by K L Rymer
I know that we can do it. We can beat his father and save his mother’s soul.
Gwyneira’s entire body freezes next, and she almost resembles a statue.
Brynmawr’s golden eyes protrude. “G-Gwyn?”
Her own blue eyes are frozen in terror. “I... I need to make a nest, fast! It’s... it’s coming. I’m about to have the egg...”
The Red Dragon’s scales turn ten shades lighter, and now he’s even more terrified than when he first met Gelert, the spooky ghost dog ...
It looks as if we’re about to have the 8th member of our dragon army.
Chapter 25 - Bryn
Gwyneira went about making a nest out of giant tree branches the instant her waters broke (well, her metaphorical waters), and soon she had herself a cozy little bed.
My poor dragon was your typical nervous father in the delivery room, pacing back and forth, hoping that the baby will be all right, even though Gwyneira’s having an egg.
I’m sure the egg will be fine. Their shells are so tough that only fire can penetrate them.
Still, they’re new parents. I should cut them some slack.
I stand beside the Red Dragon, patting his scales as he hyperventilates.
Myrddin summoned a giant brown bag for him to breathe into as the dragon clutched it with one of his dexterous claws and breathed, in and out, over and over to the point where the bag combusted into flames.
He breathes fire after all; he ought to be careful.
Better the bag than, say, Felicity, who’s standing on his other side, trying to comfort him as best as she can in her sweet tone.
“It’s okay, Brynmawr, everything will be all right, I promise,” she croons.
The dragon’s pupils dilate next as he gazes into the future. “What... what if the baby doesn’t like me...? What if I’m a bad father...? My own father tried to eat me once!”
Well, that must have sucked. I know I can relate. Larry wasn’t exactly dad of the year either, but at least he never tried to eat me.
That would just be really messed up.
Felicity giggles, hugging Brynmawr tightly. “Don’t be silly, Brynmawr. You could never do such a thing. Sparkle Hearts loves you like a father after all. You’ll be a fantastic father.”
“And Zelina! Zelina loves you too!” Nora cries, desperate to be involved.
The two baby dragons answer their riders next by offering the bigger dragon adorable squeaks, and Brynmawr relaxes.
“You’re both right. I would never eat these two. No matter how sweet they are. Th-thank you...”
I roll my eyes as Nora and Felicity hug his scales.
My gaze falls on Gwyneira inside her giant nest. It’s mostly made to compensate for her size since she’s so big, but a dragon egg is no bigger than a human skull.
The White Dragon probably won’t even feel it coming out of her; it will be, like, the world’s smallest poop ever.
Yet the she-dragon harps on like she’s giving birth to Godzilla. “I don’t feel so good...”
Matthew palms her head, and I see the smoke sizzling from his hand. It’s a good job he’s used to the heat. That would have hurt like a bitch. “You’re burning up.”
Brynmawr nudges her with his nose, and they really are a cute couple. Former lovers turned enemies/lovers again, and now they’re having an egg.
“Just hold on, Gwyn. You can get through this. We can both get through this...”
The White Dragon opens her eyes, glaring at her red lover. “Oh, shut it. You’re not the one who has to lay an egg after all!”
“Yeah, but the egg will be tiny compared to your...” I trial off when the she-dragon cuts me with her sharp, blue eyes.
“My what exactly?”
Well, I can’t say vagina with her looking at me like that. Believe it or not, but Gwyneira is actually a prude. I’ve literally heard her having sex, yet she still acts so proper.
Brynmawr gestures for me to shut up with his clawed hand, and I button my lips. “N-nothing...”
Gwyneira’s eyes turn into a pair of icy slits. “Good. Let’s keep it that way.”
I hear Damien and Zahara snorting behind me, and I cut them off with an icy glare of my own.
Their wyverns are already bonding or displaying dominance over each other, who knows, as they flare their wings and hiss.
Angelina is still MIA, and no one seems to care to go and look for her. I sure hope she’s all right.
It has been a while since her last feed. Maybe she’s gone hunting for a murderer or a rapist or something.
