Dragons and Mages: A Limited Edition Anthology

by Pauline Creeden

  “Well, why are you here?” Ember asked again, not breaking eye contact with the prince as those vibrant, violet eyes locked with hers once more.

  “We need your help,” he replied, his voice rough and damn sexy, causing her body to tingle all over.

  Pushing the forbidden feelings down, Ember crossed her arms over her chest narrowing her eyes. “Your race destroyed my people. Why should we help you?” she asked icily.

  His reply was not one she expected, and his words shocked not only her, but Jaxe and Obe also. “Because I am the only way you can stop it happening again.”

  Chapter 23

  Morgan found himself cursing within once again as he stood in the middle of one of the grandest, most spectacular rooms he had ever laid eyes on. The shelves that reached to the ceiling were filled with books of every kind possible. From the oldest manuscripts holding all the knowledge of lands long gone or lands that still existed. Morgan was sure he didn’t even know the names of those that did still thrive with life. Not all of them anyway. There were also many books that told the stories of love once found and love long lost. Stories you would tell children of monsters, myths and legends. Morgan wished, once again, that he had travelled to Doterrian long before now. How he would have made use of this cave of wonders. His elf mind crying out for all the new information he could learn, and he wondered if he could take a few books or manuscripts back to Caspa. He knew that Obe would appreciate them greatly. Being half fae his mind was just as inquisitive as Morgan’s and was prone to soak up any new information.

  Snapping himself out of his admiration, he made his way over to where a large old book was resting on a stand. The king, or should he say his uncle, had arranged for the manuscripts Morgan had asked for to be brought down and left prepared for him. Stopping at the desk, running a hand over the aging leather, he found himself grateful that he had taught himself the old tongue of the elves. The three books waiting for him were in the language of his mother’s people, and he hoped that at least one of them would hold the key to understanding just what was going on with Ember.

  He had been here for two days already and he’d yet to do any research. Instead, he had allowed his uncle to show him the wonders of Doterrian. A place that one day he would call his own. That was when the time came for his Uncle to leave this world, until then he would continue to stand at Ember’s side, and that meant getting to the bottom of her terrors and returning back to Caspa. He already knew he was going to be longer than he had promised her, and he was waiting for the hell that would come when he finally did return home.

  Careful not to disturb the delicate pages of the book too much, he flicked open the cover and carefully trailed a finger down the contents. Nothing stood out to him, not straight away anyway and as he sank into the large leather chair at the desk, the realisation dawned on him that he was going to have to read through every page of these three large books. It would take him time, and it was time he didn’t have.

  “Which is why I have been sent to help you,” Arun spoke, making Morgan jump slightly. He turned quickly in the chair just in time to see the small elf make his way over to him, pulling a chair with him as he passed another desk.

  “Did you tap into my mind again? You know that is extremely rude,” Morgan pointed out, amusement crossing his face as Arun shrugged, smirking sheepishly.

  “It was easy to. You should really learn to block better.”

  “I suppose I don’t feel like I need to here. I already feel safe, like I can trust you all,” Morgan replied truthfully.

  “That’s good, because you can. I told you that the king would be pleased to see you. He has waited a very long time to welcome you here. It is also why he has sent me to help you with your findings. There is much for you to go through, and you will not be able to achieve it in the time you have given yourself,” Arun explained as he pulled one of the other leather books over to him. This one was of a deep green and seemed much heavier than the one Morgan was about to start.

  “That is of course if you welcome the help.” Arun added.

  Morgan chuckled fixing his eyes on the words in front of him. “I would be glad of the company, and also the help. Thank you.”

  “I think I have found something that will help you,” Arun broke the silence hours later, jolting Morgan out of his own trance.

  Taking a chance to glance out of the large windows that looked over the grounds of the palace, he noted that the sun had long gone, and in its place the moon shone its silver rays boldly on the lawn. Morgan was surprised at how long they had been sat going through endless pages, and the fact that it had taken the whole day for one of them to finally stumble upon something that could be of use to them.

  Returning his attention back to the small elf, he stretched out his back as he did so. “What is it you have found?” Morgan questioned, not daring to stand. He was unsure if his legs would support him enough to walk.

  “You say it is dragons she sees. Tell me, do you know much about her past?”

  Morgan shook his head in silence response. It was something both he and Ember had longed to know, but had accepted the fact that no one knew who she was and that those who did were no longer alive.

  “Well, I think we have found your hybrid. You say that she is an angel and a phoenix? Her father was, or should I say is Elyon. One of the sons of one of the most powerful and most royal of angel families. He is the angel of redemption and acceptance. I am not sure who her mother is, I have yet to find anything on her in these books. But it says here that Elyon fathered a hybrid girl, a girl that is believed to be dead. Killed with her mother when the Dragon prince Izzeris, who is now the king of Ustrina, came and destroyed their village. How old is Ember?” Arun asked.

  “I believe she is 90 years young. Why do you ask? I mean, how can you be so certain that this angel you speak of is her father?” Morgan replied.

