Forged Desire (Book 3 of the Avec Series)

Chapter Seven

    Bardik woke up the next morning exhausted, his sleep was fitful. His mind taking him to an older time when the dragons could still safely fly without consequence. He grumbled at his alarm, rubbing face as he got out of bed. He knew his mother would be knocking on his door shortly, ensuring he was awake. 

    Just then, the gentle knock came, he smiled. "I'm awake matushka," he called out to his mother. 

    "That's good dear, just making sure you're awake," she answered from the other side. "When you come down for breakfast, your father and I have something to discuss with you," she said a little more optimistic than usual. 

    "Well, that doesn't sound like her," Bardik said to himself as he walked into the shower. 

    "I heard that son," she said through the door, "And it most certainly does sound like me," she answered back. 

    Bardik grimaced and headed to his bathroom, "When am I going to learn to not speak out loud around that woman? She has supersonic hearing!" He said to himself, giving himself a quick rinse in the shower then toweling off and getting dressed. 

    He headed down to the dining hall, the omegas were serving breakfast. Tatyana was big on eating with the seasons and he could see that fall was rapidly approaching. Their table was filled with end of summer harvests, apples, figs, grapes were in bowls allowing the pack to snack on them whenever they wanted. 

    He could hear his mother discussing dinner plans with the head omega, "Ah, there you are dear," she greeted her son. 

    "Good morning," he said planting a kiss on her cheek in greeting. "The food smells amazing, Nadia," he said acknowledging the head omega. His parents have taught him well, even if they hadn't he would never treat the omegas as less than, everyone in the pack serves a purpose, and he was grateful to all of them. 

    Nadia beamed in pride, "Good, I'm glad," she said as she handed Bardik a plate heaping with food, "You need to eat big, so you can fight the fires," she said. 

    Bardik smiled, "Thank you, you are like a second momma to me," he said to her as he accepted his plate, "I don't know how I'm going to be able to eat all of this, though." He looked down at the plate filled with scrambled eggs, hash, toast, and hot apples with figs and cinnamon. He knew exactly what he was diving into first. 

    Tatyana looked at her son, "You will be able to eat all this, I know you will," she smiled. Pushing him to a chair. 

    "What's the hurry, momma?" he asked as he set his plate down and settled into the chair. 

    Once she was seated beside Alexei, she looked at her son and her husband, who for his part was looking really uncomfortable. 

    "Did you read the book, son?" Alexei asked lifting his coffee to his lips, doing his best to delay whatever it was his wife was about to throw at their son. 

    "Yes, I did actually," Bardik said, between bites of the delicious sweetness of the warm apples. "But, there were passages in it that were not in the one you used to read to us, matushka," he said his eyes full of questions. 

    His parents looked at each other, "Extra passages?" they said together, surprised. 

    "Yes, like the names of the dragon and a woman," he said. 

    "Have you finished it, though?" Alexei questioned. 

    "Not totally, no," Bardik hedged, "I fell asleep while reading it, papa," he confessed. "But, I didn't intend to. It's been a long few days, and I have to get to the station as well. I need to speak with Justin about what has happened and make sure he can still hold down the workings there," he continued. " I really am interested in it." 

    "Good," was all Alexei said, then he turned to his wife, "Tatyana, and what did you want to discuss this morning?" 

    It was her turn to look nervous, "Well, your birthday is coming, Bardik, and I want to throw a ball. Invite all the packs," she began. 

    Alexei could barely suppress his grin at his wife, Bardik also knew what was coming, "Momma, if you want to hold the ball, please do. But know this," he paused, "She won't be there." With that he stood up and kissed his mother on the cheek, gave his father a little wave, "I'll be at the station before I have to leave again," he explained. 

    Tatyana couldn't help the crestfallen look on her face, "How can he be so sure his mate hasn't shown up at the packs yet? I just want to see him happy," she said. 

    "Did you not hear him last night?" Alexei asked, "He said he thinks he found her," 

    "But thinks and actually found are two very different things, my love," she said, determined to hold this ball and find her son a mate, and maybe one for her daughters as well. 

    "Well, be patient, love," was all Alexei said as he patted his wife's hand. 

    *********

    Chusi woke up in her room and for a brief moment didn't realize where she was. It was different than her room at the elder council's castle. This made her jump up ready to fight whoever was knocking on her door. 

    "Chusi?" came the soft voice of her mother from the other side of the door. 

    Chusi relaxed, "Come in," she said, still getting her heartbeat to slow down and her breathing to slow. 

    "Oh, goodness! Are you alright?" Lillith asked, startled to see her daughter, standing ready to fight. 

    "Yes, I'm sorry mom, I just slept so deeply that I forgot where I was," Chusi apologized. 

    "No, need for apologies, my dear Chusi," Lillith said hugging her daughter tightly, her own mind going to why her daughter would need to fight so hard if the council was just 'protecting her'. 

    "I came in to see if you were ready for some breakfast," Lillith said. "I still don't know what your favorites are so we had the kitchen dragons make a little of everything," she looked almost guilty and sad over her last statement.

    Just then, Chusi's stomach grumbled, they both giggled, "Well, I guess I need to teach my belly to be more ladylike! And as for my favorites, mom, we have all the time in the world now to learn that about each other. And I can't wait to do it," Chusi said and she really meant it. This statement brightened Lillith's face, the smile that spread across her lips nearly lighting up the room. 

    "Well, I'll let you get ready for the morning!" Lillith said as she exited her daughter's room. 

    Chusi headed straight for the shower, but she caught sight of the book out of the corner of her eye. She was going to have to speak with her mother about this book. It most definitely wasn't the same one she had read over and over as a child, and to be honest, she was excited to get back into it. She had a feeling there were some major keys in there that would explain why she was taken by the elder council. She just had to find them. 

    Her mind was still on the book after she got out of the shower. She toweled off and decided that she would try to find the answers. She wished that Aislinn was still alive to help her, but she would have to hope that Brigid or Rhiannon would tell her. Chusi knew that Hyptu would be of little use, he still thinks she's 'not old enough'. The thought of the grumpy troll brought a smile to her face, he may seem cranky and gruff but through the years, she learned that he just didn't know how to show love because he lost his parents so young. 

    Chusi wandered down the hall, letting her nose lead her to the dining hall. There was a bustle of activity flowing, she wasn't sure what was happening.