Chapter Ten

 

 

Trin’s eyes adapted to the light, and she took her friends by the hand, leading them past the reporters who stepped aside as she approached.

She walked them to the entryway, guarded by a bemused elder dragon with dark hair liberally streaked with silver. She produced their invitations, sorted them out, and handed hers to the man watching the door.

He smiled. “You would be the one who has chosen Brommin.”

She inclined her head. “One of them, I am sure.”

“The whispers about your defense of your mate last night have spread far and wide. Those who had an inkling for him have wisely chosen others.”

She smiled brightly. “Good.”

“Please enter, and may you find peace in your choice.” He waved her through.

She nodded and entered the doors that were being held open by some younger dragons, who watched her pass with interest.

Once inside, she checked her gown for wrinkles and scowled at the stray curl that had made it down to hang against her collarbone.

Meadra came inside with a blush on her cheeks, and Apraxa was laughing brightly.

“What did I miss?” Trin grinned at the contagious amusement.

“A gust of wind and Meadra’s quick hands. She nearly showed her lack of underpinnings to all and sundry in front of the cameras.”

Apraxa glanced back. “And there are a number of irritated ladies who got out of their karros to a sadly distracted audience.”

Trin shrugged. “They shouldn’t have sent their siblings to wreck the Tals’ karros.”

The line of honour guards was a good clue as to where they were to go.

Apraxa muttered, “You are certain it was them?”

“I am. I caught the scent on Creata when she came up to me. There were young dragons just after their first shift. Younger brothers are my best guess.”

Meadra was still blushing as she walked next to Trin. “I can’t believe that almost happened.”

Trin chuckled. “I read up about fairy dragons. You attract airborne imps and other magic.”

Meadra blinked. “But why now?”

“Because now you are a dragon, sweetie, not just a potential genetic carrier.” Trin whispered it as the line of guards directed them into a huge ballroom.

There were two small clusters of ladies in the room, and when their trio entered, there were eleven total females in the space.

Trin led her group to the bar and asked for some sparkling soda.

“Yes, miss, for the others?”

“The same. This isn’t the night to lose one’s head.”

He smiled. “Of course.”

She watched as his hands moved smoothly over the tops of the glasses, and she shook her head when she saw the telltale fizz. “On second thought, we will get our refreshments elsewhere.”

He paused and paled when he looked at her expression. He whispered an apology and removed bottles from under the counter. “Here. These have not been tampered with.”

She took the bottles, inhaled, and confirmed that it was just plain soda. “Thank you.”

She passed the bottles to Apraxa and Meadra, who looked at them, shrugged, and as one, they put the caps on the edge of the bar and smacked the bottle.

There was a light fizz, and they giggled. Trin made sure that all three were clear before they drank.

They walked to the windows, and Trin was shocked. “When did we climb stairs?”

Meadra smiled. “The twelfth member of the guard.”

“The larger hotels have had enchantments put on the stairs so that they are not taxing. I am guessing that we went up three flights of stairs in that compressed space.” Apraxa sipped from the bottle and looked over at the giggling groups of women.

Trin chuckled. “I think we look a little low class, drinking from the bottle.”

Meadra shrugged. “I am low class. I am a farm girl.”

“I am a shark-raised bastard who does international trade. I have had worse things to drink in slightly more bizarre conditions.”

They laughed and watched as the final seven women arrived, heads high and knowing their worth.

Trin’s dragon did an assessment, and none of the other ladies were even close to the level of their little gathering. If the order of selection went by power level, Trin and her group could gather up all the men and keep them.

She was idly wondering if she would collect all the brunettes, Apraxa the blondes, and Meadra the redheads when a loud gong sounded, and a voice rang out. “Would all of the choosers please line up at the edge of the room? Your candidates are about to enter.”

Trin and her group were already at the edge of the room, so they stood by, sipping their sodas.

“Ladies, thank you for attending, I would like to announce the men available for your selection.” The voice was familiar.

Trin smiled when she recognized the voice of the man who took her invitation at the door.

She stopped smiling when the sound of marching rippled through the air and under her feet. Two huge doors at one end of the ballroom opened, and the male dragons marched in, in a straight line. They lined up in rows of twenty, each man three feet from the one next to him. Four rows deep they stood, and each one had Trin’s attention.

She had been expecting to see them in a military uniform, not wearing wide-legged, pleated black trousers, a belt to hold them up, and nothing else.

Trin fought her dragon because it wanted to sweep through and snatch Brommin from the collection of eligible males in front of her. They were nice, but only one was her pretty one.

Trin was amused by the ladies who moved to put themselves in front of her. If it wasn’t a free for all, they were going to have to wait, just like the rest of them.

The man from the door appeared, and his bronze wings were gleaming in the lights of the ballroom.

“Ladies, as this is your first choosing, and hopefully, your only one, the rules will be as follows. Yesterday, the blood samples were taken and analyzed. The most powerful dragon among you will choose first.”

