“But, A Thaisce,” Arach began.
“Brevyn wants to stay with Hunter,” I said with a pointed glance Hunter's way.
Arach looked at Brevyn with raised brows. “You don't want to come flying? You love flying. Hunter will be here when you get home.”
“But I already made plans with Hunter,” Brevyn said like a grown man. “It would be dishonorable to break them now.”
Arach gaped at our son, and I smiled brighter.
“It would be dishonorable, Arach. Don't you agree?” I asked. “A prince doesn't break his word.”
“Uh... well,” Arach stuttered.
Rian screeched at Brevyn.
“Go be a dragon,” Brevyn said gently. “There will be things that I won't be able to do with you, Brother. We must accept that and learn to find joy in it. Trust me; there will be many times when you prefer that I'm not there, and times when I prefer that you weren't.”
Brevyn cast a meaningful look Sinnea's way. Rian looked back and forth between his brother and the Princess. Then, in the way of young boys, Rian sat back on his haunches and chose his brother. One wing opened and spread around Brevyn as a clear statement that if Brevyn wasn't going, then neither was he.
I hid my chuckle behind my hand.
“Rian,” Brevyn said softly before the adults could try to sway him. “It's okay. Go and have fun. Baidhen and Sinnea don't come to visit very often. Hunter and I will build that fort like we planned, and when you get back, we can all play in it.”
I shook my head at how adult Brevyn sounded, and then I knelt beside the boys to say, “You're both growing up so fast. I wish you weren't but since you are, I will give you some advice; Follow your heart except when it sours your stomach.”
Rian cocked his head at me.
“She means that you should make decisions based on love,” Brevyn interpreted. “But if you feel—deep in your belly—that it's wrong, don't do it. Your heart wants to go flying, Rian. I want to go too, but my gut sours at the thought of leaving our friend behind.”
“Sweet darkness, who is this child?” Rowan murmured.
“He's an old soul,” I said softly. “And a damn good one.”
“Why don't we just bring Hunter along too?” Sinnea asked innocently.
Lia smiled broadly at me. “She's a good essence.”
Faeries had essences—elemental spirits—instead of souls. And Lia was right; her daughter had a good one. Sinnea was a kind girl with a rational mind; a lot like Brevyn. It was another reason why she'd be good for Rian.
“Indeed,” Arach finally found his voice. “And you're right, Princess Sinnea; the simplest solution is to take Prince Hunter with us.”
“Do you want to go flying, Hunter?” Brevyn asked the Cat Prince.
“Is fire hot?” Hunter asked with a wide grin. “Yeah; I want to go!”
“Hold on one minute,” Anna declared as she came back into the hall like a cold breeze from Hell. “You are not going up into the faerie sky clinging to the back of a dragon, young man. Cats are not meant to fly.”
“But, Mom,” Hunter whined as his shoulders sagged. “Cats aren't meant to crawl on tables. Cats aren't meant to fly. You're no fun.”
“I will carry him myself, Anna,” I assured her. “There will be no clinging needed. I promise to take great care of your son.”
“Please, Mom,” Hunter begged.
Anna looked from her son to me and back again before she sighed and relented. “All right, but only because Queen Vervain herself is looking after you.”
“We will all look after Prince Hunter,” Rowan vowed to Anna. “I promise that he will be returned safe and sound.”
Anna nodded respectfully to Rowan, and Hunter whooped.
“Go get 'em, Son,” Roarke said proudly. “You'll be the first cat-sidhe dragon rider.”
“He'll be carried,” Anna said to Roarke.
“Don't ruin it, babe,” Roarke shot back. “It sounds cooler to be a rider.”
Anna grimaced but kept her mouth shut.
“Two royal dragon houses flying over Faerie with a cat prince,” Lugh said as he stood. “I'm not missing this.”
Most of my court felt the same way. They all followed us out to the courtyard behind Castle Aithinne to watch two types of dragons take to the sky.
Chapter Twenty-Three
It was a glorious afternoon. We flew across the Fire Kingdom and then over a portion of the Dark. I carried Hunter and Brevyn together with one of my front feet. Dragons have big feet. The boys sat with their legs woven through my talons; kicking them excitedly in the open air as they shouted in delight. I suppose I was the faerie version of a carnival ride for them.
Around us flew the other dragons; Arach's deep crimson and Rian's brilliant emerald scales seeming even brighter when surrounded by the sin-black of the Dark Dragons. The Fire Fey in the villages came out of their homes and paused their work in the fields to shout and wave at us as we passed overhead, and the boys waved back. My heart was light and full all at once.
The Dark Royals showed us the changes in their kingdom; the way the animals were flourishing and the landscape developing its own nuances. The Dark Fey were growing too; with new births in nearly every race. Villages were being built all over the Kingdom. It was a wondrous feeling for me; to see the people I'd helped form thrive in the land I'd helped create.
When we finally made it back to Aithinne, the children were nice and worn out; just how every parent likes them. We provided a guest suite for the Dark Family and rooms for their entourage and left them to put their children down for a nap. We did
