by Avril Sabine
“I can’t believe my own grandparents threatened to kill me.” Amber returned Helen’s glare.
“There’ll be a battle soon,” Ronan said.
“When?” Charles, Helen and Amber all asked at once.
“What battle?” Amber asked, not wanting to sound like her grandparents.
“When your boy finally identifies who made him we’ll hunt them down,” Ronan said.
“He’s not certain he can get the drawings exact. I told him we’d provide photos of people who look like the images he draws so he can confirm,” Amber said.
“People or dragons?” Charles asked. “We’re not killing people.”
“Dragons,” Amber said. Why had she been in such a hurry to leave Cooper? He’d been much easier to deal with than this group. “I’m not sure how long it’ll take.”
“He better not take too long,” Ronan warned.
“Is this why you wouldn’t let me leave? You want me to help fight your battles for you?” Shylah asked.
Amber shook her head. “No I just…” Her voice trailed off. She just was an idiot. Her grandparents weren’t about to accept a dragon grandchild anymore than they’d accept a Dragon Mage grandchild. “Never mind.”
“She wanted to talk to you about meeting your father,” Kade said.
Amber sent him a grateful smile. She’d forgotten about that plan in all the drama. “I’ll ring you. We’ll set a time later.”
“You’re going to see Roger?” Helen asked.
“He’s not our son,” Charles said. “He’s a dragon now.”
Helen started to speak then closed her mouth, her lips drawing in tight.
“He wants to see you.” Shylah said to Amber. “And he asked me to give a message to them.” She sent a look of disgust towards Helen and Charles.
“What did he say?” Helen asked.
“It isn’t important. He’s a dragon,” Charles said.
Shylah met Helen’s gaze. “He never forgot you. Ever. He even named his youngest daughter after you.” Her gaze shifted to Charles. “His second daughter he named Charlotte for you.”
“We don’t want dragons named after us. We’re Knights,” Charles said.
Shylah nodded. “I know. I’m only here because he can’t be. If I hadn’t made a promise, I’d kill you for all the dragons you’ve killed.”
“Don’t let that stop you. Try girl and you’ll see I’m not so easy to kill,” Charles said.
“No one is killing anyone today,” Amber said firmly.
“You’ve always got to interfere when things start to get interesting.”
Ignoring Ronan’s words, Amber turned to Shylah. “I’ll ring you.”
Shylah nodded before she entered the Void.
Amber turned to her grandfather. “Would it have hurt you to be nice? Or at least to not be nasty. She’s family.”
“She’s a dragon. We don’t have dragons in our family.”
She stared at him, wondering why she’d bothered. He wasn’t interested in seeing dragons as anything other than the enemy. She couldn’t see how a month with the Knights was going to convince her to join them. Not if they all had the same attitude as her grandfather. “I’ll be back when we know who we’re to attack.”
Charles gestured towards the table. “Then what’s all this for?”
“The battle after the next one.” She reached out a hand to Kade, but before she could take his hand and ask him to get her out of there, Ronan stepped between them.
“Not so fast, kitten. We’ve got business to discuss.” Ronan gestured towards the door.
“What sort of business?” Helen demanded.
“Nothing to do with either of you. Dragon business.” Ronan strode for the door, ignoring Charles’ demands that he be told what was going on. He closed the door once Amber and Kade were in the hallway, locking it. Striding back down the hallway, he didn’t bother to check if they were following.
“Do you know what it’s about?” Kade asked Amber.
“I haven’t got a clue.” She followed Ronan. “What business?”
Ronan didn’t talk until they were back in the lounge room where they’d arrived. “Why does Cooper need pictures?”
“Because he’s worried his drawings aren’t good enough to figure out the correct people.”
“What if I can’t get photos of the correct people? They’re not about to stand around and smile for the camera.”
“I’m sure you’ll work it out.”
“Don’t go making any other deals on my behalf without consulting me.”
