Looking down at his daughter in his arms, Kaen couldn’t help but smile when she yawned, her tiny hand stretching and the fingers opening when she did.

He kept his pinky wedged inside that tight little grip and stroked her cheek.

“She’s beautiful,” Kaen whispered as he glanced at Ava holding their son.

“They both are,” Ava replied before kissing their son’s forehead.

Some grumbling came from the couch, and Kaen saw his in-laws watching them. Lady Hurem did her best to stay on the sofa and give them a few moments with their children.

“I think she is dying,” Kaen whispered as he leaned over and kissed Ava’s head. “When do you think we should let her hold one again?”

“When you are tired of holding your daughter, you can give her to my mother. Until then, do not let her whimpering change your heart. When we leave for this battle, she will get plenty of time to hold them.”

Kaen groaned and looked up at Amaranth and Pammon, who were both looking down at the two of them with their children.

Thankfully, neither of them looks like their sire.

Kaen laughed and shook his head.

It is good that both hands are taken, or I would use one to respond.

I could bite off that finger, and then what would you do?

Amaranth would heal it.

Pammon suppressed the thrumming that Kaen knew he almost let out.

“Two blond hair and blue eye children… what are the odds?” Ava asked as she ran her finger across their son’s cheek.”

“We need to decide what names to give them.”

Ava groaned softly. “It was easier when we thought it would be two boys or two girls… but choosing one of the two we came up with seems harder.”

“Take your time, for now, they will be fine,” Kaen said.

I can feel the joy and pride emanating from you. It’s like a wave of it.

How does one describe this moment? I fell in love with Ava, getting to know and spend time with her. Yet these two… the moment I saw them and held them in my arms, I would go to war with anyone for them.

I understand that feeling. When I first touched each of my children… a part of me connected, and that was why I said what I did about them a while ago. They are not pawns. They are a part of me.

Kaen smiled as he rocked his daughter in his arms.

He felt Pammon’s heart and read his friend's mind.

Looking up, he smiled.

If you want to do that, I am certain Ava would not say no. Do you know how it will work?

I do not, but these will be the last two I can do. I am okay with that, though.

“Ava, my love, Pammon has a request.”

Tilting her head upward, Ava saw Pammon looking down upon the four of them, his golden eyes shining as they reflected the soft light of the lightorbs.

“What is it, Pammon?” Ava asked, smiling at the bronze dragon she had come to love.

Ask her yourself.

Pammon shook his head and adjusted his neck so he could get a little closer to them.

May I grant your two little ones the last of my teeth so that I can communicate with them? It will be like I did with you.

Tears began to form in Ava’s eyes as she nodded, smiling and sniffing.

“I would be honored.”

Moving his head back over the partition that rarely did its job, Pammon took a talon and collected the second to last one he had, bringing it toward the little girl that Kaen was holding.

Turn her around and hold her up.

His daughter fussed a little as Kaen adjusted and held her up so Pammon could reach her.

He leaned over, magic building up inside him till it flowed through his talons and into the tooth he had pinched between them.

In a way that seemed impossible, he gently lowered the glowing tooth till it barely touched her head, not disturbing the sleeping babe at all. It pulsed with the magic that came from his will.

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I make this pact with your child to be a part of their life from the day she was born. If she calls, I will answer if I can. I will be for her as I know her father is there for my children. We shall be of the same family.

The tooth vanished, and a mark appeared on her head for a moment, glowing brightly before it faded.

Their daughter let out a whimper, and then she cooed, opening her eyes to reveal those blue eyes. It looked like she was staring up at the massive bronze dragon who gazed at her. As quickly as she had opened them, they were closed, and she was fast asleep.

“Did I just… Pammon?”

Kaen fumbled for words as Ava looked on, wondering what had happened.

… I do not know, but I can sense her now. The heart that beats inside her is different from that of Ava… I didn’t know that was possible.

“What did I miss?” Ava asked as loudly as she dared.

“Pammon’s tooth left a mark for a moment, but it’s gone now. He says his bond with her is different from his bond with you—deeper.”

Ava’s jaw dropped as she stared at Kaen and then at Pammon.

“How?”

I do not know… Now, hold up your son so that I may do the same.

Turning her son around, Ava held him so that she could see his face as Pammon did what he was going to do.

Repeating the same process, Pammon channeled his magic again into the last tooth he would ever have for this gift.

It glowed brighter than the one he had just done.

Firstborn of Kaen and Ava, you shall receive my last blessing. I shall watch over you as I do your sister, and I will be there to protect you all your days. Like your father loves you and my children, I pledge my love to you.

