The hatchlings shrieked in alarm and I took a step back, my knee buckling. I went down to the floor hard, my heart was pounding as I saw my death in his eyes. Suddenly Aer was there, standing between us, his hands wrapped around Maedhros's throat as he roared and snapped, his tail flailing like a whip, his wings beating at Aer.
Aer pushed the black Rikashi away from him, remaining between us. The hatchlings joined the fray, the triplet of males jumping on Maedhros's back, biting as best they could with their little teeth while Leena circled his head, whipping her own tail in his eyes. Maedhros shook his head and flapped his wings, trying to rid himself of his attackers. I reached up, grabbed a handful of Aer's shirt and pulled myself to my feet.
"They're going to get themselves killed,” I said, worrying for the little dragons’ safety.
A high-pitched squeal came from across the room. I turned to see Shirak with his arms wrapped around Corilla's waist. She was kicking and punching but was no match for the taller, more powerful Rikashi.
I turned my attention back to Maedhros and his battle with the hatchlings. Maedhros was moving toward the door, and Aer looked torn. I think he wanted to jump in but was afraid of the hatchlings getting hurt in the process. I tried getting their attention but they were too gripped by the heat of battle. Maedhros reared, letting out another angry roar. He began to tip backwards, and I realized that he was going to crush the hatchlings on his back.
"No!” I started forward, but Aer grabbed my arm, shoving me backwards.
He ran forward, wrapping his arms around Maedhros's neck, his muscles bulging with the effort of keeping the Rikashi from falling over. I shouldn't have worried though, Lancelot and the others had already leapt clear of the toppling Rikashi.
"Get out of there. Let Aer handle it."
"He hurt Mother.” They grumbled but gathered at my feet, looking up at me with eyes filled with concern. I watched as Aer struggled with Maedhros, who was trying to claw at Aer's belly with his hind feet, attempting to disembowel his foe.
I looked around, trying to find some way to help, and the hatchlings threw my own words back in my face, telling me to stay out of it. I was about to remind them I was an adult when I heard a splintering crash.
Maedhros had thrown Aer off his back and through a table. The black Rikashi dashed for the open door, while the silver in Shirak's clutches wailed. She didn't seem too happy about being left behind. I went to Aer, helping him out of the splintered wreckage of the table.
"Are you all right?"
"I'm fine,” he growled, then pushed away from me and took a flying leap in a desperate attempt to grab Maedhros's tail. He missed and landed on the floor with a loud thump. He stood, letting out a string of curses as he ran for the door.
I started to follow him but heard Shirak's cry of pain. Corilla was slipping out of his arms, in draconic form. Shirak's hand bled and his other was pressed to his temple. I made an attempt to catch the silver little bitch as she slipped through my legs but was as unsuccessful as Aer had been.
Outside, a brass colored dragon as large as Maedhros was battling the smaller Reds. One looked either dead or knocked out, and the second looked like he would shortly be following his twin. Aer stood at the bottom of the steps, looking up. I followed his gaze and saw the swiftly disappearing dark forms of Maedhros and Corilla.
"You're not going to follow him?"
Aer shook his head. “He's faster. I'll never catch him."
I shook with anger. “So, that's it then? He's just going to get away? After all he's done?"
Shirak joined us, wrapping a cloth he got from God knew where around his hand. “No,” he said firmly. “We will find him. We know what he is up to. The Council will take action."
The brass dragon finished off his opponent and approached, shifting into a form I recognized—Mr. Gwindor, Aer's father. He looked at me, eyes full of concern that had not been there before. “Are you all right?"
I nodded, curious at this change in attitude. Aer continued watching the sky, though Maedhros was no longer visible. “Aer?” I said, softly, touching his arm.
He didn't look at me at first and then suddenly I was engulfed in his arms, lifted off my feet. I felt him shaking and ... was he crying?
"Aer?” I wiggled an arm free to stroke his hair. “It's okay. I'm all right."