“I didn’t-”
“You made the deal with Cooper about the photos.”
“It made sense.”
“It doesn’t make sense. It’s going to slow everything down.”
Amber glared at Ronan. “You’re the one not making sense.”
“Was that all the business you wanted to talk about?” Kade asked.
“Yes. You can go,” Ronan said dismissively.
Before Amber could argue, Kade took her back to his house through the Void. “I wasn’t finished talking.”
“You were wasting your breath.”
“Mine to waste.”
“Come on, Amber. Did you really want to spend the rest of the day arguing with Ronan? Haven’t you got better things to do?”
She thought of the new bracelets sitting on the bathroom vanity waiting to be filled with power. “Yeah.” She strode from the room, ignoring Kade’s question of what she was doing. She was sick of people pushing her around. Actually, it was dragons she was sick of. Them and Knights. She was perfectly capable of running her own life without their interference.
* * *
Amber stared at the photos Chait handed her. It was over a week since she’d seen her grandparents, nearly two weeks, and tomorrow was the last day of school before they broke up for the September holidays. “Are these them? The ones who made the mages?”
Chait nodded.
“Does Ronan know who they are?”
Kade came into the kitchen. “What have you got?”
She held the photos out.
Kade stopped at the second photo. “An Elder?” He looked over to Amber. “It’s an Elder that’s making mages and using details of the tests to hunt us?”
“I don’t know.” She turned to Chait. “Is it?”
“Ronan said he’d be here soon.” Chait disappeared into the Void.
“I hate it when you lot do that.” For a moment she started at the spot where Chait had been before she turned her attention to Kade. “What does it mean if it’s an Elder?”
“There are only twenty-five Elders. Beneath them are the Council, then the Assembly, then the Representatives. Elders are the most powerful dragons in all the worlds and the ones who uphold the law more than any other dragon. They are the law and must always be above it.”
“Yet he’s breaking the law.” Amber gestured towards the photo Kade still held. “What does that mean for us?”
“That we need to have proof that’s completely inarguable. No one would believe this of an Elder. And each Elder has so many allies that a battle against them is almost guaranteed to be won by them.”
“So basically we’re screwed.”
Ronan stepped out of the Void. “Not even close.”
“Then what?” Amber demanded.
“We prove he has not only bent the law, but twisted it out of recognition and not a single one of his allies will stand beside him. Once he’s taken care of, there’ll be fighting between the Councillors over who moves up and then there’ll be a position available on the Council. We don’t let anyone know it’s an elder until we’re completely ready and have inarguable proof. Before then we need to move up the taking of my lands. I don’t want someone on the Assembly thinking the position we create is theirs.
“Impossible.”
“Don’t tell me impossible. You have school holidays starting tomorrow. We can start the day after.”
“Why?” Ambe
r asked.
“He wants the Council position,” Kade said. “Which Gold Dragon are you backing for the position?”
Ronan smiled. “There will be hell to pay if I don’t get it.”
Amber shivered at the predatory smile, a flash of gold momentarily appearing in Ronan’s eyes. She had a feeling the only dragon he had in mind for the position was himself. “What about the other Dragon Mage and the Elder making them?”
“We can’t take them out until I have my lands. I’m not risking things moving too fast for me to get that Council position.”
“We aren’t ready to attack. It’s too soon to be able to win.”
“You will be ready. No excuses. My house Saturday morning. All of you. It’s time to go over the final plans.” Ronan held Amber’s gaze a moment longer before he vanished into the Void.
Amber reached for Kade, holding his hand tight. “Can we do it?”
“I hope so.”
She shivered again. They were so not ready for this. None of them. The castle’s occupants would know what to expect. They had no new battle tactics with which to surprise them like they had at Temolae Keep. “We’re screwed.”
“So that’s it? You’re giving up?”
