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“I wouldn’t be so sure in light of certain events. We’ve found out that my father’s mastery over the craft far surpassed what we dreamed.”
“You might be right. We can’t do anything about that though until we rescue my mother.”
He started to walk toward the manor house.
“Wait.” She pulled back on his arm. “I can’t let you go any further.”
“You can’t?” He gave her a perplexed look. “I don’t know what you’re talking
about. This is war ... we’re about to end it.”
“Or not.”
“What?”
“This smells fishy. I think my father is leading you into a trap. One that you won’t be able to escape from.”
“I have you—working together we can do anything.”
“No. We have to return to where your father is and be debriefed. Walking into my father’s lair is pure folly.”
“You walked into his lair ....”
“I did. And I got really lucky. I was able to get out again unscathed. But my father has other plans for you. He thinks your mother is his trump card. It must have been her magic that released O’Malley. Who knows what else he’ll get her to do? Or
....”
His eyes narrowed at her. “Don’t even think about it. I won’t hear you telling me that my mother is a traitor. She is the most loyal witch magic kind has ever known. She is our Queen for Heaven's Sake!”
“What if she’s been bedazzled?”
DRAGON’S HEART Marly Mathews 170
Chapter Twenty One
He drew in a lengthy breath. “I don’t like hearing that my mother could have fallen prey to your father’s mind games. However, I see your point. I rail against agreeing with you, but if you think it’s wise to return to headquarters then, I will humor you.”
“Humor me?” She stepped backward. The cynical tone in his voice was like a
physical slap in the face.
She swallowed, hard. “I guess we’re going to have to get used to this. You
always seem to push my buttons, and in return I push yours.” She sighed. “Open a portal, and we’ll return to Cheltenham.”
He pulled out his wand, and in one flicker a portal was conjured. She walked
through it pulling him behind her.
They emerged into a scene much like the one that had surrounded her manor
house.
“I want the sun back.” She let out a frustrated sigh.
“I do, too.” He searched the immediate area. “I took us right to where the
building should emerge .…” Sighing, he scanned the streets around him.
“This place looks like a ghost town. What are we going to do, Dylan?”
“First we get out of the elements.” He held his wand aloft. She could hear him muttering something in a low tone. A light flashed and then the same building emerged out of nowhere.
The door slid open.
“Welcome back.” Aurora stood waiting for them, almost as if she’d expected
them to arrive at this precise moment.
“How goes the fight?” Dylan asked, heaving another sigh. She could feel his
worry for his mother emanating off him, and it unsettled her considerably. She didn’t like seeing Dylan so distressed.
“It goes. Which is better than what I could have reported one hour ago. The
prisoners you released along with Merdwyn have helped us by far. But in the last few hours, we have lost a lot. Your mother, and as you already know, O’Malley. Her magic released him, and almost broke the concealment enchantment on this building. If I had not been standing vigil, I shudder to think of what would have happened.”
He sighed with relief. “Thank you, Aurora.”
“It is my job. Your mother will come round in time. Whatever mind spell Draco has her under will eventually fade as long as she keeps fighting.”
“She’ll keep on fighting, my mother is even more stubborn than my wife.”
“Thank you.” Grania inclined her head to him.
“Your father awaits you in the counsel chambers.”
He nodded at Aurora. “I’m on my way.”
“I’ll remain at my post, keeping an eye on your mother.”
“We are all in your debt, Aurora.”
DRAGON’S HEART Marly Mathews 170
“I’m just fulfilling my destiny, as the keeper of this institution. I will guard it with my last breath. Now, go and talk to your father, he might have already cooked up a plan.”
They dashed through the building past the hustle and bustle of the frenzied
wizards and witches. Tension was at a fevered pitch—everyone seemed on the brink of mass panic.
“Dylan.” They heard Timothy’s familiar voice, before they even opened the door to the chamber he stood in.
“Father.”
Father and son quickly embraced while she studied the other inhabitants of the room. Narrowing her eyes, she turned to face Timothy.
“Are you preparing to evacuate Earth?” Dylan asked.
“We might have no other choice. If Earth falls, we do have a contingency plan.”
“Screw the contingency plan!” She closed in on Timothy.
Dylan stepped to block her.
“You don’t understand, Grania. If your father succeeds in overrunning Earth with his brethren, then the magic kind has no other choice but to retreat. We can’t hope to muster up enough of a resistance here on Earth. Our only hope is to go to one of our allied magical realms until we have time to strike back.” She hated the way that Timothy reminded her of Dylan.
“I’m not going to allow you to leave, not when we are this close to victory!”
Timothy sighed. “I do not see the same vision you hold. I see a planet being demolished battle by battle. My warriors are growing exhausted. I can’t expect them to keep up the pace. Your father has limitless energy, and so do his forces, since they feed on darkness. However, my kind is losing their strength. The white magical energy in the land is being smothered. Soon, it will be almost non-existent.”
