Fiery Magic
Page 15
The dragon fell silent. Haytham had no idea what happened inside the beast, but hoped Candace wouldn’t suffer for it. When the silence lengthened, Haytham said a quick prayer to the Goddess. He couldn’t lose Candace now. Not after all they’d been through.
“Haytham, come.” The dragon turned its paw up and placed it on the ground for him to enter. The voice now seemed to be a melding of male and female. Haytham stepped forward and climbed into the paw.
“Candace, is that you?”
“I am here. In this form, we will share, while in human form, he will watch. I think it will work. We are both trying to understand who we have become. Hold tightly now. I will take us to the clearing on the edge of the forest. We should arrive by nightfall.”
Haytham moved to the center of the dragon’s palm and sat. The claws soon surrounded him. He grabbed the nearest one to hold onto as the dragon jumped into the air. Haytham’s stomach rolled and he closed his eyes, trying to control his equilibrium. Flying by dragon would never be his favorite way to travel. If he only had a broom, he could have flown himself to the edge of the forest. Of course, he wouldn’t be able to keep up with Candace’s huge dragon form. Sighing, he waited for the flight to end.
§
Candace didn’t know what to think of the consciousness now sharing her body. After assuring Haytham’s safety, she went deeper into the memories of the First Dragon, allowing him to control their flight. She found his concern for all dragons and bringing them to Hreghen. His love for his mate and the grief he felt when she died.
The First Dragon’s consciousness brushed against hers. “You are young and brave. I see you are also rebellious.”
“You’re looking at my memories?”
“As you wish to know who I am, I need to know more about you, child. I see that your mother is queen. You should be the heir to the throne. We will rule over all dragon kind.”
“I don’t want to rule.”
“What do you want?”
“Freedom. To learn and travel, and have different experiences. To love and have a family. I want to go home to Earth and help fight the Marwolaeth.”
“The Marwolaeth are dangerous, even to a dragon, though it is harder to infect us than other species. Ah, I see there is a spell to undo their magic. I will consider this.”
Candace looked around at the terrain. They now flew over trees and green fields. Soon Zaltana City and the human village would be visible from their great height. What would people think when they saw the huge red gold dragon in the sky? Only Enfys came close in size and Candace thought her new dragon form had him beat.
“Why are you so much bigger than the other dragons I’ve seen?” she asked.
“I am very old. By taking the gem, it changed your size in order to hold the magic it contained. Your dragon form would have been much smaller.”
“I didn’t have a dragon form.”
“Yes, you did. If you and your mate had consummated your mating, you would have shifted. It sometimes happens that way for female dragons. I’m glad you were interrupted. Your body would never have contained my magic and consciousness in a smaller dragon body. Only by being pure could you touch the stone and survive. From your memories of studying our history, I see your mother’s sire was Adfel. He was my grandson. You are of my blood. Your brother, Aiden, is it? He should have shifted at puberty.”
“My brother can’t shift and he doesn’t have horns growing out of his head like the other male dragons.”
“All children of my line can shift. Your brother must be using his magic to camouflage his ability. I’m surprised your mother left you. Children are our greatest treasures. I’m sure there is a story there. Why didn’t you ask her?”
“Because what’s done is done. I didn’t want to know.”
“You didn’t want to forgive her. You are holding onto your hurt.”
“Maybe. Since coming to Hreghen, I’ve realized my mother loves me, but I couldn’t ask her without being angry about it. I didn’t want a confrontation.”
“Knowledge is power, child, and sometimes it leads to wisdom. We are being followed.”
“What? How do you know? Can you see them?” Candace used the dragon’s body to turn her head. Behind them several dragons tailed. Two of them black and one she was sure was her mother. “What will you do? Please don’t hurt them.”
“As long as they don’t attack us, they are safe from me. What are you going to do when we land at the edge of Glaw Forest?”
“Somehow I have to convince them to let us go back to Earth. My brother is still there and the Marwolaeth are attacking our people.”
“Yes, I think a trip to Earth would be invigorating. I see all the changes from your memories and I’d like to meet your brother, but when the adventure is done, the Dragon Heart stone must return to Hreghen. This land is connected to the stone in ways you wouldn’t understand.”
Candace decided to stay silent. She wasn’t sure they would live to see tomorrow; how could she worry about a day when the Marwolaeth no longer existed?
The green fields grew smaller as more and more trees started to fill the landscape. Ahead, she could see where the green fields ended and the massive rain forest began. Shadows spread out like long fingers across the land. The sun lowered in the western sky. It didn’t seem like it had taken that long, but evidently it did. She let the dragon take over the mechanics of their body. Now she grounded her consciousness in the physical. She gasped.
“Siarl, you should have told me you were tired and hungry.”
“I didn’t want to worry you. While in your dragon form, you will need to eat more. Flying takes a lot of energy. When we land, I will shift and you must eat immediately.”
Candace felt guilty. She’d let the First Dragon take on all the work. Now she could feel the fatigue that filled their body. How muscles strained to lift wings against the wind.
“Don’t feel guilty, some of this is my fault. You just changed forms the first time this morning. Your muscles aren’t used to this much work. I should have realized the physical toll on you.”
