Dragon's Heart

by Marly Mathews

  “William, Grania…I’ve been trying to get through to you guys all bloody night! The channel has been busy.”

  Grania gave him another stern look. He shrugged his shoulders. “I didn’t do it, honestly. My mother might be blocking communications, or maybe Draco is responsible.”

  “That’s why I’m calling. I managed to smuggle your cousins out of the palace. We’re in the Lorien Forest right now, hiding with what’s left of the royalist factions here on Dragonia. How’s it with you? Draco seems even more confident than usual.”

  “He shouldn’t. We made short work of the first wave he sent here.”

  “You crushed his first wave? I see.” Nicholas looked deeply pained. “William, you need to get a hold of your mother right away, I wasn’t able to send a communiqué to her.”

  “What do you need me to tell her?”

  “Tell her that Draco has just begun. That first wave he sent is nothing. It’s piddly shit compared to what he has in store for Earth. The second wave is coming soon, and not only will there be dragon shifters in the forces there will also be Dark Harpies, and Menopian Trolls. It seems he has made strong alliances throughout the Enchanted Realms.”

  “Menopian Trolls?” She gave William a confused glance.

  “They are pure evil and big buggers. Not nice to find in a dark alley, trust me. I’m surprised he’s not bringing vampires as well. They usually stay away from our Realm as the Agents within the MIA use extreme prejudice against them when they decide to make Earth their stomping ground. Problem is, they have that special kind of realm hopping magic that allows them to easily transverse the Veils between Worlds,” William groaned, clenching his jaw at the thought. “If they’ve mobilized into a cohesive fighting force…we’re going to have a hell of a time fighting them.

  Usually, they like to keep to themselves and travel in groups no larger than eight or ten. But if they’ve formed an Army of sorts…we’re screwed. The upside, what they have in sheer brutal force, they lack in intellect, so we should be able to easily outsmart them…unless Draco is giving them orders on how to fight they won’t be hard to defeat.”

  *****

  “He couldn’t get the Vampire Clans to unite with him. Thank God for small blessings. They said that they didn’t want to risk the truce that they had signed with the MIA. As long as they keep a low profile and don’t kill humans, they are good in the MIA’s eyes, and they have no issue with that now that the MIA has decided to supply them with the blood they need.

  Apparently, they still remember how badly the MIA defeated them in the last War. My mum and dad were veterans of that War, they both said it was hell, literally. The Vampires value self-preservation above all else, and so therefore, fear what your kind will do to them once you win the war against Draco. I was surprised the representative of the Vampire Clans had the balls to tell that to Draco,” Nicholas said, admiration in his voice.

  She wondered if he’d been injured, he looked as if he’d been through hell and back. She could only hope her cousins fared better than he.

  “Oh, he couldn’t…” William's voice trailed off, confusion marring his visage.

  “No. They don’t like dragon shifter blood, and it seems they aren’t too fond of wizard and witch blood either. They say that it’s not worth it for them. They seem to think Draco doesn’t have a chance, and they don’t want to be there when the magic kind serves him his ass on a platter. But I have to say, it’s looking grim on this side. Draco seems nearly unstoppable. His power is enough to make me weak in the knees, and you know I’m one tough bastard.”

  “He will be stopped,” Grania vowed.

  William almost shuddered at the bloodthirsty edge to Grania’s voice.

  “Draco was putting on quite the temper tantrum last night…that’s how I was able to slip out with the twins in tow. Your aunt told me to leave her and just make sure they got to safety. They’re a bloody handful, you know? Makes me rethink getting married. Anyway, do the two of you have any idea why Draco was in such a foul temper? I mean he’s no Hugo the Happy Dragon on a good day…”

  “Let’s just say that William and I have solidified our relationship. We are now husband and wife. It would seem this is a union that my father has been forsaking from the get go. Now that William is truly my mate, my father is powerless.”

