In the morning, Rayna and her mates were all preparing to leave.
There wasn't much to pack—just a few personal belongings, the dresses Soren and Ezra had made for Rayna, and some jewelry they had bought from the markets of the Beast City.
"Should I pack some honey drink for Rayna?" Yunxi asked, glancing up.
"Hm, you should. If Rayna feels like drinking it, it's better to have some with us," Ezra replied.
Yunxi nodded and carefully tucked the flask away.
"Kairos said to meet him at the palace gates," Soren said, fastening the safety dagger he always kept at his waist.
"Alright," Rayna nodded.
Then, after a pause, she added, "By the way... let's meet Darian and the Patriarch before leaving."
Soren's eyes widened slightly, as though he hadn't expected Rayna to say that.
But the surprise quickly faded into a soft smile.
"Sure," he said quietly. "If you wish to."
They found Darian and the Patriarch in the hall, discussing something.
The morning sun cast a golden glow over the rocky floor, and the air was filled with the soft rustling of banners.
"Oh, look who decided to show up," Darian said with a smirk as soon as he spotted them. "Off to the Dragon Realm, are we? It'll be so much fun."
Rayna smiled politely, but before she could say anything, Soren replied dryly, "We're not going there for fun purposes... by the way I heard you were roaming the streets drunk last night."
Darian clutched his chest dramatically. "That's not true I just went to take a fresh air and suddenly the streets were confusing last night."
Ezra chuckled. Rayna chuckled too, and even Yunxi tried (and failed) to hide his grin.
The Patriarch shook his head, clearly used to the brothers' antics.
"Alright, enough embarrassing family history," Darian muttered, crossing his arms.
Then, softening a little, he looked at Rayna. "Take care of my elder brother, okay? He might look all serious and composed, but he forgets to eat when he's overthinking."
"I'll make sure of it," Rayna promised with a smile.
Soren rolled his eyes. "I do eat."
"Sure you do," Darian said, patting his brother's shoulder. "Anyway, don't make me send a rescue party. The Dragon Realm sounds like a handful, and I doubt we can win."
The Patriarch rose and placed a gentle hand on Rayna's head.
"May the spirits guide your path, child. And you three—watch over her well."
They all bowed respectfully.
As they turned to leave, Darian called out, "Oh, and Soren—return before I form the mate bond and keep the ceremony with Juna, okay?"
Soren froze mid-step, glaring over his shoulder. "You wouldn't dare, do it in my absence."
"Oh, I definitely would," Darian said with a wink.
Rayna laughed again as Soren muttered something under his breath, pulling her along.
The sound of Darian's laughter echoed behind them as they made their way toward the palace gates.
As they made their way down the long stone steps toward the palace gates, the early morning air carried a soft chill, tinged with the faint scent of mist and dew.
The sun was spilling warm streaks of gold across the courtyard.
There, standing at the great arched gate, was Kairos.
Even in stillness, his presence filled the space—commanding, composed, and utterly magnetic. His arms were crossed over his chest, the crimson folds of his robe catching the sunlight, making him look drop-dead gorgeous.
The deep red of his attire accentuated his sharp features—finely chiseled jawline, strong nose, and those piercing crimson eyes that seemed to hold fire within them.
Rayna couldn't take her eyes off.
The sight of him never failed to draw her attention.
Kairos turned at the sound of approaching footsteps, his gaze immediately landing on her.
For a brief moment, his expression softened—the stiffness in his stance easing ever so slightly.
"All ready?" he asked, his voice deep and resonant.
"Yes, Lord Kairos," Soren replied respectfully, inclining his head.
"I just wanted to inquire how many days it would take to reach the Dragon Realm." Soren said.
Kairos's gaze shifted to Soren, then back to Rayna, and for an instant, a glint of amusement flashed in his eyes.
"Not long," he said calmly, his tone almost casual. "If all goes smoothly, an hour—perhaps less. We'll be flying, after all."
Ezra arched a brow. "Flying?"
Kairos's lips curved faintly, the ghost of a smirk playing at the corner of his mouth. "Of course. How else would dragons travel?"
A warm gust of wind swept through the ground as if in response, stirring the edges of his robe and sending a faint ripple through Rayna's hair.
