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“Horrific, isn't it?" Queen Airok Archay asked her daughter. She rested her ruby red hand on a silver shoulder. Lunelei refused to give Airok the satisfaction of seeing her daughter. They stood on an observation platform in the command center, overlooking the cavern of twisted magic and life.

“What have you done?"

Below Lunelei, other dragons continued working in silence. There had not been some grand fight or dramatic speech to subdue Lunelei, convince him to serve Airok. The queen had crossed the room, embraced him, and then had them both fly up to this platform for a better view of the Seed.

“I admit, it is rather unpleasant to watch it work, but once we learn how to control it, we will be able to use it to restore Archayon," Airok said. Inside the chamber, a mushroom made of bright silica and human flesh rose from a pile of corpses—the corpses had fused to the ground, and more humans were walking towards the mass. Even as their bodies mutated or deconstructed entirely.

“How… humans are capable of this?"

“No, they are just the fuel and the base components."

Organic matter sprouted randomly across the room, magic cracked off in bolts and that mass deeper in the cavern crawled forward. It was a cacophony of bodies, mostly human, limbs made of crystal, metal, rock, some flora as well—bright green things that Lunelei recognized now from Earth. It smashed into the mushroom and absorbed it into its body, and the humans in the room, what little remained, started ambling towards it when it retreated deeper into the chamber.

“Hard to believe that monstrous thing was once what Archayon looked like, hmm?" Nausea gripped Lunelei's stomach. Airok extended a wing to block the view, asking, “Too much at once?"

The silver dragon shoved the wing away and turned his back on the scene. He said, “Do you actually have something for me, or did you just want to show off?"

“Oh, I do have a mission for you, but you are exhausted." Queen Airok called down into the room. “Velina!"

“Yes, Lady Phoenix?"

“Take Setara to her room. I will call for her when she is needed for assignment."

The lavender dragoness bowed and said, “This way, princess."

“Lady Phoenix, really?" Lunelei snarled. “That's gaudy even for you."

“Oh, I think it will be an appropriate title once all is said and done, now go," Queen Airok ordered.

Lunelei still did not have a plan. If he killed his mother here, then what? He'd surely be killed with no guarantee of stopping any of this. The silver dragon glided down to the doorway and chased Velina down the corridor.

When he caught up with the dragoness, he said, “Wait, I want to know how long this facility has been here."

Velina kept moving down the corridor. They were moving around the cavern chamber, as if the facility they were in stretched around it. “Phoenix has given you access to all of the organization's data stores—you will find a data terminal in your room. It is voice activated, and your password is 'Our Lady's Filament.'"

Filament. Queen Airok must have known Lunelei's true identity for some time.

So why bring him into the organization now?

Lunelei scowled. “Just like that? I'm going to be able to take all the data I want?"

“You will not be able to take it anywhere or leave the facility unless Phoenix sends you out."

Lunelei had expected he might not be able to leave, but soon as Airok deployed him somewhere…

And then do what? Arrest Archay's head of state?

Answers, he needed answers now.

They reached an area where the corridor climbed three stories through the rock. Along the wall here were dozens of small, single room apartments. Velina said, “Your room is 3-15. The door is unlocked with a biometric scan—we're using the one we already had on file, so let us know if there are any problems. See you around, princess."

***

Jerawk rested a hand on Casey's knee. “Nervous?"

“Jerawk I'm nervous when I make scrambled eggs. This? Terrified."

“It'll be over in a flash," Jerawk said, before he closed his eyes and began to concentrate.

Both human and dragon sat side by side on Casey's bed, both naked and both wearing collars. According to Jerawk, clothes did not come through the tether, but just got burnt up in the process. Best to just not wear them for this part. Casey hoped the dried cum on his inner thigh also got burnt up. He had thought to shower, but his boyfriend told him not to worry about it.

Jerawk visited him every other weekend. They had a system by now, he would snap in a thousand feet in the air; at a height that made it sound like thunder overhead, and by the time he flew down he would have a spell cast that made him invisible. Then Jerawk snuck into Casey's building, unlocked his door with magic, and slipped inside.

Still, two weeks was a long time. Soon as they saw each other, smelled each other, they were making their way back to Casey's bedroom, kissing, and throwing off the human's clothes. Thirty minutes later, Jerawk insisted they already ran late.

The yellow and violet-striped dragon began to glow. He took a deep breath, released it.

Casey quickly asked, “And you're sure this isn't going to make me bald? My hair isn't living technically, it's just—"

“Casey."

“Yes! Concentrate away!" Casey pursed his lips and closed his eyes. He would just wait for Jerawk to do his magic, then they would be in Archay! An alien world. Probably full of alien viruses, bacteria, all manners of allergens…

“Casey," Jerawk said a little more gently.

The human cracked an eye to see Jerawk frowning at him. “Y-yeah?"

“I can hear your breathing picking up."

He grimaced. “Right, sorry, I'm just—"

“Here." Jerawk scooted to face his partner. He leaned in and pulled Casey into a hug. The dragon's wings fanned out and wrapped around them both. It surrounded Casey in the smell and touch of Jerawk. They rubbed their cheeks together before the dragon whispered, “Focus on the sound of my breathing, mirror it like we've practiced." Jerawk took slower, deeper breaths. It always felt unnatural to do, but also Casey recognized the breathing exercise worked for him. Normally it didn't, but combined with the touch of his boyfriend, he could not imagine being safer. When Jerawk began his communion, Casey closed his eyes again. He was still anxious, but he breathed with the dragon.

And, suddenly, they were not on Earth anymore.

It did not hurt going through the tether. Jerawk said some people experienced pain, nausea, or discomfort, but Casey did not. One moment, on his bed, then resting on the smooth stone chamber with a loud snap! He knew he had just traveled to another world, but remained breathless and still until Jerawk whispered, “We're here, Casey."

The dragon withdrew his wings and they sat in Chisur's focusing chamber. Still naked, Casey tried to cover himself as Jerawk got up and grabbed a set of clothes for them both. A shirt and pants for Casey, and a skirt and shawl for Jerawk. As the human pulled fabric over his skin, he found it soft and a little elastic. It hugged his frame, complementary white and black to the skirt and shawl Jerawk wore.

“Do the clothes fit okay?" the dragon asked.

“Yeah," Casey said. “Are Chisur and Kyle here?"

Jerawk nodded beyond the door. “They're waiting. We thought you'd like to be dressed when you meet them."

Casey blushed, but hugged his boyfriend, thankful the dragon knew him so well.

