by D. E. Morris
“I told them. I told Lucien's friends.”
“Told them what, darling?”
“I told them about what you were doing. They asked why I was there and I told them.” His bottom lip quivered and he looked up at Cavalon, panic rising, “I didn't know I wasn't supposed to tell them.”
Cavalon's lip curled and he glared, not at Lochlainn, but at Jaryn and Ashlynn as she stood. “You didn't tell him to keep it a secret?” the Badarian exploded. “Lucien has Gaelic friends! If they knew there was a way to keep themselves and their families safe...” He bit down on whatever it was he wanted to say, simultaneously biting on his knuckle as he turned away to try to get a better grip on his temper. When he turned back, he pointed a thick finger at the royal couple. “This – what is happening in my country – is your fault. You gave him all the information but you didn't tell him what not to do with it!”
“Us?” Ashlynn retorted. “He was under your care! You're the one who let him go off with children we didn't even know. Why didn't you take the time to remind him not to share certain things with strangers?”
Vala peeked her head around the corner, along with a few others drawn by the sudden explosion, to try to see what was going on. Elas noticed and cleared his throat. “Uh, maybe this isn't the best place for this.”
The situation deflated the moment Lochlainn burst into tears and ran from the room. Ashlynn started after him but Vala caught her eye, silently offering her services instead. With a frustrated sigh, the older woman stayed where she was for the time being, only so that she could deal with Cavalon before going to comfort her son.
“Listen, what's done is done,” Jaryn reasoned, doing his best to placate both his wife and his friend. “It's happening in Siness, it's happening in Braemar. Tasarin has told me there have been several isolated incidents in Caedia and we've had reports of purges in Ibays. Whether you tried to protect your people or not, Cavalon, it would have come to your country sooner or later. How it happened matters little at this point. Standing here screaming at each other in full view of everyone won't do any good or solve anything.”
“And what will?” Cavalon challenged. “What are you doing?”
“We've executed some of the vigilantes,” reminded Elas.
Cavalon gave a deep frown. “The Volar have a unique system of justice. If any are found among those doing the hunting, I can tell you that their executions will be swift and very public.”
“There's something we want to show you before you go,” said Jaryn, “a headdress. It's something you should be on the lookout for.”
The three of them hastened away, leaving Mairead and Elas to stand near the entrance of the great hall together, watching the eavesdropping courtiers scatter. “So much for speaking with Ashlynn,” Elas chuckled, but Mairead shook her head.
“I am used to waiting.”
He fidgeted and looked around a moment before finally settling his attention on her once more. “I wanted to apologize for not coming to see you right away when you returned. I figured you would be bombarded with people.”
Her smile for him was small. “There is no need to apologize.”
“There is. When I heard about what happened and how you might be in danger, I was really worried about you. I feel like you and I have become good friends these past few years. We share something no one else does.” He eyed the side of her face that had once been scarred but was now perfectly smooth and as unblemished as the other side of her face. “Although, that is not as true as it once was.”
His comment, though far from malicious, made her flinch. “I am still me,” she said quietly.
“I know.” His words were as quiet as her own, and just as sad. “And just like me, you're still hiding, only in a different way.”
Mairead looked down, unable to speak.
“Did they hurt you?”
She shook her head, despite the way she'd answered that very same question when Niam asked it of her. “No, not in the physical sense. Really, they were very kind and gracious to me. I have not felt such acceptance and generosity from anyone before, even coming into Ashlynn's services. The heartbreaking part is that it is genuine in most of them. They simply do not know their leader is corrupt and feeding them false doctrine.”
Elas narrowed his eyes. “Are you sure you weren't being fooled yourself?”
“Oh, I certainly was fooled,” she admitted, a quiet, humorless laugh passing her lips. Derog's face was strong in her memories, leaving both a sweet and bitter taste in her mouth. “There were some that would have me believe they loved me for me, but were really seeking to use me for what I am. And then there were others that were true innocents, caught in the middle of something terrible and wicked that they should have never been part of to begin with.”
He watched her, empathy curving his mouth into a closed-lip smile. “You got too close to some of them.”
“I did, and it broke my heart.”
“That was the one rule I had to keep reminding myself of over and over when I was on my own – no personal connections and no getting close to anyone. It only ends up in heartache, especially when you're forced to make connections for pure personal gain.”
Mairead shook her head. “I do not know how you lived like that, Elas. My heart aches.”
“Over the betrayal or the loss?”
“Both. They both cut deep.”
He sighed. “And they will both take a while to heal, especially if one of them had to do with why you need space from Niam.” She looked up sharply and he shrugged. “I'm not as dumb as I look. I saw you avoiding even looking at him during the meeting.”
Uncomfortable, Mairead let her gaze drop back down to the floor before turning her attention out toward the hallway. “I should return to my quarters and try to rest again, especially if I will be making another long flight tomorrow. I can speak with Ashlynn another time.”
Elas nodded. “Don't let me keep you. I just wanted to say that I'm glad you're okay.”
“Thank you.” She dipped her head and turned, her shoes clicking over the stones as she left the great hall. She only made it to the tall, wide double doors before she paused and looked back over her shoulder where she left the blue-haired man standing and asked, “What did you feel?”
