Dragon Blood 1: Pliethin (18 page)

Amber reached out to Shannon to let her know she was nearly there. She saw Jasper’s window was open, the screen removed. She pulled in her wings and soared through the gap to land on the floor. Her change to human wasn’t very graceful and she stumbled, barely catching her balance. But she was getting better. At least she no longer landed on her face. She reached out with her mind and checked that Kade and his warriors were on the roof, like they’d said they would be, so she could talk to her brother alone. There was only three days until she had to meet with Ronan. Her stomach lurched. She didn’t like either of their options.

Jasper stood beside Shannon and grinned at her. “Neat trick.”

Amber’s answering smile was forced. “Glad to entertain you.”

“What’s up?”

Amber gestured towards the bed. When they were sitting side by side, she cleared her throat. Where to begin? “You know the dragon who’s trying to get me to help him?”

“The one who kidnapped you?”

“Yeah.” She glanced over to Shannon, wondering how to ask her to leave without offending her.

“Call me when you want me to return.” Shannon jumped out the window.

“You didn’t have to chase her off,” Jasper complained.

“It’s probably best I did. We found out some information about him.”

“And? I do want to get to bed sometime before midnight.”

Amber rose to her feet, unable to sit still. “It’s your fault you know.”

“How can him kidnapping you be my fault?” Jasper got to his feet, a frown wrinkling his brow.

“No. You wanted to know if a dragon wanted a mage. He does and he has the means to make you one. Well, half the means. He asks for a year service in return. And he’s no worse than the ones who currently hold his lands and they were his originally.”

“You’re not explaining yourself very well.”

“Probably not. Okay, here’s the deal. Ronan, who at first glance looks like the bad guy, is actually the victim. Well, regarding the theft of his lands anyway. He’s even a little less unpleasant than the dragon who currently holds his lands. And that was a surprise. The only difference is that the one holding them now doesn’t have as much influence in their society as Ronan did.” Amber paused. Now came the part she really didn’t want to tell her brother. “Ronan has half the ingredients needed to make you a Dragon Mage. The price is a year’s service to him while trying to get his lands back. But I’ve got a feeling he may extend that year if you fail and try to claim you didn’t give your full effort to the endeavour. You’ll probably have to pledge service to another dragon for the other ingredient needed. A Gold Dragon. We don’t know if you can make two mages using the same Gold. So it’d probably be best to find another one instead.”

“Like Shannon?”

“Yeah.”

“What does Kade think?”

“He’s biased.”

“What did he say?”

Amber hesitated. “It’ll stop Ronan from trying to kidnap me and he’ll have another mage he can entice the services of a Gold Warrior with.”

Jasper laughed. “Nice to see he’s at least willing to protect you.”

“Yeah well, we had a big fight about it.”

“You shouldn’t have. I was thinking the same thing. Well, about Ronan anyway. How long have I got to decide?”

“Three days. I have to ring him Friday.”

“Where’s Kade?”

She checked again. “On the roof.”

“Call him in. I want to talk to him. Without you here. And there’s no point in glaring at me like that. It won’t change my mind.”

“Fine.” Amber changed into a hawk and flew out the window. She reached out to Kade with her mind.
“He wants to see you. Probably wants to do the stupid big brother protector thing.”
She could feel Kade’s amusement.

“Don’t go far. Stick with Maira and Brann.”

Amber joined them on the roof, changing into human form before she sat beside them.

“Have you been kicked out too?” Maira grinned. “Males often think only they can plan things.”

“I bet Jay’s grilling Kade about how long we can keep Ronan from kidnapping me.”

Maira’s grin became a wistful smile. “That must be nice. Having a blood brother who cares enough to put himself in danger to protect you.”

“I’d do the same for him.”

“My family isn’t like that. They take survival of the fittest to the extreme.”

They sat together in silence until Kade flew up to the roof, landing beside them. As soon as he was human, he reached out for Amber’s hand. “Jay has conditions of his own. Organise a meeting for Friday night. Tell Ronan we’re opening negotiations. We’re not expecting to finalise anything then.”

“Are you certain Jay will be safe helping Ronan?”

“If he decides to go ahead, we’ll all help him.”

“Even Flinn?”

Kade laughed. “Not all of the tests are spelled out clearly. Some of them consist of taking on jobs for warriors that are of sufficient difficulty to prove our abilities. Taking lands back for someone is considered to be one of the most difficult tasks. Getting another test completed is always a priority for Flinn.”