  “Congratulations! I’m sorry I couldn’t be there to be your best man, William. Truly, it would have been a day to remember.”

  “As it was, it was hardly a day filled with goodwill and cheer,” William said dryly.

  “The night wasn’t half bad.” She smiled at him.

  “Anyway, we’re going to have to cut this short soon. They’ve sent out search parties for the twins. They are going over the area with a fine tooth comb. I’m going to have to move our location again soon. I have been trying to establish a firm doorway between our two realms, but for some reason they keep collapsing.”

  “I think that would be Blaze’s handiwork. You need to get in touch with him so he can see what he can do to bridge a stable doorway between the realms. We’ll be meeting up with him much later, and I’ll take my crystal globe with me, I take it that Blaze gave you the access code to my globe?”

  “Aye.”

  “Then, you should be able to talk to Blaze when we rendezvous with him later. Try to contact us in about three hours.”

  “Got it. That shouldn’t be too late, hopefully. Godspeed to the both of you, if we ever needed to pray to a higher power it’s now. All I can see is darkness right now. I feel like I’m wallowing in shadows.”

  “The light will stream through eventually, Nicholas. It’s just so good to see you alive and in one piece,” Grania said softly.

  “Yeah.” He winced. “Let’s not talk about being in one piece, I almost got chomped in half yesterday.” He shuddered. “Thank goodness the twins were with me. They saved my ass, literally.”

  “Just keep them safe. Blaze will have your hide if you don’t.”

  “Hey, it wasn’t their hide that was on the line yesterday. I was almost a take away meal, extra crispy and tasty, all he needed was ketchup,” he grimaced again.

  “Only you would find a way to make light of that,” William said.

  “Yeah, listen, I have to cut this short. I hear someone approaching. Later!” The globe went dead.

  “Now what do we do?” Glancing up at William, she sighed.

  “I don’t know. We’ll have to continue onward with our plans to figure out where they’ll be attacking next. If we can determine that, we’ll have our ace in the hole. Grania, I was serious when I told you I didn’t want you to use that weapon of your mother’s.”

  “And I was serious when I said I was set upon using it. Don’t try to convince me otherwise, William. This marriage works both ways. You implement questionable fighting tactics when locked in combat against my kind and I’ve allowed that issue to drop between us. So, let’s get past our differences, and work toward what is both our common goal, seeing Earth free from my father’s tyranny. The last time I checked, we don’t have a Marriage Rule Book…so basically there’s only one rule we can both break.”

  “And what’s that?”

  “You cheat on me and I go all huff and puff on your ass.”

  “That works for me, I’ll hold up my end of the bargain, you don’t need to worry,” he vowed, reaching across and gently taking her hand.

  “Good. Now that we are in agreement, I think we should suit up and set out.”

  “I don’t think we should go anywhere until we get some more Intel. You said yourself that this cottage is protected, and if I know my aunt it also has an invisibility enchantment on it that will immediately activate if it detects an enemy approaching.”

  “You are correct. Your aunt gave me the Platinum Package. She really is a witch of unimaginable creativity when it comes to using magic. I was in awe of her only five minutes after our first meeting. Where is she right now?”

  “The last we heard from he
r she was hanging out in the First Fairy Realm. She always goes there at this time of the year.”

  “Do you think she’ll return if she hears of the trouble brewing here on Earth?”

  “It’s doubtful that she’ll even know about what’s happening here. She’s probably in the far regions of the realm, isolating herself from any mortal worries.”

  “Nice.”

  “Don’t fret though. If we’re lucky someone sent a messenger to track her down and bring her back here.”

  “And if we’re not lucky?”

  “She’ll return in a couple of months, or a few years and either find Earth waiting for her unchanged, or she’ll find an apocalyptic world where nothing is the same from the way she remembers it,” William murmured.

  “I like the first scenario much better. If she does return in time, she’ll definitely be able to aid us in our struggle. I don’t know how our side will react when they see the dark magical creatures coming into our world.”

