"While we seem to have similar beliefs and use the same terminology, they seem to have vastly different definitions."
"Please explain further, Lady Autumn," Kiran encouraged hoping that somehow it would get them out of this mess.
"If I understand Elder Tove correctly, a female Dragoon becomes an adolescent after her first full shift and is then considered mature once she is able to reproduce, goes into Heat as you call it." She glared at Tove. "And her age has absolutely nothing to do with it."
"Females must be at least..." Tove began.
"That is correct, Autumn," Kirall cut Tove off. "There is no set age for a female or a male for that matter. The Heat dictates when we are mature."
"Then by Dragoon Law, I've been mature since I was thirteen." She let that hang there knowing how shocking that would be for all of them.
"Autumn, you didn't shift when you were thirteen," Kirall reminded her. "You didn't even know you were Dragoon."
"No, but that was when I was first able to reproduce," she told him.
"But... you said humans don't go into Heat and I..."
"Breached my barrier," she said quietly. "Yes, you were my first because I chose not to Join with anyone, but my body was perfectly capable of reproducing."
"You expect us to just take your word for this?" Tove demanded.
"My mate doesn't lie, Elder Tove," Kirall rounded on the Elder, and Tove's eyes widened as he found himself flung back into his chair by the wave of power Kirall hit him with.
Autumn had to admit she enjoyed seeing her mate handle Tove as if he were nothing but a small child. Enjoyed seeing the utter shock and disbelief that crossed Tove's face, along with a hint of fear. The Elder was nothing but a bigot and a bully, and he needed to be put in his place. She could also admit that it turned her on to watch her mate doing it. She loved when he got all growly and dominant. It made her wish they were back in their bed in Kruba... in their Lair... or any of the other rooms they had yet to make love in. Realizing there was no reason for them to be here as there were no more issues to be dealt with since all her secrets had been revealed, she started to turn to Kirall when Tove fell forward, released from Kirall's hold, and a relay jewel fell out of his robes catching the light.
She was instantly transported back to that horrible night of the attack. She was lying on that blood-soaked floor, her body shredded and broken, watching the light fade from her baby brother's innocent blue eyes. She was about to give up, her eyes closing, when a three-clawed lizard’s skinned hand came into view. It reached down and pried the smoky, quartz crystal out of the hand clutched to Jack's chest, taking the very last piece of Jack that she had.
Until now.
Now that crystal was around Tove's neck, and nothing would keep her from reclaiming it.
∞ ∞ ∞ ∞ ∞
Kirall looked down at his mate, not understanding the range of emotions that suddenly bombarded him. Oh, he perfectly understood the satisfaction she felt when he'd slammed Tove back into his seat. Was in total agreement when he felt the desire that filled her and how she wished to return to their Lair so they could act on it. It was why he had released Tove. So they could leave. He wanted to respond to that desire as soon as they passed through Kruba's boundary.
Then suddenly, all that warmth and desire was replaced with nothing but pain, sorrow, and horror, before morphing into a rage so powerful that it had him gasping in shock.
At that moment, his mate did something that he wasn't sure even she knew she was capable of. She leaped from where they stood, twenty feet in front of the Council, up and over the wall built to contain their Dragons. She landed on the back of Lando's seat which was directly below Tove's.
The entire Assembly was still gasping at that move when she reached over Tove's mate and daughter, grabbed the still slouched down Elder around the neck, and threw him into the arena. She then launched herself into the air, did a high, graceful backflip and landed in a crouch facing Tove, who was still on his belly.
"Autumn! What are you doing?" Kirall demanded, instantly at her side.
"He has Jack's crystal around his neck," she growled.
"Crystal? What crystal?"
"One of the treasures I told you he hoarded. The one I found and gave to him the day the Varana attacked. The one General Terron ripped from his hands as he lay dying in my arms."
Kirall's eyes shot to the relay jewel that was swinging back and forth from Tove's neck as he pushed himself up onto all fours. It was a large, hexagonal crystal, as long and thick as one of Kirall's fingers, and the perfect color for Tove to covet. It was also unlike any other crystal he had ever seen. How had Tove obtained it?