“I didn’t know. I wish you wouldn’t be so stingy with your information.”

“We discussed the possibility of attacking over the Christmas break. He should have enough time off from uni to be able to manage if we have all the planning in place before hand. But, we both think starting out with an easier battle first would be a good idea.”

“Your wyvern test,” Amber said dryly.

Kade nodded. “It makes sense.”

“I’m sure it does. What are his other conditions?”

“That Ronan isn’t there to see the process. And he’s to stop consuming the hearts of his enemies and if his lands are regained with less than a year of service, the year is considered complete. And Ronan is to never attack, harm, blackmail or restrain any of us again or help anyone else to do any of those things.”

“What are the chances he’ll go for it?”

Kade shrugged. “We’ll have to wait and see. He’s always been unpredictable.”

“The only thing that bugs me about all this,” Maira said. “Is we’re going to help him after he had us chained and locked up.”

Brann pulled Maira close. “Get used to it. How often do clans change loyalty in the space of a century? The people we’re attacking today could be our best friends tomorrow. You should know half of it is politics.”

“It still bugs me,” Maira muttered.

“Me too,” Amber said.

“Do you want to go and talk to your brother again before we go home?” Kade asked.

Amber nodded. “Yeah. I have to tell him he’s an idiot.” She grinned.

Maira laughed. “Good. Tell him I think he is too. Practical, but still an idiot.”

“Okay.” Amber rose to her feet and changed into a hawk. For some reason it was harder to change when she was sitting.

They were seated around Kade’s kitchen table. Ronan, Kade, Amber, Flinn, Jasper and Crystal. Everyone else, including Ronan’s two sons, were in the lounge room. So far there’d only been silence from in there.

“Are you sure you don’t want me chained and left in a dungeon for the rest of my life too?” Ronan glanced around the table.

“I considered it, but for some reason I didn’t think you’d agree to it.” Amber grinned at him.

Ronan chuckled. “I’m sure you did.” His expression became thoughtful as he turned to Jasper. “Putting you in the service of a young Gold makes sense. Some training is always a benefit. And I would have your word that you would all participate in capturing my lands?”

“You would have to list your request with the Elders so we can claim it for a test,” Kade said.

“You don’t expect we’re doing it out of love do you?” Flinn glared at Ronan.

Ronan shook his head. “End of the year will give me time to do all the planning. Hopefully it’ll give Jasper time to learn his abilities, although some of them can take years to make themselves known.”

“And you’re to share all the information you gather, regardless of how important or unimportant you think it is,” Kade said.

“Only regarding the capture of my lands.” Ronan turned his gaze on Amber. “You and yours are only safe from me for as long as you live. You get yourself killed and everyone is fair game again. And you cannot claim everyone you meet as yours. It isn’t limitless.” When Amber nodded, Ronan looked towards Kade. “I have one final condition. That I will be allowed to one more time consume one entire dragon heart. Either enemy or renegade. Beaten in battle by one of my people or myself.”

Kade’s fingers drummed on the table as he met Ronan’s eyes. He didn’t look away even with the conversation in his head between nearly all the others seated at the table. Only Jasper and Ronan were excluded.

“I can’t see him completely giving in on that subject,”
Flinn said.

“How will that help him?”
Amber asked.

“He can leave it at least another five hundred years before he has it, maybe even a century. He will age, but not like a human does. That’ll give him another one to two centuries in total,”
Kade said.

Amber managed to hold back her grin.
“Two centuries. The amount of time before he planned to retire anyway.”

“Take the offer and be done with it. We get another mage and we’ll learn how to take lands from the best. It should make our final test easier,”
Flinn said.

Kade’s fingers stilled. “We accept.”

Ronan rose to his feet. “The Pliethin will be delivered tonight. I’ll send regular intelligence updates as I receive them.”

Everyone else rose from the table, unwilling to be seated while Ronan stood. Kade held out his hand, which Ronan took. “I’ll see you towards the end of the year.”

Ronan turned to Amber. “See me out.”

“Amber-”
Kade turned to her.

She pushed him from her mind. Even though it had sounded more like an order than a request, Amber treated it like a request and nodded in agreement. She fell in beside Ronan as he headed out the back door. She sensed the dragons in the lounge room move to the front of the house. When they were far enough from the house, she stopped to face him, meeting his intense look. She remained silent, waiting for him to speak first, grateful for the practice she’d received when her father used the same tactic.

