by Megg Jensen
Tressa didn't respond. She leaned down, resting her chin on Fi's scaly neck. Her sleeves flapped in the wind. The smell of saltwater lingered in the air. She closed her eyes, enjoying the last moments of peace before her world would explode into one of blood and death. Soon the smell of copper would overtake her. Everything else lost in the heat of battle.
Suddenly, Tressa's heart began pounding. Her lungs felt hot with fire. She sat up, her eyes snapping open.
Fi, drop to the back. NOW!
Without hesitation, Fi descended below her fellow dragons, letting them fly over, their wings beating wind down.
Tressa held onto Fi until the last supply and medic dragons passed. Then she let go. Fi flew forward, as if she knew exactly what was coming.
Tressa's clothes tore. Her sword plummeted to the ground. A spasm shook through her body, then bloomed into her dragon form. She flapped her wings and pulled up alongside Fi.
Well, I wasn't expecting that. Tressa bared her sharp teeth in a smile. It hadn't taken long, but she already preferred being a dragon to being a woman.
I had a feeling it might happen, Fi answered. In the beginning, the change is hard to control. You're smart enough to feel it coming. Soon you'll be able to control it.
I hope so. Had she been human, Tressa would have laughed nervously. What if I fall out of the sky?
Just focus and it won't happen, Fi said. At least, let's hope it doesn't.
The two dragons raced to catch up, passing the medic and supply dragons. The healers raised their hands toward the two, offering them luck. Tressa blew a little smoke into the sky in appreciation.
Her exhaustion wore off with each flap of her wings. But there was something lingering in the back of her mind. Jarrett standing on the shore of that island. She swore she could still hear him calling her.
"Tressa..."
And she knew if he kept calling, she’d be powerless to resist.
Chapter Twenty-Five
Bastian twirled a lock of Elinor's hair around a finger. He kissed her milky white shoulder. "Finally, everything has settled down," he said. "We've gotten rid of every enemy in our way."
Elinor snuggled into his chest, tracing his muscles with her fingertip. "You know that's not true."
"We can pretend, can't we?"
She rolled over and sat up. The blanket that had been covering Elinor’s naked body fell to her waist. Bastian gulped and forced himself to look her in the eyes.
"Bastian, we may have taken ourselves out of one battle, but it doesn't mean the war is over. We still have plenty of enemies out there. The realms are rising. The Black, Yellow, and Red are all at war. The Green is trapped..."
"And the Blue cowers in the corner of the Dragonlands," Bastian said. He reached out, his hands caressing her breasts. "I've heard all the rumors."
Elinor bit her lip, her eyes closing. "It's not a rumor, Bastian." A little moan escaped her lips before she ripped the sheet from the rest of her body.
Bastian quieted her questions with his lips, and soothed away her worries with his hands. The sun rose, blanketing them with a warm beam as they made love.
"Enough," Elinor finally said, laughing. She pushed Bastian away from her swollen lips and flushed skin.
"It's never enough," he said, his lips curled in a smile.
"Don't you get tired?" Elinor slipped out of bed and pulled on a silken robe. Sapphire blue, it had been one of Stacia's. Elegant and sexy at the same time.
"I do," Bastian said. "But some things are worth doing even if I'm exhausted."
Elinor rested her hand over her chest. "You're insatiable."
"Let me show you." Bastian waggled his eyebrows and dove after her.
Elinor squealed, hiding behind a chair. "Your daughter will be wondering why you missed both breakfast and the midday meal."
"Fine, fine." Bastian sauntered over to the wardrobe and pulled on a fresh pair of pants, then tossed a new white shirt over his head. Elinor’s eyes were trained on him. "Like what you see?"
"You know I do." She let her robe fall off and stood stark naked in front of him.
"What are you trying to do to me?" Bastian asked.
Elinor winked. "Nothing. Why?"
She sashayed across the room, standing next to him at the wardrobe. Tapping her finger on her chin, Elinor surveyed the hanging gowns. "What should I wear?" She ran a hand across the rainbow of fabrics.
