Bochus threw up
his hands and gestured to Morgan but spoke to the standing guards. "Do
you really want this as a mate? This disrespectful thing? Even if it was
possible?"
Both Eben and
Ladon stepped forward, the insult plain on their faces but before they could
respond one dragon stepped away from his place guarding the wall and went to
stand to look down on Morgan. She was so angry by this time her power was
seeping out her eyes in mage light. Everyone was silent, as he looked her
over, his face expressionless. Eben and Ladon moved even closer. Morgan
refused to back down.
"To hold such
warmth as my own I would give much." Then he looked at Eben. "You
have the support of the Elite Dragon Forces." That brought many of the
council to their feet. And another roar from Bochus.
"You have no
right!" He bellowed. "The Elite Forces fall under the jurisdiction
of the council. What you propose is treason."
The General roared
and it silenced the whole of them. "If the council is proposing that we
let our mates die among the humans than it is the council that turns traitor.
To our entire race." He turned to face the head of the council.
"She is right. A Dragon betrays one of their own. Dragon blood is used
to fuel dark magic. The earth beyond our borders is desecrated. The enemy is
at the gate. We cannot pretend they are not."
"You don't
have the authority..."
"I am Solan
Fire-Eater." He roared. "General of the dragon armies and dragon
knight of the Light. I have given my oath to protect the earth just as Eben
Kincaid and every warrior here. Unless we are more human than Dragon that
still supersedes politics and power squabbling." He pulled his sword and
the councilors leaned back. But he just turned and knelt before a shocked
Morgan.
"I give my
oath that I will destroy the dark and protect the Light as is my duty as a
dragon knight." The rest of the warriors stepped away from the wall and
pulled their own swords, they knelt as well.
"I must
protest...” Lord Graedon started.
"How?"
Ladon said looking around at the warriors. "You have no fighting force
left to protest anything."
Eben finally
spoke. "It is done." He said ignoring the sputtering council.
"General, if you have no objections, I propose we leave now and handle the
dark mage issue before the traitor can inform his conspirators. We strike at
their powerbase and we strike now. We destroy every dark mage stronghold and
free all the light mage we can find. The soldiers, and as many of the blood
practitioners as we can find, will die tonight."
The General rose
and sheathed his sword, his men followed suit.
"Agreed."
He said, "My men and I will route out this abomination and end the dark
mages. The light Mage I leave to you and your lady to sort out." He
bowed low from the waist to Morgan then his hand went to the pommel of his
sword. "As of right now, we are war."
It ended there for
the warriors. They left with Eben and General Solan to make war. Morgan was
left sputtering when Eben gave her formally into Ladons arms with a warning to
keep her safe. Then he was just gone. No kiss goodbye- be safe going to war.
Nothing.
The council
continued to fight amongst themselves with Lord Bochus on one side and Lord
Topa on the other. Mostly it was just Bochus continuing to bellow while Topa
tried to talk sense into him. Occasionally Lord Fahlion would wake up and
contribute but from Lord Graedon there was nothing. He merely watched
everything. Mostly he watched Morgan.
Do they not
realize the decision has been made?
She asked Ladon.
So much for
Dragon superiority.
Ladon laughed.
Come
on puny mage I will feel better when you are safe with the hatchlings.
He
pulled her into his arms.
You stay here you might start another war.
Very funny.
Then
hesitantly.
Do you think Eben will be all right?
The Dragon
executioner and the Dragon Elite Knights against a few pesky blood mages. The
only thing that might happen is he laughs so hard at their defenses that he
falls out of the sky and breaks a wing.
Funny.
When
they were at the entrance, something made Morgan turn and look back. Lord
Bochus was giving her a glare so full of hate it singed. Lord Graedon was
gone.
***
Eben could still
hear Ladon cursing him through their bond, even this far inside a mountain of
rock that overlooked the Valley of Silence. But he didn't regret maneuvering
it so that he would stay behind with their mate. They were hardly going to
leave her alone.
"You speak to
your mates?"
"More like
they speak to me. They do not care for my leaving them behind and going into
battle."
"What was it
like? To finally find your mate?"
Eben was quiet so
long General Solan had already turned back to his maps assuming he wouldn't
answer. "Like being entombed in ice for centuries and finally escaping
and seeing the sun. It is painful and wondrous at the same time."
