by Rinelle Grey
Her sincere words touched something in Ostrian’s heart, and without even having to consider them, he knew they were honest. He recognised the truth in them. That knowledge stirred up an intense longing. He wished he could trust his heart. But the risks were too great.
He wasn’t game to commit to forever. He didn’t have the enthusiasm and fervour of youth.
Even if Wayrian was right, was that connection worth giving up his life for?
“Go and be with your mate then,” Ostrian said, his voice grumpy. “I have work to do.”
For a moment, he thought she wasn’t going to obey. That she was going to voice her objections again, try to convince him of what she said. But she didn’t. Instead, she came around the table, and kissed the top of his head, then quietly left.
The gesture melted a little of the fear around Ostrian’s heart, leaving him with a deep sadness.
Chapter 15
Mary stomped into the cave that had been assigned to her and stared around the room. What was she doing here? Not here in this room, but here in the lair. With the dragons. She’d stayed after Gretchen mated one, hoping that hanging around the fringes might give her some of the excitement she craved.
Well, she’d found that all right. She’d found a grumpy old dragon that touched her heart, and made her furiously angry, both at the same time.
Well, no one had ever said it was going to be easy.
Gretchen and Jayrian had had a difficult time at first too. In fact, Ostrian had been one of the loudest dragons to object to their relationship. And they’d overcome his protests.
A slight smile twisted her lips at the thought of convincing the elder to allow his own relationship.
But then reality banished any amusement.
She didn’t want someone she had to persuade. If Ostrian didn’t feel the same way she did, then she would do the grown up thing and walk away. That was the only sensible option.
Even if she didn’t like it one little bit.
Outside, she heard raised voices. That sounded like Taurian. A female voice joined his, moving down the corridor towards her. Shouting to dragons to come out.
Mary ran out into the corridor and followed the flow of dragons back towards the main room. What was going on? When they arrived in the central cave, it didn’t take long to figure it out.
On the ledge at the opening stood Ultrima, in dragon form. His life dragon, her pure white hide gleaming in the sun, stood to one side. Another silver dragon stood on the other.
Between the three of them, they blocked most of the light coming in through the entrance.
Mary’s heart skipped a beat. Were they here to fight? It was three of them against the entire Rian clan, even with a life dragon, those weren’t good odds, were they? Surely they wouldn’t have come to fight with so few of them.
Ultrima’s voice thundered in her head. In everyone’s head. “I am here to see Princess Sarian.”
Princess Sarian? She was awake?
Mary remembered the new lightning dragon who had been present at the conversation about the humans and life dragons earlier. That had to be her. She must have been woken while she and Ostrian were researching.
So that was why the Trima dragons were here. Ultrima’s goal had always been to have another chance at finding love with the Rian princess who had apparently rejected him. Mary felt a momentary sympathy for the Trima leader. She could well believe that Princess Sarian could have rejected him, despite loving him. That seemed normal for these ornery dragons.
She stared at the princess as she pushed her way to the front of the crowd, wondering if it were true. The human rock singer, Raven, trailed behind her. Mary frowned. Did his presence indicated there was something between them? Given how both Taurian and Verrian had mated the humans who woke them, it wouldn’t be overly surprising. But perhaps they just hadn’t had a chance to finish the ritual yet. They couldn't have been here long, and it certainly had been busy.
Either way, Ultrima would not be impressed. He’d been sure that the princess loved him.
Even the clan had begun to suspect it for a brief while. The plan had been to ask the princess if she did. Mary wondered how that had gone. From the way the princess stormed up and glared at Ultrima, she suspected not that well.
Mary hung back a little. This was really none of her business, but she couldn’t help being curious.
“I thought I made it quite clear I had no wish to see you.” Princess Sarian stopped right in front of the Trima leader, put her hands on her hips, and glared at him. She looked completely unafraid, which couldn’t be easy.