"Phi.” His nickname for me, whispered into my neck, told me all I needed to know. He'd been worried, frightened and angry. Now he was relieved but still angry.
I wiggled my other arm free and wrapped my arms around his neck. I didn't speak. There was no need.
"Hey, you oaf,” I finally said, my voice gentle. “You're going to break my ribs.” He laughed and his grip loosened, setting me back on my feet. I looked into his eyes now. “Are you happy now?"
Aer gave me a questioning look. “Happy that you are safe? Of course!"
I shook my head, a wicked smile twitching the corners of my mouth. “No, I mean are you happy I let you rescue me this time?"
I loved the look on his face. He had no idea how to reply to that. I tried not to laugh, but when Shirak and his father began to laugh I couldn't hold it in any longer and started giggling.
He let go of me then and folded his arms, faking an injured look. “If that's the thanks I get, next time I won't rescue you."
Leena glided by, taking a nip at his ear. I laughed even harder. “I think Leena disagrees."
"Bah!"
Their father stopped laughing first, pointing at the hatchlings standing in the doorway. “I see you were able to rescue the others."
I choked back my laughter, going up on tiptoe to press a kiss to Aer's lips. That seemed to pacify him for the moment, and then I went to the other hatchlings. Leena landed on my shoulders. “Hey, watch the claws,” I warned her.
She just chirped. I guess she didn't want one of the others usurping her favorite perch. I held out my arms and the others climbed into them. Luckily, the males were smaller than the female. “This is Gareth, Gawain and Lancelot,” I said. Each dragon nodded as his name was spoken. I looked at the reds, laying on the ground amid grass that was charred. “Are they dead?"
Aer's father shook his head. “No, just unconscious. Not that I don't owe them a little more pain for the burns on my back."
Shirak went to his father's side. “We should return to the mansion so the Surion can treat those."
I couldn't agree more about getting out of here. I nodded to the van that had been left behind. “We could take that."
The keys had been left in the van so Aer, me and the dragons climbed into the back, while Shirak drove and their dad took shotgun. I caught Aer staring at me. “What?"
"Nothing,” he said with a shake of his head. “I was worried about you."
Part of me wanted to snap at him, yell at for him for thinking I was some lily-livered female who couldn't take care of herself and needed a big, strong man to protect her, but he already knew that. That wasn't why he was worried. It was for the same reason I had stood up to Maedhros to protect the Great Dragon hatchlings—he cared about me.
I picked my way through the sleeping dragonets and settled beside him, wiggling under his arm. “Thank you."
For a moment he held me and then with a mischievous sparkle in his eye, he said, “Who are you, and what have you done with my Phi?"
I slapped his chest, a warm tingly feeling running through me hearing him call me his. “Shut up."
A chuckle rumbled in his chest, but he said no more. I lay my head on his shoulder, watching the dragonets. They had curled up together in one big pile of dragon. “What about these guys?"
"What about them?"
"What are we going to do with them?"
"You're going to raise them."
"Me?” I squeaked.
The dragons raised their heads.
"Mother?"
"Yes,” Aer replied, kissing my cheek. “You. Or us, if you'll let me."
Of course I was going to let him. He didn'
t honestly think that after all this I was going to just let him walk out of my life again, did he?
I nodded. “I hope those books will have some information."
"They do. I read some more of them while you were sleeping."
I settled back again and so did the dragons. “So ... how exactly am I going to get this around my parents?"
"You'll have to tell them,” he replied. “You know at least one of them has Rikashi blood."
I nodded. This was going to be interesting. I could just see the conversation now. Hey Mom, Daddy, one of you is part dragon and hey look, I got some babies to take care of. They'd both probably have heart attacks. At least I had a while to think about how to break it to them.
