Hidden Flame 85

**Avery**
We got back very late. We opted to fly into the palace via Cassius’ room. We had no sooner walked into Cassius’ room
from the balcony when Draven rushed in. “Finally!” he pants as he catches his breath.
“I know it is late. I…” I don’t know how to explain why it took us so long and I don’t want to divulge any of the naughty
details either. I see Draven more like a brother than a friend and telling him how I had to tease and fuck my mates would
not feel right.
His eyes widened when he saw my ring. He rushed over and took my hand. He turned my hand so that my ring began to
reflect what little moonlight was coming in from the windows. “Dragonheart is real!” He gasps, “That’s why I never was
able to summon Tiamat and you came instead. Avery, you don’t just bear The Mother’s Mark. You are her! You have been
chosen by the Goddess.” He fell to his knees and when I couldn’t get him to budge, I fell to my knees beside him.
“It is just my engagement ring.”
Draven shakes his head no. “It isn’t just that. What all happened today because I know magic was present.”
Cassius kneels beside me. “He is right. I searched four stores for your ring before I came upon one I had never heard of
before. I found the stone right away. The colors are you. I was taken to the back where an elderly man named Gio showed
me them. He took them from a safe that had a huge golden egg in it. He then told me that he was a Keeper and he kept
hidden treasures until the right Seeker came along. I turned away to leave but realized I hadn’t paid yet, so I turned to ask
him how much I owed but he was gone and so was the safe. I went back to the front of the store only to find any
evidence of a jewelry store had vanished and was replaced by a storefront that had been abandoned for quite some time.
Then later it opened that portal and we saw and talked to our parents. If Draven says this is Dragonheart then it is.”
Draven looked like he wanted to say something else but settled on, “Avery, the Goddess has chosen you. Maybe your
parents knew and that’s why they traveled so often. I know that you don’t remember, but perhaps now you will get a
vision or be able to summon them.” There’s a problem with that because I don’t know how I summoned the Trio’s
parents and my visions have not been very consistent or clear lately either. “Things will start happening now. We should
rest but before we do, Jessica and Lenore worry me. They have a plan to try and get into Talos and they think that I am it.
I also don’t think that they have fully given up on ruling Naga either.”
I have wondered that too. I should have been allowed to torture them as they did me. Our rules need to be changed and
they will be now that I am Queen. We have a lot to think about. After we said goodnight to Draven, Cassius suggested
that we all stay in his room tonight. Is he afraid of something?
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**Tim**
I got a message from that number Avery used before. It said to meet an hour sooner. Luckily for me, my cousin was busy
having a meeting with his security team. This allowed me to slip out unnoticed. I hurried to the mall. I got a coffee and
sat at the table that we had before. As I was waiting three girls started to walk by me. One of them was crying and I
overheard the mention of prom. One of them must not have a date now. The one that was crying stumbled and I caught
her before she could fall. “Easy, I got you,” I said as I helped her stand. “My name is Tim.”
“I am Heidi. Sorry, I am such a mess,” she replied as she wiped her eyes. I reached on the table near my cup and offered
her a napkin. After she dried her tears, she said, “I am just stuck without a date for prom. My boyfriend chose another
girl.”
I know what it is like to see a girl you want in the arms of someone else. I need my Grand Ceremony soon because
finding my mate will be the only thing stronger than my love for Avery. “When is your prom?” She shyly told me that it was tonight and her and her friends have everything including a tux to match her dress. That seemed a little odd, but
maybe they are planners. “I can take you later,” I suggested as I unlocked my phone. “Tell me when and where.” As I was
typing in her directions, I took a few sips of my coffee. I started to feel weird. All I remember is a voice saying, “Now you
are ours and the dumb bitch will come,” before I woke up in a dark unfamiliar place. I am gagged and my arms and legs
are bound. I can’t reach my dragon through our link either. What is going on?
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**Clint**
All of us sleeping with Avery is far more natural than I could have imagined. I still feel her nervousness being with all of
us, but it is ebbing. However, after listening to Draven last night, I am even more worried for Avery than I was. One of us
needs to always be near her. As I was drying off after my shower, I got a text from Tim saying that he needed to move the
location and time of the meeting because he had something come up. This will cancel our dinner plans and could make
us late for prom.
Avery and Trisha come down the stairs. My future wife looks like a falling star. Her off-the-shoulder floor-length gown is a
deep purple that fades into a midnight blue almost black. Crystals adorn the whole dress mimicking twinkling stars. Her
hair is up with curled tendrils framing her beautiful face. “I…we have the most beautiful Queen for a wife.” I scooped her
up and kissed her as I spun her around. After my brothers gave her a kiss I told her about Tim’s text.
“Cassius, you can come with me to meet Tim and we will meet everyone at prom since the place is just on the Earth
side,” she says. I still feel uneasy because it is weird that he wants to meet so close to our magical boundary. We won’t be
far, but seconds could matter. I wanted to protest, but Avery insisted that they would be fine. Maybe she had a vision last
night. I need to trust her even if I want to lock her away from the world to keep her safe.