Chapter 7
Micah and Brian were staring at Alexis as she greedily devoured her food. They were watching her with some concern after the event from earlier. Raine’s powers were still unknown and so were the effects.
“Are you sure you are okay?” Raine finally asked looking at her cousin next to her.
“Of course. I promise I am perfectly fine. I was just thinking. I didn’t want to lose my thought.” Alexis didn’t want to say exactly what she was thinking about. Because she didn’t want them alerted to her plans to draw Aken out.
“That makes sense then. I know how hard it is for you to think. I mean you are blonde. It is harder for you to have an original idea.” Brian grinned flashing his bright pearly whites at her.
“This coming from someone with a reptile brain. And you know what they say about that…” Alexis poked at her food and smirked up at the dragon prince.
Brian chuckled and looked over at Micah. “Well, what about the honey pot thief beside me? What do they say about his brains?”
“They say don’t poke the bear. You know why they say that, Brian?” Micah turned his head to look at the dragon next to him. “It is because you don’t want to incur their wrath.” He waved his fork at Micah before returning his attention back to his plate.
“Where is papa’s baby bear at? She eating her porridge?” Cody walked over to the table with a cheesy grin on his face.
“Dad you are so lame.” Raine shook her head trying to avoid contact with him. She felt his hand land on top of her head as he swished it around.
Cody grabbed a pancake off the table and took a seat next to his daughter. A moment later his mate, Kelsie, walked in carrying a plate of fruit.
“You kids better be eating healthy foods too. Here I want you each to take some fruit.” Kelsie sat the tray down in front of them and then walked up to Raine giving her a k**s on the head. “You guys have a good training session?”
“We sure did. It was intense.” Brian grinned and then cleared his throat when he noticed the glares from Alexis and Raine. “Lex and I destroyed another training ground. We are going to have to come up with a better solution soon.”
“You need to show more restraint. Micah here does a good job holding back enough so he doesn’t destroy the training grounds.” Cody grabbed an apple and smiled at Kelsie as he waved it to her. Showing he was also eating the fruits.
“That’s because he takes it easy when he fights against an old-timer like you.” Brian chuckle and looked over at the guardian to the fairy queen.
“Well, this old timer has fought against several hell hounds in his lifetime. And was also part of the big demon war. I may be older but I am also wiser.”
Alexis smiled. This was how it always was here. There was playful banter and jokes. They were all close and she loved it. Cody was her mother’s guardian and it was odd not to see them together.
“Where are my parents at? It is rare not to see you with them.” Alexis watched as Cody tensed ever so slightly.
“After they came back from healing the young dragon boy they were summoned by the Great Sage.”
“Why aren’t you in there with them?” Brian asked. It wasn’t like anything would have been private from him.
“Well, I didn’t want to interrupt the meeting. And I was having breakfast.” He cleared his throat and finished his drink in front of him.
“You could have taken your breakfast in there with you.” Micah shrugged and looked up as Cody let out a dry chuckle.
“It wasn’t the type of breakfast you have in public,” Cody smirked up at the two men as Kelsie buried her head in her hands.
“Eeewww,” Raine pushed her plate away shaking her head. “Gross! Dad!” She buried her head in her hands as well.
“Well, how do you know where they are at?” Micah asked not embarrassed at all with the scenario.
“Reese (Titus’ cousin) told us where they were at. When they left to take care of the dragon boy I thought I would have a little more time for… other activities.” Cody shrugged his shoulders unbothered by the situation.
Micah and Brian were staring at Alexis as she greedily devoured her food. They were watching her with some concern after the event from earlier. Raine’s powers were still unknown and so were the effects.
“DAD!” Raine g*****d out.
“DAD!” Raine g*****d out.
“I could use some cold water.” Alexis smiled as she bit her bottom l*p.
“Gerty, could you bring us some water?” Raine yelled out for the dragon in the adjoining kitchen.
A woman walked over with a pitcher in her hands. As she approached the table she began to tremble. The pitcher dropped as she took quick retreating steps backwards.
“Gerty?!” Raine jumped up to rush to the woman’s side. Her forehead was covered in perspiration and there were red blotches over her skin. “She is burning.”
Kelsie and Cody grabbed the woman and quickly took her farther away and back into the kitchen.
“It is my aura. She was fine around me yesterday. Gerty has always been able to be around my dad…” Brian’s voice was mildly distressed as he stared at the kitchen door. Alexis reached her hand out to him and grabbed onto his fingers.
“Everything is going to be fine. I’ll go and cool her skin okay?” Alexis quickly entered into the kitchen so she could check on the dragon’s condition. The woman already looked completely better. She wasn’t a weak dragon after all and already was healed. It was surprising because Gerty came from upper-tiered dragons which was why she could always be around Titus. So it was shocking to see Brian was now bothering her. “Gerty, how are you feeling?”
“I’m okay. I don’t know what happened. One minute everything was fine and the next I felt like I was getting consumed.” Gerty said with a trembling hand. She was clearly shaken up from the experience. Raine held her hand while Cody brought her a glass of water.