"Painful?” Solan
asked still bent over the maps but with his intense eyes on Ebens face.
"When
feelings return it is...intense. I find in myself a savagery that was absent
before. It is not an easy thing to love such a fragile being. The thought of
losing her is...all consuming at times. But I would not choose another."
"And if she
chose another?" Solan had stood to his full height his face glacial in
its absence of expression. When Ebens eyes started to glow and his power pulse
between them Solan spoke quickly. "I would want no misunderstandings
between us. I am not challenging you, I ask because I...should I be lucky
enough to find my mate...I doubt that any such would want what the centuries of
battle have made me...I am not an easy dragon."
Eben calmed, then
gave the question the consideration it deserved. "I more than most
understand this worry General. I too have dealt blood and death to the
ruleless for so long I feel painted in it. I can only say that you are a
Knight of the Light. A bringer of death and an honorable man. Perhaps your
mate will have need of all those things."
Before Solan could
say anything to that, there was a call from outside.
"Enter."
General Solan and Eben both called. They grinned wryly at each other. Both were
used to commanding. Eben dipped is head in acknowledgment that this was
General Solans command.
"General
Solan, Lord Kinkaid." Ryall stated saluting. "The Knights are
deployed to all three of the remaining black castles. They report their
readiness, and their...disgust. It is as Lord Kinkaid reported. The land is
dead for miles around. Nothing could survive that did not live on death."
General Solans
face was bitter as he met Ebens. "This should have been dealt with long
ago. In our old age we become complacent and apathetic in our duties."
"I thought
the same when I saw the first. It is a hard lesson but one we must learn
now."
"Vigilance."
Solan said with bite.
"And not just
with our enemies." Eben agreed. "But that is for another night.
Tonight we have an enemy we can see."
"Then let us
be done with this." Solan turned to the soldier still waiting.
"Ryall. The call is made, be sure that the contingent searching for light
mages are ready for the rescue before the walls come down. Then total
annihilation. I want nothing crawling away from this fight." He turned
to Eben. "Shall we?"
"Indeed.
They call so prettily for blood and death, let’s give them what they ask
for."
By the coming of
dawn there was nothing left of the blood mages strongholds but ashes and
poisonous black smoke. They had been razed to the ground, no mercy shown the
people there. It was a purging. In the melee, only six light mages were found
alive. Though thousands of bones were discovered webbed into the walls.
Finding that, the Dragons lost whatever restraint they had and not a single
black rock escaped their fire. After the destruction, all six rescued mages
elected not to go into exile with the dragons.
Unable to convince
the light mages they would be safer with fire breathing dragons than their own
people the dragons journeyed home, victorious with nothing to show for it but
the destruction left in their wake.
***
Morgan was in the
children's playroom when Ladon came to find her. Clare and Rhune were arguing
over who was the fastest shifter now that their powers had returned. Meanwhile
Melly laughed and refused comment. Instead, she watched them while stirring
the air around her so they all stood in a cool breeze. Ladon was unsure if she
knew she was doing it or not. Something about the magic that lived here was
stirring them all up. Strengthening their magic and loosening their control.
Or perhaps it was just that they could let loose here. They were free to be
themselves without hiding.
Morgan had changed
into a simple blue cotton dress and stood barefoot. Still she took his breath
away. She was not comfortable with the pomp and ceremony he brought to the
table as a Prince and future council member, and she had such a look of sadness
on her face. He wondered if she was regretting becoming his mate, but then he
hadn't really given her a choice. Would she have been better off with just
Eben as mate? Maybe. Right now, she was looking out the window towards the
South, towards Eben. It made him lose his smile.
He almost looked
into her head to see what she was thinking but he decided against it. Maybe he
was better off not knowing she was in love with Eben and just tolerated him.
Why not? What
could he possibly add to her life that Eben Kinkaid couldn't do just as well? Instead,
he backed quietly out of the room before he could intrude on their family time.
Morgan felt Ladons
withdrawal even as she was turning to look for him. He felt...lost.
She found him on
the balcony of their bedroom; one they had yet to share. She'd seen it earlier
of course, but walking through it now still had her eyes bugging in her head.
Everything was formed from stone like in the rest of the castle, and covered
with opulent jewel toned down cushions and throws of the softest furs. She
felt once again her insignificance. Would there be an echo if she called out?
