She rolled her eyes. “Why not?”
“Early three hundreds,” he confirmed with a huff.
“Does that mean there hasn’t been a leman found for three hundred years?”
When both men glanced at each other and nodded, Mia’s heart fell through her stomach.
Something was going on.
Something they weren’t telling her.
Something they’d better start doing right this damn minute.
Chapter Seven
Remy blew out an aggrieved breath.
How the hell had the conversation veered onto the one topic he hadn’t wanted to discuss?
Georgios grimaced and, as though trying to help now the cat was out of the bag, declared, “I daren’t find my mate.”
Mia had been looking at Remy, but at his oldest friend’s words, her head whipped around so she could stare at him.
“Why not?”
“I fear for her safety.”
Remy heaved out a sigh. This was only going to lead down another dead end that would get him further in the crapper.
Sitting down on the armchair beside Georgios’s, he murmured, “There’s little use in lying.”
“I’m not lying. I daren’t find my leman,” he repeated staunchly.
“Nay, I know this, but all roads lead to Damascus. Explaining the why, explains the how.”
“Someone had better start explaining what the hell’s going on, before I start to get pissed off.”
Remy grimaced and leaned forward, resting his elbows on his knees. “Georgios’s father was an Ancient. He found his leman far too late. In truth, he should never have found her. He was far too unstable.”
Georgios bit off, “Unstable isn’t the word. The man was a lunatic.”
“He’s dead now?”
Remy heaved out a sigh. “Yea. He was executed for his crime against his leman.”
“Ever since, the Mother has punished us. There have been no lemans since my Mama’s passing.”
“Why? It wasn’t your fault, was it?”
They both shrugged, but it was Remy who said, “We know not why the Mother works the way she does.”
“But don’t you think it’s weird? When was the last leman found?”
“Five hundred years ago,” Remy whispered, sorrow deep in his eyes.
“That’s why you had to sleep, isn’t it? You knew you were being punished, and you didn’t know if you’d ever find me.”
He blinked at her, ducking his head. “They were trying times.”
“But, if lemans had been lost to you for so long, why have two suddenly been found within such a short space of time? And why the offspring of the dragon whose fault this all rests with, and the child of the head of House who undoubtedly called for the dragon’s execution?”
“I don’t want to question it,” Remy retorted.
“Me neither,” Georgios inserted.
“Then why aren’t you going to find her? Remy, at least, has lived up to that. Why aren’t you grateful that you’ve found her?”
“My father was the first dragon in our civilization to kill his mate,” Georgios snarled, leaping forward and onto his feet before either of them knew what he was about. Remy tensed, as did Mia, but he veered away from them and started striding back and forth, back and forth. “What do you think that means about me? I’m tainted. You think I want that for my mate?”
Mia frowned. “But the Mother obviously disagrees.”
He glowered at her. “Then she’s wrong. I deserve my punishment.”
“What punishment? It’s not your fault,” she barked, and then when he made to complain, she held up her hands to stop him. “Look, this is getting ridiculous.”
Remy cleared his throat. “Sit down, old friend.”
“I don’t want to.”
“Then pace about like the lunatic you think you are but heed me,” Mia said on a hiss. “You will cease this misbehavior at once. Eirik and Alexa might be snitches, but they’re only able to do so because you’re doing shit that’s against the rules.”
“And you know what the rules are, how?”
Remy growled. “Watch it, Georgios. You pledged her your respect.”
“And I haven’t forgotten. Surely it should be you who reprimands me and chides me like a ’ling fresh from the nest?”
“You haven’t listened to me for a long time. And I haven’t pushed it because we are old friends, and I know more than most what you endured in the nest. My leman has fresh eyes on this particular matter.
“She is right, however. You must cease this lashing out. It will do no good.”
“The Goblin council and the Elven High Court never address the Queen,” Georgios retorted, having the audacity to lift his hands and start studying his nails as though he were beyond bored. “I see no reason why I can’t ply my mischief there.”
Remy clenched his jaw. “You bring shame on the House, you fool.”
“For someone who’s so terrified about being as insane as his father, you’re causing a hell of a lot of shit for the House,” Mia inserted softly, with the precision of a scalpel into a wound.
Georgios staggered like he’d just been stabbed.
She must have seen that she’d hit her target, because she continued, “When Remy told me he’d given you a draught to make you sleep, I didn’t understand the circumstances, but I immediately disagreed. However, if you act like a willful child, there is little else that can be done. And is there anything more willful than ignoring the Mother’s call? Your leman is out there, stirring. She’s waiting for you, and the waiting isn’t pretty,” she chided, all without raising her voice. It was only now she knew what had been happening to her that she could recognize the loss of self-control, the steamy dreams and sleeplessness, the hunger that was difficult to quench. “What are you doing? Causing petty strife among people you don’t even care about.” She shook her head and under her breath, whispered, “Fool.”
Georgios’s nostrils flared. “You speak too soon, Mia. You know not of our ways.”
