36. Rehan

CHAPTER THIRTY-SIX

REHAN

T yson and I stood in the general vicinity of each other in a neutral pocket at the edge of earth territory. I didn't care what the earth dragons said. She was in there. I was quickly running out of diplomatic patience.

Afternoon light streamed through the forest, and a slight sulfuric breeze from the recently erupted volcano rustled the foliage. My mate bond with Jay vibrated before pinching and returning to its normal state.

I side-eyed Tyson, but if the fire prince felt the sensation, he didn't give any outward sign. Pulling out my ponytail, I smoothed my hair before tying it back up. In addition to giving me a general idea of Jay's location, our connection ebbed and flowed with her activity. When she was asleep, the sensation connecting us stilled like a mirror lake; awake, it burbled like a brook. I had no idea what this pinching sensation meant, but change was in the air. Instead of fearing it, my blood danced.

Tyson flung a rock across the invisible border and snarled. "She's fecking mine. How dare earth deny fire anything!"

I didn't respond. My emotions were split. I wanted Jay with me, not with the fire dragons, but I didn't want her to be a piece on Tukaqu's game board. We were in a tricky situation, much more problematic than the hot-headed fire prince would admit.

I side-eyed Tyson again. "You've not told a soul you marked her."

Tyson picked up another rock and tossed it into earth territory. "My family wants her gone. I've never wanted something different from my family before. They have to suspect." He clenched his fist. "I want her at my side."

I grunted and watched him throw a third stone so hard it went straight through the trunk of a tree. If he got Jay, could he protect her from his own family? Would he? The fire prince didn't think more than five seconds into the future.

Two figures appeared in the forest's gloom, slowly becoming distinct as they made their way along the dirt path to stand before us.

The twins Ofri and Obadiah had exchanged their toolfill cargo pants from the speed boat for muddy brown and yellow scales. Their broad, aged faces and cold brown eyes looked us over with none of the comradery we'd formed during our time studying the Ley Lines. Then again, I was standing next to the very dragon, attempting to starve their people.

I bowed my head respectfully.

Tyson stepped forward, his toes brushing the border. "Piss off old farts. I need to see my mate immediately." He shook his fist. "Do not deny me!"

I rubbed my eyes, refusing to be amused or impressed by Tyson's brash words, and took a deep breath. "Thank you so much for seeing us."

The twins turned their attention to me, and I ducked my head respectfully.

"We find ourselves in a unique position. Our," I grimaced as I said the word. "Mate is in your territory and has been for days. I'm sure this is a misunderstanding, but dragon law states that mates can not be kept apart."

One of the twins leaned close to the other and whispered. The same one raised one hand. "Jaiyana is now mated to our Ogden."

I took a deep breath. Ogden. The powerful, rune-covered warlock was a good choice, assuming she had a choice. I could deal with this.

A vein throbbed in the fire prince's forehead as he processed the information. "Who the feck is Jaiyana?"

I gritted my teeth and pictured punching brains back into Tyson's empty skull.

"We still need to see her. Let this be a dispute between mates." I held my hand up. "We do not need to bring politics into it."

One of the twins cleared his throat. "Fire has blocked our supplies, and water circles our skies. You have all but declared war against earth, and we didn't even know of this human's existence until hours ago."

Shame flushed my cheeks, and I pulled out my phone and dialed.

Tukaqu picked up. "This better be good news."

I nodded. "A solution has been found."

"That is very neutral phrasing, Rehan. We lose our leverage if she doesn't come back with you."

I seethed. "If we push earth further, we will start a war, trust me."

Tukaqu grunted before his voice echoed in my thoughts, probably every water dragon's thoughts, declaring peace with the earth dragons and ordering our border guards back to their original posts.

Hanging up, I turned expectantly to Tyson.

The fire prince clenched his fist. "They have my mate. They've denied me my basic rights. I will do the same to them."

"Don't be an idiot. You heard what they said." I scowled. "She's bonded with an earth dragon as well. This is not as simple as we both assumed."

Tyson snarled. "She wouldn't."

"You don't even know her name!" I punched the air. "This is clearly complicated."

Tyson snarled again but didn't call his people.

One of the twins took out his phone, his fingers flying across the screen.

Tyson threw his head back. A stream of fire streaked from his mouth, lighting the trees above us. I sent a cascade of water to douse the flames, covering Tyson in cool liquid and charred branches. I didn't even try to hide my smirk.

Scales crawled across Tyson's skin. His eyes turned to dragon slits before he charged me. I skidded to the side, hitting his back with my fists while bringing my knee up into his stomach. The hot-headed fire prince released an oomph of pain and fell to the floor.

I focused on the twins. "I need to see her. It is my right."

Tyson groaned from the muddy ground. "Mine fecking too."

"This was expected." The twins inclined their heads. "Ogden is on his way with the woman."

Tyson shot to his feet and brushed off his clothing. When the charred wood didn't come off, he growled at me. "Use your water magic to clean me off."

I raised an eyebrow. "You want me to douse you again."

Tyson pointed at the mud on his shirt. "No. You put the mud there, and I want it off."

"A lot of people want a lot of things." I whistled.

Tyson growled again, but before he could lunge, the sound of Jay's distinct squeaky laughter caught our attention, though we couldn't see her yet.

