Dragon of Eriden - The Complete Collection

by Samantha Jacobey

  “Leave me be,” she growled in return. Turning on her heel, she marched between the shelters and into the opposite side of the woods.

  Watching her go, the group stared in awe.

  “I thought it a good plan as well,” Animir agreed quietly.

  “Yes, well, the Mate is accustomed to being in charge,” Lamwen offered, getting to his feet and heading after her.

  “She said to let her be,” Rey called after him.

  “She was speaking to you,” the man-dragon grunted as he disappeared into the line of trees. Trailing her path, he reached out to her. “Amicia.”

  “Why do you follow?”

  “Because I must. Stop and wait for me or tell me where you are going.”

  Stopping, Ami stood perfectly still, not intending to help him find her. “That arrogant ass. My plan is a good one, regardless of who did or did not help.”

  “Piers is afraid for his people,” Lamwen countered. “The war is getting very real, and once we begin the fight, it is likely some of us will die.” Seeing her ahead of him, he paused, admiring her blond hair in the moonglow.

  Realizing his presence, she turned slightly, able to see his hazy form behind her. “And he thinks I am not afraid of that as well?” she spat aloud.

  Taking gentle strides, he arrived next to her, his hand resting on her back. “It is a good plan,” he soothed. “Do not allow Piers’s fears to dissuade you from your cause.” Looking around, he held up his other hand to indicate the forest. “Think of this place. Our lives have been good here. Quiet. If you chose, we might hide here forever.”

  “And let the elves have the rest of Eriden,” she spat angrily. Turning to face him squarely, he did not drop his hold on her, sliding the hand around to her arm where he gripped her firmly. “I could never allow that, Lamwen,” she breathed. “Every creature here is important to me, from the mighty dragons to the lowly desert fairies. They all have their place in the grand scheme of things, and I should never want to sacrifice one for another.”

  “Even the elves?” he asked with a crooked grin.

  Calmer, she studied his changed appearance. “You look so different as a man,” she observed, raising her hand to toy with his shocks of grey hair. “Your eyes are still green, but your features reflect your years.”

  “It is not only my appearance that has changed,” he confessed, catching her hand to fold it between his. “I have walked as a mortal a mere ten days, and yet I feel as if my whole life has been altered.”

  “How so?”

  Releasing her palm, he brushed her cheek. “I feel so different in this form. As a powerful dragon, there was much less to concern myself with. Now, I feel so much a part of things.”

  “Will you go back to Adiarwen?” she snapped, disturbed by his words.

  “When the time is right, I will retake my dragon form,” he laughed. “Do not fear, my queen. But until then, I enjoy the feel of this body. It has changed me in a way that I am certain cannot be undone, and I wish to taste all that it might offer.” Leaning forward, he kissed her.

  Pulling away, Ami broke the connection, but his hand shot from a gentle caress of her face to holding the back of her neck, preventing her from running away. “I am spoken for,” she whispered. “I have asked you not to tempt me.”

  “Amicia may have been claimed, but Kaliwyn is another story,” he growled, pushing his body against her. “I told you. This form has changed me and left me delirious with desire. To know a mate as a dragon is to own her, to possess her that she might bear my young, and I have never had the means,” he confessed, his eyes flicking to her lush lips. “But this flesh knows of other pleasures a dragon may never have. Share them with me, Kaliwyn.”

  “You’re mad,” she spat, pulling against his grasp.

  “Am I?” he laughed. “You said once that you loved me. I only ask for one night that you might show me.”

  Ending her struggle, she glared at him. “Do you know what this would mean? If Rey were to learn of what we had done.”

  “Tell him the truth if you must, for it is the dragon part of you that is mine. Release her to me. I swear upon my life I will not speak of it to anyone,” he growled, brushing her lips with his, pushing his mouth across her flesh in search of her neck as his fingers pulled at her hair.