She didn’t even glance over at Raven, who still stood close to her. Was that to spare him from Ultrima’s anger, or simply that she wasn’t interested in him? If so, his closeness could indicate the ritual hadn’t been completed.
Had they not had time, or had she refused?
Either option was going to make this meeting very interesting. Especially since it would mean that Sarian wasn’t at her full power yet.
Ultrima’s eyes whirled as he stared at her.
No one else in the room moved. Mary suspected most of them were holding their breath, just like she was.
Would the Trima dragon accept the princess’s words, or would he fight? That was apparently what had happened last time, leading to a battle that had ended up with all the Rian princes and princesses wounded, and asleep for three hundred years.
“I heard that you told your brothers and sister that, yes,” Ultrima said, lowering his head down in front of the princess, his dragon voice a little gentler now. “But you can surely understand that I needed to hear it with my own ears?”
Prince Taurian stepped forwards to one side of his sister. Prince Verrian and Princess Lyrian stepped up to the other side. All of them glared at Ultrima.
The Trima dragon didn’t seem afraid. His eyes didn’t leave the princess.
Mary felt movement beside her, and turned slightly to see Jake, her sister’s husband and Gretchen’s father, holding his shotgun and looking determined.
The sight sent a chill up her spine.
She should be used to this by now. This wasn’t the first dragon battle she’d seen.
But she’d almost begun to hope that maybe the dragon clashes would be a thing of the past. That there could be peace between the Rian clan and the renegade Trima clan.
Of course, maybe all that had gone out the window when Princess Sarian had defiantly declared that she didn’t love Ultrima.
Mary knew exactly how much it had hurt when Ostrian had told her the same thing.
“My sister has made her feelings clear,” Taurian said sharply. “And we have an agreement. You will not harm anyone here in Rian lair. Or have you forgotten why you accepted to that last time?”
Ultrima’s eyes flicked to Taurian for a second, then back to the princess. “That offer was made before you woke Sarian without my presence.” His mind voice was deep and ominous. It sent another chill down Mary’s spine.
Taurian took another step towards him, and for a moment, Mary wondered if he was going to flat out punch the enemy dragon.
Ultrima just glanced towards him again, and Taurian stumbled back, along with Verrian and Lyrian.
Only Sarian still stood there, staring at him defiantly, her eyes flashing. “Leave my clan alone,” she commanded.
“I have no interest in your clan. Only in you. Say you’ll be my mate and all this fighting stops.” This time, his voice held nothing but passion and longing, the emotion so intense, Mary felt a little sorry for him. His eyes darkened and whirled, focused completely and wholly on Sarian.
Or she would, if his manipulation of Sarian’s brothers and sister weren’t so obvious.
She and Ostrian might have had their differences, but they’d kept them to themselves, not dragged other people into their fight.
“We’ve already defeated you once,” Karla said firmly, stepping up and glaring at Ultrima. “If you continue to push your agenda, we can
do so again.”
The other human mates stepped up beside her, as did Raven. Sarian crossed her arms and stared at him definitely. None of them seemed in the least afraid.
Not at first.
Then, one by one, they glanced at the snow white dragon, Ultrima’s life dragon, and fear flashed across their face. All except Sarian. She seemed unaffected, her scowl just as determined.
“Don’t give in to it,” Karla instructed. “It’s not real, it’s just the life dragon magic.”
But it didn’t help.
Mary could feel the fear as well, washing over her in waves, so strong it made her knees feel weak and her heart pound. Knowing that it wasn’t real didn’t help much at all. It froze her to the spot, and glancing around, she could see that every dragon and human in the room was feeling the same thing.
The life dragon magic was overwhelming. She hadn’t remembered it being this bad. Then again, the last time she’d faced it, dragons had been flying around throwing magic at each other. That had kind of overshadowed it a little.
Ultrima still stared at Sarian in front of him, his huge dragon face only inches from her human one, ignoring the rest of the room. His eyes didn’t leave hers for one second. “Go on then,” he taunted. “If you truly do not love me, then say so, here, in front of your entire clan.”
