Primal Ice: Paranormal Fantasy (Ice Dragons Book 3)
Page 27
“Angus Shea, though you likely know that.”
“Yes, I do. I killed a mage, who fancied herself a dragon shifter.” Eletea’s eyes whirled faster, as if she dared Angus to say something.
He crinkled his forehead as he dredged up what he knew about dragon shifters. “Don’t mages take their chances when they show up seeking a dragon to pair with?”
She nodded once, sharply. “The mage seduced one of us into believing her. I saved him by killing her, but he turned on me. Reported me to the Dragons’ Council, and they roped the Celts into deciding my fate, since the one I killed had Celtic blood.” Eletea’s scales rippled in the dragon equivalent of a shrug. “I don’t understand why they’re bothering. It’s not like I went after one of the gods. They’re immortal. The one all the fuss is over barely qualified as a Celt.”
Angus kept his expression neutral. “Celtic blood aside, I thought mages only bonded with same sex dragons.”
“That was another problem,” Eletea said, sounding vindicated. “No one saw it but me, though.”
Sensing the worst was out on the table, Angus settled on a nearby rock and invited, “Start at the beginning. We have time.”
“No, we don’t,” Eletea protested. “We should’ve been at Fire Mountain yesterday.” She hung her head. “I didn’t know what I wanted to do, so I flew and flew and flew. I almost didn’t land this afternoon.”
Angus did his best to project optimism. “Let’s open a time-travel portal and be on our way to Fire Mountain.” At the dragon’s reluctant nod, he went on. “I understand you have your own ways of returning home, but if you travel with me, you can fill me in as we go.”
What he didn’t say was it probably wouldn’t matter when they arrived at the dragons’ home world. First Borns wouldn’t give them the time of day, whether they showed up early, late, or right on time. He held many concerns, such as what would a First Born do, assuming they could locate one? But he held those cares inside for now.
He could’ve dreamed the future. Instead, he summoned a spell to take them to a time-traveling portal. Once the undulating gray-pink tube admitted them, he gradually paid out questions.
Reticent and quiet at first, Eletea finally began to talk.