He had been lost in thought and blinked as though surprised she was still there, turning in her direction. “What did I feel? I'm not sure what you mean.”
“I almost asked you to join us in the meeting I called of the Elementals...it was a gut feeling I had that I should. Before I could even reach out to you, you shut me out and looked at me across the distance between us as though I ought not even dare, that you were angry at me for even thinking about it.”
The smile he wore was bemused. “I don't even remember.”
Mairead lifted a brow, unfooled. “I thought we were friends.” His jaw tightened and she turned fully to face him, pulling the doors closed behind her. “Do you not remember that odd feeling we had when we touched several years ago, that spark of power that ran through both of us?”
Elas waved it off. “Barely. Besides, didn't you say you felt something similar with Gia? That was a weird time to be a Gael anyway, what with all the magic music going around and everything.” His lips split into a smile that was too wide to be genuine, making the dragon side of his face look almost terrifying in its grin. “You're overtired and you're overthinking things, Mairead. Go get some rest. Have a safe journey tomorrow, wherever you're going.” With a wave that was meant to look nonchalant but appeared more dismissive, he left through a side door, leaving her standing in the great hall all by herself.
Chapter Thirty-One
Mist clung to the spires of Altaine in dense clusters of fog and shadow. The sun was not yet high enough to burn through the humidity that had settled over the mountains during the night. Everything felt as though it wore a cloak of dampness as it did every morning before the heat simmered it away. Ashlynn already felt beads of sweat forming on the back of he
r neck as she crossed her bedchambers, trying to be quiet in her movements. Though the stone was cold under her bare feet, the air was still thick and heavy. It was going to be one of those days where minimal activity would result in a sense overexertion. She would have to keep a careful watch on Lochlainn during their journey. Even though their shifted forms were not as affected by heat and dehydration, he had a tendency to push himself a little too far in his human form. If he thought he could get away with more as a dragon, there was no telling what he might try to attempt.
She glanced at her sleeping husband, still tangled up in a single sheet and fast asleep, before pushing open the shutters to let the air flow through. The village far below would sit and simmer in the humidity all day and likely throughout the rest of the summer, but the castle dried out during the daylight hours and remained fairly cool in the central areas. Even though it was still early, there was already a palpable difference to the air within and the air outside. The slight breeze that blew past Ashlynn hinted at dryer warmth and carried the scent of bergamot and lavender. She pulled her hair over her shoulder and unknotted her braid to brush it out, gazing out over her kingdom, when movement on the parapet wall below made her take a step closer to the window and look farther down.
There, standing on top of the stone wall with nothing separating him from a fall into oblivion, was a singular figure dressed in simple linen trousers and a tunic. Covering his face was the skull of a hatchling sewn together with dyed leather scales and feathers to form the headdress she was so familiar with. As if aware that she was watching him, the figure turned and looked directly up at her window. Ashlynn gasped, rattled, and took a step back, knocking into her dressing table and jostling everything sitting on top of it. The brush fell from her hands and hit the floor with a loud clatter that filled the room.
“What?” Jaryn sat up in bed, fighting the sheet and himself to keep his eyes open. “What happened?”
“Someone's outside,” Ashlynn whispered. While her husband strove to get a grasp of the situation, she looked for a weapon that could be launched. “Why do we not have a bow in here?”
“In the bedroom?” Jaryn got up, slowly shaking away the fog of sleep.
“In every room,” she snarled. “Get down.”
He crouched as he crept closer to the window. As soon as he was against the wall, he straightened at a slow pace and brought his eyes up over the sill to inspect the view outside. Within seconds, he stood tall and at ease. “There's no one there.”
“What?” Ashlynn joined him, brow wrinkled as she, too, surveyed the area. Just as Jaryn said, absolutely no one was to be seen. “No,” she muttered in disbelief. “Jaryn, he was standing right there on the parapet wall. He was wearing one of the masks...he looked right at me.” She lifted her face to him, eyes wide. “I swear to you, he was right there.”
“I believe you,” Jaryn told her in earnest. Head turning, he called, “Guards!” and the doors opened half a second later, two men in armor rushing in with their hands on the hilts of their swords, ready for anything. “Someone has been spotted on the castle grounds wearing one of the vigilante headdresses. Raise a quiet alarm but do not bring needless attention to the matter. Make sure he is found.”
“Yes, Your Majesty.”
As the doors closed behind the men, Jaryn put his hands on Ashlynn's shoulders for reassurance. “It's only a matter of time, now. He won't get far.”
“I'm going to get Lochlainn.”
Jaryn's arms dropped to his side, watching her go for her thin robe. “He has guards outside his room.”
“As do we, and yet they were completely unaware of the man standing on the parapet below our window. I am going to wake our son, Jaryn, and not just because of this, but because we have a long day of traveling ahead of us. The sooner we start out, the better.”
He nodded, disappointment on his face. “I'll send for your girls.”
