by L M Lacee
He hesitated in his step as he saw her and as soon as Molly saw her mother she screamed. “MAMA, MAMAAA!”
Sage’s head whipped around and she reached for her daughter who disappeared from Reighn’s arms and appeared in hers. Impressive! His dragon said as he sat up and made a noise that Reighn had never heard before, it was half purr, half growl.
Reighn was so shocked by the display of his dragon that he came to an abrupt halt. He let his eyes travel over the female finally coming to rest on her face. She was not dragon beautiful but she was lovely in the way of shifters. And her eyes, he had never seen that shade of blue before and as he watched they seemed to glimmer back to a soft blue.
Delightfully beautiful! His dragon crooned.
Reighn mentally stumbled with amazement, after a thousand years of searching they had finally unbelievably found, their Soul Shadow. The one person in the universe that completed him and his dragon, the other half of their soul. MINE! Roared his dragon almost dropping Reighn to his knees.
Sage hugged Molly as her daughter cried her distress out on her shoulder. Power coated her body and Sage’s anger resurfaced, vocal chords strained by channeling power turned her voice husky as she asked Reighn. “Who are you and why did you have my daughter?”
Reighn bowed his head slightly, never taking his eyes from hers. “My name is Reighn Kingsley. I am the Dragon Lord. I found your hatchling in a… room under the castle.” He changed the word from cell to room at the last second. Reasoning as he saw her power spark, that it would be safer for all there, if he did not call it what it was. Wise choice! His dragon counseled.
He took a step back and asked. “Who do I have the honor of addressing?”
Sage grinned, the first glimmer of humor she had felt since Grace had told her Molly, her baby girl had been taken. The phrasing of his request amused her, and she was no fool, her baby girl had been in a cell. This dragon was wise, she almost laughed outright when she thought of his words. Honor indeed!
She had nearly shaken the castle to pieces to get her daughter back and would have torn it down stone by stone to accomplish that. Looking him over she had a feeling he understood that. “I am Sage Harris and this is my daughter Molly. Thank you for bringing her to me.”
Reighn turned a little as he asked. “It was my pleasure, although the question remains. How and why was she here, does it not?”
Sage raised an eyebrow, an expression he took to say. Duh!
He asked her. “Why do you think Ismathe is responsible for your daughter being taken?”
Molly was finally quieting, her eyes slowly closing but her hands still held tightly to her mother, as Sage soothed her hand over her little back in comfort. “Ismathe came to me a week or so ago, asking me to go on a search. I explained that period of my life was over. Then later that same day her parents came and tried to commission me to go on the same search. I said no again. I did ask them if it was life or death, they said no.” She thought she should clarify that point, just in case he thought she was heartless. She did not want him to think that she would leave someone stranded that desperately needed her help.
“Two days later Ismathe came and asked again but by this time I will admit I was annoyed and was not as polite as I had been. I told her I no longer did that as I had young ones. Plus the Goddess had released me from that life.”
What did this female know of Goddesses, was that why she was so powerful? Reighn wondered, and he would admit he was intrigued by her answer and although he wanted to pursue that line of questioning he let it go and murmured instead.
“What was so vital that they would ask so many times?”
Sage decided he was no longer talking to her and stayed mute, snapping around Reighn demanded. “Ismathe, did you have the child removed from her mother?”
As she hesitated, he saw the lie forming and clenched his hand. Ismathe grabbed for her throat struggling against the invisible hands cutting off her air supply while she was raised from the floor. Her parent’s cries of distress and outrage sounded in the hushed room.
Reighn looked at the she dragon and calmly said. “I will not ask again?” He dropped her back onto her feet where she gasped for air and as she saw his hand start to clench again she screamed. “Yes...Yes! I had the brat removed!”
Reighn growled one word. “Why?”
