Chapter Eight
Brenna could've opted to stay back in the conference room and not watch the kiss. Instead, she stood just outside the prison cell containing Killian, Adrian Conroy, and a doctor with a syringe filled with a sedative, just in case the kiss with Georgiana started the frenzy.
Staying behind would've been cowardly. Not only that, she wouldn't know what happened until someone thought fit to tell her.
Her dragon spoke up. It wouldn't matter if you didn't care so much.
Wanting him healed shouldn't be a surprise.
No, I think you don’t want it to work.
Ignoring her beast, she glanced at Killian. But he had his back to her, shifting his feet as he waited for Georgiana's arrival.
For all she knew, this could be the last time she ever saw the dragon-less version of Killian O'Shea.
And a small, selfish part of her wanted to mourn that fact.
Footsteps echoed from the stone stairwell. Brenna glanced in their direction. Lorcan led the way, with a female not much older than Brenna behind him.
The female with blonde, curly hair nearly to her elbows approached, and only when she was close enough did Brenna note she had the same eyes as her father—one brown and one blue.
If anything, the different eye colors only enhanced her beauty. Brenna had always preferred to keep her hair short out of convenience, even if most males seemed to prefer long hair. Maybe Georgiana was more “old” Killian's type. And perhaps the pair of them might want to experience the frenzy after all.
No. She wouldn't dwell on that.
Caitlin brought up the rear. Lorcan and Caitlin each stood to one side of Georgiana, who had been staring at Killian without speaking. Brenna knew the female wasn't a Protector, but she hid the emotions from her face extremely well.
Lorcan was the first one to speak. "This is your last chance to back out, Georgiana."
Brenna strained to hear the female's soft reply, "No, it's nice to be useful for once."
She sensed a story behind those words, but Killian spoke before she could think too much on it. "Thank you in advance for your help."
Georgiana bobbed her head, her curls bouncing. "I hope it helps. I can't imagine my life without my dragon."
Lorcan grunted. "Enough stalling. Let's get this over with."
Georgiana glanced at her father. "Is it necessary to keep him behind bars?"
"Yes," Lorcan stated.
Caitlin chimed in. "It's all right, Georgiana. I'm sure Killian understands the precaution."
Killian moved to the bars of his cell and pressed the center of his face between the metal bits, his nose and mouth sticking out in the free space. "Whenever you're ready."
Brenna's heart rate sped up, each second seeming as if it were weeks. This is it. The old version of Killian might be on the cusp of returning.
Georgiana approached the bars. Since she was shorter than Killian, the Northcastle female stood on her tiptoes before pressing her lips to Killian's. After a chaste kiss, she stepped back and all eyes zeroed in on Killian.
For a few seconds, he frowned and said nothing. Then he arched his back and roared. Adrian quickly wrapped his arms around Killian to hold him. It was then that Brenna noticed blood trailing out of one of his ears. "Something's not right. His ear."
The doctor in the cell cursed and stuck the syringe into Killian's bicep. Even after it was all dispensed, Killian's roars continued, as did the slow trickle of blood.
Were they going to lose him forever?
With a final yell, Killian slumped in Adrian's arms and the Northcastle Protector gently guided him to the ground. As the doctor did his check, both Brenna and Caitlin moved closer to the bars, waiting for the doctor to say something.
The doctor spoke without taking his focus from Killian. "He's alive, but I need to get him to my surgery straight away."
Brenna barely noticed Adrian on his mobile phone, probably calling for help. She couldn't tear her gaze away from Killian's pale, still form.
Each progressive spell of unconsciousness seemed to become more painful. It could only be a matter of time before it killed him.
Her dragon spoke up. We don't know that. Maybe his dragon breaking free was too much. We shouldn't draw conclusions so quickly.
I'm not about to be optimistic on this issue.
Lorcan's voice garnered her attention, but she didn't turn toward him. "Georgiana says her dragon is unaffected and there's no mate-claim frenzy pull."
"Then what happened to him?" Brenna whispered.