The scowl on Sarian’s face faltered for a second. She stared into the dragon’s eyes, and Mary wondered what she was seeing. One hand twitched, as though it wanted to reach out and touch the other dragon. Or punch him.
Mary wouldn’t blame her for either. And she wasn’t sure either would be an indication that she didn’t love the Trima leader.
But she wasn’t surprised when Sarian drew herself up and strengthened the glare on her face. “I would never mate with a dragon who would try to threaten me into it. Or who would threaten my clan. Those behaviours are not something I admire in anyone, dragon or human.”
It was the last word Ultrima latched onto. He stared at her for a long moment, then at the human standing behind her. “Is that your plan?” he demanded, his voice rough. “Does your clan think that they can create a life dragon by mating with humans now?”
It hit Mary as soon as he spoke. He knew. The truth they’d only just realised themselves, that dragons mating with humans was what created life dragons, he’d already guessed. Perhaps some time ago. He did have his own life dragon, after all. And one of her parents, or grandparents, had to be human, didn’t they?
She turned, searching to see if Ostrian was among the crowd, wanting to see if he’d realised it as well.
He stood near the back, half in one of the tunnels, watching the show. His eyes met hers, and she could see the excitement in them. He’d realised Ultrima’s words backed up his research too.
“I will mate with whoever I wish to mate with,” Sarian said defiantly. “It is not your business. I suggest you leave, before we throw you out.”
Ultrima’s laugh echoed in everyone’s head. “Make me.”
Mary wasn’t surprised that no one even moved in his direction. The waves of fear hadn’t abated, and though she thought she could move now, she suspected that any attempt to move in his direction would only make the fear worse. What her feet wanted to do was flee the other way, into the safety of one of the passageways. But she didn’t.
Ultrima was the one who moved. He lunged towards Raven. What he intended to do Mary could only guess, but before he could reach the human, a shot rang out. Jake, her brother in law, hadn’t had to move to fire.
The bullet caught Ultrima in the shoulder, knocking him back a little. But not off his feet.
The shot seemed to be the signal everyone had been waiting for, as though it gave them the courage to overcome the fear. Taurian, Verrian, and Lyrian all surged forwards, between Ultrima and their sister. Raven grabbed the princess’s arm and pulled her back.
Ultrima almost seemed unaffected by the bullet wound. He lifted one paw, and lightning surged around the room.
Centring on Jake.
He gave a scream, sinking to the floor and dropping the shotgun. Several more screams echoed through the room. He wasn’t the only one who’d been hit. Or maybe the threat of it, combined with the fear the life dragon was still projecting throughout the whole room, had overwhelmed them.
A press of dragons started fleeing for the exit tunnels. Mothers and children mostly. Most of the older dragons pressed forwards, towards their enemies on the ledge.
Mary couldn’t work out what was happening from this distance. Snarls and growls filled the room, along with the occasional scream.
Her heart pounded in her chest. More lightning flashed around the room. Ultrima didn’t even have to be near a dragon to injure them. That was why fighting him had been so hard. The cages Chase had fashioned had worked, when they’d been prepared. But they weren’t now.
The Trima dragon had caught them unawares. No dragon attack seemed to be effective against him, and he’d injured the only human here with a gun.
She stared down at Jake. He was still alive, his breathing laboured, but he wasn’t doing well. Her sister, Margaret, had pulled him into her arms and was crying her eyes out.
That wasn’t going to help them defeat the enemy dragons.
Mary knew what would. She reached down and grabbed the shotgun. She had to get closer, she couldn’t even see the Trima dragons in the scrum at the opening. And she needed to figure out how to use it. She’d never fired a gun before.
“Hold it up to your shoulder,” Jake wheezed. “Has one more shot. All you have to do is aim and pull the trigger. Be ready for the kickback.”
