Dragons and Mages: A Limited Edition Anthology

by Pauline Creeden

  And, had he been flirting with her? It irked him that he couldn’t say he absolutely had not been. And, as himself with no glamor in place. He’d actually forgotten his scars—something he never did.

  It was one thing to flirt with the glamor in place, but not without it. No, she hadn’t seemed horrified by his deformity. Curious, yes. Possibly she’d pitied him, but her attitude said different.

  He watched her from behind a thicket of raspberries. She disappeared at the bottom of the mountain. Just, poofed out of sight. For someone with such limited magic, the only explanation was that she was indeed in league with a powerful magical creature. Of course, it could be her family, but the presence of dragon magic was unmistakable.

  Since his plan to visit Humankind was rendered unnecessary by her appearance, he headed to his home. So much for that coffee they were supposed to have. He wondered what had changed her mind. Or had she thought she was too good for his alter ego?

  He sighed. It was a long walk, and he was already tired by the time he was halfway home, but he needed to conserve his magic, and teleporting took quite a lot of magic.

  He absolutely had to find that dragon. Soon. His thoughts wandered aimlessly as he walked. The girl, the dragon, his bond-mate. He had to choke back the lump in his throat as he finally reached the front door of his home. There was no sense weeping in her presence and making the scene any more dreary than it already was.

  “Amica?” Arden said into the shaded room as he pulled the curtains back to brighten the space.

  She rested, eyes closed, in the middle of the room, her breathing labored. As large as she was, her beautifully feathered body took up the majority of the room. She didn’t have the energy to shift into a humanoid form these days. He stepped carefully so as to not tread on her feathers. With the sunlight gleaming in the window, he maneuvered himself next to her bird-like face and rested his cheek on hers.

  She opened her eyes and nuzzled him but didn’t speak.

  “The girl is here, Amica. I just know she will lead us to the dragon.”

  Her whispered voice passed through their bond. My time is almost done. Cut the last egg from my womb and replenish yourself. We don’t both have to die.

  “No!” he shouted, his shoulders trembling. “You have been my familiar, my friend, for as long as I can remember. I won’t lose you.” What she asked of him was ridiculous. Yes, her egg would save him, but it would end her. He wouldn’t do it while there was still a chance for both of them. He wouldn’t do it anyway. He couldn’t. He loved her too much.

  If I die, you will soon follow. Don’t wait too long, Arden.

  “I’m journeying to the base of the mountain where I last saw her. I’ve just come to pick up supplies.”

  Take one of my talons. It will strengthen your magic.

  “But, it will weaken yours.”

  Have you considered asking her for what we need? You say she cares for creatures. Perhaps…

  “And if she is horrified by the request, all is lost. We don’t have time to find another lone dragon. And, I am too weak to barge into Dragonkind lands and simply take one by force. It’s the only way. Our last hope.”

  Amica turned her head and used her mighty, curved beak to pluck a feather from her wing. Take this then.

  Arden accepted the gift and stroked Amica’s cheek. “I’ll return.”

  I know you will.

  Arden gathered all the supplies he had that might be of use, slung the sack over his shoulder and set out on his search. His heart was heavy. Amica wanted him to live on without her, and he could if he’d do as she requested, but he couldn’t bear it. Their lives had been intertwined for much too long. If Amica died, he would die with her. But, of course, he’d prefer another way.

  His entire body tingled at the overpowering magic at the base of the mountain. It was incredible, enthralling. He concentrated on the magic surrounding him as he pulled the feather from his pocket, held it high, and incanted a gathering spell. It was a way to siphon and store magic like this. Only a fraction, but it was better than nothing. Better than what he had. It was powerful magic and definitely of a dragon’s conjuring.

  Excitement welled inside of him, energizing him, but he quelled it. He still had no sight of the dragon. There was no guarantee…of anything.

  Chapter 10

  “Rubrum? Where are you?” Phlox called out. It was still early, even with the trip to Humankind and the distraction of the handsome, scarred man at the portal. Rubrum should still be snoring.