"You are mistaken," Tove proclaimed struggling to his feet. "And you will pay for embarrassing me this way."
"Embarrassing you?" Kirall hissed. "You have a great deal more to worry about than being embarrassed, Elder Tove. You need to explain how a jewel from Earth, taken by General Terron, is around your neck."
"I don't need to explain anything," Tove denied. "She is mistaken."
"Really?" Kirall reached out and gripping the crystal pulled it from around Tove's neck. "This type of crystal isn't found on Mondu. Where did you get it?"
"That's none of your business."
"It is when my mate claims it was once hers."
"There's no way you can believe her." Tove spun around to face the rest of the Council. "Any of you!"
"When it comes to my mate, I believe her implicitly," Kirall snarled.
"I find that Lady Autumn has been very forthcoming with us, even when it hasn't been favorable for her." Kiran looked at the other Elders and asked, "Wouldn't you agree?"
While Lando didn't nod his head as the other Elders did, he didn't voice any support for Tove either.
"So it is, therefore, the will of this Council that you tell us where you obtained that crystal, Tove."
"Elder Tove," Tove corrected angrily. "And I don't remember where I got it."
"I find that hard to believe." Kirall started to rub the chain, that was wrapped around his hand, between his thumb and finger, the crystal twirling so that shards of light reflected around the room. "Because this is a very unique crystal. I have traveled to many worlds, seen many different jewels and crystals and never have I seen one like this."
"Then you obviously haven't been traveling to the right place," Tove sneered.
"And where is the right place?" Kirall fired back knowing he had caught Tove with his own arrogance.
"I... I'm not saying anything else. I am an Elder and..."
Tove found himself flat on his back this time, with Autumn's face inches from his as her claws dug into his neck and squeezed. "I don't give a fuck who you are," the softly growled words were easily heard throughout the chamber. "You are going to tell me how you got my brother's crystal from General Terron. You are going to tell me now, or I will end your life."
"Guards!" Tove gurgled knowing that they would have to obey him. After all, he was an Elder.
"Stay!" Autumn's gaze never left Tove's as she flung up her other hand. The Guards that had started to obey Tove’s order suddenly found themselves frozen.
Chapter Twelve
"Autumn," Kirall dropped to a knee beside her trying to draw her gaze, but she refused to look away from Tove. "Autumn, this isn't the way."
"It’s the only way. Do you think this piece of crap cares about what happened to my brother? To my mother? My father? Does he care that my father could only blink at me as he lay dying? That my mother, who never hurt anyone in her life, had her throat ripped out? That my baby brother was attacked by three Varana?" She lifted Tove up by the neck to thump his head down against the stone floor. "That they laughed as he screamed in pain and terror. That Terron took the only thing that was giving him any comfort?!!"
The anguish in his mate's voice was as easily heard as the tears running down her face could be seen. Both scarred Kirall's heart as deeply and as permanently as the ones on his mate's back. "I know, but we'll n
ever find out the truth if you kill him."
"Like anyone here cares about what happened on an inferior planet twelve years ago."
Kiran cringed slightly, knowing she was repeating something he had said and initially felt. But that was before he'd gotten to know her and he'd like to think he'd feel the same way even if Autumn wasn't mated to his son.
"I care," Kiran stood up as he spoke. "The death of any Dragoon, on Mondu or elsewhere, is taken very seriously by this Council and if one of our own had anything to do with it, I vow to you that he will be severely dealt with."
"Right," Autumn said disbelievingly.
"I care," Pele, the Yellow Prime Elder, said moving to stand. "I realize you do not know me, Lady Autumn, and that the actions and statements by some members of this Council have not shown us in the best of light. But I ask that you not judge all by the actions of a few. I did not become an Elder because I wanted to dominate my fellow Dragoons but because I wanted to assist and protect them, all of them. I can't do that if I don't know the severity of the threat."
