Laurel

3:04 Laurel

I arrived back in my home, in the bedroom I shared with all of my loves. It was either late in the night or very early in the morning depending on how you looked at things. I had no idea how long I had been gone to them yet. I could feel the unrest in the city around me. Things were bad, and my mates weren't in bed together or in their own rooms here. My heart started to race, worried that something terrible had happened to them while I was gone. That I might have taken too long to decide.

I bolted from the room, running down the halls, my bare feet slapping against the stone floors. My long hair fluttering behind me like feathers in the wind. I found them, out of breath, my heart racing in the simple family style room. The final Twilight movie was playing on the flatscreen tv. Sky and Auris were tangled together on the couch, Delia held protectively in Brydel's arms in the oversized chair nearby to Auris and Sky. Everyone asleep, together, the room almost peaceful, but I noticed how tense Sky was even held in Auris's arms. How Delia's brow was furrowed just enough to be noticeable even in sleep, how tightly Brydel had Delia cradled in his arms. My mates were worried, and it was my fault.

I felt so bad for hurting them. I had to, I could see it now. It had all been worth it, and now I knew what I was and what I had to do. All that was left was to do it. I sat myself down in another chair, and watched them sleep while the movie finished. Wanting them to rest before the next part started. I knew we were all safe for now, so I would enjoy their moment where we were all together before the next hard part started. The least I could do for them was let them get some sleep before things got much more complicated.

I basked in their presence. Letting my soul drink up how they looked, how they smelled, how the air changed when they were all around. I watched as Sky relaxed, nuzzling his cheek against Auris's chest. How the natural lines of magic twisted and danced around my gifted dragon. Slowly Delia's brows unfurrowed as she relaxed fully into Brydel who loosened his arms just a hair as he too relaxed more. My mates could feel my presence too, and were starting to sleep easier. It made me glad. Satisfied they were all safe and at ease, I snuck back out of the room back to our shared bed chamber and changed into fresh leggings and a pullover sweater dress, tying my hair up and back in a loose bun. I didn't want to be apart from them for a moment longer than I had to now that I was back.

I splashed cold water on my face, brushed my teeth and swiftly crept back to the tv room. I curled up in the comfortable armchair, across from where Auris and Sky slept, and to the side of Brydel and Delia. I had closed my eyes to breathe them all in, when I opened my eyes again, I saw a single golden eye sparkling in the room. Hello Basalt, I thought in my mind, while inviting him to join me so we could talk without waking the others. I watched as he slowly, barely dipped his chin before I felt the presence of the Dragon in my mind with me. He wasn't completely in my head, not how he was used to with mortals and fae. I had learned some new tricks while I was with my father and Gotha, it was more like we were in a private conference room. Where only I held the controls.

"You have changed Laurel." The voice of the dragon in my mind, just as commanding and powerful inside my mind as it was in my ear. I could sense his surprise and almost, wonder perhaps? At what I had managed to do, inviting him inside a small controlled corner of my mind when I had been a silent wall before. My memories and thoughts were still my own, unless I voiced them in our shared space.

"I have, but we will wait for the other's to wake to discuss that. How long was I gone?"

The handsome head across the room bobbed slightly, "Only a few hours passed for us while you were missing, it was longer for you." He asked, technically, his tone told me it was a statement. He might not have access to my thoughts, instead Basalt was perceptive, he didn't need to see my thoughts to know things.