White Star (Wolves of West Valley Book 1)

by Sarah J. Stone

  Prada said nothing to that, and Nathaniel smiled, remembering his first moments with Sienna.

  It had been just as difficult in the start, as well, and now he wouldn't trade it for anything. If there was a chance of making just as bright of future here and now, he would at least try.

  Besides, Sienna was right. There was no one else, now that Desmond was out of the picture, who could likely handle to issues this poor Tiro had. He knew he could do it; and he could build her to be a great witch.

  “We're going to have so many adventures,” he said, holding out his hand. “And one day, this will be you standing here, taking a Tiro of your own and vowing to keep them safe.”

  Prada's eyes flickered at that, and she looked down at his out stretched hand. After a long moment, she placed her hand in his for a brief moment, before pulling back.

  Her power was so strong it jolted him, and yet she was more afraid of him than anything else.

  “Why don't we go to the cafeteria?” he asked. “Get some food?”

  That earned him a nod, and he inwardly gave himself a thumbs up. Food was always the solution, to any Tiro's heart.

  He knew that it wouldn't be easy. There would be many struggles down the new road they walked, and many days when he'd wonder if he was doing the right thing. But he wanted to serve, and he wanted to fight, and this new chapter would be just what he needed.

  At least, until Eliza said the words and then he would go willingly to her. But she wouldn't, not for years, and he knew that. He loved Eliza because she understood that he was needed where he was, and she would never put that in jeopardy He would do his duty and she would do hers, and they would be happy apart until the day they could be happy together

  Until that day, he had a Tiro to train.

  Chapter 25

  Desmond knew that the dungeons under the school were dark, but he didn't realize they were damp and cold as well. He had expected the Jurors to treat their prisoners with respect and with dignity, but he was surprised to learn that wasn't exactly the case.

  It broke his heart to see Reynolds looking pale and thing, sitting on the cold floor of his cell.

  “Desmond,” Reynolds said, with a smirk. He was defiant, even now. “Have you come to gloat? Your happiness is sickening.”

  “I have not,” Desmond said, softly. “Although I have come to inform you of some news.”

  “What? Has the Jurors elevated your defiant ass once again? You always did manage to get away with murder.”

  “I am leaving the Order,” Desmond answered, and Reynolds fell silent. “I have left my Tiro, and I am leaving magic behind. Mariah and I pledged ourselves to each other.”

  “What?” Reynolds couldn't believe what he was hearing. “Are you mad?”

  Desmond had not expected that reaction.

  “No? Maybe?”

  “You can't just... arr,” Reynolds replied. “You just threw away your whole life.”

  “No,” Desmond said. “I walked a path I thought was right for me, until I realized it was right no longer. You feel my happiness because I am now on the right path. There are other ways to be happy, Reynolds, besides magic. Besides darkness or light, the whisk of our hands. And I wanted you to know that.”

  Reynolds fell silent, not expecting this kind of lecture.

  “If there is a glimmer of hope in all of this, Reynolds, I hope that you find it.”

  “Desmond, I walked away from you and from the Order. I used Acheronian magic, I killed hundreds, if not thousands. I was your first Tiro and I screwed everything up for you. And now you come and tell me about hope?”

  “I do,” Desmond replied. “And when the Jurors lay down your verdict for the crimes you have committed, I will be there, beside you, supporting you as I should of done.”

  Reynolds looked at Desmond in disbelief. His mouth gaped open several times before he spoke.

  “And what of the girl?”

  Desmond tried to smile.

  “Sienna has found her own path as well, outside of magic. If you have diabolical plans, you should know that the drugs have wiped magic from her system. She knows death awaits her if she comes off of them. She is useless to your cause now.”

  “And your brave Nathaniel? Has he surged forward?”

  “Nathaniel has stayed with the Order,” Desmond said. “So you may hear his name from time to time. That is the path he believes is right for him, and I'm not going to stop him.”

