Wish had just hooked up to the wagon and had started the engines underneath it to ease carrying and keeping the attachment afloat so that it didn't drag them down during the long flight. The invisibility cloak was nearby, hidden in a cupboard so that none of the men would wonder why it was out.
The technology for the invisibility cloak was expensive, and they kept the cloaks under lock and key. But as one of the people who organized inventory, Wish had access to it and felt guilty taking it without filling out the correct forms and asking permission, hoping Drayce would forgive her when this was all over.
Satin and Thistle walked in and saw the wagon attached to Orchid. “That's a nice little set up there, when did you make this?"
"I've had it for a while. We used to use it with young hatchlings years ago when we started the breeding program here, just to give them a taste of flying before they were able to fly on their own. It hasn't been used for a while, and I know part of the planning process has been to bring something to carry the hatchlings and eggs back from the Zelora.”
The door slammed behind them, and all three women jumped.
Drayce’s eyebrows furrowed, and he stopped mid-step. "Why are you all looking so guilty? Is there something I need to know about? I don't want any surprises or any trouble from you women, do you hear me?"
Satin spoke first, "No, no, nothing's wrong we're just talking.” She turned, looking at the women for confirmation, hoping that they would leap into the agreement. “We were just discussing how Thistle’s going to make some more Grokiorica cream, and we were helping wish attach the wagon to Orchid.”
Drayce looked at them funny, tilting his head, and stared with his eyes narrowed at his wife. “You all better be telling me the truth. I don't like surprises. You remember that right, Satin, you've learned that lesson — painfully if I remember correctly. You'll tell me the truth, right girl?"
“Yes, Sir. I’m not telling any lies. We’re helping Wish put the wagon on. Right girls? We were just putting the wagon on.”
“Yes, yes.” They all agreed quickly, nodding their heads up-and-down doing their best to look agreeable.
Wish couldn’t help but wonder if they were going too far with trying to look innocent. From watching Drayce’s expression, they may have set off his warning bells and chances were good that he'd be watching a little more closely than normal. She hoped not, but Drayce as commander seemed to have a sixth sense when it came to this type of stuff.
“All right, we’ll be leaving soon, Wish. Satin you're ready, right? Do you have everything you need for the battle? You know to stay near me.”
“Yes, sir.”
Drayce left the barn and turned around giving the women one last quizzical look.
All three of them watched his back until he was out of hearing distance. Wish turned to the women. “I don't know. I think he is suspicious. We're going to have to be on our toes because he'll be looking for trouble. So I better get Orchid out there with the wagon. Satin, if he’s expecting you to fly next to him since he seems so suspicious, I guess will have Thistle put the invisibility cloak on and ride with me right?”
Satin nodded her head. “Yes, I think you're right. We better not push our luck with him today.”
“That reminds me, the invisibility cloak is here in the cupboard.” Wish open the door and pulled out the gossamer fabric that you could see through and handed it to Thistle. “Please be careful with this; I swear that invisibility cloak is probably worth more than my life. I'm not quite sure what Drayce — or Cloven — would do if I destroyed it.”
With a quick kiss to both the women, Wish grabbed Orchid’s bridle. “Come on, girl, let's go. We have a battle today, and we are going to bring some dragon babies back.” She left the women, standing at the outer edge of the paddock.
Thistle kissed Satin and watched her climb onto Azure, plodding across the paddock to stand near her husband while he addressed the warlords.
Drayce’s booming voice needed no amplification. “Today we go to battle against Zelora to retrieve the technology, potion, and eggs — restoring our good name to the universe. We will destroy the men and dragons that come in our path; we will fight to the death doing our best to retrieve what we need to prevent King Tempest from making dragons anymore — cloning our best beasts. So if you all are ready, I ask that you mount your dragons and Artemis will bring us up into the stratosphere bringing us to The Battle of the Bloodthirsty. To victory!”