"I too care." Gal, the Elder of the Gold Minors, stood. "And second what Elder Pele has said. Not all Golds feel as Tove does."
Soon only Lando remained sitting, and after a moment, he slowly rose saying only, "I too agree that this is a matter for the Council to resolve."
"Autumn," Kirall pleaded and finally she turned her head to look at him. "Release the Guards. If you don't completely trust that the Council will resolve this, then trust that I will. Your family will be avenged."
The entire assembly held its breath as it waited to see what Autumn would do. She had already shown she was more powerful than anyone had thought possible. Taking down a Prime Elder, holding back eight Council Guards, all without shifting into her Dragon form.
"My vow, Autumn," Kirall promised then waited for her decision as she looked back to Tove. If she decided to rip his throat out, he wouldn't stop her, but he hoped she wouldn't because he knew it would always haunt her if she were to do what had been done to her parents.
As he waited, she lowered her hand releasing the Guards. Then one by one she slowly withdrew her claws, leaving behind five bloody trails flowing down his neck.
Kirall pulled her up into his arms standing and stepping away from Tove.
The Guards remained where Autumn had stopped them, still shocked that she’d been able to do such a thing, and waited for instructions from the Council.
"Guards, restrain Tove," Kiran ordered.
Before the Guards could follow that order, Tove leaped into the air and shifted into his Dragon form. As his Dragon reared back to incinerate those on the floor, Kirall shifted and spread the massive wings of his Red Dragon, shielding Autumn and as many Council Guards as he could.
The Gold Dragon's fire hit the Red Dragon directly in his chest and should have driven him back. It's what Tove expected because it always had before, but Tove had forgotten one thing. Kirall was now a Supreme, and the paltry blast from a Gold was nothing more than an inconvenience for Kirall.
Pandemonium filled the chamber as the two battled. People in the stands fought to get out of the way of Tove's fire. Some even attempted to shift into their Dragons so they could have more protection but the tight confines of the seating made that all but impossible.
The Elders didn't have that problem in their much more spacious sitting area. As one they shifted into their Dragon form, leaped on to the wall and spread their wings to protect those behind them. They then shot wave after wave of fire at Tove until he was driven to the floor, his wings scorched, his scales blackened and starting to shed.
"Kirall!" Autumn screamed unable to see what was going on or how badly her mate was being hurt. She was just about to shift when he roared through their bond.
"Stay!"
It stunned her for a moment. Never had Kirall spoken to her in such a dominating tone. It immobilized her for a moment, and by the time she broke free, Kirall had lowered his wings and was turning so she could see he was unharmed.
"Never do that again!" she cried out launching herself at him, her fists pounding on his undamaged chest. "Never! I'll never survive losing you too. I don't want to."
"Shhh," he murmured into her hair as his arms went around her holding her close. If ever asked, he would deny that those small fists hurt, but they did. "Calm down, Autumn. I'm fine."
"How could you have done that?!!"
"Because I knew there was no way Tove could have harmed me, not in my Dragon form. But you and the Guards... He wouldn't have cared who he killed as long as he got to you. I couldn't allow that."
"Guards!" Kiran ordered having shifted back into his Other form. "Restrain Tove."
"No! You can't! He's an Elder!" These cries came from Tove's mate, Macawi.
"He is a Dragoon that not only tried to kill those that were addressing this Council but the Council Guard on the floor that is here for our protection," Kiran told her. "He also had a total disregard for the welfare of those here to witness an Assembly that he convened. All this because he didn't like what was being revealed."
"But he's my mate!"
"Which is the only reason why he yet lives. Had he been an unmated Elder, I would have had no qualms about ending him. But you are an innocent." Kiran's gaze hardened as he looked at her. "Aren't you?"
"What? Of course, I'm innocent! How can you even ask that of me? Niccele..."
"Because you have been Tove's mate for nearly a thousand years. Who better than you to know how he obtained such a crystal."
"I... I don't know. He's had it for years."
"Twelve at least."
