by Terry Spear
Her family and friends quickly surrounded her, giving her hugs, and just shaking their heads.
Her mom was grinning. “I think you were the only dragon participating who had fun. And it showed.”
“It’s not all about how fast you move, but how you play the game,” Alton said. “Even if the judges didn’t like that you deviated from the course, you made up for it by coming in first in speed, and using advanced techniques to make fun of your mistakes so that it looked like you had done it on purpose! Brilliant, really.”
She laughed. “I could have only done it because of watching you and my dad and Olaf, and all the help you gave me.”
“You look so unstressed at the end. What were you thinking about?” her mother asked.
“My lavender fields.” Kayla thought Alton looked a little disappointed that she had not been thinking of him. She took his hand and squeezed. “But before that, I was thinking how much I wanted to have fun, just like you told me to do, Mom. And of course all about the teachings that Alton and my father and Olaf had shared with me that helped me to make it fun.”
Ena disappeared, then came back and gave her another big hug. “I just checked the boards and you’re in first place!”
Kayla knees weakened, and her eyes filled with tears, though they were happy tears. “No, I goofed up any number of times.”
“You made up for it,” Alton said, “in a way that only you could.”
Then Kayla saw Halloran standing off to the side watching them, arms folded, and he was wearing a smirk. Before anyone could know what she was about to do, she transported to where he was and poked him in the chest with her finger. “Give Sigrid’s locket back to her.”
Halloran smiled, but she wasn’t the only one watching him, waiting to see what he would do. Kayla was surprised Sigrid didn’t take him to task.
“Come on, Sigrid. We have some business to take care of.” Halloran was dangling her locket from his hand.
“Aren’t you afraid I’ll put you under my spell?” Sigrid asked, walking toward him, a wicked smile in place.
Halloran had to be the dragon Sigrid had the crush on. But then she saw Kiernan and smiled at him.
Kiernan? He had been in the boot shop buying boots that day also.
“See ya later, girlfriends,” Sigrid said to Kayla and Tanya.
Kayla didn’t know what to think, but she suspected Sigrid could take care of Halloran and the situation with her locket better than she could.
Alton joined Kayla. “Looks to me like something else is going on behind the scenes.”
“With Halloran or—“ Kayla glanced in Kiernan’s direction, while he was watching Sigrid and Halloran walk off toward the forest “—him?”
Alton chuckled under his breath. “Who knows. Tonight, we feast about your success. We can watch to see how Willow does in her games, the day after tomorrow. Your father said he’d show both Olaf and me more maneuvers tomorrow.”
“We’ll watch. I picked up a lot by watching you this last time.”
“Okay, works for me. I think I do better when I know you’re watching.”
She smiled, loving that he felt that way, but she couldn’t help wondering what was really going on with the falcon fae.
16
The next day, the guys practiced for hours, even Kayla’s Uncle Sid, while the ladies made a picnic lunch and served it at noon. Kayla wasn’t certain who would win in the competition for the top slot in the expert games as much as all the guys seemed to do well. When the games continued the next day for Willow’s class, they were all there to watch her and congratulate her afterward. She had come in second place and couldn’t have been more thrilled.
She didn’t seem to mind at all that she had come in second and finally told Kayla the reason why. “If I had come in first, I would be up against you in the final game.”
“What?” Kayla gaped at her. “What final game? The experts go tomorrow and I thought that was it.”
“Nope. They have one final game. All first place winners, no matter what their level, are pitted against each other. The game is weighted so that the experts still have to take on the expert tasks, and so forth. Any mistakes in the final game can cost the participant his place in the final bid for power. Although you will still be in the hall of fame for this year’s games as a first place winner in your category.”
No way could Kayla win, she didn’t think, if she had to play the games without making any mistakes. She sighed. Oh, well, like with anything, she would do the best she could. She hoped she didn’t fail too miserably.
Alton was not ready for this. Not with the way he had practiced before the games. He had stretched his muscles way too much after injuring himself, and now he was afraid he wouldn’t do that well. Yet, everything was riding on his performing well. Not only did he want to impress Kayla, but he wanted to ensure that her family saw him as a perfectly eligible mate for her. He was always really competitive, but this time, he didn’t care about winning as much as pleasing them.
“Alton,” Kayla said, kissing his cheek before he had to go, “I love you.”
He expected her to tell him not to push too hard or to wish him well, or anything other than that. He hadn’t had anyone tell him that since his mother died, and yet this was not the same as a mother’s love, and all his aches and pains seemed to fade away.
“What happened to checking out the other dragons first? Courting me longer? Staying at your mother’s cottage?” He smiled down at her, not meaning it at all, but he still had to tease her.
“Oh, I can do that, of course. But I wanted to tell you I loved you first, just so you know.”
He couldn’t help the tears that filled his eyes, and he cupped her face and kissed her mouth. Then he dragged her into his arms and hugged her tight. “I love you right back, Kayla.”
And when he released her as one of the men running the games called his name again, he saw her eyes were just as misty as his were.
“Break a leg,” she said.
“Only humans would think that was a good luck saying.”
“I think the fae started it.”