"Nothing," Bastian said. "Absolutely nothing." He wanted to pick her up and drag her back to their bed, but Elinor was right. Farah would want to know where he was. They'd just been reunited. He didn't want his daughter to feel neglected.
"You'll meet me in the throne room later?" Bastian asked.
Elinor nodded and sat down, still naked. She began brushing her long blond hair. Each stroke made his blood boil.
"I need to go," Bastian said.
Elinor looked up from under her long lashes, her smile curving into a pink bow. "I understand. I'll find something to wear and be down soon."
Bastian nodded, swallowing the lump in his throat. He closed the door behind him and leaned against the stone wall, grateful for the cool dampness. He adjusted his pants, thought of the smell of kilrothgi, and let his lust disintegrate. Taking a couple of deep breaths, Bastian made his way through the castle to the throne room.
Though the castle had plenty of room for all of the children, Bastian, Elinor, and Hazel had decided to keep them all inside until they were sure the children were safe in Ashoom. The rumors had already started, spreading throughout the castle and into the town.
Demons from the Red.
Spawn of the Dragons.
Spies of Short Stature.
There was no end to the ridiculous things people whispered in each other's ears. Bastian wouldn't allow his daughter anywhere near their crazy ideas. When men feared what they did not understand, only chaos ensued. Bastian had seen it in his own village. He would not allow his daughter to be affected by any of it.
He strode into the throne room. The children were running and laughing, just as they'd been the days before. He was relieved and grateful they'd all seemed to come through unscathed. All but one screamed with joy when he entered the room. The boy who'd sat in Elinor's lap days ago still sat alone in the corner, his nose buried in a book. No matter. There was always at least one child who preferred reading and the solitary life. Often Connor had been that boy when they were little. It was only when Tressa and Bastian goaded him into playing that Connor would come out of his shell.
Farah ran to him, and Bastian scooped her up in his arms.
"Dada, I missed you." She pecked Bastian on his stubbly cheek.
"I missed you too. Did you sleep well in the dormitory?"
Farah bobbed her head up and down. "I wish I could stay with you." She pouted, her lower lip sticking out much too far.
"It's better for you to stay with the other children and the nurses," Bastian said, feeling guilty. It was true they had decided the children should stay together for now, under the care of Hazel and a couple of the female healers from Elinor's guild. But Bastian had agreed to it partially so he could save his nights for Elinor. He hadn't ever wanted anyone as much as he wanted her. In the past, most of his conquests would bore him after one or two dalliances. Not Elinor.
"When can we go home?" Farah asked him.
Bastian set her down. "I don't know." He wasn't even sure he wanted to go back to Hutton's Bridge. "Don't you like it here?"
Farah shrugged. "It's okay. I miss my bed and my doll."
Before Bastian could answer, Farah ran off into the fray, laughing. Children. Everything was so simple to them.
Hazel came over, her youngest in her arms. "She's a sweet little girl. Reminds me of you," she said, watching Farah grab a ball away from a bigger boy and hand it to a little toddler.
Bastian laughed. "I was more like the bully who took the ball away from the children."
"Give yourself some credit, Bastian," Hazel said. "You are a
good man. Look at everything you've done here."
"I've done what needed to be done. I didn't ask for any of this. Connor would have been better suited to leading us through this." He looked at Hazel, the pain in her eyes apparent. "I'm sorry."
"It's okay." She switched the baby from one hip to the other. "Well, it's not, but I'm being patient. I keep hoping he'll remember, but that doesn't seem likely. If he hasn't yet, he's not likely to."
"He loves you," Bastian said.
"Loved." Hazel let out a long breath. "The problem is that I still love him."
"Don't give up on Connor. I still believe his memories are there. Maybe locked away, but there still."
"Maybe." Hazel shrugged. "I can't count on it. I'll try to win him back, though. Despite our marriage being one of convenience, I have never loved another man. He felt the same about me. I'll just have to make him see it again." She smiled, but it wasn't as bright as Bastian remembered. Some of the confidence was gone, replaced by regret.