When she finally
made it across the cavernous room, past the bed that was big enough to hold a
family of ten, a large sitting area and a fireplace big enough to roast a
steer, she made it to the balcony. The view was enough to astound her even
before she breathed in the crystal clear air that simmered magic.
Eben had an
amazing vista as far across as the North Gate and the Ice Mountains. But it
was hard to see any of that when Ladon was standing there in nothing but a pair
of slacks and knee boots. The wind and starlight playing through his hair like
licks of fire. His skin, moon kissed over hard muscle.
He belongs
here.
She thought.
Amid all this splendor, and I so do not.
Even as she ate
him with her eyes, it made her wonder about his home.
"We have not
discussed where we'll live." Thankfully, her voice was more composed than
she felt. She walked up to stand beside him. "The rest of us have no
real place but you probably have a home you value. Will you be content living
here?"
"Will I be
living here?" He turned as he asked the question his back against the low
wall that separated them from open air.
The question made
the bottom drop out of Morgan’s stomach. She had to swallow thickly before she
continued. "You don't want to?" She tried searching his feelings
out through the mate bond but he was closed up tight and she lacked the time
and practice needed to break through.
She licked her
suddenly dry lips. "I mean, I suppose you are a prince, you have your own
castle." She said. "I guess I just assumed you would stay here. With
us."
"You assumed
that or you wanted that?” Still there was nothing in his voice, but she was
feeling something now.
Was the great
arrogant dragon insecure? Or was that just her projecting? It made her blink
and think about how little time they'd been together. Had it been just these
past three days? Somehow, the mate bond made it feel that they had always been
together. "Both"
"Both?"
"I both
assumed you would stay here and want you to stay." When she heard how
shaky she sounded, she raised her chin, getting angry. "But I now
assume
that since you've shut me out that you don't feel the same. Well tough.
You hear me dragon?” By the end, she had worked herself into a good froth.
"You’re the one who wanted this bond; you forced the issue and now you're
stuck with it." She stepped closer and poked him in his perfect chest.
Her ire finding new heights as the sky clouded behind them. "I may not be
dragon princess material but you made me fall in love with you, against my
better judgment, I might add." Another poke to the chest. "So now
it’s done. You aren't getting rid of me, or fobbing me off on my other mate.
You made your bed and now you’re going to lay in it."
"My fierce
little falcon..." He whispered, before wrapping his arms around her waist
and lifting her high to his chest. His lips slammed down on hers and
devoured. Lightning flashed and the dark clouds burst open drenching them in
seconds.
Morgan struggled,
ready to scratch out his fickle eyes just as Ladon finally opened himself up to
the mate bond. Flooded with his relief and love, she sagged in his arms. Then
with a groan was kissing him back as if she could absorb all of him through his
lips.
He turned and
pressed her against the stonewall, pulling up her dress even as she fumbled
with his buckle.
"I need to be
inside you.” He growled.
"Yes."
She said against his lips. His cock sprang out into her hand and she squeezed
it wrapping her knees around his hips. Then he was pushing into her. Pressing
her into the wall with his thrust. She wrapped herself tighter around him, her
head thrown back while his teeth found her collarbone and pinned her there. He
pounded into her as the rain poured down and the thunder crashed. The pressure
built on each powerful thrust until she screamed her pleasure to the storm.
Ladon joined her with a roar.
His head fell to
her throat while their heavy breathing fogged in the cool night air. As they
calmed, the storm ended, the clouds dissipated and the clear night sky once
again shown with stars.
She grabbed two fistfuls
of his hair and yanked. "Oww.” He said, laughing and nuzzling her neck.
"You are an
idiot." She said with bite.
"I know
that.
Now
." His voice back to its usual arrogance. "I told
you that first day in the cave you couldn't resist me."
"Of all the
ridiculous, egotistical..." Ladon interrupted her with a hard kiss.
"Enough."
He said hoisting her higher in his arms without leaving his place inside her.
He was already hard again and heading into the bedroom. While he walked, the
wind answered his call, drying their hair in a swirl of warm air. Then on a
breath of dragon magic, the rest of his clothes disappeared. "I've a mind
to go back to your suggestion."
"I've got a
suggest..." He kissed her quiet again right before he fell on the bed
with her under him causing the air to whoosh out of her.
"I made my
bed." He said on a truly diabolical chuckle, ripping away the flimsy
dress and looking his fill. "Now I'm going to lay in it."