Broken Bonds (Valerian's Cove Book 2)

by H. C. de Cossy

  Devra’s room was green and gold. She had a four-poster bed with a full canopy, golden brocade curtains over a gauzy under-curtain of snowy white, and a luxurious area rug on the floor at the side of the bed. There were a small settee, bookshelves and a coffee table as well. The settee was green sueded velvet, with plump, supremely soft and squishy gold colored chenille pillows. There was a golden handwoven blanket for snuggling under over the back of the settee. A vanity table was against the wall near the window, and the room came with a large walk-in closet and its own ensuite bathroom with a clawfoot tub. Devra loved it and praised Granny Niamh highly.

  Sinking down onto the settee, Devra cleared her mind and sank into a trance. Long-distance communication always required deeper concentration.

  Mama.

  Devra? How are you, Sweetheart? Is Sean behaving himself?

  We’re okay, Mama. We’ve run into something big, and we need all the help that we can get. Which is what I wanted to talk to you about. I found a family of Guardian descent that were unaware-mostly-of their potential and abilities. Two of them are very strong Empaths. Too strong for me to train once they make peace with their Dragons. They have low dragon ability, but with how strong they already are as Empaths, I am out of my depth. Will you help?

  Of course, Sweetheart. I was just looking for something to do. Things are a bit boring here at the moment. I am well overdue for a bit of adventure. I will be there shortly. Will I need to find accommodations?

  No, their house is Spirit-Charmed. Their great grandmother takes great pleasure in creating additional rooms to order. It should be fine.

  Excellent. See you soon, Sweetheart.

  Devra opened her eyes, then sat back against the cushions with a smile. Her mother was coming.

  21

  Allie and Vannie were out in the training area with Grandpa Luc when Devra’s mother arrived. Celine and her daughters were in the kitchen with Milena, cooking up a storm. Literally. Pots, bowls, plates, vegetables and other ingredients were flying around the kitchen as they worked to prepare enough food for a small army. Pot roast, potatoes, carrots, green beans, corn, peas, salads, rolls, Dahl, quinoa, and of course, dessert, which tonight was bread pudding with homemade French vanilla ice cream, were all on the menu. As Celine put the roast in the oven, the doorbell range. Wiping her hands, Celine opened the door.

  On the other side of the door was a tall, imposing woman with the look of royalty about her. Her dark chocolate brown hair was swept up in an elaborate updo involving braids and various jeweled pins designed to look like flowers. She wore a long silk dress in a deep turquoise, with a green silk over jacket. Both were embroidered with butterflies and flowers. The woman wore a silver necklace from which was hanging a single enormous emerald, set in silver filigree shaped into vines and flowers.

  Celine stepped back in surprise.

  “Good afternoon. I am Aldona Drake. My daughter tells me that you have need of me.”

  Celine regained her composure.

  “Good afternoon. It is an honor to have you here. I am Celine Benoit-Casey. Welcome to our home.”

  “Devra forgot to mention that she asked me to come, didn’t she?” Aldona laughed.

  “She mentioned that she would take care of finding an additional teacher for my daughters,” Celine replied.

  “I look forward to working with them,” Aldona said. “Where is my daughter? I think I would like to have a little chat with her about springing visitors upon her hosts unawares.”

  “Mama! You’re here already?” Devra came running down the stairs. “I fell asleep. Sorry, Celine. I meant to tell you, really I did.”

  “That’s fine, Devra. We are grateful for all the help that you are giving our family. We will make sure there is room.”

  “I did remember to talk to Granny Niamh before I fell asleep,” Devra said sheepishly. “I think there is already a room for Mama upstairs.”

  Celine laughed. “Well, that’s good, then.” She turned to Aldona. “Would you like to see your room, or would you like to meet the other residents of this madhouse? We have some that come and go, but I think that a large part of the people involved in this mess are here right now.”

  “Oh, let’s go meet them!” Aldona said. It was clear where Devra got her mischievous streak from. “Devra, did you happen to tell your brother and cousin that I was coming, or did you forget that as well?”

  “I must have forgot, Mama.”

