by Rinelle Grey
*****
Brad immediately knew what his brother’s problem was. Lyrian wasn’t just banishing the Trima dragon, but him as well.
“Surely there’s a way to sort this out,” he said, holding up his hands. “I mean, it’s not like you and I…” He trailed off, not quite sure how to explain it. Lyrian’s stony dragon face didn’t help.
“You are connected to me through Anarian. I doubt there is any possibility of you giving that up.” Lyrian stared at him, as though waiting for a response.
As if there was any doubt. “I intend to see her, of course,” Brad said firmly. “But I don’t see…”
“Then that makes you part of Rian clan,” Lyrian interrupted, “Regardless of our relationship. If your brother mates with the Trima dragon, he is part of Trima clan. The two clans do not socialise. We are at war. Do you not understand what that means?”
“Of course I do. But this war is between dragons, not between my brother and me. I have no intention of socialising with the Trima dragon, and Nate…” he glanced over, then heaved a sigh. “I’m sure Nate can survive without spending time with Anarian.”
It would be sad, not being able to share his daughter’s life with his brother, but better than losing Nate altogether. Besides, it wasn’t like Brad would be living with Anarian at any point.
Lyrian shook her head. “I’m sorry, Brad, but it’s just not possible. No matter how hard you try, information could slip through. I cannot put my clan at risk. You have to make a choice.” Brad could hear the sadness and genuine regret in her words, but also the finality. This was it. Their only choice.
How were either of them supposed to make that choice? The very thought tore him apart. Whether they mated or not, he loved Lyrian. They had a daughter together.
But Nate was his brother. His twin brother. They’d shared everything since they were children.
How could he possibly choose between them?
Of course, there was no contest. His daughter needed him.
Nate would understand, wouldn’t he?
“I’m sorry, Nate…”
He could see his own sorrow reflected in his brother’s eyes.
“There must be some other way,” the other dragon said, her eyes sad too. “Some way Nate and I can be together without him losing his brother.” She took a deep breath, then looked from Nate to Brad. “I know how much he cares about you. He’s done nothing but search for you since he arrived.” She looked at Lyrian. “Please.”
Lyrian regarded her for a moment, and Brad held his breath.
“There is only one way I can see it being possible,” Lyrian said, her mind-voice hard and ominous. “Renounce your clan. Give up Trima, and return to Rian clan. Then, maybe, I can trust you.”
The woman swallowed. She looked at Nate for a long moment. Then she squared her shoulders, and turned back to Lyrian. “Would Rian clan accept me?”
Brad saw Lyrian’s expression falter, and he could almost feel her pain.
“I am all that is left of Rian clan and I will accept you,” she said, her voice more gentle this time.
The woman’s eyes widened. “But… don’t you know? Rian clan is alive and well.”
“What?” Lyrian demanded, her eyes whirling. “Where?”
As though that had broken a wall around her, her huge dragon body suddenly shifted and morphed, turning back into a human.
“Where they have always been, at the wave rock,” the Trima dragon said.
Lyrian’s eyes hardened. “That’s not true. I’ve been there and it was empty. You lie.”
She took a step towards the other dragon, and Brad thought she might just attack her in human form. And he didn’t blame her. Why would the other dragon raise her hopes with a lie like that? It was a cruel trick.
“No, it’s true,” the other dragon insisted. “They returned there after Taurian woke. A few weeks ago.” The Trima dragon hesitated, then added, “Ultrima made a deal with them. He wouldn’t attack the clan if Taurian married the human woman he was with.”
“If that’s true, then why did you attack me?” Lyrian demanded. “Did you break this deal?”
Brad was trying to follow the story, but Lyrian was right, it didn’t make any sense.
“Waking you and your brothers and sisters wasn’t part of the deal,” the other dragon said flatly. “Ultrima only intended to stop the fight that was costing lives for both dragon clans, not give the Rian clan a free pass to do whatever they wanted.”