Instead, we all spread around and watch as Gwyneira prepares to lay her egg, and I think it’s best we offer the two some privacy.
I know we’re all eager to watch how a dragon lays their egg, but this is an intimate moment for the two after all. We need to scat.
“Everyone, move out. We need to give them privacy.”
Thomas protests. “But come on! This is a once in a lifetime opportunity. We can’t miss this.”
“Bryn’s right,” Mattie says, and I’m happy to see that we’re both on the same side.
It makes me feel all tingly inside.
“I’ve known Gwyneira a long time and trust me when I say this... but she’s highly embarrassed right now. She just doesn’t want to disappoint anyone.”
The she-dragon shuts her eyes, breathing a thick plume of smoke. “It’s fine. I don’t mind if everyone wants to stay and watch. Just don’t look at my... well, what Bryn was about to say before...”
Myrddin speaks up now, and that pretty much settles it. We’re leaving. “Come along, students, and let’s give them some privacy.”
There are a few protests, mainly from Thomas and a few of the baby dragons, but we all do as he says, stalking off into the forest as one group.
Before I disappear into the trees, I gaze back at Brynmawr. He’s never looked so terrified, and I wish I could stay, but I don’t want to intrude.
This is their moment after all. They deserve to celebrate it alone together.
...
Another hour passes when a light suddenly breaks through the trees, and we all turn towards camp.
It had to be Gwyneira giving birth...
She’s laid the egg.
Yet no one knows what to do. Should we go over and check if they’re okay, or do we continue to give them privacy?
That’s when Brynmawr’s voice enters my head. “Bryn... you can return. It’s arrived. Gwyneira had the egg.”
Matthew gets a similar message from Gwyneira too as he taps his forehead, smiling, and it’s good to see that he and the dragon can communicate telepathically again. “I can’t wait to meet him or her, Gwyn...”
I look to Myrddin. “Let’s go. The egg has arrived.”
Myrddin claps his hands in joy, and he’s not the only one. Everyone is eager to meet the new dragon egg. The babies can’t stop squirming.
So we all march back to camp where we’re greeted by the sight of a glowing, sapphire egg, and it’s definitely the most beautiful by far.
None of the others had this vibrant glow as tears gather in my eyes.
You just know that it is going to be a stunning dragon.
Matthew watches the pretty blue egg just as spellbound, and his own eyes shine a little.
I can’t help myself then. Even though he has betrayed me twice and broken my heart, I take his hand and squeeze it tight.
He turns my way, and a warm smile spreads over his face. A tear drips down his cheek.
We’ve just become the proud aunt and uncle of a new baby dragon.
It’s our dragons’ baby after all... It’s as much as our baby as it is theirs.
And just think... all four of us were destined to kill each other in a fierce battle once, but now we’ve all joined forces.
This beautiful, blue egg has brought us all together.
I’m so distracted by the love and warmth that has arrived in camp that I don’t notice the tall, slender blonde hovering by th
e trees.
It comes to a stop several feet away from Brynmawr and Gwyneira, and it takes me a moment to realize that I’m looking at Angelina. My former bully.
Her beautiful, glowing azure eyes are locked on that shining egg, and at first I’m confused.
Why is she staring at it like she has seen the sun for the first time?
Even Brynmawr and Gwyneira watch her strangely.
Then it finally dawns, and a loud gasp leaves my lips. Brynmawr and Gwyneira catch on too, whole-heartedly allowing the vampire to come within an inch of their new brood.
They don’t try to fight her or push her away. Before, they never really saw eye to eye with the vampire, and the feeling was mutual.
But it makes sense, and all the pieces come together at last like broken egg fragments.
Angelina kneels before the azure egg, lifting it up in her hands so gently, and I never thought I would see the cold bitch looking so tender. She even has tears in her eyes as she looks across at me and Matthew, and for once... it’s like the three of us are on the same page.
After all, she has totally just bonded with the offspring of our dragons. The girl who tried to keep us apart in first year and who made my life a living hell.
