by Kenna Bardot
“Nice party, Lathyn.” I made no move to step out of Tate's arms, trying to respect the personal boundaries I knew my men would appreciate. But Lathyn blew it all to shit, stepping forward to press a chaste kiss to my cheek. As though bowing over my hand wasn’t enough. I knew it wasn't about any preference or desires for me, but a social etiquette that he always followed with those he respected.
Tate growled in his throat behind me, but made no move to interfere. I patted his arm in reassurance.
"Thank you. How is the training going? With the Dragon Guard and with Majele?" He arched a brow, staring down at where Hydra lingered at our feet. She was oddly quiet, like she didn't appreciate the party or the number of people present. Watching his gaze, Ryle bent down to scoop her into his arms.
Leave it to him to even be territorial over my dragon. I didn't need to worry about Shep on that front at least, since they could barely tolerate one another on a good day.
Demanding creatures.
"It's difficult," I admitted with a grimace. “Hydra can be stubborn but she’s strong and smart.”
He threw me an incredulous look. "You don't say?" he asked, and I bit my bottom lip to stop my giggle. "It sounds like she is suited to her Goddess then."
"Most likely," I said, elbowing Tate when he had the nerve to chuckle behind me. Apparently, he didn't mind it when Lathyn tormented me by calling me out on my flaws. Even so, Ryle vibrated with his annoyance and I knew I needed to steer the conversation to safer topics. Namely ones that weren't about me. "I've been meaning to ask if you're planning a trip to Sylfeshire soon? Colm tells me there have been changes there and I am curious to see if they are causing as much of a ripple as he says.”
"I’m afraid I’ve no intention of going anytime soon," he said with a sad smile. "I've been busy with the arrangements for the next Collection Day as it fast approaches."
I groaned, my face twisting with a grimace at the reminder of the day my life had changed forever. While I couldn't necessarily regret it given I'd met my five, part of me also wondered what my life would have been like if I'd remained in Wintercairn.
"What are Collections like?" A voice asked from the crowd I hadn’t noticed gathering around us. It was the enigma and charisma that was Lathyn. Everyone was drawn to him, even when he tried his hardest to keep a low profile.
"Disgusting," I sneered, heaving a sigh. Tate tightened his arms around me in warning, but I couldn't be bothered to pay him any mind. I wouldn't be dissuaded from voicing my opinions on a barbaric, outdated tradition that needed to be abolished immediately.
"It is safe to say that they are intense," Lathyn said hesitantly, and then he released a steady breath. "To be honest, I'm no longer interested in participating in them. I agree with Mireyah that changes need to be made to the way we handle things."
"But Godsvail needs servants, and we need fresh Sylfes," another voice quipped, and though the words seemed harsh, his tone communicated he genuinely didn't understand how there could ever be an alternative.
"I don’t think there’s anything wrong about needing humans to serve at Godsvail nor of hoping for fresh Sylfes for Sylfeshire. In fact, a huge number of humans would be more than happy to sign up for the honor. Simply put, if putting up your name forward were voluntary, there would be more than enough volunteers to choose from every Collection. Having it be a mandatory event is unnecessary for no reason other than for Gods to exert their power over humans," I said. "So that Gods can have the pick of the best of the best where humans are concerned, like becoming a Sylfe and then a God doesn't make us beautiful, anyway."
There was a moment of silence before Lathyn answered, where everyone in the room stilled to see what his reaction would be. I hadn't meant to trap him with such a public confession, or ambush Tate and Ryle with my radical views in such a public setting. Especially not when we hadn't discussed my intention to move forward with improving human rights in Godsfell, but it was impossible to take the words back.
"I agree," Lathyn said quietly, shaking his head at me like I was impossible to control.
And I was.