Mary looked down at him. Even though he was wounded, he still wanted to fight. “You have a good man there, Margaret,” she told her sister, then ignoring her look of surprise, she strode towards the ledge.
Chapter 16
Ostrian’s heart was in his mouth as Mary picked up the shotgun and strode towards the fight. What was she doing? Trying to get herself killed? Didn’t she realise that anyone holding one of those human weapons was just a target?
He could understand a dragon striding into battle to defend his clan. If he were a few years younger, he’d be doing it himself. But a human? Why was she putting her life on the line for dragons?
He couldn’t help thinking that if they were mated, then her reckless behaviour would be putting his life on the line. He’d thought, briefly, that being mated to her might be safe. That she wouldn’t be rushing into battle like a dragon would. Looked like he was wrong.
His instincts had been correct.
Somehow, that thought didn’t bring him any comfort as he watched her, his heart in his mouth.
As he watched, the crowd parted slightly, leaving Mary with a clear line of sight straight up to where Ultrima stood. He almost had his hands on Princess Sarian, in fact, he was reaching out toward her.
Ostrian’s heart skipped a beat, and despite his earlier protestations of being too old to help, he began to rush forward anyway. If Ultrima snatched up the princess and flew off with her, they might never get her back.
The very thought of the Trima leader getting his hands on the princess was repulsive.
But before he could reach her, a shot rang out, hitting Ultrima in the flank. Ostrian was close enough to see the bullet cutting through scales into flesh.
Mary.
She strode towards the lightning dragon, unafraid. “You stay away from her,” she shouted. “Don’t you know that when a woman says no, she means no?”
Ultrima turned towards her with a snarl. He was wounded, but that only made him more angry. More dangerous.
Blood rushed in Ostrian’s ears, and he could barely breathe. Time seemed to slow down.
He stared at Mary, knowing he couldn’t reach her before Ultrima did. Knowing that even if he could, there was nothing he could do to protect her. His heart screamed a protest so loud, he was surprised everyone couldn’t hear it.
In that moment, he knew.
Knew he would give his own life for hers in a heartbeat. Knew he would rather die when she did than live a life without her in it.
Mary had been right. Wayrian too. This wasn’t just some strange effect the humans were having on him.
This was love.
As lightning rushed from Ultrima’s fingers towards Mary, he had enough time to think how ironic it was that he realised it too late. If he’d known just a little earlier, he could have gone with her when she’d suggested finding a way to relax.
Maybe they would even be in his chambers somewhere, making love, instead of here, where Mary was going to die.
But he couldn’t wish for that either. Then that brute might have taken Princess Sarian.
Mary fell, her eyes closed, the gun dropping from her hand onto the floor. Ostrian threw himself on her, tears falling from his face. He didn’t care if Ultrima was still watching. Didn’t care if the lightning dragon blasted him too.
All he wanted was to be close to Mary.
He put his head down on her chest, feeling her heart beating, even if it was erratic. Her eyes flickered open, and she started to smile, but pain twisted the expression. “Ost…rian…” she struggled to get the words out.
“Shh, don’t try to talk,” he said quickly, his heart breaking. He could see the pattern of lightning shaped scars running down her arm. Ultrima had hit her fair and square. She couldn’t possibly survive this.
But there was something he needed to tell her, even if it was too late. “I love you,” he said softly. “I’m sorry I didn’t realise it earlier.”
Her eyes were closed, and for a moment, he wasn’t sure if she’d heard him, but then a slight smile raised one side of her lips. “I know,” she whispered.
Tears filled his eyes as Ostrian pulled her into his arms, wishing there was something he could do. Some way he could save her. But he had no healing magic, and humans were unable to enter the Mesmer.
He held her close, feeling her heart beating against his. Mary reached up towards his face, her hand shaking, and touched his cheek. “I love you too,” she said, her words barely audible. Then she closed her eyes, her hand falling to her chest.