Nexus of Change (Tasks of the Nakairi Book 2)

by K. E. Young

  "Do you like her enough to be a mate rather than just a political husband?"

  Mero didn't answer, just gave Dantalion a preoccupied smile. His lack of an answer made me wonder if I had made a mistake. Geran hadn't seemed so bad. He seemed to care about what was best for me.

  When we got to my doorway, there were half a dozen notes pinned to the doorframe. Dantalion sighed. "Ah, the blessings have already begun and there hasn't even been a formal announcement."

  "Blessings?"

  Dantalion hummed. "Blessings for a happy and fruitful union. Dragonlord weddings don't occur all that often. Contract marriages are more common and there isn't a ceremony for those. If there are this many now, they may need to put up a signboard for them all later. Traditionally, they must remain until after the wedding night."

  "Good thing it's being held next week then," I muttered.

  Dantalion lifted an eyebrow at me thoughtfully before turning back to Mero. "Mero, were you really planning to wait that long?"

  Mero tugged on his ponytail. "No! I don't want to wait and I knew Geran would be on tour then. However, if I didn't let him dictate the day, then he might dictate something else more inconvenient. What if he insisted on providing the wedding gown? They would stick Kendra with one of those ugly court monstrosities."

  Dantalion set me down outside my door, straightened, and looked at Mero askance. "He's right, you are a manipulative bastard." Mero laughed. "Well, goodnight sis. I'll see you tomorrow." He gave me a peck on the forehead and turned back the way we had come.

  "Go on to bed, Koris. I'll be fine from here." Koris nodded and went to his own quarters near the end of the hall. Mero watched until he had closed his door before turning back to me. He pulled me close and rested his forehead against mine. "Don't ever think this is a marriage of convenience, Kendra. I would have courted you regardless. You have never left my thoughts since the moment I first saw you."

  His breath puffed out in what was almost a laugh. "They had trussed you up in more rope than a trade ship, yet you still attacked and killed an armed Karthim just to steal his knife and free yourself. You caught my attention. When I went to aid you, I found that this spirited fighter was the most beautiful woman I had ever met.

  "During the battle, we fought together as if we had done so for years and afterward, I found that even though we didn't speak the same language, your spirit shone through like the sun. When I saw the likeness of my dragon self on your pendant, it was like a message from the Goddess saying 'Pay attention Mero, I've brought you a gift. Take good care of it'. I knew you were mine.

  "Since then, you have proven your strength, ferocity, and intelligence over and over. I find that I want to be worthy of you, and I am deeply afraid that I'm not. My faults have never troubled me before. I can only hope you don't come to resent me for what I've done here today. I want it to be real."

  His words floored me. "When Dantalion asked if you could be a mate instead of a husband, you didn't answer."

  He sighed and his hands tightened. "I was a little preoccupied with my dragon half at that moment. Never fear, Kendra. I am already your mate, my dragon was as eager to choose you as I was. There will never be another for me."

  His words made me happier than I was comfortable with, but I decided to take a chance. I tilted my head a little and kissed him. His hands on my arms slid up to cradle my face as he deepened the kiss. I moved closer and one of his arms slid down and around my waist, pulling me tight against him. Cracked ribs protested sharply but I couldn't bring myself to push him away. My inner demon shifted in welcome and that was it. My little crush was officially a lost cause.

  Mero lurched and swore. "My love, please forgive me. As much as I want to do more than kiss you, I'm not sure I'm physically up for it tonight. My knee has spoken. Loudly."

  "And my ribs are having a hissy fit right now. Are you going to make it back to your rooms or do you want to stay here tonight? We might not be up for it, but they don't have to know that."

  He chuckled and brushed my hair back over my shoulder. "Why don't you help me down to my rooms and then stay the night with me. I'm fairly certain I have a bigger, more comfortable bed than you."

  I smiled, then slipped my shoulder under his on his bad side and we made our limping way down to his quarters. He was right about the bed. There was also an entire pot of Zaki's tea… with two cups. I wondered if there were another pot and cups in my room too.

  As it happened, it wasn't too difficult to find a position that kept his knee and my back and ankle from objecting to our more strenuous activities.

