Embrace the Dark

16

Kira shook her head. “I’m sorry, but I need Sora’s other fathers’ help. We received reports this morning that the elementals on Divine Isle are demanding more land in the four Realms, and we need to travel there to speak with them before any fighting breaks out. Especially with the rumors of elementals going missing fueling their anger.”

“Besides, none of us want to be there when it happens,” Jasin said, wrinkling his nose.

Reven rolled his eyes. “Sora’s a grown woman now. We knew this would happen.”

“Doesn’t mean we have to like it,” Slade muttered.

“She’ll be fine,” Mom said, shaking her head with an amused smile.

I wanted nothing more than to escape this awkward moment where everyone was talking about me having s*x without actually saying it out loud. Thank the Gods all of my parents weren’t coming. Having one at the temple would be bad enough.

“Let’s go,” I said, taking Erroh’s hand and practically dragging him toward Auric. We climbed onto my father’s hard, scaly back, and then waved at everyone and shouted our goodbyes, as Auric lifted up into the air with a flap of his great golden wings.

Flying was my favorite thing in the world. My fathers always loved taking me for rides, soaring high above the city with the sunshine soaking into our skin. As a kid, they took me all over the four Realms with them, even to the elementals’ Divine Isle, and I was completely comfortable riding on a dragon for long hours. But whereas I grew up with dragon-riding as my main form of transportation, Erroh and my other mates had not.

Erroh was probably the only one who had ever ridden a dragon before, actually. As kids, we’d sometimes gotten a quick ride from one of my dads, but it had been many years since then.

Erroh seemed to remember though. He wrapped his arms around me and let out a loud whoop as we ascended high into the sky and zoomed over Soulspire. His joy was contagious, and I found myself grinning as the wind buffeted my face and tugged at my tied-back hair. His arms squeezed me tight, and I leaned back against him. If it wasn't for the fact that we were sitting on top of Auric, I would've found the experience of finally being able to rest in his arms very alluring.

Since Soulspire was located at the cross point of all four Realms, we entered the Air Realm immediately and soared over forests that changed to rolling hills and then to sharp mountains. We stopped briefly for lunch on a rocky cliff, and while we munched on packed bread, meat, and cheese, Auric told us about what it was like when he traveled to the Air Temple to bond with my mother, from riding on camels to finding the temple destroyed and the priests killed to fighting two of the previous Dragons in the air. I’d heard the story many times before, of course, but Erroh hung onto every word. Then we set off again, flying over the barren desert of Sandstorm Valley while the relentless sun beat down on us.

A few hours later, after the sun had set, the Air Temple came into view—a large sand-colored tower that reached high into the clouds, surrounded by a small lake with palm trees. It was the only thing in sight for miles amid the endless, empty desert. During my parents’ rule, the Air Temple had been rebuilt and a new High Priestess had been chosen. I’d been there a few times with my parents, but things were different now that I was coming here with a new purpose.

“Is that where we’ll meet the Air God?” Erroh asked, shielding his eyes to peer at the temple’s grounds.

“No, it will be on the roof,” Auric’s dragon voice rumbled.

After we bonded and I gained Erroh’s powers, the Air God would come and speak to us. For my parents, they’d answered a few questions and gave some cryptic information, but I had no idea what they would say to me.

Auric landed in front of the Air Temple and kicked up some sand with his wings. High Priestess Blair, a dark-skinned woman in her fifties with gray-streaked black hair, approached us with a kind smile. She wore a loose yellow robe with bare shoulders, while her mates trailed behind her. Like me and my mom, the High Priestesses each got four mates to serve as their priests.

“Welcome Sora,” Blair said, clasping my hands in her own. “We are honored to be the first temple in your travels.” Then she turned toward Erroh and also took his hands. “And a fond greeting to our next Air Dragon.”

“Thank you,” Erroh said, as he glanced at the priests watching on. He had to be as overwhelmed as I was, but he was doing a good job of hiding it so far. “I’m very lucky to have been chosen.”

“It’s good to see you again,” Auric said to Blair.

“Always an honor, Air Dragon,” she said with a bow.

Auric waved a hand. “You know you don’t need to do that. I had enough bowing when I was a prince.”

“Of course. Please, come inside,” Blair said. “We’ve prepared everything for your bonding. Would you like a meal or a bath first?”

Although I was quite dusty and hadn’t eaten since lunch, I had no desire for either of those things. I’d waited for this moment for years and all I wanted was to get on with it, but I also didn’t want to seem too eager in front of my father. “A meal would be lovely, thanks.”

Blair and her mates led us into a large dining room, with big windows open to the cool night breeze floating inside. We shared a quick meal that lasted longer than I hoped, during which Blair asked Erroh about himself. I suppose it was important for the High Priestess to get to know her next Dragon, but I couldn’t wait to be finished. Judging by the way Erroh’s hand moved to my leg under the table and began stroking my thigh, I knew he felt the same.