Hidden

Ash 1917

What had my father said?

Mate?

No, Halona couldn't be my mother's mate! My parents had claimed each other. I'd seen markings on them countless times. Once that happened, you couldn't connect to your true mate. It didn't matter the race. Even humans suffered the loss the rare time they promised their souls to someone other than their soulmate!

It was true. My mother and Halona were close, they practically lived together, but I'd never seen any proof that they were more than close friends.

How could they keep that a secret for so long? Especially from me?

Aside from Morgan, I'd spent the most time with them. Yet, I have no memory of seeing anything hinting they were together. 

"My love, it'll be alright," My mother walks over to Halona. 

"No," Halona shakes her head. "You say you're protecting your son? Have you forgotten he's my son as well?"

My blood stops pumping, and Cassia grabs my shirt to keep me from storming in.

My father bares his fangs and gets in Halona's face.

"Intimidate me all you want, Nerva, but that won't change the truth," Halona snarls. "Ashari is my son. I carried him in my womb. I gave birth to him."

"No one's saying otherwise, Halo," my... mother? Soothes. "Ashari is our son. We all want the best for him."

Wait, what in the hell were they talking about?

"Except he isn't allowed to know the truth. Is he?" Halona glares at my father. "Do you know how much it hurts to watch your child grow up and him think you're nothing more than a caretaker?"

"We agreed not to let the children know the truth," My father snaps. "You agreed to that."

"What choice did you leave me with?" she screams. "You were willing to kill them if they knew the truth!"

"And Shakka would do worse if he found out!" My father roars. "Or did you want to find our children and yourself hanging off the obelisk?"

Pressing my body against the cave wall, Cassia holds onto me to keep me steady. What was happening?

"Both of you stop it," My mother demands, and I risk peering into the cavern again. She's in between Halona and my father. "Nerva, I'll ask you not to do that to my mate."

"She should be more grateful," he hisses. "I could've told you to go and never come back."

"But if you'd done that, you wouldn't have your children," Halona grits back. 

My father growls in a fury, but my mother puts her hand on him before he can shift.

"Nerva, stop it," She protests. "Halona, that isn't fair, and you know that."

"Fair? You want to discuss fair with me?"

"Halo," My mother warns, but she shakes her head angrily.

"No, not this time. I let what happened to Darius go because he's happy where he is, but I won't hold my tongue this time."

"Halo, no!" my mother demands, and I watch as the woman I'd known my whole life changes in front of me.

Her hair changed from pitch black to white, and her eyes the purest silver.

Halona was a dragon?

Dropping something to the ground, I felt a flow of magic that was strangely familiar. Something that'd put me to sleep when I was a hatchling.

Was that why my hair had white in it? Was that why my magic was more substantial than other dragons? Because Halona was my mother?

But, what did Daliah mean I was all their son?

I couldn't call them my parents. I didn't know who these dragons were anymore.

They lied to me, to all of us!

"You will not send my son to Shakka," Halona growls, the rawness of her tone making it unmistakable that she was a dragon.

Everything felt colder like she'd frozen the caves.

"If I don't, Shakka will ask why," Nerva declares. "He asked for him personally."

"And you just agreed, like you always do," Halona sneers. "Always daddy's good boy."

WHAT?

My breathing feels shallow, my hands are shaking, and I can't think straight. 

My father wasn't Shakka's son, I'd met him, and he'd shown no sign that he knew me.

"Watch your tongue, Halona," Nerva warns her. "You mock me now, but Shakka being my father, is what keeps you both and our children alive."

"She knows that," Daliah whispers. "No one's more grateful for that than me, Nerva, but it's not easy for us."

"And it is for me?" He scoffs. "You didn't watch your father kill your mate! You didn't have her die in your arms!"

No one says anything to his declaration, and I cannot move.

All my life, I'd thought my parents didn't know their mates, and now I'm hearing impossible things from them. My father had a mate? The king, my grandfather, killed her?

"Nerva, convince him to change his mind," Daliah begs. "Tell him he's still a boy. He's too young for this."

"I've tried," Nerva cries out. "He refuses to listen."

"Does he know?" Halona asks, her voice far less angry. "Do you think he's figured it out?"

"No," Nerva says quickly. "If he knew, he'd have come and killed all of them by now."

"But maybe he knows it's Ashari," Daliah insists. "What if he knows about the bloodlines?"

"No," Nerva lowers his voice. "I know he doesn't."

"How can you be sure?" Halona demands. "It isn't as if he'd tell you."

"He would never have let Ashari leave when they met," Nerva sighs. "He would have taken him to the palace and never told us."

"Maybe we should tell Ashari the truth," Daliah mutters softly. "If he knew everything, then he'd be prepared."

"He's a child," Nerva growls. "Do you think he could understand any of it?"

"Your son isn't stupid," Halona snarls. "He's a brilliant young dragon who can handle much more than you think."

"He's a reckless dreamer who lives in his fantasies," Nerva sounds closer now. He might see me hiding here if he leaves the chamber, but I can't bring myself to move.

"He's a warrior like his grandfather," Daliah murmurs, and I hear the pride in her voice. "There isn't anything wrong with that."

"You've never taken the time to get to know him like you should," Halona accuses. 

"I know my son," Nerva laughs darkly. "He's just like his mothers, stubborn, reckless, opinionated."

"You should have more faith in him," Halona whispers, and I sense a change in the room. "He can handle the truth."

"No," Nevera sounds just as quiet, and I force myself to stand up. 

Nerva walked Halona back to the large bed in the cavern's center. Daliah behind them, her hands on Nerva's bare shoulders.

"I hate you," Halona murmurs, but I see the lust in her eyes. "I've always hated you."

"Why?" Nerva's voice is husky, and I back away towards the main tunnel. "Because I have Daliah as my mate? Or because you need me?"

"I don't need you," She glares at him. 

"Truly? We all know without me, Shakka would've known you were alive a long time ago."

"Daliah is mine. She was never meant for you," Halona wraps her arms around him, biting on his neck. "I hate that I have to hide under your protection."

"Well, princess, I am afraid that as long as my father rules, you'll have to accept my help."

Halona grabs his face, a determined look in her eyes. 

"Protect our son," She demands. "And I'll do whatever you want me to do."

I can't do this.