"Um, yeah," Blaise said in an irritated tone. "Why does he get that favoritism? You'd lay me out cold for it."
Illarion cut another malicious glare at Seraphina before he answered Blaise's question. Before you were born, Blaise, I was the one who found Max after her tribe all but gelded and skinned him alive. They had him muzzled with a metriazo collar that restricted his ability to use his magick in any way. He couldn't even transform to heal himself. Had I not found him when I did, he would have died. I doubt he'd have made it through another three hours in the condition he was in.
Blaise sucked his breath in sharply at what that meant as Seraphina closed her eyes in sympathetic pain and horror.
Giving her no reprieve from his wrath and hatred, Illarion circled her. Had an enemy found him, he'd have been gutted and tortured even more. I don't say worse, because no one could have done him worse harm.
"Enough," she breathed.
But he refused to take mercy on her. They'd even clipped his wings to ground him.
"Stop!" Max snarled.
Now even Blaise glared at her.
Maxis broke between his brothers to approach her. True to his damnable Arel blood, he gently lifted her chin until she met his haunted gaze. "My wings grew back together."
After two hundred years, Illarion reminded him. Leaving you at the mercy of enemies you couldn't escape until you could fly again.
He glanced over his shoulder toward Illarion. "It taught me to be a stronger fighter. Now leave it. This isn't about me or the past. It's about my dragonets and their survival today."
Illarion moved to stand at Maxis's back. He placed his hand on his brother's shoulder. You are the only parent I've ever known. And you're my best friend. I will not let you fight alone.
Blaise nodded. "Three dragons are better than one."
Scoffing, Max dropped his hand from Seraphina's face. "Two dragons and a mandrake."
"How exactly are you a mandrake and related to them?" she asked.
Blaise sighed wearily. "My father was the leader of the mandrakes under King Uther Pendragon. When I was born looking like this--" He held his hands out to show off his features that clearly betrayed his albinism. "--our demonic mother decided she had no use for her special mandrake son. She handed me over to my father, who then took me out to the woods and left me to die."
"I'm sorry."
He shrugged at Sera's sympathy. "Don't be. Got over it. And given my mother's wonderful personality, and my father's oh-so-kind temperament, prefer it to having been kept by either of them. Normally, I just tell folks I know nothing of my parents and leave it at that. It's easier than dealing with their pity over something that really doesn't affect me."
Like him and Maxis. It'd never bothered them, either, that their mother had abandoned her nests and left them to either die, or survive on their own. It was the way of their species.
Tears gathered in Sera's eyes as she stared up at Max. "Gods, I thought this would be easier to do."
"What?"
"Consign you to death. Again." Seraphina bit her lip as she glanced between them. "I don't know what to do, Maxis. Even though they can't use the hearts of our children for the spell they have, Nala will gut them if I fail to deliver the Dragonbane's heart to her."
Why him? Illarion asked.
She shrugged. "The spell they have requires the heart of the father of our race. The firstborn Apollite-dragon who drew first blood."
The Dragonbane.
Max met Illarion's gaze and knew the secret the two of them had shared for five thousand years. They weren't just bound by their mother's blood. They'd been bound by one prince's and pantheon's savage cruelty.
Blaise cleared his throat. "You know ... having been raised around the queen bitch of the fey folk and watching the nasty shit she's pulled on everyone ... The backstabbing. The lies. Half-truths, et cetera, I just have to ask one simple question.... Has anyone bothered to find out what this spell will actually do once it's cast?"
Max laughed bitterly. "I have a really good idea since they have Hadyn's Emerald Tablet."
Blaise's eyes bugged at the mention of that. "Combine that with what you guard--"
And your heart, Illarion finished.
"Bishhhh!" Blaise made the sound of an explosion as he flung his hands out.
Seraphina scowled. "I don't quite understand what you're saying."
Max locked gazes with her. "They're not just planning on destroying this Daimon leader, Stryker. They're planning on releasing the Atlantean Destroyer, reuniting the gods of Chaos, and reestablishing the old order."