  “They’ve always leaked into our world from time to time. That’s why the work the MIA does is so instrumental, and why my mother and the Director General and agents of the MIA are so bloody important. The agents protect and shield us from that sort of thing. In years past, they’ve stopped other otherworldly invasions, this time they will as well.”

  “Let’s hope they do so again.”

  *****

  Grania moved toward the bedroom door when a sudden jarring sensation rocked the floor. Her legs gave way beneath her, and she hit the floor with a loud thud. He rushed to her side, putting his hand on her shoulder as he reached for her hand and pulled her up. “Are you okay?”

  “I’m fine, but my ass is smarting right now, and my ankle doesn’t feel so hot.”

  He supported her body, as she tried to put her weight down on it. “I think something just hit my auntie’s shield and fortunately for us, we haven’t sustained any damage.”

  “We can be thankful for that.”

  “I guess.” He led her toward the bedroom window. “I thought as much…” He pointed to the hill where her manor house sat. Her stomach churned, and her heart flipped in her chest.

  “You have to call your mother. Do you know how to reach her?” Grania asked.

  “Oh, yeah, she’s my mother she’ll hear me no matter what.”

  “I think you need to summon her. This is bad. I am sorry, William.”

  “You couldn’t have known. Problem is, we seem to be right smack dab in the center of it all.”

  Her heart stopped, a large lump formed in her chest. “He’s appearing out of the doorway. My aunt is with him.”

  “Don’t look at that anymore. Damn our keen eyesight.” He tried dragging her away from the window. “Come on, you’ve seen enough. We already know that the second wave of your father’s invasion has started.”

  Emotion welled through her. She could feel tears gathering in her eyes. “He has defiled my mother’s retreat. He has truly gone too far this time. He is not my father, he was never my father. He is my nemesis. I will kill him even if it’s the last thing I do.”

  “Come away, Grania. I can only be grateful that even your father shouldn’t be able to sense you through the enchantments my aunt has erected.”

  “And what about your mother?”

  “I’m certain the enchantment will allow a white witch to transport through. Either way, she will sense me when I call her.”

  “Then, get to calling her…now!” she implored, emotionally at the breaking point. Her rage against her father would have destroyed the cottage had it not been enchanted.

  She wandered away from him. Vertigo tore at her being. Sinking to the floor she reached for the bow and quiver.

  Caressing the magical wood, she regained her emotions, until she was cool, calm and collected. Celtic runes on the bow called to her. She circled her fingers around the writing and pulled back when she received an electrical shock from it.

  “I’ve done it. My mother is en route as we speak. She should be here within seconds,” William announced, walking over to her.

  “I am happy for it. I’ll actually be glad to see her.”

  “All is not lost, Grania.” He crouched down beside her.

  “Perhaps, Nicholas is right. It will not be an easy battle to win.”

  “We might have to lose a few battles on our way to victory. Lose a battle, lose many battles, but always, always win the war.”

  “My side has lost too much already. We’ve been pounded into the ground so far that we’ll have a hard time spitting out the dirt in our mouths,” she mused, still caressing the wood of the bow.

  “You had the victory yesterday. That will be enough to carry us through to our next victory,” William said, trying to give her comfort.

  A streak of blinding white light engulfed the room.

  She turned expecting to see Aine, instead she was met with a stranger.

  “Is this wizard a friend of yours, William?” She knew he was a wizard or at least she hoped she wasn’t getting his ceremonial robes confused with being that of a warlock. Warlocks usually didn’t wear the robes that Wizards wore. William remained speechless. “William?” She prompted looking over at him.

  “He’s…he’s…” William’s eyes bulged. He looked like he was going into a state of shock.

  “Why did you call me?” The wizard’s voice was smooth and almost emotionless. His eyes snapped with something she couldn’t quite define. “You possess her bow. Therefore, you must be a blood relation for only a blood relation could activate the summoning charm I put on it so many years ago. You are Lady Grania, daughter of Princess Polaris.” It was a statement, not a question, and it gave her a chill.