  She stacked the boxes of Twinkies on the table Rubrum had made for her. He’d used his fire to burn a likeness of the two of them sitting side-by-side on the top. It was her favorite treasure aside from their friendship.

  “Rubrum?” She called out again. Maybe he was deeper in the recesses of the cave guarding his treasure. Sometimes the urge overtook him, and he’d stay in there for hours.

  She navigated the narrow passages carefully.

  He wasn’t there.

  She checked the pool to see if he was taking in a soak.

  Nope.

  She stood at the mouth of the cave and yelled his name as loud as her voice would allow. Maybe he was exercising his wings. She knew it was wishful thinking, that she was trying to keep a cool head, but her fears were beginning to kick in.

  He was probably looking for her. She should have told him of her intentions and forgone the surprise aspect of her deed. What had she been thinking anyway? After his previous night’s upset, waking to find her gone had no doubt rattled him. She tried to tell herself he was fine, but what if… There were too many what if possibilities to fathom. What ifs would only spike her anxiety.

  She scrambled down the side of the mountain as quickly as she could. She’d check all of his favorite nearby places. She’d find him. He was fine. He had to be.

  When she reached the bottom of the mountain, she set out for the Stream of Salvus. It was a safe place—a neutral zone—for any and all magical creatures. Even though dragons were a rarity there, Rubrum had made friends with some of the other magicals that frequented the spot.

  It was indescribable in its beauty. Phlox loved the overabundance of every type of flower imaginable surrounding the bank of the lake. It was a flower nymph’s paradise. One of the many in Otherworld actually, but this was the closest to where she and Rubrum called home.

  Marching along the path, she took a moment to lean in and smell some hyacinth, letting the fragrance overtake her senses, and temporarily calm all worry as she cleared her mind of all but the bond between her and her dragon. Rubrum. She called out with her mind while visualizing the thought being carried on the wings of a butterfly to wherever he might be. Sending telepathic messages was not one of her strong suits, but she hoped it would reach him.

  She waited, standing still as a statue, for an answer.

  Something rustling close by snapped her from her trance. She whipped around and scanned the area as far as her eyesight allowed. Nothing. Nothing that she could see anyway. She sighed and pushed on.

  It didn’t take long to reach the Lake of Salvus. It had only been a week since she’d been there, but she was always struck by the awe of it. The peace of the place filled her. She saw butterflies, pixies, even a centaur, but no red dragon.

  She spotted the Pegasus Rubrum sometimes flew with. He was a beautiful creature, and he didn’t act with disdain toward her as many of the others did.

  She sort of understood. To be born so fantastical with so many powers and then be in the presence of one who had so little—they saw her as less than, a being who didn’t really belong.

  She approached the Pegasus from behind, and so as to not spook him, she called his name softly.

  “Volaticus,” she said.

  He whinnied and turned to face her. He trotted up to her and inclined his head in greeting.

  “Have you seen Rubrum today?”

  He shook his head, his glorious mane billowing as he did so.

  “If you do se
e him, will you let him know I’m okay and I’m looking for him?”

  He nodded and bowed graciously before trotting back to the shoreline.

  She tugged at a wayward curl of hair and chewed on her lip. Anxiety crept up her spine. Where was he? Surely, he hadn’t attempted going to Humankind to look for her. Not alone. As a lizard. “Son of a frog-faced fairy fart,” she muttered under her breath.

  It was time to put her measly magic to work. She found a lilac bush swarming with bees and butterflies, closed her eyes, and drew in a slow, deep breath. Little tingles sparked in her belly as her magic awoke and reached out to her winged friends.

  Arden watched in amazement. Even in his wretched state, he had one hundred times the power the girl did, but even he couldn’t do what she’d done with the pollinators. It was a beautiful sight to behold and not only because of her physical beauty. A peacefulness had swept over him watching her work. Seeing the fluttering as the creatures acquiesced to whatever task she’d set them upon was deeply moving.

  He assumed it was to flit about and gather information about the whereabouts of the dragon.

