All Chapters of Rise of the Phoenix: Chapter 21 - Chapter 30

I like the fire dragon hybrid. She’s powerful, as all fire dragons are, but she also has an air of authority to her. That’s the Lycan blood in her. But because she’s a dragon, she’s inherently kind and loving. It seems funny to say that a creature that can breathe fire that is hot enough to melt a person into nothing is kind and loving, but it’s true. It’s one of the reasons that I’m mated to dragons so often when I rise. She’ll be good for Emmi, I think. A good friend and ally, someone she can trust.“Ajax!” Kenna calls out and Emmi turns to smile at him. His answering smile is beautiful. I almost miss it because of the earth dragon behind him. I frown as he walks away. Something is off with that earth dragon. We met him before, Kenzo is his name. I want to see where he’s going, but Emmi is focused on Ajax.The moment Ajax takes us into his arms and his lips press against ours, I forget all about anything and everything else in this world. I let my love and passion for Ajax flow throu

The mood around the Academy has just become very festive, aside from the few in our circle. Everyone is excited for the dragon babies, babies that they never thought would be possible.While the others get ready for classes, Ajax leads me back to the big house.“So, are you going to tell me what’s going on or what?” Kenzo asks.“Leave it be, Kenzo. We’re obviously not meant to know what’s going on. As it is, if Ancalagon hears that someone from the outside got in and was checking out his eggs, we’ll have a huge friggin problem on our hands,” Tesha tells him.“You said that the magic you smelled on me is what’s coming for the dragons. You knew that before Ishir and Tesha confirmed it. How did you know? What are you? King Yhendorn called you Phoenix and that’s what Ajax called you yesterday too. Is that what you are? A phoenix?” he asks, ignoring Tesha.Faster than I would have thought, Ajax grabs Kenzo and yanks him into an area where we have some privacy, slamming him against a tree.“

That night, Kenna didn’t return. I’ve been alone for a long time, but for some reason, the empty room feels even more lonely.I sit on my bed, looking around the room. Maybe because it’s Kenna, or maybe she just got lucky, but our room is on the top floor, overlooking the small hills behind the big house. I’d heard that Kaylani and Everett had built their house there and that Fenian and Tesha had built one when they knew they were going to have a baby too. I have the window open, so I can smell the scents of fires burning in fireplaces in their homes. I imagine that both homes look like something out of a Hallmark movie. That’s really the only reference I have to homes with fireplaces. I had a foster mom who loved Hallmark movies and she’d let me watch them with her. Everyone always seemed so happy and I always wondered what that would feel like.I yelp, leaping to my feet when I hear a rapping on the window beside me. I slap my hand over my mouth, stopping the scream when I see Ajax f

I was excited and nervous to see Ajax in the morning, but he welcomed me with a smile as he jogged over from talking to Kaylani.“So I got in trouble for last night,” Ajax whispers in my ear.I look past him to Kaylani.“How did she find out?”“The window was open ...” he says, watching me. It takes me a moment to realize that she’d heard me calling Ajax’s name while I was ... My eyes go wide and I’m pretty sure my face lights on fire.I cover my mouth with my hand. “I’m so embarrassed.”“Don’t be. She understands, but she says it has to stop. She can’t make exceptions to the rules and I understand that. So, let’s plan to go flying tonight. You did ask if we could do it again,” he says, smiling at me.I feel a different heat igniting in my core at the thought of having a repeat of last night.His eyes look past me and he straightens. “Hi Dion, Hi Sena,” he says.I turn and smile at them. “Good morning.’“Good morning,” they say, still looking wary about walking into the dining hall. I’

After classes, I met Ajax downstairs in the big house. He said we’d walk over together to have dinner with his family. As always, the moment he sees me, his face breaks into a huge smile.“Hello, beautiful!” he says, kissing me, then taking my hand and leading me out the front door of the Big House. As usual, my mate says hello to everyone. I’m surprised when the dragons, at least, start to say hello to me as well.We walk around the Big House to the back where there is a dirt walkway up the hillside that leads to Kaylani and Everett’s house.“Hey Cal! Hey Eliane!” he says, waving at the two dragons as we pass the barrier around their eggs. Ancalagon bugles a warning, but Eliane trumpets a hello to him.We make our way up the steep incline and to the door just as I hear stomping feet and squealing behind us. I turn and Ajax pulls me out of the way just as Kano rushes past us with Amne on his back.“I’d told you we’d beat them,” Kano says to a laughing Amne.“Who’d you beat?” Ajax says.