"Lathyn," Aristela stepped forward, touching his back with familiarity. There was no judgment in his eyes when he looked down at her, no condemnation as if she didn't have the right to touch him. So I knew they were friendly. "You must tread carefully. People might think you're being led by your previous physical relationship with Mireyah. You know the consequences for infidelity. Take care not to fuel any rumors about the two of you. Think of what the loss of you would mean for all of Demiorgo," she said carefully. Though I hated her words, she genuinely meant well in her warning. “I am sorry we had to meet again in these circumstances, Mireyah, but it had to be said.”
She was just misguided.
"Aristela. I appreciate the honesty and the concern that I do not doubt to be genuine. But it would be impossible for him to be influenced by a physical relationship with me as we never had one," I told her. Lathyn closed his eyes and the apple in his throat bobbed up and down as he took a hard swallow. His eyes opened, and they were hard, as were the twist of a grimace that contorted his handsome face.
“I hadn’t known,” Aris whispered, looking sympathetically up at Lathyn, and then I realized how wrong I had been to say it so publicly. To have it be known that his courtship of me had been so blatantly unsuccessful.
"We're merely friends who share a similar view. That's all," I murmured, but there really was no backtracking after my major social blunder.
I had to hope he would eventually forgive me for it.
"She's leading him around by his dick, even though he hasn't gotten it wet yet!" one of the Gods in the room roared with laughter. My head slowly turned toward him, and I recognized Padraig from the park on that same day I had met Aristela and Noelle. In fact, I was rather surprised that Noelle wasn’t there. I had fully expected that she would stick to Lathyn on his birthday. But that was not the case.
Several Gods in the room erupted into laughter and Hydra growled as she felt my anger rise. I glared, feeling my fingers embrace the cold that lingered within me. Just when I opened my mouth, to undoubtedly make a scene I would regret later, Lathyn's chuckle made me freeze.
Hydra squirmed in Ryle's arms, demanding to be returned to me as she climbed onto my shoulders. Tate had no choice but to move away as the dragon made herself as big as she could manage, spreading her wings like she could be as intimidating as a full-grown dragon.
To these Gods and Goddesses, I was more than they could be and I wanted them to know it.
Lathyn shot me a fulminating look, and I knew he blamed me for the turn of events. I wished more than anything that I had the ability to take back what I said - even if the words had been true. He raised a brow at me before schooling his face into a blank and turning around.
"How positively juvenile," Lathyn drawled, a cruel smirk transforming his face as he stared down at the God who, even from across the room, withered under the force of his glare. "Don't respond to his vulgarity. You're worth more than that," he added, and while I thought he was talking to me, he reached out a hand to Hydra who settled under his attention.
Since Hydra couldn’t answer, I answered for her, "We are." I fixed the God in question with one last glare. "The only men who assume others can be manipulated so easily are the ones who are truly weak themselves." I said the words, waiting as conversation resumed and the dismissed God faded into the background to retreat into one of the adjacent rooms.
I whispered to Lathyn under my breath, “I’m sorry for not thinking before I spoke.” I broke free of Tate’s hold and rushed to the other side of the room. I just needed air. It felt stifling in that House with the crush of bodies so tightly packed together in celebration of Lathyn. It seemed like the entire Western Region celebrated, though that was probably an exaggeration.
I walked out through a different exit from the one where we had entered and found myself in an area of the West that was unfamiliar to me. Given the fact th
at I was there only rarely, it wasn’t even really that surprising. Seeing that the right led to what looked more like a residential area, I veered left instead, enjoying the stark architecture of the West that lacked the cold aloofness of the ones in the North.
I knew it was only a matter of time before they followed, but I just needed a moment to myself to gather my thoughts. Knowing I hadn't spoken to them about my plans yet, and their lack of support when I spoke of changing the Collection proceedings sent an icy chill up my spine. They'd known what I would want when they chose me, and I sincerely hoped that they would get behind me.
It would feel deceptive of them to accept me as their wife if they didn't want all of me. I lost track of how much I walked, but eventually Hydra's weight became too much for me and she stared up at me all disgruntled when I set her on the ground to walk beside me.