Amber thought of Cooper, covering his face with his hands. Then she thought of her brother, Crystal, her mother, even her grandparents. The images of people that she had claimed filled her mind. She reached out a hand and ran it down Kade’s cheek, along his neck, stopping at his heart. It beat strongly beneath her palm. “No. We’ll get him his lands.” She didn’t have a choice.
“We need to let Flinn know.”
“Crystal is going to be mad. Her seventeenth birthday is during the September holidays and she was expecting to have a ball to celebrate.”
“That’s only a week away. Impossible.”
Amber grinned. “As impossible as taking Ronan’s lands these holidays?”
Kade laughed. “I guess we’re having a ball.”
Amber joined him, noticing a slight touch of hysteria to the sound of her laugh. “There’s no way I’m telling Mum. She’ll try and ground me again. We’re going to our castle to celebrate Crystal’s birthday. Right?”
“Okay.”
Amber took a deep breath, trying not to think about what was coming. “This is crazy,” she muttered.
“Crazy? Aren’t you the one who jumps off my back in mid air?”
“That’s different.” She eyed his smile, thinking it looked a little bit too much like Ronan’s predatory one. “You’re looking forward to this, aren’t you?”
“I’m a dragon. We live for battle and stealing our neighbour’s land.”
“Just great.” She pulled away from him. “I’m going to ring Crystal. And Jay.”
Chapter Twenty-Three
When they arrived at Ronan’s house, he led them straight to Charles and Helen’s room. Extra timber chairs had been set around the table, which was covered in numerous piles of paper. Amber looked away from the glare her grandfather sent her. Not the best way to start the first day of the school holidays, but she guessed they weren’t about to get any better. She sat down at the table, Kade beside her, and looked around at those assembled. Ronan had two of his sons behind him, Hound and Tory, while Rian stood behind her. Flinn and Crystal were seated, his warriors behind him. Jasper was also at the table and Maira and Brann were seated, much to Flinn’s annoyance.
“I only have two people in the castle. I’d planned to have more, but time doesn’t allow it,” Ronan said.
“Going to war half prepared will get everyone killed,” Charles said. “Not that I care about the rest of you. Die if you want. But you’re not endangering me and Helen.”
“Circumstances have changed. It was necessary to move our plans forward,” Ronan said.
Amber could just imagine how little her grandparents would appreciate helping Ronan get his own Council position. Flinn had been argumentative enough. At least until Kade had pointed out that it wasn’t guaranteed. Ronan still had to fight for it and win it for whichever Gold he was sponsoring.
“What circumstances?” Helen asked.
“Future changes in dragon alliances. We need to attack now before those alliances finish changing,” Ronan said.
“Are they strengthening their position?” Charles asked.
“Forget the politics for the moment. Focus on strategy. We’ll attack at night,” Ronan said.
Amber nearly groaned when Charles argued against that plan. Minutes passed as the table erupted into arguments, finally agreeing, reluctantly by some, to attack at night. It was going to be a long day. She eyed the door, wishing she could leave.
“My people will create two separate diversions. One will light a fire-”
Charles interrupted Ronan. “That’s too obvious. The first thing they’ll think of is attackers.”
Amber felt like throttling her grandfather when his words caused another argument to start. Both Ronan and Charles ended up on their feet, shouting at each other over the table before the argument was finished. The decision was reached that one would light a fire in the stables, chasing out the horses, while the other spy set dynamite at the rear wall to make the enemy think they’d be entering through it.
“We’ll send a small force towards the back while a larger one attacks from the front and a handful flies in from the side to track down the leaders,” Ronan said.
“Where do you think you’re going to put us? It better not be in the suicide group attacking the rear,” Charles said.
“You’ll go where I put you,” Ronan roared, rising to his feet again.
Charles leapt to his feet too. “If you think you can get us killed in this battle-”
Amber jumped to her feet. “Stop it! Both of you. We’ve got no chance of winning if we continue to fight amongst ourselves. Save it for the enemy.”
