Dragon Emperor 15: From Human to Dragon to God

by Eric Vall

  “Father, please.” My wife shook her head and smiled. “I know you mean well, and you only want the best for me, but the best is to be with my husband. We have to close the Breach, so we can bring our child into this world safely.”

  “I understand,” the king sighed. “I never realized how brave you are, my daughter.”

  “I learned from you and Mother,” she replied easily before she walked over to give him a hug. “We’ll speak to you once we arrive in Yrosa.”

  “Okay.” He nodded and squeezed her gently before he looked at me with a fire behind his amethyst eyes. “You will keep her safe, Lord Evan.”

  “I will guard her with my life,” I vowed.

  The king dipped his head, and I ushered Nike, Vala, and my lovers toward the door to lead us outside. Then Alyona and Naomi began the work of opening a portal back to Leyte.

  “I will see you again soon, brother,” Eskandar said as he strode out of the castle and gripped my forearm. “Hopefully, it won’t be for a rescue next time.”

  “But I’m always down for a hunt.” I grinned as we released each other, and he headed out of the gates to take on his dragon form.

  “I think it’s safe to portal inside the gates this time,” Nike advised the duo.

  They nodded, and seconds later, we were prepared to return to Nike’s home city. He turned and offered his elbow to Vala, and she hesitated before she looped one arm through his and tightened her grip on little Elian.

  Then they stepped through the magical doorway, and the rest of us followed close behind. As soon as my boots hit the soil, I heard a cacophony of screeches and excited yelling from inside the palace.

  “Lord Evan!” Trina screeched as she and her sisters barreled out the front door. “You’re back!”

  “Thank the gods!” Marina squealed.

  “We’ve missed you!” Polina added before they all wrapped me up in a group hug.

  “I missed you, too!” Ravi chirped as she joined in the celebration of my arrival.

  “We were only gone a day,” Vala said with a doubtful crease in her brow.

  “When you fall in love, you’ll understand,” Polina explained and grinned.

  Ravi and the dryads hugged the rest of my lovers, and when they reached Isabella, she blushed and looked away.

  “You’re with us now,” the phoenix commented with a wide smile. “You get hugs, too.”

  “I was hoping so,” Isabella giggled before she joined in their excited greetings.

  “Vala!” Lord Calvin called out from the front door before his face drained of color. “Is that…”

  “Elian,” she finished and smiled. “Come meet your son.”

  A wild array of emotions flickered across Calvin’s face before he glanced at Nike. His grandson nodded his encouragement, and then Calvin made his way down the few steps to see Elian.

  “He’s… beautiful,” Calvin breathed as he gently touched Elian’s brow. “I wish I could have been there when he arrived.”

  “You do?” Vala’s eyes were wide open as she stared at the noble. “Why?”

  “His first breath, his first cry, a father should be there for those things,” he said as a tear rolled down his cheek. “He’s my son.”

  “You love him,” she murmured before she shook her head and held Elian out to him. “Do you want to hold him?”

  The look of pure joy that washed over Calvin’s face was enough to put a lump in my throat, and I found myself reaching down to Alyona’s belly as if to reassure my own child his or her time would come soon enough. The now-familiar surge of power rushed through my body, and I smiled as our baby reacted to my hand on my wife’s skin.

  “Let’s go inside,” Nike suggested. “We have a few things to talk about before it’s time to leave.”

  “Oh, of course,” Calvin said as he proudly carried his son into the castle. “Have you eaten lunch?”

  “Yes, Grandfather,” Nike replied. “Where is my father?”

  “Right here,” Niall announced when we walked inside.

  The baron sat on one of the sofas in the great room with a young girl who looked to be about four or five next to him. She glanced up when we entered, and her silver eyes twinkled with interest.

  “Is that the dragon?” she whispered.

  “That’s him,” Niall confirmed, and he smiled softly at the girl. “And that’s your brother, Nikolaus.”

  “Brother?” Nike repeated as his mouth dropped open.

