Heir of Dragmoore- The Veiled Haven

by Jennifer Ann Schlag

  The Brimbar stallions start acting up. The guards go on alert. Screeching comes from the Wilderness around them.

  “Maintain your position. The harpies know better.”

  “You really should send her a message.”

  “It’s probably not safe to do so right now. We don’t know where the elf queen is.”

  “Let me bring it to her.”

  “I am not risking one of the Hunters. You and Gavin are all that I have left.”

  The Brimbar stallions thrash their heads around.

  “I am not done talking about this.”

  “Bessy, kill it for now.”

  “My king,” one of the guards says.

  Desmond leads off the road into the Wilderness. “We have no bingleberry. This is going to be tricky.”

  One of the guards yells out. He is plucked from his horse. Before anyone can react he is taken up into the trees.

  “Shall I shift?”

  Another guard yells out. He is flung into a deep part of the Wilderness.

  “Alright, Elsa, come out,” Desmond says.

  The harpy queen lands in front of them. A sinister laugh comes from her. “Marksman.”

  “Desmond.”

  “Going by your name now? And you’re dressed differently. Has something happened at Dragmoore?”

  Desmond gets down and calms his horse. “I ordered a patrol to come and scout with me. I wanted to ensure that the elves were gone from our borders. Instead, I find you.”

  “Didn’t we say that we would kill each other the next time we meet?”

  Bessy jumps down and gets in between them. “He is the acting king of Dragmoore. You still have to show your respect.”

  Her harpies grin, their razor teeth gleaming through the darkness of the forest.

  The remaining guards draw their swords.

  “Where can Prince Remy be? On a deserted island with his wife?”

  “He is not married and I will make sure that Talen does not marry him.”

  Elsa snickers. She moves in closer to him. “If you truly care for her, I can help you. I’ll have the Master who is visiting with me break the king’s seal.”

  Bessy grabs Desmond’s hand. “Don’t believe her.”

  Desmond pushes Bessy’s hand off his. “Go on. You have a Master from the Veiled Haven you say?”

  “Yes. They received word about the trouble brewing around Dranir. Dragmoore isn’t the only city being affected by Queen Galaria. They sent their youngest, someone who has taken a keen interest in your Talen. She can talk to dragons. Did you think that would never get around? You realize it hasn’t happened since the beginning of time.”

  Desmond is both happy and concerned. A Master came down from the Veiled Haven. Talen had said she believed one visited Dragmoore months ago. That he helped her to talk to the Wilderness animals. Can it be the same Master? This is more troubling than it sounds. The Masters are actively pursuing Talen, which means they want her. Desmond can’t protect her if the Masters choose to do something with her. Outwardly, they aren’t aggressive. Some may say they are passive aggressive. Inwardly, they are consumed by the raw, ancient magic that flows through their bodies. Given Talen’s history, as far as Desmond knows, she could have been born a Master, but that also means that one of her parents were one too. All of the Masters have a strong lineage that dates back to the beginning of time.

  “Will this ensure my survival? Give me your answer, King Desmond.”

  Desmond has been so taken by the thought of losing Talen on many fronts that he never heard Elsa speak just now.

  “King Desmond?” Elsa says.

  Desmond kind of likes the way that rolls off her tongue. King Desmond. He shakes the thought from his mind. “I want to meet with this Master.”

  “Well, he isn’t with me right now. He had to take care of something. But, when he returns, I will gladly send him your way.”

  “Liar. There is no Master.”

  Instead of showing fear or begging for mercy, she smiles. “He is on his way to Evervale. If you don’t believe me, send one of your Hunters to investigate.”

  “You know what? I think I will.”

  “My king, permission to go alone on this journey?”

  He turns a kind eye to Bessy. Of course she would volunteer. He can’t go himself. He can’t ask Gavin to go either. It’s too dangerous now. The elf queen will surely take Gavin and never let him leave. She’d never harm him. He’d be some kind of sex slave to her.

  The guards wait for their orders.