"If you believe her," Macawi spat out, her arm swinging out to point at Autumn.
"Be very careful, Macawi." Niccele turned from making sure her children were unharmed to glare at her old friend. "Autumn is my son's mate, and I will stand for no one, not even a longtime friend, insulting her in my presence."
"Calm, Niccele. The Elders will handle this," Kiran reassured her.
"Oh, you are more than welcome to handle Tove. But his mate...?" Niccele's eyes started to elongate as she glared at Macawi. "His mate is mine. For I too am a Black Prime, mate, and she will answer to me."
Autumn's mouth dropped open and looking to Kirall saw he was as shocked as she was. They had been moving toward the Elder seating area, staying out of the way of all the extra Council Guards that had rushed onto the floor at Kiran's order, all in their Beast forms, to restrain the barely moving Tove. Kirall and Autumn wanted to make sure their family was unharmed when they'd heard Niccele's words. While Autumn hadn't known Niccele long, she'd thought she had a good sense of her mate's mother. But she'd had no inkling that Niccele wielded this much power, even though she was a Black Prime.
"Elder Kirall." One of the Guards that had escorted them in approached. "If you would follow me, I will escort you and your mate to the Elders’ area."
"I'm not an Elder," Kirall told the Guard, questioning his use of the title.
"Are you not a Red Supreme?" the Guard asked.
"I am," Kirall answered.
"And are you not the only male Red Supreme?"
"I am."
"Then you are the Red Supreme Elder." The Guard seemed to pause then continued. "Though I have no doubt you would still be the Elder even if there were another Red."
"There is another Red," Kirall told him and saw the confusion that crossed the Guard's face. "My mate is a Red." He reminded him.
"I... yes... but..."
"But what?" Autumn questioned.
"You are a female," the Guard said.
"Yes, I am."
"Females aren't Elders. They must be protected at all times especially mated ones," he told her.
"Did I look like I couldn't protect myself before?" Autumn demanded.
"I... well no... and actually..." the Guard's gaze ran over her, not finishing what he was about to say as Kirall began to growl.
"Actually what?" Autumn demanded.
"Lady
Autumn," he told her stiffly. "I meant no offense and would very much prefer not to be ended this day."
"Why would you be ended?" she asked confused.
"Autumn," Kirall put an arm around her and tried to pull her away. "Come."
"Oh hell no." She stepped away from him. "First you tell me to stay, then tell me to come? I may love you, but I'm not a dog!"
"What's a dog?" Both Kirall and the Guard asked.
"It’s an animal on Earth that can be trained, taught to obey," she said glaring at Kirall. "I will never be forced to mindlessly obey again, Kirall!"
"Autumn," Kirall was immediately there pulling her into his arms, knowing she was referring to the drugs that had been forced on her and how they'd made her feel. "That wasn't what I meant. I would never do that to you."
"Then why?!!"
"Because I didn't like..." He looked to the Guard. "What's your name?"
"I am Cai."
Kirall nodded slightly. "I didn't like the way Cai looked at you."
"Looked at me?" She let her gaze travel down over herself. Her gown that before had just appeared to be torn now really was. She was bumped and bruised, and she was pretty sure she stunk.
"You are very beautiful, mate," Kirall told her. "And while I know other males are going to notice that, I'm not going to appreciate them doing it."
"You’re jealous!"
"You doubt I would be? You are mine!"
"I am, and you are mine." She put a hand on his chest and felt his Dragon press against it. "All of you are. No male looking at me is ever going to change that. I love you."
"And I love you." Leaning down, Kirall captured her lips in a long, deep kiss. Finally, he straightened and looked to Cai. "Finish what you were going to say. My vow I will not act on it."
"Act on it?" Autumn asked slightly breathless. "Kirall, what are you talking about?"
"Unmated males must always treat mated females with the utmost respect," Cai said quietly.
"Which you have," she told him.
"No, Lady Autumn, I let my gaze travel over your form and found it... pleasing."
"Seriously?" Autumn couldn't believe it.