Chapter 12

A picnic basket served as a perfect organizer for her supplies. With that draped over her arm, Lalani set off the next morning to catch Robbie at his house before the beekeeper headed out to tend the hives. She wanted to make sure he was at the top of the list for steering her to that store.

“Be sure to tell everyone I’m cutting hair in the mornings on Tuesdays and Saturdays in the shade of the mountain. Right there in front of Khadar’s house,” she told Robbie when she was finished.

“I can’t wait to show everyone. Thank you, Lalani. You’re going to have a line a mile long,” Robbie told her.

“I may need to open more days then,” she worried.

“Start with two. We’ll squeeze in during that time,” he assured her.

“See you soon, Robbie.”

As she approached the house, Lalani saw a gold flash in the sky. Drake was landing. And then a silver. Argenis was here, too? What was going on? It must be something tragic. Bursting into a run, Lalani raced toward the house, her picnic basket thumping her side as she hurried.

Princess. Do not panic. Everything is fine. Your friends are here to visit you.

Breathing a sigh of relief, she slowed her pace a bit and dropped into a walk before turning the corner. Aurora and Ciel waved enthusiastically when they spotted her.

“Hi!” Lalani called. She set her basket down to hug her friends.

“A little birdie told us you are a hairdresser,” Ciel confessed.

“A birdie?” Lalani repeated.

“Okay, so it was a big, green dragon,” Ciel admitted.

“And he didn’t tell us, he told our Daddies,” Aurora added.

“Oh, that makes sense. Do you need a haircut?”

Ciel blew a gust of air out of her mouth up to ruffle her bangs. “These things are driving me nuts. I was going to cut them myself, but I can’t cut a straight line.”

“Oh, I can do that easy,” Lalani assured her.

“Could you trim mine up a bit?” Aurora asked hesitantly.

“Of course. Let’s get a chair and we can do everything out here. It’s beautiful in the shade,” Lalani suggested.

“I brought some nail polish. I could do everyone’s nails when you’re finished, Lalani,” Aurora offered.

“I’ll do yours for you, Aurora,” Ciel offered. “This is fun. Like a spa day.”

“What are our Daddies going to do?” Lalani asked.

“Dragon business,” Aurora whispered loudly.

The three women looked over at the clump of dragons, talking a short distance away, and laughed. They looked super serious as they discussed something important.

“Do you think they ever have a spa day?” Ciel asked.

Lalani turned her gaze back to the woman and shook her head. “I doubt that very seriously. But they seem to enjoy doing what they’re doing.”

“I’d guess collecting treasure would get old after a while. I mean, how many riches does one dragon need?” Aurora asked.

She gasped when all three dragons turned to glance her way.

Aurora quickly whispered to the others, “They couldn’t have heard me, right?”

“Oh, they could have,” Ciel decided as the men came toward them.

“Lalani, we’re going to look at something to the south of Wyvern. Will you be alright? Ask the staff for anything you need—snacks, drinks. Contact me if you need me.”

“We’ll be okay. We’re going to have fun,” Lalani assured him before rushing forward to give him a hug and a goodbye kiss.

When Lalani turned, she discovered the other women wrapped in their mate’s arms. Smiling at the similarity between the three of them, she grabbed her basket and asked, “Could you bring a chair out here for me to cut hair before you go?”

“Of course. Want a stool or a kitchen chair?” Khadar asked.

“Oh, a high stool would be easier on my back.”

He nodded and waved a hand at the others to let them know he’d be right back. When he returned, Khadar set the stool under a tree and spread a blanket for them to sit on a short distance away.

“No pink hair when I get back,” Khadar growled at her.

“Really? You don’t like colored hair?”

“Green’s okay,” he allowed.

“You. Go check out whatever has attracted your attention,” Lalani said, grinning at his joke.

“Be good, Princess.”

“Yes, Daddy.”

They watched the men change and launch themselves into the air. When the three dragons had disappeared from view, Lalani asked, “Who’s first?”

“Me!” Ciel said, claiming the chair. “While you work, tell us all about you.”

“And then, I have questions for you,” Lalani confessed.

“Bring them on,” Aurora encouraged her.

Later with trimmed hair and fancy fingernails, the trio lounged on the blanket, enjoying each other’s company.

“I can’t believe neither of you knew about the dragons. Didn’t you see them flying around?” Lalani asked.

“Not that I remember, but their eyes are so good, they could have been way up in the air,” Ciel said. “Besides, who’s looking for dragons?”

“Good point.”

“It makes Wyvern seem like such an important city. Do you think we’re the only ones with dragon protectors?” Lalani asked.

“Oh, no. Argenis helped a group connect with the dragons in their area. Their forefathers had refused the pact. Argenis called the dragons, and one found his mate. It was magical to see her walk so confidently out of the trees to him,” Ciel said.

“I’ve never been anything special. You know—I don’t drive men wild. I sometimes wonder how I got chosen to be a mate,” Lalani confessed.

“Me, too,” Aurora said, and Ciel echoed her.