  “Return to Dragmoore. I need to speak with Bessy alone.”

  The guards ride off for Dragmoore.

  “We have a deal then, King Desmond?” Elsa asks.

  “Yes,” he says through gritted teeth.

  The harpy queen flies into her den. Her harpies follow.

  “What do you have to say to me that you can’t say in front of the others?”

  “I want you to go and find Talen.”

  “You heard the harpy. The Master is going to Evervale.”

  “I need you to find Talen. To get her a message. I can’t trust any other way to get a message to her.”

  “You want me to shift?” He nods. “Is that what our lives are going to be like from now on? Huh, Desmond?” He starts to speak but she gets in his face. “Because I am not going to be some pet on a leash that you can set free whenever you want.”

  “I didn’t say that. You will do this for me because you care about Talen. You care about Gavin. And somewhere in that miserable, cold heart of yours you care about me.”

  She can sense his powers increasing.

  “I won’t have to ask you again, will I?”

  “Desmond?”

  “I really wouldn’t want to force you, Bessy.”

  “Desmond?”

  “What?”

  She points down. He looks. His legs are ghostly skeleton legs.

  “You’re losing control.”

  “My body can’t contain it anymore. I suppressed the urge for years.”

  She bows before him. “I swear on my life that I will not fail you. For the love I have, I’ll bring Talen and Remy home. We will fight the elves and anyone else who stands in our way of balance. Don’t let the madness take you, Desmond. You’re far too pretty to bear those scars.” She places her hand against his cheek.

  He seizes her hand with his. “Bessy, I fear we have little time to prepare for whatever may be coming.”

  Bessy rides back to Dragmoore.

  Desmond looks around the forest. “I hate the Wilderness.”

  Captain Buckman keeps his distance from the elves merriment. Talen joins him. Kip is running back and forth on the dock. His energy is increasing. He is also growing considerably.

  Buckman points to various places on the open sea. “You know, the South Isles is right over there. It’s where Grecia lies.”

  “Where I need to go.”

  “There’s also another place, a fun place that is a few miles from there.”

  “Rhen.”

  “Yeah. Have you been there?”

  “Yes. As a child. My parents took me there. My mother loved it. The performances. The king and queen take part in the performances as well. No status or rank is recognized there. Except when it needs to be. I can’t remember the ship we sailed on then but I remember the sea air. It feels different to me now.”

  “I believe the name of the ship was Fatal Whispers. Not a very catchy happy name for a ship.”

  “Yes. I remember being afraid of the name. I kept close to my father, begging him to go home. We never went anywhere after that. His life as a Hunter began before that and his duties were to Dragmoore and the king, but he could do whatever he wanted. When we got home, he spent less and less time with us.”

  Kip senses the sadness in her voice. Buckman puts his arm around her in a fatherly way.

  “You want to go to Rhen? The person coming for Deegus can take you to Welsa, where you can meet up with Admiral Alex
ander Bushwap who ferries people to the smaller islands. I’ll make sure it’s no charge for you. Maybe I can take you myself.”

  “You aren’t allowed to. And I don’t want to go there. I need to go to Grecia. What happened to the transport boats and ships that are meant to take people to other destinations? Why would a pleasure ship be used for regular transportation?”

  “Since Nalaren has closed their port, we captains are forced to pick up the slack of the druids who run the other boats.”

  Remy charges over.

  “Trouble in paradise,” Buckman says as he walks away to his ship. “Come, Kip. I’ve got a few heads of fish for you.” Kip eagerly follows the captain up the gangplank.

  “I want to talk to you. Tell me about this kiss between you and Logan.”

  “What about you and Maria?”

  “For the last time, nothing happened between me and Maria. There is no need for you to distract yourself from our relationship. And if it was meant to make me jealous, then you have succeeded. I am jealous. I am jealous of Logan, Desmond, any man that you show interest in or shows interest in you.”

  She is about to say something but he isn’t done.