  Staring into the trees with clear green orbs, her pulse raced, and she could almost hear the two arguing her course within her mind; Amicia and Kaliwyn. She was both of them, but they were not each other. “There is logic in it,” she whispered, the feel of his teeth on her jaw destroying her clarity of thought.

  Transporting them in an instant, they stood in a dark part of the forest far from their camp. Pulling at his clothing, the beast within her broke free, and Kaliwyn growled, “Have me then on this night as you desire, but we shall never share another.”

  “I only need the one,” he agreed, returning her fervor within the darkness.

  It did not take Rey long to decipher what had become of the pair, as neither of them returned during the night. Instead, they made their appearance as breakfast was served so that no one could have missed their tryst. Glaring at her with a cold stare from his rock before their bed, he grated his teeth against one another.

  “Man up or forget it,” Piers growled in his ear as he served his mash into his bowl.

  “Would your advice be the same if it had been your wife?” the younger man spat.

  “My wife does not have a dragon inside her,” the Mate replied. “You must remember she has chosen to walk by your side. Be careful you do not drive her from it. It is in our nature to be possessive of that which belongs to us, but a woman’s heart is far more complicated and must be treated as such.”

  “And you are an expert on such matters,” Rey replied, filling his bowl and turning his back to walk away, wishing to eat undisturbed.

  Taking his seat at the table, the Mate observed, “I assume you have resolved your anger at my observations for your plan.”

  “Resolved,” the girl giggled, her mouth screwed into a twisted growl. “Unless you have a concrete objection, it is the path we will follow,” she dismissed his concerns coolly.

  “Then I will be transformed soon?” Jarrowan spoke up.

  “When we are ready to implement our actions, in a few days at most,” she agreed.

  Meena’s orb on the table between them, Piers glanced at it as he listened to the discussion. Seeing an image of Rey within it, he shook his head at the younger man as he leaned against a tree and ate his mush alone. A moment later, he reached over and picked up the orb, glaring at the glossy surface.

  “Would you like to check on something?” his wife asked, holding out her hand to take the magical device and adjust the scene for him.

  “I already see something,” he breathed, confusion in his voice. Offering it to her, he showed her the image of the boy. “Do you see Rey?”

  Glaring at it, an eerie silence fell over the group.

  “Is it because you were a dragon for a few hours?” Amicia postulated.

  “I doubt it,” Meena denied. “Even in dragon form, it would not give him any more power than was previously his, just as the power within you belongs to Kaliwyn.”

  Turning the orb, the Mate changed the scene, observing one of the markets they had visited a few days before. “Well, I’m definitely controlling it. I’ve never tried before, and I wasn’t really trying now. It just sort of happened.”

  Lifting his gaze, his large brown eyes stared into those of his wife. “What could cause this?”

  “It could be the marsh,” Happy spoke up. “This is a magical place. Perhaps you have absorbed some of the radiant energy collected here.”

  “Oh, like the rings in Esterbrook,” Amicia gasped. “Remember when we all were infused with the power of translation? It hasn’t worn off, either, so maybe this is a similar manifestation.”

  Their conversation paused as Rey came out of the woods. Hearing the silence as he washed his bowl and spoon,
he placed them in their gear and snapped, “Well, don’t stop on my account.” Not turning to face them, he felt certain he had been the topic before he interrupted, and his ears burned with silent rage.

  “Actually, it’s not on your account really,” Piers countered, getting to his feet, “but since you’re here, there is something you can do.” Standing before him, he offered the orb. “Take this,” he commanded.

  Snatching it, Rey scowled, “And?” He squeezed it as if it would crush beneath his angry grasp.

  “What do you see in it?” the Mate asked calmly.

  “I don’t see…” he began, cutting himself off. “I see Adiarwen,” he breathed. “They’re having some kind of meeting up on the rocks where we tore down the prison.” Turning to the others, his voice grew loud, “What’s going on?”

  “We think you are absorbing some of the energy from the marsh. You are picking up some of the magic of the land,” Ami explained softly, then added, “I wonder if it will affect all of us.”