When they opened the door to the bedroom, a familiar yet different scent of draconic musk hit Casey's nose. It was not the smell of recent sex, but how Casey's bedroom smelled the day after Jerawk visited. Kyle and Chisur sat on the bed. The ruby red and gold dragon was built like an Adonis, wearing an open shirt and pants similar to Casey's. Kyle wore a flowy gown that matched the grey of the scales on his front. They both got up and Casey gawked at how tall Chisur was.

“Casey! It's good to see you again," Kyle said, stepping up and arms open to go in for a hug. But he stopped, “Uh, is it okay if I hug you?"

“Um… sure," Casey said. They hugged, the smaller human returning it while Kyle's pregnant belly pushed up against his sternum. Jerawk's kid was in there. And Chisur… he and Jerawk knew each other their whole life, and Casey was just a human who offered nothing but—

Kyle released him and Jerawk took Casey's hand. The yellow dragon squeezed it, and Casey glanced at him, seeing his smile. He knew he had nothing to worry about.

A smile broke across Casey's face and he said, “It's good to meet you both. Kyle, love what you've done with your hair. Prince Chisur, have you ever considered playing basketball?"

A moment of confusion passed across the red dragon's muzzle before he grinned. “Ohhhh, basketball."

Kyle, also smiling, tapped his temple, “I helped him figure it out."

Casey giggled and asked, “So, what are we going to do first?"

Chisur rubbed his chin thoughtfully, “Well… Jerawk said you were nervous about your first dragon orgy, so we were going to save that for later—"

Kyle whipped Chisur in the back with his tail.

“Ouch!"

“Quit teasing him," Kyle scolded before he said, “We thought we'd take you to the Atrium first. Let you see all you want of the palace today and perhaps journey into the sprawl tomorrow?"

Casey grinned. “Sounds great."

Jerawk and Casey followed them out of the suite, hand in hand.

***

Lunelei wandered along the corridor wrapped around the chamber that held Seed-004. The fourth of its type. The first three had been trial runs killed after gathering data. All were made from humans. Lunelei could not believe how long this had gone on. How long he had been played by his mother.

Queen Airok knew of Setara's tether to Phelise a decade before the bombing at the Summer Solstice Ball. Airok noticed they both played off each other too well. Confirming was simple, she cut one partner off from the other, had them walk into a warded room on some assignment, and watched the other's reaction. Airok chose not to confront her daughter about this. The Queen of Archay was not meant to be tethered to anyone, and while fucking and amorous relationships with attendants were acceptable, it was clear Setara planned to have Phelise rule by her side. Queens, plural, would upset the delicate balance of social class and power their line had maintained from before the Scarring to present day.

Airok always planned to kill Phelise; it just so happened she found a use for the dragoness first.

Two years before the Summer Solstice Ball, Airok was carefully crafting a plan to overthrow the government and take total control of Archay. Originally, it was so she might seize power and invade Earth to colonize it. Then two developments arrived out of KalXay University: Kamore of TorVah, a dragoness without a family name, and Chisur Archay had created a theory for rolling back the scarred lands, and Moskal Forseth discovered a way to implant nanites into a dragon's mind. The technology, originally developed to help with dragons who suffered a stroke or a host of traumatic head injuries, never made it past clinical trials. Airok hired Moskal, scrubbed the data, and used the technology on Phelise.

While Setara was out on assignment, Airok called Phelise into the Warrens, had her subdued, and operated on. Then Airok explained how Phelise would serve the queen: she would work at Airok's behest, do assignments Setara would never know about, and never reveal anything to the princess. The nanites acted by realigning, replacing, and diverting neural pathways. They could literally sense the tether between the two dragonesses and block parts of it in real time. So long as Phelise said nothing, Setara would never know about what Phelise got up to for Airok. And if the attendant ever did slip up, those nanites would sever their tether so violently it would destroy both dragoness' minds. As a mother, she never worried for her daughter's safety. Attendants were so very loyal, after all.

The year of the Summer Solstice Ball, Queen Airok Archay created Archayon's Phoenix. It was not meant to survive the bombing of the ball. She planted fake intel. Phelise would see to Setara being forced to leave before the explosion. Airok had never been there, substituting herself with a synthetic body with illusions laced around it. She planned for the bomb to go off with herself and Setara to be all that would be left. Her heir was too valuable an asset to waste on a coup. And poor Setara, devastated by the loss of her family and friends, would throw herself into her work for her mother. Airok would be all she had left, after all.

There had been no way to predict her youngest son and his human mate. They thwarted things, and plans for Archayon's Phoenix changed overnight. The skeleton of an organization became an actual cell of spies, mages, and scientists Airok used so she might put Kamore and Chisur's theories to the test.

And that was where the Seed came in.

Lunelei stared through a plexiglass wall. He had reached an underground orchard. Behind him, sprinklers watered the trees while a dragon went amidst them, picking out ripe fruits. He studied the grotesque structure of flesh, tissue, rock, flora, and magic and considered what he would feel if not for the battery of wards around the chamber. It must have been a cyclone of thought, a cacophony of voices.

Kamore and Chisur had suggested that Archayon was not a living being so much a neural network made up of billions of linked nodes. That network provided energy through interactions, and those interactions on a macro level produced the sense of dealing with a sapient being when communing with Archayon. What was unclear is how those nodes were linked.

Kamore never found out. Kyle and Chisur did because those links were something like a tether. A tether produced a small amount of energy and also allowed for the exchange of energy between separate nodes. The Seed was just that: hundreds of humans tethered together into a screaming mass of magical consciousness. So strong was that mass it apparently had a magical gravity to it. Humans had no concept of magic or its effects on the mind, so they had no means of resisting it. Once they entered this room, they were in a black hole's orbit, being pulled into the Seed to be tethered to it as well.

At this point, the Seed had the power to implant itself inside Archayon. It would grow inside the planet like a tumor, eventually killing and replacing it.

All that remained was figuring out how to control the Seed so everything on the planet didn't resemble the inside of this chamber.

Which was what “Phoenix" wanted Lunelei to help with: securing a mage strong and knowledgeable enough to control the Seed, or at least provide the means to control it. Lunelei was expected, by any means, to bring Chisur Archay back to the Nest. His mother knew—because of course she did—that Lunelei had been meeting the prince regularly. Airok assumed he would bring Chisur here as a trap. Airok assumed Lunelei would obey.

In the reflection of the plexiglass, a brass dragon came to stand beside Lunelei. Kisk cleared his throat and asked, “Should I be questioning your resolve?"

Lunelei watched a stalagmite of emerald and chitin grow from the cavern floor a dozen paces from where both dragon's stood. “Did you always know who I was?"

“It was not hard for Phoenix to put together after our raid on the Lower Warrens."

“Why did mother raid the Warrens?"