  The only disturbing note came near the end. As we neared completion, Mero tipped his head back to bare his throat. My inner demon rose in a wave of fierce possessiveness, and leaned over him to sink my teeth into the side of his neck where it met the shoulder. He gasped, then spasmed hard all over.

  When we quieted, he rolled us onto our sides. I sighed as I looked at his neck and wiped a stray drop of blood away with my thumb. What the hell got into me? "I'm sorry about the bite. I've never done that before."

  A lazy smile graces Mero's face. "Don't worry about it, my love. Its common mating behavior with dragons, a marking of territory. You definitely have a dragon soul, and at this point, I wonder if you can manifest a dragon form.

  "I have a dragon soul?" Dantalion's musings had hinted as much. I wondered how Mero could be so sure.

  "Yes. When I heard Dantalion mention it, I looked closer and there it was, strong and bright. That doesn't mean you can manifest a dragon, but Dantalion was right, you have too many of the signs. You kept up with me during the battle and again during our fight, only another dragonkin could have done that. You need the ability to manifest your dragon to call on the enhancements that being dragonkin brings. I wouldn't doubt at all except there just aren't any female dragonkin and haven't been for hundreds of years."

  He brushed hair out of my eyes. "Then, when you bit me during the fight, my dragon reacted. It hurt, but rather than being angry, my dragon was so pleased, so happy. You had claimed me as your own and it felt right. I know, it was just a fight, but that's how my dragon side saw it. I think that's why Geran allowed it on such short notice."

  Mero chuckled and flopped on his back. "I'll admit it was difficult to restrain myself when we were discussing the problem of Geran absconding with you. My dragon was quite certain what the solution was and was being assertive."

  I snorted. "Dantalion said you liked the idea too much and warned me that dragonkin get frisky in the spring." I stroked my hand down his face. "We'll make it work. One day at a time."

  He gathered me close. "Indeed, my love. Now sleep. Tomorrow will be another long day." I laid my head against his chest and closed my eyes. As I was drifting off, I heard him whisper, "Mine," and felt a soft kiss in my hair.

  Chapter 7

  Day 6: 44th Day of Sanctuary, 3866

  Mero woke me the next morning by nuzzling my neck. He was snuggled up against my back and when he saw I was awake, his hands began to wander.

  I laughed as he hit a ticklish spot. "I thought you said today would be a long day."

  "It will be, but isn't this a much nicer way to start it?" I could practically hear his grin. He was right. Wrinkling the sheets was an excellent way to start the day. It was just as much fun as the previous night's shenanigans had been but without the shyness. Or the biting. The memory of it still embarrassed me.

  Afterward, I drowsed for a while before Mero murmured in my ear, "Breakfast should be here by now. Anis should have brought you a fresh uniform too."

  Gah. I hated the whole rumor mill thing. Given Mero's position here, he and I would take up all of the local news cycles. Now here was one more bit for everyone to gossip over. "So who knows about this by now?"

  He chuckled. "Just Anis, although Koris will have strong suspicions. By the end of the day though, everyone in the household will know. Anis would have known from the note I left asking for breakfast for two and a fresh un
iform for you."

  "Mm. Note? Planning for this to happen? What about outside the household?"

  "Hoped? Yes. Planned? No. I woke up in the night and decided to leave a note asking her not to wake me as usual then added a request for breakfast and a clean uniform for you. Don't worry. Anis is very good at keeping people's private things, private. And don't worry, those within a house do not share private information outside the house."

  "Ah. Good to know. May I use your bathing room?"

  Mero laughed. "These will be your quarters too you know. Make yourself at home. You might even want to consider any changes you want to make." He kissed my ear and rolled over to get out of bed, then limped around to strip the blanket off me. "Come on love," he said with a grin. "The day has begun and our breakfast is getting cold." He pulled me up and enfolded me in a hug before lifting me up and limping towards the bathing room.

  Pain shot through me, making me gasp. "Ah! Put me down, Mero! My ribs… hurts."