Lyrian stared at her for a long moment. “That is possible,” she said gruffly. “I haven’t been back to the lair in nearly a year. Taurian’s Mesmer chamber was disturbed far more recently than that.”
She stared at the Trima dragon for a long moment, and Brad found himself holding his breath. Would it be enough?
“There is only one way to be sure,” Lyrian said firmly. “We must go there and see for ourselves.”
She looked at the lightning dragon. “What is your name?”
“Kyrtima, Princess.” There was a short pause. “Or I suppose it is Kyrian now?” She stared at Lyrian, waiting for her response.
Brad stared at Lyrian too. What did the name change mean?
Of course. KyRian. KyTrima. The second part of the name was their clan name.
Lyrian nodded. “Kyrian, you can come with us. If all is as you say, then I welcome you back, sister.”
Chapter 25
Lyrian was glad Brad was driving. Her hands were shaking so hard, she wasn’t sure if she could.
Could it really be that simple? Had her clan really moved back to wave rock after Taurian had woken?
Could she have just flown out here at any time and found them?
More importantly, would she really find them there now?
She’d wanted to come out here straight away, as soon as Kyrian had told her Rian clan was here, but Brad had insisted they wait for the other dragon to heal her injuries. Lyrian suspected he felt guilty for having inflicted them, even though it wasn’t really his fault.
Nate had apparently been more than happy to help the former Trima dragon with that.
Brad was silent next to her, staring out at the road ahead. Behind them, Nate and Kyrian followed in Nate’s car. Lyrian hadn’t been quite ready to have the lighting dragon in the back seat next to Anarian.
Besides, she was glad to spend this last drive with Brad, just the three of them as a family.
He’d said he would stay until she found her family. If Rian clan were at the lair, then there would be no more need for him to remain.
The thought made her heart sink, even though it had been riding high with the hope of finding her family.
Why did that happiness have to be overshadowed by the possibility of losing Brad?
Was there any way she could convince him to stay?
Lyrian was pretty sure she could. She was almost certain that he wouldn’t refuse if she asked him.
But he’d always feel like he’d given up his life for her. And she didn’t want that for him anymore than he wanted it for her.
He’d put his own life on hold for her. He’d promised to help her find her brothers and he’d stuck with that, even when it was hard. Even when it might cost him his brother.
She could do no less for him.
She had to let him go, even if it hurt.
As the battered and scarred ute bumped across the rough dirt, the wave like rock rose out of the trees ahead.
Home.
Was it really? Were her family really here?
As the ute drove forwards, she saw movement near the fold in the rock that hid the lair entrance.
Wings.
Dragon wings.
As she caught sight of gold wings glinting in the sun, and purple wings following close behind, tears pricked at the back of her eyes. Taurian. Verrian. Her brothers, two of them at least, were alive.
She’d almost given up hope of finding them. Of finding any of her clan alive. And yet somehow, Brad had helped her fi
nd them. Against all the odds.
If he hadn’t insisted on going back to the house, if his brother hadn’t become involved with the Trima dragon, if he hadn’t been willing to listen, she might never have known that her clan was here, almost under her nose.
She turned to Brad, trying not to let the tears fall. “Thank you,” she said softly.
He glanced over at her. “For what?”
He hadn’t seen them yet. But as Taurian and Verrian swooped down over the clearing in front of them, followed by many more dragons, he glanced back and his eyes widened. “We found them,” he said, his voice awed.
“Yes, we did,” Lyrian said, and as she did, her joy was marred by a tiny bit of sadness. Would this mean she would lose Brad?
But surely not forever. He would come back to see Anarian, if nothing else. Maybe they could have a friendship because of their shared child. It would be better than never seeing him again, even if the friendship would always be bittersweet.
Brad pulled the ute to a halt as the dragons landed in front of him. Two human women slid off their backs, piquing Lyrian’s curiosity. Kyrian had mentioned Taurian taking a human mate, and the other she recognised as Lisa.