  “I didn’t think I would have feelings for you or any woman. I am—I was against getting married, but after meeting you, I have reconsidered marriage. So, what I am trying to say is,” he bows before her and then gets down on one knee, “will you marry me, Talen?”

  “Am I interrupting a romantic moment?” Logan asks.

  “That’s it. I’m going to kill you.” Remy pushes Logan into the water and dives after him.

  “Remy!”

  Under the water the two men fight with their fists, until Logan shifts into a shark. Remy knows he should swim to the surface and pray that he makes it without losing a limb. Instead, he thinks about what he could do to counter the shark. It circles him, lunging at him. Remy thinks if only he could be something bigger or stronger. Like what? It starts as an ache first. Then a throbbing. Then a sharp pain starting in his feet. The shark hangs back to watch. Remy struggles to get to the surface but whatever is happening to him has him locked under the water. He struggles to hold his breath, until he realizes he doesn’t need to. He is looking out a different pair of eyes now. Like he was absorbed into someone else’s skin. The shark opens its mouth and comes for Remy. He stands still, watching his own mouth getting wider. The two mouths collide and teeth clash. He can feel his body lunging but he swears it’s an illusion. How can he lunge with such force? Blood fills the space between them. Then they connect and don’t part. Thrashing. Like it’ll never end.

  Suddenly the two of them rise out of the water. They have stopped their fighting. Remy looks over at the shore and there stands a female elf casting a spell. There’s a pink mist floating around her and a faint sweetness in the air. Remy looks down and sees the water beneath him. Like it’s waiting for his return. He and the shark are brought over to the beach. They flop around like fish.

  “Transform back, silly druids,” the elf says.

  Remy watches as his tail becomes legs and the rest of him catches up. Logan transforms back as well.

  “That was unfair, elf. We had a good fight going.”

  “Were you planning to kill each other over a woman?”

  “That was the plan.”

  Talen runs over and hugs Remy. “You shifted into a shark?”

  “I shifted?”

  “Did you think you were going to beat me the way you are now? Oh, and by the way, you’re naked. We are both naked. We should all be naked.” Logan is sporting a few gashes as is Remy.

  “You can heal him, can’t you?” Talen asks the elf woman.

  “We aren’t allowed to help humans in that way.”

  “Since when?” Logan asks.

  “Where can I take him to clean him up then?”

  “You can use my house. Come.”

  Talen takes off her shirt. Her petite corset underneath keeps her breasts in but it barely covers them. Logan likes what he sees. She wraps the shirt around Remy’s lower half. He grabs the shirt from her and ties the sleeves into a knot.

  “Thank you.”

  Talen helps Remy walk to the elf’s house.

  Buckman taps Logan on the head. “Stop your pursuit.”

  “I could have won her heart. She would have been grief-stricken to see Remy torn to pieces.”

  Kip runs after Talen.

  Buckman drags Logan over to the water. “Remy is a sea druid, like you. I have been to Welsa. You are all too hot-tempered. Ignore your lust for Talen and continue your mission, whatever it is.” He tosses Logan into the water. “Until you cool off, stay in the water.” Buckman walks down the dock to look over his ship.

  “The water is warm, not cool.” Logan looks back to where Talen and Remy went. Elf women giggle, then become crazy with lust looking at the water dripping off his body. They almost attack him in the water.

  Desmond sees Bessy to the main road. Gavin and Ragbar stand a few feet away from them. “I am sorry for everything. I should have been a better uncle and brother.”

  “Nonsense. You did a fine job.”

  “I’m sorry that you have been separated from Talen.”

  “She’ll be home.”

  “Do you think she’ll marry Prince Remy?”

  “I don’t know. She can do worse.”

  “Are you going to rebuild the Hunters?”

  “Yes. The task will fall on me to train them. Desmond can’t risk training anyone and possibly getting them hurt. He’s our king, for now.”

  “You’ll keep us safe, brother.” He hugs Gavin tightly.

  Bessy pulls Desmond in for a hug. He hugs her back.

