Sky Warriors: Poleuthan's Thief (Sky Warriors Saga Book 1) (23 page)

Ange scowled, distinguishing the girl that had threatened their lives and still was inclined to carry out the threat.

“She’s my twin, too. She’s also our
Dragonbound leader, the head of the Sky Warriors,” Amaris continued on, not seeming to catch the hostility coming from Ange, or simply ignoring it.

Ange grimace deepened, she never much liked authority and this case was no exception.

“And that tall beauty right behind her is her partner and our dragon leader Grace, trust me, she’s not as cold as she looks,” Amaris chuckled. “But if there’s a book you can’t find or you’re feeling sick, she’s the lady to go too.”

Grace smiled slightly with a short defeated shake of her head and smiled kindly at Ange.

“Oh, and the blond one is my Ana’s hubby, Adam. He’s a bit shy but he’s a really nice guy, he’s really good with technology too. So if something is ever broken, he’s your man.”

“Amaris,” Ileana growled slightly.

“Ooops, sorry,” Amaris smiled unapologetic. “Correction, that’s her
mate
,” she emphasized the word with a giggle.

Ileana growled deeper, infuriated but let out a sigh of defeat as Adam touched her shoulder gently and smiled. Ileana returned the smile reluctantly and allowed her stiff composure to relax slightly.

Ange smiled amused, she was liking Amaris more by the second. Ange guessed she ruffled her twin sister’s temper quite often and somehow still managed to get away with it.

“And that there hunk right behind Adam is his dragon,
Chrysaetos.”

Corvus’s
face twitched briefly as he returned his gaze to Amaris.

She caught his gaze and chuckled as she continued, undaunted by his glare.

“Now his name is a mouthful, so we all call him Saeto. Well, except for Grace, they are mates after all. If you need hunting lessons or battle strategies or simply a sparring partner, he’s the dragon for the job,” Amaris added with a thrill as another sigh filled the room. “Falco and Eirian are off patrolling at the moment, but you’ll meet them later. Falco is real friendly, Eirian is more withdrawn…but she’s a nice girl once she warms up to you. She’s a fierce warrior though, you don’t want to get on her bad side,” Amaris winked and whispered quietly. “She’s got a bad temper but don’t let her catch you saying that.”

Ange tried to suppress a giggle. “I’ll try to remember,” she promised.

“Excellent, that’s everyone then. All the Sky Warriors.”

Ange stared shocked for a moment. “Wait…that’s everyone?” she asked baffled.

“There are only nine pairs of us left, not including the Phoenix Queen,” Showl answered quietly.

Ange frowned, thoughtful, considering the sad plight of the dragons, her thoughts unintentionally straying to the strange
aberration in the sky before she fainted. Her skin crawled and she pulled up her gaze to Corvus who was glowering at Showl and her almost openly.

Ange waved Amaris closer and whispered nervously into her ear.

“What’s wrong with him?”

Amaris stood up and looked to Corvus then back with an amused smiled. “Oh, nothing. He’s just on nerve, he thinks you two are going to try and take me hostage so you can get away.”

Corvus sighed with a shake of his head and turn of his eyes as he kept his gaze glued to Amaris.

Ange laughed loudly, entertained by the idea. “Are we that easy to read?” she asked with a touch of dramatic innocence.

“Afraid you are,” Amaris admitted humorously. “But you’d have to catch me first,” she added with gleam in her brown eyes.

Ange smiled challengingly. “I’ll have to take you up on that, but on another day.”

“Agreed,” Amaris concurred, her hand out to finish the deal.

Ange grasped her hand, eager for a workout and a challenge when she was in better shape for a spar.

As they let go hands Grace’s voice cut in.

“We should let Angeline rest, she has just completed her bonding, her body needs time to recuperate and Showl needs time to establish their mental connection and adjust to the aftereffects of their bonding.”

“Grace,” Ileana growled. “We need to settle this matter before anything else.”

Grace raised her hand and halted her in her tracks.

“This is a lot for this young girl to take in right now, Ileana. You should understand better than anyone else how difficult a change in life this will be for her,” her eyes flashed to Showl and Ange. “Only her dragon can help her through this transition from mundane life to the weight of an immortal existence.”

Ileana sighed, appearing suddenly tired. “You’re right, Grace. As usual,” she added with a frustrated smile. “It’s difficult to be compassionate after this morning’s…” she turned her unconvinced and suspicious gaze to Showl and Ange, “mysterious battle. It’s been a long time since we had a new face among our ranks.”

“If you don’t mind,” Showl directed to Ileana with a strained tone. “I want to take Angeline out on a flight. Our first flight wasn’t…memorable…” Ange snorted ironically, he glanced at her raising an eyebrow before rectifying his statement. “Perhaps memorable isn’t the correct word…it wasn’t quite…traditional,” he smiled at Ange, expecting her to protest.

She smiled innocently, and shrugged in response, not intent on an argument.

Ileana frowned thoughtfully, exchanging glances with the rest of the group, Adam nodded to her while her twin smiled encouragingly.

“Very well,” Ileana allowed quickly before she turned away followed by Grace, Adam, and
Chrysaetos. Corvus followed slowly, pausing by the door and looking back at his Dragonbound expectantly.

Amaris sighed and turned back to smile at Ange. “Well, I hope it goes well. I have to follow my sister, she’s more than eager to scold me.”

“How do you know she wants to scold you?” Ange asked baffled.

Amaris’s smile became a thoughtful line. “Well…Ana and I are actually very special, even among the
Dragonbounds. Since we were children we were telepathic.”

Ange stared surprised, sitting up straighter.

“But only with each other. It’s not like the telepathy you and Showl share or the connection I share with Corvus. It’s more limited. We only hear each other’s thoughts when we send it to each other, our emotions on the other hand…well let’s just say we can feel those from each other even if we don’t intend for the other to feel them. And pain…when one of is wounded, we both suffer the pain.”