  He stumbled to a stop and set me on my feet with a look of chagrin. "I'm sorry. Please forgive me. I forgot. The activities of the morning distracted me."

  I patted his arm and leaned on him, trying to breathe. "You were thinking with the little head rather than the big one huh?"

  He laughed and leaned his forehead against mine. "Guilty as charged."

  He gave me a moment to catch my breath before he pulled me into the bathroom. While I relieved myself in the closet-like toilet, he got the shower going. When I joined him, it was steaming hot and felt fantastic, on stiff, sore muscles.

  I had never shared a shower with someone I didn't have to be shy with before. I think I had a new favorite hobby. Having someone else scrub my back and wash my hair had a decadent charm.

  We got out and he dried me before folding me in his arms again and just held me for a time. I enjoyed the closeness. If he was manipulating me, he was doing a damned good job. I would put my faith in his promise to make me happy. So far, he had kept it.

  My tummy eventually ruined the moment — loudly. Mero chuckled then picked up a comb and started on my hair. He had it detangled and smoothed out in no time. I took the comb from him and returned the favor. It was easier combing his hair than it was to comb my own, maybe it was just the angle or maybe it was just that his was shorter than mine was, still long, but not ridiculously so.

  I started to put on the uniform he handed to me but had to take off the tunic and start over again. I had gotten it reversed because I was paying more attention to him than what I was doing. He was beautiful to watch. He was perfect… at least physically. Mentally was another thing. No one was perfect in every way.

  He appealed and we got along far too well, but that arrogance of his annoyed me. Maybe if I thumped him enough he would stop. Then again, I've seen arrogance used to mask other issues and I wondered what skeletons he had in his closet. I couldn't imagine anything that could cause me to turn away from him though.

  He growled. "If you keep that up we'll get no work done today."

  "I'm happy with that idea," I grinned and slid the righted tunic back over my head.

  He chuckled and pulled me into his arms. "Unfortunately, I have a council meeting to attend, the acceptance of Sebas' credentials." He breathed this last into my ear as he nuzzled my neck.

  I wiggled as the shivers traveled down my spine. "Sebas?"

  He nipped the nape of my neck. "The new Darthan ambassador. He arrived late yesterday afternoon."

  "Well, maybe we should give him time to get settled."

  "The council would never stand for it." He groaned. "Maybe they'll wait for me…" He picked me up and set me on the edge of the table, undid his pants, and we were off. It would have been fun, but fate had other ideas. Suddenly it didn't sound fun for him and he was swearing.

  "What's wrong? Are you okay?" I asked muzzily.

  "Knee! Knee!" He keened and resumed swearing.

  I awkwardly maneuvered around to get off the table and ran for a chair. Hauling it behind him, I helped him to sit and checked his knee. Mero had dislocated both his kneecap and the knee itself. I had handled similar injuries during training so I grasped his patella and lifting it to clear whatever it had caught on, slid it back into position, and then pulled on the leg to let the knee slide back into place. He yelled again but afterward, the swearing diminished so I assumed that it helped. I rang for Anis then grabbing a damp washcloth from the bathing room, I wiped Mero's nether bits clean and then my own before pulling on my pants and helping him with his.

  When Anis arrived I told her that Mero had injured his knee again and to fetch Zaki and, if possible, an icepack. Zaki arrived first but my description of the injury and what I had done so far wasn't even complete before Anis arrived with a cloth filled with ice chips. I thanked her and as soon as Zaki had finished his examination, gently held it to Mero's knee. Zaki looked at the icepack with approval as he brewed up one of his teas.

  I looked up into Mero's tense face. "So, when is this council meeting?"

  Mero managed a strained smile. "I was already late."

  "Ah. Whoops. So, Zaki, I'm thinking it would be a bad idea for him to walk on it right now. Your opinion?"

  "I agree. I'll give him something for the pain and to help the torn flesh to recover, then wrap it in a brace so he doesn't accidently bend it. The knee was already damaged. This just compounded the problem. I'll see if Tomba, Geran's new healer, can look at it later. He's torn the tendons, and I think after this, Mero will need magic assisted healing.

