The Dragon's Rogue

chapter 33 The end

 The audience chamber of the Amber Aerie Archon had not changed from my first visit. Except, perhaps even more books lined the walls. There was now a shelf stacked with tombs blocking the light from the first of the windows that lined the wall on my right. That hadn't been there before, I was sure. The plush carpet liner sunk beneath my boots, the only aspect of fashion I had been unwilling to give up control of. If those women wanted to trade my boots for those flimsy sandles they would have to pry them off my dead feet.

The rest of me, however, I had much less success insisting upon. I wore, much to my consternation, a high collared vest. It was long enough to reach my hips, but that was about its only good point. Black in color with amber leaves embroidered upon the hem and collar, the material split in the middle of my chest, held together with only a few toggles and showing a great deal of the side of my breasts.

Who in the names of the Six designed these things? I had no idea either how it had found its way into my wardrobe. I certainly didn't remember buying it. The skirt, at least, was more practical. A simple silk creation, black to match the vest.

The entire trip up the carpet to the dais I worried that if I shifted wrong one of my breasts would pop out from the center and be exposed to everyone. Everyone being the Archon and his advisers once more. Only one extra Lord was present at this gathering from the last. A middle aged man, handsome with his dark hair and firm jaw, and broadly muscled. He stood positioned slightly closed to Dynarys, but I couldn't tell if it was because there was a pile of books crowding him that direction or if it was a show of alliances.

"Lord Archon," Cillumn greeted at the foot of the dais, before ascending.

"Lord Bloodbriar...Lady Bloodbriar," the Archon smiled genuinely at me.

I did not receive the same greeting all around. Dynarys and his friend were expressionless, but since I had saved his mate I assumed that he held no violent urges toward me. The others watched me with narrowed eyes, and expressions that set my skin to crawling.

"Lord Archon, we called this meeting so that my mate might explain what she has discovered about the Glyphs."

"I assumed as much, since I heard that the Onyx pack's re-entry to the Aerie was a sucess."

The other men shifted now, their discontent practically leaping across the dais to me. Nonetheless I began explaining my discoveries immediately. Specifically the empty and full crystals and the tapestry depicting eight of the things in total.

There was silence when I finished, even the shifty older lords looked to be mulling on their thoughts.

"Thank you Lady Bloodbriar, your insight is, I am finding, incredible...if a bit alarming," the Archon spoke at last. "But now I think it is time to turn your mind to more pleasant matters for a bit."

"It is?" What is this? What matters?

"You have not been properly welcomed to the aerie," he turned to Dynarys, who nodded. "And, I am told it is an event for celebrating when a member is inducted into a Shifter pack."

Inducted, what pack would want me now? But even as I thought it I knew. Dynarys was giving me a new family, a new pack, despite being mated to a Lord.

"But..."

"You have done enough dear woman, your actions, though rash have aided this aerie more than some others have done in their lifetime." I didn't have to look around to feel the jibe was for some of the Lords in the chamber. "It is alright now to let others shoulder the obligations... I do believe the banquet starts in one hour."