by D. R. Grady
CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE
After Lucy left, Felicity soon followed as she had no need to remain in her room. She ran into Ari. A harried Ari.
“We have heard of some rumblings on the border of the school.” She pointed to the west. “On the western border.”
Her pulse picked up. “That sounds promising.”
Ari’s lips twitched. “I thought so. Do you believe we can take Maeze and Felix to patrol the border?”
“If you are including me in that number, certainly.”
“I am thinking you and I can certainly take a look.” Ari adjusted her sword as bits of agitation poked through.
“You are still missing your dragon.”
“I do not think I shall ever get over his death. I cannot just take off and check our borders. I could on foot of course.”
“But the aerial inspections are always better.”
Ari sighed. “They are. I heard Fricassa is with dragon.”
“She is. And they are excited. You might be able to replace your dragon through their hatchling.”
“We shall wait until Aern teaches his son or daughter all of his bad tricks.” Ari’s returning sense of humor told Felicity she was also looking forward to their patrol.
“He will be certain to do so.” She wondered as they hurried through the school to the dragon area if some of the others would insist upon accompanying them.
By then they left the outside stairs and entered the cavernous place where the dragons resided. Bram poked his head up in greeting and they crossed the expanse to say hello to him.
Ari explained why they had come. Maeze must have smelled her because her dragon galloped toward her. An affectionate bump from her blue dragon and Felicity hugged her. Felix trailed her.
Bram and the dragons listened to Ari’s quick briefing of the situation. The lake serpent dunked his head and communicated through the water. His sister Serene soon responded. She rose from the water to inquire. Bram used their own language to explain.
Neither she nor Ari knew their language but were able to follow what he spoke. Their own training had insured they could typically communicate with most beings. They might not be able to use all the appropriate words but they could speak enough to be understood.
“I shall take Ari.” Serene announced this as though perfectly reasonable. And it was. As guardians of the school, these water dragons might be the perfect solution for travel for Kellen and Ari.
“Felicity and I are also going?” Maeze asked.
“Yes. Ari and I believe we should check things out. We have more than enough warriors and mages and healers here to defeat whatever might be a problem.” Felicity and company headed toward the exit. “That is if Ari and I fail to quell whatever it is first.”
“We should not have any problem.” Ari’s confidence was well founded.
They soon were situated and Maeze and Serene launched into the air.
A sense of anticipation swept through her. The wind whipped through her hair and flapped her clothing. The sensation of flying always thrilled her. Much like seeing Rykert’s smile.
And the fact that random thought made her happy rather than swept fear through her reassured her that she was ready to join her life to his. The wind slashed across her in a freeing way and she savored the moment.
It might have been better with Rykert but she was glad for a little time with Ari. Who flew on Serene as though the two had been flying like this for decades. Both lake dragon and Aasguard appeared to enjoy the moment.
They banked at the edge of the school property. Really it was breathtaking land and Ari and Kellen had chosen a larger swath than they thought they would require. That turned out to be an excellent decision. With at least another building already in the works, and perhaps more in the coming months.
The original school might give way to a campus. Another thrilling thought.
Ari’s spine stiffened and Felicity cut off all thoughts to patrol with her. Taking in all of their surroundings, she also settled into battle calm. Here her senses opened wide but her emotions leveled out to nothing. They ceased to be in this state.
Confident in both her and Ari’s abilities, it was Maeze and Serene who kept her extra alert. Maeze had performed well in the desampus attack, but that had been her first actual battle. Her parents’ memories were beneficial but she still needed to face a few battles of her own.
Serene, they knew little about. How to guess the age of a lake serpent or a sea serpent? If she had some age to her, chances were she had seen some battles.
Ari and Serene had headed specifically toward the western border of the property so she and Maeze followed. Neither of them knew what to expect but the lead pair appeared confident. Maeze flew with her usual exuberance. Her wings flapped silently as the winds buffeted them but both were so used to it neither noticed.
Felicity took a moment to admire Serene. Lake serpents’ fins glided on the air much as they would in water. The smooth motion proved mesmerizing.
The western border neared as the two reptiles moved swiftly across Ari and Kellen’s land. Nothing much moved in the shadow of Maeze and Serene. Small animals scurried to their dens while the larger ones hunkered down to wait silently until the peak predators passed overhead.
Once they arrived at the border, Ari and Serene flew south while she and Maeze flew north to scout out the entire border. She opened her mouth to declare the area safe except Serene bugled.
Shouts from below and Maeze turned so suddenly Felicity had to grip her tighter in order to remain seated.
What she saw made her heart drop.
‡‡
“Kellen, have you seen Felicity?” Rykert resisted the urge to shove a hand through his hair. The dragon/lake serpent area had been his last resort in attempting to find her. Felix was present and stuck close. Maeze was nowhere to be found. Felix said little.
“I have not seen her but I know where she is.” His friend’s mouth looked grim around the edges.
“Where is she?”