“It's intelligence operations were a threat to ours. It gave her an excuse to destroy the facility once compromised and move some of its assets here," Kisk said matter-of-factly.

Lunelei swore that in the recesses of the growing emerald there was a human face staring back at him.

“Will you try to stop us?"

Lunelei said, “I don't know." The growing stalagmite, twisting upward, spun from emerald to chitin and the face disappeared.

“I suppose there is much for you to think about."

“I am not sure if I should kill my mother or not," Lunelei said.

“You want revenge for Phelise."

“It's more than that," Lunelei said, fists clenching at his sides. “My whole life she has manipulated me in one way or another. I will never be free so long as she lives—she will never stop trying to use me."

Kisk turned around and leaned back against the plexiglass, arms folded over his chest. “So you kill her, then what?"

“I don't know, Kisk." Lunelei glanced from him back to the stalagmite; it had made a full rotation and there was definitely a face in the emerald. A human frozen mid-wail. He asked, “Do you think this Seed will work? Truly believe it will solve Archay's problems?"

Kisk knocked the plexiglass with his tail. “This is our best shot. I know Earth, spent the better half of the last year working with Ambassador Jerawk. Those humans will kill their planet and ours in the process. Our survival hinges on this."

“Then why did mother never bring this to the Council? Why all the secrecy?" Lunelei pressed.

Kisk gave him a hard look. “Guess."

“Chisur…"

Kisk said, “The prince gained too much political clout after the Summer Solstice bombing. And he would oppose this plan so viciously we would never be able to get as far as we have."

Of course Chisur would. Killing Archayon, the mass of humans cruelly chained together—the prince would never stand for any of it.

Lunelei's eyes narrowed on the brass dragon. “Why are you here?"

“I'm interested in what you will do. Yesterday I told you I liked you, trusted you."

“I've always worked with the assumption I would kill you one day."

The threat did not phase Kisk. “I don't doubt I would be dead if you decided to kill me."

“But you don't think I will?"

“I think, even if you kill Phoenix, you will do what you think is best for Archay."

Lunelei still did not understand what the brass dragon wanted from him. “If we do end up enemies, will you try to kill me?"

Kisk shrugged, “I will put my life on the line for what I believe in. There is too much at stake."

“What about Mosk?"

The brass dragon cocked his head.

“You like and trust me, would support me if I killed my mother so long as I didn't jeopardize the Seed and your plans with it. Would Mosk, would anyone else?"

A sharp-fanged smile. “You make Mosk insecure, but he is a pragmatic sort. Despite what you think, he doesn't hate you. And the other agents of this facility would fall in line."

Lunelei sighed and turned away from the sight of the cavern. In the orchard, the sprinklers had shut off, but everything still glistened with water. “This feels like an ant-urn. There's no way a conversation about killing Phoenix goes without her notice."

“Phoenix knows my loyalties are to the cause, not her." Kisk pushed himself off the wall and placed a hand on the silver dragon's shoulder. “Whatever you decide, give it some thought. Really think about what's best for Archay, for dragons everywhere, before you make any decisions."

Kisk walked away. Lunelei watched him go before he turned back to the Seed. This monstrous thing… their savior? Lunelei needed to know what his brother would think. Even if it meant dragging him back here.

***

To Lunelei's surprise, when he chose to leave the nest, he was not alone.

This time the tramcar was full of dragons, and one in particular gave him pause. Airok sat with an open seat beside her, in a one-piece bodysuit, her fiery red hair braided and tied in a thick bun behind her horns. She patted the seat next to her when she saw Lunelei.

The silver dragon scowled but knew better than to refuse the invitation.

He sat beside his mother, saying, “Didn't expect you to ride the tram like a common dragon."

“Portals, while convenient, create gaps in security," Airok said. “I don't intend to let someone invade the Nest like you did the Warrens, dear."

Lunelei folded his arms over his chest, crossed his legs, and observed, “Must be humbling for you, then."

“Hardly. You do remember I spent half my adult life doing the very thing you're doing now?"

Every heir to the throne spent their time as spymaster. Chisur was the only exception since the Scarring. All the dragons on the tram gently rocked as the car began moving.

Airok added, “I understand perfectly why and how dragons are suffering. We can no longer build towers upward. We must reclaim this planet."

“Under your rule?"

She shrugged, “Mine, then yours. I would give you back your position as heir. You are far more prepared for it than Chisur. Society needs power to function, to give it order and stability. We spend our time learning statecraft rather than toil in some nutrient farm or nursing babes as an attendant. It's what makes us qualified for rule. You and I are the most qualified to lead the dragons that will leave Archay to resettle the planet."

Lunelei's claws pinched into his arm. “It's just coincidence you live surrounded by luxury."

“Don't you miss your old life, Set—"

“I miss Phelise," Lunelei snarled. “You have no idea—"

“That wound was self-inflicted. You should have known better than to get so attached."

Lunelei wanted to kill her. Rip open her throat with his fangs. He noticed, then, that several dragons watched him carefully. Some with hands on their sidearms.

“Fuck off, mother," Lunelei growled before he got up and walked to the other end of the tramcar. If he stayed beside her he would have killed her. That cunt. That bitch. None of these dragons seemed aware of “Lady Phoenix's" psychotic view of life: utterly disposable. This was no campaign to liberate Archay, it was to rule Archayon. Fuck the Seed. Fuck Kisk. When she returned she planned to burn the facility to the ground.

She.

Setara's anger had boiled over so much the illusion of Lunelei burned away. If she stopped seeing herself as Lunelei, the spell's concentration broke off.

Although, she did not need Lunelei anymore.

The princess turned and looked out the tram, past her reflection to the tunnel that led to the Nest. Lunelei very well might have used the Seed. A part of her wanted to believe Kisk. That she could kill Airok, fix the world, and have a new home and life. Never have to face her brother for what she had done. It was a fantasy she had been scared to admit to herself. But now… Now she would burn this place down and destroy the Seed just to spite her mother.

Airok took everything from Setara. Setara was willing to die to take everything from her.

***

A claw affectionately ran up and down Casey's spine. Gentle as the quill of a feather. A draconic snout nuzzled into his scalp, and the human tried to escape it by burrowing deeper into his partner's chest.

“Caaaasey…"

The human grumbled.

“Hehehe, come on, sleepy. We have to get up," Jerawk whispered.

Casey, arms wrapped under Jerawk's shoulders, hugged himself to the dragon and whined, “But you're so warm."

The two lay in Jerawk's bed, in the dragon's small studio apartment. The bed would have been too small for Prince Chisur, so to fit Casey had to stay hugged close to his boyfriend all night. Not that either minded that.

