Chapter Fifteen
The anger rolled off his mate in waves, pushing him to fly faster than he ever had. Cage stuck to the warmer currents and pulled upon his power of the sun to keep her warm at their altitude. He felt her shivers anyway.
The skies were clear, which was good because he needed the space and time to clear his head. He'd sworn that he could bear the brunt of her utter rejection of him like a warrior. He’d been wrong about how dark and lonely he already felt without the light of her love.
They may be fated mates, but they still had free will. If Azy chose not to be with him, decided she wasn't in love with him, even a little bit, that was her choice.
He wouldn’t blame her for it now. Cage had betrayed her so deeply. He wasn’t even sure he could forgive himself.
He would never know the joys of love. Not like Jakob or Ky. He would turn into a bitter old man, like Match was already.
He’d never know the love of children or true family. He would not have an heir. Because without Azy, none of it mattered.
There would be no one else for either of them. That was exactly the way Cage wanted it. He would live in misery as long as she was safe.
He didn't try talking to her during the flight. He doubted she would listen or respond, anyway.
It didn't take as long to fly home as it had to get to Africa in the little plane. He almost wished they could float up here in the sky together forever.
But, all too soon the canals and rivers of his homeland came into view. He hoped someday she would learn to appreciate the waters around The Lindens.
If not, he would build her pools, and springs, and fountains. He would build her a whole damn aquarium and fill it with every creature in the sea, just for her.
He would even send some of his warriors to find her sisters and bring any that would come to her. No mermen would ever be invited to his estate. Mermen could all go to hell, and without Azynsa.
In another few minutes The Lindens came into sight.
He lost the ability to fly for a minute and they dropped hundreds of feet. The sky went dark, or maybe that was just his vision.
Azy screamed and clung to him bringing him back to his senses. He cupped her tight, his talons secured around her and glided toward the ground.
His home was not the peaceful place he'd left it.
He circled the grounds and took in the carnage below. The main house had been razed to the ground. Only a few burnt timbers and glass remained. The bodies of several gold dragons lay strewn around his home.
First Dragon above, what had happened here?
For the first time since he'd grabbed her, Azy spoke. “Oh my God. Cage, oh my God.”
He circled the grounds once more and found a band of his warriors on the far side of the training field. One of them raised his arm. Gris, waived them in, indicating that it was safe to land.
Cage carefully set Azy next to Gris and shifted into his human form. He grasped his Second on the arm. “What happened?”
Gris was covered in burns and the ground all around the surviving warriors was littered with black stains, the indication of so many demon Dragon deaths, the ground was barely visible beneath the layer of ash.
“A horde like I have never seen. They came out in the middle of the day.” Gris shook his head. “I've never seen them in full sunshine like that. They were…bigger, stronger.”
Like the ones Jett had spoken to in hell. “The Black Dragon?”
Gris nodded. “If that's who he was. He’s the one who killed the warriors guarding the house.”
Cage had felt his home would be safe. How wrong he had been. How arrogant to think that he alone could protect anyone just because he was a Wyvern.
“How many golds are lost?” How many more would be lost in this war?
That's what this was. Before, his life had been a series of battles. He and all dragon warriors had played at games. Now, when the real deal showed up, they were unprepared.
He had let that happen.
No more. If war was what the Black Dragon wanted, it was what he would get.
Gris looked down at the ground, his hands were shaking. “Three that we know of. But, more are unaccounted for. Captured.”
“Zon?”
Gris nodded. “And Portia.”
“Why would Kur-Jara want the succubus now?”
Gris blew out all long breath. “There's more. The succubus Geshtianna is working with the Black Dragon. She and her coven. They were here and worked against us.”
Holy shit. “We knew Portia had ties to them. Did she betray us?” Again Cage’s arrogance came up to bite him in the ass. He hadn't thought Portia was a threat. He thought he could use her.
“No. Never.” There was more force in Gris's voice than Cage expected. “She fought by our sides. She was taken because she was defending Zon.”
“Are you sure? How else would the black Dragon and the coven –”
Gris slashed his hand through the air. “I'm sure.”
“How do you know?” Cage had been fleeced by Portia before. While he trusted Gris and his judgment, the succubus allure could mess with a dragon's head. Especially, when they were looking for a mate.
“I know. Because she is my mate. Our mate.” Cage glanced at Gris's neck. He no longer wore his soul shard. “Zon to?”
Gris gave a curt nod. “Yes, she lit up our shards like fucking fireworks.”
Cage understood. He glanced over at Azy who was helping another warrior bandage his wounds. Water flowed through her fingertips, soothing the burns.
“Just like your shard is doing now.”
Cage didn't even need to glance down. He felt the tingling buzz of the shard against his skin. It compelled him to go to her.
Azy looked up from her work and met his eyes. A necklace dangled from a cord around her neck. It glowed with a golden hue to. Cage’s gut clenched.
It shouldn't be there. The only thing she should have on was his shard. She'd saved him the first time she wore it.
He would ask her to save him again now.
“We will get Zon and your mate back. I swear to you. This is war and with our mates by our sides we will win it.”
The abject grief on Gris’s face told Cage he didn’t believe it yet. He would.
“Gather the men we have left. We will regroup and my mate has a plan to take the Black Dragon down.”
He left Gris and went to Azynsa. He nodded to the warrior she was helping and pulled her away.
She yanked away from him, not welcoming his touch.
“Is this enough to convince you that we need to fight against this dark evil?” She motioned around to the death and destruction, but Cage saw none of it.
“No,” he kneeled to the ground in front of her, “you convinced me. I was just too scared to admit it.”
Azy opened her mouth to say something but then closed again. She sucked in a breath as if she'd found her words but again said nothing.
Cage had never seen her speechless. He didn't really like it either. She was smart and hilarious and would probably save them all.
“I am truly sorry for my failing you when you needed me the most. Not in hell, but when you wanted me to believe in you. I realize it may take a long time for you to forgive me. But, I hope you will –”
Azy put her fingers over his lips. “Shut up, dragon. You are a royal dumbass. But, for some reason that I don't think has anything to do with being your mate, I am in love with you. And, I learned recently not to harbor or hold grudges against those I love. It's like poison we think we are giving to others, but taking ourselves.”
Cage stood and grabbed her up in his arms. He kissed her for a good long time until several dragon warriors behind them cleared their throats.
“I think they are ready to hear your plans to exact some revenge on Kur-Jara.”
Before another moment passed he would have her and everyone know how he felt about her. “He lifted the soul shard over his head and placed it around her neck. He lifted the necklace to move it aside and it disintegrated into a riot of colorful dragon scales that swirled and blew away in the wind.
“Azynsa, my mate, my love. Take my soul. It is safe only in your keeping. I give it to you freely because I love you and know that it belongs to you. It has for a long time.”
She placed her hand over her heart. “I'll take it. Because I told you back in hell, it was mine.”
Cage chuckled. “Yes, you did.”
“Don't forget this time.” She brushed a soft kiss across his lips. “Because, together we are better. We are stronger and love is going to conquer all.”