“Ari heard of a disturbance on the western border. From what I have gathered,” Kellen nodded to Bram, “Ari ran into Felicity and the two set off to patrol the border.”
The warrior half of him applauded this decisive action. The male-in-a-relationship side balked.
“They are warriors. As are Maeze and Serene.” In the manner of any worthy warrior, Bram offered no emotion. He gazed back at them with steady confidence.
“What does that mean?” To his credit, neither did Kellen.
“Serene has lived a long life. She knows full well what to do in battle. As do Ari and Felicity. Ari would not have needed to take Felicity with her, but she did. Most likely to reassure you.” No censure threaded Bram’s tone but it could have.
Rykert shifted his sword. “True. They left how long ago?”
Bram didn’t even look outside to gauge the position of the sun. “A little over an hour. They should return at any moment.”
He had barely finished speaking before two flying figures dotted the horizon from the western border. From the way Maeze flew Rykert discerned no harm had been done to her. They had to fly closer before he could say the same for Felicity. She looked as she always did.
Rykert was at a disadvantage because he had not encountered many lake or sea serpents but Serene appeared as he remembered. Bram raised no alarms, and Ari, perched on the back of the lake serpent, held herself in the same warrior stance they all employed.
Nothing looked out of sorts.
They all waited quietly until the four landed. He and Kellen stepped forward with the intention of swinging their mates off the backs of their steads, but Maeze bumped him in affection and distracted him. Felicity slid off her with the grace of a warrior in her prime and he enjoyed her smooth movements.
Serene’s fins were different than that of a dragon’s, and this allowed Ari to slide from Serene’s back without Kellen’s assistance. Although not used to flying on a lake serpent, Ari made the ges
ture look easy.
He was impressed.
Bram spoke first. He addressed his sister. “Was it sorcerers?”
Serene’s exclamation of disgust made all of them smile. “Of course. I suspected as much. How they are permitted to live in this realm I still do not understand.”
“Sorcerers were at the western border?” Kellen asked the four females in general.
“Yes. Felicity and I could have drawn our swords, but those evil practitioners are difficult to quell.” Ari sounded repulsed.
“What happened?” His question emitted sharper than he intended.
“Serene spit poison at them.” Ari’s answer held much admiration.
Bram nodded. “Our poison is rather effective.”
“We do not carry dragonfyre but we have been gifted with our own defenses.” Serene was far too dignified to preen. In the manner of the two women warriors, she had earned her confidence and stature.
“So these sorcerers decided they do not support the school?” Kellen continued asking questions. Something Rykert should also be doing. Then again, Kellen and Ari owned the place.
“They did. We convinced them otherwise.” Ari nodded to Serene. A bond of sorts had already formed between the two females.
“Wait, does this mean that Aasguard warriors now have the option to pair with a dragon or a sea or lake serpent?” Rykert’s question had no sooner occurred to him than he asked. With their diminished number of dragons…
Everyone looked at one another but none spoke. Until Punzil answered. “I believe so. I shall be with Fergus until our deaths.”
The options this raised for Aasguards opened an entirely new path for them.
“The thing is, we have been here for centuries. Always alone, never able to interact with other beings. When we heard two Aasguard warriors planned to build a school here, we waited, eager to introduce ourselves.” Bram stated this with subdued emotion.
“We have been so excited about the prospect of sharing ideas and spending time with others. It has been rather lonely,” Serene added.
“And in only a few days we are already getting a new school and three species who might not normally interact with each other have proved to be fast friends.” Ari smiled at Serene. The lake serpent gently bumped her in solidarity.
“My mother and Eliza have barely taken time to sleep.” Serene gestured with her noble head toward the site where the new healer school would be built. The two healers already had viable plans for the building.
“The shortage of dragons need not be a problem if we can pair with lake or sea serpents.” Kellen appeared to be thinking of all the possibilities as well.
Perhaps Serene expressed what they all had to be feeling the best. “This alliance will offer much to all of us. We have been combating evil ourselves for many decades. Having Aasguard warriors to aid us is exceptional. Then there are the mages who have joined us as well. We are thrilled for the future.”
CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO
Felicity gazed out over the crowd. The number of Aasguard warriors who had gathered to celebrate the opening of the school swelled her hopes. Perhaps not as many as they would wish for, but more than they had anticipated. Her focus drifted to Fergus and Lucy.
More hope gushed at the sight of these two. Many of the Aasguards in the crowd appeared to take courage and joy at the sight of these two seasoned first warriors. The oldest male and female warriors of their kind. Both of them alive and well, so to speak.
Perhaps Fergus would never walk again. But not one person among them indicated this was a failure of any sort. They all were so happy and hopeful to see him that no one cared. His experience and skill were more worthy than his sword at this juncture.
All of the Aasguards other than their four newest had walked this land for so long their swords were sufficient. Yet their newest warriors could certainly hold their own. In the same manner of Maeze, all of the elements were there, they simply lacked the experience the older ones enjoyed.
