by L M Lacee
“Oh right! It is all my fault? Nothing said about the great big ball of flame shooting in the sky? Typical!”
Reighn crossed his arms and gave her the Lord stare and asked. “Finished?”
Harper mimicked his stance. “Seriously you are going to cop attitude?”
Reighn stared some more. Harper’s eyes narrowed, her mouth straightened, her hands moved quicker than eyes could follow, even a dragons. Six small knives evenly spaced appeared dug into the stones handles sticking out in a semi-circle around Reighn’s feet, who still didn’t bat an eye. Harper growled, worthy of a dragon, so mad she could snort flame herself and snarled. “I am so out of here, see you when I return. If I do.” She spun around and vanished in a puff of air.
“She’s become quite dramatic ever since she remembered how to do that.” Commented Keeper.
“And faster with those knives.” Storm added.
“But she is talking more.” Johner said.
“Especially to Reighn.” Rene` agreed.
Reighn bent and pulled out the knives, as he straightened he felt the huge dragon shift and when he looked, a male the same size as him stood fully clothed in a black tee shirt and black stone washed jeans with black boots and a well-worn leather long coat. Apart from the short military hair style, he looked like all the Battle brothers with the carved from stone good looks and the green eyes, except where they had a softness around the eyes and mouth, he did not.
Before Reighn could embrace him the knives disappeared from his hands returning to Harper. At his request Sage had spelled all her knives, ensuring they always found their way back to her, it made Reighn feel better knowing she always had their protection. He enfolded the big male in a hug, brother to brother, friend to friend, Lord to dragon and felt him return the hug and the feelings. He released him to his brothers. Ace stood quietly in his families arms the first physical contact with them he had in in just under a year.
The love and relief from his family and friends almost swamped him. Through Rene` and Patrycc he had been kept up to date on the goings on at Dragon’s Gap, all the new bonding’s and hatchlings but as he reveled in the warmth of being home he knew finding out things second hand was not the same as being with his family.
He had come full circle since his father and other relations betrayed the realm, he was finally home!
Rene` hugged him and said. “You took your time getting here. I was thinking of sending out a search party.”
“Sorry, my dragon and I needed time to settle and come to terms with our new… friendship I suppose.”
Yes that is good word. Stated his dragon.
Rene` said. “I understand, if you need to talk. I am always here for you.”
“Thank you. Where is Ash?”
Ark told him “Hatchlings do not care that older brothers are returning home.”
Ace grinned he could not wait to see Ash and his amazing shadow and the sun dragons, his nephews.
“Well uncles and brothers can afford to wait awhile.” said Ace.
Rene` led him inside an arm around his shoulders as Reighn said. “So home five minutes and already pissing of one of the deadliest people here.”
They all laughed as Storm said. “Truth though, that is fairly easily done.”
“True!” They all but Rene` and Reighn agreed. Ace raised a soot black brow, his voice slightly rusty from disuse as he asked. “That would have been?”
“Harper the knife!” Axl answered.
Rene` growled at him. “Do not call her that.”
“Everyone calls her that.” said Ark.
Johner sighed. “Frankie coined the term and it has stuck, sorry Papa.”
Reighn said. “Fine but if I find out it upsets her. Then I will not be pleased.”
“As you say my Lord.” They all chorused except Rene` and Ace. Reighn heard Keeper say quietly to the others. “If she does not like the name, he would not have to say anything.”
“True!” Axl said. “There would not be anything left of us to be displeased with!”
Ace said to Rene`. “Who is this female?”
Rene` grunted. “Later.” as Verity rushed towards them and Ace found himself in the arms of a female he had secretly called mother for many years as did his brothers. “Oh Ace James Battle.”
“Wow! He is in so much trouble, all three names.” said Ark.
“Nah.” said Johner. “That is her, you are naughty but not that much, I have to send you to your room voice.”
“Yep he is golden.” Storm agreed.