“Don't you want to get breakfast and—ah!"

Casey bit Jerawk's chest playfully. He said around a mouthful of yellow scales, “You're my breakfast."

“Hahaha, am I now?"

Casey released the dragon and kissed the spot he bit. The human's hands roved down Jerawk's back, under his tail, and squeezed that shapely, yellow butt. “Yeah, and I'm really hungry."

Jerawk threw Casey on his back, and their shared laughter didn't stop till it blended to something else.

An hour and a shower later, the two lovers walked out of Jerawk's apartment. Walking about as a human, Casey definitely drew attention in the TorVah Tower. But Casey's visit had been sanctioned by Archay. He was, officially, the first representative of Earth to visit. Not that anyone on Earth would ever know that. Casey and Jerawk got food at a dining hall in Jerawk's residential arcology. The food served there was free and in a cafeteria style. They sat at a table with several nosier dragons approaching their table to talk to them. Casey never turned down the company, and it took much longer for the two of them to eat because of it.

Eventually, Jerawk was able to drag Casey away, and by mid-morning they headed to the palace. In the Atrium they met Kyle and Chisur. The two dragons had been waiting for them beside a car. Today, Casey would see the edge of the sprawl and the scarred lands before he spent the rest of the day back at the palace.

Jerawk embraced his other mates as they reunited. Casey stood away until Jerawk's tail wrapped around his ankle and tugged the human into the group hug. When they broke, Chisur opened the door to the car and asked, “Sleep well, Casey?"

Casey climbed in with Jerawk before he said, “Yeah, Jerawk is a great pillow."

“That's what I think of this one," Kyle said, tail playfully running up Chisur's chest as he ducked inside. The prince followed, shutting the door behind him. The interior of the vehicle was like a limo, big and open. There was no driver compartment, instead the vehicle began moving once Chisur gave it an address.

Jerawk shook his head, “Poor Chisur, always the pillow in the relationship."

Casey shrugged, “I dunno, I'm pretty sure he'd just be a bed for me." Chisur must have been a foot and a half and over a hundred pounds bigger than the human.

The prince laughed and Kyle said, “You're always welcome to stay the night at our suite if you want to find out."

“No offense prince, but I'm worried you'd roll over and suffocate me," Casey said with a grin.

“Hehe, I assure you, I sleep gentle as a babe. Kyle is the one who tosses and turns."

“I don't ever remember him waking me up."

“Thank you, Jerawk," Kyle said. “You have one nightmare and suddenly—"

“Okay, okay!" Chisur threw his hands up.

“What do dragons have nightmares about?" Casey asked.

Kyle said, “Well, I was human in the dream—"

“God forbid!" Casey exclaimed.

Kyle rolled his eyes. “And I was back at school. They said I had to finish high school since I dropped out, so I had to leave Archay and—"

Casey shuddered. “Stop, I hate the sound of it already."

Chisur nodded, “I will occasionally have dreams of missing a test and failing my entrance exams to KalXay."

“KalXay?"

“It's a university here," Kyle explained for Casey. Before he asked Jerawk, “Are you alright, love?"

“Yeah… just have nothing to add. We all know what my nightmares have been like the last few months."

Chisur grimaced and Kyle frowned. Jerawk still had nightmares of the attack on the Lower Warrens. Casey placed a hand on his partner's thigh and said softly, “Trust me Jerawk, there is nothing, nothing worse than waking up after dreaming all night about having to go back to school."

A hint of a smile peeked at the yellow dragon's muzzle.

Kyle, catching on, told Jerawk, “Casey's not joking! You wake up desperate to get out of bed so you can get to class on time."

“Then you're confused and anxious about what is even going on in your life," Chisur finished. He folded his arms over his chest and shook his head. “It is the worst way to start a day."

Jerawk laughed a little. “Thanks. What would I do without the three of you?"

“I'm not sure what we would without you," Kyle said, leaning across the gap between them and setting a hand on the dragon's knee.

Casey said, “I'd probably be eating cheerios on the couch while rewatching FMA on Netflix."

All three dragons stared at him.

“I sort of understood that," Kyle said.

Casey sighed and said to the ceiling of the car. “This is why I should have a tether to Jerawk. Then I wouldn't need to explain myself all the time."

Chisur arched a brow. “Is that something you two of have been considering?"

Jerawk gave Casey a look. “Is it?"

Casey, truthfully, had been thinking about it a lot since finally meeting Kyle and Chisur. The two of them were still their own people, but they just… moved through the world in such a way… It was hard to describe. It was like they knew each other like soulmates or identical twins might know their other half. But it was deeper still. And Casey now totally understood why Jerawk would have become insecure about his relationship to both, and also why Jerawk might desire that bond himself.

“Well, I…" Casey hesitated. “It seems cool, you know?" He faced Jerawk in the car and said directly to him, “You just get me. I'm kinda floored by how well we click, Jerawk, given all the differences between us. But I…" Casey was blushing, “I know for a fact I love you, and would love to be even closer to you."

Jerawk's mouth hung open a little, stunned. They had not used the L-word with each other yet. And perhaps now was not the best time—with Kyle and Chisur watching. Casey just had to speak before thinking—

The yellow dragon hugged Casey tight. “I love you, too. I… I would like to share that bond with you, too, but…"

But?

Jerawk leaned away, unable to look Casey in the eyes.

Chisur spoke up for the smaller dragon, “A tether would mean permanently choosing a planet as your home. If one tethered partner travels from one planet to the other, both partners will travel together."

“So a tether means choosing here or Earth," Casey whispered.

Jerawk glanced at Kyle and Chisur. Kyle, visibly pregnant with the yellow dragon's child. “I'm sorry, Casey."

Casey understood. He would never ask Jerawk to leave this world behind, his mates and his future kid. He managed an unconvincing smile, “So maybe no tether, then? That's fine, it doesn't change at all how I feel about you, Jerawk."

Dragon and human embraced again, tightly, chests crushed together. As if to smother a grief they both knew they shared.

***

Their trip to the scarring impressed upon Casey the monumental task of restoring the planet. The human had said it was “Chernobyl's nightmare," which he promptly needed to explain to everyone in the room but Kyle and Chisur. Casey got along better with Berask and Kaimen than Jerawk did. In fact, the way the human took to Archayon, his openness to everyone and his curiosity and…

Jerawk did not understand what tied Casey to Earth. The human had been raised by a foster family he never spoke to, and he had a kinship group of friends he was close to, but, by Casey's own admission, Jerawk was the person the human was closest with.

