by L M Lacee
Her giddy meter went off the charts.
What female did not appreciate revolving shoe racks?
She changed into some of her new purchases she was still too skinny, but at least her clothes fit her.
Olinda stepped from the dressing room and stopped in front of her bedside table turning the flash drive over in her fingers. Then she dropped it into the drawer with her gun and knife. Someone, Ash probably had placed them in there.
She closed the drawer on that part of her life. Maybe one day she would look at it. Maybe by then she will find a reason too.
Happier than she had been for many years she walked from her apartment and into the arms of a male that took her breath away.
He had no right to be that gorgeous was her first thought.
“Hello my shadow.”
Olinda sighed, she had forgotten the social niceties again. “Oh hello I am sorry about before, it sort of hit me all at once.”
“But you are alright now?” he asked.
“Yes I am me, again. Maybe a little better and wiser but I am just me.”
“I am happy to hear that my shadow.”
Olinda wondered how he had known she was awake. That was the last thought she had as his lips met hers in a kiss that ended all thought.
CHAPTER TWENTY:
T he family dining room was not a happy place Olinda thought, as Keeper demanded.
“What do you mean? You know how to contact Unicorns?”
“Forget that, I want to know how you know about Unicorns!” Charlie asked.
“Forget that, I want to know why you never told me?” Sage snarled fiercely.
Edith asked with glee. “Forget that! Where do they live and can I go there?”
Ash rubbed his hand around the back of his neck as his eyes landed on Reighn.
“Are you happy?” He asked the satisfied looking male, who had told the room not two minutes ago that Ash knew where Unicorns lived and how to contact them.
When Ash had brought Olinda back to the family room and she had been hugged by just about everyone and she had hugged and thanked his brothers for the photos and laptop. Ash coaxed her into a seat by Grace and Verity who were holding their hatchlings.
Axl had brought her a cup of coffee, then all hell had broken out with Reighn’s announcement.
Reighn smiled as he replied. “Immensely! Your shields are deplorable. You have become slack. Andre’ would slap you around the training yard.”
Ark and Axl both laughed until he looked at them. “You have something to laugh about?” They both shook their heads quickly. “No Reighn.”
Storm said. “As Elites it is sad, very sad. You are all off rotation until further notice. I think as a good punishment you will check all the Shields and Hunters to see what state their defenses are in!”
“Yes Commander.” The two brothers said. As a punishment it was the best they could have received. It meant they got to stay at home.
Reighn said. “As further punishment. I have granted Commander Storm and Rene’s requests. For Ash and you two, Axl and Ark, to take over the position of Commander and Instructors of the training school.”
All three Battle brothers were stunned, they had put in a request with the commanders of both the Hunters and Shields, Namely Rene’ and Storm for those assignments.
Ash wanted to remain at home, especially now and he liked the idea of taking over the leadership of the school.
To Olinda’s ears they did not sound very penitent, maybe it was the smiles they tried to hide that gave them away.
Olinda asked Ash. “You wanted to run a school?”
“Very much so. I want to stay home with you and our young.”
“Okay well I am happy if you are. Truthfully I like the idea of you being with us each night.”
Before he could answer Axl asked. “And us of course?”
“Indeed!” answered Olinda dryly. Axl grinned at her. She then asked. “What are these shields you are talking about?”
Ash told her. “They are a barriers that we have or placed around our minds to stop our thoughts from being heard or read.”
Reighn and Storm both snorted in disgust. Ash grimaced at the sounds as he said.
Apparently my brothers and I have not strengthened ours in a while. Therefore my thoughts, or should I say, our thoughts were easily read and now I am under immense interrogation about Unicorns.”
He sounded so put out, she almost laughed.
“I see. Do I need shields?”
Ash grinned as he said with admiration.
My soul, yours are impregnable!”
Surprised Olinda asked. “How do you know?”
“When you first arrived, we tried to read your mind to find out what was wrong.”