“I’m a quick learner,” she retorted. “I don’t have to know anything to know basic psychology. Your guilt trip isn’t getting you anywhere. It’s only going to cause more crap to fall on your head. So grow a pair, go and claim your leman, and get on with your life. If you want to figure out a way to punish your dad, be happy. That’s the best way to do anything.”
At her words, color streaked through Georgios’s eyes. He shot Remy a glance. “May I leave?”
He heaved a breath and got to his feet. “Are you going to listen?” When he remained stubbornly silent, Remy growled. “If you cause more strife between the other factions, and news falls in the Queen’s ears, I will have to punish you. You do know that.”
Georgios just asked again, “May I leave?”
“Eirik will tail you. He will ensure you stay away from the Goblins and Elven folk. Do you understand me, Georgios?” When no answer was forthcoming, he hissed out a breath. “Do you think I want to punish you?” he roared. Then, when more silence fell, Georgios just avoided his gaze, softly stated, “Get out of my sight.”
Sorrowful described his mood over the subsequent days. His only joy was his mate’s presence in his cavern. But even she was quiet. As though she shared his hurt at Georgios’s behavior too.
After two days of moping around, of barking more at Alexa than he’d done in centuries when she dared to disturb him at the cave, that morning, he decided ’twas time.
Gathering the pieces of his mating tear drop from the jacket he’d discarded days afore, he placed the shards in a pouch and trudged over to the chaise longue where Mia had taken up residence.
The couch was long and wide, larger than some beds—even he could sleep on it comfortably. When he’d shown her their sleeping quarters, she’d refused to get between the silken sheets of the grandiose bed, however. Stating that she was going nowhere near it until she was in full working order, and they could share it together.
Why sh
e thought that was a requirement for lying in a bed, he didn’t know, but he’d decided not to argue. Her sleeping on the chaise meant he could sleep on his treasure pile, so they’d both been relatively content for the interim. After all, she was his greatest treasure, so sleeping in his other form had made him feel like he was guarding her too. The beast did like to feel useful.
She was snoozing as was her wont through the daylight hours. She’d find, once the mate bond was fixed into place, her hours of wakening would be extended. Not overly, she’d never be free to roam the world at midday. But a few hours before the setting sun would see her out and about with little to no irritation.
That wouldn’t be for a long time, however, and dragons lived nocturnally anyway, so her sleeping schedule, as with every other leman, never presented a problem for any dragon shifter.
Still, having awoken and grown tired of being in the doldrums, he was ready and raring to go.
His scale was close to perfect. He could fly longer distances once more. It was a shame she couldn’t sit on a saddle, but such was life. He wanted this next chore done with, and he needed her there—saddle or no—to accomplish that.
After seeing she was still deeply asleep, he bathed in the hot springs in both forms. As his beast first, letting his temper burn off under the water by blowing fire that was immediately quenched. More bubbles than usual breached the surface, and when he arose as a man, he was stunned to see Mia, sitting on the floor, watching his display.
“How did you get there?” he demanded, ever hopeful. “Can you—?”
She shook her head before he could finish the question. “I dragged myself over to see what you were doing. God, you were making a lot of noise.”
Sheepishly, he ducked his head. “A thousand pardons, leman. It was never my intention to wake you.”
“I didn’t ask for an apology,” she teased. “I was just wondering what you were up to. If I thought dragons farted, I’d say you just dropped a few major ones.”
For a second, he was speechless. Then, out of his control, laughter roared free. She sat there, smirking at him, loaded with self-satisfaction at amusing him.
He shook his head at her and growled out, “Dragons do not fart. I was breathing fire into the water.”
“That got you far,” she told him cheerfully. “Don’t know if you’re aware of it, babe, but you can’t set fire to water.”
“Less of the insolence, leman,” he retorted with a snort. “I was simply playing.”
“The water was bubbling like crazy.”
“It was boiling. The fire is quenched immediately but it still causes the hot springs to overheat.”
She cocked a brow. “Does that mean I can’t bathe yet?”
“It might be too hot still,” he said apologetically.
She shrugged. “No worries.” Eying him like he was something bizarre in need of further study, she asked, “You seem brighter today.”
“There is no point in wasting any more energy on that fool of a friend of mine.”
“He really hurt you, didn’t he?”
“I don’t want to punish him, but I have no choice if he causes more trouble with the other factions.”
“You don’t have to explain it to me, Remy. I’m a leader too, remember. Sometimes, even though it hurts, you have to think of the collective over the individual. Even if that individual is a really close friend.”
At her understanding, his shoulders slumped. “I wish he wasn’t so damned stubborn.”
“Takes one to know one,” she pointed out softly. When he glared at her, she simply said, “Obstinacy is part and parcel of ruling. We’d get nowhere if we didn’t stick to our guns.”
“You seem intent on insulting me this morning then smoothing over troubled waters with compliments.”
“Ever heard of the phrase ‘you catch more flies with honey than vinegar’?”
He stared at her, utterly perplexed. “Ought I to know it?”
“You do now,” she retorted. “Anyway, what’s today’s game plan?”
“There is no game to plan,” he replied, a confused frown on his brow. “What made you think we would be playing a game?”