Kairos turned slightly, gesturing for them to follow. "Come. The sky awaits."
Rayna blinked up at Kairos, her brow furrowing slightly.
"But wait—how will we really... you know, get there?" she asked hesitantly.
Kairos turned to face her fully, one dark brow lifting in faint amusement. "You're a dragon, Rayna. You have your wings. You'll fly."
He said it so matter-of-factly that Rayna almost choked on her own breath. "Uh—right, of course..."
Then she glanced at her mates. "And what about them?"
Soren was a bird beastman, so he could just fly. But what about Yunxi and Ezra? It'll be difficult for Soren to carry them both even in his beastform.
Kairos's crimson eyes shifted toward the three beastmen, then back to her. "I'll call for assistance from one of the dragon kin. They'll carry your mates. It won't be a problem."
Rayna's lips twitched. She knew it was coming, but still she said softly, almost sheepishly, "Actually, I'm... not that good at flying."
Kairos blinked. For a brief moment, he looked genuinely confused—then his expression turned into one of incredulous disbelief. "A dragon... not good at flying?" His tone was calm, but the raised eyebrow clearly said 'What in the world are you talking about?'
Rayna flushed, her wings twitching slightly behind her. "Well—I mean, I can fly. It's just... a bit unstable sometimes."
Soren, who had been standing behind, murmured under his breath, "Yeah, there's always the possibility of a crash."
Rayna's head snapped toward him, eyes narrowing in mock irritation.
Soren smirked, "Just saying. You did almost crack out your head last time."
Kairos exhaled through his nose, a faint chuckle escaping him despite himself. "Unstable or not, you'll have to manage," he said finally, the amusement in his eyes softening his tone. "Don't worry, I'll help you, Rayna. Just... fly."
Rayna groaned softly. "You make it sound so easy."
Kairos tilted his head, the faintest ghost of a smile curling his lips. "It is—for dragons."
"Oi, Kairos! Zorro's ready and waiting!" a voice called from the distance.
Kairos turned his head slightly, his crimson eyes narrowing.
"Very well," he replied, his tone clipped and authoritative. Then, facing Rayna's group again, he said, " Ezra, Yunxi — you'll go with Zorro. He'll take you safely to the Dragon Realm."
He paused, his gaze shifting to Rayna. "And you, Rayna and Soren... you'll fly."
"Now, transform into your dragon form, will you Rayna?"
"Yeah... okay," Rayna muttered, glancing at her mates uncertainly.
"Can't Rayna just come with us?" Yunxi blurted out before she could move.
Kairos's expression flickered with mild irritation. "She's a dragon," he said firmly. "She will fly. Even if she isn't good at it, she should learn — as a dragon should."
Yunxi opened his mouth to argue again but caught Kairos's piercing stare and thought better of it. He sighed, rubbing the back of his neck.
Rayna inhaled deeply and nodded, stepping back.
With a quiet exhale, she let her transformation flow through her. Her wings unfurled — black, and edged with a faint silver sheen that glinted in the sunlight. Her tail coiled behind her, elegantly.
It was Yunxi's first time seeing her full form while he was conscious. His eyes widened in awe, a breath escaping him. "Woah..." he whispered.
Kairos regarded her in silence for a moment, his expression softening slightly. "Good," he said, nodding in appraisal. "Now that's more like it."
"Zorro is waiting," he continued, glancing toward the horizon. "It wouldn't be respectful to keep a dragon waiting — especially one offering his wings for others."
Ezra stepped forward, brushing his hand along Rayna's arm before she took off. "Be careful, my sunshine," he said quietly.
Before Rayna could reply, Kairos snorted softly. "Oh, come on. Let's go anyways we're late."
Kairos's crimson eyes gleamed faintly as he took a step back, his aura rippling through the air.
A second later, his body shifted — red scales unfurling across his arms and shoulders, his tail lashing out behind him.
Massive wings, deep crimson and veined with gold, spread wide from his back, casting a shadow over the ground.
Rayna blinked, staring at him in surprise. "Wait—that's your dragon form?" she asked, tilting her head. She had expected a full transformation — claws, horns, the works. Instead, he stood half-transformed, his sharp features still distinctly humanoid.