  “Of course he did,” Reynolds shook his head. “So much for different paths”

  “We have each found our own,” Desmond answered. “And I know that you will as well.”

  “Unless they execute me.”

  “They won't,” Desmond assured him. “You are too powerful; too blessed by magic to lose such a force to the world. Try to find a way without it, a way to be happy, and you will find yourself free.”

  “Not from prison bars,” Reynolds replied, sarcastically.

  “No, maybe not,” Desmond answered. “But your mind will be at peace.”

  The two stood in silence for a long moment, and then Reynolds spoke, softly.

  “You weren't a bad Maestro, Desmond.”

  Desmond was surprised by this.

  “I---”

  “You weren't. It was nothing that you did or said. You were a good Maestro and it was I that strayed. Don't blame yourself for it. I hope you do find happiness, with Mariah.”

  Desmond decided to accept this, bowing his head.

  “Thank you,” he said. “I will leave you now.”

  “Could you....Could you stay?” Reynolds asked, sounding so much like the boy Desmond had trained. “Not for long, I mean... but just a while?”

  Desmond smiled at this, taking a step closer.

  “I could,” he said. “If you wish it.”

  He settled down in a chair placed outside the cell. The two fell into a natural rhythm of conversation; as if the past few years had never happened. They spoke of their time on quests, of their moments at school, of the people they had known. Desmond felt himself go back twenty years, to a time when Reynolds filled him with hope and when nothing was too big of mountain for them to tackle.

  The path ahead was clear for him, but he knew it was only because of the moments that were difficult that he could walk it. It had taken forty years to get the courage to walk away with Mariah, and it was because his courage had been tested so many times before. He didn't fear what was to come; for everything behind him had been fearful enough.

  And despite having not taken Reynolds through to the tests, he felt he had succeeded with him. For despite the darkness, the past, his former Tiro still had strength within him, and still saw that he could live beyond all of this. He had taught him that; he had taught all of them that. Broken Christa, after the death of her Maestro, Nathaniel in the face of anxiety; Sienna in her daily struggles. And they had taught him patience; hope; they had taught him how to live.

  There was a life beyond the magic, and he was eager to live it.

  Epilogue

  “Did you translate all of those?” Eliza asked in surprise Sienna had only been working for her 10 months, but it seemed that she learned a new language every week.

  The former witch smiled as she handed her the tablet.

  “I did,” she said. “Some of them may be a bit shaky, but they are fine for the purposes you use. If that's all my Queen....”

  “It is all,” Eliza replied. “Baroness.”

  Sienna blushed at the rank Eliza had given her.

  “It's Devon's birthday,” she said. “So we'll be off for the evening?”

  “Of course,” the Queen replied. “It will be a relaxing....”

  Just as she was finishing her sentence, the doors to the palace flew open and Jonah burst in.

  The captain of the guards was normally cool and collected, but at the moment, his eyes were wild.

  “Your highness,” he said. “The reb
el forces are marching on us.”

  Eliza's eyes hardened.

  “Then attack. I won their throne here on Natrine, they need to accept that. Teach them a lesson.”

  “No,” Jonah said. “They've had help. There's three outer rim planets that have come to their aid.”

  “What?” Eliza asked. “Who allowed this?”

  “Your highness, they took us by surprise,” Jonah said. “But regardless of semantics, we are currently outnumbered. You need to call Jeffro's forces, but we will need more back up then that.”

  “This is treason,” Eliza growled. Sienna, however, put a hand on her shoulder, calm.

  “You took the throne,” she said. “The witches defend the thrones at all costs, as natural leaders must be protected.”

  Eliza held her gaze.

  “Will they send us aid?”

  “Yes,” Sienna replied. “I believe they will.”

  “Then call for it,” Eliza said. “Jonah, call the Jeffro forces. As many as we can spare.”

  “My concern, your highness, is that if Jeffro is left half defenceless, they will storm on there as well.”

