by Grace, Viola
Nole held up his hands. “Understood. I meant no disrespect. It is simply that Aelemilial has had many stressful changes in her life. I also do not want her arriving there alone.”
“Now that we have spoken, she will never be alone again. I will take care of her. I need her to find a mate so that I may continue the line.”
Through her own eyes, she could see Nole’s expression soften. “You need her to find a mate quickly?”
“I do not have seasons as the others do. If I do not take advantage of my time, I will not have children at all, and the world needs more of us. The need for husbandry of the earth is growing.”
“Cannot other earth dragons help?”
“They are not what I am. They are bound to the earth, I am born of it.” Her tone rang in the room, and Aeli decided that that was enough.
Aeli got control of herself once again, and she smiled slightly. “Sorry about that. She is very linear.”
“It is fine. My dragon liked to take out curse words when he first woke.”
She cocked her head. “Does a male dragon help you with the first transformation?”
“He does. In my case, it was my father.”
She smiled. “It must have been as pleasant as it could be.”
“Not entirely. My father can be a bit of an ass. He immediately took me for a flight, and my dragon was exhausted. I dropped out of the sky like a stone.”
She was horrified.
He grinned. “He caught me and told me to know my limits, no matter who was suggesting the plan of action. Just because someone in authority tried to suggest an activity would not make it the best idea for me.”
“That is sound advice.”
“At the time, I was furious, but I have mellowed over the last decade.”
Aeli cocked her head. “I have not. My impulses have grown worse. Speaking of which, I should call my father again. I need to see what he has come up with to break the restriction.”
“What will you do if he hasn’t found a way?”
“I am going to have to go with what I have come up with, but it is not going to be pretty.”
“You have come up with a plan?”
“She has come up with a plan, and I am horrified that it might actually work.”
She was thankful that he didn’t press her for details. The thought of travelling through the soil to get under her own spell was enough to make her queasy.
They returned to the study, and he had her call her father again.
She dialled, and when she saw her father’s haggard face, she smiled and touched the screen. “How are you, Father?”
“I am tired. The mages have been trying to storm our home, and my wards are getting tired.”
Nole cursed. “Damn it. We need to get back.”
Her father scowled. “Not until we have a solution.”
Aeli smiled. “I have met my dragon.”
Her father’s expression softened. “What is she?”
Nole answered. “A new type of arboreal dragon made of wood, leaves, earth, and magic.”
Her father grinned. “I knew it! There had to be a wide magic thread in there.”
She nodded. “They are also looking into my lineage to find out where I came from.”
“Excellent. You stay where it’s safe. The mages are knocking at my door with every means at their disposal. As long as they are after me, you will be safe. They don’t know what you are, don’t know about you. Keep it that way.”
Aeli inclined her head to her father. “As always, I will do what is appropriate. There is plenty of canned food for you in the pantry. Don’t forget to eat.”
He frowned. “Did you put the tiny onions in with the roast?”
“Of course, I did. Second shelf on the left. Ice cream for dessert. Now go and eat.” She smiled. “Love you, Father.”
“Love you, too, Aelemilial. Stay safe.”
She watched the screen until there was no hint of illumination.
Nole put his hand on her shoulder. “What do you wish to do?”
Aeli turned toward him, and she stated it baldly. “We need to get back to Rekker, use my father as bait, and I will use my dragon to consume the spell. I will take the magic and expel it in the desert, tearing it apart. Or, I can take it to a desiccated wood, place it in the trees, and burn it.”
“Are you sure you can do that?”
“No, but she is sure. That is what counts.”
He gave her a long look. He held out his hands to her, and she pressed her hands in his, letting him lift her to her feet.
“I am sure of you.” He leaned in and kissed her.
Aeli felt her eyes widen in shock, and then, she slowly closed them as the awkwardness of first contact faded rapidly.
When he pulled back, she stared up at him and the slight smile that tugged the corners of his mouth. “Pardon my lack of formality, but I thought it might be my best chance for privacy.”
As if his words had summoned company, the front door burst open, and a voice called out, “Nolesander, what the hell is going on?”
Aeli stepped away from him, but he held her hand as he led her out of the study and into the living room where the angry dragons and their daughter were standing.
The entire Kreelo family was looking at her in bewildered surprise.
“Mother, Father, Theena, this is Mage Aelemilial Warrok of Rekker City.”
Senator Kreelo frowned. “This is the mage? The one who ejected our dragons from the magic city?”
Nole moved slightly ahead of her as if to defend her. “She is.”
His mother asked. “Why is she here?”
“Because she wasn’t safe.”
The senator moved toward them, and his wings sprouted from his back. “You think she is safe here? After what she did?”
Nole’s wings appeared, and he stepped forward to close with his father. “What she did was honour her parent’s wishes, and she tried to right a curse on their home. She had every right to be angry with the situation, and she did something about it.”
Nole’s mother said softly, “Stand aside, Nolesander. She broke the law.”
Aeli asked just as softly, “Which law?”
