Treoir Island realm hidden above the Irish Sea
“Do not overdo it, Evalle!” Brina ordered.
Evalle sighed and said, “I’m fine. I’m getting more power back every day. It’s been three days. Now, are you getting married or dragging this out for another month?”
Brina smiled at her. “That’s the first time you’ve snapped at me. Such a fine gift on my weddin’ day.”
All of her friends were certifiable.
They had to be to enter the realm of a god who could have wrapped up that place around them like celestial trash and poofed it out of existence.
Two arms came around her waist.
She smiled. After the past days of heavy-duty healing by Garwyli, the scar on her lip was fading and it didn’t pull the skin when she smiled.
Teasing him, she said, “Better not be grabbing me. Storm might see you.”
Her Skinwalker nuzzled her neck and said, “If anyone except me dared to stand this close to you he would already be on his ass. I love you, sweetheart.”
She closed her eyes and let those words sink in. She never expected to be here or anywhere with Storm again. Lifting one of his hands so she could kiss the palm, she murmured, “I love you more.”
As happy as she was to be right here right now with him, her heart still ached. She’d been working up the nerve to tell Storm something important, but she could not bear to see his reaction.
Not yet. They had time.
“Evalle!”
At the sound of Lanna’s voice, Evalle twisted to the side and identified the voice. She yelled, “Lanna!”
Storm let her go to embrace the young woman. Evalle said, “How are you?”
“I am good.” Lanna stood back and gave Evalle a weighty observation. “You will be, too. You are strong and Storm’s love is all you need to heal.”
Evalle started to argue that she was almost there, but this young woman would have heard the lie in her voice. Lanna knew Evalle’s outside would be fine. She was talking about her internal scars.
“I know,” was all Evalle could say, then changed the subject. Her throat tightened when she asked, “How are the twins?”
“They are happy, but miss you. They are with Kit for a visit.”
How many times would Evalle relive their deaths? Storm had told her how Kit had stormed the building. Pun intended. “That’s great.”
“Evalle, Evalle, Evalle,” chortled behind Lanna, who was all smiles when she stepped out of the way.
“Feenix?” Damn it. She did not want to cry.
Evalle’s baby gargoyle flew into her arms. She clutched him to her and buried her face into his little neck.
Tears stung her eyes, but if she cried everyone would freak out, even at happy tears. “I missed you, baby. Love you.”
He patted her face and smiled a toothy grin. “Love you. Mine.” Barely touching her, he tapped her cheek with the side of his claw. “Ow.”
“It’s okay. I’m tough and I’m healing.”
She spent the next few minutes in a blaze of happiness.
Then Feenix asked, “Thorm?”
What a way to touch her heart by asking about her mate. Now that she thought about it, Storm had probably orchestrated bringing Lanna and Feenix here.
She turned her gargoyle to see Storm a short ways behind her. “He’s here, too. He brought me home.”
Feenix made a move like he was going to fly, so she opened her arms. Her little gargoyle fluttered up and then down to the ground. When he tucked his wings, he waddled over to Storm, who watched him.
They stared at each other for a long moment.
Feenix took another step and wrapped a chubby arm around Storm’s leg as he said, “Mine.”
She thought her heart was going to explode.
Storm’s brown eyes filled with the look of a man who had everything he wanted.
Almost everything.
He wanted her bonded to him.
Daegan kept watching for Tristan and the gryphon pack. His second in command had sent word he’d be at the pack village unless Daegan needed him.
Saving Evalle had taken a load of power from Tristan, but almost losing her had been the most difficult part. It might be the first time Tristan had ever held the power over someone’s life in his hands, which was humbling for anyone.
Garwyli had been wandering around the grounds, taking in all the decorations and plans for the wedding. Over a hundred chairs were set up in a half circle for wedding attendees.
The old druid paused next to Daegan and stared out over the vast Treoir realm, which was fifty times larger than the one Germanus had been in.
“I have been thinkin’ on your problem, dragon.”
Daegan was coming to realize the old guy liked to poke at him because he was comfortable with having a dragon king. “Which problem, druid? I have a list as long as the day.”
Scowling at him, Garwyli said, “Your family history.”
Daegan might have found the answer to that with the silver dragon if he could convince that one to shift, but he wanted to hear the druid out. “What have you to tell me?”
