As much as I hate leaving Zephyr, I’m glad that she’ll be here, safe. Having Nova here will give her a reason to stay and Kaylani will make sure that she’s looked after. I don’t know how far I can go and keep a presence in her mind, but if I lose the connection, I have my phone and will call. I’m hoping we won’t be gone too long. I don’t expect Zephyr to be pregnant long and she’s already starting to show. After Avani practically sucks Merethyl’s face off in front of me, he shifts and I climb up his wing, waving at Merethyl. Ancalagon and the lab dragons lift off with us and follow us for a while. “Where are we going?” Kenzo, the earth dragon asks. “Somewhere you can’t go, Ken. Not until you are able to shift anyway,” Avani tells him. “We can go part of the way, dad. We just can’t go into the city with you,” Ancalagon says. “I was hoping you’d stay and look after your mother, Cal,” I tell him. “She’s getting stronger, Ishir. She won’t want me hovering over her any more than she

I know the other dragons are upset to have these dragons and hybrids that were created from their DNA and I am too, to an extent. However, unlike the others, I don’t seem to be able to have children, so without the Chief and Oliver, the water dragons would have gone extinct after I died. Now, my genetics will continue after I'm gone. Everett has done some tests on me, but he doesn’t know enough about dragons yet and really has only done tests on Tana and Zephyr while they were pregnant. Kenna is still a juvenile human so we’re not sure if there is anything in her bloodwork that can tell us something or if the differences in our blood are because her element is fire, because she’s a hybrid, or if he really did find the point where we can see a dragon’s ability to reproduce. So, for me, every one of these children, even the hybrids that carry the water dragon trait, is a precious treasure. Of course, I love and care about all of the dragons and hybrids that we’ve been able to find, but

We’ve been hunting for the hybrids for over a month now, but Naida is the only one that we’ve found. We have, however, found some of the scientists who worked in the laboratory. I made sure they suffered for what they did to Ancalagon and the others. I talk to Zephyr every night, so I know that she’s hurting for Nova and Naida and that she’s also been awakened in the middle of the night by Ajax and Kano’s screams. So, I take my time hurting them, making them suffer as those they hurt, and now my mate, suffer as well. The first couple of scientists died too quickly. I forget how fragile humans can be. But now, I think I’ve found the perfect balance of giving pain but keeping them alive. Thankfully, Avani and I are on the same page. Since Merethyl is also at the ranch, she’s having similar issues to Zephyr, trying to help the young girls feel safe and working with the boys to accept our help. “I can’t believe none of the scientists know where Oliver is,” Avani says as we fly over the

As Avani flies Keagan and I home, I close my eyes and reach out for Zephyr’s mind. I’m careful, knowing she’ll be asleep when we get there, but I’m too excited about reconnecting with her to wait until we’re home. I’m surprised when we get close enough that I can finally touch her mind and I find her awake. I immediately wrap my mind around hers, as she wraps hers around mine. I never realized how lonely my life was until this last month without Zephyr. I push into her mind, making sure that she’s not having any depression or anxiety and that the voices are still quiet. They aren’t quiet, but they aren’t angry, they almost seem…content. ‘Why are you awake, my love?’ I ask her, going through her memories as she goes through mine. I want to know every little thing I’ve missed while I was away. ‘I was waiting up for you,’ she says, but I see the truth. ‘You haven’t been sleeping.’ ‘I missed you. I don’t sleep well without you.’ ‘I didn’t sleep well without you either,’ I tell her t

I love feeling Zephyr’s happiness. Ever since we’ve been mated and I became her rider, her mind has been in turmoil. To feel her utter happiness and to know that I have a hand in it, makes me feel like a king. Knowing that I’m making Nova almost as happy, is just the icing on the cake. Zephyr comes to me, wrapping her arms around me and Nova who is still riding on my back. “Don’t you think this is a perfect place to build a home, Nova?” she asks her, but she’s looking up at me, opening her mind and letting her love and adoration of me flow through our bond. I know I have Nova on my back, but I can’t help myself. I love this woman with every part of my being and feeling her love for me makes it impossible for me not to touch her. I lean in, hearing Nova say how perfect it is here as I kiss Zephyr deeply. “Ewwwww, are you two going to kiss all the time once we’re all living together?” Nova asks. “Every chance I get. Someday, you’ll have someone that you adore as much as I adore Zephy