  "I'll let Koris know he'll need a carry chair today. He should be able to walk on it with the brace after Tomba does his thing. The ice pack is a good idea. I think I want him to keep applying them for the next few hours. I'll make sure Anis has the proper instructions for it. Where did you learn how to fix the knee?"

  "I learned some from my father and brother, who were both healers although my brother specializes in diseases of the rich. Mostly, I learned as part of my martial arts training. You need to know a fair amount of anatomy for it. It's easier to take a body apart when you know how it's put together. Besides, there are always injuries in training, the faster you treat them, the less damage done and the faster the recovery. I've set broken bones, reduced dislocations, stitched up cuts, handled muscles spasms, scrapes, contusions, and light concussions. Illnesses or anything really serious I leave to the healers though."

  "That's good to know. I may need your help in future whenever we have to deal with the Karthim. They don't cause very many deaths anymore, but there are extensive injuries. My lord, I'll be back in a few minutes with the brace. Meanwhile, I want you to drink all of this. Every drop." Zaki then strode out on his errand.

  I turned to Anis. "Send a message to the council, letting them know Mero will be late."

  Mero grimaced but dutifully downed the stuff then waved for his breakfast. "I should eat something while I'm waiting for Zaki's brace. Don't forget that I want the reports summarized but there's no rush. It's more important that you get more background on current events and your new world. Perhaps Thermin can help. If he can't, Koris can. Demon Spit! I forgot to mention, Hanat will meet you in my office in about an hour to test you for magic. "

  I looked at him askance as he stuffed another bite into his mouth. "More little head interference?"

  He almost spat out his mouthful laughing. He swallowed and wiped his mouth. "I have been remarkably distracted of late."

  I contemplated his knee. He wasn't the only one who was distracted. "I'm sorry about this. I knew your knee was injured."

  "It's hardly your fault my love." He brushed his fingers down my face, thumb tracing my lips. "I think pain is the only thing that could have stopped me at that point. Even having Koris or Anis walk in on us would have made no difference. That I was already late for the council meeting didn't."

  I gave him a sly smile. "You can't fool me. You just wanted to get out of going to the council meeting at all."

  He laughed aloud at this. "T
here must be a less painful way of doing it. Besides, my fiendish plan failed. I have to go to the damned meeting anyway."

  Zaki, Koris, and two beefy warriors arrived a few moments later with the brace and a carry chair.

  Zaki and Koris got Mero's knee strapped up amid much swearing. Mero was looking a little pale by the time they finished and he was settled into the chair with his braced leg in a sling suspended from one grip.

  After Mero left for the meeting, I wolfed down my breakfast and hustled down to the office. Thal was on door duty again and I let him know I was expecting Hanat. Someone had lit the fire and the brazier for the teapot.

  I settled down to sort reports until the mage arrived. I am, by nature, organized and a bit of a clean freak. The disarray in Mero's office nearly had me throwing fits. Since I still had a few minutes to wait, I dove into sorting out the mess.

  I had lost track of time and neat stacks of reports surrounded me when Hanat arrived. He was just as dignified and quiet as he was when I first met him. "Good morning, Lady Kendra." I directed him to the chairs set around the table near the fireplace.

  "Has his lordship explained how we will do this, my lady?"

  "No. He re-injured his knee this morning and we've been a little distracted with everything happening. He barely remembered to tell me I should expect you before he had to head out for his council meeting."

  "Well, it's fairly simple. I will feed a burst of raw, unformed magical energy into you. If you have the ability, it should open the channels in your mind that handle that energy and the energy will form a reservoir waiting for you to use it. You'll experience an unpleasant, but harmless shock if you don't and nothing further will happen.

  "If you have the ability, I will then show you how to harvest magical energy from around you and how to drain the excess into the earth. Both tasks are simple, and shouldn't take long to learn.

  "Keep in mind that the energy required to use magic takes two forms, the magic itself, which is used and manipulated to affect the world around us, and the personal energy within you, which used to control and harness the magic. I would suggest that until you learn a certain level of control, that you not carry a reserve of the world's magic around with you. Since an empty reservoir will fill from the ambient energy around you once opened, you will need to drain it occasionally.