I started thinking of the things I needed to do before they returned from France. Most importantly, repair the house, I couldn't let them see the disaster that it was now. I realized I needed to call work again and ask for a few more days vacation while all this settled. Then there was Karen, I didn't know how she was going to react to the new confidence I'd gained. No longer would I be someone she could order around or drag along on double dates. I relaxed into Aer's arms, I had a man—well, a dragon.
"You aren't going anywhere, you hear me?"
He wrapped his arms around me. “Only if you make me."
I didn't notice the van had stopped until the back door opened. Shirak rolled his eyes. “Would you two get a room all ready?"
I stuck my tongue out at him. “Stop being nosey."
The dragonets were up and out of the van before me and Aer, Leena leading them to the kitchens where their voracious appetites could be satisfied. “Don't eat too much!” I called after them, wincing when I realized how much I sounded like my mother.
I heard a shout from the mansion and turned in time to be knocked over by something long and golden. I looked up into a pair of yellow-brown eyes. The whiskers hanging from the dragon's broad, square chin tickled my cheeks.
"Hello! How are you? Are you the one who found me? What's your name? What's my name? Can I have something to eat?"
"Whoa, slow down, slow down.” I laughed as a tongue lapped at my cheek. “Get off me and we'll talk."
The dragon scrambled backwards and I sat up, looking at her. She looked like one of those dragons you always see in Chinese parades. Her legs were short and far apart on her round, snakelike body, her head flat, broad and squarish, whiskers dangling from her chin. She was big—as big as a German Shepherd puppy.
Aer offered me a hand and I took it, getting to my feet. The dragon wiggled and looked like she was going to leap on me again. I definitely didn't want that happening. I held up a hand. “Easy."
"Are you hurt? They said someone took you. He didn't hurt you, did he? By the way, did you think of my name? And you still haven't told me yours."
I laughed again. This dragon sure was chatty.
"The dragon from the egg you found in the basement?” Aer asked, and I nodded.
"She wants a name and wants to know mine."
A Rikashi came huffing down the stairs. “I'm certainly glad to see you. This hatchling has been making a complete pest of herself."
The dragon gave me an injured look. “They wouldn't answer my questions."
"First things first. My name, you can call me Jo.” She did a little hop. It started with her front legs first, traveled down her long body and ended with a tail wiggle.
"And my name?"
"Your name...” I tapped my chin in thought. I had a friend at work who was Chinese. She had an American name, but her Chinese name was Wei. I always liked that name. “How about Wei?"
She did the hop wiggle thing again. “Perfect, perfect. Love it. Love it!"
"Why don't you go play with Leena and the others?” I suggested, to which she agreed readily and disappeared as quickly as she had come.
Aer released a laugh it sounded like he had been holding in. “Excitable thing, isn't she?"
I rolled my eyes. “Yes, well, I hope she grows out of it.” I put my hands on my hips. “What am I? Mama Dragon or something?"
Aer held his hands out. “You're the only Tinuviel we've got, and I hate to be the one to tell you this, but there are more eggs out there."
I sighed. I couldn't very well refuse to take care of them. I mean, I don't think the five I had were going to let me go even if I tried to send them away. I scratched my head. “You know ... this is going to take a lot of explaining to my parents."
Aer's father stepped between us, putting an arm across our shoulders. “There will be plenty of time to think about that. Let's go inside. You look like you could use a nice, hot shower."
"Yes, indeed.” Shirak sighed.
"I was talking about Josephine."
I echoed Shirak's sigh. “A nice shower and then a long, hot bath and then you can find that Surion who took care of me before for one of her muscle-relaxing touches."
"So, I don't relax you?” Aer pouted.
My cheeks turned red. His touch was far from relaxing. “Shut up, Aer."
"Should I ask her to find you another dress?” Aer's father asked.
I glared at him. “If someone brings me another dress, I'm tearing it to shreds and walking around naked."
"Please, Dad, find her another dress.” Aer waggled his eyebrows as he leered at me.