"I think that's a great idea," Bastian said. He placed a hand on Hazel's shoulder and smiled. She was a good woman. It was only a matter of time before Connor took her back.
"At least we're done with the fighting. I know it had to be hard for you to stay here and let the battle rage on in the Dragonlands, but it was the right decision for the children. They've been exposed to too much violence. And while they didn't understand a lot of what happened in Malum, many of them have lost their parents and grandparents. Just like the day the fog fell when Sophia was a child, the children of Hutton's Bridge have once again been orphaned."
"Not all of them," Bastian said. "You, Connor, and I are still here."
"Yes," Hazel said, nodding. "And now we focus on caring for them instead of fearing for our lives."
Bastian was about to agree, when a screech ripped through the sky. He looked up and a dragon flew into the throne room from the window high above. A Yellow dragon, one with fire in its eyes, landed on the floor, its talons scratching the marble with a high-pitched shriek.
The children ran screaming out of the throne room, ushered out by the two healers and Hazel. She glanced at Bastian over her shoulder, fear and anger mixing in her expression. Elinor slipped past Hazel, shooing her out the door after the children. Running to Bastian's side, Elinor panted. "Who is that?"
"I don't know," Bastian said, "but I have a sick feeling we're about to find out."
Chapter Twenty-Six
The Yellow dragon transformed into a man clad in armor. "I am Destrian. The war to end all dragon wars has begun. Claim your side now." He crossed his arms over his chest.
Bastian looked at Elinor. Eyes wide, she didn't have anything to offer. As the unofficial leader of the Blue, and only because he had Connor on his side, Bastian knew the decision was his to make. He glanced back at the doors where the children had escaped only moments ago. His daughter. Connor's boys. They were his first priority.
"We remain neutral," Bastian said. He stepped closer to the man in armor, his shoulders back, chest thrust forward, daring Destrian to question him. “Some of our men have chosen to fight, but I do not command them.”
Destrian threw back his head and laughed. "I was told you might react this way. Very well. We shall take over your filthy insignificant town and kill your dragon as soon as we have crushed the Black and the Green."
Before Bastian could offer a retort, the armored man changed back into a dragon and flew out the upper window.
"I guess that means we're no longer remaining neutral," Bastian said. "So much for our new quiet life here."
"You knew it was only a matter of time," Elinor said.
The doors burst open and Connor ran in the throne room. "Where is it? I'll kill it." His head whipped side-to-side, reminding Bastian of the way Connor moved in dragon form.
Bastian laid a hand on Connor's shoulder. "He's gone."
"What did he want?" Connor's nostrils flared.
"He wants us to choose sides in the war." Bastian paced the throne room. "We have the children to think about. I don't want them involved in another battle. They shouldn't be caught in the middle of this."
"Either we go to war, or war comes to us," Elinor said. "We're fools if we think we can remain neutral."
Connor nodded, staring at Bastian. They both expected him to make a decision. He sat on the throne, his elbows on his knees and his face buried in his hands. This wasn't the life he wanted. He'd been unhappy in Hutton's Bridge, trapped and forced into a marriage with a woman he despised. And yet, life had been simple. Easy. Peaceful. Quiet.
Bastian sat up. His hands gripped the armrests. His knuckles turned white as he squeezed harder and harder.
"Hutton's Bridge," he said.
"What about it?" Connor asked. "You were there. You saw. It's dead. No one is there."
"Exactly," Bastian said. "The children. We'll take the children to Hutton's Bridge."
Elinor shook her head. "That's a terrible idea. It's open on all sides, with nothing protecting it other than the forest—” She stopped abruptly and looked at Bastian. "The fog is gone."
Bastian stared back at Elinor. It was the perfect plan.
"What?" Connor asked, looking between the two of them. "Is there something else I don't remember?"
