Total pages in book: 138
Estimated words: 129584 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 648(@200wpm)___ 518(@250wpm)___ 432(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 129584 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 648(@200wpm)___ 518(@250wpm)___ 432(@300wpm)
“I agree that he was well worth the wait. I want to properly express all of this to him, and soon.”
“Do that,” she urged, almost chortling now. “Finally, a mate for my son!”
“It’s a cause for celebration,” his father agreed. He looked more relieved than anything. “And, of course, when the two of you decide to have a child, you know we’ll be happy to help support the incubator.”
“I think you’re getting a little ahead of yourself.” Sora rolled his eyes. Of course, that was the first priority for these two. Grandchildren. “Although, I’ll remember that for the future.”
Some soft, squishy part of his brain very much wanted to think about holding his and Ravi’s child in his arms.
His mother, at least, remembered what had started them off on this tangent. “Wait, do you intend to stay here with him?”
Sora responded patiently. “This clan, more than ours, needs healers. Needs mages. They also need him, and he needs his family.”
“That sounds like you’ve already made the decision to stay,” his father interjected. “Why aren’t you considering coming home?”
“I haven’t made a firm decision yet.” Which was true. Sora was still trying to weigh it in his mind, decide on the best option.
His mother’s glee was swinging back the other direction into concern. “But you can’t just think about Ravi’s needs. About this clan’s needs.”
“My mate’s needs have a higher priority than my own. And do you really think that trying to take away a king’s retainer right on the verge of a war with the Jaeggi is a good idea? Do you have any idea how heavily King Alric relies on Ravi?” Sora hadn’t, until he’d seen his little wind dragon in action.
His father shook his head in confusion. “He has four other retainers.”
“Yes, one of who stays buried in books most of the time. I don’t think you two have paid proper attention, but Ravi’s role among the retainers is very specific. When King Alric needs to be jostled out of work-mode, or if he needs to be in a different location without much time to get there, it’s Ravi who is sent in. Ravi’s the one who can charm, cajole, and hurry King Alric along without the king taking offense. You saw him in action when dealing with Kings Chalo and Roca, as well as their mates and bodyguards. He keeps everyone moving, happy, and safe. It’s Ravi’s speed that ensures the rest are safe, as literally nothing else can outrun him. There’s also the fact that he clearly loves his job, loves his clan with all of his heart.”
His mother didn’t disagree with any of this, although her brow was furrowed into a deep frown. “But what about you? What about what you need? Don’t you want to stay with your family? You can’t just think about Ravi.”
“Of course, I’d miss home if I left.” Sora didn’t think he’d be particularly homesick, though. He’d not felt homesick at all his entire stay here, and that said something all by itself.
That satisfied her. “Then you should come home with Ravi. It’ll be better for him anyway to be around the wind dragons.”
Sora was not so quick to dismiss the subject. “But, Kaa-san, it’s about more than being around family. There’s no challenge at home. There’s no chance for me to really use my skills. Honestly, day to day, I’m a little bored at home. There’s not much to do.”
Her jaw dropped. “Bored?!”
His father, however, understood his son’s point and grunted in agreement. “Everyone’s accustomed to going to the older generation. Us. Very few go to you for help. I usually have to shuffle people in your direction.”
Inclining his head to his father, Sora said, “Yes, that’s it exactly. I don’t feel needed at home. I’m not vital. It’s very much the same old thing there every day. There’s no reason to innovate. Nothing to challenge my mind. But here, I would be needed.
“If you’d seen the look on King Alric and Consort Cameron’s faces when I told them that I could help him, that I could reverse some of the damage done—it was like hope had finally risen again on this clan. They thanked me over and over. They were so ecstatic about my being here. It was that moment when I realized what a dearth of knowledge they have here.”
“But we’ll send in help. It doesn’t have to be you,” his mother protested, growing irate.
“And I’m sure they’ll happily accept that help from everyone who comes. But how long can those people be here?” Sora waved a hand toward his father’s laptop, still open but untouched during this discussion. “We just asked the question. How many? How long can they stay? This isn’t indefinite. And the Burkhards need a dedicated healer.”
“And it doesn’t have to be you!” Her voice rose in frustration. “Sora, are you really going to stay here? I want you home, not on a warfront. You and Ravi aren’t even properly bonded yet, and how are you supposed to have children in this clan? They don’t have enough mages to support it.”