“Every dragon family had dragon squires. Is that not true?”
“True.”
“That would be the place to start then,” Garwyli declared, as if Daegan could visit one today.
Frowning at the druid, Daegan said, “If I am unable to find my missing, and possibly dead, sisters, then how am I going to find today’s descendants of dragon squires?”
The druid snarled, “I will not spend my time helpin’ you if you intend to allow every little thing to slow you down.”
What did you say to a cantankerous old druid? “I will take that advice to heart.”
“’Tis time for the ceremony soon. Where be your gryphons?”
“They will arrive in time.” Daegan knew that Brina had sent an invitation to each gryphon and both Rías living on Treoir Island, making it clear they were all important to her and Tzader.
She’d also invited the entire guard regiment and castle staff plus particular Beladors she and Tzader had befriended over the years.
Quinn had asked that Phoedra and Reese join them, which Brina snapped at him was expected. Quinn just smiled and muttered something about the moods of expectant women.
In the distance, what appeared to be a flock of birds took shape as they neared, then a mix of gryphon colors became evident. Some had golden heads, but Daegan would treat them all the same with the exception of Tristan.
His second-in-command had no golden head, but he had stepped in to be the gryphon pack leader when Evalle had relinquished the role.
Daegan squinted his eyes.
The entire pack dropped out of sight behind trees in the first line of forest at the end of the field, which was now littered with preparations for a Treoir wedding.
He smiled, recalling when he’d used the term “littered.” He’d heard that while in Atlanta and liked the way the word sounded.
Brina had not. She set him straight that her extensive decorating was not litter.
Twilight settled over the landscape only because Brina had requested that lighting for her wedding.
As a doting uncle, he would give her all that she asked for, and thankfully, she was a sweet queen without a selfish bone in her body. This child would be the first he’d see born in many, many years.
While it was sad to have lost so much family, he counted himself a fortunate dragon shifter to have Brina, Tzader and their child, plus a mixed bag of beings he was proud to stand beside.
From the tree line, nine people emerged—seven Alterants and the two Rías who must have ridden on the gryphons and carried clothing for the pack—heading quickly toward him.
As expected, Tristan was in the lead.
A blur streaked past Daegan on his left when the gryphons were forty feet out. That blur had been Evalle using her Belador speed, a good sign she continued to regain her powers.
Right behind her came Storm, who stopped next to Daegan.
Evalle slowed to a walk and dropped down on a knee.
Storm asked, “What the hell?”
“Your mate is telling Tristan he has earned his place as leader of the gryphons and she is willing to follow him.” Daegan cut his eyes at the consternation on Storm’s face. “That’s a very good thing, Storm. She does not want to be here when her place is with you and Feenix.”
“You’re right.” Storm stood with his arms crossed and respect in his voice. “I owe Tristan more than I can ever repay to have her here. He came up with a way to save her when I had none.”
“Tristan is a little overwhelmed by what happened. I think he feared he had taken on responsibility for her wellbeing then couldn’t pull her all the way through.”
“I can appreciate that. I thought I’d lost her myself. That’s why having all of us work together is stronger than one alone,” the Skinwalker admitted while he waited on his mate to return.
Daegan understood how it felt to learn a tough lesson. Storm had struggled not to go after Evalle on his own, but he’d done the right thing.
When Daegan faced Abandinu in the realm, he’d had his own concerns about saving his people. His last offer would have been to hand himself to Abandinu if that was what it took to send them home.
He was glad to have everyone safe.
Evalle should not leave until she felt strong enough. Storm had been forced to make a quick trip back to the human world while she rested. Trey had reached Tzader by telepathy to inform them Storm’s building had a contingent of guards and firepower surrounding it and that was drawing human attention he didn’t think Storm wanted. Trey offered to handle it if Storm gave him instructions. When Garwyli assured Storm that Evalle would sleep possibly for an entire day, Daegan teleported Storm to his building.
Storm dealt with the Nyght group and requested to be teleported back in less than ten minutes.
Daegan asked Storm, “Did all go well when you returned to open the ward for that Isak fellow’s mother?”