That was the cue for Thistle to don her thin invisibility cloak, hiding her from view. She swirled the cape around her clasping it tightly over her head and looking through the cheesecloth type material. She walked up to Wish’s dragon, Orchid, and whispered: “It's me, Orchid, it's okay,” and she patted the flank of the animal before climbing up and grasping Wish around the waist.
Not wanting to look suspicious, Wish whispered just loud enough for Thistle to hear her, “I'm so glad you're here. I was worried that you'd wait too long and somebody would notice that I hung back too long. As it is, Cloven has been looking in my direction. I think he’s suspicious that I'm way in the back with the lower level warlords. He’s not used to that. I’m usually up near the front with him.”
“I didn't want to stay behind for too long and be left out. I was afraid you would leave without me.”
It was then that Artemis and Onyx with a loud shout and a screech from the black beast rose into the sky and with a war whoop from the rest of the warlords the dragons rose into the sky.
Thistle anticipated that she would be petrified and hoped she wouldn't lose her breakfast in the process of rising into the sky, but instead she found the roar of the dragon, the vibration between her legs exhilarating. She yelled along with Wish, and the adrenaline rush made her heady.
“I didn't anticipate that I’d like riding a dragon without Artemis at the reins, this is better than I could have ever imagined.”
Wish chuckled. “I had a funny feeling that you’d like this. I mean after all you are Satin’s twin, and she’s a commander and warlord. I knew you didn't care for the dragons, and your spirit is timider, but I knew once you sat astride these lovely beasts you’d feel differently. To have all that strength and muscle between your legs knowing that you can command and direct this animal is a powerful feeling and to communicate even mentally with these beasts brings a feeling of satisfaction and pride that very few things in the universe can do.”
It didn't take long before they had risen above the clouds and Wish felt sad that the cloak of invisibility was a bit of a deterrent to her view, but even still it was glorious. The sun shone so brightly it was almost blinding, and the rolling white clouds looking like candy. Within just a short time she found herself rising with Wish and Orchid into the outer atmosphere and a thick mist almost pink and purple in hue was thick and sweet smelling.
Wish spoke over her shoulder, "Take a deep breath. Take several deep breaths. This mist has magical properties, and it allows us to breathe in the outer atmosphere, while we fly throughout the universe and doesn't hinder us. Our previous priestess had formulated this to assist us in our travels, giving us the ability to fly to other planets unencumbered by spacesuits. I'm assuming that will be your job now, after all, you're the Royal Priestess.”
“Who are you talking to?" Cloven looked up and down Orchid; his face scrunched up in confusion, his eyes narrowed at Wish.
Wish jumped. Looking to her left into Cloven’s cerulean blue eyes, her heart racing, hoping he hadn't heard anything she said.
“I was talking to Orchid.” She made sure her comment was laced with a generous dose of sarcasm. “I talk to my dragon all the time, don't you?”
“So you're feeling sassy today, girl? Feeling like maybe you want to push your luck? I would have thought after the spanking you received yesterday that you’d have learned how to curb that damn tongue of yours.”
She gulped loudly and although she was still sitting on a sore rump, and she should guard how her words came out but she didn't want him to think anything was wrong and the best way to do that was to be the sassy, independent woman he had grown used to.
“I'm not sassy.” She lifted her chin in indignation. “I'm just telling the truth. Do you feel a need to question everything I do? And while we’re discussing it, do I honestly have to answer to you for everything?" Wish saw his lips thin, and the tick in his jaw had become visible, which was never a good sign for her. Or her bottom. She quickly tried to divert his attention. “So are we almost there? Do you think everything will go as we've planned?"
Cloven nodded his head. “Yes, we’ll be there very soon, and of course, everything will go as planned. We spend a great many hours planning and preparing for anything. It's what makes us victorious in our battles. And just so you don't think I missed it with your quick diversion of topics, I saw your sarcasm, and we'll discuss that later. Until then, I suggest you straighten your attitude, or you'll find yourself being publicly humiliated again. And none of us want that.”
Cloven smiled mischievously before winking at her and saying, “I'll see you later, girl. Behave.”