She was a giant, pathetic baby. Either that or she thought she was a Queen. It was likely a combination of both, to be honest.
Eventually, I arrived at a huge, warm building with children running around in the open yard outside. Unless I was mistaken, it was the nursery where I'd been set to transfer to work, for a little while anyway, until Kimba had changed my fate entirely when she marked me as a Dragon Guard, guardian and partner to Hydra.
Even at a glance, it was plain to see that the Western Houses took a very different approach to child rearing. The Gods and Goddesses who watched were affectionate with the children, letting them roam free and run and just be. Where the North had put all its emphasis on making sure they raised the most articulate, mature children possible, it looked much more likely that the West just wanted happy kids.
Still, seeing all the care providers tending to the children made me sad. Parents had so little time before they had to send their children off to Godsvail Academy at seven-years-old. Whether because the circumstances of the duties they performed left them with no choice, or because they just weren't inclined to parent full time, I realized so many children spent their time in the care of others.
For a race that valued children so much, it was just depressing. The creation seemed to hold more value than the upbringing. I wanted things to be different for our children, when we had them one day. If I had to send them to Godsvail, I'd at least do it with them knowing that I loved them with every fiber of my being and that I spent whatever time I could with them.
They'd know they were loved all their lives.
I watched from the edges of the clearing as Tate appeared at the other side. I'd known one of them would come looking for me, though admittedly it surprised me it was him. Perhaps Ryle had deferred because he knew I would appreciate Tate’s more delicate disposition to his abrupt one in that moment.
I thought Tate would see me straight away, lurking as I was. But he bent down, and the children swarmed him to hug him and yell up at him excitedly. He humored them with a huge smile on his face, giving soft, affectionate touches that showed his comfort and familiarity with them.
I often forgot that Tate worked with the children, that he saw to their emotional health as they prepared to leave everything they knew behind and go to Godsvail. It was a sad realization that I could have worked alongside him, but I wouldn't change the little spitfire at my feet for anything. I couldn't. Not when she was as much a part of me as my very soul.
When Tate laughed and ruffled one of the boy's hair sweetly, I felt my heart melt in my chest. He had truly found his calling, and it was clear that for him the children gave him just as much as he gave them.
I rubbed my belly. When the time came that I was heavy with child, I would find comfort knowing my baby would have someone like Tate. He would make a marvellous father.
He finally looked up, seeing me watching like the creep I was. He grinned at me, standing tall and extricating himself from the children who tried to trail after him as he made his way across the clearing to come stand in front of me.
He opened his mouth to speak, but the children had other ideas.
"Is that your girlfriend?" one of the boys teased, sticking out his tongue playfully.
Tate laughed as he shooed the boy away. "My wife, actually," he returned the gesture with his tongue.
A tiny little Karfi girl looked up at me. “You have pretty eyes.”
I blinked at her before smiling. “Thank you, so do you.”
“Can we touch her, she’s pretty!” Several of the children had surrounded Hydra, who was curled up on herself. Trying to decide if the children were a threat or not. One of the girls reached out but stopped when Hydra let out a yip. “Her scales are so shiny! What do they feel like?” Hydra, realizing that the Descendants presented no threat, uncurled from her position to pace about, happy to be the center of attention. She nipped playfully at the heels of some of the kids and made them giggle.
“She’s young, just like all of you.” I smiled when one of the caregivers walked over to shoo the children away. Tate thanked her before he turned to me.
"You'll make an amazing father one day," I told him, unable to hide the giddy smile on my face that came from seeing him in his element so enthusiastically. I imagined it was a strenuous job, to have to say goodbye to children every year and know that if you saw them again, they'd be fully grown adult Gods who'd proven themselves. But he still seemed happy to do it, like the benefits outweighed the cost to him personally.