“Don’t you talk to me like that, girl.” Charles glared at her.
“Well, if you can stop acting like little kids we won’t all end up in-” Her mouth dropped open. “Oh.”
“What?” Ronan asked.
Her lips slowly curved into a smile. “A grave.”
“Can’t see how that can cheer you up,” Charles growled. “Unless it was him.” He nodded towards Ronan.
Amber met Ronan’s eyes. “The crypt.”
Ronan grinned.
This time his predatory smile didn’t make fear race through her veins. It made her think that they actually had a chance of surviving. “Do they ever have guards in there?”
Ronan shook his head. “What’s the point? It’s locked. But I can bring warriors in there and we can use some dynamite to blow it open.”
“No. Too dangerous. How is it locked?”
“By a key that used to be kept in the library. In the bottom drawer of the desk.” Ronan pulled the map towards himself. “Here. This room on the second floor.”
“Doesn’t mean it’ll still be there,” Charles said.
“One of the mages could fly in and get it,” Maira said.
“Not my mage,” Flinn growled.
“I’ll do it,” Amber said quickly before another argument could start.
“You don’t have to,” Kade said.
Who else was she going to let do it? Jay? Crystal? No way. “My plan. I’ll do it.”
“It’ll have to be done at once,” Ronan said.
Amber met his eyes. “Everything?”
“If you can’t get the key in time I’ll be blowing the door open. Obviously I won’t be using as much as I would for the outside wall,” Ronan said.
Her stomach lurched. It still sounded too dangerous. “Once I get the key, how do I get it to you?”
Ronan continued to meet her eyes. “Call for me and I’ll find you.”
She wasn’t certain if that was a threat or a promise. She nodded, hoping it was a promise. “Then we can attack from inside.”
“We’ll have the advantage,” Ronan said.
“We’re going wi
th the group attacking from inside,” Charles ordered.
“So are we,” Flinn stated.
Amber held her breath, expecting more arguments. Instead, Ronan nodded. Her eyes travelled around the table, staring intently at everyone there. Apart from Flinn and his warriors she’d be devastated if something happened to one of them. Possibly not her grandfather, but she wasn’t certain. Her eyes were drawn to Ronan. She’d even be devastated if something happened to him. And that thought scared the hell out of her more than her fear of losing any of her family or friends. She didn’t know what Ronan was, but somehow or other, he’d become one of hers.
Plans and suggestions continued to be thrown around the table, there were more arguments and Amber’s gaze kept being drawn back to Ronan, the sense of horror not leaving her. When talking was done, and everyone started to leave, Ronan cornered her in the hallway.
“I need to talk to you.”
Amber shot a look to Kade who waited for her, nearly everyone else gone other than Rian. She’d wanted to spend time with Crystal, but they’d all be at their castle tomorrow. Not that they’d probably have much time to chat with everything that still needed to be done.
“Now, Amber.”
She knew that tone. It wasn’t one to be argued with. “Kade, take Rian to Temolae Keep and come back for me.”
“No need. I’ll take her to your house when I’m finished talking to her,” Ronan said.
“Okay.” She was surprised that none of her worry leaked into the tone of her voice.
“Are you sure?” Kade asked Amber.
“Yes. He still needs me. I’ll be fine.” She tried to sound reassuring, but wasn’t certain if she managed to convey that feeling.
Kade nodded, reaching for Rian before he disappeared into the Void.
“This way.” Ronan led her to a water garden he’d recently installed in his rooftop garden, indicating an outdoor timber chair she could sit on before sitting on one himself. “What’s going on?”
Amber sat down. “I don’t know what you mean.”
“What are you planning?”
“Nothing.”
“Don’t lie to me, Amber. I saw those looks you kept sending me. What are you planning?”
She jumped to her feet, started to pace, stopped, faced Ronan then looked away again. There was no way she could get out of telling him what she was thinking. Although he probably wouldn’t believe her. “You’re crazy.”