As we began traveling throughout the city, I found myself more curious about the realm. Not only that it was a legitimate grouping of regions that floated but how large it was, something you couldn’t tell because of the cloud cover.
“The main island,” Henry explained, “is the Fire Lands. Once you leave the military academies, you come back here, normally.”
“Where are the academies?” I arched a brow, wondering if I could see them. I wanted to know where my mates had spent so long.
“Water Lands, a bit of a distance from here,” Marco explained. “There are several, and each serve a different ‘class’ within Dreki society.”
“Class?”
“Certain families,” Henry scowled, “are considered more ‘well bred’ than others. All of our families come from a direct dragon line and contain a phoenix in our genetic pool, from at least within three generations. So we are considered more powerful and dominant than someone who has ‘mixed’ heritage. It’s absolute bullshit, but it’s why we have so much influence in Dreki and why we serve the royal family.”
“So what if you aren’t from a family line like yours?” I asked softly, already finding myself frustrated with this concept.
“Just depends on how much magic you possess and what type of dragon you are,” Marco admitted. “The lowest class is considered half-breeds, which are a direct mix of a dragon or half-breed dragon with a completely different species.”
“Specifically women that are in that position.” Henry shook his head. It was very obvious that my mates found this system as upsetting as myself, and I found my chest fluttering at the idea of making anyone feel bad about their heritage, let alone something as beautiful as bringing together different types of supernatural species. There were so many unique people out there, why would that ever be considered a bad thing?
“That’s bullshit.” I frowned, really hating it the longer I thought about it.
Henry barked out a laugh at my words. Marco nodded his head and ran a hand over his face. “This entire realm is archaic. Ridiculous. And it doesn’t help that the crown has been around for a few hundred years. I know they attempt to keep with the times, but the political power and ties of society are embedded deep, so even the strides they have made haven’t changed much.”
“Like what?”
“The queen, around ten years ago, allowed female half-breeds, the group we were referring to before,” Henry began, squeezing my hand as a frustrated sound came from my throat, “to join whichever academy they felt fit them best and that they could pass the test to get into. Obviously, most of them ended up going with the one that contained other half-breed males because community is a larger influence than attempted social gain… but there have been a few that have gotten into the larger academies.”
“I actually heard that there has been a larger amount the past few years than normal,” Marco admitted. “Specifically to the Eldur Academy.”
“Really?” Henry mused. “That must piss off the headmaster.”
“Is he a jerk?”
“Bastard. Complete sexist piece of shit.” Marco shook his head.
Inhaling, I shook my head, the energy of this place making a bit more sense. The rigid rules and harsh formal attitudes.
The lull of the carriage had me going quiet for a bit as Marco and Henry talked about everything they had to do when they first got to the castle. Something I probably should have paid attention to, but I found myself zoning out, my chest feeling odd still despite having expressed the feeling to my mates. I honestly couldn’t tell you how long we even rode in the carriage, but it felt like around an hour or so, my gaze traveling across each and every person we passed. When we passed two girls younger than myself who were laughing about something and walking along the paved road, I couldn’t help but smile at their obvious friendship.
It also had me missing Jordan.
I hoped that everything was going okay back home. Not only with the aspect of her finding her mates—well, at least one of them—but everything else that I had brought into the realm of their pack. My hands tightened on my skirt, thinking about how Lorn and Pastor Malcolm were both locked up there, being questioned. A momentary surge of panic brushed through me until I let out a steady breath, remembering that neither of them could affect me here. We were literally in a different realm, and that concept made me feel moderately better. Until I considered the fact that them being on the pack lands meant that Jordan and her family were in danger because of me. I knew now that no one else viewed it that way, but I couldn’t help the sense of guilt that had my gut tightening, feeling as though I was responsible for bringing both problems into their lives and my mates’ lives.
If I had never come to Washington, none of this would have been an issue. I mean, I also would have been locked up, imprisoned, and eventually sacrificed to a witch coven apparently… but still, they wouldn’t have to deal with any of this. I also would have never met my mates, something that sent a dagger-like sensation through my entire being as a panicked noise left my throat.
I was confused when Henry suddenly pulled me onto his lap, my arms wrapping around his neck as I buried my nose against his throat, both his words and Marco’s not making sense to me as I tried to settle my heart, which felt like it was going a million miles an hour. I knew this was a panic attack. A smaller one, but very much a panic attack, and I took slow and even breaths, trying to calm myself down like Jordan had helped me do that one day. The concept of seeing the pack therapist she mentioned once again came to mind as I considered bringing it up to the boys for when we got back to Washington.
“Maya?” Henry’s voice had me finally looking up as I breathed through the guilt I was feeling. I could see the knowledge in his gaze as I just brushed my nose against his shoulder, knowing that this was something I had to work through to some extent. My mates would never make me feel guilty, even if something was my fault.
“My dragon is freaking out,” Marco admitted, his voice sounding pained and far closer than I realized. “Maya, baby girl, I need you to try to breathe through this. You know this isn’t your fault and you are not to blame. At all. Especially not for Pastor Malcolm, and for sure not for fucking Lorn.”
“I get what you’re saying,” I admitted softly, tilting my head against Henry as I met Marco’s gaze. “I really do. It just… it just doesn’t remove the guilt. I can’t help but feel like I brought this all to you. I mean, I literally did—”
“And we wouldn’t want it any other way,” Henry assured me softly. “I mean, I would prefer to kill both of them, but I would take all of these fuckers bothering us every day if it meant you being in our life.”
“Yeah?” I asked quietly.
“Absolutely,” Henry confirmed, and I melted into him, Marco’s entire disposition relaxing as I felt relief through our bond.
All too soon, my eyes widened as the light outside of the window changed, our carriage falling into the shadow of the massive castle. The gilded building shone against the sunlight as we pulled past the busy front and around the side. Honestly, the place wasn’t like any depiction of a castle I’d ever seen before. It was made of marble and golden features that highlighted these massive fire-like columns that surrounded it. Sandstone surrounded it and covered the path leading in, almost creating an illusion that made it waver, as if it wasn’t really there. The large open archway windows above glinted with a sapphire blue that decorated the inside walls and made me feel all that more excited about seeing the colorful inside. Especially since it appeared that each doorway and window was large enough to fit a full size dragon through. Okay, maybe not all, but a large majority. Flags that matched the guys’ uniforms flapped in the ash and floral scented air and I breathed it in, the familiarity of it once again tugging on that instinctive feeling of remembrance.