He stepped in front of the men, and he smiled. “The one selected to choose will step forward, identify herself for the record, and shift enough to prove her identity. It can be a hand, a wing, or your features. Take your pick. As long as we can confirm that you are what the tests identified, you have your choice of the men remaining in formation.

“Once you have selected and made your choice, he has the right of refusal. If he refuses immediately, you may move on to your second choice.”

Trin blinked. She had never considered that Brommin would refuse.

The master of ceremonies smiled and nodded. “Right. Now, if you are ready, we will begin.”

Everyone held their breath; the choosing was about to start.

He looked at his tablet, and then, he cleared his throat. “Diamond dragon. Step forward please.”

The gasp that ran through the gathering included sharp inhales from the men.

Trin waited until the fuss cooled, and then, she set her bottle at the edge of the windowsill, and she turned toward the women blocking her path. She stepped forward and transformed her body, making her skin diamond hard from head to toe. The ladies who had their backs to her were simply pushed aside by her body. They cried out and stumbled but went quiet when they actually looked at her.

“I am Adolla Venatrin Lem, daughter of LeeHee Anders, daughter of Lord Minnet, designated human at birth and raised by the Home for the Unknown. I am a diamond dragon.”

The master of ceremonies looked a little weepy, but he nodded. “Identification has been accepted. Make your choice.”

She walked through pathways in the gathered men, and she moved straight to Brommin. She held out her hand, palm up. “Do you accept me?”

He grinned and took her hand, pulling her against him. “I accept you with a joyful heart.”

She smiled and shifted from diamond to flesh as he kissed her. She kissed him with enthusiasm, and when he lifted her off her feet and walked her out of the block, she simply went along for the ride.

She whispered against his lips. “Is this it?”

He chuckled. “This is the beginning.”

She held onto him and hoped that he was right.

 

* * * *

 

“The next dragon is the fairy dragon.”

Meadra nearly choked. She had thought for sure that Apraxa had higher value.

Apraxa took her soda and winked. “Go and announce yourself.”

The murmur in the room was less shocked, and most of the folks were still staring at Trin and Brommin in their comfortable embrace.

Meadra stepped forward, and she wasn’t sure what she was supposed to do. Her dragon was amused, but it helped with a burst of power that tinted her skin a brilliant purple with stars made of magic moving under the colouration.

She stood in front of the men and looked at the master of ceremonies. “I am Meadra Anders, daughter of the Delarm Valley, aunt to the diamond dragon, and I am a fairy dragon.”

The master of ceremonies blinked. “Her aunt?”

She nodded. “I am her aunt on her mother’s side.”

“Acknowledged and recorded. Approach your mate.”

She nodded, breathed in, and walked through the columns of men until she was standing in front of Torm. Her dragon was shrieking, but Meadra followed Trin’s example. She held out her hand and said softly, “Do you accept me?”

Torm placed his hand in hers and pulled her to him, kissing her hard. “I accept all that you are.”

Her lips throbbed, and she let her magic drain away. They walked to the side where Brommin and Trin were waiting and stood behind them.

She kept glancing at Torm, and she couldn’t believe it. It was done. She had chosen her mate. All she needed to do was make it to the wedding, and her family would never be able to touch her.

She swayed in relief, and he put his arm around her protectively. Tears pricked her eyes as she realized that the only other comfort she had ever gotten had come from Trin. This was a new life and a new start, it just remained to be seen how soon the new portions could start.

 

* * * *

 

Apraxa waited. It was possible that there was another dragon who was stronger than she was, but it wasn’t likely.

“Would the hurricane dragon please step forward.”

Apraxa had already set the beverages down, so she took on the body pattern of her dragon, scaly blue with scarlet hair and black eyes. It was a riveting look, and she knew it.

She moved silently, and the women that she passed jumped in shock at her appearance. It took land walkers a bit of time to get used to the look of a sea dragon.

She settled in front of the men and grinned with her deadly teeth exposed. “I am Apraxa Tiburon, daughter of Harusha, the siren of the North Sea and Morix Tiburon, shark shifter and family master. My grandparents are Menoral and Riika, king and queen of the ocean city. I am the hurricane dragon.”

A breeze in the room started to move fabric, and when she got the nod, she walked through the rows, one row at a time until she got to Romak. She didn’t ask him, she grabbed him by the back of his neck and pulled his mouth to hers, dismissing the bladed teeth before contact.

Their kiss was intense, and his addition to the wind in the room was wild. Her skirt flared up, and he held it down with his palm. “I will take you, Apraxa, for all that you are. I accept your proposal.”

She grinned. “I have made my choice.”

Apraxa let the wind diminish, and she led him to the position where the line was forming.

He leaned down and whispered to her, “Your colouration is astounding.”

She blushed. Strong colours were a sign of fertility, and her colouration was unmistakable. “Thank you. I find your smoke and fire very pleasing as well.”

His fingers wove with hers, and she leaned against his shoulder. They had been engaged since they were children, but with the declaration and action in front of witnesses, it was official.

Apraxa kept her head forward, but her fingers curled in tight to Romak’s. It had been a bit of a fight, but they were together now.

The only thing that could mess this up was themselves.