Prisoner of Chaos (Redemption Book #4)

Chapter 52

Rift

I'm a father.

This is all too real.

And here we are about to go up against a dark ancient entity that gets it's kicks out of ending worlds.

The same Dark Lord that lived inside my mother.

"Rift, you will bring about the reign of eternal chaos in Axus and it will be glorious. I'm doing this for you, you will be king of everything," my mother had said many times before beating me to an inch of my life so I'd Scourge whatever was in sight.

I never wanted to be the dictator of everything. Why did she think I desired that? How could she have treated her own child like that?

As I gaze at Raia for the first time, curled up on Kyla's head, I'm outraged at my mother, far worse than any I've ever experienced toward her.

She told me I didn't have a heart. She told me I couldn't feel. She'd told me I would never be happy unless chaos ran rampant throughout Axus. She tried to force her own beliefs on me and make me what she wanted, not what I desired.

The Sorceress was wrong about it all. Practically everything she'd taught me was a complete lie about myself and about the world around me.

"You would be pathetic if I hadn't brought you up the way I did," my mother said so many times whenever I told her how I hated her for the beatings, the manipulation, and lies. "Imagine what you would have done without this wonderful dark magic?"

I believe I would have been happy simply being the husband of Kyla, and the father to Raia and Ash. Maybe I'd have picked up something like normal humans do to pass the time and pay their bills instead of dominating the underworld and Scourging people to sustain my life like my mother brought me up to do.

Why shouldn't I have that with Kyla now?

"I'd like to speak to Kyla alone," I tell the group, my mind is made up.

Kyla cocks her beast head at me, but nods in agreement and follows me away into the Sanctuary gardens where we can gather some privacy with our new baby.

I study Kyla's new beast form once more. It's changed. I always liked her beast form before this change and it's going to take some getting used to, but I like her new form. It's similar to the old one except sleeker, shinier, and less rugged. Instead of looking like she's crawled out of a wonderful shadow world, Kyla appears as if she were a drakon fallen from the stars. As night falls upon Underland I realize there is a bioluminescence to her form as well as to our newborn Raia's. Her scales glow a faint purple in the night.

"Kyla, Princess of Underland, mother of my child, and the best Chaos player I know... will you marry me right now?" I don't have a single regret asking her. If we die in this fight against the Dark Lord it would be agonizing knowing I'd never asked her for she is the love of my life. Physically she's now changed, but inside, I've changed. The Sorceress left me without purpose, Kyla brought to me more than purpose, she brought me a life I never imagined I could have. The Sorceress left a scar on my heart, but Kyla has left a blessing, and even if she rejects me right now... it will always remain there with me. 

True to my mate's feisty personality, Kyla gives me a, "really you're asking this now?" expression, but then her features soften and a smile spreads across her muzzle. "Yeah, Rift, I'll marry you. But I hope you're not asking because you mean to make an honest woman out of me after having your baby."

"That may be part of it," I can't help saying, but I realize Kyla took me seriously so I laugh and shake my head at her. "Of course not, Princess. Don't you know how damn much I'm in love with you?"

Kyla's head lowers and Raia climbs off, curling into a little red drakon ball in a flower bed and making cooing noises as she breathes.

Kyla's body begins to change, shrinking from her drakon form to her human form. The transformation is beautiful, like a dancer twisting in graceful movement, her wings remain the same sheen as they were in her beast form instead of becoming flesh colored. They also are a bit larger than her previous pair and I imagine will make flying far more graceful for her in human form. The most surprising thing is that she wears a black iridescent gown the same texture as her scales, which hugs her curves deliciously. 

Before I can say anything her lips are on mine.

"I'm not exactly wearing a wedding gown," she says pulling back momentarily.

"I don't care if you're naked, I'll still marry you," I say, bemused and aroused at this thought.

Kyla rolls her eyes at me. "You wish."

"Why don't you wear this," I say, brushing my fingers over the drakon scale fabric till they rest on her nicely rounded ass. "It's incredible."

"You didn't make it?" Kyla eyebrows raise in surprise at this.

"Princess, I'm running on empty with my magic," I say, "Also, I don't have the ability to make this kind of fabric from dark magic."

"That means, I must have..." Kyla's voice trails and her eyes well up with tears. "I've always wanted to be able to cover myself after a transformation."

"I wonder what else you can do?" I say, kissing her neck so she moans.

"Raia, is she normal now?" Kyla asks, turning to look where she set our baby.

I don't know what to think upon looking. Our baby is still not human. "I'll go get Father Ryland and your mother," I say, not wishing to stress Kyla about our child.

"Yes, no one else," Kyla says, walking over to Raia and resting a hand on her forehead tenderly.