The dragon’s thoughts helped some of her guilt, but not all of it. “I shouldn’t have pulled back so far. I didn't feel the effects on our body. That is my fault, too. I’m sorry.” She noticed the dragon didn’t answer.
She could see the small clearing with the little hut that she and Zahrah found on their trip to the city. The dragon dropped lower and then began to circle. Candace realized the cleared area was barely big enough for them to land without smashing everything.
“I’m going to land and shift at the same time. Watch closely, this is a skill few have mastered. It might be a little bumpy since our form is so tired. Tell your mate to run when I open my claws.”
§
Haytham felt the dragon slowing and begin to circle. Through the small space between the claws, he could see green trees coming up quickly. The ride had been so long, he felt cramped from sitting hunched over. He couldn’t wait to get out and stretch.
The dragon began his descent. The claws around him began to glow and then sparks of light appeared around them. The dragon was shifting in the air! Haytham looked out to see the trees growing larger and larger. They hit the ground. The claws opened as the sparkling light completely surrounded them.
“Haytham, run!” the dragon said.
He didn’t hesitate but jumped from the dragon’s paw and ran toward the trees. He turned to see the lights blink out. Instead of a huge dragon in the clearing, Candace lay on the ground. Her hair covering her face, her arm outstretched. She wasn’t moving.
The sound of wings flapping announced the presence of more dragons coming in. Haytham ran to Candace and scooped her up in his arms.
“Food,” she whispered, as he held her close to his chest.
He ran back to the trees’ edge. Entering the forest at this time of night was dangerous. He didn’t have a choice, but to face the dragons he now recognized as Enfys, Cressida, and one other.
“Candy, I know you’re tired, but your mother and the king are going to land any second now.”
Her eyes fluttered open. “Don’t let them take us. We need to talk.” Her head fell back against the tree.
Haytham called his healing magic into his hands and placed them on Candace’s shoulders. She wasn’t technically injured, but he hoped the magic would fight off some of the effects of her fatigue.
The gem between her breasts sparked. She sighed and opened her eyes before sitting a little straighter against the tree. “They’re here.”
Haytham grabbed her clothes from the pack and laid them against her before turning to face the dragons. He had no idea if she possessed the strength to dress on her own.
The last dragon landed, a second black one. They began to shift. The clearing filled with light. Haytham had to turn his eyes away. When the light disappeared, he turned back.
“Andras?” His friend was the second black dragon. The king and Cressida stood slightly behind him.
“Haytham! So it’s true? Candace can shift as well. She is so large.” Haytham heard rustling behind him and hoped that Candace put on her shirt to hide the gem embedded in her chest.
“How is this possible? I thought you couldn’t shift.” Haytham asked.
Andras came up and grasped his arm in a sign of welcome. “It appears that Derog had put a spell on me. When he died, the spell didn’t have enough power to continue. I scared poor Zahrah to death by shifting in our quarters. She ran screaming from the room. I broke all the furniture into little pieces. She was not happy with me, I can tell you.” Andras chuckled.
The king walked over. He and Cressida now dressed in long silk robes from a pack he’d carried in his claws. He handed one to Andras. “I owe you and Candace a debt of gratitude. You have returned my son to his rightful place as my heir. If Candace is as tired as Andras, we should get them into shelter. Both of them are new to being in dragon form.”
Haytham sighed in relief. It seemed the king would be reasonable, at least for now. Haytham turned to find Candace dressed, asleep leaning against the tree. He lifted her into his arms.
Andras picked up their pack and winced. “Flying is harder than I thought, but I love it. How does it feel to be carried in her claws?”
“Cramped.” They both laughed.
“Oh, you dropped this.” Andras attached the dragon scale pin onto Haytham’s shirt. “I knew something had happened to you when I saw it under the bed. When Kesari returned to the city and told us Derog kidnapped you and was now dead, Dad decided to fly out and find you. Kesari mentioned seeing the huge red gold dragon in the sky. So when we saw you flying by Zaltana, we decided to follow.”
“Derog told us he laid a trap for you and that he would leave my sword as evidence that it had been me who killed you.”
“His plan might have worked too, if not for Zahrah. She used her Earth magic to call vines to bind the attackers. They spilled the whole plan and are sitting in the dungeon now.”
“Are you two going to stand out there and talk all night?” Cressida called from the door of the small hut. “Bring my daughter inside. I’ve started some stew. She needs to eat.”
Haytham looked down at the woman sleeping in his arms. He liked having her there, but her mother was right. He kissed her gently on the head and walked to the hut.
“She’s a real treasure, that one,” Andras said, nodding toward Candace.
Haytham couldn’t agree more. He nodded.
Chapter Fourteen
Candace awoke inside the hut. Strong arms surrounded her, holding her upright. Her mother knelt in front of her a spoonful of something that smelled wonderful held to her lips.
“Open up, darling. You need to eat to regain your strength.” Candace immediately obliged. She was starving.
Her mother continued to feed her. Candace glanced back at Haytham. He gave her a wan smile and a gentle squeeze at the waist. Candace took one more spoonful from her mother and then took hold of her hand.