“That’s amazing,” Ange breathed. “I’ve always heard stories that some twins had special bonds.”

Amaris frowned obviously thinking before she smiled with mischief.

“Do you want to know something even weirder?” Amaris asked eagerly.

“What?”

“Our dragons share the same connection, so before we were even part of the Council, we could all share thoughts with each other,” she glanced at Corvus with open admiration and winked at him.

Corvus smiled and leaned against the door frame, the smile quickly leaving as he turned his gaze to the hallway.

“That is strange,” Ange agreed even though she had not the slightest idea what was strange among dragons. She stole a glance at Corvus before returning her gaze to Amaris. “He doesn’t say much, does he?”

Amaris smiled fondly as she turned her stare to her dragon. “No, he really doesn’t. You should hear all the mental sighing and agitation I give him. He can’t claim I give him any mental peace,” she smiled deviously.

“On the contrary,” Corvus responded much to their surprise. He took several fluid steps toward Amaris, stopping only inches away and tilting her face up to him with a finger. “You’re the reason I have a peaceful mind,” he winked at her and smiled widely as her face flushed red.

Ange couldn’t repress the giggle that escaped her.

Amaris stepped back and swallowed, trying to regain her composure. “Wellllll, I uh…” She looked at Ange embarrassed and startled, her voice coming out in a rush. “Well, will you look at the time!” she let a short hoarse laugh as she brushed her hair back with her left hand. “Ana, is going to kill me and I…uh…I forgot to clean my room, yes, that’s it!” she rushed out without a glance back.

Corvus let out a small chuckle, shaking his head slightly as he gazed after her. He turned his gaze back to them, bowing his head slightly to Showl before turning his white gaze to Ange.

Ange froze immediately under his eyes.

“I hope you and Amaris can have a long and prosperous friendship,” he said quietly, his voice a soft tone.

Ange glanced at the door where the girl had vanished and smiled warily to the black-haired dragon. “I hope so too.”

He nodded to her once with a slight inclination of his head seeming satisfied with her answer before he turned away and strode out the door after his
Dragonbound. He closed the door behind him as he left.

The room was suddenly quiet and still.

“Would you like to rest?” Showl asked quietly from where he stood by the bed.

“No,” Ange replied quickly. “You got me thinking about flying now,” she joked.

Showl smiled. “We can talk in the sky in relative peace,” he agreed.

“Good, because I have a lot of questions,” Ange replied as she shoved her lower body off the bed, she quickly put on her boots, pleased she didn’t have to look for them where they sat at the foot of the bed.

Before she stood up she tested her hands, clenching them to determine how well they would respond, relatively satisfied she stood up. To her dismay her legs weren’t ready for movement as she fell forward.

She let out and annoyed huff as Showl’s arm caught her.

“Thanks,” she
thanked grudgingly.

Showl frowned as she stood up by herself, pushing his arm away.

She froze as she felt him slip into her mind, curious.

“Now who’s feeling intrusive?” Ange snarled.

Showl stared at her surprised, withdrawing from her mind.

“Forgive me, I was only attempting to understand you better,” he replied.

“What do you mean?” Ange hissed through her teeth, feeling her body shiver with dread as the touch of his mind left.

He felt her discomfort at his presence and Ange felt his hurt at her reaction.

“I was trying to understand why you get so angry when I help you,” he replied.

Ange stared bemused. “Why do you care about that?”

“I care about everything that has to do with you Angeline,” he replied with a hard topaz gaze. “How am I to be a better partner for you if I don’t try to understand you?”

Ange shivered again. “Well, figure that out some other way than slinking through my brain.”

Ange felt his anger before he even displayed it on his fair face.

“Slinking?” he snarled. “Am I to understand that you can peruse through my thoughts freely but I am not allowed to do the same?”

Ange felt a wave of guilt wash through her and her words came out in a stumble. “It’s just creepy, okay?” she spat taking a step away from him, trying to suppress the guilt and block her thoughts from him.

“That is no answer and no excuse, little thief,” Showl growled. “There should be no double standards between a dragon and his
Soulbound.”

They glared at one another for a moment, anger flaring between them.

“If you’re not going to tell me the truth…” his voice hinting at a threat.

“You wouldn’t dare,” Ange seethed, suddenly worried.

“You leave me little choice. We will never learn to work together if we don’t get past this block.” Showl replied in a dangerous calm.

“Don’t you-!” she cut short in a gasp as a torrent of force washed against the wall she had erected against Showl, it didn’t last for a moment against his power. His mind washed through her own like a drowning ocean. His brilliant light made her cower and recoil, her fear lashed though her, making her panic, and all the while her body remained frozen.

She felt him claw past every barrier she pulled up, fighting her weak attempt to defend her private thoughts. Unable to take the onslaught of invading torment she yelled out her darkest fears, she let them wash out to meet his inquiring and probing search.

A little girl cowered at the edge of a building, crying, begging for the torture to end as tall figures obscured the world, forcing her to curl in a corner. Laughing at her, spitting at her, throwing stones that pelted her emancipated shape, making her cry out in agony as the cruel round objects bruised her to the bone as they continued to laugh. The pain was endless, the tormenting laughing continued, the scowling eyes continued to burn. I
mmemorial hours passed, the people slowly faded, walking away, uninterested in their hapless prey. Bleeding, bruised, miserable, the little girl curled on the dirty floor, crying out the remainder of the night as hate slowly built up as she expended the remainder of her self-pity.

Vulnerable,
inadequate, weak, helpless, lost. She hated it all, she hated anyone that made her feel that that pain, that made her remember…she would never allow anyone to make her feel that way again.