by Celeste Raye
Tae swallowed the lump in his throat. He was here to request that the king perform the mating ceremony, but if the king tried to refuse, he was ready to demand it. He would suffer the consequences later. He bowed to the king and began, "Sire, I would like to request that you perform a mating ceremony today joining Eveline to me."
"Why the urgency? Can it not wait a few days to allow preparations? Work must be suspended and surely Eveline would like a magnificent dress," the king questioned.
"I feel there is something sinister in the air. I awoke with an urgency I cannot explain. Eveline felt it emanating from the waterfalls, and I heard a rumble from a volcano that sent shivers up my spine. Even Shara has sensed something, though she feels it from the sky. I want this mating before anything goes awry. Please, sire!"
"The waterfalls, volcanoes, and the sky you say? Talonia is trying to warn us. We will ready ourselves. If this mating must be part of the preparation, so be it. You have two hours. The message will go out to our people immediately. However, some will not be attending this union. I feel the necessity for our soldiers to be ready for danger and Kelan must wield our new weapon," the king declared.
Eveline
Eveline reached the school at the same time Chiya was opening the door and turning on the lights. Out of breath, she panted, "Chiya, I have news."
"Sit and catch your breath before you pass out on me. What has happened? Why were you running?"
"There's not much time, if all goes well. I won't be working today. Tae and I will be mated instead. That is, if the king allows it," she announced.
"How wonderful!" Chiya exclaimed. "But, it is such short notice. There is so much to do. Maybe, the king will ask that you put it off for a few days."
"No, please don't say that. It has to be today. He has to allow it!"
"My goodness, Eveline. Stop panicking. A day or two will not change anything. Tae will wait and love you still. Calm yourself," Chiya demanded.
"It isn't Tae's feelings I'm worried about. Today is a turning point of some sort. Can't you feel it? We have to do this now. I swear it," Eveline replied.
"Today is no different than yesterday. But, if it means that much to you, surely the king will agree."
The monitor in the classroom began to buzz. There was an incoming message from the palace. Chiya released Eveline's cold hands and opened the link.
"I come to you this morning with an announcement that will bring joy to your hearts," the king recited. "Tae, one of our lieutenants is to be mated with our newest human arrival, Eveline. Work and school are suspended in lieu of the ceremony. We are to celebrate their blissful union. It will occur in the main plaza two hours from now, so hurry."
"Well, it appears you will get your wish. Do you have a dress?” Chiya asked.
"No, but it isn't necessary. I will wear something from among the things Michelle gifted me. I am just relieved that the king has agreed to the ceremony," Eveline answered.
"I disagree. It matters a lot. This day is one of the most important in your life. My mother is a seamstress. Let me see what she has on hand. I will bring something to you at your home."
"Oh, thank you, Chiya! You are a wonderful friend. But, don't bring it to my home. Bring it to Michelle's instead. I need all my friends today," Eveline stated.
Michelle had heard the announcement and was waiting impatiently when Eveline arrived. "I knew it," she pronounced. "The two of you were destined as mates. I saw it every time you looked at each other. Congratulations! But, why the hurry?"
"Everyone keeps asking me that. I have no way to make you understand. We just feel that if it doesn't happen today, it may never happen at all. We woke up beside the waterfall and somehow, we knew there was an urgency. Don't force me to try and explain. I need you to be my friend today. Help me make this happen," Eveline implored.
"Okay, no more questions. Only happy thoughts and celebrations for the rest of the day. Let's find you a fancy dress and some shoes. I don't have really have anything for a special occasion, but we'll add embellishments."
The buzzer sounded, and Eveline explained, "That will be Chiya. She's bringing a dress. Her mother is a seamstress, and she said there might be one in her shop."