  “Yep, we finally found all the, ah, people we were searching for,” his father explained with a grimace. “It turned out one of them had given birth to Haven here, but she didn’t remember much more about that night than I did. When I finally tracked her down, I invited them both to the castle to stay with me.”

  “It looks like we have two new additions to the family, then,” Calvin laughed. “Meet Elian.”

  “Who’s that?” Haven asked in a tiny voice.

  “Well, technically, he’s your uncle,” Niall explained.

  “But he’s a baby,” she giggled. “How can he be my uncle?”

  “We’ll explain more when you’re older,” he promised with a teasing glance at his father. “For now, you don’t worry about it.”

  “Okay, can I hold him?” Haven asked and clasped her hands together. “Pleeeease, Papa?”

  I recognized the puppy dog eyes I’d used hundreds of times as a kid, and Niall finally smiled.

  “Alright, but only if Lady Vala says it’s okay,” he conceded.

  “I’ll sit with you,” she offered as she retrieved Elian from Calvin’s grudging arms and carried him to the sofa next to the little girl.

  “There’s nothing quite like reuniting a family,” Marina sighed happily.

  “It’s basically the second best feeling ever,” Polina agreed.

  “Second?” I looked at her in confusion.

  “You’re obviously first,” Trina replied with a playful roll of her eyes.

  “Even I saw that one coming,” Laika chuckled, and her fluffy gray tail swished around behind her with amusement.

  “Fair enough,” I laughed before I cleared my throat and looked to Nike. “Let’s gather the men in the dining hall.”

  “Father, Grandfather,” he called out. “Come on. We’ll be brief.”

  Niall and Calvin both looked longingly at their children before they followed us out of the great hall. It was almost comical that they were now so attached to these kids when a couple days ago, they didn’t even care to know if they existed. It seemed the paternal instinct I had for my growing child and hatchling was more natural, but theirs came into play once they saw the children, like it had finally become real.

  We led them to the table and sat in the chairs closest to the door.

  “This won’t take long,” I began as I motioned for the nobles to sit with us. “I don’t want to keep you from your family, but there are a few things to be discussed.”

  “I have a feeling I know where this is going, Lord Evan,” Calvin muttered. “I was not exactly kind or welcoming to Vala or the idea of our child, but that’s completely changed now. I can’t believe I was so callous about my son.”

  “I can see you feel differently,” I acknowledged with a smile. “I just still have to say what I need to say. You understand.”

  “Of course, my lord,” he conceded and dropped his head.

  “You may not understand the bond Elian and I now share,” I continued. “It is similar to the one he shares with Lord Nikolaus, but instead of merely feeling close to him, I feel his soul. I can tell you he was immensely happy when you picked him up, and I know when he’s hungry and tired, too. I will know if anything happens to him.”

  “I would never let anything happen to him!” Calvin insisted as tears shone in his eyes. “You have to know that!”

  “He’s our family,” Niall added with a clenched fist. “We would fight to the death for him.”

  “I swear it upon the land of my father,” Calvin vowed and pres
sed his fist to his chest. “No harm will ever come to Elian.”

  “Just what I needed to hear.” I nodded. “But that also brings up the next part. You need to care for Vala, too. She carried Elian, gave birth to him under extreme circumstances, and still was brave enough to return here, despite your careless behavior toward her before.”

  “She had a rough life,” Nike added. “She had to be tough to handle it, and now, she just needs to have the chance to be a mother.”

  “Does she, ah, want to, um…” Calvin trailed off as he searched for the right words. “She doesn’t want to get married, right?”

  “No,” I chuckled. “She only wants to be your partner in raising your son. If that changes later, that’s up to you two. For now, she wants to work together, that’s all.”

  “Okay,” Calvin sighed with relief. “I dismissed my harem.”

  “You, uh, did what?” Niall turned to his father in shock. “You don’t have a harem anymore?”

  “I saw the way Lord Evan’s women looked at him,” the bald man mused. “It was obvious how much they care about him. My harem was for two things, and neither of them was love.”

  “So, then what?” I asked.

  “I don’t know yet,” he admitted. “I want to focus on Elian for now.”