  “No,” Eliza was defiant “We will defend both fronts. Call the witches now, Sienna. Ask for aid.”

  “Aye,” Sienna nearly dropped the tablet and headed out of the large marble hall.

  Devon was waiting just outside the door, expecting her to be finished work. Their life together on Natrine was much different from the rigid life the Order had demanded of them. Eliza was a kind mistress, expecting the work to be done when it was due and not much more. Sienna found herself happy, light and free. With her magic blocked, she was finally able to see what life was beyond the Order. With Devon's hand almost constantly in hers, she thought it was beautiful.

  Today, though, her eyes were wide with panic.

  “I need to call Nathaniel,” she said, as they ducked into a quiet corner. “We're under attack.”

  “Mm,” Devon answered. “Somehow, I knew this day would come.”

  “So did I,” she said. “We'll be flooded with witches in a few days. It's odd, this is the warrior excitement I always wanted. And now that it's here...”

  “Now that it's here, you realize you are happy with your other path,” Devon answered. “Regardless, it will be nice to see our friends. I can call Laura, if you like.”

  “Probably needed,” Sienna said, as she dialed through.

  Nathaniel looked tired when he answered, his lighting dim. She could make out that he was at the school, in his room, and it was early morning. She hadn't thought about the time change.

  “Maestro,” she said. “The day has come.”

  “Oy,” Nathaniel replied, sitting up a bit more. “Do you need us to come now?”

  “I do,” she said. “You and your Tiro. I'm going to put quest bids up, we'll need several teams.”

  “We're ready,” Nathaniel replied. “Prada is stronger than any Tiro here. We will protect you.”

  She remembered the days that he said that about her, and smiled.

  “Thank you,” she said.

  “Just stay safe,” he replied, and she sensed a grin in the darkness.

  “Nathaniel...are you ...excited?”

  “I am a warrior after all, little one,” he said, as his tablet jiggled with him getting up. “And you always wanted to see me in action.”

  “I did,” she answered. “I'm going to put a few calls out. Let me know if there's anything else I can do.”

  “Look at us,” he replied. “Working together on intergalactic quests. Did you ever think that would happen again?”

  She smiled.

  “I didn't,” she said, truthfully. “But we've found a way.”

  “There's always a way,” Nathaniel said. “If you believe. I'll see you soon.”

  “Bye,” she hung up, passing the tablet to Devon to call Laura. Despite the on coming danger, Devon grinned at her.

  “Well, this is exciting,” he said, as he keyed in Laura's number.

  “It is,” Sienna drew her knees up as she perched on the window seat. “And I'm ready for it.”

  “We're together,” he said. “We're ready for anything. And with you here, we can call in teams in any language. You're magic.”

  His choice of words made her smile.

  “I didn't use to think I was,” she replied. “Not until you made me feel differently.”

  “So, my love,” he said, as the call began to ring. “Are you ready for a new adventure?”

  “I am,” she said, as Laura picked up. Like everything in life, it wasn't going to be easy. A year ago, she couldn't believe that she ever would have been happy with this reality. But today, with Devon by her side, and her skills sharp and making a different, she felt happy, and strong. It had taken walking away from her once dream, and from magic, to make her feel like she was indestructible

  There was always another path, and she was so glad that she had found it.

  ***THE END***

  Exiled Dragons Box Set Preview

  Chapter 1

  “Connor, this is Emily. She just moved here from Dublin.”

  Connor looked from his older brother, Owen, to the petite young woman standing beside him. She was stunning. Not only did she have the most gorgeous, flaming red hair he had ever seen, but she possessed deep blue eyes, a rarity for gingers in their home of Carlingford, Ireland – a rarity for anywhere, really.

  She was beautiful, to say the least. Her naturally athletic-looking frame only added to her attractiveness. He sensed a power about her well beyond her appearance. She looked like she could take anyone in a sprint, despite her diminutive stature. There was an air of fearlessness that seemed to radiate from her as she stood beaming happily at him.