“And you are going to leave the humans of Earth to live in the hell my father is creating?”
“I don’t expect you to understand. Our allies found amongst the dragon shifters are more than welcome to join us when we retreat.”
“No,” Dylan murmured.
She stepped back toward the door. “I won’t retreat. I will die here on Earth before I let my father destroy it. It starts with Earth .…” She turned to the other magical beings in the room. “My father’s lust for power is all consuming. Earth will not be enough to sate that hunger. He will yearn for more and when he does, he will turn to your realms. World by world, he will spread his poison across the Universe, and there will be no safe haven left. You can’t allow that to happen. I implore you to send your warriors to work in our cause. That way, we might be able to defeat my father with far less casualties.”
“Lady Grania, our kind knows you well.” She stared at the leprechaun king that had spoken. “We shall give your side our luck. Whether it will do any good remains to be seen. I see your point and I support you. I should think the other council members should support your cause as well. You shall have my support for a sennight. After that, if we haven’t gained ground in pushing your father back into oblivion, then I will have to bring my troops home and seal off my realm from outsiders.”
“I understand. Thank you.” She took a deep breath. Her world swayed.
DRAGON’S HEART Marly Mathews 170
Reaching for the wall, she leaned on it, until Dylan could pick his way over to her side.
“You don’t look so hot. I think you should sit down.”
“I hear your concern for me, Dylan, but we don’t have a moment to lose. Earth is being overwhelmed by dark magic. I don’t have time to rest until my father has been ....”
“I think you should stay here. I can handle whatever else comes our way. I
already
told you I’m going for your father. I see no reason why you need to be by my side.”
“Because you’re my husband, and whether or not you want to admit it, you need
me.”
He clasped her hand against his chest. She reveled in the feeling of his heart thrumming against her touch.
“If our magical friends are willing to add their combined magical might to the fight, then, I see no reason in ordering the retreat until we’ve exhausted all of our resources.” Dylan’s eyes hardened as his father spoke.
He whirled upon his father. “Are you telling me that you were honestly going to flee the world without first rescuing my mother?”
“Your mother was the one that told me what to do if she were to be taken
prisoner. She told me that if she was taken, then, there was no hope in stopping Draco and that I should save what was left of our kind.”
Merdwyn stepped out of the shadows. “I do not think that she fully grasped the meaning of her words when she made that order, Timothy. Aine is stubborn and full of fire, but her heart and her mind do not always work together as you should well know.”
“What he said.” Dylan emphatically nodded. “If you want to stay behind here
safe and sound then that’s your prerogative. I on the other hand, am not about to leave my mother in the hands of Draco for one second longer. She’s a hard ass when it comes to her profession, but she loves her family. She’d do the same for you, father.”
Timothy’s jaw twitched. “Don’t question my love for your mother, son. Do you think I relish the thought of her being in Draco’s clutches? I know your mother, though, and I have never gone against anything she’s asked me to do for her.” He heaved a shuddering breath. “However, in this particular instance, I see your point. Aine will just have to live with me going against her, for once.”
She smiled at the two of them.
Timothy altered before their eyes; he took on a commanding all encompassing
presence. She could see that though Aine was an Alpha Female, her husband was also an Alpha Male. Too bad, he didn’t get to show off his prowess more often, he reminded her of Dylan in this forceful guise.
“The first thing we need to do is start purging the world of the darkness that’s seeping across it. My light elves will be able to assist in that endeavor.” Her eyes went to the King of the Light Elves. He sat with his queen, and though she’d seen Elves before, she never ceased to enjoy their beauty. The room literally glowed with all of the white magic that bounced off the walls.
“You have our deepest gratitude, Your Majesties.” Dylan’s deep voice created a slow ache in the pit of her stomach. She reveled in each word he spoke, drinking it up as if she would soon be parched.
“As will my Elemental Faeries. We shall work together to accomplish that task.
Draco won’t be any match for our combined white magic.” The Queen of the Elemental DRAGON’S HEART Marly Mathews 170
Faeries fluttered her long angelic looking wings. The slight breeze they created rippled through the air moving her hair.
“Thank you, your majesty.” She bowed her head to the Queen of the Elemental
Faeries.
The Faerie Queen bowed her head to her in turn. “This day has long been
foretold. As magical beings, we all should learn to work together no matter the adversary. Your father only accomplished unity amongst our kinds. I am quite certain that this revelation will bother him greatly.” Her violet eyes twinkled at her.
She smiled.
Dylan came to stand beside her once again. “I was serious earlier.”
“I know. You’re going to save your mother. And you’re not going without me.”
She grasped his hand again. “I won’t allow you to leave me behind.”
“You’ll be safer here, and besides, you’ve brokered quite the little deal between us, the faeries, the elves and the leprechauns. We can’t risk losing our ambassador.
We’ll need you in the coming hours, in case we lose the next battle.”
She shook her head. “You can’t do anything to keep me here, so I don’t see why we’re even having this conversation.”