Storm said. “We could not, even the Dragon Lord could not.”
Reighn nodded. “I did not want to hurt you so did not press too hard it is a very impressive shield. I would like to know how that is?”
Thoughtfully Olinda asked. “Can anyone read minds?”
Reighn shook his head. “No there are only a very small number of dragons with that ability.”
“Huh! What about others?”
He shrugged. “I am sure there a many shifters and faeries that can and do. That is why we train to keep that from happening.”
She looked around. “All of you have had training?”
June answered. “Those that are not like you, who need it. Yes.”
“Makes sense I suppose. If I had to guess I would say the voice, who I have since found out is the Sun Goddess, gave them to me.”
“The Sun Goddess?” asked Reighn.
“Yes.” Olinda nodded. “She came to say goodbye. When I was asleep earlier.”
“Did she tell you about Cara and you?” asked Charlie.
“Not really. She told me we are sisters but other than that nothing!”
Storm asked with doubt in his voice. “Nothing at all?”
Olinda looked at Charlie and Storm and lied.
Not a thing more than we are sisters.”
Charlie lifted her eyebrows and grinned. “Nice try, you know I have the gift of knowing and smelling a lie a mile away right?”
“No I never knew that. Ash my shadow, you need to tell me these things!”
“I did not know you were going to lie my soul.” The male looked totally bewildered as she said. “Well still forewarned is forearmed as they say.”
“Who says this? I have never heard of it.” said Axl.” Several males nodded their heads in agreement. Grace raised her eyebrows and told them. “It is a saying. Think about it and you will get the meaning.”
Charlie said. “Well?”
Olinda thought quickly. “I thought Cara and I had no scent?”
“You don’t and do not change the subject?”
“But should we not delve into that. Or at least discuss the reason why?”
Charlie shook her head. “Time for that later. Answer Goddess touched female!”
“Oh nice title.” said Sage.
“Wasn’t it though?” said Olinda.
“Olinda?” Charlie growled.
“Oh alright!” She grimaced. “It is possible that Cara and I share the same grandfather. It is also possible our father is no longer alive and he, the grandfather, will deny us. It is also possible that he wants and needs us for breeding the next male heir.”
There was silence as all looked at Charlie, Storm and Ash.
Rene’ said. “That is a lot of possibilities there!”
Olinda sighed. “I know but she is a Goddess who only ever parted with what she wanted to tell me.”
“I will not allow her to be taken from us!” Stated Charlie and Olinda saw the hidden assassin within. How she knew that about Charlie she did not know, and maybe never would. But it was as plain as the nose on her face. Charlie killed or did.
Now that was fascinating! She thought.
Olinda shook her head. “No one will take her, they would h
ave to be lunatics to even try.”
Ash said. “I will not allow them to take you my soul.”
“Thank you. I know you would not.”
His brothers nodded in agreement. She felt safer than she ever had in her entire life.
Storm said. “They die if they try, family or not.”
Olinda agreed, what else could she do? As she said they would have to be lunatics to try.
Charlie grinned. “Well there is that.”
“Sista Olinda, me is here.” Called Cara as she ran into the room and threw herself into Olinda’s arms.
“Hello sweetheart. I am sorry if I made you sad earlier.”
“Me make you cry?”
“No baby girl. Olinda made me cry.”
“Oh...Kay you hurt?”
“I was, in my heart.” She pointed to her chest. Cara nodded and lent over and kissed her.
“Isa makes it all betta now.” she told Olinda, who then smiled saying. “You did you made it all better now.”
Cara smiled at Charlie who sat holding Justice. She smiled at her daughter and raised ghost eyes to Olinda, who quietly said in French. “I will kill anyone who thinks to take her from you or use her. Have no fear she may be of my blood but she is yours and Storms. She stays yours.”
Charlie nodded. Cara looked up at Olinda “Pretty!”
“It is it called French, when you get older and your mama says you are ready I will teach you and Kelsey and all the little ones, French and other languages.”
