“All different ages. I was born in 1540. You?”
“120 B.C.” She wasn’t particularly interested in that or Rhys’ surprise, but was busy looking at the Pyr.
He told her more. “Drake and the Dragon’s Tooth Warriors were enchanted for thousands of years. After they were released, thanks to Rafferty, the darkfire allowed them to travel through time to find their destined mates. Drake had a firestorm before he and his men were enchanted and a son, Theo, and our Theo is descended from him. He was blessed with a second firestorm in our time.”
Lila nodded understanding.
“But as a result of the darkfire, the numbers of Pyr warriors were bolstered right near the end of the Dragon’s Tail Wars. Many of the Dragon Legion are descended from the Dragon’s Tooth Warriors. That’s why we have a dragon tattoo.”
“Phew. I thought you were just afraid you’d forget,” she teased, her eyes sparkling.
Rhys grinned. “My forebear, Damian, was one of them. His mate was Petra, an Earthdaughter, who had been trapped in the underworld while carrying his son.”
“What’s an Earthdaughter?”
“An elemental witch. There were four, one for each element, who were destined mates of the Pyr during the Dragon’s Tail Wars. Three of them were mates to Dragon’s Tooth Warriors sent back in time. I’ve no doubt there are many more.”
“Is your mother’s nature why you have an affinity with the earth?”
“I’m not sure. Many Pyr do. Hadrian does and Rafferty does. Even Kristofer.” He was thinking as he spoke. “And Quinn, the Smith of the Pyr. It’s almost as common an affinity for us as fire itself.”
“What can an Earthdaughter do that a Pyr with an affinity to earth can’t?”
“Well, it’s said that Petra could turn into a pillar of stone or summon an earthquake. I can influence the element of earth but not become it.”
“So you could summon an earthquake?”
“I’ve never tried. Why would I?”
“I guess summoning a destructive force is unlikely to defend the treasures of the earth, including mortals.”
“Exactly.” A timer rang and Rhys moved across the kitchen to turn over some chicken on the grill and check on a pizza that was under the broiler. He noticed that Lila was looking thoughtful. “Why?”
“I wonder if your lineage gives you specific gifts, that’s all. I come from a line of healers, for example.”
Rhys granted her an intent look. “I wonder.”
She indicated the Pyr. “And the others?”
“Arach is the one with dark hair and grey eyes. If you want to know more about beguiling, he’s the one to ask. He’s amazing at it, but then, he studied with Lorenzo, who is the best of all of us at beguiling. He can even beguile other Pyr.”
Lila nodded. “I can’t think of a selkie who can charm other selkies. That’s impressive.”
“Are some better than others?”
“Yes, but I think it’s practice. Nyssa is really good at it.”
Rhys wondered how good the other selkie was at charming. It might be possible for a selkie with exceptional abilities to charm another of her own kind. “Arach’s forebear was Alexander, Drake’s second, whose mate was Katina, another elemental witch. She was a Waterdaughter, but Arach’s affinities are to air and fire.”
“There goes that theory,” Lila ceded with a smile.
Rhys laughed, then pointed. “Could you make some parsley bouquets for me, please? They’re the garnish for this spicy chicken.”
Lila did as he asked. “Like this?” At his nod, she continued. “And the fourth? The guy with the man-bun?”
Rhys smiled. “Balthasar. He builds and repairs sailboats, even does some racing.”
“Affinities to water and fire?” Lila guessed.
“Exactly. I forget the name of his forebear in Drake’s team. Orion, maybe.”
“Did he mate with an elemental witch?”
Rhys shook his head. “It was Hadrian and Alasdair’s forebear whose destined mate was an Airdaughter, although the story goes that originally she was an immortal nymph. Hadrian and Alasdair are cousins.”
“And their affinities?” Lila asked, apparently unwilling to abandon her theory just yet.
“Hadrian’s are earth and fire.”
Lila made a face and he lifted a finger.
“But Alasdair’s are to air and fire.”
“Fifty-fifty then,” Lila said. “What about the fourth elemental witch?”
Rhys began to plate meals as Rafferty entered the restaurant. “Brandon, a Pyr in Australia, is mated to Liz who is a Firedaughter. She’s the only elemental witch I’ve actually met.”
The four Pyr stood and greeted Rafferty who arrived just then. He was a powerful Pyr with long hair and wise eyes. His mate, Melissa, waved to Rhys and there were two other women accompanying them. One was elderly and not strong: the younger one helped her to a chair, her expression filled with concern.
“Rafferty,” Rhys said to Lila. “His mate, Melissa.”
Lila frowned. “How could I know her?”