He laughed, squeezed her hand, and hurried off to do this. And turned into a purple dragon. He guessed whatever spell Kayla had over him, not Sigrid, had sealed his fate.
Brett had gone against Kiernan, Olaf, and some others. Olaf won in that round. Alton wondered if it had been due to Kayla’s dad’s teachings. After that, her Uncle Sid, Ena, and Halloran had been up against several others. Sid had come out on top, and beat Halloran by a point. This time, Arne, Alton, and the remaining dragons were pitted against each other. Then they would do the routines requiring a partner.
Alton thought he was doing great. No mistakes so far, and his speed and agility were good. But he was aching something fierce when he did the roll. Suddenly, a sharp pain shrieked through the area where the bolt had struck him, making him lose his balance, his concentration, and his ability to fly.
Screams from the spectators filled the air, but just as soon as Alton fell, Kayla knew it wasn’t part of his routine, shifted, and went to his rescue. The other participants this round were busy completing their routines and didn’t see the disaster unfolding.
Olaf, too, knew his friend was in trouble, and shifted, then flew off to help Alton. Kayla was worried sick about Alton’s injury, but she was also concerned how this would impact on how he viewed himself in front of his friends, her family, and most of all her. He should know they all loved him no matter what.
Brett and Ena had quickly come to his aid as well, talons on his tail, legs, Kayla’s arms around his neck as she flapped her wings like the rest of them, hauling him off to his castle. He was dead to the world.
As soon as they reached his castle, Ferdinand rushed out. “What has happened?”
“He overexerted himself in the practice sessions. He hasn’t healed enough,” Ena said, after she had shifted, and the others carried the dragon inside. “Alton, wake up. Shift so it’s easier t
o get you to your room.”
His eyes opened and he stared at her, at Kayla still in her dragon form, at the mural of dragons flying across the tall ceiling in his keep. He groaned, shifted, and they nearly dropped him. “Don’t tell me I passed out at the games.”
Kayla shifted, kissed his cheek, and found it hot. “He’s running a fever. Get a healer.”
His maid, Doreen, was already headed out the door.
Kiernan, Olaf, Halloran, and Uncle Sid were suddenly there, helping to carry Alton to his room. Kayla pulled his bedcovers aside, and then took off his boots and socks before she pulled the covers over him.
They heard everyone else downstairs after that—Willow, Tanya, Kayla’s mother and father, and Sigrid returning too.
“Isn’t anyone watching the games?” Alton asked, as Kayla ran a wet cloth over his brow, one of his maids standing nearby with a wash basin.
“They’re over, old man,” Halloran said. “Didn’t I tell you that you should sit this one out?”
“How did I do?” Alton asked, and Kayla cringed to hear anyone say that he had been disqualified.
Everyone chuckled.
Arne said, “Spectacularly. That was a maneuver I never thought anyone could perform so well during a game.”
Alton laughed. “Bad huh?”
“Yeah,” Halloran said, “but I told you so. Next time you’ll listen to me. Even so, you had the sympathy of a couple of judges.”
Alton reached for Kayla’s hand and squeezed it. “At least I won’t be flying against you.”
“Why didn’t anyone tell me I’d have to fly in another game against all the other first place winners?” Then Kayla frowned. “Who won in that last round?”
“Your father won in the last round and two points higher than his brother,” her mother said, rubbing Arne’s arm, smiling.
“Oh, great. I just meet my father and now I have to compete against him.”
“No, not against me.” Arne patted her shoulder. “Against yourself, but you do what you have to do. You’ll do fine. It doesn’t matter how well you do, just that you do your best.”
“Don’t you go doing poorly just so I won’t feel bad,” Kayla said.
“You could have in my case,” Alton said. “I wouldn’t have minded.”
Everyone laughed again.
And then the healer was there, ushering everyone out of the room, except Kayla and the maid.
“How bad is he?”
“He needs to rest. He’s been training constantly, Doreen said. He never should have been on such a schedule. I hadn’t even okayed his being in the games!” the doctor said.
Kayla frowned at Alton.
He shrugged, winced, and let out his breath. “How could I not when I had to impress so many?”
“Me. Only me. And you already did that when you helped Ena and Brett rescue Mark and the maid. If you hadn’t taken a bolt, I probably wouldn’t have had time to rescue Muriel. I could have been the one injured instead.”
“Did you ever learn what happened between Halloran and Sigrid?”
“No. But she’s wearing her locket again.”
“He needs to rest,” the physician said. “And though I would insist he not go to watch the last of the games tomorrow, I know he would disobey me because you will be in them.” He sighed. “Good luck tomorrow, and I’ll be on hand in case you need my further assistance. The medicine should help. Make sure he drinks plenty of fluids, but most of all, make sure he rests.”
“Thanks, Doctor.” Now Kayla really felt guilty about waking Alton in the middle of the night to learn if Halloran had Sigrid’s locket. They’d been busy ever after that, and he definitely hadn’t had time to rest, especially as much as he’d been pushing himself to do well in the practice sessions with her father.
Once Alton was asleep, she joined the others downstairs, Ferdinand already having given the orders to prepare a feast.