He wanted them both together. So badly. All those months ago he never would have imagined growing so close, but he missed Casey every day they weren't in the same room together. It was confusing. Jerawk could both long for—no—crave the human's company, even while he happily spent time with Kyle and Chisur. He couldn't fathom life without them both, but life without Casey felt unbearable at times.

After lunch at the scarred lands research outpost with Berask and Kaemen, the four returned to the Atrium. Upon walking into the bottom floor park of the palace, Kyle checked his phone and said, “Oh, shoot, I have an appointment with Madial I forgot about."

“Madial?" Casey asked.

“Our mender—er sorry, doctor is what you call them. It's just a check-up for the baby's health, you want to come along Jerawk?"

The yellow dragon, surprised by the sudden change of plans, took Kyle's hand. “Of course."

Chisur said, “Why don't we give them some privacy, Casey? I can show you where concerts are held in the Atrium."

“Sounds good," Casey said, clearly reluctant. But he did not push to be part of such a private matter and followed Chisur.

Kyle and Jerawk walked to the palace's central elevator. Once Casey and Chisur got out of earshot, Jerawk said, “I didn't have an appointment on my calendar."

“That's because there isn't one," Kyle said. “Chisur and I sensed you were troubled, thought it might be good to talk."

Jerawk sighed, “Nothing gets by you two."

“You've been pensive the entire time we were out. Something is on your mind." Kyle wrapped a familiar arm around Jerawk's shoulder. The yellow dragon returned in kind by wrapping his arm around his mate's waist.

Kyle let them walk in silence before Jerawk said, “I want Casey to stay in Archayon."

“Do you want to form a tether with him?"

“I don't even know if I want that. I just want him. Want to be able to wake up with him like we did this morning. And you've seen him—he's so happy and vibrant here."

“It's all new, and it's all welcoming," Kyle said. “I felt the same way. It's easy to feel it when you have a connection with someone with keys to the kingdom."

Jerawk watched one elevator from the central shaft fly skyward before they both turned away, stepping over a bridge that spanned a creek before he said, “He's just…" Jerawk's arm squeezed Kyle closer. “I've only felt this way about two other people in my life."

“Oh, what two people?"

Jerawk knocked his hips against his mate. “You know who."

Grinning, Kyle rested his free hand on his swollen stomach. “I do."

“I won't leave Archayon, won't leave you and Chisur."

“We know, but we would support you if you did."

“And our child?"

“You know dragons don't need their sires there to find a loving, dense family."

“But I want to be there, Kyle. I love Eska, and I know I'll love our child as well."

“Who we still have not named."

Jerawk shrugged. “We have a few months. I'm still leaning to Kamore."

“I think that would be very sweet. But have you considered any human names?"

“Like?"

“Derek."

“No, try again."

“Joshua."

“Have you considered changing your name to a dragon's?"

“What is that supposed to mean?"

Jerawk laughed. “I'm only teasing, dear."

“Hmmph, and here I thought up this great excuse to talk through your feelings."

Jerawk, smiling softly, said, “You know I appreciate you endlessly, Kyle. And I'm staying in Archay, that is that."

“Are you going to ask Casey to stay?"

“I think so, once I work up the nerve."

“What if he says no?"

Jerawk and Kyle stopped. They had reached a little rise that gave them a clear view of the old palace. The stone, shapely carved castle that Casey had called, “Some Disneyland shit." It was cast in swirling blooms of light from the magical storm over the sea. A reminder of how fragile all this bliss could be.

“Then we will figure out what comes next for us."

Kyle kissed Jerawk's brow. “Whatever happens, Chisur and I will always be there for you." They enjoyed the silence some time longer, letting their weight lean against each other. The trees around them blew in a gentle, if artificial, breeze, and insects buzzed about a line of nearby flowers.

Before Jerawk could work up the will to suggest they leave, Kyle tensed up.

“Something wrong?"

“We need to get back."

“Kyle?"

They started walking the path back to the central elevator. Kyle told Jerawk, “It's Setara. She just sent Chisur a message to meet her."

***

“Is Chisur alright?" Casey asked as he followed Jerawk and Kyle back to the prince's suite.

“He'll be fine," Kyle said before tapping his temple. “I can check on him any time."

“Just like that? Even when he's not close by?" Casey asked.

“They can be annoyingly chatty, I rarely get Kyle to myself," Jerawk pouted. Though, Casey could tell something was off with the dragon as well.

He decided not to push it. He was technically dealing with heads of state, so it did not need to be his business. When they reached the suite, Kyle opened the door and said, “You two head inside. I'm going to check on how Eska is doing at the nursery."

“Will you be gone long?" Jerawk asked.

“Half an hour, I'll text you if something comes up." The black dragon smiled at Casey. “See you."

“See ya, Kyle."

They parted ways and had Chisur's suite to themselves. The prince had just gotten this text, every alarm on his phone sounding for it, and soon as he read it his whole demeanor changed. No one had told Casey what was going on.

So he felt justified when he said, “I hope coming here wasn't a bad idea."

Jerawk's tail wrapped around Casey's wrist as he said, “Let's go to the bathroom."

“Errr… I don't…"

“I want to take a bath together, Casey." He let his boyfriend drag him along. The prince's bathroom looked closer to a fancy hotel bathroom than the closet bathrooms like the one in Jerawk's apartment. It might have been as big as Jerawk's apartment. Slate grey tile with rose-quartz colored sink and tub made for a striking contrast. Jerawk twisted a knob to run water for the bath. He busied about the room with an air of familiarity, taking out a set of oils and shampoos. Casey, awkwardly watched until, the dragon asked, “You're still wearing clothes?"

Blushing, the human began to strip. Jerawk did the same, and climbed in. He offered a hand.

Casey looked at the steaming water in the bath. He ignored the dragon and ran a finger under the water, yanking it back immediately. “Hot," he hissed.

“Oh right, it's been so long." Jerawk adjusted the knobs. “When Kyle was first here I discovered the hard way how sensitive humans are to heat."

Casey sat on the edge of the tub, looking at the pair's reflection in the mirror across from them. He asked, “Was this a bad idea, Jerawk?"

The dragon frowned and met Casey's gaze in the mirror. “There was never going to be a perfect time to come here, dear."

“Yeah. but this is like an especially bad time."

Jerawk reached to touch Casey, but hesitated. His hands dropped to his side and he admitted, “I wish it were different, yes."

Casey mumbled, “I can head back to Earth tonight if…"

“No!" Jerawk wrapped his arms around the man. He hugged Casey's back to his chest, rubbed their cheeks together before whispering, “I want you here. I want you to stay."

And Casey knew by the way Jerawk said it that the dragon did not mean stay the night. “Jerawk… I can't just leave Earth."

Jerawk held him tighter, growled, “Why not?"