Chiya had been right. The perfect dress had been waiting, and Eveline now slipped it over her head. The shimmering silver sheath flowed over her slim curves as if its threads were still a part of the plants growing in the pool beneath the waterfall. It fell to the tops of her feet that were clad in soft slippers of the same shimmering silver. Together, Chiya and Michelle arranged her hair in loose curls entwined with silver threads and green pearls from Talonia's shellfish. A dainty necklace to match was added, making her green eyes sparkle. It covered the faint scar left from her days as a slave. Tears sprang to eyes as she saw herself for the first time.
"You've made me beautiful. I could never have done this without you. I love you all so much. I don't deserve friends like you."
"You were always beautiful. Love for Tae has just enhanced it. The dress and hair are just accents. And of course, you deserve friends. Don't allow the doubts planted by the Savra to ruin your day. You are special, or you wouldn't be here. Something greater than all of us sent Tae to you that fateful day. Never forget it," Michelle declared.
The plaza was filled with smiling faces, though there appeared to be far fewer men than women. A scowl of concern crossed Eveline's face, but it was wiped away as she saw Tae standing at the king's side. His uniform was brand new and had a shining emblem to declare his status as a lieutenant. He stood tall and proud. His father sat in a chair on his left, dressed in his finest. Jax and Tae's sisters had front-row access. They were beaming up at their brother.
A large hand grasped her arm. "It is my privilege to hand you over to Tae. I am sorry I cannot stay for the entire ceremony, but the king has other duties for me," Hesher confided. "Daer will take my place once we reach Tae."
"You are a surprise," Eveline replied. "No one told me you would be my escort."
"I became your guardian the day I wrapped my wings around you on Savra. Both you and Tae remain under my watchful eye. I will not let you down."
The crowd parted and allowed Eveline and Hesher to walk toward the raised platform. Her smile grew as she glided up the steps to join her beloved. Hesher put her hand in Tae's. He bowed to the king and said, "I present this woman to be mated. May you add your blessing to the union." He backed away and swiftly descended the steps. Daer moved forward into the space Hesher had left.
The king spoke to the crowd, "I give my blessing to the union of Tae and Eveline. They have chosen this day to declare themselves as mates. We have accepted Eveline as one of our own, a Talonian by assimilation though not by birth. I will allow them to speak their vows then I will bind them with a symbol of their union."
Tae turned to Eveline and vowed, "Forever in my heart and bound to my soul, I claim you as my mate. No longer will I roam the world alone. You will be at my side. I rejoice in the day we were brought together, despite the dire circumstances. May the past be forgotten, and the future hold nothing but joy. All that I have is yours. I will protect and defend you with every breath I take."
Eveline took her turn. "Forever in my heart and bound to my soul, I claim you as my mate. I am lost no more. You are my savior and my life. I received a miracle in you. The past is forgotten, and my future is with you and Talonia, the planet I now owe my loyalty. Never will I forsake you. We were meant to be."
"Give me your hands," the king commanded. He laid Tae's, palm side up, on a table. Eveline's was placed atop Tae's, also palm side up. The king held a small, square piece of metal. Eveline was startled when he heated its surface with dragon fire. She started to back away, but Tae held her in place.
He whispered, "Please, do not run. It may hurt a little, but it is the binding mark."
The king placed the hot metal on Eveline's wrist. It burned and yet it didn't really cause pain. When it was removed, her wrist held the tattoo of a
dragon. It was a tiny replica of the one on Tae's broad shoulder.
"You are mated and bound by the symbol," the king announced. "I give—"
His words were cut off by a rumbling from the sky. The clouds darkened in protest. The citizens of Talonia were silenced by fear. A bright light shot into the sky, flames burst overhead, and the world became chaos.
Chapter 14
Tae
Burning metal shards rained down on the crowd. The king and Daer shifted into dragons, using their wings to shield the newly mated pair. Children's screams were lost amid the roaring of volcanoes and dragon fire. Weredragon soldiers took to the sky in droves. The huge laser sent another stream upwards, defending Talonia. Mothers transformed to cover their babies and herd them to safety.
