Ascension - Book Eight - Man x Man

Chapter 59

The plane whistles and shudders as we ascend into the sky. A parting gift from Lotta, to allow us a government issue private jet that would safely get us to the secluded airport. We would not be arriving back at the beach side property in New York, we would be heading towards a more mountainous region where it might be possible to find a lake big enough to achieve our end goal. We had to get back into the dragon realm. 

Tonic would be there with Echo to meet us, we'd managed to divert them from returning to Europe for with Senator Campbell invading every inch of our lives, it would seem it was not safe for anyone on our side to be there. She could easily be considered an accomplice and then we would be out of luck to gain access to her. 

Unfortunately, it would mean more delays all the same. Her party must travel to us by boat, the lycans who lived in Iceland did not have the means to fly nor did we have the ability to transport them. Lotta could only do so much and Verando had to be conservative with him money. Ron was good to us in that regard, making sure that we didn't do anything foolish. 

My hand rests on Verando's thigh, I expected him to be tense, but we'd opted to get him drunk and he seemed to have taken the opportunity to lose conciousness. While I'd been willing to medicate him, he had been entirely unwilling to partake in any sort of drug use while his younger self was there as a reminder of his past. My light weight warlord flinched at my touch, startling him into a yawn before he shifted to lean against the top of my head.

Scoffing at the height difference, I press my cheek against his shoulder, enjoying the warmth eminating from his body. It was a twelve hour flight, the longer he could sleep the better. 

Tyler sits across from me with a smile as we are cleared to move around the cabin. "Glad to see yall figured everything out. I really was gettin' worried with all this past self mess. But, hey, what the heck do I know about relationships?" Sighing, he runs a hand through his hair, leaning back into his seat as the attendant brings him a water. 

"Thanks. I think." I'm still not the best company. Tyler had managed to thrive without me, it would seem once I gave him the basics, he had found some sort of pain to keep him motivated. I could only imagine that the discomfort he focused on was Helen. I never understood his love for the girl, shifting my gaze to the woman who sat across the isle. "So..."

Tyler pulls his lips into a line, shaking his head. "Aint nothing for it, Your Majesty. Er.. Nic. Is it still alright to call you that?"

I smile as softly as I can manage with a sleeping murderer cuddled up to me. "Of course, Tyler. You're family."

"I do appreciate that. You all have done more for me than I can really say, just wish it would have ended up different for some of us. Lord knows there are trials but damn, they can be tough. I've been focusing a whole lot of those spells we used to pull you from the past. The most difficult part of this will be capturing a dragon who can take us back. We don't have much magic to trade with, you were kind of our biggest bargaining tool last time."

Taking Verando's hand in mine, I slowly spin the wedding ring on his left hand. Noticing the bite mark, I remember that the three fingers were numb to the touch. Testing that theory, I lightly skirt my own over them, they were slightly cooler than his index finger and thumb though not much difference beyond the scar at their junction.

"The dragons are not thrilled with us, we are not using the realm for its intended purpose and they know that. I have decided I will ask them to destroy the bond, in exchange we just need to fix what we broke. Then there will be no more connection to us, they could come here if our side was shattered, but we could not go there. That seems to be the only way to stop this from happening again."