“Heard it a lot did you?” Ark asked as all of the Kingsley males, Rene` included nodded their heads in agreement.
“Storm more than any of us.” Reighn smirked at his brother who looked around smugly as he said. “True, I liked to test the boundaries.”
“And mama’s patience!” said Keeper.
Ace turned a little with Verity still in his arms and grinned a natural one, the first for months at the males in his family while Verity said. “Do not listen to them. I am quite wroth with thee Ace James Battle.” It showed how emotional she was when she slipped back into the speech of her youth. “You have been gone far too long.” She pulled away a little to look into his face, a face she had known from a hatchling, a face she loved for that long, a face she had missed every day since he left. She told him with all the love a mother had for a child. “You have been greatly missed and not just by me. Do not leave again, you are most assuredly needed here.”
He squeezed her tighter and she felt his body give one deep sigh and settle. Verity smiled as her dragon said. Yes our boy is home.
“I will not, it is time to come home.” He agreed, to lighten the mood she winked and said. “There is no one here that can keep this lot in order. Rene` is just running amuck since he decided he can stay here and command the Hunters and Storm and Ark have decided the same for the Shields and don’t get me started on Reighn. Then there is Keeper who has resigned his commission and Johner with the castle guards, plus the shadows and hatchlings.”
Ace grinned at the grunts and the annoyed, “How did we become the ones in trouble here?”
“Is she talking about us?” Heard from the males present. Verity with an arm still around him moved with him and all the others into the castle. He grinned wider as his thoughts strayed to the feisty little female, his dragon told him… she is ours!
Ace replied. Yes we will court her, she will come to us.
Our shadow!
Yes my friend our shadow!
His dragon sighed deeply he had missed his brothers and family. I am glad we are home. I will think on how to capture our shadow.
Ace said. We will talk to Reighn, he is her protector.
We are her protector, she is ours! His dragon growled back.
Yes my friend, He told his dragon patiently, but he has claimed her, you can see that as well as I can.
I see it, we will talk to Dragon Lord.
Yes we will.
CHAPTER ELEVEN:
T hat following Sunday Frankie who had settled in very well with her shadow Johner in their new apartment, as well as her new position as personal assistant to the Dragon Lady Sage, grinned widely when one of her favorite people walked quietly into the family dining room. Clint Sorren, he was a teenager and a fabulous young male dragon that was always willing to help and was loved by all the females of the castle. Even Harper who was still not home and from what she said on the phone yesterday it would be another week before she returned.
Frankie missed her even though her own life was busy and fill, it was not the same without her best friend around to talk too.
She sighed, she would talk to Reighn. He and Harper seemed to have connected, maybe he could make her stay home for a while she needed to sort her family out. She had made enormous progress with Charlie, it was the Faerie Queen and King she needed to form a relationship with, Frankie could only do so much. Seriously that female, a pain in my ass as Charlie would say.
Harper
needed to stop running Frankie thought and said as much to her when they talked last night, she had not replied but Frankie was sure she heard her.
She watched Clint slide around the room until he came to a stop in the shadows by the windows with his eyes locked on the new fire dragon Ace Battle.
Frankie really liked the teenager he was always quick with a smile and never found Frankie annoying and not just because, like some others, he was afraid of Harper or Sage.
She wondered why he was so interested in Ace, what did he have that made Clint look at him with expressions ranging from terror to hope. It hurt Frankie’s heart to see him so troubled.
She made her way slowly towards Ace. She had not spoken to him since his spectacular arrival, she laughed when Sage relayed what happened in his meeting with Harper before she had left. Now looking at the huge male, she saw a male with scars on his soul and heart, this was a dragon that needed this large wacky family to make him whole. Look what they were doing for Harper admittedly slowly and that was because she would not stay home but it was working, helping to make her whole.