"Aer ... shut up.” I shook off his father's arm and stormed ahead of them into the mansion. I wasn't really angry, just trying to avoid all the thoughts his words put into my head. His dad was right. First, clean up and then think about what to do later.
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Chapter 28
Aerandir Cirdan Gwindor
The next week was full of activity. The Tasartir and Shirak spent much of their time sequestered, combining their efforts to find any Rikashi who had escaped Maedhros's traps. Dad and the rest of the Council held meeting after meeting to determine the best way to handle our “coming out” so to speak, while the head of Carnesir dealt with the questioning of the two reds. They were able to find out a lot of the “how” behind Maedhros's operations, and the “whys” we had pretty much figured out on our own.
Phi and I spent the week in the relative quiet of the library, studying the books left behind by the Head of the Council—as quiet as it could be with Wei running around. The Asian dragon had a million questions and an opinion on everything.
After Phi and I found the locations of the other eggs, Rikashi were sent out to check for them. In our study we came across the Council Head's will. I gave it to Dad, not wanting to deal with it at all, and they set out to find the beneficiary. Near the end of the week, Phi was preparing to go back home and we were sitting in the gardens, watching the dragons play.
All four of them had become as close as clutch mates, even though one was a good deal bigger and of a different species. Despite her size, it was not Wei who dominated the group. Leena was the one who filled that spot. If any of them did something wrong, it was Leena who scolded and corrected. It was also Leena who directed some of their more irritating antics. The silver female had a knack for pranks.
I sat against a tree, Phi lying with her head in my lap, as I played idly with her hair. The gardens were inside a big greenhouse so it was warm here, even though it was cold outside. She'd been quiet for a long time.
"What are you thinking, Phi?"
She looked up at me. “A lot of things."
She didn't elaborate so I prompted her. “Like?"
"Like what are we going to do with the dragons? What if people start hunting them again?” She plucked a piece of grass and began toying with it.
I shrugged. That had worried me as well. “There are still a few remote places. We can try to hide them."
"But I don't want them to live in that kind of fear.” She sighed. “They need to be able to soar, to bring joy to people, to—"
"Hey.” I put a finger to her lips. “Don't worry. Let's just deal with now. Whatever happens, I'll be there."
; She reached up and pulled on the collar of my shirt, kissing me soundly. “Hey now,” I growled. “Not in front of the kids.” The dragons all called Phi, Mother, and had taken to calling me, Father. It scared and thrilled me at the same time.
I heard someone clear their throat, and my playful growl turned into a real one as Shirak came into view. “What do you want?"
Shirak's face was impassive, but his eyes glinted with laughter. “Sorry to disturb you, but the beneficiary just arrived."
"Yeah, so?” I replied, not seeing what that had to do with us.
"You should probably come."
I shrugged. “If you say so."
Shirak left and we stood, Phi telling the dragons to remain in the gardens for now. We walked hand in hand toward the door. “Phi?"
"Yeah?"
I stopped, turning to look at her. I had given my next words a lot of thought through the week. I wasn't sure how she would react though, and that made me nervous. “Would you ... I mean ... how would you feel about...” The words stuck in my throat.
She looked at me expectantly. “How would I feel about what?"
I cleared my throat and took a deep breath. The words came out in a jumble. “About spending the rest of your life with me?” There I'd said it. I didn't look at her. I couldn't.
"Aerandir Gwindor was that a marriage proposal?"
The tone of her voice was unreadable. I looked at her out of the corner of my eye. “Yeah, I guess it was."
She smiled at me. “Next time you ask, you'd better be certain. I'm not accepting a guess."
I stood there in stunned silence. She laughed and ran ahead of me. “You're going to pay for that,” I growled, as I followed her. My heart soared at the thought of spending a lifetime with Phi, and now I knew she'd say yes. Or at least I thought that's what that meant.
I caught up to her in the main lobby, and we waited for the beneficiary to be escorted to the room. Phi had a puzzled look on her face. “What is it?"
The Quickening Page 15