She huffed out a breath. “Talk about taking me literally. I meant, what are we doing today? Or are we still waiting on Alexa for more news?”
The House business he’d been dealing with had been passed on to him via Alexa, while Eirik had been left to his nauseating chore of watching over Georgios.
“I have one more task for us to complete, before we can return to your realm.”
She perked up at that. “Truly?”
He nodded. “Aye, but our return depends upon when you are fully mobile once more.”
“Explain,” she demanded, folding her arms across her chest and staring at him mulishly.
“Each leman must be presented at court.”
“You want me to meet with your Queen?” Her eyes flared wide with concern.
“Aye. But you must be fully mobile to do so. Which is why, when your legs start to work once more, we must return here.”
“Okay, but why?”
“You have to curtsy. You saw how Alexa greeted you?” At her nod, he continued, “That is a requisite for being presented at court. And, to be presented, you must wear your ceremonial garb.”
“Ceremonial garb?” she parroted. “What the hell is that?”
“It’s a dress you must wear when we go to court,” he explained.
“And we’re going to pick that up today?”
He grimaced. “Kind of.”
“Why does that sound ominous?”
“Well, we must enter Goblin territory to do so. Only they can piece together the garb.”
“Don’t you think that’s weird? I figured you’d all rely on yourselves for shit like that.”
“Nay, have you not heard? We used the Goblin potion on Georgios.”
“That’s true. I forgot about that.”
“We’re interdependent,” he explained. “It’s better that than warfare among us.”
“So, Goblins make potions and apparently design clothes. What do the Elven and dragons do?”
“Dragons are the guardians of rare books and tomes. Each House has a specialty.”
Her eyes widened. “What’s our specialty?”
He preened at her unprompted use of the word ‘our’. “Healing. We have one of the largest collections of all the Houses and are one of the most important, as a result. My collection is just one part of the whole. Every den, of every family, within the House shields tomes for the good of the House.”
“That’s so cool.”
Her childlike wonder made him smile. “I’m glad you think so, dearling.”
“What do the Elven provide to this interdependent relationship?”
“Usually charms and such. They are more ancient than we are, so they are guardians of that history too. They are the keepers of ancient relics.”
“This is too awesome,” she confessed. “Can we see the ancient relics?”
He shook his head. “They keep them under lock and key. However, they loan them out to the Queen’s household and the Goblin court on a rotation.”
“Like a museum installation?”
He nodded. He wasn’t sure what an installation was, but he did know of this term, ‘museum’.
“If we’re flying today, does that mean your scale is almost good to go?”
“Aye, it does. So, once your ceremonial dress is underway, and I speak once more with Alexa, we can return to your realm.”
She clapped her hands. “That’s awesome.” Then, a thought struck her. “What happens if I get use of my legs back on Christmas Day?”
His grimace must have said it all. “I’m sorry, sweetling. It would be grossly disrespectful to Her Majesty not to attend her once the mate bond is fixed.”
“Would she know?” she started to wheedle.
He shot her a chiding look. “Think you I would deny you pleasure if it were not ne
cessary? The instant the mark appears, you are one of hers. She senses us all.” He shivered. “It is a disquieting ability she has.”
“How the hell does she sense you?”
“Some kind of Accord between the Goblins, Elven, and dragons aids her. It keeps us in check. We are the most destructive of the three races of this realm. We must be accounted for.”
“That’s why Georgios’ behavior is such a big deal, isn’t it?”
He nodded. “I fear if he doesn’t sort himself out soon, he’ll be afore the Queen before he can say rebellion.”
Her countenance grew somber. “He’ll change his mind. Surely the call of his leman will only increase.”
He pondered her a second then nodded. “Aye, I pray you’re right. I sensed your stirring was growing deeper. I’m certain he shall too.” He huffed out a breath. “Now, the water is ready for you, dearling. If you would like to cleanse yourself, we can start for the Goblin village across the range as soon as you’re ready.”
“Oh, Christ. My legs aren’t working yet. That means you have to dangle me in your claws, doesn’t it?” She grimaced. “Get any sneezes out of the way now.”
He rolled his eyes. “Yes, dearling. Anything you say.”
Chapter Eight
Was it embarrassing having to be carried about like an oversized baby?
Yes. It was. It was very embarrassing.
The only comfort came from the fact the Goblins weren’t unaccustomed to seeing it.
Though a new leman had been brought to this realm hundreds of years ago, apparently, Goblins had long memories.
Remy was on the receiving end of congratulatory nods, and a few even trundled over to speak with him.
They didn’t speak English.
And they were small.
Like, crazy small.
They were the size of small lapdogs. She’d seen bigger Yorkshire Terriers than the Goblins, and boy, were they ugly.
Their faces were flat, and their features looked like they’d been slammed into a brick wall at birth to make everything squashed.
Their skin was green tinged, where human folk were pink. In places, it was also translucent. On the chest area, the flesh seemed to glow it was so see through, and the faint pulsing of their hearts was nauseatingly visible.
Christmas: Dragon Style (The Sanguenna Chronicles Book 1) Page 7