Page 58 of Sapphire Seas

“Just to be on the safe side,” he pulled a fire extinguisher from a nearby cabinet. Atop it sat a bottle making station, something I’d have to get familiar with using for sure.

“That’s one of those funny—not funny things,” Kes shook his head. “You didn’t miss anything. Educational toys, safe mats for them to crawl on. Look at the stuffies, Caspian.”

“I’ve never had or seen anything like this.” Bookshelves filled with toys, stuffies and books. “Does this mean Papa will be dazzling us with his bedtime story telling?”

“It absolutely means that, and I can’t wait. While you can both nurse, Papa will need to bottle feed them. There’s a small refrigerator under the cabinet. You can pump your milk and store the filled bottles in. So when Daddy’s need a break, Papa is covered for his shift.”

Shift. Funny to think about but with six of them coming we’ll definitely be working in shifts. Long days and nights awaited us but the loss of sleep will be more than worth it.

“All the clothes have been washed and put away. Diaper changing stations have been stocked with clean diapers and everything that goes along with it. I was told very firmly by Alex to purchase a diaper pail to put the dirty ones in or we’d regret it. Easier to transfer to the washer he claims. Given he was the first mate to set the bar for all of us, I trust in his judgement.”

As did I, especially raising our dragonets up here on land.

“I could totally sleep in here,” Kes said.

“I have a feeling we all will be very soon, and not so much by choice,” Mattias said, “and with that thought in mind the other side of the cabinet holds blankets and pillows for the big dragons.”

He didn’t just think of everything, he literally got everything.

“Come on, I’ve got one more surprise to show you.” I glanced over at Kes, and he shrugged, neither of us had a clue what was coming.

We followed Mattias out of the nursery, down the stairs and out to the… “Whoa, who told you?” Glad Kes had words because mine were long gone.

“Your dragons want you to be as happy as I do,” Mattias said. “I hope this meets the visions you had.”

And then some.

The already large balcony now spanned the back of the house overlooking the cliff and down into the sea. Three quarters of it was screened in with a heavy, decorative mesh. Patio furniture mirroring the comfy chairs we already had waited for our pregnant bodies to leave an impression upon them. This outdoor space was amazing and at the very end, where the absolute best view was, sat an easel with a table beside it.

Paints of every color lined top and beside those were a tin of Mattias favorite sketching pencils. A space designed for all our needs. Room for the dragonets to play while the Daddies sat in the comfy chairs watching them, or in our case, watching SpongeBob on our electronic devices. Off to the side Papa could craft his art, painting and drawing to his heart content with his family nearby.

This was how family life should be. Spending time together doing the things we love, not worrying about fighting a war or hiding from those who wish to hurt or enslave us.

Where had this world become such a scary place?

How was it that we could no longer live in peace?

I’ll never understand the desire to control or have such hatred for another. Throughout my travels I’d heard time and again that money was the root of all evil and I believed that to be true, for the most part. Then I found my mates and met their brothers, all of which had wealth beyond all others, yet they didn’t flaunt it. Their beliefs, their mission, their families, that was what mattered most to them. Not their overflowing bank accounts. Yes, Mattias gave us everything we wanted, gifts beyond our wildest dreams but if it came right down to it and it was a matter of choosing his money over his family or over what was right, he’d give it all away.

Money did not rule the Denarius brothers, doing what was right and fulfilling the mission for which they were created was.

To ensure dragons and humans alike could live in peace.

They’ve taken in clan after clan, the shadow dragonets, any dragon seeking refuge and a safe place to live. They’ve given them that with the creation of Dragon City. Built homes for my herd and asked for nothing in return. Their goal was to do what was right. Killing the Gorynych wasn’t what they wanted and they’d rehabilitate any dragon they could. Those controlled by the leeches would be given the option to stay and build a new life here, but those who didn’t believe in freewill and still wished to follow the Gorynych would be shown the way out. Sadly, there was only one option for that path.

Now, as I glanced around at this wonderful house Mattias had made a home for us, I’m saddened to think of those who never got a chance to feel a love this profound. Their lives ended before they found their mates all because of another’s hate.

“Mate, I didn’t make this a home. Having you and Kes did that, adding our dragonets made it perfect. Before you, it was nothing more than an empty shell to hang my hat in.”

How did he always know what I was thinking.

Hehe.

Sneaky dragon.

He’s our mate. I make no apologies.

And I’ll not ask you to do so either.