Dragon's Heart

by Marly Mathews

  “Yes, we are still under the thrall of the mating fire.”

  “Then, I see no reason why we shouldn’t get married.” The sole dimple in his cheek showed itself. She looked away from him. She couldn’t take staring at him not when she was being coerced into something she railed against.

  On one hand, she saw his side of the story—she knew that he was right. She knew it. And, yet because of the situation she’d been thrust into, she wanted to fight it with the entire fiber of her being.

  “Humour me. Just give into it. Marry me.”

  “And become her daughter by marriage? I don’t think so.”

  Aine moved inconspicuously into the other room.

  “Don’t make this harder than it already is.”

  “We met yesterday.”

  “The world is going to change tomorrow. Why not change first? Marry me, Grania… let us face the coming battle together.”

  “You won’t be facing the coming battle…your mother has seen to that. She wants to keep you in a protected magical cocoon, safe from harm and worry.”

  “I won’t let her do that. As your mate, I will follow you to the ends of the Earth and beyond.”

  “You have to convince her to tell me where my family is. If she doesn’t, I’ll be tempted to invade her mind and take the news from her.”

  “You won’t get in. My mother is very proficient when it comes to protecting herself from any kind of invading force. You don’t want to go up against her. If you thought I was tough when I took out Orion and James, baby, you haven’t seen nothing yet, her weak act she pulled off the first time you met her was the performance of her lifetime. My mother will make mincemeat out of you. She might look as harmless as a butterfly, but she holds one hell of a bloody magical punch.”

  “My kind says it takes a minute to realize you’ve found your mate, an hour to know that it is true and a day to fall in love with them. In our case, that saying rings all too true. They also say it takes an eternity to forget them. My father is trying desperately to run from his own personal pain, by inflicting his misery on people that don’t deserve his wrath.”

  “Forge the bonds of peace between our peoples. This marriage will broker that alliance. Do it! Please, do it for my sake if not for anything else. You said yourself that we are literally stuck with each other, let’s not live in misery…”

  “Your mother is just a witch…”

  “She’s not just a witch,” he laughed. “She’s the leader of the magic kind here on Earth. She’s our Prime Minister, if you will, and my family has royal blood in our lineage. Her father led us before her…our family likes politics, what can I say?” he chuckled. “You are royal dragon shifter blood, I am royal magic kind blood. The bond we will create will unite us forever.”

  “Your mother is just doing this out of political gain. I feel like I’m one of those princess brides from the medieval times. Power plays surround us, drowning us in their hypocrisy!”

  “We don’t have the time to bicker. You can make the rest of my life miserable when we are married.”

  She felt like hitting him. Instead, she nodded her head. “For once, I’m going to agree with you. I’ll submit to this demand, but so help me if she tries to pull another fast one on us, I’m not standing for it do you hear me?”

  “I hear you loud and clear, Grania. Come on, let’s get this marriage started.”

  As she stepped through the door to the next room, her outfit morphed before her eyes into a gown that was both red and beautiful. Even though his mother exasperated her to no end, she did have good taste when it came to clothes.

  William’s family all seemed crunched into the room. She recognized his father, uncle and aunt, but a few of the other faces were mysteries to her.

  “I trust we are ready?”

  The vicar looked at Aine. She nodded her head, giving permission for the ceremony to begin. Aine had also taken the liberty of changing William’s clothes as well. Now he wore ceremonial wizard’s robes. He had all of his family flanking her, and she had no one.

  She entered a foggy state, only emerging when William pressed her hand. She looked into the vicar’s half smiling, half wary eyes. He knew what she was, and he was just as untrusting of her as everyone else in this building seemed to be.

  Screams entered her mind’s eye. She turned her head. “Something is wrong…” her voice faded away.

  “I now pronounce you husband and wife.” She suddenly felt as if her knees were going to buckle. Her body grew weak.

  “NO! Something horrible has just happened. Hundreds of my kind just died at the same time.”

  She fell to her knees. William knelt beside her. She felt sick.

  “Mum, can you shed some light on this?”

  Pain riddled her body, both emotional and physical. She heard William heave a great sigh. He had to be feeling some of the sensations she experienced.

  At that moment, another wizard burst into the room. He spoke in a hushed, yet urgent tone with Aine.

  “I’m on my way.” Her visage turned completely serious, her nostrils flared indicating that she was furious about something. “I must take my leave.” She watched William’s father follow her.

  “We need to get out of here.” Urgency clawed at her being.

  “I don’t think that’s such a brilliant idea in the current state you’re in.”

  “I’ll be fine, William. I just need to get to Tewkesbury.”

  “I rather doubt there will be anything you can do there.”

  “Please, William. We can’t just stand around with our thumbs in our bums and our mind in neutral. We need to be where the fighting is, helping in whatever way we can.”

  “Okay, but you know this isn’t exactly how I planned to spend my honeymoon.”

  “Hey, I wasn’t planning on having a honeymoon, so that makes two of us.” He seemed as if he was going to say something and paused, waiting while she caught her breath.

