by Amy Sumida
“You called?” He seemed to smile at me.
“This is a misunderstanding,” I went in closer and couldn't help being stunned by the beauty of his refined face, the curves of his onyx horns which swept back from his regal forehead, and the glint of dangerous fangs sloping over his massive jaw. I refocused and said, “I need to talk to the witches. Can you take me down there?”
“Are you sure you don't want me to just kill them all?” He asked casually. “They've so thoughtfully presented themselves to me in one convenient package.”
“Yes, I'm sure,” I huffed.
“As you wish,” he extended a leg and wrapped his thick claws around my waist before he leapt into the sky without any warning.
I gave a little screech but then the world spread out beneath me and I realized that I was flying... with a dragon. Raza could shift! I had not only seen my first dragon but I was being carried across a battlefield by one. Flying through the air supported by slick talons that could probably tear down mountains. It was exhilarating. I may have extended my arms like Superman.
Then we landed, a much softer landing than I'd anticipated. Raza had held me gently as he met the earth with only three feet. Then he placed me carefully on the ground and sat up, towering above me as his tail curved around us like a mini wall. I went to confront the wide-eyed witches coming warily forward.
“This is a mistake!” I shouted to them. “We didn't abduct the members of Flight. Our raven mockers were taken too, in the same manner as your witches. Their plane disappeared between San Francisco and Tulsa. We have a common enemy who is trying to frame both of us!”
A roar rumbled out behind me and I winced, turning to look up at the furious dragon. I'd completely forgotten that I wasn't supposed to tell Raza about his son. As fire spewed out of the dragon's maw, I did my best to hold my ground.
“We'll get them back, Raza!” I shouted as I held up placating hands. “I don't believe the witches are behind it. Please, calm down.”
“Of course we're not behind it,” Prime Flight Elder, Jennifer Wasutke stalked forward. “You are. I don't believe for a second that your fey are missing. That's just another lie created to trick us into trusting you.”
Fire streamed past me and hit the ground directly in front of Elder Wasutke. She fell back onto the grass and then shimmied even further backward on her elbows. Two men ran forward and grabbed her beneath the arms to help her retreat.
“This is Lord Raza,” I introduced the dragon. “His son is one of the missing raven mockers. You've only seen a fraction of what he is capable of, so please understand that it is not arrogance when I say to you that it doesn't matter what you believe, it only matters what he believes. And right now, he doesn't seem inclined to believe you're innocent.”
“Lord Raza,” Gabriel Alegre, Prime Elder of Beckoning, strode forward calmly. He'd gotten over his fear of dragons fast enough, even with his zombie army turning into embers. “We would not have come and attacked a fairy stronghold if we had instigated this. Wouldn't it make more sense for us to wait for you to attack us, somewhere where we had the advantage?”
The assemblage of witches went silent, everyone staring at the dragon. Except for the wolves, who whined and paced around the edges. I wasn't about to stand around waiting for Raza's volatile verdict. Instead, I stepped forward to speak with Gabriel myself, completely ignoring Raza.
“I've spoken with Aidan and we believe that a third party is at work here; trying to undermine our goal of a truce,” I said calmly. “It makes no sense for me to abduct your witches after I freed them. That would be about as reasonable as your attacking our stronghold. And yet, here we are.”
“Indeed,” Gabriel frowned and looked back towards the other elders. It looked like they'd all banded together to bring us down. They just hadn't factored fighting a dragon into the mix. “Perhaps we've acted rashly.”
“Where is my son?!” Raza's foot stomped the earth beside me and I stumbled away from the crater it made.
“I promise you, we do not have him,” Gabriel held up his hands. “And we in turn would like our coven members back.”
“Raza, stop thinking like a dragon and think like a man,” I snapped at him; mimicking what he'd once said to me in hopes that it would get through to him. “We'll find Rayetayah but you need to help me by regaining your composure. If you attack these witches, you're playing right into our enemy's hands.”
The dragon took a deep breath and let it out slowly.
“Thank you,” I huffed and turned back to Gabriel. “Why don't you come inside and we can talk this over with the Fairy High Council?”
“I think we'd prefer to stay out here,” Gabriel grimaced.
Alright,” I nodded. “I will serve as intermediary but I already know what they'll say. The only trace left to find when the plane disappeared, was a remnant of weather magic. That's all the evidence we have.”
“Nyet!” Illarion declared with a slashing motion of his hand. “Storm is no traitor to Coven. Ve are loyal.”
“I'm not questioning your loyalty,” I assured him.
“There was cold magic remaining at the site where the Flight members were last seen too,” Crispin came forward, giving me a quick nod of greeting. “I believe the Princess. We have another player in this game; a player who wants war.”
“Aidan and I came to the same conclusion,” I agreed. “And before I even spoke with him, our Chief High Councilman said something similar. He voiced doubts concerning your involvement in the disappearance of the raven mockers.”
“Zen he is vise man,” Illarion nodded and crossed his muscled arms.
“Can we work together on this?” I asked. “We can investigate leads among our people while you investigate yours. When one of us finds the culprit, they will inform the other.”