Ismathe rubbed her throat as she angrily explained. “I needed her to find a hatchling from a wild one for me. She refused me and then she refused my parents. No matter how much we offered her.” When she realized the room of people were looking at her, judging her. She barely restrained herself from screaming again, instead she sulkily said. “What are you looking at everyone has one. I wanted one too.”
She stabbed her finger at Sage. “She refused because of her spawn. I knew if I took one, she would do as I wanted if she wanted to get it back. I didn’t harm it.” She stamped her foot. “She should have just complied with my order. None of this would have happened if she had. It is not my fault she is too stupid to understand who I am. The shifter should have done what I wanted her too, it’s all that bitches fault.”
A collective gasp filled the air from all the females in the room. Her own parents lowered their eyes as her vile words seemed to hang in the very air around them. Reighn looked over and found his Dam’s eyes filled with revulsion staring at Ismathe. He then flicked his eyes back towards the she dragon in time to see her eyes shoot hatred towards Sage. His eyes hardened with disgust as he looked at her and by their own volition his eyes moved back to his silent shadow. Only to find her amazing blue eyes looking at him.
Sage was not surprised by the female’s outburst, with power and anger still cloaking her she shrugged and stared at the Dragon Lord saying. “She did not do this on her own. I will trust that you Lord of all dragons, will seek out the ones that helped her and how they managed to do so. I assume you have a punishment that will meet the crime.” The implied threat that if he did not, she did filled the space separating them. Startled Reighn bowed his head as he asked. “You would trust me to see to this?”
Sage felt his voice settle into her soul causing her heart to beat with the feeling of rightness as it sighed throughout her body. MATE! She sent her next words straight to his mind.
I do not know what happens with dragons when they find their mate. But one of the first things a shifter knows when their mate is presented to them, is truth. The truth that this person is for them only. The rest comes later. Yes, I will trust you.
Reighn's voice drifted softy through her mind as he answered. Soul Shadow is what you are. My Soul Shadow.
She nodded to him in acknowledgment, as she asked. Why soul shadow?
Our souls join and shadow each other’s. We become as one.
Oh my! Now that is just plain beautiful! Her eyes softened as she looked at Reighn. Then hardened again when she turned towards Ismathe and said. “I know you think because I and mine are shifters. And you are dragon and female that what you did here today will go unpunished, but you are wrong. We live at the beginning of a whole new era, and you broke a basic covenant of Dragon's Gap. You took my child. You may think that is of no great import, as my daughter is only a shifter. In that you would be wrong.
A theft of any child, be they a shifter, human or hatchling is a momentous crime anywhere. But especially for the people of Dragon’s Gap. If we as parents cannot know our young are safe here. Where will they be safe? I tell you now dragon. There is no going back from what you brought on yourself today. All will know, and you will feel their wrath!”
Ismathe paled at the threat. Sage’s eyes turned a deeper blue and became like chips of ice as she said in a voice devoid of emotion. “If you think it will do you any good to run, then do so!” She smiled and Ismathe was positive she saw something otherworldly in those cold blue eyes. “Just remember this Ismathe. You came to me to do a hunt for you, because I am that good. So run and hide if you dare!”
Then she gave a polite nod to the people i
n the room and lifted her eyebrows at Reighn. With her daughter clutched in her arms, she walked out. Silence met her exit, Reighn watched her go, while his dragon paced within his mind. We go with her. We cannot leave Shadow and hatchling alone. We must go to protect now!
Reighn told him. Patience my friend, all is well. Our Shadow knows who she is to us. She will not leave us now. We must make sure that the ones who took our hatchling from our Shadow are punished. So they will not do it again.
His dragon moved restlessly. I will rip them apart and stomp on them. They hurt and frightened my hatchling, and made hatchling cry. They must pay with death.
Reighn grinned at his dragon. You are very blood thirsty all of a sudden.
I never have a shadow and hatchling to protect before.
True we did not! Reighn replied. He looked over at the people in the room. His eyes finally landing on the pale female. Ismathe started speaking fear adding volume to her voice forgetting who it was she spoke to she screeched. “Did you hear her? She threatened me? I am of the royal line and must be protected. It is your duty to protect me.”