  “Because if you are correct with the age, then it would match the date that this entry into our books was made. It would explain the dreams about the dragon taking out a whole village. A village she sees as hers, the people, her people. She is likely reliving the day that she was left for dead. I don’t think she is foreseeing the future, I think she is reliving the past,” Arun explained.

  “Or she is seeing the future, and that this darkness, this war, is about to happen again only we are likely facing forces that are much more powerful than before?” Morgan suggested. He didn’t like the idea, but they couldn’t rule out. They needed to be ready for whatever was coming. Ember’s dreams were too real to ignore.

  “Maybe. But I can’t give you answers to the future. I can just give you the answers of the past. The white dragon that she sees is the new prince of Ustrina.”

  “Which tells me that what she dreams is that of the future. If she is seeing the white dragon destroying homes and villages then at least we know who our enemy is,” Morgan stated, frowning as Arun shook his head in response.

  “Never assume everything is that simple, Morgan.” Arun stated simply, closing the book and pushing it towards him. “I think you should take this book with you and return home. It has all you need to know about the dragons and their past. It may or may not help you. Just remember that you are always welcome here and we will always provide the support and army you need should a war come about. The elves will always be on the side of the hybrids. We have wanted to see the dragons extinct for many centuries, though I have a feeling that they will become our allies soon enough.”

  Morgan didn’t have a chance to reply, with a quick tilt of his head Arun turned and left him alone in the large library. He guessed that Arun’s words had been the que he needed to leave Doterrian and return back to Caspa. He didn’t want to. He wanted nothing more than to stay here. To learn so much more from his uncle. But he knew that his time was not now to take up residence with the elves. He had already been away from Caspa longer than he liked and with the new information that he had found it was time that they delved deeper into Embe
r’s visions to figure out if it was in the future she was seeing.

  Chapter 24

  It had been two days since the dragons had appeared in Caspa. Ember had found out that Ash was in fact the prince of Ustrina, and Blaze was simply his long term friend. That was all she had cared to find out. She felt she should at least know their names. Ash and Blaze were being kept in the smallest of huts, guarded by both Obe and Jaxe. Morgan had tapped into all their minds to let them know that he was safe, had information, and was on his way home.

  They hadn’t let him know about the dragons, having decided it was better to explain everything in person, and allow him to see it all for himself. She had been relieved to have heard from the elf hybrid, she couldn’t wait to have him back and to hear all about Dotterian. But before he came home she needed to figure what the hell she was going to do with these god damn dragons. She still wasn’t sure she trusted them.

  All that Ash had told her in that short time they had exchanged words seemed to be genuine, but after he had uttered those words, ‘I am the only way you can stop it happening again’ something inside her had screamed out to believe him, to trust him. But her mind, the one part of her that held onto the past, that remembered the stories of the dragons and what they had done to the hybrids long ago, told her to kill them, to destroy the rest of the dragons.

  Yet she knew the hybrids were not violent people, not unless they had to be. She couldn’t expect her people to fight for nothing. No, she had to hear this dragon prince. She had to listen to what he had to say, all of it, and then she would wait for Morgan to return and discuss it all with him. She loved Obe and Jaxe dearly, trusted in all that they told her, but Morgan knew so much more. He understood the deeper threat the dragons could bring but also the potential in the allies they could be. Or at least the allies that these two could be.

  “Do you want me to bring the prince to you?” Obe asked into her thoughts, clearly she had been projecting some of her musings to the other two, and she wondered if Morgan had heard anything. Feeling down the thread that led to his mind she found that he hadn’t and for that she was grateful for.

  “Yes, bring him to me, but just him. I need to speak with him alone. I want to know just how much of what he has said so far is true, and also what else he has to tell me or even admit. There is so much about our past that I don’t know and I feel he can tell me more,” Ember replied.

  There was silence for a few moments before Obe replied. “Just be careful you don’t wish for too much knowledge Ember. It may not be all you want to hear. Truths can be painful at times.”

  And that was all he said before the link went dead. Ember longed to know more about Obe’s past and his true origins. She knew there was so much pain within him. More so than any of the others, and she wished that he would talk to them about it. He was the most haunted of them all by his past, and it angered her that someone had hurt such a gentle soul as him.

  A knock at the door brought her from her thoughts and she was surprised to find Jaxe on the other side with Ash at his side, chains round his wrists looking more dishevelled than he had just two days ago. Ember decided that if he was found to be telling her the truth and agreed to be their allies in this so called war that had brought them to Caspa, the first thing she would do after this meeting would be to allow them to bathe, eat and be given fresh clothing. Allowing her eyes to scan over the man in front of her, she again felt that sensation of lust that she couldn’t stop. She couldn’t understand why she was drawn to the enemy, especially when her heart belonged to Obe.

  Forcing the feeling down, she stepped aside indicating for the dragon prince to enter. Giving Jaxe a look telling him that he was to wait outside and that they would be allowed to talk alone. She could tell that Jaxe was not happy with this, but he didn’t argue, instead he stepped outside closing the door behind him.

  “You don’t trust me enough to let these chains off me? Even though I am completely unarmed?” came that husky voice, sending a shiver down Ember’s spine as he spoke.