“Lord Timothy," An advisor rushed into the room, "We have just gotten word that our forces are gaining ground in London. We might just be able to turn the tide of the war, yet. This small victory seems within our reach. Our forces in Scotland and Wales are also gaining small but precious ground.”
“Do you see?” She prodded Dylan on the chest. “We are slowly seeing the
dawn.”
“Aye. And it’s all because of you, if you hadn’t played right into Widow
Mooney’s hands, we wouldn’t have had such a boost in our ranks. You truly are a wondrous woman. I adore you.”
“Then, you see the validity in taking me along with you.”
“Actually, I’m still firm in my resolve. You stay here. In fact, all of the dragon shifters will remain on the front lines, that order effective immediately.” He nodded at Amelia. “Tell the troops that I will require a few dozen wizards and witches to fall back and meet me here. We’re going hunting for Draco, and I can’t have any dragon shifters in our ranks. I’m not about to kill anymore innocents.”
“I’ll transmit those orders, ASAP.” Amelia nodded at Dylan and hurried from the room.
“Excellent thinking, Dylan. I will be, of course, accompanying you and your
father. Aine is my niece, and Draco is going to get a mighty magical punch from me for being such an insolent sod!” Merdwyn stood up to his regal height.
Everyone seemed ready for action, except for her. She inched toward the door.
Dylan was there to block her path in the blink of an eye.
“My, you are spry when you feel like it.” She sighed. “I wish for once that I’d married a right and proper dunce instead of a quick witted fool!” Her barb made him smile and light lit his eyes. His warm gaze created that familiar tingly sensation to rush over her.
“You aren’t going anywhere. Didn’t you just listen to the orders I gave Amelia?
It isn’t safe for you to come with me. If it was, I would have you by my side in a heartbeat.”
DRAGON’S HEART Marly Mathews 170
“You are my mate, my husband. I can’t let you face him alone. I fear for you. I fear that we won’t see each other again, and I can’t live with that.”
“I will return to you.”
She nodded. “Then, I shall have to hold onto that hope.” She kissed him lightly.
She would have been more amorous, but she didn’t like having an audience. “May the flame of your life force never grow dim.”
He smiled at her, tenderly kissing her forehead. “Let’s continue this later. I’m about to rid our world of its greatest threat.”
“I love you, Dylan.” She grabbed his hand holding it firmly. She just couldn’t seem to bring herself to let him go.
“I love you, too.” He held her close, finally releasing her. She watched him leave.
The Elemental Faerie Queen lingered by her chair watching the others leave.
“Our husbands can be quite stubborn when they wish to be. Even now, as I speak, my own husband has thrown himself into this fight with the gusto of the true warrior that he is. He used to make it his vocation to rid the world of dark entities such as the ones that Draco has recruited to work for him. He will be a credit to your side, and yet, I still railed against him putting himself in the line of fire. We never wish to see the ones we love in jeopardy, even when it seems necessary. Know this, your husband is a brave, courageous man filled with love and light. He will not fail you.”
“I’m not afraid of his failure. I’m afraid of losing him.”
“We can’t fight the future, much as we might try. Do not fret. I must take my leave now, my forces here on Earth are awaiting my return.” Touching her hand
affectionately, she left the room.
The room soon cleared of its other
occupants.
* * * *
She sat down in an empty chair. She couldn’t stay here. She knew beyond a shred of a doubt that to stay here would be as good as signing Dylan’s death sentence.
He wouldn’t be able to hold out against Draco. His spell might work, but she knew in the pit of her stomach that it would be too little, too late. She could sense the unthinkable, but she knew she could stop it. She had to stop it. The future she was catching a glimpse of right now must change.
Grania felt the familiar sensation she usually received right before one of her visions washed over her. Her visions were infrequent but when they came they always came with the same sickly sensation.
Dylan stood near her father. Aine had been freed, and the mind control on her had also been released. She stood back to back with Timothy fighting off a slew of her fatherÕs dark warriors. The other witches and wizards were holding their own.
Dylan was dueling with her father, so consumed was he by being locked in battle with him that he had failed to cast the spell yet. She could see him mentally intoning the incantation.
It was too late. Her father had found a way to block the spell.
Horror dawned on DylanÕs face. He couldnÕt believe it. His spell was not working. She watched as despair turned to determination. In the next second, all of the witches and wizards within the hall were transported out ... and then, Dylan released all of his magical energy. With that one selfless act, he gave up his life in the pursuit of destroying a great evil.
DRAGON’S HEART Marly Mathews 170
Her husband was dead.
Tears rained down her cheeks ... dead, and he hadnÕt even learned of her surprise.
She snapped herself out of the vision.
No longer would she remain idle. She knew who she could count on to help her.
DRAGON’S HEART Marly Mathews 170
Chapter Twenty Two
She rushed through the building to where Aurora was stationed.
“You’re too late, Dylan and his warriors just left.”