing me back to him. “Now that that’s done, it’s time for round two.”

I couldn’t help but laugh as he pulled open my robe and eased me back onto the bed. “Is that so?”

“I’ve waited a long time for this night. The other men have been with you multiple times, but we have some catching up to do. I’m not letting you go until I’ve explored every inch of you. Multiple times.”

His head bent to my chest and he ran his tongue in the valley between my breasts, making me gasp. For once, I didn’t have to rush off after speaking with a God. No one was waiting for us or coming to attack us. We could spend the entire night in the bonding room if he wanted.

And as Reven kissed his way down my body, I had a feeling he wasn’t in any rush to leave either.21

Kira

I

n the morning we met for breakfast with the others in a dining room with windows that looked out to the ocean. Opea and her priests served us fruit and pastries, which they said they traded for when they visited a nearby island once a week. I didn’t question it too much. Despite the remote locations of the temples, the Gods always found a way to provide for their priests somehow.

As Opea and her priests left so that we could have privacy, I thought of Calla, the High Priestess of the Fire God, and wondered how she and her mates were doing. The last time I’d seen her had been in the capital of the Air Realm, but I wasn’t sure if she planned to stay in Stormhaven until it was safe for her to return to her temple. Sark was her grandfather and he’d kept my presence a secret in exchange for Doran keeping quiet about her. Did that mean Sark actually cared about Calla in some way? I’d always assumed he was heartless, but maybe even the worst Dragons had something or someone they cared about.

I gazed across the table at my father. Was I his weakness too? Or was he playing me this entire time?

Revan must have seen my troubled look because he reached under the table and gave my thigh a squeeze, reminding me of our night together. My worries melted away, and I gave him a grateful smile.

“I’m guessing the bonding went well,” Jasin said with a smirk as he took his seat across from me.

“How can you tell?” I asked.

Slade began to load up his plate with food. “You look content. Less troubled.”

I smiled and looked down at the plate in front of me as color flooded my cheeks. “I suppose I am. Everything feels like it’s as it should be.”

“Now that you’ve bonded with all of us, what is the next step?” Auric asked, as he folded a napkin across his lap.

I sighed. “I can access all of your powers now, but the Water God told me I can’t become a dragon myself until the Spirit Goddess blesses me. Which could prove difficult.”

“You need to confront Nysa,” Doran said, before popping a piece of melon into his mouth. “I suggest we do it at the Spirit Temple near Soulspire, since that’s where the blessing needs to take place.”

“Somehow I doubt the other Dragons will let us just walk in there,” Reven said.

Doran nodded. “Once they learn you’ve obtained all four elemental powers, they’ll know you’re heading for the Spirit Temple next. I would expect it to be heavily defended with both shades and soldiers from the Onyx Army, along with the Dragons themselves.”

“We’ll never get in there,” Jasin muttered.

“Not alone, no,” Doran said.

I picked at the food in front of me as I considered. “We need to call upon our allies.”

“What allies?” Reven said. “We have the Resistance, who just lost their leader and… Oh wait, that’s it.”

“I can speak with my father,” Auric said. “He has no love for the Dragons but was scared to turn against them. I might be able to convince him to change his mind, if I explain how close we are to defeating them. Perhaps he could lend us some of his soldiers.”

Jasin arched an eyebrow at me. “What about that bandit gang you were once a member of, Kira? Would they help us?”

I took a long sip of orange juice. “Cadock’s men? I asked before and he said no, but it couldn’t hurt to try again. We are desperate, after all.”

Reven rolled his eyes. “They’ll never say yes. I’d have better luck convincing the Assassin’s Guild to join us.”

“Do you think you could?” I asked.

He opened and closed his mouth, then scowled. “Maybe. They might do it if we paid them well.”

Jasin dragged a hand through his auburn hair. “Even if they all said yes, which is unlikely, it still won’t be enough.”

I glanced between my father and my mates, then spoke the idea that had been brewing in my head for some time. “We need to ask the elementals to help us.”

“The elementals?” Doran asked with a sharp laugh. “Why would they ever agree to that?”