Ronan grinned. “No demands as to what I want?”

Amber shrugged. “I guess you’ll tell me when you finish playing your little game.”

He laughed. “I’m going to enjoy working with you. I don’t know why I didn’t take a closer look at humans centuries ago. But you always seemed such frail creatures with ridiculously short life spans that it never seemed worth the effort. And Dragon Mages were raised amongst their dragon clans. This is a more interesting way of doing things.”

“I hope you won’t be offended that I’m not looking forward to working with you.”

“Not at all. I’ve always enjoyed a challenge. We’ll be friends before my lands are captured.”

“You’ve got to be kidding me.” Amber stared at him in surprise. That was the last thing she’d expected him to say. “Friends?”

“Of a fashion. At least not enemies, anyway.” He smiled, a predatory one that made Amber worry even more. “I’ve figured out you don’t know anything about being a mage. I’m willing to teach you. Think about it before you dismiss the idea.”

“Why?”

“Because it’ll benefit me.”

“Then why not Crystal or Jay?”

“Because I like you. And you’re capable of passing the knowledge along. Besides, Flinn wouldn’t let me near Crystal on my own and Jasper doesn’t trust me in the slightest.”

“I don’t trust you either.”

“Actually, I think you do. You’re standing here with me, aren’t you?”

Amber frowned. “Okay, maybe I trust you to stick to the agreement because you always keep your word. But that’s it. I don’t really trust you.”

“That’s enough. You have my number if you want to learn.” Ronan became a dragon and took to the sky.

Amber stood there, watching as he disappeared. She felt Kade’s presence before he reached her side, leaning against him as he draped his arm around her.

“What did he want?”

Amber recounted their conversation. “I keep thinking I should take him up on his offer at the same time as I’m telling myself I’m insane.”

Kade smiled. “You are insane. Do you know how many people, both dragon and human, Ronan has killed because they’ve annoyed him? Not angered, just annoyed.”

“Maybe you better not tell me.”

Kade sighed. He faced her, his hands resting on her hips. “I must be insane too. I think you should learn from him. No one else has the knowledge he has. I’d be within calling distance. Not hovering like Flinn would. You’d have the space you need to learn. Besides, he’ll keep his word not to harm you. He never breaks his word.”

She stared up at him for a moment before she wrapped her arms around him, pressing her lips to his. She allowed sensation to temporarily take over before she reluctantly pulled back. “The future terrifies me, but I’m glad you landed on my balcony.”

“Me too.” Kade stared down at her for a second before he grinned. “Does that mean you’re looking forward to wyvern hunting in a few weeks?”

Amber groaned theatrically. “Don’t remind me about it. You’ve still got to convince my mum to let me go for the entire holidays.” She smiled slyly. “You mightn’t be able to manage it.”

Kade shook his head. “Your brother says he has that all under control.”

“Huh. He would. I can’t believe how bloodthirsty he is about the wyverns.” Another thought occurred to her. “Where will we stay?”

“On clan lands.”

Amber grinned. “Yes! I can’t wait.” She was sure to be able to find out more information about dragons, and Kade’s clan in particular, by staying on his lands.

“Neither can I.” Kade’s lips met hers again. “Two weeks where I won’t have to pretend things are platonic between us.”

Amber felt a thrill go through her as she thought of what that meant. Two weeks. She couldn’t get the words to stop repeating in her mind. “Being away for two weeks won’t interfere with your current test?”

“No. People go away during school holidays. It fits in with what your society expects.”

Crystal called out from the back door. “Are you two going to spend all day out there? At least get a bed instead of being exhibitionists. Otherwise, we’re waiting on you to start our war council.”

“Bed or war council?” Kade asked Amber.

She laughed.

He shook his head, amusement filling his eyes. “Maybe I better not let you make that decision. If you said bed I’d be left wondering if it was only to get out of making battle plans. Come on, time for a war council.”

Amber linked her fingers through Kade’s, walking back to the house at his side. She glanced around. Maybe it wouldn’t be so bad staying around here after all. And it wasn’t even for a full year. As soon as school finished for the year she was headed back to Brisbane. Her mum wouldn’t be able to stop her. She could manage sticking around that long. She looked up at Kade as she felt the panther and hawk stir in her. Well, she could manage that now. Although she was still uncertain about how to deal with Ronan. But she better figure it out fast because she was absolutely certain he believed in survival of the fittest.