Alexis could see the worry not only in the woman’s eyes but also in her aunt and uncles. For the first time, she felt concerned. She hoped Grandpa Sage found a solution to Brian’s aura because it was getting stronger and stronger. It was happening suddenly too. One day his aura just started increasing and now was getting to a level even stronger dragons were being affected by it.
She walked back out to see Brian resting his head in his hands looking down at the table. He was clearly shaken by this as well. She walked up to him and wrapped her arms around him sending an icy layer where her arms rested.
“I don’t know what the problem is. You are not that hot to me. In all aspects.” She giggled and rested her head on top of his messing it up slightly. She smiled as she listened to his quiet laugh. He was someone important to her and she hated to see him down. Luckily, she knew what to do to cheer him up.
“Now I know you are lying. I mean my face and body are gorgeous. Even Micah wants a piece of this.” Brian raised his head with the familiar smile back on his face.
Micah snorted in response but continued to eat his food. There weren’t a lot of things that would stop him from eating. It was like this with most of the bears in her family actually.
Cody, Kelsie, and Raine walked back out from the kitchen. Cody looked over at Brian and gave him a reassuring smile. “She is fine. She was just in a bit of shock. But other than that she is fine.”
“What is wrong with me?” Brian listened as the doors behind them opened. They all turned their heads to see Rhea, Levi, Titus, and Lila walk into the room.
“Dad, my aura is starting to burn Gerty now. What is going on?” Brian watched as his father closed his eyes slowly taking a controlled breath.
“Brian. Alexis. We would like to speak to you two in private. Please come with us.” Rhea said in a soft calm tone.
“Nuh-uh.” Micah stood up and took a protective stance near Alexis. He took a moment and wiped his mouth before pinning his eyes on the group at the far end of the room. “I go where she goes.”
“Micah, she will be with us. This is a private matter.” Rhea watched as Micah’s eyes grew dark.
“Alexis is my concern. If this is something that will affect her physically or mentally I need to know about it.”
“For now you don’t need to be present.” Levi simply said. The sound of a quiet low growl rose from Micah. Say what you want but this guardian had a lot of gall. Levi chuckled and looked at the werebear. “Easy little bear. She may be your charge but she is my daughter.”
“Micah…” Alexis turned and placed her hand on his forearm. “It’s okay.” She looked at him curiously. Micah had never reacted this way with her parents before.
“No, it isn’t. I can feel the tension and concern from them.” Micah growled lowly and pulled Alexis behind him.
“Okay. Okay. Just wait a minute.” Cody walked up standing between Micah and the others. “We all know there are no secrets here. Whatever this is we are all going to know about, right? I think Micah is right. Let him be with Alexis. You four are acting weird. You are on edge.”
“This isn’t a secret from anyone. But-” Titus stopped talking as he looked at Brian and Alexis. They wanted to give them a moment to hear the news without everyone around. However, maybe it would be better to have others there too. “If you are to come we want you there silently only. We don’t want anyone else to voice their opinion on this matter besides Alexis and Brian.”
“s**t Brian what did you do? Better let me know so I know how to cover for you.” Alexis teased as he chuckled lowly to her.
“I was about to ask you the same thing. I guess they finally found out we were the ones who stole the chocolate cake out of the kitchen ten years ago.” Brian looked up at the serious faces and felt a sense of dread. Whatever this was it looked like it was serious. Maybe even a new war starting?
“Follow us to the conference room then.” Rhea turned and walked out of the room. Lee was right at her side staring at her peculiarly.
You are hiding something from me. He arched his brow and watched a small smile reach her lips. You aren’t going to tell me, are you? My fairy, we don’t keep secrets between us.
But my love you already know what is on my mind… don’t you?
So I guess we are both thinking the same thing. Lee placed his hand around her waist. You know this is extreme right?
It’s how we do things. She shrugged and watched a cheeky smile reach his lips.
It’s how you do things, my fairy. And you have just corrupted me along the way.
Rhea leaned into Lee as they all filled up the conference room. Some things didn’t need to be said between them. And this was one of them. Because he knew her too well.
Cody closed the door and went to take his spot beside Kelsie and Raine.
“Brian.” Titus looked at his son with a small frown. “We have found out information about the burning aura. Unfortunately, my son, it isn’t good news. The aura will only get stronger.” Titus explained the situation with Shiva and the curse. He watched his son’s face pale as the realization hit him. “My son… you will not be able to be with your fated mate. In fact, there will be very few who can even be around you. And there isn’t anything we can do about it. If there is a solution out there we don’t know about it.”
“Alexis.” Rhea finally said in a calm voice as she looked at her daughter. “There is only one female dragon that we know of who will be able to stand Brian’s touch. And that is of course you….”
“So what are you saying you want me to take Brian as my mate?” Alexis laughed and her smile soon faded. She glanced over at Brian whose eyes also widened then back to her parents. “That is what you are saying… isn’t it?”
“For the dragon kingdom… for Brian… you need to become his mate.” Lee’s voice came through crisp and clear. The room echoed with silence and all eyes were now on Brian and Alexis.