Blaise nodded. "If they succeed in this, honey, it ain't just your kids they'll kill. It's every creature who has an ounce of light energy in them."
Illarion let out a silent sigh. Which means all of us and everyone we love, and a few we're not that fond of, either.
23
Off to the side while they stood in a group in the main room of Sanctuary, Maxis locked gazes with Seraphina. "I might be able to find the kids. But it will require my mate to trust me and do something that's repugnant to her."
Her eyes widened at that. "What?"
Knowing the exact stupidity his brother had in mind, Illarion took his arm and vigorously shook his head no.
Maxis ignored him. "It'll be fine."
Illarion rolled his eyes and mouthed a silent curse.
Blaise burst out laughing, then stopped as he realized the rest of them weren't in on their private conversation. Clearing his throat, he slinked off to a corner to examine a spot on the wall, even though he was blind.
Seraphina scowled. "What's going on?"
Max hesitated as he swept his gaze around everyone gathered there. This motley hodgepodge was his family and he didn't want to risk losing any of them. "I can track the children."
Illarion growled, knowing just how stupid it would be.
"There's no way," Sera said affirmatively. "They have them shielded. If it was possible, I would have done it already."
"I can find them." His tone held absolute resolve.
Her doubting expression was comical. But then she'd always underestimated his brother's abilities. Most creatures, to their detriment, did. "How?"
"If you'll trust me. Completely. I can do it."
Fang cocked his head as if he now understood what was going on. "You're part Oneroi?"
Illarion snorted at the assumption that Max was one of the gods who raided human dreams so that they could siphon off emotions.
"Don't insult me. I'm not Greek. I was captured and dragged to Arcadia. It was never my homeland."
Fang's jaw dropped. "Seriously?"
Illarion nodded. While I'm a son of Ares, we're related only through our mother. Max is a lot older. His powers much stronger and more akin to those of the gods than a typical Were-Hunter.
Even the Arcadian bear Dev Peltier was awed. "So what are you, then?"
"Xarunese."
"Bless you," Dev said drily. "You need a Kleenex? Benadryl?"
Max sighed heavily at the bear's fucked-up sense of humor. "Land of Xarun. Much like Atlantis, the gods took issue with it. What little remains sits at the bottom of the Black Sea. I'm one of the very few who survived the sinking."
"Ouch."
Max inclined his head to Kyle Peltier for his verbalizing the pain of that particular nightmare.
"So wait a minute." Dev cocked his head as if he just realized what Max was telling them. "You're not Greek or Apollite ... how exactly are you Katagari?"
Carson Whitethunder, the hawk who was also their resident vet and doctor, passed a smirk to Dev. He and Aimee were the only two creatures here who had ever seen the mark that was branded on Max's thigh. And only because they had treated his injuries. Aimee when Max had first arrived one heartbeat from death, and Carson decades later after a couple of their grittier confrontations with enemies who'd tried over the years to destroy the Peltier family. "Haven't you ever wondered why, in over a hundred years of living here, Ma
Dev snorted. "We're all freaks here. I don't judge."
Max glanced to Seraphina as he remembered the less than pleasant way she'd handled the news when she'd first learned what that mark was. Why he bore it.
He'd never intended for anyone here to learn about it. But it was time to come clean.
"Remember that you're all bound by the Omegrion laws. None of you can attack me on Sanctuary grounds."
"Sheez, boy," Dev groused. "What are you? The Dragonbane, or something?"
Max inclined his head to him, and as soon as he did, it sucked every bit of oxygen from the room. Half the shapeshifters around him took a step back, as if terrified being near him would taint them.
All humor and friendliness evaporated from Dev's eyes as he gaped. "Are you shitting me? You're the sole reason for the war between the Katagaria and the Arcadians?"
Illarion stepped between them. It's not that simple, Dev. Calm down.
Dev curled his lip. "Not that simple, my ass. You murdered Lycaon's heir in cold blood and started this bloodbath between our people, and you're telling me it's not that simple?"