  Ember turned on him, her own eyes flashing angrily, not just at the fact Ash had dared to speak to her, but also because she had allowed him to affect her in such the way that he did.

  “You are a dragon. It doesn’t matter if you have a material weapon or not, you can cause me harm. And you have no right to address me until I say you can. You may be the Prince in Ustrina, but you have no power here, you will respect me and my people. I may remind you that you are in fact a prisoner here, and I can very easily have you killed,” she spat, feeling her body tense ready for a fight, a fight that never came much to her disappointment.

  Chapter 25

  Ash eyed the hybrid stood in front of him. He should have been annoyed, angered even by the way that she had just spoken to him, but instead he found it alluring. He wondered, not for the first time, what exactly Ember was. The obvious power that surrounded her told him that she was a result of two fairly rare races. The flaming red eyes of hers never leaving him, burning right through to his soul. He allowed himself to admire her. After all, she was just as likely to not believe him, and if she didn’t trust him Ash knew she would be true to her word and kill him. If he was going to die at the hands of this beautiful woman, he damn well wanted to remember her.

  Ember had her white blonde hair cropped short, setting off her perfect features. Her body was petite, but strong, and she was dressed in clothing that left little to the imagination. Her hand was tightly grasped around the hilt of her sword, stopping Ash from seeing what the head piece was of the weapon. Ember was truly something else, and Ash found himself longing to learn all there was to her in every senses.

  “I asked you a question. You really need to learn to answer me straight away. Or you clearly don’t value your life much, Dragon Prince.” Ember’s smooth, almost musical voice rang through his thoughts.

  Ash cursed slightly, realising that he hadn’t heard the question thanks to his recent daydream. Now he had to make the quick decision whether to wing it and hope the answer he gave, whatever that was, was the right one. Or to be honest and admit he had no idea what she was talking about, and still risk getting killed. Deciding honesty was the best way to go, especially if he wanted Ember’s trust, Ash shrugged slightly sending her a sheepish look.

  “I am sorry. Lack of food and sleep seems to be playing havoc on my mind. I blanked out briefly. What exactly is the question I am meant to be answering?” Ash asked.

  The snarl that came from Ember should have concerned him, frightened him even, but instead it just made him desire this creature even more, and he wasn’t sure if he should embrace these feelings. Warnings were ringing in his mind, he was a dragon and she a hybrid. Hell would break lose if feelings were acted upon.

  “Why are you here, dragon?” Ember snapped, once more bringing him crashing back to reality once again.

  “I told you why when we first met. I am here to stop the past happening again,” Ash replied calmly, holding Ember’s fiery gaze steadily. He was the prince of Ustrina, he would not show fear. Besides, he needed the hybrids on his side, and Ember was the one he needed to break.

  “And how do I know you are telling me the truth? How do I know it’s not just a ploy to get into the camp and spy on us? Not that we plan on letting you leave alive if that is what you are planning on doing,” Ember told him, causing Ash to laugh.

  Enjoying the look of shock on Ember’s face at his sudden outburst. “So you do believe me, but you hate that fact. It’s going against all that you know and all that you have been taught. To trust a dragon…” Ash trailed off, knowing by the look on Ember’s face that he had found the truth. He was surprised at how easy it was to read her, and if he was honest with himself, it was confusing him. After all, it was his father that destroyed much of her race. Why was he so connected to her?

  After a few moments of silence Ash spoke again prompting Ember to answer his question. “Well, am I right?”

  The sigh that escaped her lips as she d
ropped her guard slightly confirmed even that he was right. He watched as she took a seat next to him by the fire. Her hand hovered close to the hilt of her sword, but her posture was more relaxed.

  “Yes, you are right. I knew the moment that you entered that you weren’t a threat. But I just didn’t want to believe it. I couldn’t believe it, Ash. You are my people’s greatest enemy,” Ember explained.

  Ash nodded slightly. He understood, he really did. Not wanting to let your people down. The ones you had sworn to protect.

  “I can promise you, Ember, we bring no threat. Myself and Blaze have travelled far, risked so much and nearly gotten ourselves killed to get here. I can promise you that we have not been followed and no other dragon knows this place. And they won’t. But you have to believe me when I say that we are your only hope of surviving what is about to come. Not that I know what exactly is about to come,” Ash admitted, knowing full well her next question would be just that. What was about to come.

  “Okay, but you must know something. And I also want to know how you knew where to find us,” Ember questioned.

  Ash found himself hesitating to answer. He felt drawn to this hybrid, felt like he could trust her to tell her the truth about the manuscripts they had lost, but he had memorised. Yet there was a small part of him that was telling him not to spill everything and he couldn’t understand why that was. This conflict of emotion was something so alien to him.

  “If you can’t be honest with me and tell me all it is you know then how do you expect me to so willingly trust you? I don’t care about me, Ash. But my people mean everything to me. I need to know everything, and I need you to be honest with me. To justify allowing a dragon to live amongst us and to become our ally,” Ember told him.

  Ash nodded, she was right. She deserved to know everything, even if it would get them in trouble after all.