“Thanks, Mom. I think I can take it from here.” Her mother searched her face and then nodded. She handed over the spoon and bowl of stew. Candace quickly finished what was left. “Is there any more?” she asked. Everyone chuckled.
“Yes. I knew you and Andras would be starving. Normally, a newly shifted dragon takes flying in smaller doses. It figures that one of my children would decide on a marathon their first time flying.” Everyone chuckled again, but Candace caught the unanswered question her mother asked. Why hadn’t they returned to Zaltana? Candace used the excuse of eating, not to answer.
Finally, after two more bowls, Candace felt full. She burped. Embarrassed, she covered her mouth.
“It’s okay, little sister.” Andras yawned. “The stew was delicious. I think I’m ready to go to sleep. We won’t all fit inside here. I’m going outside to lie under the stars. Goodnight,” he said and headed outside.
Candace lay back against Haytham. Her mother picked up the wooden bowls they used. She cleaned them and returned them to the wooden box that held the supplies. Then she did the same with the pot she’d used to cook with. “I know you’re tired. Enfys and I will let you rest. We can talk more in the morning,” She got up to leave. Enfys stood as well and put his arm around her waist.
“Mom, before we say goodnight. Could you tell me why you left Aiden and me all those years ago?”
“I don’t know how to tell you this. It was your father. He knew I was very powerful in my magic. I thought he loved me and would keep my secret. Since he didn’t know about my dragon, I thought he cherished me without an ulterior motive. We’d already had two children together, so I decided to tell him I was a dragon.” She sighed and leaned against Enfys. He held her close. “I’m not sure I should tell you the rest. I don’t want you to think badly of your father.”
“Please tell me, Mother. I want to understand.”
“Your father was afraid of me. He considered me a beast. He went to the council and asked for nullifying cuffs. I didn’t know. While I slept, he put them on me. He said things, horrible things. He wanted to kill me and threatened to kill you and your brother. I had to leave. I knew he would go to the council and they would hunt me down. I wanted to take you with me, but your father wouldn’t allow it. He opened the portal and pushed me through.”
“Mom, I had no idea. Father said you left us, abandoned us.”
“He was a troubled man and not my Destined One. I think he loved me, and you, too, in his own way. He couldn’t handle the thought of being married to a dragon. After he died, your brother contacted me through a scrying mirror. You were so little then, for your own safety, I thought it best you didn’t know about my race until you were older.”
“I knew Aiden was in touch with you. How else was he to know you invited me to come to Hreghen?”
“I wanted you both to come, then Aiden said you’d found your Destined One. I told him that you would probably shift upon consummating your mating. You shifting into a dragon would put you in as much danger from the Witches’ Council as the Marwolaeth eating away your magic, so I invited you to come to Hreghen. The dragon scales necklace and the pin were the keys to pass through the portal unscathed. Your brother decided to give his to Haytham so he could join you here.”
“Wait, so Aiden sent us here on a lie? You never planned to marry Candace to the king?” Haytham asked.
“Not exactly. When you didn’t come with Candace, I thought you abandoned her.”
“Like Father did you,” Candace said softly.
Cressida nodded. Candace rose and hugged her mother. “I’m sorry Father treated you so shabbily. I love you, Mom.”
“I’m sorry, too,” Enfys said, kissing Cressida’s hand. “But I’m glad to have my mate here with me. Come, let’s give your ch
ildren time to rest. We can talk more in the morning.” Enfys led Cressida out of the hut.
Candace plopped down on the ground next to Haytham. “Well, now what? They’re not going to let us leave in the morning.”
Haytham smiled and pulled out the silver flute. “I think there might be a lullaby in their future.” He put the flute down and reached for his clothing. “Now, if you’re feeling better, I think there is a mating that needs consummating. Too bad we don’t have a comfy bed.” He patted the sleeping mat and pulled his shirt off.
Heat suddenly infused her. She could smell his arousal in the air. She too reached for her shirt and ripped it off. “We don’t need a bed,” She pushed her pants off. “I feel so hot.”
“Oh, baby, you are very hot.” Haytham shucked his pants and opened his arms to her.
Candace couldn’t help but glance down at the evidence of his want for her. It rose sharply against his stomach. Heat flashed in her inner core. She moved between his legs and took his member in her hand.
She pumped up and down, feeling the hardness beneath the smooth skin. A drop of moisture appeared on the crown and she leaned down to lick it off. He tasted a little salty and all man. Haytham groaned. She glanced up and noticed how his eyes seemed brighter, hotter, as he avidly watched her. She licked up his shaft, swirling her tongue around like she held an ice-cream cone.
“Candy,” Haytham gasped. “You’re driving me crazy.”
“Crazy good, right?”
“Oh, yeah. Suck it, baby. I want to see you take me in your mouth.”
A shudder ripped through her at his words and moisture gushed between her legs. She leaned down and slowly sucked the head into her mouth. She fluttered her tongue against his crown.
Haytham moaned. “Deeper, baby. Take me deeper.” His hands crept into her hair. He tugged gently at the strands, but didn’t force her. She liked that about her mate.