“You’ll be put down if you attack an un-shifted dragon, especially one of my social and political standing. I’ll see you both at the council chambers tomorrow morning, seven a.m.,” he said curtly.
With that, Aiden turned and walked back to his vehicle, climbing inside as Connor and Owen returned to human form and looked at each other, puzzled and frustrated.
“Why did he back down?” Connor said. “He’s taken down mightier dragons than the two of us. We’ve let ourselves go soft. I can’t think that he’d find either of us a serious threat. What are we missing?”
“I don’t know either. He’s up to something. Something that means he can’t do us any harm, at least not right now, or not physically.”
“We could go after him.”
“It won’t do any good,” Owen said. “He has something up his sleeve, something we haven’t even considered. He won’t shift. We’d have to kill him in cold blood and pay for the crime.”
“I’m okay with that,” Connor said, still seething with anger, though it was now mixed with a bit of disbelief.
“I’m not. Emily most certainly wouldn’t be amenable to seeing you destroyed. Let’s just go to the Council in the morning and see what he is up to,” Owen replied, not sounding very convinced himself.
“I guess we haven’t been left much choice if he won’t fight,” Connor grunted.
“No, we haven’t,” Owen told him, clapping him lightly on the back and motioning for him to come back into the house.
The rest of the evening was spent discussing what to do next. Neither was certain what had just happened, but there was no way that Aiden had come here, without the Dragon Guard, and antagonized Connor. He had known exactly what he was doing and how Connor would react. He had also known that Owen would defend his brother. Was he really so taken with Emily that he would set them up for punishment from the Council just to get them out of his way? After some more thought, they concluded that it was more likely just a power trip.
Emily had refused him in favor of Connor. That hadn’t sat well with him, so he had set a petty plan in motion to get his way with the least amount of strife. He might have taken one of them down in a fight, but two of them wasn’t a certainty, and the village would have been up in arms about him killing two members of his own over a woman. He couldn’t mar his reputation like that. So, he had done what he intended: gotten them to threaten him while he acted as if he was only being civil. They had fallen right into his trap.
CHAPTER 13
The brothers were quiet the following morning as they got ready to go to the council meeting. Something about this was unsettling, but Connor couldn’t put his finger on exactly what it was. Whatever Aiden had planned wasn’t going to be pretty. Of that, he was sure.
“Listen, Connor. When we get to the council meeting, I’m going to go ahead and file the charges against Aiden for our father and the previous leader,” Owen said as they drove toward the remote council building.
“What? Why now? I thought we had decided it was useless,” Connor replied.
“It may be, but I think that it is important to have some visibility of what is going on. Even if they don’t do anything about it or believe it, it will at least go on record. It might prevent Aiden from coming after us or anyone we care about. Doing so would only lend credence to our claims.”
“And if they don’t do anything about it?”
“Our plan stands,” Owen said. “I stay on the path of preparing myself to do battle with him. I will take him down, one way or another.”
“We will take him down.”
“I suppose I might as well agree with you. I know you aren’t about to stay out of things if, and when, the time comes,” Owen conceded.
“No, I won’t,” Connor said. “You know that if the Council refuses to investigate our claims, if they deem it false and then we attack him anyway, they will punish us severely.”
“Maybe, maybe not. The Council is as scared of him as anyone. If we manage to eliminate him as a threat to them, we might be able to defend our actions more effectively without him to interfere. With him gone and no longer a threat, we might be able to get Donnelly back out here to testify on our behalf.”
“You mean if he is still alive and if we can find him,” Connor said doubtfully.
“Yes,” Owen replied. “There is a good chance that we will lose that option, but still, we have a better chance with having this known and then having him out of the picture if we are put into a position of defending ourselves.”
“I trust your judgment more than anyone, Owen. If that is what you think we should do, then that is what we will do.”
“It is. Things might become very difficult for us after this. Many won’t want anything to do with us, either through loyalty to Aiden or from fear of him.”
“I understand,” Connor said. “Guess we’ll find out quickly who our real friends are.”
“I suppose you’re right,” Owen replied glumly.
They rode the rest of the way mostly in silence, each lost to his own thoughts. By the time they pulled up to the large building nestled into the slanted side of the cliffs along the sea, Connor felt quite unsettled by what they were about to do, but they remained resolute in their decision. Stepping into the large foyer, they were greeted by two men of the Dragon Guard and escorted to the council chambers, where the members were already seated and waiting for them. Aiden sat prominently in the center chair, a sinister smile present as he greeted them.
“Connor and Owen McCord, do you know why you have been asked to attend this council meeting today?” he addressed them.
“I’m guessing that it’s because we called you out for being the sleazy, spineless flotsam that you are,” Owen replied evenly.
“You will not be disrespectful to our leader in this council room,” one of the elders barked at him.
“I apologize to the council of elders,” Owen replied. “However, not to the leader, who has very much earned my distaste for his underhanded, deceitful ways.”