“She’s a news broadcaster. You might have seen her on television. And she did a series of specials about the Pyr.”
Lila nodded. “And the other two women?”
He frowned. “I think the younger one is the woman who the vampires entrusted with the Dark Queen’s book. The older one must be the witch they said they’d bring.”
Lila turned and stared at him. “Surely they wouldn’t bring Maeve’s book here?”
Rhys froze. “No. Rafferty said on the phone that she’d fled from the vampires. Why would she bring the book when she had no protection?”
Lila was unconvinced and it showed.
Rafferty, meanwhile, was making introductions. He gestured to the older woman. “This is Eithne, who contacted us about Embron’s appearance in Edinburgh and led us to the seven sleeping warriors.” He indicated the younger woman. “And this is Sylvia, her niece. You all know Melissa, of course.”
“Lila doesn’t,” Rhys said, leading her to meet them all. He introduced her to the other Pyr, concluding with Rafferty and Melissa.
Rafferty shook Lila’s hand then basked in the glow of the firestorm and visibly drew strength from it. He met Lila’s gaze. “I can tell you anything you want to know about this Pyr.”
Lila smiled and thanked him. The Pyr pushed smaller tables together to make one long one and sat down, passing meals to each other like a big family. Rafferty sat at the head of the table, praising the dragonsmoke barrier and asking each of them for news. Sylvia and Eithne sat together at one end, with Eithne at the foot of the table. Lila took the seat opposite Sylvia and asked if Eithne was well.
The older woman’s hair was silver and her eyes were blue. There was wisdom in her gaze and an acceptance of her situation. “You are a healer,” she said with quiet confidence. “Empathy is part of your gift.”
“I would help you,” Lila offered.
Eithne patted her hand. “I’m not sure you can. My magick is gone. I gave a lot of it away, but then the rest was seized by my own apprentice. I am fading, but it is time for me to fade. I have lived many eons.”
“Auntie,” Sylvia protested, looking as if she might cry.
Eithne seized her hand and gave it a squeeze. “I have one last story to tell, Sylvia, and it’s important that you hear it. The story is part of your legacy.”
“But...”
Eithne shook her head. “You cannot change what will be. You have no magick yet and must accept whatever comes to you as a result.”
“Is that the book?” Rhys asked as Sylvia put a volume down on the table. It looked like a plain notebook, but he couldn’t imagine why she’d have brought such a book to the meeting. Hadn’t someone said Maeve’s book had a glamor on it?
Sylvia started then nodded.
“The book?” Lila asked. “Her book? The Dark Queen’s inventory?”
Rhys and Lila both inhaled when Sylvia nodded again.
“H
ere and now,” Rhys said, looking toward the door with trepidation. Lila had been right to be concerned. He didn’t know whether dragonsmoke would dissuade the Fae and didn’t want to find out.
“You want to look,” Eithne said to Lila, who flushed a little and nodded.
Sylvia passed a hand over the volume and it seemed to shimmer under her hand. Rhys blinked and it had a different cover, an embossed leather one. It looked like a grimoire and he was revolted by the sight of it.
But Sylvia passed it across the table to Lila.
His mate took a deep breath, then opened the book, her fingers trembling. Rhys moved to stand behind her so he could see, too.
Twelve
It defied belief that Lila was holding the fabled inventory of the Dark Queen in her own hands. She had no doubt that the volume was what Sylvia claimed it to be: it emanated a feeling of malice that couldn’t be mistaken. It had no aura but felt slimy in her hands, like she touched the cold underbelly of evil. She could barely bring herself to turn the pages, but she found the contents horrifying and compelling: once she began to read it, she couldn’t stop.
It was also a stretch to believe that she was sitting in a restaurant owned by a dragon shifter, surrounded by his fellow dragon shifters and a witch. She had looked at the auras when Rhys introduced his fellows and was struck by how vigorous they were. The auras of the Pyr were bright and richly colored, like gems. Though a few had shadows that hinted at past heartaches—like Rhys—they were clearly a robust group.
Eithne’s aura was consistent with those of witches Lila had seen before: it was a constant swirling of pearly hues, like shifting clouds or rising mists. Sylvia, oddly, had no aura at all. Lila couldn’t understand that and couldn’t stop herself from surreptitiously studying the other woman. Sylvia also seemed despondent and Lila wondered whether that was her character or a recent change. She knew Rhys noticed her curiosity and tried to do a better job of hiding it.
It would be easier now that she held Maeve’s book herself. Rhys stood close beside her, also reading it, the heat of the firestorm sizzling against her back.