  “Understandable.” I nodded my approval. “Then it’s settled. Vala and Elian stay here with you under the protection and care of your guard. Anything they need, you will provide. If you can’t provide it, you will reach out to Nike or myself, and we will ensure they get it.”

  “Of course, my lord,” Calvin agreed, and the father and son started to rise from the table.

  “Oh, one more thing,” I said, and I avoided Nike’s questioning look. “I want to talk about this Bloodline Council bullshit.”

  “I beg your pardon?” Calvin blinked in shock. “What about it?”

  “Listen, you know and I know that Margaret and Lord Nikolaus aren’t in love,” I explained. “So, why is it so important for them to get married?”

  “The council determines the best bloodline combinations to pass on each family’s worthiest traits,” he replied with a frown. “But I think I can see where you’re going with this.”

  “You didn’t care about the bloodline traits and all that when you were shagging half the women in town.” I smirked as Nike covered his face in his hands. “I don’t mean to be rude, but it seems kind of dumb to not let your grandson find love and a family in his own way when you could have been passing on your genes to a hundred different women of varying bloodlines. And even one of the random ones managed to carry the trait that made Elian a Child of Light.”

  There was a cold moment of silence as Calvin and Niall looked at each other before Calvin dropped his head to his chest and sighed.

  “You’re right,” he finally said.

  “What?” Nike’s voice was incredulous as he dropped his hands and stared at his grandfather. “You agree?”

  “The Bloodline Council has been in place for centuries,” Calvin said with a shrug. “It worked out well enough for me and for your father, but I can see it won’t work for you. Margaret is, ah, well…”

  “Boring,” I filled in. “And a bit of a drunk.”

  After a much shorter silence, Niall broke out in hysterical laughter, and soon, Calvin laughed with him.

  “I believe you’re right on both counts,” Niall agreed as he wiped a tear from his eye. “My son deserves someone as adventurous and respectable as he is.”

  “I will dismiss Margaret from the court with honor,” Calvin said with a smile. “And I think we will dismiss the entire Bloodline Council from their duties. It seems they may not be as useful to the growing strength of our city as was previously thought.”

  “So, I don’t have to marry Margaret?” Nike’s mouth hung open like he still couldn’t believe it.

  “No, son, you can find your own wife,” Niall answered and clapped him on the shoulder. “Or wives, like your friend here.”

  “I’ll just stick with one for now,” Nike shot back with a laugh. “They seem like a lot of work, unless you are a dragon lord.”

  More laughter followed until we all had to take deep breaths.

  “Well, I suppose we’d better get back before the women come looking for us,” Calvin said as our hysterics died down, and we all stood up. “And Lord Evan?”

  “Yeah?” I stopped to look at him.

  “Thank you,” he whispered. “For finding Elian, saving Vala, and bringing us all together. My heart hasn’t felt so full in a very long time.”

  “You’re welcome,” I said with a smile. “Now, let’s get you back to your kids.”

  Niall and Calvin raced out ahead of us to rejoin their children, and Nike looked at me with gratitude. Our eyes met for a moment before I grinned and clapped him on the shoulder.

  He didn’t have to say anything. I knew his bond with Elian ran deep, and oddly enough, I could feel Elian’s love for Nike as well. He wanted reassurance that his family would protect the tiniest noble, and our conversation had cemented that for him. Elian would be safe and cared for by the best Leyte could offer. Not to mention, now Nike could find a woman he truly cared about instead of being stuck with the lame-ass version of Shirley Temple.

  We strolled back out to the great hall, and I realized Elian was being passed down the line of my women who cooed and awed at him with every little movement. Then his little dark-haired head turned to face me, and I saw the bright silver eyes of his family. He gazed at me, and a feeling of contentment washed over me.

  “Okay.” I cleared my throat. “Did everyone get their turn?”

  “I didn’t,” Nike said in a soft voice before he strode forward. “May I?”

  “Of course,” Laika replied as she gently handed Elian to his nephew.

  Nike whispered to the child and kissed him on the forehead, and I motioned for my women to follow me away from the others.