“Your personal feelings for me carry no weight in this meeting, McCord,” Aiden growled. “You are here because you and your brother dared open your wings and challenge the leader of this dragon clan.”
“We would have done much more had you not refused to fight and then ran away like a scared mouse,” Owen told him.
“Then you don’t deny that you committed the act you are accused of?” an elder asked.
“I don’t deny it at all. I did so with good reason.”
“And you, Connor McCord? Do you also admit to shifting in an effort to do harm to our leader?” the elder asked.
“I do,” Connor replied defiantly. “The sentiments of my brother regarding our leader stand for me, as well. His lack of a moral compass is a plague on this village, and yet you sit there and support his actions out of fear or self-preservation. We choose not to follow your lead.”
“Then there is really nothing to discuss here,” Aiden said. “You’ll have to answer for your crimes. Do you have anything at all to say in your defense before we decide your fate in this matter?”
“I have plenty to say,” Owen said. “I would like to lodge a formal complaint against the current dragon leader for the death of my father.”
Aiden showed no emotion at learning the secret was now known to the McCords. Then again, they had thought he suspected as much based on his comments the evening before. He sat, still looking incredibly smug as he looked down upon them.
“Do you have proof of this claim?” the elder asked.
“I ask permission from the Council to exhume the body of not only our father, but that of our former leader so that they may be tested for a toxin that will trace back to Aiden,” Owen replied. “He poisoned both of them. In the weakened state of the former leader, it was enough to finish him off. Our father was stronger. It only reduced his power enough for Aiden to take him down in a fight. It was Aiden that left him on the beach to die, not some rival clan.”
> “How dare you!” Aiden exclaimed, jumping up from his seat.
“Strike a nerve?” Connor asked with a smirk.
“Don’t test me, boys,” Aiden barked. “You’ll find yourself in a dark hole from which there is no escape. Not enough room to turn around in your human form, much less shift into your dragon form in an effort to fly away.”
The other council members looked nervously around at one another. The head elder finally intervened in the angry exchange.
“These are very serious charges,” he said.
“Yes. We realize that they are, but they are the truth,” Connor said, taking over the discussion. “Furthermore, we have learned that he murdered a human whom he had impregnated in order to cover up his adultery and disobedience to the rules against mating with another species.”
“And how did you come about this information?” another member of the council asked.
“We were approached by a former employee of the leader’s household and explored a trial that uncovered the additional crime,” Connor told him.
“What is the name of this witness, then?” the elder asked
“His name is Liam Donnelly,” Owen replied when Connor looked at him as if to question whether it should be revealed.
“I see,” the elder said. “Is Mr. Donnelly present to substantiate your claim in any way?”
“No, not currently. Mr. Donnelly is very ill and has fled the village with his family. He was in fear of what Aiden might do to him once he learned that he had divulged such a dark secret,” Owen responded.
“What do you have to say in regard to these charges?” the head elder asked wearily of Aiden.
“Nonsense, of course,” Aiden replied. “They are completely unfounded, the rantings of a disgruntled employee that I recently terminated due to his inability to carry out his sworn duties.”
“Then we can see no reason to honor your request for expensive testing for poisons based on hearsay,” the elder said. “Your charges against the leader are dismissed as having no merit to warrant further scrutiny.”
“That’s it? That’s all? You refuse to even look into it? Are you all this afraid of him?” Owen yelled at them.
“Young man, your outburst is uncalled for. If you disrupt these proceedings like that again, you’ll be removed from the room, and your fate will be decided without your presence.”
“You’re all a bunch of yellow-bellied cowards!” Owen yelled. “How can you call yourself dragon shifters when you let one dragon with a diabolical agenda run rampant without doing anything to control the situation? You don’t have this clan’s best interests at heart, only your own hides!”
“Guards, take him out!” the lead elder shouted toward the men in back.
They were on Owen before he could shift, clamping iron chains into place to prevent his expansion. Connor attempted to fight on his behalf, but they quickly subdued him, too, chaining him along with Owen and hauling them both out of the council chambers, down a dark staircase that led to a place beneath the building they had only heard about. They found themselves shoved into a bleak cage with spiked bars designed to ensure they would only hurt themselves if they attempted to shift in the small confines.
“Do you think they will just leave us here to rot?” Connor asked.
“I don’t know,” Owen replied, sounding defeated as he sat down on a stone bench nearby.
“Emily won’t know what has become of me – of us. She’ll look for us. She will get us some help somehow.”
“Let’s hope not. There is no telling what will become of her if she even makes the effort,” Owen replied.
Connor’s heart fell as the thought of her out there alone, at the mercy of Aiden, sank in. Perhaps this had been a mistake after all. They had let their anger get the best of them, despite cautioning themselves not to do so. He suddenly felt as beaten as Owen sounded.
“Listen, brother, when they come for us, I am going to take the blame on our behalf,” Owen said. “I am going to tell them that this was all my idea and I talked you into coming along with me. There is no point in the both of us spending our lives in this hole, or worse.”
