by CSM
“They were running high guard reconnaissance, feeding Jared and Darian intelligence so they could run the battle plan,” Robert explained in a tired voice.
“They saw us engage a knot of skiths. They knew we were on our way back here after we got burned,” Growloranth added. “But they were fine the last we saw them. Unlikely to be used on the ground because of their usefulness in the sky.”
Isabelle finished with Robert’s treatment and was about to comment when she heard the trumpeting call that meant another dragon was coming in for a not-so-well-controlled landing. There had been quite a few skidding, hopping landings on the ledge today as injured dragons did their best to make it back home for treatment.
Isabelle and Robert both rushed to help in any way they could, but it proved unnecessary. The dragon landed and Isabelle saw it was Sir Gareth and his dragon partner, Kelvan, one of Princess Belora’s mates. He didn’t dismount, but reached a hand down for her. She climbed up on Kelvan’s back as word spread silently from dragon to dragon.
Growloranth told them what was happening.
“The skiths have been defeated, but the enemy troops are now firing on our forces with diamond-tipped weapons. Two dragons have been shot out of the sky and Princess Belora is going with Gareth to treat them enough so they can fly home.”
“Diamond-tipped weapons?” Isabelle repeated, wondering why that was significant.
Robert took her hand and squeezed gently. “Diamond is the only edge sharp enough and strong enough to cut through dragon scale.”
“Sweet Mother of All!” she whispered, shocked. She had believed dragons were the next best thing to invincible. The idea that they could be shot down made her gasp. Especially knowing that Tilly and Bear were out there, flying reconnaissance. “Did he say who was shot down?” she asked Growloranth quickly.
“No, he did not, but I fear my mate is among the fallen,” Growloranth replied solemnly. “And I cannot fly to her aid. The Princess Adora forbade it. And truth to tell, I do not have the strength.”
Both Isabelle and Robert ran to Growloranth’s side. Tears were streaking out of his large, jewel-like eyes, rolling down his scaled skin to harden on the ground into a small pile of sparkling gems. How something so beautiful could come out of such heartbreak was beyond her comprehension, but that was unimportant now. What was important was the pain the dragon and his knight—and Isabelle too, if she was being honest—were feeling.
“I am with you, my old friend. Tildeth will be all right. You would know it if she wasn’t.” Robert stroked the dragon’s neck, leaning against him, offering comfort in whatever way he could.
Isabelle reached out to touch the dragon’s face. She had never dared to touch him before, but this was a dire circumstance. Her heart opened and the dragon stepped inside, his pain reaching out to her.
She stared into his eyes and simply stood with him, a hum of power passing between them. And then it became a real hum, in her throat, begging for release. Before she knew it, she was humming a tune of calm and peace. A sacred chant that would bring comfort until they knew for certain what was happening out on the battlefield.
Little by little all frantic activity on the ledge calmed. Anxiety was banished and Isabelle felt the world still. She eased her chant and drew back some of the power, knowing the injured dragons needed more than those who were treating them. She found she could control the direction and amount of calming energy she sent out into the area. She saved the best for Growloranth, calming his anxiety while they awaited news.
And then the bugling call of Tildeth reached their ears. She was landing.
It wasn’t graceful and it was far from pretty, but she made it home.
Growloranth used what little strength he had left to crawl over to her side, staying out of the way of the healers, but managing to twin his neck with his mate’s in greeting while he looked over her injuries for himself. She had a slash that went up one leg and over her belly. It had probably gone through her wing as well. The wing showed signs of recent healing, but the wound on her leg and body were still in need of attention.
Adora and Silla busied themselves at her side. Silla used her skills to clean and prepare the wound while Adora called on her magic to begin healing it. She couldn’t heal it completely in one session, but she could give it a good start, and stop the worst of the bleeding.
Robert stayed by Growloranth’s side while Isabelle went to help Silla, handing her whatever she needed, when she needed it. At one point, Silla grabbed her hand.
“A little calm wouldn’t hurt right now,” she said. Isabelle understood.
She began chanting quietly while they worked and the calm spread to Tilly. Isabelle added a verse to her chant to dull the dragon’s pain while the healers did their work.
A little tingle shot through her when Isabelle’s magic met Adora’s, but they were compatible. The magics blended at the seam where they met, but didn’t dissipate each other. In fact, they seemed to augment each other a little bit.
Adora caught her eye and smiled as she went back to work. It took quite a while, but between all their efforts, Tildeth’s blood stopped flowing all over the landing ledge and her wound began to close. It took a moment before Isabelle realized Tilly was going to survive.
The relief she felt was so intense, she almost lost her footing as her chant ended. She realized in that moment that she cared a lot more than she’d thought for Tilly…and Growloranth. She loved them both as friends, or older, far wiser siblings.
And, she realized in an almost blinding flash of insight, she loved their knights. Period. She just loved them. Which reminded her…
“Where’s Bear?” she whispered.
Tilly must have heard her question, for her deep, feminine voice came into Isabelle’s mind a moment later. “I could not carry him with my injury and he was hurt as well. The spear got me, but he was hit by an arrow. They were seeing to his wounds and will bring him here as soon as it is safe.”