  “Well, we must go announce our presence, then.” Aldona grinned at Celine, who smiled in return. Celine led the way through the kitchen, not stopping to introduce those hard at work there. Devra stepped to the back door in front of Celine and Aldona, then flung it open to where Nathaniel, Sean, Declan, Ian and Mikey were seated on the patio talking about magic.

  “May I present Her Royal Highness, Princess Aldona Isabella Drake, of the Fire Mountain Dragon Clan!”

  Sean and Declan leapt to their feet, bowing deeply to Aldona. Celine blinked. Aldona had forgotten to mention her title. Suddenly, dinner preparations became much more important.

  Rising up from their bows, Sean and Declan hurried to Aldona.

  “Mama! I thought Devra might contact you. I am so happy to see you! I missed you!” Sean said, sounding more like a little boy than a one-hundred-and seventy-five-year-old man. Though, he wasn’t really a man, and for a Dragon, he was still a child. He hugged her soundly, lifting her off her feet. Aldona laughed and hugged him back.

  “Aunt Aldona, it’s an honor to see you,” Declan said.

  Aldona shook her head and enveloped Declan in a hug as well.

  “Declan, stop being so formal. We are among friends here,” she told him. He smiled self-consciously back at her. Keeping her arms around the boys, and with Devra grinning maniacally from behind her, Aldona led the way down the steps to the patio. Nathaniel, Ian and Mikey were standing by their seats.

  Nathaniel stepped forward and bowed.

  “Your Royal Highness, it is an honor to make your acquaintance,” he told her. “I am Nathaniel Brooke, Mind Mage. My Bonded, Siofra MacNamara-Brooke, is with Brendan Casey in the greenhouse. She will be honored to meet you.”

  Aldona gave him her hand, He bowed over it, kissing the back of it. Aldona smiled at Nathaniel, then looked at Ian and Mikey.

  “And who are these delightful young men?”

  Celine stepped forward.

  “May I present my grandsons, Ian Casey-O’Sullivan and Michael Casey-Leonard. Though both those names will be changing soon, I think.”

  Aldona raised an eyebrow. She looked at the boys. Ian looked back at her.

  “Are you really a princess?” He asked.

  “Yes, Sweetheart. I am the Crown Princess of the Fire Mountain Dragon Clan. My parents are the ruling monarchs.”

  “Wow,” Mikey whispered.

  “However, while I am here, I am Aldona, mother and aunt to this lot,” she indicated Devra and her bodyguards, “and teacher to Empaths and Psychics. Will either of you be among my students?”

  “I don’t think so,” Mikey said. “I think you are here to teach our mothers.”

  Ian watched Aldona silently. Noticing, she sent him a feeling of happiness, and saw the look of surprise on his face. Aldona turned to Celine.

  “Celine, I think that I will teach this one too, as well as your daughters. It may be best for me to test any other family members here as well.”

  “Thank you, Aldona. The children are only just coming into their Gifts. We would appreciate any help with identifying any psychic abilities they may have on top of their Witch magic. Marissa and Malia were the first in the family in many generations.”

  “Of course. Were those your daughters in the kitchen? Let’s go meet them, shall we?”

  Aldona swept back up the steps. In the kitchen, Malia was sipping a cup of tea while Marissa put a baking dish of roasted vegetables into the oven. Celine thought about all of the food she had planned, added another Dragon to her figuring, and decide
d to roast a chicken and grill some more vegetables as well.

  “Girls, this is Devra and Sean’s mother, Her Royal Highness Princess Aldona Isabella Drake of the Fire Mountain Clan. Aldona, this is my daughter Marissa, my daughter Malia and my granddaughter Milena. My daughter Shari-Beth is up in her room, I think. My other granddaughter is currently training with my grandfather, Guardian Luc Benoit, in the training area that Devra and the boys set up for them. They will be in for dinner soon.”

  “It’s an honor to meet you, ladies,” Aldona said. She glanced at Marissa and Malia. “I think that you two are the Empaths that I have come here to teach?”

  Malia nodded. “We are both pretty strong. Rissa uses her ability in her healing practice. I denied mine for years, but have been slowly regaining the use of it with my other Gifts. Devra tells us that through working with our Dragon spirits, our abilities may become even stronger. I don’t think that either of us are properly prepared to handle that. I can barely handle mine as it is.”