Flying away quickly, leaving both women holding their breath and it wasn’t until he was a great distance away, they expelled the air they’d been holding. “By the Goddess Gem, I'm going to have a heart attack before this is over. The stress is a little insane. I hope you know what you're doing, Thistle, because my ass is going to get a good beating from this. To be honest, I don't see any of us escaping retribution for what we've done today. But it will be well-worth it if we walk away with their chemical potion and all the eggs.”
With a loud shout of fly downward Artemis and Onyx tilted toward the ground, and it was the signal for all of them to prepare for battle.
Wish quickly addressed her friend, “Here we go, Thistle, it's now time. As soon as we get near the castle, you tell me where to go, and I'll direct Orchid. We only have a short amount of time, so we have to be on our toes, and hopefully, Satin can get away from Drayce and join us.”
Once the Tempest Castle came into view, all the Zelora soldiers and warlords on the roof protecting themselves behind turrets, Wish swooped behind the barn.
Thistle directed, “Go to the back of the property, near the fenced area. You’ll see a copse of trees, a small wooded area; it’s there that they have the laboratory.”
Wish did just as she directed and sure enough, there was a long white building just beyond the trees.
Thistle didn't hesitate, “It's imperative that you fly into the wood, we’ll be hidden in there. No one will have a clue what we’re doing. I know how to enter the building from the back we’ll have to destroy whatever guards they have there, of course, and I am hoping that Satin and Azure will eliminate the guards at the front of the laboratory.”
As they approached the building from behind flying in as close to the ground as they could, the soldiers on guard, raised their weapons to destroy the dragon and the two riders.
“Fire, Orchid.”
The beautiful purple beast sent forth a large stream of fire, a glorious, spectacular red and orange blaze that encompassed the whole length of the laboratory, wiping out all of the soldiers in one fell swoop.
Wish, and Thistle couldn't help but shout with their success.
It was then that they heard shouts and screams of agony from the other side of the laboratory, and they knew that Satin and Azure had eliminated those guards as well. The building was theirs. They could do as they pleased.
Wish directed Orchid to the ground, and the two women leaped off her back, rushing toward the back of the building, the doors now absent from having been burned to the ground. Within moments Satin’s voice yelled, “I eliminated all the men at the front! Thistle this is your game now, we’re following you. Go to the secure area and grab the cloning device and potions first and then we’ll fill our arms with as many eggs and hatchlings as we can.”
Satin and Wish followed the tall, lithe blonde haired twin into the building. Once at the secure door, Thistle didn’t flounder for what to do next, she punched in the required, coded numbers and with a loud snick the lock disengaged, and the door opened. The women high-fived each other. Charging in, they were confronted by several guards protecting the treasures in that secure area. Satin lifted her automatic weapon, and with several shots, all the men fell to the ground. Thistle and Wish swiveled, weapons at the ready scanning the room for more soldiers. The destroyed the soldiers were in a crumpled heap, and but the women moved forward with their plan with no remorse.
But before they could continue, three more soldiers from Zelora broke through the entryway, weapons pointed and fired rapidly. They took cover behind the counters, shooting at the enemy, while Thistle crawled on her belly toward the men, her sword drawn. Once she was close enough, she signaled to Satin and Wish to cover her with rapid fire, and she leaped over the counter, slicing their thick necks, finishing them off with a deep puncture to the chest.
They lie in a pool of blood. Thistle stared at them for a moment, before cleaning the sword of the blood on her pants and sheathing it quickly, shouting, “It’s time to grab the samples. Move, now!”
Thistle knew exactly where the chemical compound would be and scooped up the bottles and vials sitting on the counters. Meanwhile Satin and Wish had been grabbing eggs and hatchlings stuffing them into bags that they head shoved into the pockets on their uniforms, filling them to the brim.
Thistle stood in the middle of the room with her arms outstretched, eyes closed, calling on the still foreign and new feelings associated with her gifting. She focused her mind and emotions on the compound — the potion — and counteracted the spell.
