All of Draxos celebrates the birth of our clutch. So, my mates decide to throw a lavish gala at the Academy. They book an entire wing of the Alumni building to host guests from all across the Draxos systems.

The babies are secured in a nursery and are only presented to the crowd briefly. Then Mika and Reese take them back to the palace to be with their nannies for the evening.

I wear a long white gown, flowing around my body like cascades of snow flowing from the mountains of Arcadia. Everyone wants to talk to me at once and my mates help keep the crowds organized, not letting me get overwhelmed. Everyone is quite pleased with the vaccine. Widespread distribution is scheduled to commence in weeks.

It is only as the Draxos collectively toast the birth of my daughters that my discovery is fully recognized by my people. My clutch is the highest birth rate of female hatchlings since before the plague. I love my children more than life itself. It is fitting that these two occasions come at the same moment. I have learned to balance my life. Even though I fought it, kicking and screaming, the entire way.

In the doorway across the banquet hall, I see a seven-foot-tall military uniformed male with black speckled skin and a determined square jaw. I stand from my seat and drop my glass on the table.

Sysko!

My brother has always been my hero, and now I finally feel that we are equals in our fight against the cyborgs. I run across the room and find his tiny bride on his arm.

She is lovely and curvaceous with warm honey skin and big brown eyes, but she looks scared and tiny in the crowd of more formidable dragons.

I approach them and excitedly jump into my brother’s arms. I give him a tight hug and growl before stepping back and reaching out to offer his bride my hand. I've learned that this is the human form of greeting. She takes my hand and shakes it.

“I am so happy to meet you, Freda. You have made my brother a happy dragon.”

“Indeed, she has,” Sysko says.

“And how was the transformation for you?” I ask her.

“Challenging,” she says. “But Sysko and I got through it together.”

“I hear you were instrumental in driving the cyborgs from human territory,” I tell her.

“It was nothing,” she says.

“It wasn't nothing,” Sysko says. “Her contribution was instrumental in our victory.”

My parents emerge from the doorway behind my brother and his bride. I hurry to hug them both. My brothers Beshard and Silas join us and the family is all together.

As they each meet Sysko’s mate, Freda, my own mates emerge behind me. Reese and Mika have returned from depositing the children with the nannies. All of my mates finally get to meet Sysko.

Reese’s parents, the King and Queen of Umbria have also joined us to celebrate the children. It is good to have Matilda’s grandparents here for the occasion. And I am happy they get to meet my parents and brothers.

My pride for my family is beyond measure. Seeing them all together at this banquet, dressed in their finest clothes, is an added bonus. The party is filled with laughter, great food, and gifts for the babies. We end up with about a thousand onesies in various sizes, which I’m pretty sure we’ll be able to use. And a vacation home on one of the few islands on Umbria from Reese’s parents.

After the gala, we travel home to my palace, where the nannies are getting the babies ready for bed time. My children have grown rambunctious, trying to climb out of their cribs.

“It's time to lie down, little Rosebud,” I say to my fire dragon daughter.

She breathes out a fiery breath at me and I raise my eyebrows. I gently lay her down on her back and cover her with a blanket.

King and Queen Brio coo over Matilda, the heir to the planet Umbria after her father Reese. My little water dragon is a princess. King Hecrosis and Queen Elanorina are enchanted by my sweet girl.

My children are my pride and joy. They are the light of my life and the soul of my heart. Now that I have five mates and six children, I don't know if I could ever be happier.

Everyone says goodnight to the babies, and we retire to the sitting room to chat. Donte discusses current events with Silas and Beshard. My mother and father converse with Uri and Sysko about the current state of the Draxos military. The King and Queen of Umbria catch up with their son Reese, discussing Matilda’s future as the queen of the planet. Freda and I discuss the intricacies of dragon childbirth and Beshard, Mika, and Flume talk amicably near the fireplace over mugs of wasp honey mead.

Quintin brings in trays of salted gow cheese pastries, and we enjoy an evening snack with our wine and mead. Being with my family, with my babies sleeping upstairs, gives me the warmest, most comforting feeling I’ve ever had.