Bastian had told Connor about the fog and how it fell. Well, not completely. He hadn’t told him about the woman in the tree and her two brothers on the other sides of the forest. She'd protected him and he was determined to protect her. But now, he needed her. If they could take the children to Hutton's Bridge and raise the fog once more, they'd be safe. And this time Bastian knew how to take it down again. Their entrapment would only be temporary, until the war was over.
"Bastian," Elinor said, her hands on her hips, "is there something you haven't told us?"
"I'm the one who took the fog down," Bastian said. "I'm also the only one who knows how to raise it again." The others who knew about the woman in the tree had died in Malum during the Descent Festival. The children would be safe and protected there. “If we do this, I will have to share the secret with the two of you. In case something happens to me, others must know how to get the children out again."
Elinor hurried to his side, the bottom of her gown billowing around her booted feet. "This might be the best idea you've ever had. We know the fog is nearly impenetrable. Hidden behind it, the children will be safe."
"And this time there won't be any dangerous beasts hiding in the fog. We just have to convince the children to stay until we come back. No wandering." Bastian stood up. "Do you think it could work?"
Connor furrowed his brows. "If there's nothing in the fog threatening to kill us, what will keep others from entering it and taking the children hostage? The children won't be safe. Anyone can walk through a fog."
"True." Bastian sat down again, defeated. It had seemed like a grand idea.
"Unless there was something to protect them," Connor said. "I could."
"But what's the difference between protecting them there and protecting them here?" Elinor asked.
Bastian spoke up. "Everyone knew death lay within the fog last time. Perhaps we make it seem as if it does again. The woman in the tree, she has the power to destroy anything that comes into the forest. She nearly destroyed me." He remembered the ball of light coming from her hand and his fall through the trees. He'd been lucky to land on a bough strong enough to support his weight.
"Then I think we should do this," Connor said. "I will take Hazel and the children and the healers if they will come too."
"I can almost assure you they will go," Elinor said. "It is our calling. Once we heal someone, often we are attached to them for life." She glanced at Bastian and smiled. "Many of the children needed healing when they arrived here. These women attended to their wounds, both physical and emotional. I cannot imagine they would abandon the children now. I will ask them."
Connor nodded. "I would like to consult with Hazel first."
Bastian shot a qui
ck glance to Elinor. Connor was coming around, then. In the past he'd rarely made a decision without talking it over with his wife. They’d once worked as the perfect team. It made him happy to see Connor moving in that direction again.
"I think that's wise," Bastian said. Connor nodded and left the throne room in search of his wife.
"So," Bastian said to Elinor, "you're only with me now because you healed me?" He hoped there was more to it than that.
"Bastian..." Elinor said with longing. "Few healers end up romantically involved with the ones they heal. It crosses a line. We are tasked to be compassionate and caring. To heal those who cannot heal themselves. To offer our moon when someone of value is dying. To make the ultimate sacrifice for one who must survive, despite all costs." With the last sentence she looked at the floor.
"What is this ultimate sacrifice?" Bastian asked, taking Elinor's hand in his.
She sniffled, refusing to look at him. Bastian rested a finger under her chin, but she wouldn't let him raise it.
"Elinor? What is it?"
"Do you remember before we left for Malum? How I told you there was something in my childhood?" Her eyes remained trained on the floor.
"Yes," Bastian said. "I didn't want to pry if you weren't ready to talk about it."
"My father." She took in a ragged breath. "He told me that when I grew up, I would be the most famous of all healers. That I would work with him to bring the world to a greater destiny. He saw things, Bastian. Horrible things. He would wake from nightmares screaming about dragons and how he would rule them all."
Bastian kept silent. He knew Malachi had stolen the baby dragons for some reason. But to claim it was destiny? Look where destiny had gotten him. Dismembered on the Isle of Repose. He'd also gotten all but two of the baby dragons killed.
"He told me that one day I would use my moon to save the Red Queen. That she would reward us handsomely. That we would be the most powerful of all healers."
"You wouldn't do that." Bastian pulled Elinor in for a hug, her chest and shoulders heaving with every wet breath.
"I can't do that," Elinor said. "It's impossible."