“Duty!” Reighn snarled with his dragon lending depth to his voice. “To protect you? Tell me Ismathe how am I to do that…how am I to protect you from your own stupidity?” He looked at the female with disdain as she moved closer to him, finally he stated. “I will no longer protect you or any dragon from your own actions, you brought this on yourself. Let us hope my Prime, and second find all your accomplices before the remarkable Sage Harris does, or the parents of Dragon’s Gap. I think our justice may be kinder.”
His tone suggested it would not be. He made to step past her, contempt in every line of his body. Ismathe reached for his arm and halted when she felt the blade of a sword at her throat. She took a small step back away from the blade which moved with her but no longer touched her skin. Swallowing she hissed. “You dare! I will have your wings for that. I am of a royal line. GUARDS!” She screamed when Stanvis did not lower his sword immediately. He told her coldly. “It makes no difference who you are. No one touches our Lord without his permission!”
The guards who had only just started to come around looked from Ismathe to the Dragon Lord, who signaled them to stand down. Reighn laid a hand on his second, Stanvis’s arm, lowering the sword as he stated. “Oh Ismathe did I forget to tell you, as of this morning you and your family have no royal standing.”
A surprised rumble washed through the gathered crowd. Not in five thousand years had a royal been stripped of their title, and nearly ten thousand years since the whole family was included. This would mean that the family named would lose everything, their estates and their businesses. Most of all their place in the noble society, they would be ostracized by the same peers they held in esteem. And for the nobles the worse thing of all would be the termination of their rights to the Royal Treasury.
Reighn ignored the outraged gasps and gathered his Dam to his side, with his arm around her waist. He softly said. “Come Mama. I have someone for you to meet.”
Her eyes met his seeing the anger barely hidden in their depths, before she could reply Ismathe screamed and dramatically dropped to the floor. “No...No! You cannot do this?”
Her mother and father rushed to her side dragging her from the floor and cradling her in their arms as she wailed her displeasure. Reighn noticed her two brothers Crewe, and Hoyte did not move to her side or the side of their parents. Stan re-sheathed his sword as shock covered every face in the room, even Reighn’s own mother gasped in surprise.
“You cannot do this?” Cried Mona Norman as Eric Norman stated almost by rote. “Only when a royal has been harmed by another royal, can you rescind their title and privileges.”
Another dragon broke through the crowd. Lars and Stan tensed as he came closer but wisely he stopped when he realized he was placing himself in reach of a sword. Reighn recognized him as a friend of Eric Norman’s. Councilor Tomas who in his brash voice stated. “Eric is correct, only in the instance of a sovereign being harmed may the family be included in the punishment.” He looked around at the others in the room. A smug expression on his face as he looked Reighn up and down with a sneer in his voice when he appealed to the dragons. “I see no sovereign here that was harmed. Do you?”
Several people, Reighn’s mother included moved restlessly at the disrespectful attitude of the councilor. Lars and Stanvis’s hands clenched in anger. Reighn raised an eyebrow as his dragon lent power to his voice and he thundered.
“You think to question me. Your, Dragon Lord?”
Flames erupted above the heads of the people in the room as every dragon held still in shock. The scent of their fear enveloped Reighn and fed his dragon’s wrath as he held the peoples gazes. “This is not a democracy, do not let the changing times and the world you find yourselves in. Give you the impression that I am anything other than your Lord and my word is still Law!”
He looked at Ismathe and her parents as his dragon released control of his voice. “Be thankful I did not banish you for what you did. To remove a hatchling from her Dam steps over any line of decently. When a parent cannot feel that their young are not safe here. How can we hope to attract a shadow?’
Both females swayed at the mention of banishment Reighn watched the male who had questioned his authority try to move away. “Stay!”
Councilor Tomas halted his progress not willingly, but with Reighn’s dragon infusing the calmly spoken words with power. His dragon instantly obeyed his Lord and refused to move.