And now we’ve all just become one big, happy family.
It’s almost like fate at work.
A genuine smile crosses Angie’s perfect lips, and now she whispers to us softly, “Well... it looks like I finally found my egg.”
Chapter 26 - Bryn
Brynmawr and Gwyneira lit the fire together this time as they’re both eager to meet their new daughter.
Yes, it’s a girl. Angelina confirmed it when she said the tiny baby inside called to her.
That’s how the others all described it too. They felt a pull the moment the dragon embryos called to them.
Brynmawr’s and Gwyneira’s blue and orange flames merge together like lovers next, and I glance around camp, spying all those dragon babies.
Sparkle Hearts is getting bigger by the day since she’s nearing five weeks old, and now she’s the size of a border collie. Shadow Stalker can barely perch across Damien’s shoulders now since he, too, is growing at an exponential rate. Since Jack’s dragon, Buddy, was already twice the size of the others, he’s nearing the height of a small pony, and Zelina isn’t far off in size from Sparkle Hearts.
Then there’s Thomas’s smug little asshole, Maximus, who’s still pretty small, but he’s still the most intelligent by far since he’s the only one who can talk. And Zahara’s Elvira is almost half the size of Shadow Stalker.
We’ve been feeding them well after all. Baby dragons eat a shit load of meat, and I’m pretty sure we’ve caused depletions in the European deer population.
Still... we need to build our army. I hate to bring these babies into the world just to fight a war, but Brynmawr assured me it was a war they’d all be willing to fight.
Western dragons are designed for battle after all. It’s in their blood. Their eastern counterparts are more peaceful.
I just can’t imagine Sparkle Hearts tearing into another dragon’s hide, and it breaks my heart.
She’s so pink and pure. We’re only going to make her a killer.
Brynmawr and Gwyneira are determined to let their new baby fight too. As I said, dragons never shy away from war. They encourage it; to die at war is an honor.
The flames rise toward the sky, and now Angelina emerges between Brynmawr and Gwyneira, her eyes glowing just as bright as the egg in her hands.
Mattie and I stand close by as we watch her, and I can’t help but be proud of my former bully/friend now.
She really has come a long, long way, and if you ask me... I think this dragon bonding is the best thing to have happened to her. I always felt bad after Mattie dumped her. She’d never really been in love with him, but I still felt as if she needed some love in her life.
And she has finally found it.
Brynmawr gazes down at the vampire, and it’s so strange to see both of them on the same side now. They always hated each other.
“You ready, Angelina?”
She tapers her eyes. “Yes, Brynmawr... I will bring your new daughter into this world, and promise to love and take care of her...”
The beautiful blonde’s hair wafts in the wind behind her as the flames dance upon the pit, and she’s never looked so badass. She’s like a girl you see on a book cover. So awesome.
Carefully, she raises her arms, and I catch sight of Brynmawr and Gwyneira locking tails behind her.
They’re about to meet their new daughter.
Angelina lets go, and the egg tumbles to the flames. Quickly, they engulf the shining, blue egg, sending a crack down the side, and Gwyneira draws a breath. Brynmawr’s jaw hangs loose.
Soon the shell breaks away, and the sound of a tiny, crying dragon fills the forest. Brynmawr and Gwyneira look as if they’re about to burst from joy.
More of the egg flakes away, and then a small, cerulean dragon emerges from the blue and orange flames, her scales burning as bright as her egg, and I was right.
She is the most beautiful of them all.
Her equally stunning blue eyes settle on those of her rider and then those of her parents, and now she barks in recognition.
Gwyneira cries crocodile tears. “She’s... so beautiful. Brynmawr... we’re parents...”
The Red Dragon’s worse than her as rivers pour from his eyes. What do you expect from a beast who loves daffodils? “I... I can’t believe I’m actually a father...”
Zahara sighs as some of his tears gush onto her, but then Elvira uses her wing as an umbrella to keep the Unseelie dry. “Thank you, Elvira, sweetie.”
