Ky grabbed Jada up in a heated kiss and then stepped up onto the table as the first Wyvern to either challenge or join Cage. This was the moment of truth.
"I, Kaiarahi Tarakona Puru, Wyvern of the Blue Dragons will help you, brother. I pledge the loyalty of the Blue Dragon Wyr to you and join you in this fight against evil." Ky clasped Cage's forearm and a clap of blue and gold magic shuttered through the air, sealing their fates together.
Jakob pressed his head to Ciara's, brushed his lips across hers and joined them on top of the makeshift dias. "I, Jakob Zeleny, Wyvern of the Green Dragons am here in aid to you, brother. I pledge the loyalty of the Green Dragon Wyr and its warriors to you." Jakob too extended his hand to Cage and when they shook on it another wave of magic, this time green and gold flashed through the room.
All eyes went to Match. If anyone united Dragonkind it should be the Red Wyvern, the Alpha of alphas, first son of the first son. Cage couldn't wait for Match to do it. Either they acted now, or his whole world would be destroyed.
Match jumped up on the table. He extended his arm to Cage and they clasped each other. Match looked so deep into Cage's eyes, he might as well have crawled inside his head. "I, Maciej Cervony, Wyvern of the Red Dragons will help you, your mate, and your children, brother."
Gratitude of the highest magnitude poured from every cell in Cage's body. It was more than any red dragon warrior, much less their Wyvern had ever given. The Red Wyvern was the rightful leader of the dragon warriors and it meant more than anyone could say that he was willing to allow Cage to unite the Wyrs under the Gold banner.
"But," He gripped Cage's arm even harder. "Until I find my mate, I cannot join your battle. I must save her first."
Match had a mate? Cage searched his brother Wyvern's eyes. A quick glance down at Match's neck showed his dark red soul shard still hanging there. Inside the faintest of a spark flickered.
Holy shit. Cage exchanged a look with Ky and Jakob. They were as surprised as anyone. Cranky ass bastard had been keeping secrets. Match had a mate.
"I understand." Later he was sure they would have time to ask the one million questions about who and where this mysterious mate was and how they could help find and rescue her. Because First Dragon above, they all knew Match needed to get laid. And Cage knew the love of a mate would change everything for his brother Wyvern.
The one warrior none of them would think capable of love held a deep grief in his eyes. "Still I pledge the loyalty of the Red Dragon Wyr to you. Lead them well, AllWyvern."
At his final word a thunderclap of light and heat, gold and red shook the room. It was done. They Wyrs were united for the first time in centuries, and Cage was the Wyvern of all. It was a responsibility he would hold only as long as absolutely necessary and wield with great care.
Cage looked around the room, a new sharpness to his gaze. His first order of business was to throw a mantle of protection around the area to help his twins meet their new family. "To the beach."
The dragons shifted and they all flew with the help of the wind down to the beach in only moments. They gave room for those carrying their mates to land first and shift. Cage set down right at the edge of the water and waded in to where Azy floated nearby surrounded by the mermaids. She held Señora Boh's hand, but as he approached, she reached for him instead.
She squeezed his hand and drew him close to her. "Wow. Either having babies is making me hallucinate or you're glowing."
As was the shard hanging from her neck.Cage kissed her on the forehead and sank down into the water beside her. "I'll tell you all about it later. How are you feeling? How are the babes?"
A new round of the mermaids' song lifted into the air and resonated across the water. The three who'd been visiting them the past few days swam over and guided Ciara, Jada, Fleur, and Wilhelmina into the water with them. After just a few seconds the women picked up the simple lullaby and sang along too.
"They're naughty is what they are. Wiggly and poking me in the everywhere. Still they won't let Señora Boh help them come out. They even shocked her on her last try."
Cage chuckled. "That's my boys. I have a feeling they'll be a handful the rest of our lives."
Azy rolled her eyes, but she grinned too. That smile turned into a grimace and she gripped his hand hard and buried her face in his chest, burying a groan of pain.
Señora Boh placed a hand on each of their shoulders. "We can't wait any longer. AllWyvern, call forth your dragons. We need the touch of everyone's elements to call up the magic to push back the evil hunting these babies. I need everything you've got to pull them into our world."
Cage nodded. He let a partial shift take him over, his dragon rising just to the surface, changing only his eyes into the gold of his dragon so that he could mentally call out to the united Wyr.
Brother warriors. Call upon the gifts bestowed on you by the FirstDragon and the White Witch. Give us your wind and sun, bring forth the water and ice, send us the healing power of the Earth, and reign down the fire of dragons. Let your gifts become one to share with those who need our protection.
Gold dragons flew in a circle above their heads, at first only five or six made up of a few warrior guards stationed at the villa. Within a few minutes though more dragons joined them coming from all four directions until the sky was a golden vortex. Rays of sun shined down onto Azy and Cage and a warm breeze swept over their skin. A soft greenish fog found its way onto the breeze and swirled around them. Jakob and Steele blew the healing breath that Green Dragons possessed into the air. This dragon's breath was filled with white sparkles as Ciara stopped singing and lifted her arms into the air, calling on her own gifts as a white witch.
Great walls of trees, vines, and plants that Cage couldn't even identify grew up creating a barrier between the secluded beach and the rest of the world. Several blue dragons surfaced alongside the mermaids. Ky must have called them. A gentle rain pitter-patted down onto the leaves and the waves around Cage and Azy slowed to a gentle rocking.
Match was the only red dragon present and his fire was the final element. Cage wasn't sure how the Red Wyvern would yield his power without burning the trees, filling the sky with smoke, boiling the water, or singeing everyone with his breath of fire. Their exchange of magic when Match pledged his Wyr to Cage, demonstrated that he was the most powerful red the world had ever seen and a keeper of the ancient flame. He would do the right thing.
Match shifted into his great beast of a dragon and raised his wings. He closed his eyes looking every bit the image emblazoned on the minds of the world of what a dragon represented. Slowly, lifted by the breeze, red sparks lifted up off of his back, legs, and neck, turning from glittering scales into fiery embers, a fountain of sparkling fire.
Azy gasped. "Oh my goodness. That’s…he's amazing."
Indeed, he was. The embers floated on the breeze, some alighting on Cage and Azy, but instead of burning them, they soaked into their skin, giving them renewed energy. More embers joined the other elements and the riot of colors combined into a blinding beautiful white light.
"It's time." Señora Boh bowed her head and circled her hands over Azy's belly. The same golden egg-shaped ball formed between the two of them.