  “What do you think really happened just now, Grania? What do you think you really saw? Could it have been a fabrication of some sort?”

  “If it wasn’t so intense, so visual, I would have thought it was a vision of the future, but I know that’s not true. It just happened, minutes ago. I can only pray that I’m wrong about the number of my kind that just fell in battle.”

  “So, you think they fell while fighting?”

  “I’m sure of it. It feels like the end, William.” She shivered. He gathered her close to him. She allowed him to hold her close.

  “It’s not the end. We just entered into the beginning of our marriage. I won’t let it be the end.” He fell silent. The idea of the end for her kind seemed to have rattled him down to his core. He looked as sick as she felt.

  “I need to know what’s happened to Blaze and his family—my family.” She spoke after a few quiet moments. Her voice echoed off the still walls of the room. Everyone had left, leaving them alone to contemplate their somewhat uncertain future.

  “You know what they say about some ends. They only give birth to a new beginning. Life is a circle, Grania. And as a circle, we always have time to start anew.”

  “It’s going to get dark. I don’t know if we’ll even have light enough to see our way.”

  “I will make the light.”

  “Draco has given us such misery he used to be a sterling icon for our kind. Not so long ago, the very people he is killing with such enjoyment adored and revered him. They believed the sun rose and set on him. Now…now, he’s the worst thing that’s happened to Dragonia in an age. He is as tarnished as the silverware in my cabinet at home.” She dragged in a heavy breath.

  “We could follow my parents. I am certain they’d lead us right into the thick of battle my mother always did look forward to a good fight. She's a warrior at heart. She was an agent before she followed in my granddad’s footsteps and took over as our PM.”

  “No, your mother might be right. I say that very hesitantly but we both want to keep you safe. Pe
rhaps, we should stay here. We can’t play a crap shoot with your life, and with the way things are going for us right now…”

  “My mother can’t keep me safe forever. You need to know how your family has come out of the latest battle.”

  “Not battle. What happened just now was the final showdown between the royalists and the rebels. We’ve lost.”

  “No, you’ve gained an ally. Your problem was that you were fighting the war against a foe with greater numbers and the ability to fight outside of the rules of normal combat. Your father knew how to fight dirty. He reveled in it. He didn’t care if he had to kill to force his way to the capital city of Dragonia. His sole intention was to win, no matter the cost to either side.”

  “You are right.” She looked toward the door. “I doubt that even your magic could supersede the shields of enchantment that have been placed around this building.”

  “I could sweet talk my way out of here. I have quite a charming manner when I choose to use it. It even earned me the nickname of Cary.”

  She craned her neck to the side. “I’m not following…”

  “Cary? You know, Cary Grant,” he sighed. “You don’t recognize his name? He was only one of the greatest romantic leading men of all time. He graced the silver screen with his charisma and charm. He was also a Brit, so you see the relation. That nickname was given to me by the ladies and it was quite the compliment.”

  “Oh…okay. I’m thinking though that your ego didn’t require the boost.”

  “Look, just never mind. Anyway, back to the point of what I was trying to say. I can charm my way out of here. My mother might not have told everyone that I was to be kept here. We should leave and return to your cottage. I’m sure that Blaze and his family fell back to your land. Where else would they think to seek sanctuary?”

  “I’m not so certain. If they’d found out about the first wave invasion, they might have attempted to make it to Tewkesbury to try and stop Draco.”

  “You just admitted yourself that the royalists were trampled by Draco. Why would they still want to fight? Their will must be at an all-time low.”

  “They won’t give up. They still believe in the cause. If Earth falls to an invasion…”

  “Earth won’t fall. My mother is mobilizing troops as we speak.”

  “Be that as it may, my father will not let a few wizards, witches and warlocks to slow him down.”

  “I think, Grania, that it’s time we blow this party so I can show you just how wrong you are.”

  “I wouldn’t want to put you at risk. If something that I do causes you to get in harm’s way…”

  “That is not going to happen. When your king and queen enlisted you to protect me they thought I was some stupid, helpless little geeky wizard.”

  She wanted to tell him he was mistaken, but after a few moments decided against it. He was probably right. She doubted that her king and queen even believed that William was capable of walking two feet without tripping, let alone protect himself from incoming dragon shifter assassins.

  “Come on, we can’t just stand around here all day, while the fate of our world literally hangs in the balance!” He took her hand and gently guided her toward the door.

  It opened with ease. “Well, at least she didn’t hex the door shut.”

  He laughed. “Very funny, my mother is going to have a run for her money with you as her daughter-in-law.” They walked calmly through the corridors while a frenzy of activity milled around them. “I actually think she might deserve you.”

  “You could slice the tension in here with a knife.” She kept her voice to a whisper so they wouldn’t attract undue attention.

  “The situation must be worrying. I haven’t seen them all have this kind of a conniption for seven years.” They both almost lost their footing when a quake shook the building.

  “What was that?” She’d asked the question, even though she most certainly knew the answer. Either a dragon was in the vicinity of the building—or her father was here and he was using his elemental power over the Earth to make the ground literally shake. “This isn’t good…I think that could be the demonstration of one of my father’s most terrible abilities. He has power over the Earth.”