  “Pleased to meet you, Emily,” Connor replied, trying to seem unmoved by her presence, though the truth was that he was instantly stunned by her.

  “Likewise,” she told him, her eyes never leaving his. “Owen has told me a lot of good things about you.”

  “Oh, well don’t believe any of that. He’s always making up things about me so that he can feel better about himself,” Connor joked, smiling at his brother for a moment before he returned her gaze to her.

  “Really? Because he kind of said you were a great guy,” she laughed.

  “I see. He must be coming to his senses in his old age,” Connor told her playfully as Owen stood looking at him with a bemused smirk, but he barely noticed it from the corner of his eye. His gaze was focused squarely on Emily as if Owen was no longer even there.

  For a few moments, it was as if no one else existed but the two of them. Was there something happening between them, or was it just his imagination? More importantly, was she a shifter? These were both questions to which he suddenly found himself desperately wanting answers. Fortunately, his brother was going to help him with the answer to at least one of them, it seemed.

  “Emily is a dragon shifter, too. Her aunt asked me to show her around a bit, but I’ve got to head up to the city center to pick up some supplies. I thought maybe you could show her around the village, perhaps take her out for a flight around the Mournes to show her the safe zones later,” Connor told him.

  “Sure, no problem. I’d be happy to do that,” Connor replied, secretly delighted by the opportunity to get to know her better.

  “Good deal. Thanks, brother,” Owen told him with a knowing smile before turning to walk away.

  Both he and Emily replied to tell Owen goodbye, almost in perfect unison, causing him to pause and turn back toward them for a moment with what passed for a smile from his usually solemn brother. He nodded toward them and then resumed his retreat.

  “So, how long have you been in Carlingford?” Connor asked, turning back toward Emily with great interest.

  “I just moved my stuff here today. My mother recently passed away after a long illness. I came here to stay with my aunt and, you know, to be with people
like me. There aren’t that many of us in Dublin these days.”

  “I’m sorry to hear about your mother. Loss is hard. Owen and I lost our father when we were young. How did you end up in a place like Dublin, being a shifter and all?” Owen asked.

  “What do you mean? There are quite a few shifters there. I still have some family in the city.”

  “It’s just so limiting, is all. Trying to live among humans without notice there is difficult. I would think it would greatly limit flight time.”

  “Ah, yes. It’s just a necessity for some, I guess. You know, jobs and all. In smaller clan villages like this, you have to learn a trade or have a business of some sort. More mainstream jobs require city living, so it’s a tradeoff. My father was an engineer. He fell in love with bridges when he was a boy. So, he wanted to design them, and that took him to Dublin.”

  “That makes sense. I’m afraid it’s not quite as bustling here as it was in Dublin. The village can take some getting used to. It’s a very close-knit group, and they are a bit wary of outsiders, but they are really good people once they get used to you. Usually, if the dragon leader is okay with you, then you won’t have any problems from anyone else. Have you already met Aiden?”

  “The dragon leader of your clan? Yes. We met earlier today. He seemed a little creepy. Is it okay to say that?”

  “Yes, you can say that.” Connor laughed. “He does come across as creepy quite often.”

  “Glad I’m not the only one that thinks so. I’ll be keeping a healthy distance from him, I think.”

  “Probably not a bad idea. He’s been our clan leader for quite some time now, but not many care for his policies or heavy-handed interference in everyday life. Still, no one wants to challenge him. He’s known to be quite ruthless.”

  “I don’t think I’ll be hanging out with him anytime soon. He’s not exactly the sort I’d want to settle in for a spot of tea with.”

  “No, he isn’t. Anyway, let me show you around a bit,” Connor offered, raising his hand to motion toward the small walkway to his left that led into the city center. He continued talking, trying not to come off as chattering nervously as they strolled along.