  “We will work on that,” Aldona promised. She looked at the preparations underway in the kitchen. With a flick of her hand, her clothes changed from royal dress to jeans and a soft pink cashmere sweater. Her hair remained up in a French twist, but the pins and jewels were gone.

  “How can I help? I can appreciate that it takes quite a lot to feed three growing Dragons, let alone adding a full-grown one, several Fae and a family full of Witches.”

  “We have everything under control, for now, I think,” Celine told her. “Why don’t you spend some time with Devra and the boys? They can bring you up to speed on everything that has been happening here. Then at dinner, you can meet the rest of the household.”

  “Thank you, that would be lovely,” Aldona replied. Soon she was seated in the sitting room with her children and nephew. Aldona looked at Devra. “Devra, make sure that you buy groceries for this family. Even if Celine or her daughters are able to replicate food, all these extra mouths to feed is surely a tremendous strain upon them and their resources.”

  “Yes, Mama.”

  “Now, tell me what has been going on here.”

  Everyone was at dinner that night. The Murphys turned up with Rose. They brought baked goods, both sweet and savory. Rachel had made custards with fresh fruit for dessert, while Declan Murphy had made stuffed bread, one kind with spinach and cheese and one with sausage and spinach. Mollie had brought vanilla, cookies and cream, and bourbon cherry ice cream as well as a light and tangy lemon sorbet. The Thorndikes had gone out for a bit after the first lesson and returned with groceries for the house. They had focused primarily on lunch items that would be very useful over the next few days.

  Tony and Malia had spoken to Granny Niamh, who had enlarged Malia’s room into a small apartment. They even had their own ensuite. This no-limits-in-time-and-space thing was very useful. Tony had brought over his clothes and toiletry items and had already put them away.

  Granny Niamh had expanded Marissa’s room as well, so that there was plenty of room for Theo. Marissa found her flute on the bed, out and ready to play, the first time she entered it after Granny Niamh’s reconstructing. She took that to mean that Granny Niamh would appreciate some music in return for all of her hard work. Rissa spent a half-hour playing before putting the flute away. She promised Granny Niamh that she would work on getting the family to hold musical sessions more often.

  There were so many people that dinner felt like a festive affair. After everyone had eaten, they gathered around the fire pit. Allie was exhausted from her training and was curled up under Malia’s arm on the settee.

  “She did very well today, Malia,” Luc said. “I do think that she is going to be quite powerful once her abilities have fully come in. I would like to talk about having her, and her friend Siobhan, come to France in the summers to train further with me. Marthe would enjoy that as well.”

  “I’m not sure that I could stand to part with her for the entire summer,” Malia replied. “I would maybe think of part of the summer.”

  “We would be pleased to have both sets of twins, and perhaps one friend each,” Luc offered. “Camille could teach them to help with the animals. Milena would like that, I think. Ian might like to learn the theory behind Familiar bonds, and Mikey could help Marthe with growing the food that we feed them while they are in our care. I think it could be good for all of them. Also, I would like to teach all of them to fight. Not with their magic. I mean regular, physical fight training. I think it would be very good for all of them.”

  Malia glanced over at Marissa, who was listening from the next loveseat over. Marissa nodded.

  “We can talk about it,” Malia agreed.

  “Good.” Luc looked around the fire. “You know, I think that I will offer beginning fight training here to all who are interested, as well,” he mused. Raising his voice, he called out, “Excuse me, everyone. I would like to offer fight training to any who are interested. We can start tomorrow. When the young folk return to school, we can train in the evenings when they come home. Maybe Dex the Dragon and Sean would be willing to help as well? And Mr. Cabot?”

  Sean, Declan and Frank all agreed.

  Shari-Beth turned to Brendan and Celine.

  “Can I learn, please? Maybe if I knew how to fight, I could have gotten myself free from those men who kidnapped me last Spring. Please, I would really like to do this. I think my friends might as well.”

  “Josh will want to, also,” Tony added. “Ralph might be willing to help train those who want to keep it up after Guardian Benoit and the Dragons have to leave.”