  “I don’t follow…”

  “Earth, Air, Fire and Water.”

  “Now, I follow. I wish I hadn’t asked the question in the first place.” He groaned. “It just never ends…why can’t anything ever be easy?”

  “As dragon shifters, we all hold power over the varying aspects of the elements. Of course, fire is one of our specialties, but we all excel in other aspects.”

  “Yours is attached to the weather, isn’t it?”

  “Yes. And I also have a special control over water.”

  “Great. Good to know. So, when I weigh all of that into consideration…your kind could literally turn Earth upside down. Water world anyone?” He chuckled ruefully.

  “Now you know what’s been going on with Dragonia. Our realm must be devastated by now. I can only imagine what sort of damage occurred during the final standoff.

  “We shouldn’t have a problem getting out of this building. Everyone seems to be doing business under a state of organized chaos. My mother will be proud when she reads the status reports.”

  “That’s how you live when a crisis of this magnitude hits. This is the start of something you never should have seen.”

  Chapter Eleven

  Grania and William had almost reached the outer doors when the witch that had guarded the entrance on their way in, waylaid them.

  “Where do the two of you think you’re going?” She still sat behind her desk, though Grania noticed that the knickknacks that had been on her desk were now cleaned off. Her wand was hitched on a holster on her waist, and she didn’t look as out of it as she had before. Now, her eyes were sharp and keen. She was definitely on guard.

  “We are leaving for our honeymoon.”

  “And I am Gracie Fields.” She shook her head. “Really, William, I had expected more from you. Your mother told me you might be inclined to pull a stupid stunt like this.” Sighing, she swiveled her chair to reach into a cabinet that had just materialized in thin air. “Of course, your mother and I have always agreed to disagree on most subjects. Do you think you can render assistance to our people that are struggling out on the battlefield as we speak?”

  “Yes, I do.” Fierce determination lined William's visage. Pride welled in Grania's heart. He had the heart of a warrior. That realization made her heart thrum.

  She paused, seemingly giving the topic a great amount of consideration. She leveled her piercing gaze on Grania and then, shifted it to William. She heaved another huge sigh.

  “Then, put on these jackets. They are fire resistant. Just do try to keep a low profile, William. And for goodness sake, don’t do anything too asinine. Your mother will have my hide if anything happens to you, not to mention the fact that I’d never forgive myself for letting you leave. I intend to see you in one piece when all is said and done. Understood?”

  “Understood. I’m so relieved to find out that you don’t think I need to be kept in here protected from Draco.”

  “I don’t. I happen to think you’re a grown man, and an accomplished and talented wizard. You wield power that most of us can only dream of. I say most of us…I’m not talking about myself.” She winked at him. “I’m stuck here at this desk because they trust that I can protect this facility from falling into enemy hands. I only ask that you protect him with your life.” She pinned her penetrating gaze on Grania.

  “It’s my sworn duty, and now I’ve taken an oath of a different kind. I won’t fail William.”

  “That relieves my heart.” The witch nodded her head in approval.

  “Why do you believe me?”

  “Because, I think that this is a new age, a time for forgiveness and coming together. We can’t hold onto our prejudices in light of the threat your father presents. I also know that William can hold his own
just fine in a fight.”

  “Aurora was the one that taught me all of my tricks. She’s the best fighting instructor a student could ever ask for.”

  “Yes, those were better times. Now, I’m stuck on desk duty. But, maybe one day, they’ll put me out in the field again. I’m not past my magical prime, yet.” She chuckled. She looked down at something she’d been monitoring. Glancing over at her human counterpart, she frowned. “Have you just received the same news, I’m getting, Bonnie?”

  “I am.” The one named Bonnie looked scared half to death. “You’d better let those two out. We’re going to have to go into lockdown mode.”

  “Take these jackets and for heaven’s sake, wear them. Here, you’ll also need what’s in these rucksacks. Wear them, and use what the bag gives you when you need it.”

  “It’s empty.” Grania felt the feathery lightness of it.

  “Of course it is. It’s a magical bag…you know the sort that Father Christmas wears?” Aurora smiled. “Just go now. Bonnie and I have a big job ahead of us. We’ll be shutting the facility down as soon as Queen Elizabeth and your mother’s political non-magical counterpart arrive. We’ll be having quite the entourage since their families will be accompanying them, not to mention the rest of Parliament.”

  “What about my mother? You can’t just leave her out in the line of fire. She is our leader!”

  “She knows how to handle herself. She’ll be the one assuming the non-magically inclined Prime Minister’s position until it’s safe for him. Draco will try to kill him first. Fortunately, your mother will give him a surprise. She's a warrior at heart. You know that. Her role as our leader has always been a low key one. She's not one that gives into the pomp and circumstance. She believes her duty is to protect us. If many humans perish in this assault, she will never forgive herself. Once Draco breaks the human population, he will target us. Your mother hopes to stop him before he can get that far. She’s an absolute marvel. You should be proud of her.”

  “My mother…”

  Grania watched worry crease his brow.