Should Have Let Me Die

"Where am I?"

I feel weird as I open my eyes to find Gripton sitting across from me, drinking coffee. We were in my head, in Grips library, but why was I here?

"Am I dead, old man?"

"No, of course not. If you had died, you never would have woken up. That would have been it unless someone else snagged you, but that was about as likely as it happens the first time."

"Then, I'm here just to talk?"

"Something like that, you find, for the most part out there."

"Kalita and Cable?"

I suddenly felt panic, and my adrenaline started as a sick feeling started to form in my stomach.

"They are fine, and that's what I have you here to talk about, Hyde. You didn't die, but you're going to be in bed for a day while your body heals, luckily. Nuwari has been helping you, but that's not the issue here. You could have died; everything we have worked for, no, what YOU have worked for would be for nothing."

A cup of coffee appeared in front of me as Gripton let that all sink in. He was right, fuck, but...no. Lying to myself and trying to make excuses for being a showboat with the dragon was all my fault. Not taking responsibility for it would prove to me that I was a child that wasn't ready to admit fault.

"Sorry."

"I know you felt like you got dealt a shit hand in the previous life, and you thought that this was going to be more of the same, and I'm to blame for that. The thing is, now we need to get down to business, we are no more the four days from the capital, and things are about to get hairy. I don't want you to use that dragon form yet; it bleeds magic, and until you can control that part, it's more of a danger to you."

"Yeah, I understand. This...power is...intoxicating, Grip, how am I going to hold myself together when I'm filled with everyone's power?"

*Pop*

"You will be fine; you will have the rest of your loyal wives and me."

I was briefly startled by the popping noise and turned to the sounds, and froze. It was Nina, but, holy cow! 

"Nina? You look gorgeous. Is this the effect of evolving with me?"

"Oh, yes! Many things have changed with the evolution. If you can let me stay here with God, I can study and learn more from your world and maybe help you?"

"From my world?"

"Well, I've had some extra time, so I cataloged some of your memory into readable volumes, so even things you had just briefly noticed or pretended to read are here. Once you get settled, we will be able to help you expand and bring people to your way of thinking without violence."

"So, if I let Nina study with you..."

"Never, and she couldn't even if, for some strange reason, she did. The magic won't allow you to get cuckold."

"Then this is a good idea, but only if you're okay with it, Nina. I don't want to isolate you from the other women."

"I will come out and visit with the others, don't worry. I will also be with you through all of your experiences so I can wait my turn. I know you don't want to be forced onto the bed every night of the week, but you have a busy schedule."

"Don't remind me, you women are all beautiful, but you guys are almost turning sex into another one of my jobs! Can't it just be natural and just happen?"

"Maybe if there weren't so many of us, but since you are only one man and the kingdoms so many, we will need heirs for the kingdoms. Once we have heirs, then we can put a custodian in place to watch over the city and teach the young kings of tomorrow."

"What is this day ten? I haven't even taken a city yet!"

Nina started to speak, but Gripton put a hand on her shoulder to stop her. I was starting to feel weird and sluggish like my thoughts were shutting down. They both waved to me as the darkness claimed me.

*GASP, Cough, Cough*

I filled my lungs with air and then hacked it all back up. I bolted upright in my bed and then laid back down, my head spinning. I hurt, not in one spot, no, it was a whole body hurt. I finally got my coughing under control and noticed I wasn't alone.

How did they fit so many people in here? The room was packed, and I could just barely see people stand in and outside of the door. My wives were all around me, misty-eyed, and asking me how I was. I saw Kalita and grabbed her hand and squeeze, but that made her burst into tears about how worried she was about me.

Someone was missing, Kadence. Why wasn't she here with the others?

"Where is Kade?"

That made everyone in the room go quiet; what did that mean? 

"She is up top, in the pot, practicing."

"That's great! I'm glad she is finally getting some time in, but I really would have thought since the whole..."

"She couldn't catch you, Hyde," Alex said in a small voice beside me that hit me like a hammer.

I pushed myself up, and they tried to stop me, but I put a hand up and asked everyone to leave now that I was okay. I would come and see the people all after, but I had to go see her. Everyone exited immediately, and then Buddy came out of nowhere, getting under my arm. 

"Thanks, Buddy. Let's go see my wife before she burns herself out."

Buddy nodded and helped me up the stair to the top deck. Once up top, I could feel the heat coming from the pot, so I told Buddy To leave and get everyone moving again. I turned to look at the giant upside-down pot.

I wasn't sure how I could fix this, but I knew I had to convince her that it wasn't her fault, or she would never be the same. Gripton was right about me not thinking about the consequences, and now I needed to fix this if I could.