“Nothing is ever simple with Isak, but he did help us when we needed intel. I opened the ward for Kit to leave, but she refused when the twins chose not to teleport back with me. They’re street kids and barely comfortable around me, much less coming to a place like this. Kit would not leave without them. Isak loaded everyone up to take home.” Storm smiled at something.
“What?” Daegan asked.
“They were almost packed up and out, when Kit stopped to remind me about asking Tristan to train her Rías friend, Jasper.”
“I thought Isak did not care for nonhumans around his mother?”
“He about popped a blood vessel when she admitted she’d been training Jasper in the woods alone.”
Daegan grinned. “I could use a warrior like her.”
“Not unless you intend to let her run everything. She’s like a miniature general. If she had our power ... hard to image how scary she would be.” Storm kept smiling.
“When you see her next, tell her the Rías will be welcome to train with our other two.”
“I’ll let Evalle tell her when I take her home,” Storm said. “I almost had to ask you to teleport Kit here when she found out Evalle was alive, but she decided to take the twins home and wait until Evalle was … back to normal.”
Hearing the worry in Storm’s last words, Daegan said, “Evalle will shift when her gryphon has healed.”
“I know. I keep telling her that.” Storm asked, “Speaking of shifters healing, how’s that silver dragon?”
“I have had to place him in a space beneath the castle,” Daegan said, not pleased about that. “I have never known a dragon that did not shift into a human form, but he may have been in that realm so long his body has forgotten how. I consider it a good sign that he was aware enough to realize I was the more powerful and bow down in deference. That told me he could be saved. Garwyli and I will work with him.”
“I still don’t understand how you saved that dragon by feeding him your blood after we teleported out, but you didn’t step in when Evalle was in distress.” Storm looked over. “Don’t get me wrong. I’m not criticizing. I just want to understand. So many things in our world can mean the difference in life and death. The more we know, the better prepared we are.”
“I’m not insulted. Your question is valid. I would have killed Evalle with dragon blood. I wasn’t sure I wouldn’t do that to the silver dragon to be honest, but he took his last breath and his heart stopped beating as we arrived. I had nothing to lose by pouring dragon blood down his throat.”
“How do you think he ended up in the realm?”
“Abandinu enjoyed dragon battles. I think Germanus might have been at fault for bringing the dragon into the realm and Abandinu decided if no one searched for the dragon there was no problem.”
Tristan walked up, cheeks red with embarrassment. “I’m back.”
Before Daegan could speak, Storm extended his hand. “Thank you for saving Evalle. If you ever need anything, all you have to do is ask.”
Having followed Tristan, Evalle stood to the side, watching them with a big grin.
Tristan’s eyebrows lifted. He took Storm’s hand and shook. “No big deal.”
Evalle muttered, “Jerk thing to say,” but she was laughing so Tristan smirked.
“’Tis time for a weddin’,” Garwyli called out.
Daegan waited until everyone except Tristan had walked past him, heading to the chairs set up around a dais covered in flowers and butterflies.
With his gaze on the activity, Tristan said, “Sorry I bailed on you.”
“Had I required your presence, I would have called,” Daegan told him. “We have problems in the human realm. It will take both of us to handle them.”
A muscle in Tristan’s jaw clenched. “I’m ready. I just don’t want to hold someone’s life in my hands again.”
“That is a request I have to deny.”
Tristan’s gaze cut to Daegan, but he said nothing.
Daegan explained, “We have thousands of Beladors across the world under the command of Maistirs, but ultimately their direction and safety falls to our shoulders. You have proven you are strong and capable. I have ultimate faith in every decision you make, but you must always remember that even as we fight hard for our own, we will lose some. It’s a difficult thing to watch the light go out of the eyes of those we care for. When it happens, we must allow time to grieve, then move forward with the knowledge we have done all that we can.”
“I understand. I guess I just have to let that sink in.”
Daegan turned and slapped Tristan on the back. “For now, we celebrate. Time to join the party.”
Garwyli presided over a ceremony Daegan wished his sister, Jennyver, whose blood Brina carried, could witness.
Brina wore his sister’s smile and intense green eyes. With a gown of gold trimmed in green that flowed over her rounded middle, Brina might be the most gorgeous Treoir bride ever. Tzader faced her wearing a deep-forest-green suit. Daegan commended her on choosing a husband any uncle would want for his niece.
