“So, I came here and learned of the curse and Ryluth demanded information, and as the Librarian, you gave him access to the cylinder,” She was thinking aloud. “Why did you just not take the cylinder and use it for whatever purpose you wanted?”
“Think of the curse,” he urged her.
Sofia accessed her memory of the words that she’d read so many time she probably recited them in her sleep. Then her brows rose and her mouth became a perfect O.
“They have to give her back to you!”
Threlzin nodded. “Once she is given back to me, in the form of her tears in that cylinder, the curse is broken and no one need lose a mate.”
Sofia nodded in understanding, but there was so much she didn’t.
“Didn’t they want mates for all those years?”
Threlzin thought a moment, then looked sheepish. “I was in my grief for so long. By the time I came out of it, I saw what my words had done to my Dragons and the lengths they had gone to in hopes of continuing their race, and how much honor they had shown in the face of what they were looking at. Then it took me so long to find a way out for all of us before I found the priest’s journal. If I had not lost myself to rage and grief none of this would have happened.”
And Sofia thought that she would never have met Ryluth and that thought chilled her, yet she was not grateful for what their people had suffered.
“Their people?” Threlzin chuckled and Sofia started. He nodded at her. “Your people. Or at least they will be once you decide to tie your fertility to Ryluth.”
Sofia frowned at him. “That’s none of your business,” she cried out.
“It is very much my business as the Dragons will follow their ruler and Ryluth must mate and have young so the rest of the Dragons will then search out mates. We need a ‘Baby Boom’ the likes the Demonworld is now seeing.”
Sofia chewed her lip and thought on that. It wasn’t that she didn’t want a child, she desperately did want a child of her own, loved children. It was someone telling her she HAD to have a child that stuck in her craw. She glared at Threlzin before looking down at the orb again and saw Ryluth, followed by his Dragons, some females and Cassie and Bax, walk towards a white building on a large field outside the Palace that she had not taken notice of before.
“It’s nearly time for us to make our entrance, witch.”
Sofia nodded, wanting to be back with Ryluth more than anything else in the universe.
*****
Ryluth marched towards Threlzin’s temple at his Palace, determined to get Sofia back. He was aware of the others following him and he noted The Twins, both sets had joined them. The other Human females had stayed back, in fear. Groffur’s little witch looked excited. How the old Dragon had ever won her to his side was beyond him, but he had to make them work, as a unit, if at all possible.
“Priest!” He yelled out upon reaching the field.
Everyone stood still and waited. After some minutes and just before Ryluth was ready to march into the temple and drag the Dragon out by his robes, another priest appeared, shaking and slowly approaching Ryluth as he kept looking back at the temple.
“H-he, is not here, Majesty,” the man prostrated himself before Ryluth, who looked on in morbid curiosity.
“Where is he, little priest?” Ryluth ground out, on the very edge of shifting and burning the entire thing down with everyone in it. The male looked up at him, abject misery in his eyes.
“He came and collected his things and then left, my Lord.”
“He realized his game was done,” Ryluth breathed out, furious. If the male’s actions harmed Sofia in any way he would turn him to cinders. Turning around, he saw all of those gathered and grimaced.
“Can you perform the summoning ritual?” He demanded implacably.
The priest shook his head into the ground, refusing to look at Ryluth. “No one knows it,” he whispered into the dirt.
With a growl worthy of his first form Ryluth looked to the sky and screamed his rage.
“Threlzin, come forth!”
“Not Biblical at all,” he heard Bax chuckle and wanted to smash the Human. He sent an enraged look at the irreligious male, who had the wisdom to shut his mouth.
Golden sparkles appeared in the air of the ground outside the temple and finally took the form of Threlzin and Ryluth fell to his knees when he saw Sofia standing next to his god. She started to run to him, but Threlzin held her back.
Ryluth got to his feet and approached Threlzin, only to find himself stopped and pushed to his knees.
“You dare approach me in wrath, King Ryluth?” The god roared. He then looked at all of the other Drakkos gathered and stared until they, too, knelt before him. He nodded. “That is more like what I am owed.”
“Please,” Ryluth ground out, tears streaming down his face. “Please don’t take her. Take me instead.”
Threlzin cocked his dragon head to the side, considering Ryluth. Then he shook it.
“It speaks well of you that you would offer your life for hers, but you have something else I want.”
Ryluth was able to reach into his pocket and pulled out the cylinder slowly and then he bowed his head to the ground, laying the relic on the ground before him.
“The Tears of Coalna,” he said and prayed that Threlzin would release Sofia, his fear for her ate away at his soul. This had to be what Threlzin had felt all those centuries ago when his mate had gone missing. It was quite maddening.
He raised his head when he heard nothing and Sofia was standing before him, looking back at Threlzin, with her hand reaching out to him. He pulled himself up and grabbed her hand, pulling her roughly into his arms. She turned to him, crying out and clung to him as she wept out her fear. He wept along with her, still so scared she would disappear. He did not realize that he was thanking Threlzin with every breath, that she was returned to him, and never gave a thought that his god was right there listening to his prayer in person.