  “I think that is an excellent idea,” Brendan said. Celine nodded.

  “I am not sure that I will be taking fighting lessons,” Celine said, “But I can certainly see the benefits to everyone. I agree.”

  “Come on, Mom, you might have fun!” Malia said.

  “You used to enjoy sparring as a child, Celine,” Luc chuckled. “Are you sure you would not like to give it a try?”

  “Maybe I will,” she smiled.

  “Well, I will not,” Rosalie declared. “But Paul, he was very good at sparring when he was younger. Will you begin training again, mon amour?”

  Paul smiled. “I think I would like to, if you would teach me again, Papa.”

  “We will see how much you remember, my son, starting tomorrow,” Luc grinned, his eyes sparkling in the firelight.

  “Does Granny Marthe fight, too?” Milena asked.

  “Your Granny Marthe was a fierce fighter in her day,” Luc replied. “But Marthe, she is supremely intelligent as well. She is the best at planning an attack. She’s sneaky,” he winked at his great-great-granddaughter. Milena smiled back.

  “I bet I could be sneaky!” Allie declared. Everyone around her burst out laughing.

  “You couldn’t sneak if I paid you!” Ian told her. “You’re not patient enough. And being sneaky means being quiet-you aren’t any good at that, either.”

  “Well, I am going to be a great fighter!” Allie declared.

  “Yes, I believe you will,” Luc told her.

  “What is the plan now, going forward?” Tony asked. “Now that we have all of these wonderful resources at our disposal, and training is beginning. We know roughly where Clarice is, and what she is after. What are our next steps?”

  Ciaran looked at the Guardians and the Dragons.

  “Is there any way to move the crown to somewhere safer without being noticed, so that if by some chance our plans fail and Clarice is able to access the vault, she doesn’t get her hands on it?”

  “No, the vault is the safest place it could be. Additional enchantments and protections have been added to the entrance to the vault, as well as to the crown itself inside the vault. It is as safe as we can make it, for the time being,” Susan replied.

  “We still need to figure out who the Fae Mind Mage involved is,” Ciaran stated. “There are not that many of us to begin with, and we are all registered. It shouldn’t be too hard.”

&
nbsp; “Unless the Fae Mage is unregistered, like Clarice was,” Brendan said. Ciaran frowned.

  “That should not be possible, among the Fae,” he replied. “Fae children are precious, and all are tested and their Gifts recorded at an early age. Those who can afford to have seers examen their child’s future. The prophecies are recorded and kept by both the families and the Courts. We already have someone going through the prophecies at the Sidhe court.”

  “What if the Mage isn’t Sidhe?” Malia asked.

  “He’d have to be, to use the crown,” Nathaniel replied. “It was made by and for a Sidhe. Gifts differ among the Tuatha-only a Sidhe should have the right alignment of energies to make the crown work for them.”

  “Well, that narrows it down some,” Theo said. “That’s good, right?”

  “Yes, it is. We will keep researching all Sidhe lines. Hopefully we will find something, soon.”

  “Could someone who was only part-Sidhe use the crown?” Ian asked. “Like, a half-human one, or half some other type of Fae?”

  “I don’t think so,” Ciaran said. “As Nathaniel said, a person would have to have the correct energetic imprint for the crown to respond to them. I think adding the energies of a different kind of Fae would render it useless. And humans are completely different, altogether.”

  “We can breed together, though. We can’t be that different,” Marissa said.

  “We are genetically compatible, that’s true,” Ciaran began.

  “And if humans can carry and use Dragon magic, why not Fae?” Theo said.

  “They can, in theory, but it is usually much watered down,” Ciaran admitted. “And something as powerful as that crown would sense the difference in energy patterns-the human would be there as well as the Fae. I think it would drive the wearer insane.”

  “More insane that he already is, you mean?” Brendan said.

  22

  Saturday and Sunday were filled with training exercises, and lots of food. Ralph, Tony’s uncle, and Ralph’s son Joshua took part in the fight training in the afternoons. Ralph and Luc worked out a system between the two of them that had those taking the classes limp and exhausted like wrung out dishrags at the end of the afternoons.