Chapter Eleven
Torran
He wanted to say that his talk with Lilly had helped. That things were better now, and that he was back to figuring out how to prove to her that they were truly mated to one another. That was the ideal scenario, and how he had hoped things might play out between the two of them.
Reality was a cruel mistress however, and while things were cordial between them, Lilly had done a masterful job of holding back and keeping her distance. Two more days had passed since they had talked. Two days where Torran had been forced to keep to himself. Two days that he’d been in close company with his mate and unable to declare his feelings for her. Two days in which—
“Life isn’t supposed to be this painful,” he growled to himself.
This was why mating with a dragon was the sensible way to go. They could both feel the bond, and neither of them denied it. They just knew that things were meant to happen for a reason, and that this was one of those things. Lilly, however, did not happen to feel it, and as such she was able to keep herself away while Torran hurt alone.
He was aware it wasn’t all about him, and he’d done his absolute best not to guilt her into anything, or to let on just how much pain he was in. For the most part he succeeded. But when he was alone like this, who was to blame him for partaking in a bit of self-pity.
Lilly wasn’t being ignored; she was fast asleep. The grounds were secure. He’d just finished seeing to that. Now he was going to maintain watch until the early hours, where he would retire to his room, which was between hers and the stairs. Torran had seen to every aspect of her security that he could think of, with what he had available.
Besides, Damien was just a human. There was little he could do that Torran would be unable to stop.
The night was chill, and even though the temperature didn’t bother him, he would still have preferred to be inside by the fire. It was more comfortable. He could stare into the flames and lose himself in a way that walking across half-frozen earth could not.
Moonlight was eclipsed by shadow. Without thinking he threw himself as far forward as he could, ducking into a roll. Something swooped by overhead. Something big. Torran came to his feet looking around, trying to spot the intruder.
The only thing he could see was a figure on the ground in front of him.
“Very funny,” he snarled, coming out of his crouch and letting go of the power that he’d summoned to his defense.
“Gotta keep you on your toes,” Rowe said with a laugh, walking out of the darkness.
The pair clasped hands.
“What brings you here in the middle of the night?”
Rowe didn’t answer immediately. He just started walking, motioning for Torran to follow.
“The ranch is that way,” he pointed.
“I’m aware.” Rowe kept walking in almost the exact opposite direction. “I need to talk.”
“That sounds ominous. Should we wait for Palin?”
“No. This is not something he can help with anymore. He’s already made his decision, and he sees things different now.”
“You’re scaring me, Rowe. What the hell are you talking about?”
“The humans.”
“Oh. I see. You got fed up with staying at the base, did you?”
Rowe had been staying at Fort Banner, dealing with General Mara, Kallore and, the various dragons whom the military had raised from their deep sleep. It wasn’t something Torran envied him for, but it had to be done, according to the elders at least.
“No. That’s not it at all,” Rowe said slowly. Then he paused to face Torran. “I actually think I’m coming to enjoy it.”
Torran stumbled to a halt, twisting his other ankle this time. Cursing silently, he made a mental note to stop having revelatory conversations with the dragons while walking around on the uneven grounds of the mega-ranch. It was bad for his joints.
“I know, crazy isn’t it?” Rowe said in response to his obvious shock.
“A little, yes. I thought we were in agreement on the ridiculousness of it all.”
“We are. Were. I don’t know!” he said, slamming a meaty fist into his palm. “I’m confused.”
“Well, you’ve already started this awkward talk. You may as well continue it. It’s not like my night’s going to get any better.”
“Ah, the words of a real friend.”
Torran snorted. The two of them had been rivals since a young age back in the enclave where they had been raised among other dragons. A mutual respect had eventually arisen as they’d aged out of puberty and into adulthood, even if they were both still young where dragons were concerned.
“Exactly.” Rowe fell silent as they walked along a path through the fields, toward an area of the land Torran hadn’t yet explored.
“Well, out with it then. Stop being a tease.”
Rowe smiled. “We came out here confident that the humans were overstating the situation. That things weren’t nearly as bad as they made it out to be, and that they just wanted us to do the work for them.”
“Yeah…” Torran was already getting an uneasy feeling about where Rowe was going with this. So far he’d managed to stay out of the whole debate regarding the supposed alien creatures called Outsiders, and whether the dragons from the enclave should offer their support if war ever broke out. It had been nice not to have to think about it. Somehow Torran knew that his peaceful days were over now.
“I think we were wrong.”
“How did I just know you were going to say that?” he grumbled unhappily.
“Because it’s not like I flew here in the middle of the night for a booty call?”
“I don’t think you can’t handle this,” Torran muttered, giving his hips a shake.
Rowe ignored his antics. “I’m serious here.”