  William crossed the short distance to her. He still failed to give her any sort of response.

  “I am Lord Merdwyn, and you are Grania Burns, are you not?” The wizard prompted, seeking her confirmation, whilst all the while peering intently down at her.

  “He is Lord Merlin’s brother,” William finally spoke, except it sounded more like a croak.

  Chapter Sixteen

  “I get Merlin’s brother? Why not Merlin himself?” she asked.

  “Alas, my dear, Merlin has other things to occupy his time these days. Besides, you have the bow I created for the woman I loved.”

  “You were in love with my mother?”

  “Aye, I deeply loved your mother. Polaris was the woman I loved more than anything else in all of the known realms. She was everything I wanted, and more. When she turned to your father…”

  “You were scorned, understandably.” She nodded her head enthusiastically. The look in his eyes made her want to back out of the room. He had power, great power. The only other two people she’d seen with that glint in their eyes were William and her father. Dryness prickled in her throat. She coughed.

  He nodded his head. “But time as they say heals all wounds. I hold no grudge against her now. Where is she? I had thought I would see her essence here.”

  “My mother is dead. My father killed her.”

  Merdwyn hung his head for the briefest of seconds. His blond beard and long blond hair caught the sunlight that suddenly streamed through the window he’d just opened. When he raised his head, his dark brown eyes were filled with anguish. “I had hoped that we would one day be able to speak on our own terms. I had hoped that she would survive seeing the light of day. I am sorry for your loss.”

  “Thank you.” Her voice emerged as a croak. “I will never stop missing her.”

  Merdwyn turned from her and glanced out the window. “Why does it look as if the entire world is being draped in darkness?” He inhaled sharply. “I can feel dark magic.”

  “Where did you come from?”

  “I came from the mists of time,” he said, remaining purposefully cryptic. He turned around again locking gazes with her. “You have your mother’s eyes, and yet, you are not her mirror image.”

  “I realize that. No one could ever hope to attain my mother
’s beauty. No one save for her sister, Andromeda.”

  “Indeed.” He stepped to the side. “Another person gifted with magic approaches.”

  “That would be my mother. She is going to be at a loss for words when she sets eyes on you—you and your brother are legend.”

  “Legendary?” He smiled. “My brother would like that far more than me. I never aspired for greatness. I only sought to live my life, but after so many disappointments, I had to retreat to my own sort of seclusion.”

  Another ray of magical light flashed through the room. Grania closed her eyes. “I’m going to have to get myself a pair of shades at this rate,” she grumbled.

  William’s mother emerged breathless, and seemingly worried sick. As she solidified, she pinned her piercing gaze on William.

  “You went against my strict instructions, Son,” she chastised angrily.

  “I’ve done it before, so you shouldn’t exactly be surprised,” William said easily.

  She pursed her lips, giving him a glare. “I see that you’re still in one piece, so I’ll save my lecture. Grania.” She nodded her head curtly to her in greeting. Something flickered across Aine’s face. Slowly, her head swiveled to the side to meet Merdwyn’s gaze.

  Her jaw dropped, her eyes filled with stunned disbelief. When she finally tried to speak, no sound came out. Now, Aine reminded her distinctly of William.

  “Aine, this is my fault,” Grania murmured before she could blame William.

  Her head snapped toward her. “How can this be? You brought this about?” She pointed at Merdwyn. “William, is this true?”

  “Yes, Mother.”

  “Then, I am in your debt. You have my gratitude, daughter. We will need Lord Merdwyn’s help in the coming battles. Lord Draco has arrived with all of his dark minions. We had hoped he would remain on Dragonia, but we underestimated his hunger to control Earth. I knew only seconds before William contacted me. This is grave news for us. We were just about to foolishly take the Queen and the Prime Minister out of hiding. We almost played right into Draco’s hands.”