Caitlin answered, "I wish I knew."
She had forgotten about Killian's mother. Turning toward her, she pulled her into a hug. "Hopefully we don't have to wait too long."
Some more tall, muscled blokes who were probably Protectors hustled into the room. Brenna released Caitlin so they could move out of the way. The males soon had Killian off the ground and they carried him up the stairs, the doctor right behind him.
She moved to follow, but Lorcan stepped into her path and said, "Dr. Cahir Silver will do everything he can to help him. It's best to stay out of the way and come with me instead."
If she were on an ally's land, Brenna would've pushed him aside and followed Killian. However, she wasn't about to risk starting a war. "Why?"
"Because my clan has fulfilled our side of the bargain and it's time to start working on Glenlough's," Lorcan answered matter-of-factly.
She motioned toward Caitlin. "Her son was just in pain and is now unconscious. Have a little compassion."
Lorcan raised his brows. "I'm well aware of what happened. However, a distraction will make time pass quicker, and that means Dr. Silver's prognosis will arrive before you know it."
She opened her mouth to argue, but Caitlin stepped forward. "It's okay, Brenna. He's right. Waiting with Lorcan and working is little different from sitting in the surgery waiting room, twitting my thumbs for any news."
"Are you sure you're in the frame of mind to work?" Brenna asked.
Lorcan jumped in. "It's only a preliminary draft. We'll revisit it when everyone is in their right mind."
As much as she wanted to wait in the surgery, Brenna wasn't going to abandon Caitlin. Not just because she'd promised Teagan that she'd look after her mother, either. She knew what it was like to be a new face on a strange clan and having a familiar face close by at first, like she'd had with Aaron, could make the transition easier and less scary.
Dipping her head in agreement, she said, "Okay, but as soon as you know anything, you share it."
"Aye." Lorcan motioned toward the stairs.
As they all made their way toward a conference room on the top floor, Brenna couldn't help but replay the scene with Killian inside her mind. Blood trailing out of an ear was never a good sign; it could mean brain damage.
Her dragon spoke up. Or, it could just be his dragon bursting free.
I wish we understood more about how inner dragons work.
Once Killian is well, we'll go to Stonefire and Dr. Sid will figure it out.
She wanted to say if he got well, but kept the thought to herself. She only hoped the most recent episode wouldn't sentence Killian to a life of unconsciousness, being nothing more than a vegetable.
~~~
Killian stood at the edge of the mirror lake, the eerie stillness signaling he was back in his dream world.
Scanning the surrounding hills, he waited for the baby dragon to appear. Minutes ticked by, and no one came.
Suddenly, a loud pounding came from under the lake's surface and Killian's eyes darted toward it. At first, the mirror reflected back the hills and sky. But soon, a shadowy outline of a dragon flashed, before disappearing. The booming happened again, but the shadow dragon never returned.
After what he guessed to be five minutes had passed, a childlike voice echoed behind him. "The shadow dragon comes to the lake's surface quite often now."
Turning slowly, he found the baby blue dragon with large patches of white standing a few meters away. "Do you know anything about him?"
"He's always angry and I'm afraid to go back into the lake."
Killian remembered his last visit, when the baby dragon had dived into the mirror, the pieces reassembling themselves almost as soon as they broke. "What's on the other side?"
"I would show you, but I'm afraid of the shadow dragon."
He had no idea why, but finding out what lay on the other side of the mirror seemed extremely important. "We don't have to go through. Just tell me what's there."
The baby dragon toddled from one back foot to the other. "It's mostly a giant cave, with lots of ledges to climb up. Then I can jump, spread my wings, and glide down."
He frowned. "Mostly a cave?"
"Yes. With tunnels and places to hide."
"Why would you need to hide?"
The dragon shook and folded his wings against his back. "It's safe and allows me to sleep without worry. Although whenever you visit this side of the lake, the ground rumbles a little, almost like a signal."
If he were indeed dreaming, this was the most coherent one he'd ever had. "Does anyone else visit you?"