“By the Gods of Alpheus and the Goddess Gem, I command that any cloning or chemicals that will counterfeit the Trexotera dragons be destroyed and that their powers be null and void. They will have no mastery over what the Gods of Alpheus have done in the creation of the Trexotera dragons. Trexotera will remain victorious, and the gifting of the dragons will be unique to only to this planet. We break any curse or power that Alistair Tempest and any of his sons have done. We thwart any evil plans, curses, spells, and chemicals. We ask the Goddess Gem that they all the neutralized, lacking any power or effectiveness.”
Thistle saw pink and purple mist swirling in her mind's eye, she breathed deep and kept her arms up, knowing instinctively that the power of the royal priestess flowed through her body, and out her hands leaving an aura and the manifestation of her gifting floating in the air and she prayed the gods would honor her incantation.
She slowly opened her eyes, looking at her friends and with a small shrug, she said, “Well, I guess that's it, we’ll have to hope that my spell has worked. I think I got all the elixir, but hopefully, the same incantation will thwart any evil plans that my father has with it, in case we forgot any vials. We can only hope that the purple and pink mist that I saw while chanting my prayer and spell will be honored by the Gods.”
Satin took a deep breath and said, “I'm so impressed by you, Thistle. This was amazing to watch and… if we don't get our asses moving and get the fuck out of here, we could end up dying holding all of this. We better get out of here now.”
It was then that a ruckus occurred near the front of the building and the women drew their weapons waiting to see who would round the corner.
Cloven entered the room, his blue eyes sparkling with anger. “What in the name of Gem, are you women doing?”
All three women stared at him, none of them answering is if they had all become mute upon his entrance.
Wish answered, “Um… well… we thought we would get the chemical compounds they used to clone the dragons, and we'd grab as many eggs and hatchlings as we could and bring them back to Trexotera after we burned the rest of this building down.” Wish stood wringing her hands in front of her, unsure of his reaction and yet proud of what she and the women had accomplished so far.
Pressing a button on his shoulder Cloven spoke clearly, “Drayce? Commander Quinn, are you there? Artemis, are you there?"
The women groaned in unison, dropping their heads. Thistle’s eyes misted with tears in full anticipation of the reckoning they would receive.
“Cloven, is that you?" It was Drayce, his deep booming voice loud and clear over the comm set.
Cloven, with a bit of a smirk, obviously taking delight in relating what the women had done, but his eyes belied the grin and were dark with anger. His nostrils flaring. “Yes, commander, it’s me. You need to know what is happening. Artemis are you there?"
“Yes, I do not like this. I have a funny feeling this isn't good. Continue.”
Cloven cleared his throat and continued. “No, it's not good news. It appears that Wish, Satin, and Thistle decided that they would find the laboratory on their own, which they have successfully done and, by the way, killed all the guards in the front entrance and the back entrance. Someone was able to access the secret lab, and the women have the chemical compounds and potions used to clone and make the dragons. Satin and Wish have been filling bags with eggs and hatchlings—as many as they can get. And I guess we can all assume that's why the wagon was attached to Orchid. Am I right ladies?"
Barely above a whisper all three women nodded their heads and whispered, “Yes, sir.”
Drayce exhaled loudly. “By the gods, you just wait until I get my hands on you, Satin and the rest of you. This was something the commanders and warlords had planned for. You have put yourselves in danger and defied protocol for military action. There will be consequences. Cloven?"
“Yes, commander.”
“Carry on and find out who unlocked the door and successfully got into the secret lab, assure that all chemical compounds have been retrieved. And then get the fuck out of there and burn it down. We will try to keep everybody distracted up here with the battle so that you can escape.”
“Yes, commander as directed, sir. I will keep the women safe.”
“When we get back to the Quinn estate I want all three of you women to strip, standing in the barn waiting for your punishment.”
Artemis's rolling deep voice came over the communication set, “Thistle, I have a feeling that you have been behind all of this. You will listen and do as directed by Cloven and you’ll obey Drayce until I can get back to the castle.”
“Yes sir, Daddy.”
“That's all, Cloven; we’ll be in touch. If there are any complications, contact Artemis or me immediately. Clear?"