Reighn addressed the Norman family again. “Leave the castle. You have until the end of today to vacate your properties and hand over your holdings. My second Stanvis will gather a team of dragons of his choosing and will oversee your departure from your homes. You have exhausted my patience. So do not doubt my orders, or you will suffer. My wrath!”
Once the crying from the two females had quietened, he nodded to Stanvis and the guards surrounding them. Sending a final dismissal to the family. “See to my orders second.”
“Yes my Lord Reighn.”
“Where are we to go?” Mona Norman whined. Reighn shrugged massive shoulders. “As to that Madam, I do not care. Look to your Shadow for your answers. NOW LEAVE!”
His dragon bellowed at the end of his patience with these people. Silence ensued as Stanvis and the guards led the weeping family from the room, just as the Norman brothers turned to go, Reighn called. “Hunters Crewe and Hoyte to me!”
The two dragons walked to him and bowed together saying. “Yes my Lord.”
“When did you arrive back?”
Both males had been to Europe scouring the lands with a contingent of Hunters searching for traces of wild dragons who had been reportedly seen on the continent. Crewe answered for them both. “My Lord, we were relieved three days ago and arrived back early this morning. We were on our way to report in with Prime Lars when the castle started to shake.”
Reighn looked at Lars as he confirmed their report. “That is right my Lord, they only just got here when Lady Harris arrived.”
Reighn eyed the young males, five hundred years was still considered young for dragon kind. “So dragons did you have knowledge of your sisters plans?”
The brothers looked at each other and hung their heads knowing through no fault of their own they would be cast out of the Hunters. Because of their family’s dishonor. Shame etched their faces as Hoyte swore. “No my Lord we did not and if we had, we would have informed Prime Lars or Second Stanvis.”
Crewe shook his head. “Or we would have taken care of it ourselves.”
“By telling your parents?” Reighn’s mother asked. Both Hunters shook their heads, sorrow replacing shame. Hoyte explained. “No Lady Verity that we would not have done. Ismathe does nothing without the consent of her Sire and Dam. She is the jewel in their crown.” They looked at each other, gulped audibly and softly recited. “She is to be the Lord’s Shadow!”
Reighn’s mother gasped. “They dared?”
&nb
sp; Reighn frowned as he said. “I think you will find they dared much.”
The brothers nodded their heads earnestly as Hoyte once more stated. “My Lord, we never thought their talk was anything but dreams and imaginings. That is why we asked to join the Hunters as soon as we reached maturity.”
Crewe added. “My Lord, we hope you will believe us when I say that if Hoyte and I had thought there was anything more than talk. We would have reported it to you or Prime Lars.”
Reighn let his dragon look out at the young males before him. Young but solid! Was his pronouncement. Reighn sighed as he assured the brothers. “My Prime and I have no reason to disbelieve you, and I know you do not agree with what has taken place today?”
Hoyte told them. “We do not. My Lord another reason we wished to see the Prime was to start proceedings to disavow our family and our family name.”
Reighn’s Dam said quietly. “That is a big decision to make. Letting go of your family name and what that represents.”
“Yes my Lady, but in truth, this family name represents betrayal and treason.”
Reighn asked the two brothers. “So you would be willing to forfeit the right to your family estates and share of the treasury.” Before they could answer he held his hand up. “If so. I will replace your name with one of your choosing or mine and bestow titles of your own on you both.”
Hoyte answered for them both. “Yes, we are. Thank you my Lord but we are happy to gain our titles and any rewards ourselves.”
Crewe also assured him. “We need no more and if it is alright with you my Lord. We would be honored to take the name of our Dams Sire. Evinstride he was an honorable Shield and we aspire to be like him.”
Reighn smiled as he clasped each of their arms in a warriors salute. “So be it, he was a loyal and worthy dragon. I am sure he would be proud that his name lives on. Lars will you see to it please?”