“There are many things I need to clear up,” Threlzin spoke. “But first, I must do this.” With that he popped the cap of the relic and gazed at the vial inside. The look on his face was one of wonder and hope. It was nearly heartbreaking to those watching. “We have all waited for this day.”
He then took the form of a Human male, beautiful, glorious, and removed the vial from the cylinder, placing it on the ground, before taking his Dragon form once again. He picked up one foot and brought it down on the glass vial and then particles, containing every color one could imagine swirled around where the tears had touched the ground and Threlzin roared into the heavens and flapped his wings out wide and the pull of the strong magic flattened everyone standing in the field. The beings outside the temple could hear the cries of those inside of it. No one moved, but all strained to look up to see what was happening.
The particles swirled, faster and faster and Sofia thought of it as a tornado she had seen on a movie back on Earth. It was beautiful and terrifying all at once. The maelstrom increased in speed and then began to coalesce into a form. There was not a being on the field who didn’t strain to see what it was. Intellectually, they all knew it would be Coalna, but what form would she take?
It was some time later that the particles finally slowed and fell to the ground and a small, female Dragon stood on the field, blinking at Threlzin, who stood as still as a mountain. When he blinked, Ryluth felt he could breathe again. He clung to Sofia tightly. She didn’t move, rapt on the scene before them.
“Coalna?” Threlzin finally spoke after watching the smaller Dragon for some time. The female turned her head this way and that, as if taking everything in.
“Where have I been? It’s all changed,” she spoke softly, reverently. She looked at Threlzin. “What has happened?”
Threlzin threw back his head and trumpeted, forcing the change in all of the males in Human form to follow his lead as they, too, bellowed the pleasure of their god. The humans present merely watched and listened in wonder.
When
it was all done, Sofia stood at Ryluth’s foot, caressing it for comfort as they all stared at the god and his mate/consort.
“You have given me back my mate,” Threlzin roared to his world in joy. “The curse is now broken, for all of us.” And he and Coalna disappeared.
No one moved and barely dared to breathe.
The Drakkos all returned to their Human forms, standing around, looking as dazed as the true Humans.
“What just happened?” Ryluth spoke as he looked to the sky.
“He was weakened by her resurrection and had to return to his plane to regain his strength,” Sofia explained.
Ryluth shook his head and looked down at his mate and it hit him. She was his mate and would not die. Without even thinking about it, he picked her up and ran with her to the Palace. She didn’t startle, didn’t fight him, merely put her arms around his neck and chuckled.
“He said you might be like this,” she spoke quietly when he finally got them to his room and he closed the door, not wanting to set her down.
Ryluth was muttering one word over and over even as he bent his head to kiss her and began divesting her of her clothing. Sofia was overwhelmed with the desire pouring off Ryluth and then the word he kept repeating filtered through her brain.
“Please, please, please...” And she knew without asking that he needed her not to freeze up, to accept this, to accept him, even though he was quite mad with desire at this point, and she could feel the evidence of that against her belly and she smiled.
Threlzin had told her that Ryluth would most likely be overcome when reality hit him and he realized she was his, finally, to claim. He told her that he had further dulled the edges of her memories, and removed any fear she had of him, to make it easier for her to accept Ryluth claiming her as his mate. She was prepared and didn’t feel even an ounce of hesitation, wanting this as much as he did.
“I’m sorry, Sofia,” he cried against her throat as he tossed her on his bed. “I have to...”
And he spread her legs and lay upon her. Still, no qualms. She ran her fingers through his hair as he laved her nipples, arching up into him, to show she was ready. It was evidently all he was waiting for as he placed himself at her entrance and surged inside her. Sofia cried out at the sheer pleasure that he gave her, then she beat on his shoulders when he stopped, staring down at her.
“Move, damn you!”
His smile lit him up from inside.
“Anything my queen demands,” he said and began thrusting in and out of her, hitting a spot inside her that had her going quite mad.
“Don’t stop,” she ordered him, pushing her hips at him, demanding more and more.
“Gods! Sofia...” he then growled and kissed her, forcing her mouth open and his tongue inside and Sofia felt something from him come into her and she came explosively, screaming into his mouth and he roared into hers, never ending the kiss. Sofia felt his warmth enter her body and she moaned softly before it all went black.
*****
Ryluth had never felt such satisfaction in his life as he breathed his essence into Sofia and then they had both come and it was so overwhelming he passed out. Somewhere in his brain he was still aware, but it was dulled by the bliss he felt.
“Your mate is quite a champion for you and our Dragons,” he heard Threlzin in his head, then he was standing before his god, with Coalna beside him.
Ryluth knelt before Threlzin and Coalna, his head bowed.
“Your mate is but the first to be made this night,” his god spoke and smiled over at his own mate. “Others are even now achieving that blessed state as we speak.”
“I don’t understand,” Ryluth stated the obvious.
“The priesthood has become a festering boil. They kept that cylinder from me for far too long and it took me far longer to figure out how to make you give it to me to fulfill the curse.”
Ryluth just stared at Threlzin.