All of the dragons were focused on her.
“No magic is to be used against dragons.”
She smiled slowly. “That is really going to suck for me then.”
The elder dragons were shocked by her casual words, but Kreelo’s sister was grinning.
She apologized to her clothing and let her wings tear out of her back. The clothing shredded, and the corset tried to hold, but the wide belt was doing most of the work. She could see bits of the wings out of the corner of her eyes, but they didn’t flex like the hide wings of the males.
The three new dragons were staring at her in shock. She walked forward, and her wings moved as she did. She could smell the green of her wings and the crackle of magic around her as she took each step.
She extended her hand to Mrs. Kreelo, and the older woman gripped it. The curls of magic ran up her arm, but she didn’t let go.
Senator Kreelo was staring. He whispered hoarsely, “She’s... a...”
Nole stepped forward and pulled Aeli away from his mother. “She’s a dragon. She didn’t know she was, but she is. She has had her first shift, and her beast is sentient and opinionated.”
The senator was staring. “Dragons can’t do magic.”
Aeli smiled. “Apparently that is not the case. My dragon has several components, and one of them is magic.”
She remained still while he prodded at the woven saplings that made up her wings.
“You can’t fly.”
“Only if I create a pair of specialized wings. They are not my default.”
Nole’s sister squeezed past her parents and stuck out her hand. “Theena Kreelo. Pleased to meet you.”
“Aelemilial Warrok. Pleased to meet you as well. You may cal
l me Aeli.” Aeli extended her hand and gripped the teen’s. Their meeting was friendly, and the dancing amusement in the young woman’s eyes was unmistakable.
Nole sighed. “Right. How about we get something to drink and discuss what is going to happen next?”
His mother nodded and smiled. “Some tea and sandwiches are just what we need.”
Aeli pulled her wings in and winced at the cool draft that caressed her shoulders and back.
She glanced at Nole, and he was busy opening his tunic. To her surprise, he removed his shirt and put it over her shoulders, covering the few inches of bare skin she was showing.
The senator looked from Aeli to his son, and his words summed it up. “Well, hell.”
Chapter Eight
While Aeli helped remove the flour from the kitchen worktable, Nole brought up the images of her shifted form on a display screen that he set up in the kitchen.
Aeli stared at the image of her dragon form. “I am huge!”
She couldn’t believe what she was seeing. Her body was made of sculpted stone wrapped with wood saplings and vines. The wings looked larger than she had thought, but they were folded against her back. They looked like tiles made of leaves. Her head extended high above the treeline, and down below her enormous skull, the curator was standing with her arms crossed, smaller than Aeli’s knees.
Mrs. Kreelo scowled. “Who is that?”
Nole murmured, “A friend sent by the diamond dragon.”
Senator Kreelo sat up and paid attention. “You have met her?”
“Yes, at the private event a few weeks ago.”
“You spoke to her?”
He nodded. “I did. She was very helpful when I asked how to go about courting the target of my affections.”
He glanced over at Aeli, and she felt a blush creep across her skin.
The senator changed his focus to her. “Her? The daughter of a mage?”
“Yes, Father, Aelemilial.” Nole changed the image on the monitor. It was a picture of Aeli in her human form, her face surrounded by the cloak. There was excitement, fear, and a strangely sultry look in her eyes. It was the moment right after she had shifted back to human, and the image was remarkably intimate. Aeli’s blush went up a few notches.
Theena gasped, and she went, “Wow. I hope I look like that after my first shift.”
Her mother grumbled as she carried over the tea and started pouring. “You are not going to be looking at any man immediately after you make your shift. I will make sure of it.”
Senator Kreelo snorted. “We will all make sure of it.”
Suddenly, Aeli began to think that her father should have been nearby when she shifted. It appeared to be a family event.
Nole must have been watching her because he smiled. “Your father wanted you safe. The shift changed your status from terrorist to prankster. The dragon council can intercede on your behalf.”
His father let out a huffing sound. She suddenly had it confirmed that Nole’s father was not a fan. “I will fix it.”
Senator Kreelo looked at her with narrowed eyes. “You think you can?”
“I know I can. There is just a matter of technique. If I do it wrong, don’t worry. I am the only one who will be injured.” She smiled slightly.
“I will be as close as I can be.” Nole smiled back at her.
It was nice that he agreed to be near her because they both knew that he couldn’t get close enough to help her directly.
The senator growled, “You will be in the capitol, explaining this mess to the council.”
Nole stiffened his shoulders and looked blandly at his father. “As a councillor from Rekker, the duty to the people of my city is paramount. The council will have to wait.”
The senator slowly smiled. “Well, it seems like your time in Rekker has done your spine some good.”
Nole glanced at Aeli. “My fortitude is a recent development.”
She wondered how long the heat could stay in her face before she burst into flames.
“Right, well, I need to get home. The mages are attacking our home, and my dad only has enough food for seven weeks.”
The senator blinked. “They are attacking him? Why?”