Lucy could and would protect Fergus, as would Punzel and Isaac, who Felicity very much wished to meet. She crossed her fingers that Punzel and Isaac would see eye to eye. It would certainly make life easier for their eldest warriors.
Another victory of sorts was the number of mages who had gathered with them. Also excited for this celebration and the school, they had flocked in impressive numbers as well. Then there were the dragons and their water counterparts.
“More will come.” Rykert murmured this beside her and she adored how he stayed in tune with her.
“Yes, I believe they will.” They did not know if additional Aasguards walked the land, or mages, but she thought perhaps he also meant other species as well. They might not possess the same anatomy or bodies, but in the case of dragons and the water dragons, they had the potential to become amazing companions and join forces.
Most of the land surrounding them enjoyed peace. That might not always be so, of course.
The sorcerer protests had introduced a note of disharmony into their world. Serene had quelled them, but that did not mean they intended to keep to their evil selves.
Felicity also did not understand why they were permitted to mingle in this realm, but the mages were better equipped to deal with them. Aasguards could hold their own, but it would be a nail-biting enterprise without a dragon or water serpent. Although she trusted in her abilities, as did other Aasguards so they would only cease fighting when the fighting ceased.
Still, she did wonder how Raene, Stefana, Drika, or Lukas would fare against one, especially an aged sorcerer.
Rykert’s heavy arm settled around her and she pressed into his side.
“Now is not the time to fret.” He indicated the festivities and warmth infused her.
“No, now is the time to celebrate.” Within her another surety made itself known. “We will marry before we leave for Chariovalda.”
“I believe that is an excellent notion.” He kissed her, right there with the revelers enjoying the celebrations. No one bothered them because their pairings also gave hope to a people who had been on the brink of despair.
The future always held danger.
That was a given.
However, one needed to look beyond the unpleasant things to see the beauty and promise surrounding them.
She kissed Rykert back, looking forward to their future, together.
A Special Request
If you have read and enjoyed my books, please take the time to review them on whichever site you bought them. This encourages others to try the same stories that entertained you.
I really appreciate your support and couldn’t do this without you! A hearty and sincere thank you. If you’d like to be in the “know,” please join my newsletter. Or you can visit my website for more information.
Other Works by D.R. Grady
The Morrison Family Series:
The Nerd and the Marine — A self-proclaimed nerd takes in a deployed Marine’s dog.
The Corpsman and the Nerd — He has her son and her dog, but he wants her heart.
The Nerd and the SEAL — A Navy SEAL and doctor have both met their career goals. Can they now meet their romantic ones?
The Nerd’s Pocket Pets — A pediatrician is attracted to his new physician assistant but he’s confused as to why her lab coat pockets wriggle.
Shadows and Spice — A legendary secret operative comes home to protect his family. She becomes a threat to his heart.
Macy’s Parade — Her dream of becoming a veterinarian is hindered by him and his four kids.
Bad Nerd Rising — She’s a nerd in nerd’s clothing, easily identifiable, so why is a prince attracted to her?
Bad Nerd Falling — Can this nerd manage to hold on to her super-soldier?
Nerds on Fire — A lonely nurse practitioner and a neurosurgeon join forces to discover who is harassing her.
Nerds Unite — How does a woman juggle a new job, a new bff, and an old stalker?
The Trouble with Nerds �
�� They’re circling each other, trying to meet in the middle until a new threat sends them in a different direction.
The Nerd Who Spied Me — They’re confident in their secret operative abilities, but maybe not so much in their relationship goals.
Baking with Nerds — With his baggage and her new business they don’t have time to fall in love. Or do they?
Nerds in Harmony – This musician isn’t about to let duty get in the way of love.
The Me Series:
Treasure Me — A biology teacher goes undercover to find her sister’s murderer.
Save Me — He keeps her safe from an ex-boyfriend who wants to kill her.
Trust Me — With a pending divorce neither wants and a stalker, they soon realize they’re not playing a game, they are the game.
Heal Me — Discovering the identity of a serial rapist doesn’t allow them much time to fall in love.
Love Me — A nerd falls for a mini Amazon.
The Seeking Series:
Seeking: Warrior King — Can Crown Princess Raene and Aasguard Vidar the Loyal possibly break the age-old traditions that bind them and choose their heart’s desire?
Seeking: Maiden Queen — They are thrust into a life neither envisioned, but that they must accept, or others will die.
Seeking: Warrior Mate — These two Aasguard warriors are fighting a mutual attraction.
The Dragon Chronicles:
The Dragon Chronicles: Learning — What if the maiden is the dragon? Lindy is about to find out with the unwelcome help of the most exasperating man on earth.
The Dragon Chronicles: Shifting — Hugh doesn’t mind that Keely can’t shift, but his pack sure does. Can this healer meet the challenge to claim her mate?
The Dragon Chronicles: Healing — Healers Ewain and Marissa play at getting along. Then the enemy targets Marissa and suddenly they don’t have time to make war on each other.