The shining, blue dragon jumps down from the flames and crawls toward Angelina. The vampire lifts her up in her arms, turning her around to Brynmawr and Gwyneira.
The dragons nudge noses with their new daughter.
“Everyone,” Angelina announces. “I would like you all to meet Azure...”
The Red and White Dragons gave Angie the honor of naming their baby. After all, a dragon’s bond with a rider is a powerful thing. Maybe even more so than it has with its parents. It can’t be ignored. It’s just dragon lore.
I think it’s a perfect name. Azure truly is as bright as the blue sky. Blue had always been Angie’s color too. Her dress at the V-day ball was blue and so is her magic.
Plus, her eyes burn azure when she’s pissed.
Brynmawr and Gwyneira seem to agree with me on the name, and now Angelina lets the baby dragon bond with her parents.
I sigh as the new dragon family stalks off into the forest, and now I turn to Myrddin. “So, I guess our search is over? We don’t have to find any more eggs? We all have a dragon each now.”
Myrddin beams. “That’s right. Now we must go about training our new army in secret. Matthew has bad news. His father is aware of our plans and is eager to put a stop to it, so we must get away fast. I have the perfect hiding place.”
I nod, putting all my trust in Myrddin as I glance at Mattie, wondering if he’s had contact with his father.
The mage catches the curiosity in my eyes. “No. I haven’t had contact with him, Bryn. I... I felt his anger... through my mother’s soul. He... was trying to summon me.”
My heart sinks to the depths of my stomach.
So, that’s how Matthew senior always communicated remotely with his son.
The fucker. We are so going to destroy him.
We have eleven dragons now while he has one.
Mendacious Army 1. Matthew Senior 0.
...
Finally, after seven weeks of camping around continental Europe, we’re finally ready to settle down.
Myrddin summoned a portal to one of his secret spirit oases the next day, which is where we will be hiding until the dragons come of age.
The wizard postulates that it could be six months. Still a long way to go, so we need to lay low until then.
The oases wer
e Myrddin’s own discoveries after all. No one can touch us there. Matthew senior may have the academy and Camelot now, but he will never find us in the spirit realm.
He’s not that powerful of a mage after all. He can eat his heart out.
The moment we arrive in one of those beautiful, enchanting worlds, I’m attacked by a metal midget, and now I peer down to meet Shankfoot’s beady, black eyes.
“Nice ta see yer, lass!”
“Shankfoot!”
A horned pony trots up beside him, and my heart soars. “Princess Sparkle Hooves!”
I immediately regret it though as everyone stares at me horrified. Even Felicity looks shocked, even though I sounded just like her right now.
The unicorn snorts and nudges me with her snout, and I pet her shyly, trying to act nonchalant. Felicity soon joins me as well as Nora and, surprisingly, Damien, and now we’re all fawning over the magical horse.
It’s a mother fucking unicorn. Why not?
I glance up then to see Myrddin and Mr. Tanaka bowing to each other in respect, and I’m not surprised to see them here in the least. Shankfoot and Tanaka managed to get several other students away from the academy the moment the Black Dragon attacked, and I grumble when I see Macson. Jessika’s here too, and Swamp Boy.
I bet you forgot all about him, hey... He doesn’t ooze so much nowadays either.
Macson stays clear from the rest of us but Jessika is so happy to see Angelina. The vampire rolls her eyes as the Seelie wraps her arms around her.
I take a moment to breathe, gazing around the spirit realm. We’re surrounded by magical mountains that seem to sing, and I release the air from my lungs again.
And for once, I feel confident that we can do it.
We can save the world from Mattie’s father.
No doubt his next stop will be the human realm.
Chapter 27 - Bryn
Several more months go by, and before I knew it, August resits came around.
Despite Myrddin’s warnings, I decided to go back to Bangor and get myself a zoology degree. I meant what I said; I will become the next Steve Erwin.
I worked my ass off studying all summer in the peaceful spirit oasis and even had the help of the brainy Angelina and Thomas.