"Clean me off now," Tyson growled. "Would you rather see her trapped in one of earth's sunless caves?"

The fire prince's gaze blazed with single-minded need. This asshole never considered the consequences of his actions, with one exception. He wanted Jay to be happy so badly; he'd looked past himself and offered a truce. I'd thrown it in his face. If I hadn't, I might have been at Jay's side when the volcano blew.

For a moment, standing in that moonlit cave with my mate in his arms, Tyson had been the better dragon.

"I cannot describe how much I hate you," I clenched my fist before calling on my magic. Water swirled around Tyson, sucking dirt out. I even sent a stream through his short, dark red hair.

He danced in victory, steam rising from his clothing as he heated it to dry, leaving him pristine in his crisp white short-sleeve button-down and fitted shorts. I glanced down at my bare chest, palm tree-decorated board shorts, and flip-flops. I looked like a bum, but it was too late to do anything about it.

"Wiggles, come here!" Tyson demanded the moment Jay came into view.

Dressed in loose pants and a green tube top, my mate shook her head and tightened her grip around Ogden. The warlock wasn't supporting much of his own weight. Sweat beaded his forehead, and he shook with every step.

"Wiggles!" Tyson demanded again.

Ogden cleared his throat. "Shall assume you're the dragon attempting to call my mate to your side?"

I bit my lips shut. I also tried but when she didn't respond, I backed down. Just like last time, Tyson had not. A growl rose in my throat, and I fought it down.

Jay scowled at Tyson before focusing on me. My heart thudded in my chest. Anger and worry tore me apart when she vanished after the explosion. Our connection had gone still and then cut off like someone chopping off one of my hands. I'd never felt helpless before and never wanted to feel it again.

"I just needed to know you're okay." I hadn't realized how true that was until I said it.

Jay's entire posture softened, and she leaned toward me. ‘I'm OK,' she mouthed.

I scowled. "You still can't speak?" I shifted my gaze to Ogden. "Aren't you a warlock? Why didn't you fix her voice?"

Ogden straightened, taking a bit more of his own weight. "It's not that simple."

"I do not like being ignored." Tyson tossed another rock across the border.

This one landed at Jay's feet. Ogden took a deep breath and stepped out of Jay's grip. He adjusted his pants and winced.

"Then contribute something useful." Ogden pointed at Tyson. "Jay has a theory. Though she wants both of you to confirm it, we only need Rehan."

Tyson snarled. "Listen, you little shite?—"

"No." Ogden splayed his fingers, and the ground under Tyson churned, knocking the fire prince to the forest floor and splattering his clothing in mud again. Following Ogden's lead, the ancient twins added their earth magic to his. Vines sprang out of the earth, wrapping Tyson in a cocoon of green foliage.

"You listen." Ogden snapped. "I spent sixteen hours by her unconscious side, healing her after your fire ceremony. And the last two days throwing every bit of magic I have control over at the curse trapping her." He shook. "But raw power. All of our combined knowledge, still didn't help her." A slight blush colored his cheeks. "She needs something else. And you will either find your place with us or find yourself in a very awkward position, fast."

Fire engulfed the cocooned dragon, burning away the vines and even Tyson's clothing. The dark red, half-transformed dragon hissed and spluttered as he readied himself for a fight, though he hadn't yet crossed the invisible border.

What did I want to do?

Ogden said, ‘Find your place with us.' My dad had three wives. It wasn't unusual for male dragons to participate in polygamy. Why not the opposite? My heart twisted. Could I share her? Did I want to share her?

Jay pulled a small pad of paper out of Ogden's back pocket and wrote before turning it around. ‘I think I know how to get my magic back. I need both of you to come with me.'

I nodded. "Of course, anything for you, Love."

Tyson spluttered. "Into earth territory?"

"Into my cave." Ogden grinned and brushed his lips across the side of Jay's cheek.

Pain pinched his face, but Tyson's body, hurtling over the border and toward Ogden, pulled my focus. Jay stepped into his path. The hot head pulled up inches from her.

"You've crossed into our land uninvited," Ofri said, widening his stance. "This is an act of war."

Tyson ground his teeth together.

"Unless, of course, this is a dispute between mates, which has nothing to do with territories," Obadiah added.

I raised an eyebrow and gave Ogden a second look. Confidence filled his shoulders. He just maneuvered Tyson precisely where he wanted. Either Tyson followed peacefully, or the first battle of an elemental war started here with the fire dragon throwing the first punch, facing five, including me.

Ogden noticed my attention and hid his smirk behind Jay's long black hair. I tipped my head to him, and his smirk turned into a dopey smile I'd seen on his face a few times.

Tyson sent a whirlwind of fire into the ground. "It is a dispute between mates." He stamped out his fire with his scaled foot before reaching down and picking up his half-melted phone.

I snorted and shook my head.

"Feck, Rehan, a little help?" Tyson gestured toward my pocket with my phone sticking out of it.

I pursed my lips, ready to tell him to fuck off, before seeing Jay's pleading face and the twins still in their fighting stances. Giving him anything felt like a step I could never come back from, but maybe it was a step I needed to take. Begrudgingly, I let the fire prince use my phone to prevent a war.