“I’ve seen pictures of Argenis’s former mates. There really isn’t a type he goes for,” Ciel shared.

“That’s interesting. I haven’t even asked Khadar about his other mates. How old are they?” Lalani asked.

“You know that expression, older than dirt?” Aurora asked. When Lalani nodded, she continued, “They’re not that old but according to Drake, they watched the mountain erupt from the ground.”

“That’s pretty old,” Lalani acknowledged.

“Do you all know how the horde came together?” Ciel asked.

Lalani shook her head.

“Not me,” Aurora answered.

“Ladies? Would you like to have a picnic?” Louise, Khadar’s housekeeper, appeared with a tray bearing glasses and a pitcher of tea. She was followed by her husband, who carried a much larger display of yummy treats.

“Louise, I’m so sorry. I stole your picnic basket, didn’t I?” Lalani said.

“I never could get all the goodies, plates, and glasses in there. This works so much better.” Louise dismissed her concern.

“Thank you, Louise,” Ciel said, leaning forward to look at the trays as they set them on the blanket.

“Yes, thank you,” Aurora echoed.

When they were alone again, Lalani tried a cracker. “These are good. I know Louise is experimenting with all sorts of things. Khadar prefers to leave the supplies in the stores for those in the city.”

“Do you think technology will ever work again?” Ciel asked.

“Life is so different now that you can’t drive somewhere or have someone bring you stuff,” Aurora pointed out.

“I seem to have more time on my hands without a phone constantly demanding my attention. I don’t think I realized what an addiction it was,” Lalani confessed.

“Neither did I. I still panic and think, ‘Where’s my phone?’ It’s so silly,” Ciel shared.

“Everyone was addicted,” Aurora said. “What’s the one thing you wished worked?”

“Oh, I’d have to think about that. The internet or TV, maybe?” Lalani suggested.

“Oh, I miss movies,” Ciel chimed in.

“I’d say planes, but we have travel covered,” Aurora said, laughing.

“We are lucky. I love flying on Khadar. Do you remember how scary it was at first?” Lalani asked.

“Drake’s lucky I didn’t strangle him,” Aurora said and mimicked the choke hold she’d had with her arms tight around him.

“Does anyone get spanked?” Lalani blurted, changing the conversation.

Aurora raised her hand, and Ciel followed a second later. “I think they’re all Daddy Doms. Who has a nursery?”

Everyone raised their hands.

“Let me try one. Who has to take a nap?”

When their hands went up in the air again, the young women collapsed in laughter, rolling backward on the blanket.

“The worst part is Khadar’s right. I’m exhausted and need a nap most days,” Lalani shared. “I don’t tell him that, of course.”

“Of course not. That’s crazy talk,” Aurora agreed. “Oh, look! Here they come. Anyone want to bet they’re here to take us home?”

“Of course they are. I’ve had fun. Thanks for cutting my hair, Lalani. I don’t feel like a shaggy dog anymore.” Ciel ruffled her bangs.

“Yes, thank you,” Aurora said. “I declare spa day was a success. We just need to have wine next time.”

“Oh, we could have had that. I didn’t think,” Lalani apologized.

“We’ll have to get permission first or all our bottoms will be wine-colored,” Ciel said.

“Let’s avoid that,” Lalani proposed as the dragons landed and shifted.

In a few minutes, the dragons collected their mates and flew off. Khadar stood with his arm around Lalani as she waved goodbye to her friends. When they disappeared from sight, Khadar squeezed her close.

“You like the other mates.”

“They’re the best friends I think I’ve ever had,” Lalani answered truthfully.

“I’m glad. Naptime, Princess.”

He looked at her with an arched brow in confusion when she started to laugh. That just made her giggle harder. Khadar didn’t ask. He picked her up and boosted her over his shoulder.

Feeling daring, Lalani smacked his butt.

“That’s an interesting way to ask for a spanking,” he observed.

Immediately, she backpedaled. “I was just playing. I don’t want a spanking.”

“Hmmm,” he muttered. “Maybe those mates are a bad influence.”

She gripped his waist and pushed herself up. “They aren’t! They’re good friends. I had a good time.”

“Hmmm.”

When they reached the nursery, Khadar quickly undressed her. Lifting her into his arms, he headed for the rocker. With her cradled in his lap, Khadar pushed the rocker slowly, rocking her gently.

“Drink,” he ordered, holding the sippy cup he kept next to the chair to her lips.

To get water into her mouth, she had to draw on the spout. It didn’t automatically spill. The combination of his warmth, the rocking motion, and sucking made her relax against him. A thought popped into her mind, and she pushed the drink lid out of her mouth.

“I’m not a baby,” she told him grumpily.

“Is there something wrong with being my sweet Little princess?” he asked, brushing the hair away from her face.

As she thought about that, he inserted the spout back in her mouth and continued to rock her slowly. Lalani couldn’t come up with any argument. She liked being his princess. It was a delight to be cuddled in his arms. Her negative thoughts dissolved and Lalani slowly fell asleep.