Frankie smiled as she thought of what they had done for her and not just because she was bonded to Johner, how they accepted and treated her just like a normal person, not once since she and Harper had got here did she feel alienated. So when Ace moved away from his brothers and was on his own, staring out the windows overlooking the Unicorn meadows, she sidled up beside him and quietly said. “So hi, my name is Frankie.”
Ace looked down at the female and smiled which he was doing more of now, in only five days he felt better, more at peace. Coming home had been the right move although he knew he needed the help from Master Patrycc, brother to Lady Verity it seemed being home with his family was helping his dragon to come to terms with what he considered his failures. He had been enfolded back into his family’s arms. They, he and his dragon felt more centered, more alive than he had for many months. “I know! You are Johner’s shadow.”
“Yep that is me, so you met my girl Harper before she left.”
“I did.”
Frankie’s whole being, stilled as she felt and listened to the words spoken. “Oh!” She sighed gently. “So she is your shadow?”
He nodded in reply, then took another look at her.
Ahh I see! You can read people. That is an amazing ability!”
“I think so, although until I came here it seemed weird.”
“I am sure it did, you must have felt out of place in the larger world?”
“Yep that I did until Harper arrived in my life.”
Gently he said. “I am sure she was a relief for someone as sensitive as you.”
Frankie looked up at him and smiled letting him see the being beneath the shell she wore. “Not many people would understand that but Harper buffered the world for me. I don’t think I did too much to return the favor for her.”
“I doubt that! I feel you Lady Frankie are far more a friend than you believe.”
Frankie looked over at Reighn and Charlie. “You know who claims her.”
He followed her eyes. “I do, I have spoken to Reighn.”
“And Charlie?”
“No I have not, do you advise me too?”
“She will know. That female knows everything!”
“I bow to your wisdom.”
“Yeah… just you know watch for guns, apparently she is dynamite with them. Like Harper and her knives.”
“I have seen that and will take your warning to heart.”
She grinned at him then whispered. “So Ace do you know the teenager who has finally decided to come talk to you?”
“Who?” He asked just as softly but before she could answer him, he heard a young male voice say.
“Excuse me sir!”
Ace looked behind him at the teenager he knew was in the room but had not registered on his senses who he was. Frankie said. “Ace this is Clint.”
Clint nodded his head, Ace frowned. “Clint are you Hayden’s brother?” The boy nodded and ducked his head. “Yeah I am.”
Frankie moved a little away as Clint moved forward to take her place. He asked softly. “Do you know if he is alright?”
Ace placed his big hand on the boy’s shoulder tipping his head up so he could look into his eyes and Clint surprised himself by meeting the green eyes of one of the fiercest dragons in the world who told him. “He is doing well, his consultations with Master Patrycc will be completed shortly. He will be home soon, and Clint he misses you very much. Now why did you not come and see me when I first arrived back?”
Clint shook his head. “You were very busy and I...”
“No! Clint I would have spoken to you before now. If I had known you were here. Where are you staying?”
“In the singles male’s dorm.”
“I do not like the sound of that. Frankie?”
“Yes Ace.”
“I would appreciate it, if you could find someone to supervise him moving into my place whether he knows it or not he is family.”
Charlie came over just as he finished speaking, she eyed the large dragon suspiciously. “Clint are you okay?”
“I am Charlie, I am to move into Commander Battle’s apartment.”
Charlie’s face tightened as she demanded. “Why?”
“He is family and living at the single males’ quarters.” Ace said mildly with a tinge of amusement.
Annoyed Charlie asked. “Well! Why didn’t I know, you could have moved in with us?”
Clint and Frankie laughed at her. “What?” She asked annoyance coloring her words. “I do not understand the humor.”
“We just wondered where you would have put him?” asked Frankie.
“Well there is that.” Charlie agreed with a scowl.
“Come on Clint, let’s get you moved, we have time before lunch.” Frankie told him as Clint beamed a smile that almost broke his face. “Umm sir?”
