Dragon Wish (33 page)

his company. How do you expect to win against such great

odds?”

Angry over the wizard’s questions, Paladin stood and

spoke with quiet assurance. “I have no plan, but that will not

stop me. Now, where is Seren so that I might go to her?”

A slow, cocky smile formed on Ren’s face. “In the north,

with your brother.”

Pain of betrayal and jealousy flashed through Paladin.

Just as he suspected, Arcane had brought Seren to Rylen.

The wizard released a low chuckle.

Paladin glared at him. “Fool, you think this is laughable?”

He turned on his heel, intent on departing. Many leagues

separated him from Seren. He had to leave now, needed to

find her and hold her safe in his arms. Ren’s next comment

halted his progress to the door.

“And how do you expect to steal her from him?”

“I will find a way. She belongs with me.”

“So you say, but until you rescue her, she will remain in

mortal danger. Did you know that even while we speak,

Rylen has a horde of wizards working on a way to break

through the protective barrier the dragons have placed on

your woman and unborn child. Time is running short for

your loved ones.”

Paladin took another step to the door before Ren spoke

again. “Five thousand years ago, there was a horrific war

between the dragons and humans.”

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Next to him, Leo muttered under his breath. “Why do you

have to be so hard-headed? Listen to him.”

Anger heated the blood pumping through his veins.

Paladin shot a wicked glance at the older man, who in turn

lifted a brow. Leo shrugged and said, “Won’t hurt to have as

much useful information as we can to win Seren back.”

“What does an ancient war have to with the present?”

Paladin asked through gritted teeth.

“You learn from history, my friend. Guess who won the

final battle?”

“Humans?”

The wizard pushed the chair away from the desk. He

stood, long legs unfolding, and walked across the room. He

passed Paladin, grabbed a navy cape lined with crimson from

a peg near the door, swung it over his shoulders, and strode

to the door. Leo’s eyes widened as the wizard passed him and

exited the room. Paladin followed, with Leo the last to leave

the room.

Once out of the house, the wizard continued until he

stood on the edge of the compound in a spot where the oasis

and western desert met. The sun’s descent cast a soft glow

over the sands. The scalding heat from the day lessened. Hot

winds tugged at Ren’s short dark hair while he stood with his

chin angled to the west.

Paladin stopped next to him. This time, he would allow

Ren to have his say. No matter that he desired to leave and

find Seren, if his friend possessed information beneficial in

helping with the task, he would strive to hold his patience in

line.

Ren lifted his left arm and pointed. “Do you see all this

before us?”

He turned his gaze in the direction Ren referred to. “It’s

nothing. Only desert.”

“Now it is, but five thousand years ago, this land

flourished. Abundant in plant life, animals, and humans. The

last battle in the dragon wars was fought here. This is the

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result of it.”

Surprised, Paladin scanned the area. White dunes rose

and fell across the landscape. “How do you know this?”

“Research.” Ren shrugged. “It’s strange what you can find

when you’re searching for answers to your own questions.

Mine had nothing to do with the battle, yet all I found was

more and more artifacts pertaining to that last fight.”

“Again, I ask you, what does this have to do with Seren?”

“Patience. You really must learn a little of it or you will

end up getting killed.”

Paladin grunted.

“This battle ended with the creation of the first

dragonseed.” Ren stopped speaking. He looked straight at

him, his brow raised in speculation. “Your line of the

dragons.”

Curious where Ren was going with this, Paladin waited.

“The great white dragon and the mighty human warrior

who defeated her agreed to form a pact where they could live

in peace. She breathed her fires on the man, thus turning

him into a dragonseed.” Ren studied Paladin for a moment,

and then nodded. “The warrior returned home and sired a

child to carry on his blood line. He had a problem though.

The babe and the mother did not live past the first few

weeks. He returned, demanding to know why the white beast

had tricked him. She, in turn, ordered him to bring ten

couples, all of his blood, and she would do the same with

them that she had with him. He complied, and so the women

were able to carry children with white dragon blood.

“The warrior took another wife from this group. They in

turn had children of their own. Years went by and a strange

thing happened. The warrior did not age. His wife grew old

and died, so did his children.” Ren turned and strode off,

heading for one of the out-buildings in the compound, his

steps light over the shifting sands. His voice carried over his

shoulder to reach Paladin. “Come, my friend, I have a gift

which should help in your quest.”

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The two-story rectangular sandstone structure had a

single door situated at the front corner. As Ren drew near, he

waved his hand at the doorknob and a lock clicked. The wood

panel swung open.

He walked through the darkened opening, Paladin close

at his heels. What else could he do? He was willing to accept

any information that would help him save Seren.

With a snap of his fingers, Ren lit the dragon stones in

the metal brackets on the walls. The instant light revealed

crates stacked between narrow pathways. Paladin stayed

near the wizard, weaving through the storehouse. Soon, they

came to a single square room. The room, dusty from the

desert environment, brought an end to the path. More boxes

stacked on crates lined the walls, but for the most part, the

center of the room was bare except for a square table and a

few wooden chairs.

