Rhys shook his head. “If what you’re saying is true, then you are the rarest of Other Kin alive.”
“I know,” she whispered. “That’s why I haven’t shifted for centuries. I’m not the only one. Every dragon has a child or guardian to help watch over them and their territories while they sleep. We just choose to keep our shifts on the low down.”
“Just how old are you?”
Mari smiled. “I feel like I’m robbing the cradle with you. I was born around thirty-five hundred B.C., right here on what you now know as Alston.” His gaze faltered from hers and that spiked her nervousness. “But so help me, Rhys Beven, if you call me an old lady, I’ll kick your ass.”
Rhys snorted. “Yeah, bring it on, sweetheart.” Quick-stepping to her, he took her in his arms, lowering his mouth to hers passionately.
Mari moaned, her arms going up around his neck as he lifted her off the floor, groaning when a knock sounded.
“Hey love birds, the Elder Council want to see us.” Triton grinned.
“You have the worst timing evvvveerrrrr,” Mari growled.
Chapter 3
“Mari, we’ve come across some rather interesting news,” Druid Elder Morgan Suibhiue stated as Mari and Rhys stepped in. “Rhys, we’re going to ask you to remain on that side of the table for now.”
“Meaning what?” Rhys stated as he stepped forward. “I am a member of this council.”
“And from what we hear, Mari’s life mate,” Noela Carme, Elf Elder said softly and with a smile.
“It’s nothing bad so tame the fangs,” Gavril Beven grinned.
Mari glanced up to see Rhys’ fangs disappearing back into his mouth. “What’s this about?”
“You, Mari,” Gwill Roven of the Lyken clan replied as he laid a large leather book on the council table. “The Roven historians found something very interesting in our history.” Flipping to the page he’d marked, he motioned them forward.
Mari frowned as Triton burst out in laughter. There in front of her was a picture of herself staring back. Obviously one of the original Roven Clan had thought it a good idea to put to paper who had led them to Alston. “Damn Lykens,” she muttered.
“Hey now,” Evan Roven chuckled.
“What the—you’re the one who led our ancestors here?” Rhys asked as he met her gaze.
“I am,” she whispered as she stepped back. “I did it for entirely selfish reasons at the time. My father had just fallen asleep after his battle with the darkness and I needed someone here to—watch him—although no one knew he was here. I knew of a group of Other Kin who wanted to be free to live their lives without having to fight for clan wars and territories all the time. They wanted peace. The farther I traveled the more Other Kin I found wanting the same. I asked them if they could put their differences aside and live in peace with Other Kin who wanted the same. I told them that I knew of a place where they could settle. However, they had to protect their lands and its people if danger came. They all agreed and as you know, they settled here.”
“You say your father fell asleep after the battle with the darkness, our records show that it appeared only once and our ancestors fought it,” Elder Eva of the Woodland Fairies said.
“Yes, my father fell asleep not too long after the first battle. From what I’m told it was one of the bloodiest wars ever known to Other Kin. Triton and his family were there.”
“The darkness attacked the first time right after Mari was born,” Triton said.
“I was able to make it back in time to help your ancestors fight it off for the second battle with the help of some very good friends again.” Smiling up at Triton, she watched as he beamed like a peacock. “The darkness wasn’t as strong as when my father and the others fought it in the first battle. It hadn’t regained its full strength before it attacked. But thinking my father was asleep,” she shrugged, “it went for the chance I guess.”
“Who is your father?” Gavril Beven asked.
“Uncle!” Rhys growled as he stepped forward.
Mari caught his arm, holding him still. “My father is a fire dragon and this is his territory.”
“That’s impossible!” Elder Morgan of the Druids stated. “Dragons haven’t been seen for thousands of years.”
Her lips parted to speak when a blinding light entered the council chamber.
“Dare you suggest my daughter speaks of non-truths?” Darina asked as she emerged. “Or that my husband does not exist?”
The corner of Mari’s mouth tilted up with her mother’s dramatic entrance. She listened as Triton chuckled when they all bowed their heads respectively. “This is my mother, Ancient Darina.”