“Because they know that the spell was his and that I executed it. They want to stop him from undoing it. His wards are holding for now.” Aeli took the tea that she was handed and sipped it.
“How are the ones above the estate?” Nole was rather heavy-handed with the information.
“They are holding. There are dragons nearby, but they are waiting.”
Senator Kreelo scowled. “What?”
Nole filled in, “Dragons followed us from Rekker, having seen Aeli discharge the spell. They know she is responsible for their ejection from the city, and they want to punish her for working spells on dragons.”
Aeli grimaced. “They are not fans of my father.”
Nole added, “Mage Warrok was in charge of the uprising three decades ago. He went quiet twenty-four years ago.”
“When I came along. He figured out what I was, and he refused to participate in any other subversive events with the mages after that. It was what stopped the mages from proceeding. My father is the most powerful mage in Rekker.”
Senator Kreelo nodded. “And if he wouldn’t endanger you, your city was safe.”
“Yup, and my father would never endanger me. Not knowingly.”
Nole’s mother asked, “If he is so powerful, why doesn’t he defend himself against the attacks?”
Aeli gave him a bland look. “He doesn’t want to kill them, he just wants everyone safe and everything back to normal. He isn’t a young man anymore. Mages might have an extended life span, but he is still in his sixth decade. War and uprisings are a younger man’s game.”
Senator Kreelo looked at her as if seeing her for the first time. “What is your plan?”
Aeli sat and braced her elbows against the table. “Nole flies me to Rekker, we test the spell nearest our shop. It should have repelled most of the effect of the banishment, so that is the point I will be able to get in. My dragon will take me into the council hall under the city, and from there, I have to either consume or catch the initial spell, taking it apart and returning my magic to me. It should work. We are going to need the dragons to follow us, so I hope that Nole is as fast as he was getting us out of there.”
“So, you are just involving my son in your idiocy?” Nole’s mother scowled.
She looked at the older woman. “He involved himself when he saved me from the crowd. I am just asking him to help me ride this out.”
“And I gladly will. It is my future at stake, after all.”
She nodded. “Right. Should we get going?”
Mrs. Kreelo held up her hand. “You are not taking my son back to Rekker without something to eat.”
Aeli smiled slightly. “As you like.”
“Just let me call Sooza from the village. We can have dinner on the table within two hours.”
Aeli snorted. “Call her if you like. I will start now.”
She went to the iced cooler and pulled out a chicken, grabbing the pressure cooker with her other arm.
Nole followed her. “What else?”
“Onions, carrots, potatoes, any fresh herbs you like. I will get started.” She found an outlet and plugged in the pressure cooker, thawing the chicken with a spell once it was in the receptacle.
Nole chopped the vegetables in large pieces while she went to get the herbs and salt. Five minutes later the water was in, they had the unit sealed, and it was pressurizing.
The Kreelos stood in surprise. Nole’s mother blinked. “How did you know how to do that?”
“Practice. I cook for my father and myself. I just scaled up the quantities. We will have food in an hour.”
“The timer is set for forty-five minutes.”
“I have to brown the chicken, or it looks a little gross.” She settled N
ole’s tunic around her shoulders, and his mother snorted.
“If we have that much time, come with me. Your clothing is filthy.” Mrs. Kreelo flounced off, and Aeli was left trailing after.
She left the kitchen and followed Nole’s mother down the hallway toward what had to be the master suite.
“My clothing taste may be a bit conservative, but I have items that have been enchanted to shift with me, and I can see that yours are not.” Mrs. Kreelo opened the doors and led her to the left, through another opening that brought them to a dressing room.
“Thank you for the offer, Mrs. Kreelo, but I do not wish to deprive you of any clothing.”
“Call me Emjel. It seems my son is fixated on you, and aside from my husband wanting him set up with a higher-placed family, I think he might be happy if you accept him.”
Aeli blinked. “Is that what you want?”
The woman smiled. “I want my son happy with an eye to the future. You appear to flip that switch in him. The question is what do you want?”
Aeli cocked her head. “I wanted revenge for my father. I wanted his dignity repaired and the respect he was due for his life and actions.”
“I believe you have achieved a portion of that... so what is next?” Emjel was smiling as she went through her wardrobe, taking out clothing, holding it up toward Aeli and then either setting it aside or returning it to the rack.
“I am not sure. I thought I would just continue working at my father’s shop.”
“You can see how that would be difficult now.”
She sighed. “I can. I don’t want to leave my father, but what I am is going to cause all sorts of difficulty. The bias against mages in the dragon society and the hate of mages toward the dragons. I appear to be a bit of both.”
“You are not both, you are neither. You are something entirely new. I have heard of arboreal dragons before, but none that have a command of magic. That is new. You need to have pride in that status. Now that a diamond dragon has risen, magic will have its time to shine here on our continent. We are entering a new age of dragons, and that means magic is being called from every whisper in history. You appear to be part of that new energy.”
Emjel smiled and held out the clothing. “Here. Try some of these on. I will be outside the door if you need any help.”