Cara said. “Kay mama says.”
“Yep when your mama says.” Olinda, whether she knew it or not, re-established for not only Cara and her mother and father but everyone there whose child she was.
Cara not understanding the undercurrents that were slowly ebbing away held her finger up and showed Olinda her bandage.
“Me have pink owie.”
Sharm said as he came in. “We did blood test on you both.”
Olinda cocked an eyebrow up, much to say really!
Ash said. “Ella obtained one from you.” Olinda nodded. “Alright.”
“You are not upset?”
“No, you were there right?”
“Well not in the room but yes.”
“Well then. No need for me to worry.”
Ash smiled, trust! His dragon said She trust us!
Yes she does, our shadow is ours whether she knows it or not.
Charlie asked Olinda. “But you don’t need proof, do you?”
Olinda shook her head. “No we are of the same blood.”
“Do you know if you are indeed Unicorn?” asked Reighn.
“Nope not a clue!”
Skeptically he asked. “The Goddess never said?”
“No she said it was my journey to find out, or some such sh… Umm! Something like that.”
There were several laughs at her near curse. Reighn said. “Interesting!”
“Or you could just say annoying.” Olinda replied. Much to everyone’s amusement.
Keeper asked. “You cannot feel if you are?”
“What would I look for?”
He stared at her nonplussed. ‘You know, I have no idea!”
“Well then if you get one tell me and I will try.”
“Would you know the name of your parent?” He asked?
“Not a clue! Another thing she did not supply.”
“Sheesh! She was hardly helpful!” grumbled Edith.
Olinda agreed sourly. “Tell me about it and I don’t think, she is really gone. I’m fairly sure I can still hear her.”
“Annoying!”
“Exactly!”
“Anyway!” said Reighn halting the moaning before it got really started. “Ash can you make contact with the Unicorns you know?”
Ash frowned and rubbed the back of his neck. “Ahhh...”
“May I make a suggestion?” asked Axl as Ash became more uncomfortable.
Reighn nodded. “Of course.”
“We did not leave the last Unicorns very happy with us, it may serve our cause for Sharm to do the contacting as the master healer.”
Sharm smiled. “I can do that!”
“But not until our questions have been answered.” growled Sage.
“So start talking Ash.” Demanded Keeper.
Ash grimaced. “Ark how long?”
“Let me see.” Ark pulled on his bottom lip as he thought. “We had just finished scouting Australia and New Guinea. We had been back in England for only a half a dozen years, so just on fifty years ago, give or take ten.”
All the females looked at him with varying degrees of fascination on their faces and Edith had to ask. “Are you sure?”
Ark nodded. “Fairly sure. Yep!”
“Okay then!” she said. “Let us just say, we the ladies are impressed with your memory.”
“It is a gift!”
“Thank you.” Ash snarled at his brother who grinned and Olinda could see the twinkle of the devil in that smile. Ash said with a decided bite to his words. “So about fifty years ago we were in England and came across a horde of wild ones. We stayed with them awhile until they decided to return to Dragon’s Gap. Just before we were to return home. Axl was kidnapped.”
Verity gasped as did Grace. Axl stated. “I maintain. I allowed it to happen. It was a great way to seek out information.”
“Of course you did. It had nothing to do with the ale or the sweet lovely females?” scoffed Ark. Which caused a few giggles from the females and a grunt or two from the males. Axl smirked. “Not at all!”
“I think he protests too much.” said Claire.
Edith agreed. “Way too much.”
Axl said. “I say I do not. Ale is ale I have been drinking ale since I was teenager.”
Reighn asked. “Was it dragon ale?”
“No. We since found out, it was Unicorn ale. Very potent.” Said a disgusted Ark, with an equally disgusted look at his younger brother.
“Yet he did not deny the females.” said June.
Sage said. “Hush Unicorns! I am growing old here.”