“So am I. I don’t think you’re ready, for this jel—”
“If you say one more word…” Rowe threatened with a closed fist.
“Yah yah. Get on with it.”
“I think they’re telling the truth about it all.”
“About everything?”
“Yes. The Outsiders. Their strength. The way that being mated somehow protects us from the Outsiders’ ability to steal our lifeforce, and supercharges our power against them.”
Torran nodded. He’d heard all about that last bit the first time they’d gone to the base to talk to General Mara and the others. It was the main reason why the military was so desperate to find and awaken more dragons, and why the enclave had suddenly become such a high priority for them.
It made sense. They could awaken a handful of dragons at a time at most. Then they had to bring them up to speed with the changes, and convince them to fight. It was a tall order, and from what he understood, in several cases it almost hadn’t worked.
With the enclave on board though, the military would have access to hundreds of mated dragons, enough to potentially tip the scales in any fight. Torran knew that some of the elders were truly powerful, able to weave their powers in ways he could never even begin to imagine.
“So you’re saying we should recommend that the enclave support the war effort?”
“I think so.” Rowe sounded torn. “I have a hard time believing it, or humans, or even the other dragons. Yet I can’t figure out why they would lie to me about it.”
Torran mulled that over. “I think I understand. It’s because it’s humans that are telling you this. Humans that we’ve grown up being told are liars. I…I am going through something similar,” he admitted, all pretense of humor fading out.
“What do you mean?”
“With my mate. I know she is my mate—my dragon is telling me so—but the rest of me is having a hard time accepting that. She is also pregnant with a human’s child. A despicable bastard of a person who I wish I could just…” he trailed off, but his outstretched hands curling into fists got the point across just fine.
“It’s kind of silly,” Rowe said at last. “If you think about it.”
“What do you mean?”
“Well, by your own words your dragon knows that she is your mate. Which means that it is your human half rejecting the fact that she’s human. Can’t you see the irony?”
Torran had never looked at it that way before. “Wow. I’m an asshole.”
“Pretty much. Not that it comes as a surprise to me.”
“What about the child?”
“Torran, you’re so focused on the other half of what this child is. But you’re forgetting that the child is half Lilly’s. It will be just as much her blood within it as someone else’s. You’re focused on what the child isn’t, and not on what it is. You need to reverse your priorities.”
He was right, of course. It seemed like everyone but Torran could see it clearly. “Thanks for doing that without beating me over the head,” he muttered.
“I still could if you’d like,” Rowe offered.
“No thanks, once is enough.”
The other dragon laughed. “Palin already tore you a new one, did he?”
“Close enough. I don’t understand why it’s so hard to accept this. It’s not like all dragons are perfect, so why should we expect all humans to be? Some will be liars, thieves, assholes, and just plain evil. There will be good ones though. Lovers, fighters, and protectors. Caretakers and good friends. I should be able to believe that.”
Rowe looked at him, but didn’t say anything. They walked through the fields, neither saying a word. The ground crunched underfoot and a soft breeze caressed his face. Despite its chill, it felt good against his skin. It was refreshing.
Eventually they came to a line of trees and bushes that acted as the property marker. Curious about what lay beyond them, Torran pushed through. He found himself standing on the top of a large gully that ran between the property edge and the road that divided the farms.
“See anything interesting?” Rowe asked, having stayed on the other side.
Torran was about to say no when he lifted his eyes to scan the property line of their neighbor. A billboard sign was planted there, and his gaze was drawn to the big writing scrawled across an image.
“Yeah,” he said softly. “Yeah, I think there is.”
“What do you see?”
“I see an idea.”
Rowe pushed through the bushes to stand next to him. He surveyed the land, quickly figuring out what Torran was looking at. “What are you talking about?”
“This is how I’m going to set things right with her. Well, the start of it at least.” He smiled, eager to get back to the ranch and sleep so that morning could come sooner.
Rowe stared at him. “Just like that? You’re good to go? Just a minute ago you were telling me that you couldn’t accept that she was human.”
“Yeah, but we’ve been taught that humans are liars, not trustworthy. My dragon has no doubts about her. It’s only my human half that does. Which means it’s lying to me. She is right for me. I can accept her. I just have to listen to the part of me that knows what the fuck it’s talking about. I suggest you do the same!”
He reached up to ruffle Rowe’s hair and then without warning pushed the other dragon down the incline with a laugh. He didn’t bother to watch the result, taking off back through the fields, ignoring the irritated shout from behind him. Served him right for trying to scare him earlier.
As he ran he whispered under his breath. “Morning is coming, Lilly, and you’re going to see that we’re meant to be together. I promise you that.”
Torran ran faster now. Not because he needed to, or because it would make morning come faster.
No, he ran faster because he heard Rowe chasing him.