“I urged you to visit the Demonworld to work with their Demi in the hopes that you would recognize your mate there,” Threlzin explained. “Then it was a matter of getting her to agree to come here and help you find the vial and give it to me.” Threlzin frowned, his visage a mask of terrible wrath. “I shall deal with the priesthood, and their colluding with the Faerie, but you must deal with your mate and make her tie her fertility to you.”
Ryluth’s head jerked at that realization. He had never thought about that part of a witch’s magic. He had hoped that she was already carrying his egg. He saw Threlzin shake his head and look at Coalna.
“It is a correct and necessary rein on our breeding, especially among the Humans who are so prolific even without wanting to be.”
He nodded his head.
“Many have suffered because of the desire of the priesthood to be preeminent. They kept that journal hidden from me. If I had not been watching the court from the position of the Librarian, I would have missed it altogether.”
“Why did you just not take it when it was there in the box?” Ryluth asked, as confused as Sofia had been.
“The curse I spoke said you had to give her back to me,” Threlzin explained.
“But, I was coerced,” Ryluth argued. “You took Sofia!” He glared at his god and didn’t care.
Threlzin chuckled. “You should have seen your mate when I brought her here. She was angry and fought for you and your people with everything in her, arguing for you, pleading for you. She is the perfect mate for you. You chose well King Ryluth.”
Ryluth nodded and swallowed.
“What now?”
Threlzin turned his head, staring directly at the Dragon King.
“You have intrigues to solve within your own court, King. I will solve the priesthood problem.”
Again, Ryluth nodded. There wasn’t much to be said.
“Lennalth must solve his own mysteries,” Threlzin said mysteriously. “Put him on the trail of discovering the intrigues.”
Then Ryluth woke up, sleeping heavily on top of Sofia and he immediately jerked up to see her breathing and fast asleep with a huge smile on her face. He rolled off her, carrying her with him and hugged her tightly as she slept. His eyes fluttered closed and he fell into a restful sleep.
Chapter Sixteen
Sofia walked towards the throne room and winced at the sound of shouts coming from the room. Even with the doors closed she could clearly hear Groffur bellowing.
“What are we supposed to do without a priest to help with the eggs? I will not have Lei suffer to bring me a son!”
She quietly entered the room just as Groffur opened his mouth to shout again at Ryluth over the lack of any priests to Threlzin on Wushin. They had all disappeared the night of Coalna’s return three weeks ago. She understood his concern. Lei was due to deliver their egg and Groffur was quite mad at the thought of his small mate suffering even so much as a pang in the process.
She walked purposefully towards the small throne that sat next to Ryluth’s. He smiled as she approached and she recognized the look in his eye. He was highly amused at his old courtier. The entire room held its collective breath as she took her seat before them and she grabbed Ryluth’s hand in her own and nodded.
“Groffur, your mate is an Earth witch, as I have explained to you before, at some length,” Sofia said quietly. There would be no screaming and bellowing in her court.
The Dragon glared at her and nodded his head.
“She can easily take care of the slight discomfort that she has been told to expect when the egg leaves her body.”
“She should never hurt!” Groffur raised his voice, then immediately shrunk back when Sofia raised her brow.
“Do not raise your voice to my mate again, Groffur,” Ryluth warned.
“Apologies, Majesty,” Groffur bowed his head in submission. “I cannot stand the thought of my mate in any pain at all.”
It had been several weeks since the night Threlzin resurrected Coalna. So far only Groffur, Ryluth, Derno and Cenan had taken mates, but word was o
ut among the magical worlds and they knew no birthing contracts would be forthcoming. Several Dragons had made trips to the Technomage World seeking mates and in one case, connecting with a former contractor and finding their mate.
Now, Ryluth was faced with a frightened old Drakkos who was determined that his mate not move, not move a hair, because it might cause her pain. Evidently, this is what happened when you waited so long to have young, as his distress was completely out of proportion for what Dragons usually felt.
“Would you permit me to administer a potion to Lei Yep when or if, she feels any pain?” Sofia asked suddenly bringing everyone eyes to her. “It is of human magic but should easily help her.”
Groffur eyed her skeptically. “What potion is this?”
“It is a potion called Midol, which is then put into a pill form and dried. It has helped millions of females on Earth.”
The old Drakkos still wasn’t buying it.
“I plan to use it myself in a few weeks,” she announced to everyone in the room and even the little bit of muttering going on in back immediately stopped, every eye on her. She turned to Ryluth, a shy smile on her face. “This was not how I wanted to tell you,” she admitted and then squealed when she was pulled into his arms and he stood, twirling her around.
“I am to be a father!” He yelled to everyone and a great cheer went up, even from Groffur who nodded to Sofia, indicating he would accept the Midol for Lei Yep.
The old Dragon waved them off as he turned to walk out of the room, grumbling every step of the way about young males who thought they were the first to ever sire a fledgling. Everyone filed out after him, leaving Ryluth and Sofia staring at each other.
“Are you surprised?” she asked her wonderful male. The male so strong and fantastic that he made her forget all males before him. She would never tell him that as his head was big enough just being mated to her.
“I can’t say that I am,” he grinned wickedly. “Consider all the practicing we’ve been getting in.”
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