Mermaids are Menacing (Book 2) Complete

93.) Expanse

Pyros walked ahead of the fray. The disgrunted voice chattering among themselves was nothing to him but i felt the ebb of anxiety in the ones behind me. We could not be weak here. Not in this place were we could easily be eaten alive. Stolen or crushed while spirits were already running high.

"Settle. Settle, all." Pyros said as his damaged wings slightly jostled opened and closed. He grined widely, not kindly but like a predator with his eyes squinting into thin lines looking across the crowded room. A warning. Then his eyes softned gestured an outstretched hand beckoning our group forward. With absolute faith i went to him and placed my hand in his.

"Now, some corrections are in order." He stated to the crowd, patting my hand with assurance.

"Its no secret that i have dedicated my lifes work to procuring a method of preventing our slow extinction. After centuries of trial and error I finally achieved my masterwork. We were all gathered to celebrate new life into our midsts which is why I wanted to formally introduce to you the culmination of my endeavors. My own legitimate offspring." He said gesturing to our group who had joined him in the front of the room.

I tried my best to stand up straight even in my less then perfect state. I felt the eyes moving between us, trying to match the peices of our faces  to see what was alike and what was not. From the now quiet crowd I could see ideas forming. The first to speak was Kanyon.

"Pyros." She spoke to her brother. "Do you mean to tell me that all of these...offspring were sired by you?"

"Each one carries my blood." He agreed. He gestured for Cerastes to move forward. "My direct offspring may carry mixed interspecies qualities."
Cerastes came closer carrying Aelia and Idelia. Pyros plucked them out of his grasp but they did not stay still in his arms.  They wallered his neck and head grabbing on to his ears and horns without fear.

"The second generation could not be differentiated from one born to an original line. Except for the glaring fact that they exist." He laughed to himself.

Some of the members in the crowd shifted uncomfortablly with his comment. Idelia seeing me in reach lept from Pyros's shoulder and on to me.

"My offspring are not for sale." Pyros said firmly. "But why would that matter when we can provide you with a means of creating your own." Pyros walked forward moving Aelia from his head to be craddled in his arms. He walked through the crowd, in a confident way as he spoke to them.

"Within the span of a century, I managed to bring forth twenty of my own offspring and then they came of age and continued adding more than fifty hatchlings to my list of decendants. Look at my treasure! Complete and thriving, just like her sister and brother. Two health clutches in less than four years. These results could be the same for your clans ...with a few conditions of course."

He said walking back to the front of the room.

"The Sello Reef clan lacks no amount of wealth. Name your price." Tambora  glared. In my eyes he was worse for wear. His hair was cut jaggedly but his eyes held a steally resolve.

"The eastcoast is prepared to offer terrotory in exchange." An unfamiliar face interjected.

"Do you have the face to make an offer when your clan mocked Pyros's efforts in the past!" Etherium shouted. "Out of all the clans yours should be last! Right Pyros?" She placed her hand on her face in what i could only assume was meant to be charming.

"The Rocky Mountain clan should be first in line for procurment, right brother." Kanyon interjected over her.

This incited even more chaos as the clans bickered amongst themselves. Pyros was enjoying this immensely as he petted Aelias hair. Pyros kissed the top of her head then handed Aelia back to Cerastes. In all the yelling, and my senses over stimulated i didnt hear what he whispered to him. Cerastes gave a brief nod and then looked up at us without expression.

"Enough!" The high lord Kavern shouted. The thrall once again became silent.

"Pyros and I both have conditions tp be satisfied for this endeavor. Mine can be satisfied in all manner of wealth the amounts will be negotiated  in the weeks that follow. This will include the order in which each clan participates. Pyros's conditions on the other claw, are unique." He explained. He gestured Pyros to continue.

Cerastes passed behind Pyros. With he put an arm on my hip and pressed it, leading me to move away. I looked at Pyros to check his reaction in this but he had already taken a few steps towards the high lord. With Cerastes lead our whole family left discretely in an exit away from the crowd.

Leaving the view of the chamber  Pyros's voice still echoed down the side hallway. Cerastes continued to press me forward hurriedly with my family in tow.

"Any clan who desires to hold this knowlege, must first forfeit their peice of the ancestral trove."

Now it wasnt just arguments but the vibration of literal roars and screeching. The hallway shook with the thundering pulse of wings thrashing angrily. I could not imagine what this ancestoral trove was but to cause this reaction. I could only summarize that it would not be given up willingly.
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Thank you all for waiting on my update. That finals week was 7 tests deep and nearly killed me but i passed and im back. Ill try to update as much as possible in this next month! I hope your all as excited as i am to get to book three the final book on the series. I look forward to your comments and discussions for what your most looking forward to and your guesses of what will happen.