Garwyli could be annoying at times, but as the old druid spoke clearly and with warmth in his words, his voice reminded Daegan of people and times he’d never see again. He’d always accepted his lot in life, even when he’d landed in Maeve’s trap. But with this new freedom, he, too, wanted a life.
To have a lasting bond with a woman, she had to carry dragon blood.
Not likely to find such a woman in this era.
His gaze moved to Evalle, who sat with Storm and her tiny gargoyle between them. Quinn’s daughter, Phoedra, had been thrilled to teleport here with Reese, but Reese had not fared so well. Perhaps, like Evalle, she suffered motion illness when she teleported.
Lanna and Phoedra whispered and laughed together. Lanna would watch over her young cousin.
As the ceremony came to an end, a collective sigh went up as Tzader and Brina kissed.
Daegan still couldn’t believe anyone would keep those two apart for four years, standing on opposite sides of a ward.
Afterward, the castle staff rushed inside to begin setting out a feast upon the many tables arranged so there would be little delay in eating. In his day, there would have been fresh kill, perhaps a wild boar, but he could appreciate the more civilized offerings as well.
When it came time for gifts, Brina and Tzader smiled over the multitude of thoughtful presents for them and their baby. Some had been handcrafted, which Daegan gave a silent nod of appreciation for—those made by hand carried an extra touch of love.
He walked up last as the final gift had been unwrapped, the guest thanked profusely and the item placed to the side where a young woman kept track of names and gifts. Brina wanted to write a personal note of thanks to each and every one.
Clearing his throat, Daegan said, “Brina and Tzader.”
When the happy couple stood, Daegan took two steps away to the side of the dais so that he could see everyone and not have his back to the crowd.
His action drew curious looks.
He said, “I find this as fine a time as any to announce that when I called all of mine to me in Abandinu’s realm and teleported, my father’s treasure made the trip as well.”
That had been a pleasant surprise.
“That’s great, Daegan,” Tzader said. “Your father would have wanted you to inherit it. Besides, every dragon needs a hoard, right?”
The crowd chuckled at that.
Brina had a hand on her growing middle. “I am glad for you, uncle. ’Tis nice to have somethin’ from your past and I’m sure there are items you’ll recognize.”
“I do, niece. Thank you both, but that is not my treasure to keep.”
“Why not?” Tzader sounded ready to fight whoever dared to threaten their dragon king’s hoard.
“I had my own hoard at one time, but I have not bothered to hunt for it, because that treasure pales in comparison to the one I now possess.”
The couple looked at each other.
Murmurs rumbled in confusion.
Brina asked, “What hoard, uncle?”
Sending his gaze out over the many faces who looked to him to be their leader, he then turned to Brina and Tzader. “You are all my treasure. You’ve opened your arms to welcome me and have accepted me as your dragon king to watch over you. My father had intended to divide his treasure between his daughters once they were ready to receive it. I was not there when he died, but I knew him well. He would want me to carry out his wishes. For that reason, this treasure belongs to Brina and Tzader.” Lifting his voice, he said, “To hold our enemies at bay, I will still be known as the dragon king of Treoir, but to you I am the ruling patriarch to watch over my flock. That is why I now present to you the true king and queen of Treoir.”
A cheer went up.
Tzader’s mouth fell open. Brina smiled through tears and touched her husband’s chin to close his mouth.
Daegan lifted a hand and all fell silent. He whispered the words of his family’s language, a blessing on this couple.
More tears sprang from Brina’s eyes. She sniffed. “Look what you’ve done, uncle.”
“What?”
“Embarrassin’ me in front of our people.”
“That’s not me, niece. That’s the bairn makin’ you weepy.”
“I am not weepy,” she snapped at him.
Garwyli said, “Two.”
Daegan had something he wished to say if everyone would pay attention. He sighed. “What two, druid?”
“Bairns. I been meanin’ to tell everyone she’ll be havin’ two heirs.”
Brina’s face turned white.
Tzader sat her down. “Take it easy, muirnin.” Once she was sitting, Tzader growled at the druid, “Next time a little warning, Garwyli?”
Garwyli’s bushy white eyebrows lowered in confusion. “Ya want to know when she be carryin’ again?” the old druid asked.
Brina shouted, “No! I would like to get through this one.”
“Two. Just told ya that.”