Storm mused out loud. “I have drunk with Axl. He can hold his drink. It must have been Unicorn ale.”
“Seriously no one friggin cares about the friggin ale!” yelled Sage.
“Swear jar.” said Edith. “Twice female!”
Sage growled whether at Edith or the interruptions, it was hard to say. Ash hurriedly told them as Sage’s eyes started to turn blue. “We eventually found him.”
“Three days, they had me for! The horror!” moaned Axl.
Both Ark and Ash just looked at him with only the kind of disgust a brother can.
“Oh my poor Axl.” said Grace and Axl sighed pitifully until she asked. “Did they deflower you sweetheart?”
Olinda and the other females just lost it, even Sage couldn’t hold her irritation as she too howled with laughter. The look he turned on Grace was a mix of astonishment and disbelief. “Grace how could you?”
Which made them all laugh harder. It took them some time until they could bring themselves under control.
Ash grinned as he watched Olinda’s face fill with laughter, she looked relaxed and happy. He felt his dragon sigh in relief.
Finally Ash said. “When we eventually caught up with them Axl was on his way to being betrothed to the Ri’s daughter.”
Sage asked. “The who?”
“It means King. The King’s daughter.” Olinda told her.
“Got it, you are so handy to have around.” Olinda grinned at the compliment. Sage asked. “Would you like a job?”
“No she is mine!” said Keeper. “The library needs her.”
Olinda grinned wider. “Thank you anyway Sage but he is right.”
“Well okay.”
Claire lent over and whispered to Sage. “She is not the right one. The one who is, will be here soon!”
Sage whispered back. “Well she better hurry.”
“As I was saying!” said Ash. “To get him.” and he p
ointed to his brother who wore a smile. “Out and away before the marriage, we traded.”
“With what?” asked Olinda, although she had a sinking feeling she knew. Ash hung his head. “My soul, my brother Ace was in Command. It was his idea!”
“What was?”
“That I would trade places with Axl.”
“Why would you. That would mean you would marry. Oh my Goddess, you are married!” Her voice rose with each word she spoke. He looked around and hers was not the only face that looked concerned. There were a mix of frowning and anger in most of the expressions, except for his idiot brothers.
“No I swear I am not!” he assured her as well as the others. “It seemed the Ri was due to leave for a few days, he had no care who his daughter married, she was one of many. He just wanted one of them gone!”
Ark said. “I think there were thirteen. I lost count after ten.”
“Dear goddess.” mumbled Olinda.
Sage frowning asked. “I don’t get it, why the swap?”
Ark took over the telling. “Well Ace told the Ri’ Ash was prettier and a better fighter plus he had only birthed sons. That was a big deal for the Ri’ as you can imagine, you know with all those daughters?”
They all absolutely understood that. “Okay wait!” Olinda put her hand up. “You guys cannot have young outside a bonding with your shadow. Right?”
“Oh we know. They on the other hand did not.” said Ark.
“Oh… Oh, I see, got it!”
“Plus once his daughter got a look at Ash, she begged.” said Axl with a pout.
There was a collective. “Ohhhh!!” from all the females. Olinda included. More so with Axl’s pouting face. Ash sighed and looked at Reighn who laughed back at him, he narrowed his eyes in challenge. Reighn nodded in acceptance.
“So after the Ri’ left later that night Ash did the only thing he could.” Ark told them.
“He escaped?” asked Claire.
“He killed everyone there?” asked Edith.
“He kidnapped a daughter for trade?” asked Sage.
“None of the above! No he was really clever. He invited all the daughters except the betrothed one, to his tent and then…
Ash hurriedly announced. “Nothing! Nothing happened, I swear Olinda. Nothing.”
She sat with her eyes on his and shrugged.
“Okay!” Somehow her easy acceptance of what he was saying, didn’t relieve him. With his eyes on hers he hurriedly finished the story. “When they were all there Ark told the daughter whom I was betrothed to about her sisters being in my tent.