Max had that same sick look on his face he got any time someone saw his mark and recognized it.
He was the most hated among his people.
No, not his people.
They were Greeks and Apollites.
He wasn't. He'd never really been one of them. Forever a hated outsider. An interloper who'd been mistaken for them since the day Dagon had captured them and mixed them in with their ancestors.
"Enough!" Fang shouted, holding his hands up to get the others to settle down. "We'll deal with the Dragonbane issue after this is over. Right now, we need to focus on getting Max's kids away from the gallu demons before they convert them into zombies. Regardless of anything else, they're innocent in this."
His eyes haunted, Max held his hand out toward Seraphina.
"I trust you, Lord Dragon. Lead me to your lair."
Illarion and Blaise followed Max and Seraphina to the huge attic where Maxis made his home. His brother used his powers to light four huge iron candle stands. The light flickered and merged with the rays of the dawning sun to cast their shadows against the wall.
Blaise closed the door.
Sighing, Sera met Blaise's blank stare. "Illarion doesn't think much of me, does he?"
"I'm trying to remain impartial, but if one-quarter of what Illy is saying right now to Max about you is true ... Do your people really make jewelry from the tusks, scales, and bones of dragons?"
Heat crept over her face. "We don't hunt mandrakes."
"From what I'm hearing, you don't know. Your people don't exactly bother to find out if they're hunting Katagaria or not. You basically kill indiscriminately and go after any large serpent that isn't Arcadian."
"Stop, Blaise," Maxis said in a gentle tone. "She's not to blame in this."
No. We are, you and I. I curse the day I ever let you talk me into saving their kind. Illarion raked her with a chilling stare. We should have let the gods have them all.
"Enough, Illarion. I have to focus."
Illarion threw his hands up. Fine. Let's see how she handles this. After all, she never bothered to ask you anything about what you really are. Where you came from. How you were dragged into her world to become part of it. The three years you lived with her, she never once cared enough to learn.
Maxis growled at his brother. "Stay out of my head and thoughts.... I swear, I should have eaten your egg instead of nesting it."
Seraphina arched her brow at that. "You nested him?"
"Sadly, yes, and I did a piss-poor job of it, too. As you can see."
Illarion rolled his eyes.
Blaise laughed. "Max attempted to nest all of his siblings. At least those of us he could find. Once a year while she lived, he'd journey to where our mother placed her eggs and collect them so that they wouldn't have to hatch alone, and flounder for survival."
Max taught us the Bane-Cry to clear our lungs and so that no matter how far apart we were, we could always call out to each other for help, should we need it. And while the rest of our siblings might not respond, Max would always come to us if he was physically able to do so.
"Neither here nor there," Max said, passing an annoyed grimace at each brother in turn. He led her toward a large area of the attic that was curtained off.
Illarion shook his head as he caught the look of reservation on Sera's face. This is a bad idea.
Sighing heavily, Maxis passed an aggravated stare at his brother before he took her hand and pulled her inside the curtained-off area. "I know that you've never seen me as anything more than an animal, and I'm well aware of what you think of my species. Just remember this is for your children and hold that thought tight. Don't worry. We both know the grisly truth. I am an animal. Hatched and spawned." He stepped back. "Blaise? Can you hold her for a minute? I'm not sure how she'll react to this."
When Max shifted, she all but screamed. Not that Illarion blamed her.
Even as spacious as the attic was, Maxis had to crouch low and could barely move about. He completely filled the area. For that matter, he couldn't turn around. Rather, he had to back himself against the wall where she assumed he slept.
Like him, his brother was a huge bastard.
"You okay?" Blaise rubbed her arm for comfort.
Swallowing hard, she nodded. "It's just been a long time since I was this close to a living dragon. And never one that wasn't trying to kill me."
Maxis's iridescent scales glimmered like jewels in the dim light. And as he moved, Illarion saw on his wings the vicious scarring Nala and her Amazon tribe had left behind. How he could still love Sera, he had no idea.
But that wasn't any of his business.