  “If it does, maybe the sirens be healed,” Oldrilin added with excitement in her voice.

  “Healed?” Animir asked.

  “They were burned by the dragons,” she recalled. “They are scarred, but when they come, they might be healed.”

  “Maybe,” Amicia agreed, joining the two men so she could see the orb more clearly. Watching the dragon meeting with him, she sighed, “We will have to act soon. Whatever they are discussing, it can’t be good.”

  “Maybe they are going to attack the elves,” Zae suggested.

  “Unlikely,” the Mate grunted.

  “And why not?” the girl insisted.

  “Because the elves didn’t steal their prisoner,” he clipped. “This is getting out of hand quickly,” he observed, glaring at Amicia. “You want to implement your plan, then let’s do it. No time like the present.”

  “We can’t,” she sighed. “I still have a few preparations to make, maybe two or three days to complete.”

  “Then maybe you should be focused on that instead of –” Rey snapped, stopping short of saying the words, but the cut of his eyes at Lamwen spoke volumes.

  “He is part of us and as valuable as any,” she countered, turning to stomp off into the trees. “I need to pull a few tomes from the libraries, and I will begin right away. I will need a change of clothes for each of us and a set of stones. Again, one for each of us. They need to be small and fit comfortably in your hand.”

  Not bothering to explain why, she disappeared, leaving them to their own preparations as she had asked.

  Old Friends

  Leaving the group to gather the items she had requested, Amicia transported herself to the eastern entrance to the Crimson Caves. She had been visiting her father regularly, but her heart ached as she prepared to meet him on this particular day.

  Lifting her chin, she drew a deep breath. Pushing her doubts aside, she opened the tunnel and made her way into the inner chambers.

  “Ami!” Traok squealed in greeting.

  “Hello,” she grinned, accepting his hug. “You’re getting taller,” she observed, noting she needed to look up at him these days.

  “Yes,” he nodded, pleased with his height.

  “I’ve come to visit my father,” she announced. “Does he still slumber?”

  “He is down on the beach,” the troll replied. “Shall I walk with you?”

  “No. I’ll find my way,” she nodded, laying her hand over the merdoe out of habit as she made the jump.

  The sun instantly bright around her, Amicia shaded her eyes as she scanned the shore. At the edge of the water stood the charred remains of an unfinished boat; the one the group had been constructing under the pretense of leaving Eriden. Turning in a slow circle, the cabin also stood in ruins at the edge of the woods.

  Sighing heavily, she completed the scan, not seeing any sign of Ziradon. Facing the sea once more, she stared out over the calm waters that gently lapped the shore. “How I have missed this place,” she sighed, distracted for a moment by the past.

  While her thoughts churned, a large shadow swept over her, its presence fleeting as it skimmed out over the surf. Looking up, the large beast turned, and she grinned in recognition. Waiting patiently, he landed on the sand a few paces away a few minutes later.

  “You’re looking well,” she observed, his figure fuller than her last visit. “All muscle, I hope.”

  “Indeed,” he laughed, swishing his tail in delight. “I have regained much in my time here, but I’m afraid I’m still an old dragon in the end. Have the others been informed of your plan?”

  Walking past him, she hesitated, and he fell into step beside her. When she was ready, she admitted quietly, “The Mate is afraid. He didn’t even want to talk about it until he learned you had helped in its formation.”

  “That’s too bad,” Ziradon winced. “His faith in you is lacking, my princess.”

  “I am not a great warrior,” she giggled, “despite the blood of our line. I understand his hesitance to follow on my word alone.”

  “Then tell him the plan is mine. It does not make it any more or less sound,” the old dragon laughed, turning to catch more of the wind in his great wings. “I fear I will not see the end of this, Kaliwyn. You must be strong and not let the words of others dissuade you in your cause.”

  His use of her dragon name stirred within her chest, and she sniffed, “I do not feel I deserve to be followed so blindly.”