"For our child? Yes," he murmured, stepping closer to me and raising a hand to cup my cheek. I leaned into the touch, needing that contact in the wake of the drama I felt rising. The ominous conversation hung over my head like a guillotine, and I just wished I could be certain of the outcome when it was done. "Are you alright?"
"Yes." I nodded. "Just stressed." There was a lull in conversation as he thought over my words, likely feeling the truth to them even if he couldn't pinpoint the cause of said stress or the other emotions mixed into the cocktail of confliction that was my frame of mind. "Where's Ryle?"
"He stayed behind to keep others from following you. You were moments away from snapping." Even though his words were said in jest, the truth of them stung. They thought me so volatile, so fragile, that I might explode without notice. True, sometimes I spoke before I thought, but words were a different thing from my psyche. Whatever I encountered, it would not break me.
It just might embarrass them to know that their wife was so radical.
"Tate, I’m not going to snap," my voice was low as I shrugged.
"I don’t know what’s ever happened that you all feel I’m so weak I need protecting all the time, controlling all the time. We spoke of trust and equal footing. But I don’t just need to hear it, I need to feel it," I said, and my gaze fell to the ground when I couldn't bear the pain that flashed in his eyes.
"We just want to make sure you're safe," he sighed, pressing his forehead to mine and staring at me.
"I've survived worse than this, and I'll keep surviving. It's what I'm good at, Tate. But you can't all force your whims on me and hide behind the excuse that it's for my own good. In the Trial with the wives, you all had beautiful words for me. I'd like to see you live them and hold up to the promises you made me. I haven't felt it lately, and after having a wonderful few months with you all when I first came to Demiorgo, I miss the men who Sired me."
He looked at me like he wanted to respond, but he didn't get a chance when Ryle stepped up beside us.
My big man eyed us with all the unabashed curiosity I would have expected of him when coming to a confrontation between his twin and his wife. His eyes narrowed, realizing that while we hadn't yelled at one another or even raised our voices because of the children nearby, something was wrong.
I could feel all the pissed off rage building within me, and I tried to quell it down enough to function because none of us were blameless in what just happened. Tate didn't seem so inclined.
He picked Hydra up and sensing the turbulent emotions boiling inside both me and Tate; she snuggled into Ryle. “What’s wrong?”
“It appears a lot is wrong.” Tate turned his head away from me to look at his twin. A lot was said between them, locking me out and making me feel I wasn’t involved in the conversation.
My temper flared and deflated all in a single moment, because I didn’t want there to be an argument and knew one would be inevitable. Ryle took my hand and dragged me towards the direction of home and away from the Western Capitol building.
“Aren’t we going back? I’ve not even thanked Lathyn for the invite.” I pulled at his hand, but to no avail. Tate took my other hand and silently went along with his brother.
"I already said our goodbyes at the party as it’s best that we just go home," he announced when he looked back at me. I choked back a sob and just allowed them to lead me home like I was a prisoner rather than their wife.
Again, nobody asked me what I wanted.
✽✽✽
Char looked at the three of us with open suspicion the moment we walked through the door. Being home hours earlier than any of us expected, there was no point in even trying to deny that something went wrong - all thanks to my outburst. Even though it seemed like a necessary outburst, even I knew the timing had been inappropriate.
I wished I’d waited to say anything of the sort until after I talked to my Sires about it. I needed to know that they would have my back when Lathyn and I made our move toward reform.
"You're home early," Hollis said, stating the obvious as Hydra moved to curl up with him on the couch. It made me sad to think that one day, sooner than I'd like, she wouldn't be able to cuddle on the furniture with us. One day, she wouldn't even fit inside this part of the house.
Being so separated from her felt strange when she was an extension of me. We shared a bond that not even my Sires and I shared.
"Evidently, people are whispering about Lathyn and Mireyah having an affair," Tate said, glancing at me as he spoke the words. I didn't bother to deny it given the truth to it. Aristela herself had said the words plainly enough for anyone to hear. For immortal beings, Gods gossiped more than any being I’d ever met.