  He pulled the feather Amica had offered him from his pouch and whispered an incantation that would allow him to draw upon her spell, to see what she saw.

  The visions hit him hard—so many eyes seeing so many things at once. He slumped and sat on the ground to balance himself against the immense disorientation.

  It was odd, apart from the disorientation washing over him when he tapped into the spell, he could sense exactly how weak the girl’s magic was, so it wasn’t a thrall cast upon the flighty creatures as he’d assumed. It was more a request, a gentle nudge that they could have easily ignored, yet they complied. Interesting.

  He leaned back and closed his eyes, relaxing his body and mind in an attempt to better discern the visions coursing through his mind.

  Finally. The red dragon. Scrambling around. Running. Flying.

  But, where was it? It was difficult to focus with so many images flying through his mind so quickly. He wondered if it was as overwhelming for the girl, or if it was a simple thing for a flower nymph.

  There. The red was very close to the west side of the Dragonkind border, and it wasn’t far away. Arden mustered every ounce of energy he had as well as calling upon the feather, and tried to teleport, but it was useless. He couldn’t do so unless he drew from the bond with Amica. And, he needed to save that for when he met with the dragon. So, instead, he ran.

  Chapter 11

  Phlox’s heart surged as she caught a glimpse of Rubrum in the distance and rushed toward him. Why was he so close to the dragon realm border? She ran as fast as her legs would carry her and tripped over her own feet more than once. The closer she got, the more she felt his distress. He was frantic. He was frantic because of her.

  Guilt swamped her. Anger at herself was a close second. Her lungs burned as she pushed on harder, faster. Forest creatures scattered out of her way. Almost there.

  She stopped short as she rounded a corner, a breathless cry of delight escaping her as she spotted Rubrum still safe. She tried to catch her breath enough to call out to him, but someone, Arden, the scarred man she’d met earlier, appeared from a different path.

  He pulled something from his pouch and held it high in the air. The swirl of magic tickled her skin. What was he doing? What were his intentions?

  The man incanted something she didn’t understand.

  Rubrum! She called through their bond.

  His head snapped up, his gaze meeting hers across the way. His relief washed over her, but it was short-lived.

  He didn’t bother with the bond and instead roared the word, “Danger!”

  A cloud of smoke puffed from his mouth, and his eyes burned fiery red as he visibly strained. He was trying to blow fire at the man, but couldn’t.

  Instead, he spun around and whipped his tail in such a way that sent Arden flying backward. The magic she’d felt snapped, diminished, and she ran toward the pair.

  Rubrum stood over the downed man, and the rage inside him was on display for any onlooker to see. “What has he done?” she asked.

  Warlock! Danger!.

  Arden held out his hand in retreat. “Please,” he gasped. “I mean you no harm.”

  “Liar!” Rubrum roared.

  Phlox covered her ears in an attempt to keep her eardrums from splitting from Rubrum’s booming voice.

  Arden did the same.

  Arden’s head ached from the crash to the ground and the dragon’s roar. He should have known he wouldn’t be able to accomplish his mission without drawing directly from Amica’s magic, but he’d had to try.

  Seeing the girl and the dragon together, feeling their connection, he now understood. She wasn’t under the dragon’s thrall. They shared a relationship like he and Amica. A red dragon and a flower nymph. It was unheard of. But, it was also perfect. He knew what he had to do.

  He opened himself fully to his bond with Amica, incanted, and pulled just enough power to teleport himself and the girl to his home. It was a risk, but a calculated one. Taking a prisoner hadn’t been on the agenda, but the dragon would be along shortly, and he wouldn’t dare risk harming the girl. The dragon would give Arden whatever he needed. He just hoped it was in time.

  Chapter 12

  “Where am I?” Phlox rubbed at her temples. The disorientation of teleporting made her dizzy and queasy.

  “You’re in my home,” Arden said. “Don’t worry. If your dragon cooperates, you won’t be harmed.”

  “What?” She snapped at him as she took in her surroundings.