“Nyet, unacceptable,” Illarion shook his head and Raza rumbled behind me. “Ve need to combine efforts. How vill ve be able to trust zat ve each are truly trying to find villain unless ve exchange people?”
“What are you talking about, Illarion?” Crispin frowned.
“I think he means that we should send some hunters with you to investigate the witches, while you send some witches with us to investigate the fey,” I said.
“And Human Council,” Illarion nodded.
“I agree,” Gabriel declared.
“And I,” Crispin said.
The ayes went around the elders but stopped at a sulking Wasutke. Crispin prodded her and she finally nodded. He gave her a hard look until she spoke.
“I agree,” she said begrudgingly.
“I'll speak with the Fairy Council and return with their decision,” I nodded. “But I believe they'll consent. Choose your witches while I'm gone. The faster we can investigate this, the faster we can reach a peaceful truce between our people.”
Then I turned to Raza. His expression was unreadable as he wrapped his talons around me and lifted us into the air, heading back to the castle. Oddly enough, the return flight wasn't as fun as the one into battle had been.
Chapter Thirty-Seven
To say that Raza was pissed off about not being included in the discussion about his son would be like saying that Greenland was mildly chilly. Raza was furious. He held it together long enough to deposit me within the walls of the Council House (really it was a Council Castle) and then he threw a dragon tantrum.
Fairies ran for cover as Raza thrashed about; smashing everything within sight until I covered his body in thorny vines and tightened them around him. He went quiet then, laying his head down upon the courtyard stones to stare balefully up at me with huge golden dragon eyes. A single tear slipped over his scaled cheek and soaked into the solid earth. I sent the vines away so I could step forward and kneel beside his face. Then I laid my body against his cheek and hugged him as best I could.
He shifted beneath me, scales and horns changing back to skin and hair. His wings remained, though much smaller than they were, and they wrapped around us as he hugg
ed me back desperately. For once, there was nothing sexual about his touch, he simply needed comfort. I realized that a man like him wouldn't get much of that, so I gave it freely, letting him bury his face in my shoulder and just take a moment to breathe in some empathy.
“We will find him,” I whispered and stroked his hair. “I promise you.”
“Yes, but will he be alive when we do?” Raza lifted his face to the sky. “I can't lose him. Please, take anything but him.”
“I know,” I sat back and took his hands. “We're going to do everything we can to prevent that.”
“They should have told me,” he growled suddenly.
“Because you're such a levelheaded man?” I lifted a brow at him.
“I deserved to know.”
“Yes, you did,” I conceded. “But try and see their perspective. You nearly destroyed the courtyard with your little temper tantrum.”
“I do not have temper tantrums,” he stood and put his fists to his hips to stare down at me.
Unfortunately, he was stark naked and standing put his crotch at the level of my face. I blinked at the display as he scowled down at me. It took a few seconds before he realized why I was staring. Then a slow smile spread across his face and I shot to my feet.
“Like what you see?” He smirked.
“Do you mind?” I waved at him and then looked pointedly around the courtyard. Several fey were watching us with horrified interest. “You're making a spectacle of yourself. At least wrap your wings around your body.”
“Why would I do that?” He folded his wings neatly behind his back. “I have nothing to be ashamed of.”
“Certainly not,” an appreciative feminine voice said from the sidelines.
I looked over and saw the one person I would have never expected to find in the Fairy High Council House; Tiernan's ex-wife. I didn't even know her name, I just knew her as the bitch who treated Tiernan like crap. But I suddenly knew why I'd thought Chief High Councilman Timberstride looked so familiar. His face was very similar to hers.
“Thank you,” Raza preened as the bitch strode forward.
“If I had my way,” the sundae slut purred, “you'd be naked all the time.”
I call her sundae slut because she wore her hair in this whipped cream swirl atop her head. Then there was her nut-brown skin, her icy blue eyes, and the cherry of her lips. She was a woman who looked like she wanted to be consumed and at the moment she was offering Raza the spoon.
“Wow,” I shook my head. “I don't even know what to say to that besides; slut alert!” I turned and started walking away.
“Did she just call me a whore?” The woman sounded aghast.
“Seren!” Raza ignored her and chased after me.
“No, please stay with Sundae Susan over there,” I waved at her. “You realize that she's Tiernan's ex-wife, don't you?”
“She is?” Raza frowned and glanced back at the pouting parfait fairy.
“She is,” Tiernan confirmed as he came up beside me. “And you're welcome to her. Please, by all means, dive right into the... what did you call her; a sundae?” I nodded and he chuckled. “Dive right into the sundae.”
“I've never been so happy to see you,” I smiled at Tiernan and slipped my arm around his waist. “Or to see you clothed. There's a place for naked men and it's not in public. At least not this kind of public.”
“I agree,” Tiernan nuzzled my face and then glanced at Raza. “Seriously, put that thing away, it's going to give me nightmares.”
I gave the thing in question another glance and silently agreed with Tiernan. I hadn't given Raza's privates much thought (well maybe a little) but I never would have guessed that the sinful sable length of it would be crowned with a scarlet tip. It looked almost alien, like it might rise up and roar just like the dragon it was attached to.