  “And why is that?” he prodded, folding the appendages and ambling along once more.

  “Lamwen and I were intimate,” she confessed, her chin dimpled. “I have broken my vow to Reynard, and I feel less than worthy of any such devotions.”

  “Ah, the mortal,” Ziradon grumbled lightly. “I’m surprised it has lasted as long as it did.”

  Her eyes snapping to glare at him, she growled, “You feel I am weak in my resolve?”

  “Not at all, my child,” he insisted. “Rey is a human. A mortal of the rim. You may walk in the flesh beside him, but within your chest beats the heart of a dragon.”

  “You are saying we are different. Too different to make it work,” she cried, tears wetting her cheeks.

  “I know that you love him,” the old dragon proposed, “but in time, your paths would drift apart. Even if you were to choose to forgo your wings, his blood would never burn with the heat of our kind.”

  Thinking of the single night she had spent in Lamwen’s arms, she had to admit it had been nothing like the tender love of the mortal. There had been a magic to it the other man could not match, or so it would seem. “You do not think I should feel guilt at breaking my vow,” she concluded.

  “It was inevitable, as is the war between us and the elves,” he agreed. “Do not let the words of the one called Mate dissuade you. You must act quickly in the steps we have discussed. If, and only if, you are able to spread the resources of the elves thin enough will you be able to defeat them.”

  “Is that how you beat them last time? In the great war?”

  “Oh, the great war,” Ziradon moaned, his eyes distant as he thought of it. “I lost your brothers then,” he sighed.

  “Yes, I have read the telling of your story as recorded by the gnomes. I’m sure it was painful to endure.” The wind whipping her hair, she paused to study him, noting the large tears that formed in his glistening orbs. “I once wondered if dragons had tears.”

  “We do,” he agreed, returning from the past. “You are all that I have left, Kaliwyn. And yet, I am willing to risk you to this cause. We must protect Eriden from the forces that threaten to crush it.”

  “I know, father,” she agreed with a firm nod. “And I am willing to see to the cause, no matter the cost. I hope you are wrong about yourself, though. I wouldn’t mind allowing you to rule a few more years,” she laughed.

  “Are you not ready to be queen?” he queried. “Tell me of your strength.”

  “I can transport anywhere in Eriden,” she bragged. “I hardly use
the merdoe and no longer miss the hamar gem. I feel strong and can defend against attacks, as well as cast against others easily.”

  “And you feel those are your strengths,” he mumbled.

  “What else would they be?”

  “Your heart, sweet princess. Your love for those around you, even to the smallest of our inhabitants. The care and regard you have for others, even those who would be your enemy. Those are the things that will make you great,” he professed.

  Nodding, she sighed, “I cannot deny them although I would not call them strengths. I will take your word on the matter,” she laughed, holding the smile for a moment before it fell away. “I guess you know I am undecided about my physical form.”

  “I sense your indecision,” he agreed.

  “I feel the urge to return to my dragon body, but I know when I do, it will be the last.”

  “You are reluctant to part with that which holds you bound to your husband,” he observed calmly.

  “Yes. I fear our marriage will die when the choice is made.”

  “Then cherish it while you may, princess. For he will live but one life and not a long one at that. There will be time for you to have both if fate wills it.”

  She grinned at the thought of it. “If he isn’t too angry over Lamwen. He went off by himself this morning, probably because of it.”

  “You did not hide your indiscretion?”

  “No,” she admitted quietly. “I thought that I would, but in the end, I chose to let it stand. I love Lamwen, and they all are aware. What would be the point in pretending?”

  “What would be the point, indeed,” her father replied in his gravelly tones. “Then you have no need of my advice on the matter.” Staring at her, he reached to her mind. “Do you hear my words, Kaliwyn?”

  Picking up on his thoughts in an instant, she turned to face him. “Are you reaching out to me?”

  “Our time grows short, my daughter. Your visits to this place will end, and we should practice our telepathy if we are to have it,” he agreed.