  “You want me to include in the message that you miss her?” Bessy asks.

  “No.”

  “No?”

  “Alright, do that. Nothing more.”

  “You think she and Remy have…?”

  “Stop it.”

  “He’s a handsome guy. Who wouldn’t want to roll around in a blanket with him?”

  “What will you travel as?”

  “I s’ppose I’ll start out as a mountain lion. They cover a lot of ground. When I know it’s safe, I’ll take to the sky as the owl. Talen will recognize that form.”

  “Be careful, Bessy.”

  She waves to Gavin. “Don’t go getting into mischief until I get back.” Gavin waves to her. Bessy starts running down the road and instantly shifts into a mountain lion.

  Talen uses the soap and warm water that the elf woman supplied to clean Remy’s wounds. Seeing that he was already naked, she didn’t have to ask him to take his clothes off. Amazingly, she isn’t looking at one specific part of him. She is more focused on cleaning his wounds.

  “You don’t need to do this. I can manage.”

  Remy is sitting in a round bathtub barely big enough for him. Kip leaps up onto the bed. He doesn’t like the smell of elves. He starts tearing up the covers.

  “Kip, stop that.”

  Kip jumps down and sniffs around the home. He finds a basket of fruit and chows down.

  “It doesn’t bother you to be touching a naked person?”

  She sighs.

  “You’re angry with me.”

  She gives him a look that says as much.

  “He desires you. What did you want me to do?”

  “Handle it like a prince.”

  “If that is the case, I should have killed him. What royal would let his wife be claimed by another?”

  “I am not your wife.”

  “Are you attracted to him?”

  “You just can’t quit. What will it take, Remy? Do I have to sleep with you? Will that confirm that I am not interested in anyone else?”

  She slaps the cloth down in the water and walks over to Kip.

  He is hurting, Talen. Don’t be mad at him. He really cares for you.

  “I just don’t think that I care for him in that way,” she whispers to Kip.

  “Are
you interested in me then?”

  “See. He won’t stop,” she whispers again to Kip.

  If you are unsure about your feelings, at least give him some hope.

  “That can make it worse.”

  It’s better to give some hope then none at all.

  “If you want to have a conversation with the dragon only, I understand. But can you at least answer one of my questions?”

  She walks back over to Remy. She has to be honest. She doesn’t want to hurt his feelings. Despite the terrible things that have happened. He tried to kill her. Like she knew he would. For all that, she does like him.

  “Never mind then. You’re right. I should be looking for affection elsewhere. It doesn’t matter if we marry or not.”

  She can’t believe he said that. Instead of arguing like they normally do, she leaves. The dragon can sense her moods now. He knows it’s better to stay where he is.

  The elf woman who owns the house comes in. “Are you better?”

  Remy allows himself to envision making love to the elf. Then he disregards it. He can’t allow himself to change that much.

  “I have fresh clothes for you to wear. They are silk but that’s all we wear.”

  “Thank you.”

  “Shall I help you dress?”

  “No. I’ll do it myself.”

  “What a shame.”

  “Hang on. Come back.”

  The elf comes back to him. Remy gets out dripping water everywhere. The elf takes in the view. She immediately starts kissing his neck. The allure that elves carry takes over Remy’s better judgment. He pulls her close to him and kisses her. As the elf slips out of her clothes, she moves Remy to her bed. And that’s when Talen enters his mind. He pushes the elf off him.

  “I can’t do this.” He grabs the clothes that she brought for him and puts them on. “You are a lovely woman, but…”

  “Talen is more than what she seems. She has charmed you. Where do you think she gets it from?”

  “I love her. I don’t care what she is. You can’t fake love, no matter how powerful the spell is.”

  Talen sucks in the sea air. It’s not as salty here as it is in the north. She can hear Logan singing songs in the inn. She walks towards the bluffs. Climbs up the path that is a bit arduous. She walks to the end that overlooks the entire village, the beach, and the beautiful picturesque sea.