She saw Sigrid sitting between Halloran and Kiernan and she again wondered if one of them was the one Sigrid had the crush on, or someone else they didn’t know. Someone new to the games. And how did Sigrid get Halloran to give up her locket?
That night, Kayla couldn’t sleep. Not only was she worried about the games, she was concerned about Alton sitting in on them to watch her participate. She wished she could ask Sigrid or even the doctor to give Alton something that would make him sleep well through the games so he’d feel better by the time she returned. She was certain he would be upset with her, so she skipped that notion.
The next day came before Kayla was fully awake or ready. She was glad to see Alton eating, though he still looked a little flushed.
“Are you sure you don’t want to stay home and wait for me? It would take the pressure off me.” She smiled at him.
He laughed. “No way. I have to see you and your father competing in the final games.”
Despite Alton’s objections, the doctor sat next to him in the reviewing stands, ready to take care of him in a medical emergency. And all his friends and hers and her family sat around him as if he might die on the spot if they weren’t seated near him. She cherished all of them for the way they were taking care of him.
Her father said to her before they flew in the last of the games, “Think of your lavender gardens. It worked before. Remember all that I taught you. And take care. Don’t kill yourself in the games. Alton needs you.”
Just as much as she needed him. “Good luck, Dad. If anyone can win, it’s you.”
“I already won when I caught your mom admiring my treasure, and she brought home another treasure worth more than all the jewels in the world.”
“Thanks, Dad.” Kayla gave him a hug, and then waited for the bell to ring. Then she saw Willow in line, and she couldn’t have been more surprised.
Willow smiled at her and shrugged. “The guy who came in first partied too much last night. He’s sicker than a dog this morning, even though he wanted to fly no matter what. They gave him a sobriety test and he flew into a tree.” She smiled again. “So I guess we’re competing, or not, but I want to wish you the best of luck.”
“You too, Willow. Thanks for being my friend.”
“Same here. You’re the most interesting friend I’ve ever had.”
“Thanks, I think.”
They both laughed, then shifted, and the bell rang. Kayla jumped a little, and then she and the others were off. Since each of the courses was based on level of ability, the two junior courses were shorter. As long as she and the beginner didn’t make any major mistakes, they would be done sooner than the three other participants in the more advanced games. She was at least glad for that.
She considered what her father had said about thinking of her lavender fields as a way to relax and get through this. Instead, she thought of Alton and how she and he could go on missions together and add piles of gold in the cave where the wolf shifters guarded it.
Gold. And more of it. It wasn’t that she was greedy, but she was just wired that way. Between being a golden fae and a dragon shifter, she loved the idea. More than that, she loved the notion she would be with Alton. And she was glad her mother would be with her father.
Before she realized it, she was halfway through the course. She hadn’t made any mistakes yet. At least she didn’t think she had. Thrilled she was doing so well, she didn’t feel she was in competition with anyone. Though she did have the thought that she and her dad made up two-fifths of the competitors. Forty percent were pretty good odds.
She began thinking of her lavender garden and how she could try growing it at the castle gardens instead.
“She’s a golden fae! Not a dragon fae!” someone in the stands shouted.
Kayla lost her concentration at once, dropping the heavier ball, missing the basket, figuring Halloran was going to attempt to arrest her. If he could catch her. But then her heart nearly stopped when she saw the person pointing at her mother, not at Kayla. Ohmigoddess!
Uncle Sid socked the man in the nose. And a fig
ht broke out.
One of the judges shouted, “Continue the games. Halloran, arrest that man!”
Which man? Uncle Sid for assaulting the other? And then her mother, once they realized she was truly a golden fae?
Kayla swooped down and caught the dropped ball, placed it where it belonged, and finished the rest of her games, not caring whether she won anything at all. All she cared about was her mother. She was certain her father would feel the same way. When she ended the games, she quickly bowed to the judges, shifted, and hurried for the stands. Halloran was gone. So was the man who had made the outburst.
Uncle Sid had his arm protectively wrapped around Kayla’s mother’s shoulders. She breathed a sigh of relief. Alton was holding her mother’s hand, smiling. When he saw Kayla, he quickly rose, looked dizzy, pale, teetered a bit, and she hurried to pull him down on the seat again so he wouldn’t collapse.
They were quiet. She knew she’d lost because she’d dropped the ball. The guy in the beginners’ group came in after she did, even though his course was shorter than hers. She wondered if she made a mistake and missed returning something to its place. The next contestant returned, then Willow, and finally her father.
There was a long pause as Willow and Kayla’s father joined them while the judges discussed the matter. Halloran returned to the stands and smiled at Kayla and inclined his head toward her mother.
Kayla couldn’t believe it. He had to know her mother was truly a golden fae, just like Kayla had been when Halloran had first met her. Now he was ready to cover for her mother?
“Despite the interruption in the games, our winner today,” the judge said, “is Arne of Dresden. He wins the treasure, but all our first place winners will have a place of honor also and will receive a locket of gold.”
Kayla jumped up from the bench and hugged her dad before her mother could. “We know what you need to be doing from now in. Teaching the rest of us your techniques.”
“I would be happy to. The chest of treasure I will give to you as a dowry, Kayla.”