The baby dragon shook its head. "No. I wish they would. It's quite boring, even with all the tunnels and ledges on the other side." The dragon studied him. "Maybe you can come back more often. Next time, I can think of some games to play."
"Am I supposed to be able to come back whenever I wish?" Killian asked slowly.
"I have no idea. But we can play now. I've always wanted a roll-down-the-hill contest. Do you want to try?"
Killian glanced toward the lake. "What about the shadow dragon? Does he come out?"
"Not yet. I'm not even sure if he can come to this side."
Before he could change his mind, Killian turned toward the lake and walked to the edge. Taking a deep breath, he gingerly placed his foot on the glass. Leaning his weight onto it, the mirror held. He took a few more steps before the shadow dragon appeared in the mirror under him.
Doing his best not to show fear, Killian studied the shadowy figure. While it appeared black at first, it was actually a dark blue. Something about the shape and size of the beast seemed familiar.
Then the dragon banged against the mirror, and the vibrations traveled up Killian's spine. Not wanting to risk dying since he had no idea if it was final in this place or not, Killian retreated to a safe distance from the lake. The baby dragon spoke up. "Do you want to play now?"
Scanning the little dragon's short snout, chubby cheeks, and glinting hide, something about the smaller version was familiar as well. "I have just one more question." The dragon tilted his head and Killian continued. "Are you related to the shadow dragon?"
"I don't know. I first woke up on the other side of the mirror lake alone."
"And yet you know my language and can talk."
He tilted his head one way and then another. "I never thought about it. I just woke up with the knowledge."
Similar to what had happened with Killian. "What else do you know?"
The dragon sighed. "You said that was the last question. I want to play."
Not wanting to drive away the only source of information he had in this place, Killian motioned toward the nearest hill. "Then let's have our contest. If I win, I ask more questions. If you win, we try again."
The little dragon hopped from one back foot to the other, his wings spread out to keep his balance. "I'll win, you'll see. I've been practicing."
As the dragon jumped and flapped awkwardly to gain his balance, Killian smiled. "I used to compete a lot and usually won."
"Against whom?"
Frowning, Killian tried to recall, but the memory never came. "I don't know."
"Right, then let's race and see who is better."
The baby dragon flew to the top of the hill and stared at him. After taking one last glance at the mirror lake, Killian charged up the hill and readied himself by lying down. "Go!"
They both rolled, and Killian managed to reach the bottom first. Just as he was about to ask his question, the scene faded away to a bright light.
Killian's eyes popped open and he gasped. Various people he didn't know stood over him.
A female said, "He's awake and stable."
"Good," a male said, before lowering his face closer to Killian's. He recognized him as Dr. Silver from the holding cell. "Do you remember who you are?'
"I'm Killian O'Shea. What happened?"
The doctor placed his fingers on Killian's face and opened his eye wider to study it. "Tell me the last thing you remember."
Since he didn't think his dream counted, he answered, "The kiss with Georgiana."
Dr. Silver released his eye and leaned back. "Is there another presence in your head with you?"
A childlike voice spoke inside his head. I am. This is much better than the boring lake and hills.
Baby dragon? Is that you?
The blue and white figure from his dream materialized inside his head and stood tall. I'm not a baby, just young.
He smiled at the dragon's tone. Okay, young dragon. I wish I had a name for you.
Why? I'm part of you, so I must be Killian, too.
A name would be easier for me.
Dr. Silver interrupted the conversation. "Your pupils were slitted just now. Tell me what happened."
Killian was afraid the doctor would call him crazy. "Where's Brenna?"
"She's with Lorcan. Now, answer my question."
He was about to tell the doctor to stuff it, but the dragon spoke again. He's just trying to help us. Tell him.
And then you'll give me a name?
Maybe. I need to think on it.
Killian focused back on Dr. Silver. "I've been seeing a young blue and white dragon in my dreams. However, this time he seems to be inside my head when I'm awake, too. What does that mean?"