Kairos gave her an amused glance. "No," he said casually, the wind stirring his red hair. "This is my half form. I'll need to help you fly, and if I fully transform, you'd barely reach my claw."
Rayna's eyes widened slightly. "Oh."
"Now," Kairos continued, flexing his wings once, "let's fly."
And with one powerful push, he launched into the sky, a rush of wind spiraling outward in his wake.
Rayna flinched, her hair whipping across her face. "Right... fly," she muttered, then spread her own dark wings. With a deep breath, she leapt, flapping hard until her feet left the ground.
Soren also took a flight, and was flying close by now, his dark blue wings slicing through the wind with easy grace. "You okay, my love?" he called out, his voice carrying over the rush of air.
"Yeah," Rayna replied, glancing at him with a grin. "I'm much better than last time."
Soren smiled, the corner of his mouth lifting. "Yeah, you are..."
Encouraged by that, Rayna flapped harder, catching a current of wind that lifted her higher. Excitement surged through her — the air felt lighter up here, freer. She laughed and tilted forward, gaining speed.
The first few seconds felt exhilarating — the wind racing past her, the height, the sudden rush of freedom.
"My love, wait—" Soren's voice came again, sounding half worried, half amused.
Rayna looked back and flashed him a teasing smile. "What happened, can't keep up?" she called.
Soren chuckled, shaking his head. "Oh, I can keep up," he said, wings beating faster.
But soon, the currents began to shift, tugging unevenly at Rayna's wings. Her movements grew unsteady, her rhythm faltered.
"Ah—!" she gasped, wobbling mid-air as one wing tilted too low.
Soren noticing it rushed in, but before him someone else came behind Rayna.
Before she could spiral down, a blur of red moved behind her. Strong hands caught hers, steadying her from behind.
"Careful," Kairos murmured, his voice low and even despite the roaring wind. His arms guided hers gently, helping her stabilize her wingbeats.
Rayna's heart raced — partly from the height, partly from the warmth of his closeness and the feeling of his warm breath on her shoulder.
"See?" he said, his tone laced with a quiet smirk. "Just a little practice, and you'll get the hang of it."
Rayna, glancing over her shoulder said, "Yeah thank you, Lord Kairos."
"Anytime," he replied smoothly, a teasing gleam in his crimson eyes as he released her hands. "Now — keep up, Rayna."
He soared ahead effortlessly, his vast wings glinting in the sunlight.
Soren came up to Rayna, "I told u to be careful."
It was actually fun — soaring through the wide, endless blue, the wind whipping against Rayna's face, and the thrill of knowing that beyond those drifting clouds lay the Dragon Realm itself. Rayna couldn't help the grin spreading across her face.
"My sunshine!"
Ezra's familiar voice called out from somewhere to her right.
Rayna turned — and there they were, the two of them riding a magnificent golden dragon. Its scales shimmered in the sunlight like molten metal. Ezra sat confidently at the front waving at Rayna, and Yunxi clutching Ezra's vest for dear life, looking both terrified and amazed.
Rayna couldn't help but laugh. Ezra's wave was so enthusiastic that the dragon beneath him gave an indignant snort.
"Glad you're having fun!" she yelled back, grinning.
Ezra shouted something that got lost in the wind — probably a compliment, or a dramatic "I'm loving it!" — while Yunxi's panicked "EZRA, SIT PROPERLY!" definitely carried through the air.
Soren just turned around slightly and smirked, the wind tangling his hair.
Rayna smiled wider.
Rayna could see other dragons soaring through the skies—so many of them. Their massive wings glimmered under the sunlight, scales catching hues of blue, silver, and obsidian. It was breathtaking—an entire sky filled with dragons, each one majestic in its own way.
"Whoa..." she breathed, her eyes wide with awe.
She had never seen so many dragons flying together.
"Don't get distracted," Kairos's voice cut through the wind, deep and commanding. He was flying a few lengths ahead, his red wings blazing like fire against the sky. "We'll reach the Dragon Realm in a few minutes."
"Already?" Rayna called back, surprised.
"Flying is faster — and we'll be using the Aether Gate," Kairos replied, glancing over his shoulder with a faint smirk. "It'll cut the travel time."
Rayna blinked. "Aether Gate?"
"You'll see," Kairos said, his tone carrying that familiar mix of mystery and superiority.