“No way. I won’t let you do that, Owen,” Connor said.
“You will let me do that, because you need to think of other people here. Emily will need your protection, and so will Mom. One of us has to survive this in order to take care of them.”
“Owen, I can’t just leave you here.”
“You can, and you will. I know you would do the same for me.”
“I would,” Connor said. “I’ll stay. You go and take care of them.”
“No, Connor. I’ve been dead inside since the day Margaret passed away. Every day is a struggle for me. I wasn’t there for her, and I lost her because of it. You can be there for Emily and live a happy life with the one you love. That is what I want for you. It is too late for me, but you have a chance.”
“You could have a chance, too, if you could only learn to let go and move forward. Let’s just wait and see what happens before we worry about all of that.”
“Sure,” Owen said, staring off into the near darkness of the underbelly of the council building.
The two of them sat quietly, waiting for someone to come and deliver their fates. Hours seemed to pass with no word, but finally, they heard footsteps descending the staircase that wound its way down the nearby tower hall.
“Well, boys, it seems to be your lucky day,” said the head elder. “Aiden wanted you to spend the rest of your days a little further down in this sewer, but some members of the Council have come to your rescue and begged for leniency.”
“The one that should have been begging for leniency was Aiden, not us,” Connor told him, unwilling to be grateful to a group of shifters who continued to protect such a monster as Aiden.
“That being as it may, a decision has been made that the both of you be exiled from this clan.”
“Exiled?” Owen said incredulously. “He kills our father and retains his position as leader, while we are condemned to leave the only home we’ve ever known?”
“I’m afraid that what you claim remains unproven, and you admitted to your part in attempting to attack him. You made your own beds, boys.”
“This is absurd,” Connor said through clenched teeth.
“I’m just the bearer of bad tidings, son. I need your word that when I open this cage, you will leave this building without incident and pack your things. You will be accompanied by the Dragon Guard to the airport to depart for a destination of your choosing. However, it must be far from Ireland, including the UK territories that border it.”
“So, we are not only being exiled from the clan, but from the entire island, basically,” Connor said incredulously.
“Yes. That is essentially correct. You are never allowed to return, and you are not to speak to anyone prior to your departure.”
Connor felt his heart sink at the thought of not being able to say goodbye to Emily, of not ever seeing her again, but he knew he had no choice. It was either this or rotting in a hole. Either way, he would be without her. At least in exile, there was a chance for them to come back from this somehow.
“Fine. We’ll leave. If this clan can’t see that they are in the hands of an egotistical maniac and is willing to forsake us in favor of him, there is no reason for us to stay here, anyway,” Owen said coldly.
“Let’s get you on your way, then,” the head elder said, ignoring the remark.
They heard keys in the lock and were led back up the stairs and out through the council chambers amid six armed members of the Dragon Guard. They rode in silence back to their cabin, where they were led immediately inside and were watched as they packed. Much to their surprise, Aiden was standing outside waiting for them with a large smile.
“You should have known better than to tangle with me. Now there’s nothing more you can do.”
Connor took a step toward him, but was quickly stopped by three members of the Dragon Guard. Ai
den laughed and turned to leave, climbing into his vehicle before rolling down the window and addressing them again.
“It seems that your mother has gone out of town for a while, so she won’t be able to pick up your vehicle,” he said with a sneer. “Don’t worry, though. I’ll personally take it over to Emily’s house and let her know you’ve left the country.”
“You stay away from her!” Connor roared, taking another step toward Aiden as he drove away. He felt himself shifting, but was called back by Owen.
“Connor, no! Don’t!”
It was all Connor could do to bring himself back to a half calm state as he watched the vehicle disappear over the horizon.
“Come on. It’s time to go,” one of the Dragon Guard members said. Connor glanced at him, realizing that he knew him. Josh Higgins. They had gone to school together. He was a nice guy and seemed to feel bad about having to escort them away. It gave Connor an idea, a sense of hope.
“Hey, Josh. I really need to go to the bathroom before we go. You think we can do that, man?” Connor asked.
“There’s a tree. You can use it,” one of the other guards growled.
“No, I’m going to need a toilet. You know, my stomach is really upset. I gotta get to the toilet, or you aren’t going to want me in that vehicle.”
“You can hold it,” the guard barked.
“Come on. You aren’t going to let me go here. You won’t be letting me go at the airport, I assume. You really expect me to hold it on a transcontinental flight?”
“Airplanes have toilets,” the guard replied.
“Oh, stop being an ass, Tom. I’ll go with him while you guys get his brother settled in,” Josh said, already turning back toward the cabin. The other guard grunted and followed them, standing outside the door as they walked into the cabin and headed to the bathroom.
“Josh, I know you know this isn’t right,” Connor whispered once they were out of hearing range of the others.
Betrayed by a Dragon: A Paranormal Shifter Romance (Exiled Dragons Book 1) Page 10