"I don't know, but I know some people who might." Dr. Silver looked at one of the nurses. "Keep an eye on him. I need to make a call."
Before Killian could ask another question, the doctor was gone. He growled, and the baby dragon spoke up again. Why are you always so angry?
Because people don't tell me what's going on.
Maybe there's a reason why they wait?
Killian did his best to keep the anger from his voice when he asked, Why are you here?
I don't know. But I hope I don't have to go back. I don't think the shadow dragon can come here. And seeing all these new people is much more interesting. Such as that female. Her pupils are slitted like mine. Is she a dragon? Or does everyone have dragons in their head, like us?
Killian resisted a sigh. Stop asking so many questions.
Why? I'll never learn without them.
As the little beast continued to ramble, Killian rubbed the spot between his brows. Between little dragons and shadow dragons, he might be going mad.
Or, he might already be there.
He needed to talk with Brenna. She'd listen to the facts and make a conclusion, one that he'd trust. If she thought he needed help, he'd heed her advice.
As he tried to sit up, the nurse gently pressed against his chest until he stopped moving. The female rose a black brow. "You stay in this bed until the doctor clears you."
The dragon said, She's scary.
Not wanting to be distracted from his task, Killian focused on the nurse. "Then tell Brenna and my mother I'm awake and asking for them. Or is that not allowed, too?"
The dragon tsked. Try being nice. That works better.
And you know this how?
It just seems like the right thing to do.
Taking a deep breath, Killian forced his tone to be gentle. "Could you please call my mate and mother? They must be worried about me."
After one long second, the nurse smiled. "I suppose so." The nurse looked over to a male in the room, dressed in the same pale blue nurse's top and bottoms. "Calvin, call Lorcan and let him know what's happened. And tell him that the Glenlough male is asking for his mate and mother."
Calvin bobbed his head and exited the room.
The female nurse went back to typing something into a tablet and Killian decided to use the time to better assess the dragon in his head before Brenna arrived. Are you going to constantly comment on everything?
Maybe. I've been lonely. I like being useful.
I haven't said it's useful.
The nurse liked my suggestion. So, yes, I've been useful.
Killian resisted grunting, not wanting to draw the nurse's attention. Keep it up, and I'll find a way to send you back.
Please don't. I don't want the shadow dragon to eat me.
The fear in the dragon's voice softened his mood. Has he tried to do so before?
Not yet, but he appeared inside the tunnels once, and reached for me. I managed to run between his legs and out the tunnel. Being smaller worked well. And then I went through the glass lake. He wasn't able to follow.
Why would he reach for you?
I think he was hungry.
Dr. Silver returned with a tablet in his hand. The doctor said without preamble, "Killian, I have two doctors here who might be able to help. Tell them what happened."
He flipped the tablet toward Killian. The faces of Dr. Sid Jackson and Dr. Gregor Innes of Stonefire—Brenna had shown him pictures before—greeted his eyes. The female, Sid, spoke first. "Is it true? Is there a dragon presence inside your mind?"
Since Brenna trusted these doctors, he decided not to fight it and just speak the truth. "For the time being, although it's a young one. I thought it was a baby, but he said he was young."
Sid didn't miss a beat. "So you're talking with the dragon? What did he say?"
He frowned. "You want me to rehash all of our conversations?"
Gregor jumped in. "Just how many have you had?"
"Several in my dreams. But this is the first time I've had them whilst being awake, at least since I woke up without my memories."
"You never answered my question," Sid pointed out. "What has he said to you?"
Killian sighed. "I don't know, mostly the dragon asks to play or suggests I should be nice. Or, he goes on about the shadow dragon."
Sid frowned. "What the bloody hell is a shadow dragon?"
Killian explained what he'd seen in his dream and added, "The baby dragon says he was trying to eat him."
Gregor whispered something into Sid's ear before looking back at Killian. "I think you need to come to Stonefire. Dr. Silver is a good doctor, by all accounts, but he hasn't studied the two personalities of a dragon-shifter like I have. There are things we need to discuss and possibly work on."
