“We checked everywhere, Haco,” a red-haired man determined, his eyes flashing with a fiery energy despite them being dark in shade. “Fucking everywhere.”
“Everyone out,” the man next to him snapped. The room came back into focus, people fleeing towards the door, leaving us with just the seven up front and some guards.
“Calm down,” another man drew in response to the man who snapped out the order. His eyes narrowed on my mates, making me feel defensive. I almost stepped back to block them, but Cyra stepped forward again, and this time, no one stopped her.
I swallowed nervously as she looked back momentarily at the man sitting on the edge of the throne, his gaze completely focused on me. He didn’t seem angry, though. Rather the opposite, a level of sadness in his gaze, mixed with both hope and surprise that I could have never expected and didn’t fully understand. He met Cyra’s gaze and offered a small nod, making her let out a sound of both happiness and surprise that had my phoenix fluttering in my chest.
“She doesn’t know.” His voice was filled with emotion. “But her phoenix… it’s the same. Her magic is the same. I think it’s her.”
“If I may,” Doctor Bates said, attempting to interrupt the moment. I inhaled sharply, realizing I had been all but holding my breath in fear of what each one would say next. Marco wrapped an arm around my waist and I leaned back into him, needing that touch of comfort to ground myself. Instantly, I felt far better, and I tried to not lock my knees, feeling suddenly dizzy.
“Explain,” Cyra ordered softly, a flash of vulnerability skirting her face with her eyes still glued to mine. “I don’t understand how this is possible.”
“I don’t know,” Doctor Bates admitted before stilling the room with her next words. “She’s a Blue Phoenix. Confirmed. She shifted moments ago back in my office, so we came here immediately. I mean, the resemblance alone would have been enough to warrant an investigation, but the fact that she is a Blue Phoenix? I mean, the chances—”
Heat pricked my skin at everyone’s range of emotions that seemed to be filling the space.
“Stop.” The same man who ordered everyone out looked like he was in immense pain. Cyra’s jaw tightened as she nodded, ignoring the others behind her and looking far less surprised about the news than the men.
A sound left her throat, resonating through the space, as a similar one left me and had tears breaking down my lashes and cheeks before I had a chance to stop them. Marco brushed one away, gently kissing the top of my head, as Cyra closed the gap between us. I could feel unadulterated shock surging through my mating bonds, and even Marco seemed to be treading hesitantly. Unintentionally, his action also gained the others’ attention.
“Commander Moretti,” the red haired man’s sharp voice rang out. “What is the meaning of this? Our briefing was for tonight—”
“They are here with me. My mates brought me here to the Dreki Realm.” I blinked away tears as Cyra inhaled sharply at the sound of my voice, the sound seeming to make everyone pause as it echoed through the silent hall.
Before I could blink, she was in front of me, staring at me from almost the exact same height. My eyes widened as her hands wrapped around my shoulders and everything jolted inside of me. A blast of sonic power, scorching with heat, hit my own magic, and my heart stuttered at the connection between us. The one that was almost unbelievable yet undeniable. Emotion crowded everything, making me dizzy enough that I couldn’t focus on anything but the ringing in my ears. Unimaginable pain and loss slammed into me as a heartbreak that had been long buried exposed itself.
“Sol.” Her voice was broken. “Baby, is it really you?”
The name ran over me with familiarity as I found my voice. “I… how is this possible?” I just couldn’t believe it.
“What’s possible?” Sai’s voice brought me back as I turned my head to look at them, even Marco who had removed his arm despite staying in my space.
I whispered my realization. “This is my mom.”
I had believed for so long that I had lived in the basement my entire life. I had never given full thought to where I’d been born. Rather the opposite—I tried to avoid those thoughts because they were met with the sad realization that a monster like my mother had given birth to me. That had been the hand fate had dealt me.
So I had thought.
Now though, the small dreams and nightmares I had were starting to piece together, and my instincts, my phoenix, were telling me that there was only one truth here… Queen Cyra was my mother.
Unlike my mates, who were connected in a subconscious bond that surrounded me with my wolf and I in the center, my connection with her was a vibrant blue piece of cord that was slightly frayed but solid in the center. The more time we stood in proximity to one another, the more intensely it began to glow, as if my magic was feeding off her own. A wave of memories, short flashes, began to invade everything. Gold eyes. Warm hugs. Flying. Large glass ceilings. Even the smell of her natural scent, a rose and sea salt, became familiar to me. These had always appeared in my dreams, but I had assumed they were simply fantasies to distract me from the far more depressing reality that I’d been locked in the basement from before I could remember.
My phoenix let out another excited sound as I felt hers begin to radiate a magic so pure and strong from her chest that it actually had me feeling as though I was in the presence of a goddess. Tears flooded my face once again as suddenly she pulled me into a hug that was so tight I felt like I was burning alive. Yet I hugged her back, through the small sob of confusion that left my throat.
“I don’t even know what to say.” Cyra pulled back, tears streaking down her cheeks as well. “I don’t understand… we thought… I mean we looked everywhere, for months. We still have a scouting team on Earth realm… yet here you are.”
My throat worked as I tried to find the words that I needed.
“I was locked up,” I admitted softly, and I felt the energy turn darker in the room at my phrasing. I had no idea how else to explain what had occurred, though.
“Locked up?” Her voice was choked. “Where?”
“In a basement,” I rushed out. “I thought it was a church, but apparently it’s a coven. Pastor Malcolm knew I was a phoenix.”
“Did you say that you were being held by a coven?” A masculine voice had me jumping as Cyra tightened her hold on me. I could feel my mates were on edge and very close behind me, but they didn’t try to step into the moment between her and I. I was finding that I wanted them closer. Everything was growing overwhelming, and I was trying to breathe through it, but it wasn’t easy. It didn’t help that the man now standing over us was legitimately massive.
He had been the one snapping orders. His entire energy was very similar to Marco’s in both dominance and magic, but where there was a soft edge to Marco around me, this man had me shrinking back. My mate let out a low rumble that had the intimidating man snapping his head towards him in confusion, removing his gaze from Cyra and I.
“You’re scaring her,” Marco grit out.
“Nuriel,” Cyra’s voice was smoother, “calm down. I’m sure we can get more of an explanation. Let’s find somewhere to sit—”