“If we must have a fire dragon—better one we already know,” Gregory said at last.
Damon laughed softly, but the chimera growled in displeasure.
“No,” the chimera said, his voice echoing from the shadows. “Fire will not sit on the council. Not yet, at least. You have power, Braeden. And it’s the power of the element itself, I won’t deny that. But the council of elements is more than that. It is a duty. A duty that might demand your life, and which will demand utmost loyalty. Until you’ve proved yourself worthy of it, I won’t have you be a part of the council.”
“Fine,” Braeden said in frustration. “But no more dragonsbane and obsidian cuffs?”
“No more dragonsbane and obsidian,” the chimera acknowledged.
Timothy could see the way Braeden’s shoulders relaxed in relief.
Timothy felt a moment of compassion. He would have gone crazy himself wi
thout being able to shift and stretch his wings.
“So—how do I prove myself?” Braeden demanded.
“Oh, it’s easy.” The sound of the chimera’s chuckling came echoing from the shadows.
“Right. You want me to find a mate as well,” Braeden said in determination. “No problem. I’ve learned a lot about human women from TV.”
The chimera laughed, a low sound of amusement that reverberated between the walls of the cave.
“No,” he then growled with obvious pleasure. “I want you to find that fire dragon and eliminate the threat. Then you can sit on the council.”
Braeden was silent, staring into the darkness with shocked surprise.
The chimera was still chuckling softly. “But if you happen to find a mate as well, I won’t hold it against you. Council dismissed.”
***
They all gathered in the kitchen, Naomi now cradling a steaming cup of herbal tea against her pregnant belly.
Braeden had followed along, stubborn as always.
As he watched him brood in a chair in the corner, Timothy felt a small smile tug on his lips.
It wasn’t as if he’d ever really hated Braeden. The fire dragon could be immensely frustrating—but he was also a lot of fun to tease.
And it was good to have him back here. Only now, when they’d almost lost him, did Timothy realize that a part of him had actually begun to feel as if Braeden was a part of the team.
He was sort of like an annoying little brother—but then, he’d grown up a lot since they’d first captured him. And Braeden had learned a lot about humans meanwhile.
Maybe it wouldn’t be so bad to have a fire dragon on the council. After all, it seemed like they’d found the only fire dragon in the world with a bit of common sense.
“So how does it feel to be free again?” Autumn asked.
She’d always been fond of Braeden, and Timothy assumed that she was relieved that her fire dragon friend hadn’t turned out to be a traitor after all.
“How does it feel to be the master of fire?” Gregory asked with a smirk.
He was sitting next to Naomi, an arm wrapped around her shoulder. As Timothy watched them, he couldn’t help but long for the day when he and Liana would sit just like that, watching the ocean and arguing about names for their firstborn.
Braeden rolled his shoulders as if working out some stiffness. “I can’t wait to go flying again,” he said honestly. “You don’t know how much I’ve missed it. And the fire... It feels a little weird. I never thought...”
His voice trailed off. He looked thoughtful, and a little awed.
“Better be careful.” Timothy couldn’t resist another chance to tease him. “Now that you’re the dragon of fire, your powers are going to grow. Which means you might go mad if you don’t find a mate in time.”