Dr. Silver turned the tablet back to face him. "I'm not sure I can clear Killian just yet."
Sid's voice filled the room. "I understand. But the sooner we see him, the better. Delaying his treatments could result in losing the dragon he's regained."
Not waiting for Dr. Silver to respond, Killian growled, "I have a question. If my so-called dragon is back, then where the fuck are my memories?"
Dr. Silver swung the tablet around again. Sid raised her brows. "First, your anger isn't going to make me work any faster. And second, we have some theories but need more information before sharing them." Killian opened his mouth to demand more, but Sid cut him off. "If you think bellyaching and cursing at me is going to help, then you've not worked with a proper dragon-shifter doctor before. I've dealt with far worse than you, Killian O'Shea. So save us a lot of time and stop dragging your feet."
His dragon spoke up. She's right. Yelling and being rude only makes her mad.
Not now, dragon.
Gregor whistled. "There is a dragon inside his head again. His pupils slitted."
"If you double-guess everything I say, then I'm not sure going to Stonefire is worth the effort," Killian replied.
"Enough," Dr. Silver stated. "I'll clear Killian as soon as I can, but not before. I won't risk him dying en route."
Gregor replied, "Of course, Cahir. Just send me a text as soon as you think he's ready."
Dr. Silver walked out of the room with the tablet and Killian couldn't hear any more of the conversation.
His dragon spoke up. I'm excited to meet the funny talking doctors.
Sid is English and Gregor is Scottish. They have accents, not speech impediments.
Still, it's different. Maybe there are other funny talking people there.
He couldn't help but smile at the young dragon's enthusiasm. If you can understand them. Some people have trouble with thick accents.
Before the dragon could ask for clarification, Brenna's voice filled the room. "Were you talking to your dragon?"
Slowly turning his head, he met Brenna's gaze. "A dragon. Not sure if it's mine or not."
She closed the distance to his hospital bed. "How do you feel about it?"
Leave it to Brenna to consider his feelings over the fact he had a talking dragon inside his head. "I don't know. He's a happy, cheerful little bugger, that's for sure."
His mother appeared next to Brenna. "You were a happy child, Killian."
"What happened?" Brenna blurted.
Caitlin smiled sadly. "His father died, and Killian made it his mission to protect us all."
The dragon spoke up. I don't like her sad.
Me, either.
His mother brushed some hair off his forehead. "Maybe this is your second chance. A way to be the male you should've been, if your father hadn't died."
"Maybe," Killian murmured. Clearing his throat, he met Brenna's brown-eyed gaze again. "There's more." He explained about the shadow dragon and asked, "Is it normal to have dreams like that, with two dragons?"
"No, but since all of this was caused by the mysterious drug injected into your body, it doesn't surprise me that unusual things are happening to you."
"So the lake, the tunnels, and everything is a result of the drugs?"
Brenna shook her head. "No. Our inner dragons usually don't talk to us for the first five to seven years of our lives. During that time, they have a hiding space inside our minds. Usually it's a playground of sorts, with caves, tunnels, and even underground lakes."
He frowned. "Then why did I have an outdoor section, too?"
"Sid and Gregor would have a better guess than me, but it might be related to the loss of your dragon. For all we know, the shadow dragon could be a part of your former self."
The baby dragon spoke up. I don't like that idea. The shadow dragon is scary. I never want to be scary, just strong.
Lorcan's voice prevented Killian from replying. "As soon as Cahir clears you, you're going to Stonefire. I'll send Adrian and Calvin with you, so that you have both an extra Protector and a nurse, in case something goes wrong."
Killian looked at Lorcan. "I thought you hated the English dragon-shifters."
Shrugging one shoulder, Lorcan replied, "I vowed to Caitlin that I'd keep you safe, and I'll fulfill that promise."
As Lorcan gazed at Caitlin, a wave of protectiveness flowed through Killian. He wanted to stay and ensure his mother settled in.