Isabelle’s heart ached. She wanted to go to him, but there was no way. She would have to trust to his comrades—and Belora—to make sure he made it. Robert’s arm came around her shoulder and pulled her back against him. He rested his chin atop her head and surrounded her in his warmth.
She clung to him, sharing the worry over their missing man. She tried sending a message directly to Bear’s mind, but he was too far away.
“I cannot bespeak him,” she whispered, clinging to Robert’s arm.
“Neither can I, but don’t worry. He is simply out of range,” Robert assured her.
Tilly raised her head and looked at them. “He may be, but there are dragons flying between here and the battle. I will ask one to act as relay.” She closed her eyes and almost immediately opened them again. “He is near!” She sounded excited. “He is unconscious but being carried on the back of old Algath. Look for a green dragon. He should be here any minute.”
Tilly’s head swung around, looking eagerly toward the landing ledge though she couldn’t move while the healers were still working on her injuries. Isabelle went as close as she dared to the busy ledge, not wanting to be in the way, but straining her eyes to see if she could pick out a green dragon in the blue sky.
“There!” Robert breathed excitedly. He was right behind her. “I see him.”
“Bear?” Isabelle whispered.
“No, I see Algath. But there is more than one knight on his back. Good ol’ Algath. See over there?” Robert pointed past her ear and she followed the line of his arm to the correct portion of the sky. Sure enough, there was a green dot moving rapidly closer and resolving from dot into very large dragon. Algath had an extra large wingspan.
Within moments, the large green dragon landed nearby. A knight jumped down off his back and reached up for Bear, who was slung across the dragon’s back, unconscious. Robert moved to assist, despite his shoulder injury, as did a number of other people. Princess Adora was still working her healing magic on Tildeth, but Silla rushed to Bear’
s side, as did Isabelle.
She saw at once that Bear had a hastily wrapped wound on his lower left leg, but the more worrying gash was on his right temple. It was the head wound that had caused his unconscious state, in all probability. The leg wound was still bleeding, but it wasn’t too bad. It could be stitched up and healed in a few weeks time. Less, if a bit of magic was used.
Silla went to work while Isabelle assisted, handing the healer things as she asked for them.
“A bit of your chanting wouldn’t go amiss, if you have the energy,” Silla took a moment to say as Isabelle handed her a clean towel.
Isabelle thought about which of the variations her mother had taught her to use and decided on the best for this case. She centered herself and a moment later, began to hum the melody, building into the actual song of the chant by slow degrees, stirring the power that dwelled in all living things to aid her in her work.
It took a while, but by the time Silla was finished sewing up Bear’s leg, he was starting to wake up. Isabelle stood near his head and had sung her chant throughout, using clean water and cloths to bathe the shallow wound on his temple. She had rubbed some healing salve on lightly and then covered the cut with a bandage. She had then wrapped another thin strip of cloth around Bear’s head, to hold the wad of clean linen in place.
“Isabelle?” Bear’s whisper caught her attention.
“I’m here,” she said, ending the chant and allowing the magic it had called and directed, to dissipate. “Quiet now. You are in the Lair. Safe and sound.”
“Tilly?” he asked. “My head is killing me. Can’t seek her with my mind.”
“She’s right over there, watching everything. Princess Adora just finished working on her and said that she’ll be good as new given a few days rest. Growloranth too. He came in with Robert a short while before Tilly arrived. Everyone’s going to be fine.”
“Robert?”
“I’m here, my friend,” Robert said, moving closer. He had been hovering in the background, ready to help.
The men spoke a bit while relief rushed through Isabelle’s veins. She had been so worried. More worried than she should have been if these men and dragons meant nothing to her, or were merely friends. No, she had realized something vital during those hours of waiting, and then the agony of seeing them hurt.
The simple truth was, she loved them.
All of them. The dragons as well as their knights. Certainly the love in her heart for the dragons was different than the love she felt for the men, but it was no less real. And if the men asked her again, she would say yes to being their mate, even though the idea of a triple mating still scared her.
Isabelle felt a touch on her elbow as she stood back, watching Robert and Bear talk. She turned to find Princess Adora behind her.
“Your magic is potent and healing,” the older lady of royal blood began. “Thank you for sharing your gift with us today. If your Robert and Bernard haven’t already asked you to stay, please consider this a formal invitation to make your home among us, whether or not you wish to mate with any of our knights. A gift like yours is meant to be used, and we will always make room in our Lairs for people with good hearts who can bespeak dragons and are willing to help.”
Isabelle was flattered. And honored beyond words.
“I would like to stay,” she whispered, with only minor hesitation.
Adora touched her shoulder, squeezing gently as she smiled. “Good. I’ll keep it quiet until the boys come up to scratch. Sometimes, I have learned, it is best to let the men think certain things were their idea.” She gave Isabelle a conspiratorial wink. “But I wanted you to know that you are wanted here regardless of what happens between you, Robert and Bernard. You have options now, Isabelle. You are not alone.”