“Nightmares?” Sundae Slut had caught up with us. “Dreams, more like. Or perhaps daydreams.”
“Well, if we cared enough, your smutty flirting might shock us,” I smiled at her. “But as it stands, neither Tiernan nor I give one little pixie poop what you think. So you can go have your daydreams somewhere else.”
“Oh my, I think I've somehow offended the Princess,” she gave a gasp and held one limp hand to her breast.
“You're mere presence offends me,” I growled and stepped towards her.
“Seren,” Tiernan set a hand to my arm but I shrugged him off.
“Your face offends me,” I went on. “The fact that I have to breathe the same air as you, offends me.”
“Seren,” Tiernan growled but I continued to ignore him. I was on a roll.
“In fact, I'm so bloody offended right now that if you don't get out of my sight within the next five seconds, I'm going to kick your offensive ass all over this courtyard!”
“Princess Seren, I'd like to know what my daughter has done to upset you,” a calm voice interrupted and I nearly groaned.
“I tried to tell you,” Tiernan whispered as he came up beside me.
“And Lord Raza,” Councilman Lorcan said gently. “Perhaps you could clothe yourself and then return to this discussion?”
Raza nodded curtly, giving me one last confused look before he stalked away.
“Chief High Councilman,” Tiernan bowed.
“Tiernan, please,” Lorcan came forward and hugged my boyfriend. “I've missed you, Son.”
Son?
“Daddy,” the parfait pouted deeper. “I don't know why the Princess is so angry with me.”
“Oh, I think you do,” I growled.
“Princess Seren?” Lorcan stood back from Tiernan and gave me a confused look.
“You do know about your daughter abandoning Tiernan when he was cast from court, right?” I narrowed my eyes on the councilman.
“I wouldn't put it that way,” Lorcan sighed. “To ask her to follow him into exile would have been dishonorable and we both know that Count Tiernan is nothing if not honorable.”
“I feel that it was dishonorable to not follow him on her own,” I said tersely. “But I'm not going to stand here and argue with you over your daughter. Obviously, you must remain loyal to family. Well done on your part. Your daughter could learn a lot from you.”
“My daughter has behaved as is expected of any seelie noblewoman,” Lorcan defended her. “Count Tiernan was named traitor, there was nothing she could do about that.”
“And apparently there was nothing you could do either,” I narrowed my eyes on him.
“Excuse me?” He straightened in shock.
“Seren, no,” Tiernan took my hand. “You don't have to do this.”
“You have the nerve to come out here and call him son,” I sneered. “You act as though nothing has happened, as though he's still married to your daughter, and you've supported him all along. When you sat here in the High Council Castle and let him be ostracized without intervening on his behalf. Do not tell me that a word from the Chief High Councilman would not have helped his case.”
“It was not my place,” Lorcan said stiffly.
“Then you aren't as loyal to family as I'd thought,” I shrugged and turned away.
“And they are still married,” Lorcan said, freezing me in my tracks.
“What did you say?” I asked in a low, dangerous tone as Tiernan inhaled sharply.
“They never divorced,” Lorcan looked to his daughter, who looked away guiltily. “You said you were waiting for your husband to return.”
“I...” she sighed.
“She declared our marriage over,” Tiernan said gently to his ex-father-in-law. “I'm sorry, Councilman but we are no longer related.”
“When?” Lorcan looked to his daughter. “Tell me, Cliona!”
“Before he left,” she shrugged. “I couldn't be the wife of a traitor.”
“He's not a traitor,” I growled and she paled to an ugly ocher color.
“You knew how I felt about Tiernan,” Lorcan shook his head sadly. “How I felt about his defense of Sor
cha. It was nobly done and though he was labeled a traitor, it was an honorable exile. Everyone knew it. How could you abandon your husband so easily? And such a man as he? You didn't have to follow him but you should have at least remained true to him.”
“I didn't abandon him,” she cried. “He abandoned me when he chose to stand against our queen.”
“Your queen is a fucking psychopath,” I snarled.
“She's your grandmother!” Cliona (what a stupid name) gasped.
“That doesn't blind me to the fact that she's as crazy as Caligula,” I huffed.
“It's nice to see you too, Granddaughter,” Caligula herself walked up and joined the conversation.
“Oh, this just keeps getting better and better,” I groaned and then pasted a huge, fake smile on my face as I turned to confront Queen Iseabal, my grandmother, whom I secretly called Insane Izzy. “Hello, Grandmother.”
“Still upset over that whole silly misunderstanding?” She asked sweetly.
“See what I mean?” I asked Lorcan as I swirled my fingers near my temple. “She's loo loo.”
Lorcan cleared his throat but I caught his lips twitching.
“Please don't start any rumors questioning my sanity,” Iseabal sighed. “They're so boring.”
“What are you doing here?” I asked her baldly. There was no sense in arguing about sanity with a crazy person.
“I was informed that I'd be needed here for a summit to discuss a truce to be signed between us and some human mutants,” she said derisively.
“They're witches and you don't need to be here until next week,” I glared at her.
“But then I heard that my son was here, supporting his daughter and I thought that I too, should be here for my family,” she added sweetly.