His dragon huffed. No need. He likes her. Look at the longing in his eyes.
So now you're an expert on facial expressions?
Just because you don't look isn't my problem.
Brenna's voice cut off his reply. "Thank you, Lorcan. I know you're doing it for Caitlin, but Bram will appreciate it, too."
Lorcan grunted. "Well, I'd better set things in motion." His gaze moved to Caitlin's. "Find me when you're ready, Caity."
His mother nodded, and the Northcastle clan members left him alone with Brenna and his mother.
"Caity?" Killian prompted.
His mother's cheeks turned pink. "It's just a nickname. Now, tell me more about this wee dragon in your head."
"Yes," Brenna interjected. "He seems to make you a nicer person and I'm not sure how I feel about that."
"I'm not about to shout at a child and the easiest way to get him to hush is to give in to his suggestions."
I'm not that young, his dragon said.
Hush.
Brenna's pupils flashed and she laughed. "Be careful, or you'll end up with a spoiled dragon. And mine says that's unacceptable for a strong dragon-shifter."
He harrumphed. "It seems now even your beast wants a say in my behavior."
Rolling her eyes, she sat down on the edge of his bed. "I'd listen to her in this case. Spoiling your dragon will make your life difficult, especially if you want to do any sort of Protector-like duties in the future. You need to have a partner rather than a spoiled child."
"Is there some sort of manual I need to read?" he asked.
"They exist, but they're for children. It's probably better for you to work with Tristan MacLeod on Stonefire. He has a knack for helping people with their inner dragons. He worked with Dr. Sid when hers came back, and Sid and her beast seem to get along now."
Brenna's eyes lit up as she told him a bit more about her clan members. She had resorted to mating him in order to stay on Glenlough, but it was clear she missed her home clan.
The baby dragon spoke up. Maybe it will be our new home, too. There are mountains near their clan. I'd like to sit atop one and look down.
That would require flying as I've no wish to go hiking and possibly pass out en route.
I might be able to help with the flying. We can try once we get there.
Not wanting to think about changing into a dragon, he focused back on Brenna. "I'll meet with this Tristan, but I can't promise anything."
Snorting, she leaned closer. "I may need to enlist the help of Tristan's mate, Melanie, to ensure you two get along. He used to be as grumpy and angry as you. But Mel has a certain touch with him. That may prevent any sort of fighting."
"I can restrain myself."
From the corner of his eye, he noticed his mother smile. He looked at her. "What?"
Caitlin tilted her head. "You've always had trouble declining a challenge. It took two years in the army to finally tame your temper to a manageable level."
"I'm sure that discipline is somewhere inside of me, especially with my do-good dragon," he muttered.
His dragon huffed. There's nothing wrong with being nice and doing the right thing.
Most of the time. But sometimes it's healthy to vent. Or, punch someone.
Brenna prevented him from replying. "There might be a way for you to use up some of your excess energy, Killian. I'm sure Kai Sutherland, the head Protector of Stonefire and my former boss, will think of something. It's not every day one of Stonefire's clan members can fight an Irish dragon-shifter without starting a war."
"Are you trying to be funny?"
She grinned. "Maybe."
Between her beautiful face and teasing, he wanted nothing more than to bring her close and kiss her again.
Since he couldn't do that in the present, he wanted to keep her talking so he could watch her face and listen to her soothing voice. "Then tell me more about some of my potential opponents. A man needs to be prepared."
As Brenna continued to tell him stories of her clan members, he wished he had a moment alone with her. For some reason, he wanted to assure her that the kiss with Georgiana had meant nothing.
And if he could kiss Brenna again before they arrived at her home clan, all the better. He wasn't about to give her a chance to pull away again if he could help it. He wanted her for his mate.
Good, his young beast whispered. I like her.
In the meantime, he listened to both Brenna and his mother. He didn't want to leave his mother on Northcastle, but she'd made her choice.
Now it was up to Killian to make the most of the opportunities she'd given him.