“The same reason you won't leave Archay. I have people there. Reggie and Sparrow and Gemma. Friends and loved ones I don't want to stop talking to or stop seeing."

“It doesn't have to be a permanent exile. You can still see them. I'd love to visit and meet your friends."

“But what then? Would the government find out—I don't want—"

“Okay," Jerawk released him, water sloshing as he backed away. He sounded crushed. “We're not ready for this yet—I'm sorry I brought it up."

But Casey's anxiety had already begun stirring. “What if we're never ready for it, though?"

“Casey…"

The human hated being naked right now. He stopped looking in the mirror and mumbled at the floor, “Maybe the world's not ready for this—won't be ready for a long time. Regular humans and dragons don't even talk to each other so how can we expect anyone to understand? To be okay with us coming and going? My country fucking hates human immigrants, Jerawk, what do you think they'll do when it's dragons coming and going?"

He glanced at the mirror and saw Jerawk at a loss. The dragon reached over and turned off the faucet, so he did not need to say over the sound of running water, “I don't know, Casey." The dragon sat down in the basin, hugging knees to chest, wings wrapped around his shoulders. “I don't know how we fix that. We can't fix the problems with your world—fuck you've seen what we've done to ours. Archay has problems, too."

Casey chuckled and said wryly, “Not making a better pitch for me, you know?"

“Heh, I know," Jerawk said. “What I mean is, I don't want you here to try and save you or because I think you'd be better off. I want you here because I'm selfish. Because I'm happiest on days I know I'm going to see you. Because I love taking care of people and I want to cherish and take care of you every hour of every day. It doesn't need to be this trip, the next, it doesn't need to be this year, but…" Casey heard water move, Jerawk touched his elbow and the human knew to face the dragon, twisting around and setting his feet in the water. Jerawk said while holding his gaze, “I will keep asking and won't give up until you're ready, for both our worlds to be ready for us."

Casey was blushing, his anxieties remarkably quelled in that moment. He eventually said, “That sounds… uh, like a marriage proposal."

Jerawk offered a warm smile. “Do you want it to be?"

Casey's blush deepened. He knew the answer immediately and giggled at the thought. He slid into the tub and water splashed around them. Jerawk murred and burrowed into the human, grabbing him and pulling him on the dragon's lap.

“Well?" Jerawk growled.

“Yes!" Casey laughed. “But also, marriages are lame, so fuck that." They kissed. Jerawk's familiar lips warm and welcome, dark violet tongue pushing into Casey's mouth. The human moaned a little, wrapped his arms around the dragon's neck to hold his lover tight.

Jerawk broke the kiss and offered in a sultry whisper, “I'll marry the shit out of you."

“Hehehe, shut up about that."

“Tether you, fuck you," Jerawk bit the human's brown neck. “Whatever you want."

“Mmm, fucking would be a good start," Casey breathed while those nips went down to his clavicle.

“Here or in the bedroom?"

“Water makes shit lube, and I kinda want to get our nasty all over their sheets."

“You slut."

With a strength that made Casey blush, Jerawk simply picked him up and carried the human into the bedroom.

***

As Kyle returned to his suite, he reached out across the sprawl to find Chisur had arrived at the BetaSar Tower, on his way to Lunelei's apartment.

Sensing his prince's thoughts, Kyle said, Take your time with her, love. Don't let her push you away, don't get mad—

I would feel better with you beside me.

Yes, but you will be fine. And I will see to keeping Casey and Jerawk entertained. If you are gone long, I will have them both stay the night at our suite.

You expect me to be gone long?

I expect you will need time to sort things out. Take it, love, Kyle said as he reached the door to their suite. The prince had reached his destination, too. Kyle withdrew his connection and waited until he felt Chisur's presence become repressed by the wards in Lunelei's apartment. No longer connected, Kyle took a deep breath and entered the suite.

He had wanted to give the two lovebirds time to talk alone. He expected to find them in the lounge, but it was empty. So Kyle crossed the room to the bedroom, hesitating at the door when he heard a moan. Casey's. The dragon considered what would be most appropriate to do. They had already talked to Jerawk about what to do if the occasion of physical intimacy arose. He'd told Kyle and Chisur both that if Casey was amenable he was fine with it. He did not want to ruin the moment for the two, but…

Wouldn't joining make Jerawk's case for Casey staying in Archay more convincing? He opened the door.

On Kyle's bed, Jerawk lay on his back, wings spread and claws digging into the brown hips of Casey, who was riding the dragon in a reverse cowgirl position. It let Kyle see, in no uncertain terms, Jerawk's dark cock sink into the small human's body, leaving a bulge along the stomach when knot kissed inflamed cunt lips.

Honestly, the sight left Kyle nearly as speechless as the first time Jerawk took him on this very bed.

Casey's face was flushed red, his slim form quivering on the dragon he rode. Jerawk sat up and held the human against his chest, cheek to cheek with each other. While the trans man continued focusing on that grinding down on that knot, his lover dragged a violet tongue across Casey's earlobe. Jerawk whispered while holding Kyle's gaze, “He's back early, huh, Casey?"

“M-mhmm, hah," the human shivered. His cunt clenched, flexed, clearly cumming across that bulb of flesh smothering its labia. Kyle, also, was quickly getting wetter than he expected.

“You want him to join or just watch?" Jerawk's sultry growl made that heat grow between Kyle's legs. He rarely saw this side of his mate. Certainly not with another dragon.

“J-join," Casey breathed.

Kyle started taking off his gown before Jerawk could order it. The yellow dragon murred at the sight of the black and grey dragon's bare, pregnant body. Those grey cunt lips inflamed and tinged red already. Jerawk let out a husky laugh and said, “Maybe part of being ambassador should be turning humans into sluts for dragon cock. I seem to have a good record, huh, Kyle?"

“Two for two," he agreed. He knew his role in this—wanted his mate to tell him what to do. “Where should I—"

“I want to taste the needy cunt I knocked up," Jerawk growled. “And you, slut, turn around so you can watch."

“Oh… yes, master," Casey moaned.

Kyle hesitated, a little flustered. Casey and Jerawk had clearly got into things Kyle and Chisur were not familiar with their yellow mate. Jerawk lay back on the bed before the human lifted up. That spade tip spilled free his pussy with a collection of juices that drooled across Jerawk's crotch. The wet, hot smell of Casey's sex made Kyle start to pant. A part of him wanted to taste that cunt stirred up by Jerawk's cock, but he did not want to keep his stud waiting.