Everyone laughed.
Daegan was growing old waiting for quiet again. “Back to what I was telling you. The treasure is yours, but there is one thing in particular that I wish to gift you.”
Lifting his hands in front of him, Daegan whispered again.
A horizontal disc of gold, the size of a dining table for four, appeared at waist level. Turning slowly in midair, a library of thick tomes standing side by side appeared on the surface. Many of the volumes had hand-tooled leather bindings that had been well used over the years.
“What is this, uncle?” Brina asked with awe.
“These are the chronicles I’ve spoken of before, that have been kept for many centuries, since the first dragon blood of our line. All the dragon families maintained records of their own families, plus allies and enemies. These are the ones from my father’s archives. The years after my father’s death will be missing, as my father would have passed this to me at that time, but Garwyli is helping me fill those in, as best we can.”
Still off to the side, the druid said, “You need a squire.”
Adrianna quipped, “I feel like I’ve fallen back in time with words like bairn, carryin’ and squire.”
“’Tis the language of all ages,” Garwyli told the witch.
She sent him a nod of appreciation for his instruction.
Daegan asked the druid, “Can we have that discussion again later?”
“Aye.”
Returning to the tomes, Daegan said, “I have only had time to review the last entries, which shed some light on the Dragani Wars. In my father’s treasure pile was a sword that may point toward those behind the greatest bloodshed of his time.”
Tzader asked, “What sword?”
“It’s called Lann Saoirse and belonged to an ice dragon. That sword should still be with her family.”
“Her,” murmured through the crowd.
To end the immediate speculation, Daegan said, “Sadly, the dragons are all dead now.”
“You be livin’,” Garwyli argued.
Every gaze watched for Daegan’s reaction.
He told Garwyli, “I was captured in a realm.”
“What of that silver one?”
Don’t teleport the druid away from here, Daegan told himself. “Again, we will discuss this later.”
“Aye.”
That’s what the druid said last time.
Returning to his point, which was not to make everyone sad about no potential mate for him, Daegan told Brina, “This is the history of your family. When you have need to access it, you must simply call up this library by name, but always keep that name secret until you are ready to share with your own children.”
Silence fell gently over the crowd as Daegan telepathically gave the ancient name to Brina and Tzader.
Brina smiled and stood to hug him.
Family was everything.
He gave thanks again to have what he’d gained since leaving Maeve’s clutches. He could have escaped to be more alone in today’s world than in her tower realm.
Once Brina sat again, Daegan explained, “The history of our family is written in the Treoir language, which you should have been taught just so you could read these books. It’s similar to Gaelic, but with changes intended to protect details about family treasure, for example. Garwyli and I have spoken of this language. He understands enough to help you read these tomes when I am not available.”
Daegan pointed at the turning disc and it paused. Then he gave a finger crook to a specific one that looked new and had no writing on the spine. The thick book had been covered in rich green leather. Gold trim floated above the cover in a three-dimensional design.
Daegan angled the book back so that it opened to the middle with blank pages.
Placing his hands under the open book, he carried it to Brina, who accepted the offering. Daegan explained, “Once this library is passed down, a blank tome appears for the next line of descendants to record their history. This one is yours and Tzader’s. I don’t know how much we’ll recover from the missing years when I was imprisoned, but Garwyli and I will do our best to record information in a separate volume.”
A tome in the library trembled.
Brina said, “Uncle, one is shakin’.”
Daegan turned to reach for the volume he had not noticed the first time he’d found the library.
The tome jumped into his hands before he could grasp it. Pages flipped fast, fanning his face, until pausing on the last page covered in images and text.
“This is in my father’s writing,” Daegan said, murmuring to himself, then he read out loud. “The day you read this, you will know I am gone. I fear I’ve made errors in trust even within my own kingdom. I placed a spell upon this library to open only for you. You will have the power to make it available to others, if you survive as I pray you will. I had hoped to mount an attack against the Medb and gain your freedom, but I have failed. We have a traitor who started the Dragani War, placing all dragons in conflict. I feel I can no longer depend upon the squire family we have relied upon for generations, as they grow more afraid each day that I cannot protect them. I leave you with the only name I trust and pray that you will find her or her descendants.”
Daegan read the last sentence silently to himself.
Her family name is Luigsech.