Page 80 of His Fate
"You got it, Josey Posey. Dragons love big and show it."
"Except the Molnarva Clan," I deadpan then sigh. "Ivan is a sick fuck because he claimed to enjoy killing all those poor people twenty years ago and is definitely looking forward to killing more once war breaks out."
"Do they know of the others?" Henrich asks nervously, Gracie flashing in his mind.
"They do. They know that what's left of the shifter population in Ashland are essentially heirs to multiple thrones. Ivan even went as far as to reference Josh's cubs as well as Kady and Jack's boys."
"But they're away at school." Dad frowns. "Jack sent them away specifically to avoid any issues because of his status as alpha."
"Yeah well, apparently Ivan is very aware of the next generation shifters and their locations."
"Which means they need to come home," Karel grunts because obviously that's a genetic trait on both sides of Kai's family. "How many are there?"
"Well..." Dad drums his fingers on the table. "Obviously Ron and Mary's five and Josh's two. Jack's got three boys away at college. The Whites have two girls upstate a bit. Will and Harold each have one son in the army on a base in Florida. Bill and Carol's girl is only a couple towns over. And that just leaves Colt but he hasn't found his mate yet, then Janet and Gracie but they obviously don't have any cubs of their own or any family outside of us."
My heart swells at the mention of the kids I grew up with, although none of us were kids when we met but I've known all of them since I first moved here and had no idea they were in the same boat as me. I mean, I knew they were shifters way back when, it’s not an easy thing to hide when there are so many of us together, but I didn't know they were kids of royalty.
None except Gracie because when she lost her parents---they were some of the first to fall victim to that sick son of a bitch---she went apeshit over it and refused to pick up her dad's throne.
"How difficult would it be to bring everyone home?" Kai asks from behind me. "I fear they are in danger since they are away, fear they will have no support if something were to occur."
Dad shrugs. "Should only take a few phone calls. They'll listen to their parents, especially when they explain what's going on. Unfortunately, all of them remember in far too vivid detail losing their grandparents. They'll come home, no questions asked."
"Good." Kai relaxes a bit behind me. "Do we have enough space for everyone? I'd like them all to be on the property from here on out. I realize it's a bit inconvenient since our land is further from town but it's safest here and having everyone close amplifies that."
"All the current cabins have enough space for their young since they were built when they were little but a few of them have mates, families. We'll probably need to look into building homes for everyone to accommodate a long term arrangement." Dad looks at me and smiles. "Be nice to have everyone home, huh, Posey?"
I nod. "I just wish it were for better reasons than a whacked out dragon and his equally insane cousin."
"What else did Ivan share with you, beloved?" Kai nudges me, gives me a little squeeze.
"Like I said, he mostly just bragged. He really hates you guys. He did give me a pretty good idea of how big their army is and when they plan to strike though."
Andrej levels me with his stare. "His numbers?"
"About one fifty-five, give or take. Probably seventy-five from his clan and the rest from various other ones. Cyril plans to attack on the summer solstice, something about it being ideal for the beginning of his reign."
Henrich nods. "Just as I thought."
I arch a brow and wait.
I'm sure this is going to be something just as wacky as everything else we've discussed so far and somehow I feel like I'm at the center of it.
"The summer solstice is significant in dragon lore as being a day of great power, an ideal time to transfer that power from one being to another." His gaze bounces between me and Kai. "I believe Cyril chose this not only as his day to take up your throne but also because he feels it is the best time to absorb your power."
"What power?" Kai scoffs. "I am no different from any dragon, any king before me. My skills may be more finely tuned than Cyril's, sharper and stronger but I possess no extra power than anyone else."
"That's not entirely true, brother." Henrich clears his throat nervously. "I believe I have come across something that explains what Posey is, more specifically what her dragon is, and if I am correct then she possesses great power and since you have mated you now share that."
Kai tenses and leans forward while still keeping me in his lap. "Are you going to share?"
"The Prophecy of the Phoenix Dragon."
Silence falls over the men and I can physically feel their tension but I don't know what the hell he's talking about.
"The Phoenix Dragon was rumored to be a myth among our kind since the dawn of time," Henrich begins. "It was stated that whatever king, whether it be the ultimate or one who ruled over a single branch in the kingdom, would be completely unstoppable if the Phoenix Dragon was in his army."
"Why?" For some reason I have a feeling I know why, know that this is me and judging by Kai's thoughts and emotions, he agrees.