The impassioned words moved Isabelle to tears, and Adora gave her a quick hug of support. There weren’t a lot of tears, but a few slipped free to run down Isabelle’s cheeks. Robert apparently saw because a moment later he was back at her side, his arm around her shoulders.
“It’s okay, sweetheart,” he crooned. “We’re all going to be okay. And we have you to thank for it.” He bent down to kiss her cheek, rubbing his lips against her temple and snuggling close for a moment. “You have been so good to us today. Never have we had anyone special waiting for us when we returned from battle. While I don’t like that you were worried, it made it easier for us knowing we had you to come home to.”
At that point, the tears hit her again. The loneliness she thought she heard in his voice touched her heart. Here were men—a Lair full of them—willing to put their lives on the line for a country and people who had no real idea of how they lived. She had noticed how most of the knights in this Lair were single. Some had fighting partners, if their dragons were established mates, but most had no wife, which meant their dragons could not consummate their union and the knights were searching, looking for the woman who might complete their family and bring them all together.
She understood so much she had never even contemplated before. Dragons and knights were just a fact of life if one lived in Draconia, even though most people never had contact with either. Certainly, the common folk didn’t have a clue how the knights and dragons lived, except to know that there were things called Lairs positioned strategically around the country.
This Lair—the Border Lair straddling the border between Draconia and the neighboring country of Skithdron—had hundreds of knights and dragons living in it. The place was mostly male, though there were a number of women who were mated to sets of knights, and even a few children, both human and dragon. The children she had seen were parented by both sets of adults in the family—human and dragon—too. It was a fascinating partnership that Isabelle found kind of beautiful.
The more she saw of the Lair and the lifestyle of those living here, the more she wanted to be part of it. There was just one thing holding her back now. She wasn’t sure of Robert and Bear’s feelings. She knew they cared, but she needed to hear the words. She needed to know for certain that they could truly love her.
She didn’t want to be just their only choice because they had no one better to ask. She wanted to be their choice. Period.
And for that, she needed to hear those three little words—I love you—from both of them. Six words total. Was that too much to ask?
Chapter Ten
A week passed while the dragons and knights healed, then went back to duty. The village had to be cleaned up and the traitors dealt with. A constant presence of knights and dragons was required in Halley’s Well and at the Valla Pass, to maintain security in the village and along the border.
The enemy forces had been beaten back and dealt a serious blow, but little skirmishes were still possible. Patrols had been stepped up and mountain passes up and down the border were being watched more carefully. Bear and Tilly were in high demand for their ability to fly during daytime hours without being seen. The only days they got any sort of respite was when rain threatened and dark clouds ruined Tilly’s natural light camouflage.
While Bear and Tilly worked in the sky, Robert and Growloranth worked in the forest and village. Isabelle had asked about going back to see her home, but both men had objected, claiming it was still much too dangerous. Between duty and sleep, there wasn’t a lot of time to spare. The two knights were either sleeping or working, and little else.
They had not tried to pressure Isabelle in any way—either for sex or for a decision on whether she would stay in the Lair with them. Things were at a standstill, with nothing decided. It was a difficult way to exist, but Isabelle had come to trust Lady Silla and had discussed her situation with the other woman a few times. Silla’s advice had given her hope. And patience.
Isabelle knew she couldn’t put her own needs in front of those of the Lair. Her men had a duty they must perform and she could not interfere with that. Coming to terms with that idea helped her get through the trying times. But finally, after ten days of no action on any personal issue, Isa
belle had had enough.
The next rainy day, she promised herself, she was going to bring this situation to a head. So to speak.
She got her wish a day later, when storm clouds filled the skies and Bear and Tilly were given some time off from their reconnaissance flights. They were talking about going to the village and working alongside the knights and dragons who were still on patrol and clean-up duty. Robert and Growloranth were scheduled to do the same later in the day, but would be in the Lair for the morning at least.
Isabelle realized this was her chance. She got up her nerve and decided to enlist a little dragonish help.
“Lady Tildeth?” Isabelle sent silently to the female dragon. When the sky blue dragon’s head rose from the sand pit at the center of their suite and Isabelle knew she had the female dragon’s attention, she continued. “I need your assistance. Can you convince Bear to stay here today? There is something we need to clear up, and there has been no time to do it. I know your duty comes first, but could you at least delay him so we can hash this out?”
“Answer me one question first. Do you truly love my knight?” Tilly’s pale aquamarine eyes pinned Isabelle where she stood.
Isabelle took a deep breath before answering honestly. “I do. It’s his feelings for me that we need to clarify.”
“Has he not told you?” Tilly looked confused in a way that only a dragon could.
Isabelle shook her head, a bit of her sadness and distress entering her mental tone. “No, he hasn’t.”
“Silly boy,” Tilly commented in an indulgent, chastising way. “Never fear, we will get this straightened out. I think I feel a strain in my wing that needs to be seen to right away.”
Buoyed by Tilly’s agreement to stay in the Lair this morning, Isabelle smiled and thanked the massive dragon who was now her partner in crime.