  “We need to get back to Hatra before we move on to Yrosa,” I said. “I want to check in with Valerra and Emma. We can stay there tonight, and then we’ll head to Yrosa in the morning.”

  “Should I just, ah, meet you there?” Isabella asked with a frown.

  “What?” I pursed my lips as I tried to grasp her question. “Meet us where? Hatra?”

  “Yrosa,” she answered and looked down.

  “Why would you meet us anywhere?” I chuckled. “You’re one of my women now. You go with us. Unless you don’t want--”

  “I want to!” the Nepin squealed and wrapped her arms around my neck. “I just didn’t want to assume!”

  “You’re adorable,” Polina giggled. “Lord Evan would never leave you behind.”

  “Never?” Isabella looked at me with her ocean-blue eyes open wide.

  “Never,” I confirmed. “The only reason Valerra isn’t with us is for our egg’s protection. Otherwise, my women are always with me.”

  “Then I will be, too,” she agreed with a wide smile.

  I grinned back and turned to check on Nike. He had returned Elian to Haven’s arms, and he knelt in front of the two as he spoke in a soft voice. I couldn’t imagine the odd feeling of knowing he had a day-old uncle and a four-year-old sister all of a sudden, but he seemed to adapt pretty well.

  He rose to his feet and started his goodbyes.

  “We’ll be back to visit,” I said as I shook each of their hands. “Don’t worry about that.”

  “Thank you, Lord Evan,” Vala murmured. “You and Lord Nikolaus have brought much joy to my life, and I am grateful.”

  “Trust me when I say family is everything,” I replied. “You haven’t had that chance before, but life is full of surprises.”

  The new mother smiled and waved as we finished our hugs and goodbyes before we headed out the front door. Alyona opened a portal in the courtyard, and we stepped through the magical doorway to re-enter Hatra.

  My city smelled like fresh bread and campfires, and I inhaled a deep breath as my body began
to relax.

  I was home.

  “You’re home!” Julia cried out as she ran out of the Lunar Palace. “Oh, it’s so good to see you!”

  “And you.” I hugged my mother as my father scurried out behind her. “How are Valerra and Emma?”

  “Great!” Julia gushed. “They’re the best of friends.”

  “Really?” I narrowed my gaze. “No joke?”

  “Really,” Ruslan insisted. “They’ve been inseparable since you left, but enough about us! How did the Redimi Vincio ceremony go?”

  “Let’s go inside and have Valerra and Emma come down,” I suggested with a laugh. “Then we will only have to tell the story once.”

  Ruslan dipped his head and disappeared inside the palace, and we all walked in behind him and made ourselves comfortable in the great room. A few seconds later, Valerra and my aunt rushed down the stairs, and the welcoming party started over again as more hugs and kisses went around.

  “We’re happy to see you,” Valerra said as her gaze dropped to Alyona’s stomach with a smile. “All of you.”

  “Well, obviously, we’re happy to see all of you, even the new face,” Julia laughed and looked at Isabella. “You’re a Nepin?”

  “Yes, milady,” Isabella replied with a curtsy.

  “Oh, come now, I assume you’re with my son, so you don’t need all the formalities with me,” my mother chuckled. “You may call me Julia.”

  “Isabella,” the Nepin introduced herself and smiled. “It’s a pleasure to meet you, Julia.”

  “Likewise,” Julia shot back with a grin before she glanced at me. “Very pretty.”

  “I agree.” I nodded and winked at Isabella. “And she’s from Yrosa, so she can help us get a foot in the door to find the next Noble Spirit.”

  “I don’t know which family has the sword,” the Nepin pointed out with a frown. “I can only get us into the city.”

  “Well, that’s better than having to fight our way in,” I joked until her eyes widened. “No, I’m kidding… mostly, but seriously, it helps to have a familiar face when we’re dealing with people we’ve never met. They may not trust us without you, so your presence will be a big help.”

  “Nepins are known for being very close-knit,” Ruslan commented. “I’m certain you’ll be helpful, Isabella. Lord Evan is right.”