Ashlynn paused at hearing the sadness in his resigned words and reached out, grabbing his arms to stop him before he could make it to the door. “Wait.” Pulling him back toward her, she slid her arms beneath his, encircling him in her embrace and waiting until he reciprocated before speaking. “I'm sorry.”
“For?”
Her nose crinkled. “Can it be a blanket apology for now? Knowing me, there is a lot to apologize for and since we don't have a great deal of time on our hands, getting into specifics at the moment isn't all that feasible.” He chuckled and she looked up at him with half a smirk. “Mostly, I'm sorry for the way I've been treating you. I'm hot and cold with forgiveness. It's driving me mad; I can only imagine how it's making you feel.”
His shoulders lifted in a shrug. “It's justified.”
“No, it isn't.” She unwound herself and pushed against his chest, frustration crossing her features. “Stop doing that. That's part of my frustration. It happened. Own up to it. Stop being the victim. You're not the only one affected by this.”
“But I deserve your anger over the situation.”
“Maybe, but you also deserve to move on. In the interest of moving on, as much as we can in a situation like this, I think we need to tell our core group exactly what happened. It is irresponsible of us not only as their friends but as leaders not to inform them of this potential threat. I can tell those that will be with me today.” She pursed her lips. “Lochlainn needs to know as well, to an extent.”
Jaryn nodded. “I agree. Not the details, but that he must be careful who he shares information with and that he must be absolutely certain that all friendly faces are indeed who they say they are. I can fill in those of our group that are left behind.” His arms around her tightened and he dipped his head to kiss her neck before nibbling playfully at her ear, his beard against her skin making her giggle and squirm against him. “Eat something before you leave,” he growled, fingers tickling her ribs through the thin fabric of her nightdress.
“I will,” she shrieked, trying to break free of his iron grip.
“I think you should take Killian with you, too.”
Ashlynn stopped moving and looked up at her husband, suspended between laughter and disbelief. “You certainly know how to kill a moment.”
Chuckling, Jaryn let her go enough to brush the hair back from her face. “Add it to my lengthy list of talents. I've been thinking about it since yesterday, to be honest. Someone else should be there with all of you for added protection, should anything happen. Who better than a Keeper? Killian being there as protection would also allow him to watch over Rowan.” Ashlynn gave him a smile that suggested she was hiding something, causing Jaryn to narrow his eyes. “You were going to bring him along already, weren't you?”
“I was going to see if you were comfortable with the idea, yes.”
Jaryn shook his head, laughter quiet in his throat. “Of course you were, because we're always thinking along the same lines but we haven't been the best at communicating lately.”
“No,” she lamented, “we haven't.”
“Just make sure he flies with someone else, right?”
Ashlynn tilted her head, one eye narrowing. “Well, see, here's the problem. Lochlainn is too small to carry anyone yet, and Rowan will be in the water the whole time, leaving only...”
“Badru, the dragon practically made of pure fire.” Jaryn slumped forward, dropping his forehead against Ashlynn's shoulder. She gave a sympathetic chuckle and leaned her head against his, fingers weaving through the hair at the back of his neck. After a moment, he mumbled against her, “What if we gave him fireproof clothing?” making Ashlynn shake with laughter.
By the time all five of them were fed and prepared to leave, the masked stranger still had not been found. Ashlynn tried to put it out of her head with Jaryn's assurance that he would be caught long before they ever returned. Badru was much more himself, his usual easy smile on his lips as he caught Lochlainn's excitement at their first big adventure together. They had gathered in Ashlynn's favored spot to shift, everyone eager to see whethe
r the boy's shape and color scheme would change with his new status. Too many people had seen him in his Gaelic form already and would know if they saw his change now that something was different. All of them agreed that, for the time being, it was best to keep the secret as quiet as possible.
“I know that I have only been here for a year,” said Vala, watching the young prince as he was receiving final words of encouragement from his aunt and uncle, “but he has grown and changed so much in even that small amount of time. To think I get to witness even this incredible new thing.”
“I know,” Lilia agreed beside her, a fond smile on her face. “It seems like only yesterday he was sticking my jewels in his mouth and drooling all over his clothes as his teeth came in.”
Vala looked up at the older girl. “Are you speaking to me now?”
“For now,” Lilia cautioned. “Look, Badru is about to shift.”
Everyone stood back as fiery scales rippled over Badru's growing, massive body like plates of armor. In no time at all, the transition from human to dragon was complete and he was in the air, leaving Rowan and Lochlainn to prepare to join him next.
“Will it hurt less now that I'm an Elemental?” he asked his foster sister.
“I won't lie, it hurts more, but it hurts differently because it's more than your body that's changing, it's your blood.” She held out her hands to him, waiting for him to meet her halfway. “It doesn't hurt for as long, though. It's a rush of pain, like when you hit your elbow or stub your toe. You know how it runs up your arm or your leg? It's like that...only a lot worse. But it's quick.” She squeezed his fingers. “Do you want me to talk you through it like Kenayde does?”
“No,” he said, half sighing, half whining. “I want to try. You go first.”
“Okay.” She grinned at him and said, “Tha gaol agam ort, bràthair beag.”
The sentiment brought a smile to his lips and made him visibly relax. “Mo ghaol ort.”