  “Arden? What have you done?” A weak, feminine voice rang out from another room.

  Arden blanched, a sheepish look crossing his face and making him look younger and a little vulnerable.

  “Come with me,” he barked at Phlox. “And don’t do anything stupid.”

  She scrunched up her face at him and tried to decide whether or not she should storm at him kicking and screaming. But, if he had the power to teleport, he wouldn’t be overpowered easily or at all. Not by her, anyway.

  When she didn’t move fast enough for him, he took her by the elbow and pushed her through an arched entryway. She gasped audibly at the sight before her. A griffin. In all the years she’d been in Otherworld, she’d never seen a griffin.

  “Well, well,” the griffin said. “She doesn’t look much like a red dragon to me.”

  The griffin rolled her eyes, and it reminded Phlox so much of Rubrum, she laughed. Loud.

  Both Arden and the griffin seemed surprised at her reaction. Considering her situation, it had surprised her too.

  The magnificent creature pushed herself up to sitting with some effort, her large body dwarfing the room. Phlox noted the dullness of her eyes and the heavy breaths the effort caused. She wasn’t well, and even in a kidnapping situation, Phlox couldn’t deny the impulse to feel compassion for all creatures.

  “She is one with the dragon,” Arden said. “He’ll come for her.”

  The griffin studied her, her eyes going in and out of focus. It wasn’t exactly a menacing stare, but intense just the same, and Phlox almost shrank away from it, but she found her strength and squared her shoulders.

  “Not one with it. No.” The griffin mused.

  “I’m standing right here,” Phlox interjected.

  They continued to ignore her.

  “Well, they are connected,” Arden said. “He will come for her.”

  The griffin nodded. “And you think to make a trade.”

  Phlox’s agitation grew to intolerable levels and she threw her hands in the air. “Hello! What do you want with Rubrum? Why does he need to come for me? And, what…” She rounded on Arden and shoved him. He didn’t fall on his butt as she’d hoped, but he did stagger backward enough to satisfy her. “Who do you think you are just teleporting away with me like that? Grabbing my elbow and bossing me around. What did you do to him at the border of Dragonkind? I’ve never seen him s
o enraged. Did you hurt him?”

  The griffin laughed. “It might have been safer to catch the dragon.”

  “Perhaps,” Arden agreed.

  Phlox balled her fists at her sides and squeezed her eyes shut. What an annoying pair these two were.

  “My name is Amica, girl. And you?”

  “Her name is Phlox.” Arden spoke for her. “And, she’ll be taking her leave so you can rest.”

  Leave? Wonderful. Part of Phlox wanted to stay and take in more of Amica, but she needed to get out of there and find Rubrum. Again.

  She exited the room quickly hoping to find a way out, but she ended up in another room, her feet frozen in place by an invisible force.

  “Sit,” Arden commanded.

  When she didn’t comply a magical force weakened her knees so that she plopped ungracefully onto a chair suddenly situated behind her.

  “Your dragon will come for you, and then you’ll be free to go.”

  “Come for me?” Phlox wondered if the man was dense in addition to his other negative qualities. “He doesn’t know where I am!”

  “You’re obviously bonded in some way. He’ll find you.”

  “No. It’s too weak for that, because of me. My…magical limitations.” Her face heated with the embarrassment of saying the words aloud.

  He shook his head and scowled. “Lies.”

  “Lies.” She mimicked his words and his scowl to show him how stupid he sounded and looked. “You’re a real whackadoo jerk. Has anyone ever told you that?”

  His brows furrowed, but the scowl softened ever so slightly. “Jerk, yes. Whackadoo, no.”

  “Surprising.”

  He rubbed at his chin as he ignored her jibe. “Why is your magic so inferior?”

  Inferior. The word gnawed at her guts as she wished she had the power to zap him into a frog.

  “Well?” he prompted when she didn’t answer.

  She took a page out of Rubrum’s book and rolled her eyes in an exaggerated fashion. “I. Don’t. Know. Jerk.”