Max rolled slightly so that she could settle comfortably in the shelter of his arms. One talon was almost the size of her entire body.
"How did you ever get captured by Dagon?"
Max came to help me, when Dagon had me trapped. Fury darkened Illarion's eyes. My powers bound so that I couldn't fight or protect myself.
It wasn't your fault I flew in blindly, Illy.
Because I called in a panic and you were too worried to be cautious.
Max sighed. It doesn't matter. I don't really need a reason to be stupid. Can find plenty of reasons to partake of that particular vice on my own.
Illarion snorted as he and Blaise moved forward to help settle Sera against him.
Blaise stepped back. "I'll keep guard at the door to make sure no one disturbs you."
"Thank you." Sera was rigid in his arms.
Illarion moved to the curtains. I'll wait to join you.
"What do you mean, join us?"
He smiled, but didn't answer before he closed the curtains and left them alone.
She turned her face toward Max. "What did he mean?"
Nothing. Close your eyes and think of our little ones. Imagine being with them and let your thoughts stay with them. Whatever happens, don't let anything or anyone distract you.
"Maxis?"
Illarion froze at the strange sound of Sera's voice. Rushing back toward Max's sleeping area, a bad feeling went through him. He flung the curtain wide to see his brother gone and Sera scowling. What happened?
"I don't know." Looking sick and weak, she wiped at her neck to find the smallest trace of blood there. "He drank from me?"
Illarion felt the color drain from his features. What?
She showed him her bloodstained hand. "He bit me ... bit me!" she emphasized, gesturing toward her neck, "and then I woke up here. Why?"
Blaise came rushing up behind Illarion. "What's going on?"
Disgusted and pissed, Illarion let out a deep, guttural growl. Max just took her blood so that he could track their dragonets on his own, then sent her back here without him.
Cursing, Blaise ground his teeth. "Why would he do that? We had a plan! A fairly, almost decent one ... That could have almost worked. Maybe, in the right light and with good timing. Why would he alter it?"
Because this was his plan, all along. To face them without putting any of us in danger. The stupid bastard plans to battle them alone. 'Cause he's an effing idiot! I knew better than to trust him. I knew it! He shook his head. Why did I ever trust him?
Horrified, Seraphina pushed herself to her feet. "We can't let him do that! One bite. One scratch and he'll become a gallu!"
Illarion laughed bitterly at her concern. That's not our worst fear.
"How in the name of the gods is that not our worst fear? Barring his death, that is."
Illarion sobered as he faced her with a dry, cutting glare. You really, truly don't know anything about my brother, do you?
24
Illarion turned at the bright flash, expecting to find Maxis there. Instead, it was two dragonets.
Shrieking in relief, Seraphina ran to them and grabbed them into a tight embrace. The boy immediately let out a verbal protest that she was hurting him.
"It's all right, Mama," he breathed as he rested his chin against the top of her head. Like Max, he towered over her. "We're fine. It's all good."
Illarion wasn't sure about that. The boy was covered in blood and bruises. His homespun clothes torn and filthy.
Her breathing ragged, Seraphina pulled back to examine the girl. Like her brother's, her tunic and breeches were torn and covered with filth and blood.
"Hadyn kept them from me," the girl assured her quickly, as if she could read her mother's thoughts.
"Barely." He staggered back and collapsed to sit cross-legged on the floor. Hard. Raking a hand through his short auburn hair, he let out an exhausted breath, then winced as he grazed his knuckles against his bruised cheek. He glanced up at her with an adorable frown that was identical to one Max had used. "Where are we?"
Seraphina didn't answer his raspy question as she stepped over his legs and glanced around, looking for Maxis to join them. He should have been here by now. "Where's your father?"
"I knew that was him!" The girl smacked at her brother, who grimaced and shoved lightly at her so that she wouldn't hit his shoulder again. "Told you!"
"No you didn't."
Ignoring his ire, she met Seraphina's gaze with sadness in her eyes. "They attacked him and he sent us here while he fought them. I don't think he was able to follow."
Blaise cursed and so did Illarion.
-->