Kyle crawled on the bed while Casey spun around before plunging back down on that shaft with a pleased groan. The black dragon tried to carefully straddle Jerawk, but the yellow yanked Kyle into position. His pregnant stomach rubbed against his mate's collarbone while a snout rubbed against Kyle's receptive sex and made him moan. He humped backwards into the hungry muzzle, which soon split his lips with a violet tongue. His labia drooled across the muscle while it swirled around a moment. Then the tongue punched inside his vent and he clenched down. Kyle moaned, back arched. He was so turned on and so sensitive right now. Jerawk snarled and roughly ate the black and grey dragon out. He was voracious, rough, claws digging hard enough into Kyle's waist to hurt. Jerawk never treated him like this.

“F-fuck Jerawk," Kyle whined. Those claws nearly left furrows in his scales while tongue dug deep inside him. The pungent taste of his pregnant arousal filled Jerawk's maw. Juices dripped down the yellow dragon's jaw, and soon Kyle clenched down. A shuddering, slight orgasm passing through him as Jerawk had his fill.

Casey grabbed the black dragon by a horn and yanked him into a kiss. Kyle leaned into it, tongue filling the human's mouth and tasting Jerawk's seed. They had been at this for a while, which meant they wanted Kyle to find them. It made the kiss all the sweeter, and with one hand planted on Jerawk's firm abdomen for balance, the black dragon started to fondle Casey's sex with the other. The man broke the kiss in a gasp, leaning against the pregnant dragon's shoulder. Kyle felt Casey's cunny clench down on the dark shaft inside him, the human's hot little breath's drawn sharper when the black dragon grabbed his cock. Kyle jerked it slowly while Casey whimpered and whined in his ear. Blunt teeth bit down on his shoulder to muffle the human's squeal, his body trembling while he came across Jerawk's crotch. Kyle huffed, feeling Casey's muscles clench, spasm, the human coming undone by pleasure for a moment.

At that same moment, Jerawk came up for air, ramming three fingers into Kyle's cunt in the place of his tongue. They stabbed into his wet vent, right into his g-spot, and the black dragon groaned. He shook against the cumming human, his pregnant pussy dripping around those knuckles mashed against his mound.

“Mmmm," Jerawk growled, “Love watching this cunt squirm around my fingers."

Kyle whimpered in response, humping back against those digits.

“Casey, get up and get on your back," Jerawk ordered.

“B-but your knot—"

“You'll still get it, slut," Jerawk said with a sultry chuckle. “Be a good boy, now."

Whining a little, Casey pushed himself off that ebon shaft and flopped on his back, panting. The human was drenched in sweat, skin flushed down to his neck. His pussy gaped a little, filaments of his arousal shrinking and expanding as the vent milked around nothing.

Jerawk nudged Kyle off as well, the black dragon gasped when his cunt became empty as well. When he turned to face the yellow dragon, the fingers once buried in his sex were shoved in his muzzle. Kyle moaned around the digits, happily sucking off the flavor of his cum. Jerawk removed the hand and kissed Kyle next. That violet tongue flooded the black dragon's maw with more of the flavor of his pregnant pussy. It made Kyle fluttering and weak. The kiss was aggressive and dominant, far more than the dragon was used to from his mate. He buzzed with pleasure by the time Jerawk broke the kiss to say, “You know, Casey, I don't think Kyle's ever ate pussy before."

Flustered, Kyle said, “N-no."

“You want him to practice on you, slut?"

Casey opened his thighs and spread his swollen labia with both hands. “Yes, master…"

Kyle's heart hammered in his throat. He crawled between Casey's legs and got a full view of that sex. This close it was all Kyle could smell. Bitter, a bit sour with some kind of musky spice underneath. It made his nostril's flare. His tongue hung out his mouth, entranced for a moment. Jerawk grabbed the dragon by his white hair and shoved him into it. His lips kissed that opening, snout smothered by the mound. Casey moaned and Kyle couldn't help but shove his tongue into the passage. The taste made his toes curl. He still tasted Jerawk's cock along Casey's sensitive walls, which clenched down on his muscle, saturating his taste-buds in that bitter flavor.

“That's it, get lost in it," Jerawk whispered in Kyle's ear. The yellow dragon's hand had drifted back to Kyle's cunt, and were pumping in and out those plump grey lips. Jerawk released his hair, but the black dragon kept his muzzle buried in the human's cunt. Casey mewled for Kyle, legs eventually wrapping around his neck to pin his face in place. That wet, dark brown cunt started humping into the dragon's muzzle. It seemed to never stop dripping, and soon Kyle's senses were totally saturated in Casey's arousal. His eyes became half lidded, and he let his tongue work in and out. He never expected to find the taste so good, but…

Kyle's thoughts were interrupted when he felt Jerawk yank his tail up. He knew what came next, but his whole body still locked up when that dripping, spade tip rubbed against his inflamed cunny. The yellow dragon sighed as his cock got sheathed in another needy pussy. Kyle moaned, the sound muffled by Casey's body, as cock split his walls open. The bulb at the ebon base ground against Kyle's entrance. He shoved his hips backwards, trying to suck in that knot. He felt his lips yield a little but not enough. At the same time, his squirming set Casey off again, those legs keeping Kyle tight to that mound. Cum flooded the black dragon's mouth, the bitter and sour arousal laced with a musky spice. Its taste different but reminiscent of Kyle's own. While Jerawk slowly sawed in and out his wet snatch, he happily lapped up and down those fluttering walls, trying his best to stimulate Casey. He needed more of the man's nectar. Craved it while Jerawk's cock churned up his insides.

Kyle's pregnant belly rocked and swayed with the motion of Jerawk's hips. A tension boiled through his stomach as his mate began to pick up the pace. Soon that knot smacked smacked smacked his plump, pregnant puss. Shaft stabbing in and out, stoking that fire higher and higher. Jerawk smacked Kyle's ass. A little fat from the pregnancy, it jiggled and stung. But he liked it. Kyle's work on Casey's cunt became sloppy and distracted. Above him, the human still clenched on the tongue inside him, still humped that black muzzle, but now Casey also jerked off his cock. His back arched and another shuddering orgasm passed through the human's body. The flood of more juices plus the rough fuck had Kyle cumming, too. His thighs and waist exploded with warmth and pleasure. The sensation inflamed by the cock slamming his yawning pussy. Jerawk had bent over a little, and now jackhammered into Kyle, blowing open the cunt he knocked up till once again his knot was forced inside.

Kyle screamed as his orgasm hit a peak. He saw white while his vent milked white. Jerawk hosed his cervix in seed. The yellow dragon still pulling and pushing to force that stunned, grey sex to tug on his knot as he dumped fertile cum into Kyle's body again. Casey had finally released the black dragon, and Kyle's face rested on the human's wet, brown thigh. The smell and taste of the trans man's arousal soaked into his muzzle. His body clenched and squeezed weakly on Jerawk's length. The yellow dragon's productive internal testes filled Kyle's vent before seed started running out his body, pearly beads sliding down his black thighs.