“Yes, commander.”
Cloven tapped the button on his shoulder and sauntered up to a small shivering Wish with her hands full of bags of squawking baby dragons. He drew the bags from her hands, relieving her of the strain. “I knew this morning that you had something up your sleeve, bad girl. But I had no idea the depth and length you would go to defy and not tell either of your commanders what was going on. You’ve put all the people here at risk, and the warlords in our presence will pay a consequence militaristically.”
Wish felt her throat close, and she choked down a sob. “Cloven, I'm so sorry, we did it for Trexotera. We did it because we knew we'd be successful. We're not the weaker sex, we’re strong, and you know that you’ve seen the women in Trexotera. You know we're capable of doing this, and we've succeeded! Do you see what we've accomplished?”
Cloven shook his head. “Yes, I see what you have done, and it is admirable, and the plan has worked, but you could have done this the right way by telling me, a commander, or our chief Commander Drayce or Zorander. You bypassed the chain of command, and you know that following protocol is the most important thing in battle. We don't have time to discuss this right now, but trust me when I say you'll be able to quote all protocol by the time I'm done with you.”
By now all the women were in tears, and Thistle felt sorry for them all, but she felt the sorriest for herself. She knew how harsh Artemis could be. She wondered if she would be strong enough after everything she had done today to be able to submit to him fully and let him be in charge of her punishment.
“All right ladies, we need to get our asses moving before we end up all killed in this damn lab. Grab as many hatchlings and eggs as you can. I'm assuming it was you, Thistle, who knew how to get into the lab, am I correct?”
“Yes, sir.”
“Then get your ass moving and show me where you think everything is so that we can get them all and get the fuck out of here.”
Thistle ran into the secure lab area while Wish and Satin continued to fill the bags with the baby dragons and quickly ran outside putting the bags and the babies in the wagon, rushing back in filling more bags, bringing them outside as well.
By then Cloven and Thistle had come out of the lab with containers full of vials and jars of liquid, as well as several thumb drives with pertinent information.
“Get on the dragons now!” Cloven’s angry, frustrated bark had the women scurrying to climb up onto the beasts, a small haven from his displeasure.
Artemis swooped to the ground landing next to Wish and Thistle. “I have one question, just one. How the fuck did I not see you riding with Wish. It’s a long flight.”
Thistle bit on her bottom lip, knowing her response would implicate Wish, but she found that she had no choice. . . Not really. “Well. I…” She choked on her tears. “I had the invisibility cloak.”
Both Cloven and Artemis turned their angry countenance away from Thistle and now glared at Wish.
“It was important. I had to take the cloak without permission or Thistle wouldn't have been safe.”
“Wouldn’t have been safe? Is that what you just said?” Artemis was visibly shaking with his anger. “You put her life at risk; she’s not a soldier.”
Cloven took over berating his girl. “Or you could have just told her husband or Drayce. Or how about taking a chance and confiding in me?"
Tossing his head back in frustration, he exhaled loudly and then focused on his friend. Both of them gritting their teeth. In a low whisper, Cloven growled, “It's time to get your asses home. You’ll stand bare from the waist down in the dragon stalls in the barn waiting until we can deal with you. Get going home.”
The women obediently took off into the air with Artemis and Cloven guarding them against both sides, routinely glaring at them reminding them of what lies ahead.
Thistle whispered to Wish. “It’d been better to be caught by Father. I'm so sorry Wish; you were worried about Cloven. We're all in huge trouble, and it's all my fault.”
Wish hissed, “No! We all agreed to this, period. We all wanted to do this for Trexotera.”
“No whispering! Keep your mouths shut until we get home; then you can do all the talking we allow.” Cloven waved his dragon quirt in the air as a warning.
Thistle couldn't help but wonder if the dragon quirt was what would be used on them. She never really dealt with that implement but had heard from other women who had husbands who use them, it was used as a last resort and something to be feared. She suspected that they had pushed the limits just far enough today that they all may feel the bite of the quirt.