Paladin looked around, seeing nothing out of the

ordinary. “And? You want to show me something here?”

“I found a safekeeping place in the desert. An outcrop of

rock hidden by the sand for many generations. The cavern

within the rock formation was one of the many such places

humans sought during the dragon wars. I have discovered

some others during my search for the golden dragon clan

leader, Saxilon. The first white dragonseed lived in the one I

speak of now.” The wizard pointed to a chest in the far

corner. “Go, look there. You’ll find what you will need to fight

and win against any dragon who dares attack you.”

Without another word, Paladin strode to the chest. He

flipped the lid up. The hinges fell apart. The top hit the wall,

and then slid down, coming to rest on its side. Inside, a

tattered cloth hid the contents. Paladin ripped the rag away.

Armor glinted in the torchlight. Silver and white, he could

still sense the magic coating the metal. He lifted the top

piece.

Formed to fit the upper body and arms in a snug yet

supple casing, the white metal trimmed with silver flexed

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under his touch. He looked over his shoulder. “Is this still

powerful enough to withstand dragon’s breath?”

The wizard shot a smirking look at Leo, who in turn,

lifted a brow in question. “This armor was worn by your

ancestor. He defeated the most powerful of the dragons

while wearing it. Do you, by any chance, know his name?”

With a shake of his head, Paladin turned back to the

chest. He found gauntlets, helm, and leg armor along with a

pair of lace-up boots. All the pieces appeared like they would

fit him. “I do not care to know his name.”

“You should.”

Ren’s quiet comment brought Paladin’s attention to him

once more. “What do you mean?”

Dark hair glinted in the light as the wizard shrugged.

“Five thousand years ago, many great dragons lost to this

warrior. During the war, a young white dragon, the new clan

leader, witnessed the prowess of the warrior. She fell in love

with him. But she was a dragon. Dragons and humans could

never have a life together. They despised each other, yet this

white dragon loved a human.”

“Do you expect me to believe what you say? I have

studied extensively, and this is the first I have ever heard any

of what you say.” Paladin, thoughts of the armor along with

rescuing Seren pushing to the front of his mind, wanted to

leave.

“This was five thousand years ago, some tales are lost

with time. When I found the newly revealed haven, I

discovered the journals of the men and women who lived

there. These were left behind after peace came to the land.

All of what I’ve told you is written in these books. Even this

warrior wrote of his experiences with the dragons.”

“But history...”

Ren frowned and shook his head. “History sometimes

does not tell the entire truth. The humans want to forget that

at one time the dragons almost destroyed them. When the

dragons made the pact with the humans and bestowed their

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blood on certain ones, the human memories retained those,

but not of what happened before. Thus, the history taught to

you.” Before Paladin could respond, Ren continued. “The

white dragon’s name was Lior.”

No. Impossible.
Once again Ren captured Paladin’s

attention. The wizard had to be wrong. Lior, love a human?

Never! Paladin stared at Ren. He swallowed, smoothing the

sudden dryness in his throat to make way for his question.

“My clan’s Lior?”

Ren inclined his head. “She made a wish to transform

into a woman’s shape. Her wish came true, so at certain

times of the annual, she would turn into a woman so she

might be with the warrior. He, not knowing her true form,

came to love her in the same fashion.

“When the warrior discovered the truth, he was appalled,

devastated. He had fallen in love with one of his mortal

enemies. Not long afterward, the war ended. The dragon’s

blood was bestowed by Lior upon the warrior. He returned

home and married. After many years, he realized something

was wrong with him. He stayed young, watching his wives

and children, even his grandchildren grow old and die, all

the while he remained the same.”

Lifting a brow, Paladin, curious now, asked, “This is in

the journals?”

“He bestowed the throne on one of his great grandsons.

He departed and arrived here. For a short time, he tarried in

hopes of discovering what was wrong with him. Thus more

journals. Unable to find any help, he went to Lior,

determined to force her to tell him the truth.”

“What did he find?”

The wizard grinned, “That Lior was very crafty in the

binding of her blood. This warrior would remain as he is

until the day she no longer exists”

Amazed, Paladin starred at him, Ren’s words echoing

inside him. “She’s still alive. Did he discover a way to break

the spell, or...” He glared at Ren, realizing the wizard had

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craftily led him on the path he desired. Ren lifted one side of

his mouth in a half smile while he waited. “What is his

name?”

“Bask.”

Legs weakened at the mention of the wizard, Paladin

fought to remain steady on his feet. Bask, the guardian

wizard who watched and tended to the great white dragon,

Lior? The same long ago warrior, lost with the passage of

time? “How can that be? He’d have to be...”

“Over five thousand years old?”

Nodding, Paladin looked at the armor.

“Because of a dragon’s love, he exists. They are happy.”

Shocked at this information, Paladin stood silent for

several moments. Thoughts twirled in his mind while he

tried to accept what Ren told him. He glanced at the wizard.

“Are you suggesting I go to Bask for help?”

A black brow arched over Ren’s left eye. “Not suggesting.

It is to your advantage to have the knowledge he possesses to

fight and defeat your enemy. Dragons have buried deep in