Under the shelter of Daer and the king, Tae kissed Eveline and told her, "I have to go. You know that. My heart will remain with you." He shoved her off the platform to the ground where Michelle and Keshel stood. "Keep her safe," he asked of Michelle.
The white dragon appeared and declared, "I will protect them all. Go, Tae. I swear I will die before I let anything happen to them." Her beautiful eyes turned to Daer's, "Come back to me," was all she said. Shara enveloped the two humans and the child with one wing and used the other to gain enough altitude to fly over the other dragons on the ground. She would get them as far away from the chaos and war as she was able.
"Daer, make sure the mothers take the children to the caves behind the waterfalls. Our enemy will go after the city first. The caves will be safer," the king commanded. Daer flew off to intercept the females who were advancing toward the palace. The king soared into the sky. He needed to find the source of the problem.
Tae raced to the mine. Kelan had set off the laser, meaning there was an imminent attack from an unknown enemy. He would control the second huge laser, secretly built and hidden, if it was necessary. Something in the cloud cover had been hit, but what was it? Where was the burning metal coming from and why were there no more explosions?
Weredragons were coming back down and landing all around him. They and the ones who had remained in the form of man appeared confused. They did not know where the enemy was or how to fight what could not be found.
The city's heavily damaged monitors came to life, and the king's voice rang out over the static. "A Savra ship is fleeing from Talonia. It is moving very slowly. Kelan must have hit it a glancing blow or it would have exploded. He says that what we see falling around us are pieces of the nuclear weapon they had intended for our planet. He did not let it land but used the laser to blow it up as far from Talonia as possible. What effect the debris will have on us or our world cannot be calculated at this time. We cannot allow this to happen to us again or to any other planet. The Savra must be destroyed, wiped out of existence this time. Soldiers, say farewell to your families and board our ships. We go to war once more."
"There is no time for goodbyes," Tae told the soldiers around him. "If that ship reaches Savra to tell them of their failure or sends out a warning, they will be ready for us. We must follow now and destroy it."
A battle cry sounded, and the weredragons ran for their ships. The enemy would not reach the safety of their world.
Kelan called out from the mine, "Help me! We must load the laser onto the king's warship. He has ordered the Savra planet's complete destruction. Tae! Bring men!"
Tae gathered a group and the laser was loaded within minutes. "Are you coming with us this time?" he asked Kelan.
"I cannot. Though the nuclear weapon was destroyed many miles above Talonia, there is still going to be damage to our atmosphere. I must deploy the Earth's resolution before too much destruction is done. You and the other soldiers need a planet to return to. Our children must be protected from the fallout. You are in charge of the laser. Go quickly!"
Hesher was in command of the king's warship. He was waiting impatiently for Tae to board. The doors sealed behind Tae and the ship was flying before he made it to the command center. Smaller warships surrounded the large one. Only eight soldiers stayed behind to aid Kelan.
"We do not have time to waste. As soon as we are in range, use the laser to eliminate the Savra ship," Hesher command Tae.
"Yes, sir. What about the planet? Do I hit it when we are in range as well?"
"No. I am disobeying that order. There are females and children on that planet. We fight face to face and give them a chance to survive. I would want that for our world, so I am according them the same. If we are failing, then we will leave the planet and use the laser as a last resort," Hesher replied.
"You are a compassionate leader. However, disobedience on this occasion will bring down the king's wrath. He let us off gently last time. It will not happen again," Tae answered.
"He spoke in the heat of the moment, in fear for our world. If he was aboard and calmer, he would agree. He will be reasonable. It is my concern, not yours. We are almost in range. The Savra ship appears to be losing what little power it had. Finish it."
Tae ran below deck to engage the laser. The Savra were no longer moving, just floating in the void. One flick of a switch and they were no more. Hesher flew the Talonian ship through the debris. The way to the enemy planet was clear.
Hesher's voice came over Tae's communicator, "Stay in place. Put the laser on its lowest setting. Perhaps, we can knock out some weapons before we land. Stay clear of the city center. If this one is anything like the capital we destroyed, the females and children will be hidden there."