The tooth turned so bright it almost made Kaen and Ava squint to watch. Their son fussed as Pammon pressed the tooth gently into his forehead. As the skin and tooth met, their son settled down and reached up with a hand. The light pulsed, and the tooth vanished, and once again, a mark was there for a moment.

“Dear spirits,” Kaen muttered as he saw the mark for the second time and was certain of what he had seen.

The mark vanished, and the little boy yawned, holding up a hand, reaching for the talons so close to him. As if drawn by a thread, Pammon gently put his talon closer, and Ava began to tremble as their baby boy stretched out farther. When the tips of his fingers brushed the talon, a slight glow of light lit up Pammon’s talon, and the dragon quickly yanked it back.

“What was that?!” Ava exclaimed, pulling her son back without thinking, jostling him more than she had intended. Yet the boy slept, a slight smile upon his tiny lips.

Kaen could feel what Pammon felt. There was a connection with his son that almost meshed with his own.

What is that? It’s like I can almost feel his heartbeat.

I… I don’t know…

Pammon’s mind raced as he tried to figure out what had happened.

Your son… when he touched my talon…

Impossible!

Kaen glanced at his son, fast asleep in Ava’s arms.

As certain as I know you are there and he is here, you know I am not lying. He said my name.

Kaen stumbled toward the couch and, with a weak smile, offered his daughter to Lady Hurem, who held out her hands and mouthed the words thank you to Kaen.

“My love, what happened? You and Pammon are both acting weird.”

Moving back to where his wife was, Kaen sat beside her and brushed the small few strands of blond hair on his son’s head.

“When he touched Pammon’s talon, Pammon heard our son say his name.”

Scoffing came from Lord Hurem and Lady Hurem as they heard what Kaen said.

Ava’s eyes widened more than any other time as her head spun toward her husband. “That’s… that’s impossible… isn’t it?”

Shrugging, Kaen started to chuckle and shake his head. “I have no idea. All I know is we are loved and that for the first time over a thousand years, people and dragons are a family again.”

Closing her eyes momentarily, Ava took a deep breath and slowly let it out.

“Thank you, Pammon,” she said as she glanced up at the bronze dragon, still looking down at her son.

Thank you, Ava Marshell, for loving me and my family.

Kaen’s heart ached as he and Pammon left the cave. The children, as was their mother, had both been fed and were asleep.

I’m not sure how to describe what I feel right now. I felt something like this come from you but never understood it. Forgive me for not.

How can one expect the rain to know someone doesn’t like getting wet? If you could not understand what I felt until now, I do not hold it against you.

Rubbing his friend's neck, Kaen let the cold wind rush over him as they left in the early morning light.

Let us go. There is work to be done.

Soaring high above the land, Pammon and Kaen kept a lookout both above and below. They were in enemy territory right now.

I don’t believe he is near, but we cannot simultaneously watch the land and sky. You need to look below, as I cannot see that far. I will let you know if they appear up here.

The armies are going to have a hard march. The roads have been blocked with stuff. Do you think they may be trapped?

Can you see anything out of the ordinary in the piles or in the trees along the road?

Pammon’s eyes tried to focus on the section he had seen, but it was so high up that the details were not as clear as he preferred.

Unless we get lower, I cannot answer that question. There is nothing right now, but that can change in a few weeks. This is going to be hard on the army. The food will be a problem, especially if they have to spend days clearing blockades and more.

How many miles are we talking about those? Four? Six?

Pammon ran his gaze along the road, counting the blockades.

There are more than six miles of stuff blocking the road, each a quarter of a mile apart. There are probably other traps hidden as well.

Rubbing his face with his hand, Kaen couldn’t help but groan.

I read all those books back in Hoste’s vault, and the elves had mentioned this. Stioks is already ahead in this fight. We need to make this harder on them.

That is a horrible idea, at least for now. We can do that the week we march, but there is still too much time.

If we use my bow and I charge the arrows, I can quickly destroy the rubble they have put on the path. We may even be better not clearing it until a day or two before the army reaches it.

And this will be their weakest moment. If Stioks was foolish enough to attack, we could defend, and it would be three against one.

Shuddering, Kaen nodded and scanned the sky again.

I still struggle to believe the rumors that Stioks killed all of the females. Letting his dragon eat one makes sense, but it has left him with no one. How insane is he?

Pammon thrummed before angling to turn around and head home.

We have established that man is something else. A wild beast that needs to be put down.