Chapter One
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EMORY STARED OUT ATthe lake.The urge to go out there and shift was strong, but he knew better.He was still in pain, and shifting wouldn’t help, even though he yearned for it.
He suspected he’d feel that way for many years to come.He’d thought he’d lost his dragon for decades.Sometimes, he still felt like having it back was a dream.How was he meant to not shift at every opportunity?
A massive shadow passing over him made him look up.He was both jealous and happy at the sight of the dragons in the air.The small dragon he could see flying after his father reminded him of when he was a child.It had been years since he’d last spoken to his family, but maybe now that this mess was over, he could.He didn’t know how they would react if he reached out, but he was willing to try now that he wasn’t broken anymore.
He couldn’t shift, but he’d decided to go up to one of the towers anyway.He didn’t want to be alone.He’d been alone for too long.Besides, he liked spending time with the dragons and their mages, even though watching them together still made him feel weird.It wasn’t their fault, though.They couldn’t do anything about the fact that he’d lost his mage.No one could.It had all been Carlyle’s fault, and Emory had made his peace with that a while ago.Even now that Carlyle was dead, he didn’t feel differently.Considering what Carlyle had done to him, he doubted anyone would blame him for not feeling sad at his death.
The door behind him creaked when it opened.He didn’t look at who it was.He was sure he’d find out soon.
“I have to say, I’m surprised not to see you up there,” Jarvis said as he came to lean against the stone wall next to Emory.
Emory still didn’t look at him.He smiled, though, mostly because he couldn’t help it.“I’m tempted.”
“You’re still in pain?”
“A little bit.I’m just being overly cautious.I wouldn’t want something to happen.”He’d never do anything to risk his dragon.
“While I understand that, it doesn’t feel like you’re telling the truth.“
Emory turned to look at Jarvis.“Oh?”
Jarvis shrugged.He wasn’t looking at Emory, but rather at his dragon and their son, who were flying above them.“Whatever your reason is, I don’t need to know.As long as you know that you’re safe here with us, I’m happy to give you all the time you need.”
“I know I’m safe.”If there was one thing Emory was sure of, it was that.The mages wouldn’t allow anything to happen to him.They’d saved his life in ways he didn’t think they were aware of, and that was okay with him.He didn’t need them to know.
“Do you also know that you have a home here?”
“Do I?”
“I realize it might not feel like it right now.After everything that happened, I would understand if you’d rather go back to your cottage and have some peace.You’ll always be welcome here with us, though, and if you decide to stay, none of us will have a problem with that.You haven’t been here long, but this is your home, too.”Jarvis snorted softly.“It’s a good thing that this place is more than big enough for all of us.”
Considering they lived in a freaking castle, Emory couldn’t disagree with that.Still, he was touched.The mages didn’t owe him anything.They’d already given him his dragon back.They’d helped him with Carlyle, and they’d supported him right after Carlyle had died.What more could Emory ask of them?
Apparently, not more than they were willing to give.
It had been a long time since Emory had felt like he was part of a family, and while he still felt like an outsider here, he also knew that if he gave himself the opportunity, it wouldn’t be for long.He didn’t want to go back to his cottage.It had been his home for a long time, but it had been lonely.He’d been isolating himself because he’d thought he was only half of himself.He’d lost his dragon, and it had been taken away by the person he’d cared about the most.He was still wary of trusting people, but he couldn’t help but trust the mages and their dragons.
They’d helped kill Carlyle.They’d made the world a safer place.How could he not trust them?
“I think I’ll take your offer and stick around for a bit,” he said.“As long as I’m not a bother.”
“You could never be.Your room is yours for as long as you want it.”
“You might have a problem getting rid of me.”
“It’s a problem I would gladly have.I know we were never that close, but I feel like our fight against Carlyle brought us closer.I don’t want you to feel like you’re alone ever again because you’re not.”
Emory swallowed.He’d been alone for a long time, but before then, he’d thought he never would be.He’d had his mage, and they were happy.Maybe Emory had been fooling himself, or maybe Carlyle had changed, and Emory had never realized how much.Whatever the reason Carlyle had done what he’d done, all of that was in the past.
Emory didn’t want to look back.For a long time, he’d believed that his only future would be loneliness and yearning for his lost dragon.Now, he knew that it would be completely different.He wasn’t quite sure what his future would look like yet, but he knew one thing.
He wouldn’t have to face it on his own.He had a new family, even though he hadn’t expected it.He had people who cared about him, possibly more than Carlyle ever had.He had a home.
What more could he want?