“It is Ace. You call me Ace.” he told him “And no thanks needed.” Clint nodded as Frankie dragged him from Ace leaving him with Charlie. He raised a soot colored eyebrow over amazing green eyes at her that sent a shiver of awareness down Charlie’s back. Charlie said. “So I was told, you met my sister?”
“I did yes. I am guessing you know who she is to me.”
“Yes I could tell from what Reighn said and how Frankie acted, that female cannot fabricate to save herself.”
“She advised me you already knew. Her words were, you know everything!”
“That is true! So were you going to mention it today with the family here, sort of tell the older sister so she will not kill me in front of them?”
He laughed, a rusty unused sound emerged that had Charlie’s ire softening. “Well! I have been told you love guns and to beware. I figured you would not risk a stray bullet.”
“I never have stray bullets.” She told him seriously.
Ace inclined his head in acknowledgment of her statement. “Or maybe it could have been that I saw an intelligent, understanding and loving sister and thought to myself, I wonder will she help me win her sister because I swear I will love and protect her for a lifetime and longer.” He stated in his deep toe curling voice. She had thought the other Battle brothers were handsome and charming, they were nothing on this one, and Harper was done for!
Charlie nodded as she cleared the emotion from her throat. “Well okay, Harper and I have just reconnected but I will help you all I can. Harper is not at all like any of the females here, she is sensitive...”
There was a choked off snort from behind them as Storm arrived his arm automatically going around her. Charlie harrumphed and asked her shadow. “You wanted to say something?”
Storm grinned at her and Ace as he told her. “She was threatening him with her knives at their first meeting and he was in dragon form.”
Charlie hid her grin and dismay as she answered. “Seriously, that does not mean she is not sensitive.”
“I think it does and slightly crazy!” Said Sage
as she arrived with Claire who said. “She is not crazy, just wounded.” She looked at Ace. “So you have found her then?”
He bowed his head to Claire, who so long ago had told him his shadow would come to him. “I did and thank you. Your Prophesy in my darkest of times gave me hope.” Claire smiled and she too inclined her head. “Good, I hoped it would.”
Reighn eyed Ace and Charlie but before he could comment a voice said. “I like her, she is all soul, you Ace should look at her work before you make a decision on the type of person she is.” Edith said from behind them all, they turned to see she was standing with Sharm.
“Art!” She told them. “Shows everything about the artist, in my opinion it is the purest expression of truth. Harper is all about truth in her emotions, Charlie is right. Harper is very sensitive!”
“Do you have any on display?” He asked knowing Edith owned the gallery. She grinned with glee. “Yep! Harper placed some for show and for sale. Come in tomorrow and explore the wonderful world of Harper.” As Edith turned away she said to Charlie. “You should come see what your sister shows of herself, you may be surprised.”
Charlie looked at Ace. “Well?”
“Tomorrow at nine.”
“Okay.”
Reighn said. “Well seeing as we are all in agreement with Ace being Harper’s Shadow, who tells Harper?”
CHAPTER TWELVE:
A ce wrestled with his thoughts as he wandered around the outside of the castle. A week had passed since he and Charlie spoke together about Harper being his shadow.
Since Clint moved in they often shared meals together although Ace found he liked the young male he was quite different to his brother Hayden, quieter more introspective, he would make a great healer. Ace’s dragon agreed with him.
Having spent the last few days training and being with his brothers, both Ark and Axl who were glad he was home. Also Ace could tell Ash was pleased when he had thrust a hatchling into his arms and taught him how to give him his bottle properly. It was Ash’s way of telling him he was loved.
Ace met and become entranced with Olinda, a soft sweet natured female with a rod of steel for a spine. He intensely listened as Ash told him of Olinda’s life before Dragon’s Gap and had been amazed that she miraculously survived. He laughed when he found out Ash was now a Prince to the local Unicorn Blessing. Ash had not been amused at his mirth they ended up wrestling on the lounge floor much to Olinda’s amusement it felt like old times. Every day he and his dragon were glad to be home.