"What if I hit a nuclear weapon?" Tae inquired.
"I do not think they have more. Otherwise, they would not have taunted us for so long or run when they failed to destroy us. They had only one shot and were waiting for the perfect time. It never came, we attacked their world, and they retaliated without a good plan. I suppose they could have smaller ones, but not a planet destroyer. We will have to risk it. Aim carefully."
The weapons area was cold, uncomfortable, and lonely. Tae had hours to check and recheck the laser setting. After the tenth time, he could no longer keep his mind focused. It went back to Talonia and Eveline. Had Shara gotten her to safety? Was she scared or worried? What about home? Were the waterfalls still flowing with energy or had the nuclear fallout stopped the life force within them? How much worse would it have been if Talonia itself had not caused the restless urgency in its inhabitants?
Talonia had to survive. He had a mate to go home to now. Their future children should have the same peaceful beauty to grow up in as he had. Thank goodness for the king's foresight in sending Kelan to Earth. The technology he had brought back could heal what the Savra had broken.
The ship slowed, and Tae knew they had entered the Savra atmosphere. War was at hand. To lessen the loss of his comrades, he had to take out as many weapons and soldiers as he could on the way down. This time they would not hide and sneak their way in. The Savra would feel their wrath immediately. He manned the laser and began the battle. Six ships were damaged too much to fly in his first blast. The second took out four of the weapons used to send the heavy metal balls into the sky. The third knocked over an observation tower and flattened the battalion of Savra beneath it. The warship shuddered as it was hit repeatedly. Reports of minor damage were announced over the communicator. They were landing, and it was time to rejoin the ranks.
The Savra were lying in wait as the Talonians left the safety of the ships. Guns and laser blasts mixed with sand, sweat, and blood. Anger and memories of screaming weredragon children brought on the transformation, causing lasers to fall by the wayside and dragon fire to take over. The stench of burning reptiles filled the air, choking the soldiers on the ground. Mass after mass of lizard warriors joined the melee.
Tae found himself isolated from his group. He spun in circles to keep advancing enemies off his back. Where had all the Savra come from? Thousands had been destroyed during the last war and yet there seemed to be more than ever. He was bloody from superficial wounds and choking on sand and ashes. He n
eeded to transform and rise above the chaos. He could seek out his own kind rather than fight alone. Just as his transformation began, one of the metal balls dropped near him. The ground shook violently, and he lost control of the laser. It fell from his hand, disappearing in the sandstorm. He reached for its mate, but it was missing as well, lost somewhere on the battlefield. His safety lay in the transformation. It was never completed. Bullets hit his chest, side, and leg. He fell under the feet of the enemy. Pain shot through him, and he cried out for Eveline. "I did not mean to break my vow."
Hesher tried to keep track of his men as he fought from the sky. A bullet had torn one of his wings, yet he remained aloft. His fire had taken out hundreds of Savra, but more took their place. He was beginning to realize his mistake, for among the enemy fighters he saw women. They fought with the same accuracy and abilities as their male counterparts. Their viciousness was apparent in the way they not only shot an opponent but cut their throat to make sure of their death.
His stomach sickened when he saw Savra young, still lizards in appearance, swarm over fallen men to finish them off. It was time to retreat and obliterate the planet. He searched for Tae. He needed the lieutenant to operate the laser. Hesher saw him fall and flew across the field to retrieve him. Standing over him was a Savra female. She had a handful of his hair, pulling his head back, and was prepared to slit his throat. Hesher's talons clamped on her shoulders, piercing them. He lifted her into the air, tossed her high, and seared her with dragon fire. He wrapped those same talons carefully around Tae, signaled a retreat, and carried him to the ship. It was a dangerous endeavor. The talons could easily puncture a vital organ as he maneuvered through the battle, but it was a necessity. Other weredragons lifted the injured or dead and carried them as well. No one was to be left behind. The planet would be wiped from the universe, but it would not take a Talonian with it.