With a grunt, Jerawk started slowly pulling. Kyle's body, petulant, tried to clench to keep the dragon inside him, but his mate was insistent. The cock popped free, and he complained with a whimper as Jerawk pulled out. Seed spilled from his plump, gaping pussy and dripped on the bed. Meanwhile, Jerawk had moved around to Casey and, without ceremony, grabbed the human's head and shoved his messy dick in the human's mouth.

Jerawk murred and Casey obediently started cleaning the ebon shaft. “Hope you sluts aren't, hah, exhausted yet. We've got a lot more of the afternoon left."

Kyle, frankly, now wanted Casey to stay so he could see this side of Jerawk more often.

***

Two hours later, the three took an exhausted shower together before getting dressed.

While Kyle got his long, white hair in order in the bathroom mirror, Casey sat on the tub and complained, “Do we have to go? I'm exhausted."

Kyle did not blame the human. He imagined both of them would be very sore between the thighs for the rest of the night.

Jerawk, who stood beside Kyle brushing his teeth, spat in the sink and said, “We could have stopped an hour ago but you were the one who got me hard again."

Casey rolled his eyes. “I can't help it if dragons are so hot."

“Dragons, plural?" Kyle asked.

Jerawk's tail snuck up under Kyle's gown. “Surprised?"

Blushing, Casey admitted, “I asked Jerawk last night if you would be interested in… well, we know the answer now."

Kyle chuckled as he set down his brush and scooped his hair into a loose bun. He used a hair clip painted a gold that matched Chisur's scales to hold the bun up. Finally, Kyle teased out a few strands to fall across the side of his face.

“Ready," Kyle said.

“And we're sure we can't just spend the night lazing in bed watching TV?" Casey said.

“Chisur doesn't keep one in his suite."

“Ugh," Casey groaned.

Kyle shrugged, “You get used to it. Let's go eat, I'm tethered to the prince and I've never been to a restaurant this important, Casey."

“Yeah, yeah, ready to have my mind blown by food from Archay," Casey said.

The three left the apartment together. Casey and Kyle openly flirted with each other now, practicing banter and teasing Jerawk. It made the yellow dragon immensely happy to see. The two, despite not seeing each other in nearly two decades, clicked like they were still old friends. Kyle still had nothing to report about Chisur, but told the two not to worry.

As dusk arrived, they began to ascend TorVah to dine at a restaurant on the top recreational arcology. A place called Archayon's Harvest. Silben had gotten and confirmed the reservation with them a day ago. A table for four. Jerawk did wish Chisur could be with them—his prince would have completed a perfect night.

The restaurant was decorated with vegetal growths all around it. They were led to tables set out in a balcony that overlooked the palace and the ocean. None of them had ever seen the ziggurat from these heights before, and it, cast in the illumination of that magical storm over sea, made for a stunning sight. They were seated at a table with a bouquet of violet, blue, and red flowers. Water was served to them all before they were told what the chef was making tonight, as well as potential alcohol pairings.

After they had ordered their food, Casey suggested, “Jerawk, can we get a picture against the balcony?"

Jerawk smiled. “I don't see why not."

The other dragons paid them no mind while Kyle took Jerawk's phone to snap a photo. Kyle took three: one of the pair arm in arm, another of Jerawk sweeping a surprised Casey off his feet, and a third of the pair kissing. Jerawk held the kiss, not concerned with any onlookers.

“Okay, you two," Kyle said, giggling. “Don't get us thrown out."

Jerawk broke the kiss, held Casey's soft brown gaze in his green eyes a moment.

They settled back in their chairs, Casey scooting his to be nearer Jerawk. The yellow dragon could not be happier. He was a little sluggish but assumed that fatigue from the day they had. The three of them chatted for several minutes. Curiously, their drink orders seemed to be lagging, but their waiter remained attentive. They each finished a glass of water before Jerawk noticed Casey nodding off. Kyle yawned and asked, “You okay, Casey?"

The human snapped out of it. “Yeah, real sleepy… like I took too much Xanax or something."

“Xanax?" Jerawk asked.

“It's a drug for anxiety," Kyle said, fighting back another yawn. Then his eyes snapped awake. He got his feet, glowing with magical energy in an instant. At the same time, a dragon from the table next to theirs jumped up and lunged over with a sack. It went over Kyle's head and the energy he had channeled shorted. An explosion of energy around the black dragon threw them all away. Jerawk landed hard on his back, feeling like Chisur just tackled him to the ground. He clutched his chest, winded and gasping for breath. The glass partition along the balcony had been blown out and cold wind now blew into the balcony. Kyle was bent double, struggling to get the bag off his head, which had tightened into a mask of some kind. Jerawk recognized it as what convicts wore when arrested—used to suppress any connection their mind might establish with the planet.

Casey lay beside Jerawk, groaning in pain.

Then a voice said, “What a fucking mess."

Jerawk, dazed, drugged, glanced over and saw a tall, lean, brass dragon in a suit with a set of cuffs in his hand. He managed to mutter, “Silben?"

“It's Kisk when I'm off the clock," the dragon corrected.

His other hand drew a sidearm and pointed it at Jerawk.

“Kyle Reed, submit yourself for extraction or we will kill your mate."

Kyle froze up.

“You promise not to hurt him?" the question came muffled and strained through the mask.

Kisk said, “As long as Ambassador Jerawk remains where he is."

“What about Casey?" Kyle asked.

“He's coming as well," Kisk said.

Jerawk struggled to get up. He snarled, “You won't fucking—"

“Jerawk!" Kyle snapped in warning. The yellow dragon could tell his mate was trying to summon a reassuring smile, even though no one would see it. “It will be okay. I will protect Casey."

“Lie back on the ground," Kisk ordered. “I am only taking Casey with us because he can be useful, I can kill you both if you like."

Jerawk stared at the dragon. He wanted to summon some kind of adrenaline to resist, but drugged, all he could manage was to tremble, tears running down his cheeks. Perpetually helpless in the face of danger, Jerawk lay on the ground.

All the dragons in the restaurant had been in on it. They got to work cuffing Kyle and Casey before injecting them with something that knocked both out. They carried them out of the building, while Kisk kept his gun trained on Jerawk the entire time. He had to fight just to keep from passing out from whatever they drugged him with.

When the restaurant finally emptied, Kisk said, “Shame I'm not a dragon of my word."

With no glass between them and the outside, the sound of a pistol going off carried far into the night.