What had been happening here while she was away?
Lyrian wanted to jump out of the car and rush to her family. To ask them a thousand questions. To throw her arms around her brothers. To join them in flight in dragon form.
But she had to get Anarian.
Or maybe not. “Can you get Anarian out?” she asked Brad.
As soon as he nodded, she couldn’t hold herself back any longer. Lyrian jumped out of the car and ran towards her brothers.
“Lyrian!”
“You’re alive.”
Her brother’s dragon voices in her head held just as much joy as her own heart did.
Lyrian threw her arms around their necks, tears falling down her face.
She wasn’t alone. She’d never be alone again.
And neither would Anarian.
She turned back to the car, where Brad stood holding the baby, his expression uncertain, and a little bit of her joy dimmed, even as her heart filled with love.
“I have someone I want you to meet,” she said out loud.
Taurian glanced towards the car, then back at Lyrian, his eyes wide. “I’d say you do, yes.”
Lyrian beckoned to Brad, who walked forwards slowly. He barely looked at the other dragons, he focused on Lyrian, walking up to her and handing the baby to her.
Lyrian turned and held her up towards her brothers, towards her clan. “The second generation of Rian princesses has been born.”
There was a stunned silence for a while, then all the dragons lifted their heads towards the sky and bellowed their appreciation.
Lyrian’s head was full of their congratulations.
This was what she had been seeking for so long. Everything should have been perfect.
Except she could see the sadness in Brad’s eyes.
How could her heart be so happy and so sad at the same time?
Did finding one family mean she was going to lose another?
She refused to believe that was the only choice.
She had been sure that there was no other choice for Nate and Kyrian and yet they had found a way. She hadn’t thought it possible that she would find both her brothers alive, much less her clan. Yet she had.
It was impossible to give up hope after those sort of outcomes.
She and Brad would find a way, somehow.
Love always did.
Chapter 26
“But you’re staying for the mating, right?”
Nate’s hopeful expression as he stared at Brad couldn’t be denied. Brad heaved a sigh. “Sure. Of course I’m staying for the mating.”
As reluctant as he was to stay any longer than necessary, Nate was his twin brother. He couldn’t miss what was essentially his wedding. Even if the way Lyrian stared at him when he agreed to stay, so hopeful and yet so hopeless, tore at his heart.
He needed to stay for his brother, but it was the worst thing possible he could do for him and Lyrian. He knew that they both still cared for each other, but there was just too much keeping them apart. Even if it weren’t for the fact that he had to be back in America to resume his position as cardiac surgeon in less than a week, there were too many mistakes in their past that he just couldn’t ignore.
If Lyrian hadn’t lied to him about needing to sleep with him to heal, if she’d been honest with him from the beginning…
But they couldn’t erase the past. They could only move on and share parenting of their daughter without complicating it with their own problems. That was where their future together lay. Maybe if he kept his distance, didn’t seek her out or talk to her, then it might be possible. Maybe both of them could pretend he was already gone. Pretend they were going to be able to move on.
Taurian watched him, his expression knowing. The woman with her hand on his arm looked thoughtful.
“We don’t have time for a mating,” an elderly man said, striding into the circle of dragons, and staring around at all of them. “We need to wake the rest of the Rian princes and princesses as soon as possible, while Trima clan is divided and off guard.” He glanced at Kyrian, Nate’s future dragon mate, and scowled. “And someone take this woman away, she will repeat anything we say to Trima clan.”
“Ostrian, we have a truce with Trima clan,” Taurian said quietly. “We have nothing to hide from them.”
Brad looked from Taurian, to Ostrian, then over at Lyrian. She looked as confused as he felt.
“Who is this man, and why is he speaking as though he thinks he is in charge?” Lyrian demanded, looking to her brothers.
Verrian muffled a laugh, and Taurian frowned at him, then at Lyrian. “Ostrian is one of the elders. He has helped guide our clan while we were asleep. We owe him our respect.”
The frown he gave Lyrian indicated exactly what he meant by that.
Lyrian raised an eyebrow. “I give respect to those who earn it,” she said flatly. She turned to Ostrian. “What exactly are you talking about? Ultrima has waited for three hundred years to ask Sarian what she feels about him, I’m sure he can wait a few more days while we have a mating. Especially since he is apparently otherwise occupied right now.”
That was an understatement. Brad hadn’t heard the full story yet, there were so many names he was having trouble taking it all in anyway, but from what he gathered, Ultrima, leader of the Trima clan, had allowed himself to be arrested by the police just last evening.
Meaning, Ultrima had more than enough problems of his own to deal with right now.
Ostrian looked haughtily at Lyrian. “I won’t speak while she is here.” He pointed at Kyrian, but it was unnecessary. Everyone in the room knew who he was referring to.
His brother’s future mate looked embarrassed and rather like she wished she could find somewhere to hide. Or maybe she was regretting choosing to stay here with Rian clan instead of taking Latrima up on her offer to return to Trima clan.
When Brad and Lyrian had arrived here, everything had seemed to be all happiness and love.
He’d thought he and Lyrian would be the only ones having problems. Nate and Kyrian had seemed so sure, so in love. Like they could overcome any obstacle in their path.
And wasn’t that what true love did? If you had that, you weren’t supposed to be daunted by anything. But Kyrian sure seemed daunted now.
Lyrian wasn't. “Kyrian has chosen to give up Trima clan and return to Rian clan. She is one of us. Anything you can say in front of me, you can say in front of her. I have vouched for her. Are you saying you don’t trust me?” Lyrian’s voice was hard and fierce.
Brad may have even been a little afraid of her if it weren’t for the fact that he agreed with everything she said.
He had to give it to the elder, Ostrian. He had guts at least. The old dragon drew himself up and stared at Lyrian. “Perhaps you should leave too then.”
Brad may not have agreed with the old man, but he must believe in what he said, if he were prepared to stand up in front of Lyrian to say it.
Then again, she didn’t look particularly fierce. She was tall, for a human, but a little shorter than her two brothers. Her blue hair didn’t look particularly fierce, and neither did her pale skin or her delicate features.
Brad knew that those were all a lie. Underneath that gentle, kind exterior was the heart of a dragon. One prepared to defend her baby, or her clan, no matter what the cost. She considered Kyrian, his brother’s intended mate, as part of that clan. Meaning anyone who threatened her would feel the full brunt of Lyrian’s ire.
Lyrian opened her mouth, and Brad wasn’t sure if she intended to blast the old dragon with words, or her dragon wind. And he didn’t get to find out.
Taurian held up a hand. “Let us not forget that we are all on the same side,” he said firmly. “Ostrian, if you wish your opinion to be considered, then present it without further argument.”
Ostrian clearly wasn’t happy with Taurian’s announcement, but though he shot Lyrian’s brother a frown, he didn’t argue further. Instead, he turned away from Lyrian, away from Kyrian, and addressed the rest of the assembled dragons.
“This is our chance. The chance we have been waiting for. The Trima dragons are preoccupied with Ultrima’s arrest and lulled into a false sense of security by the truce we have agreed to. While they are distracted, we can wake the rest of our princes and princesses, and finally be in a position to deal with Trima clan for good.”
There was a stunned silence in the assembled dragons.
Ostrian smiled, obviously thinking he had convinced them with his argument.
But Brad saw the lines draw together on Taurian’s forehead, and the hand his mate put on his arm to calm him. Verrian’s fists clenched, and his mate beside him echoed his posture. Both of them glared at Ostrian.
Lyrian didn’t even bother to try to hide her disgust. “You are a disgrace to Rian clan,” she spat. “What you are suggesting not only puts our whole clan at risk when Trima clan retaliates, but also destroys any chance we have of having a true, lasting peace.”