She looked first for the page with the Pyr, hoping Rhys might learn more of the fate of his friend, Theo. It was also easier to look at the names of complete strangers and grow accustomed to the contents of the macabre little volume. Even though she didn’t know the deceased Pyr, Lila found it chilling to see the names crossed out with dates beside them. She saw the name of his brother, Llewelyn, and that friend, Storme, he’d mentioned.
Rhys had leaned forward and was running his finger down the list of surviving dragon shifters. She felt his relief before he spoke. “Theo is alive, at least,” he said and the Pyr abandoned their conversations to listen. “And Alasdair. And Kade, too.”
“That’s better than might have been expected,” Drake said.
“I hope Alasdair is okay,” Hadrian said from across the table.
“Thank you,” Rhys said to Lila, then took the seat beside her. “There must be someone you want to check on,” he said, his gaze lingering upon her. “Would you rather I touched it?”
Lila nodded agreement. She felt that the book was drawing strength from her and Maeve’s fury wasn’t something she wanted to feed. “There were thirteen kinds that made the Isle of the Blessed their home,” she said, knowing that Rhys, Hadrian, Sylvia and Eithne would hear. Maybe the other Pyr would as well.
Arach was sitting beside Hadrian with Melissa beside him. Rafferty was at the head of the table, Drake on his right and Balthasar on his right, to Rhys’ left. They all leaned forward slightly to listen and she reminded herself that Rhys trusted them completely.
“Okay,” Rhys said.
“I know the mer-people are gone.”
Rhys found that page, with its horrible list of crossed-out names and maps of their locations.
“It says Sheila was the last,” he said and met her gaze.
“I knew her and her family,” Lila admitted, her heart in her throat.
“Tell me about her,” Rhys invited in a low voice. “Bring her alive for us again.”
Lila looked up at him, impressed by the suggestion. “She loved to sing and had the most beautiful voice.” Her own voice was husky. “I knew her sisters and her mother, but she defied her family.”
“How so?”
“She fell in love with a dwarf, a forbidden love since his kind weren’t among those of the Isle of the Blessed. She adored him, though, and even talked about giving up her tail to be with him.” Lila eyed Sheila’s name. “She came and talked to me about Malcolm, seeking advice. She wanted so badly to believe that she and her dwarf could make it work. I wasn’t very encouraging.”
“I can believe that,” Rhys said. “Maybe her dwarf really loved her, though.”
“Maybe. That was the last time I saw her.”
“Selkies are next,” Rhys warned her.
Lila leaned closer, scanning the list, thinking it was far too short, remembering when they had been so numerous. Nyssa was among the living, as were Nereus, Twyla and Tawdra, Salina and Selima, Serena and Sybil. Herself. It was shocking to see her name listed.
Aquinas was crossed out with 2018 as the date beside him.
Lila caught her breath to see Galena, Melita and Ondine crossed out, with 2019 beside them. “Nyssa’s daughters,” she told Rhys. “I didn’t know.”
“Maybe that’s why she’s with the Others,” he suggested and she had to admit it was a possibility. She could understand a desire for vengeance—or the need to make a difference by fighting.
“Aquinas was her mate,” she confided. “But not the way you mate with the firestorm.” She felt Rafferty’s smile and saw him take Melissa’s hand. “They bred together, no more and no less.”
“And now she’ll have Nereus’ child.”
“I suppose that will make another selkie to add to the list.” Lila didn’t like the thought of bearing a child just to see that offspring hunted by Maeve. The list was chilling and made her agree even more with Rhys about ensuring the world was safe for any son they conceived. She considered the list of selkies again and knew no one was missing. There weren’t a dozen selkies anymore. Just nine. It was troubling to see her name listed, but worse to see an X on a map of the world that marked the location of her home. The location of the Isle of the Blessed was marked, too, which she thought was a secret outside of the Blessed who survived.
The combination made her feel targeted and exposed.
The other pages were worse. There were only two medusas left, which reminded her of the one who worked at Bones. Was that why she was there? To help save her kind?
That was the good news, such as it was. There were no centaurs, no unicorns, not a single pegasus. No minotaurs, no satyrs, no griffins, no chimeras, no basilisks. Rhys turned the pages at her request and her horror increased. The last phoenix was gone, along with the aqrabuamelu.
“I don’t even know what they are,” Rhys said, his warmth close beside her.
“Scorpion centaurs. Their kind is ancient and were once said to be the guardians of the sun. They’re so warlike that it’s hard to believe they were vanquished.” Lila took a breath. “Of the thirteen kinds and thousands of individuals, there aren’t even a dozen of us left. Nine selkies and two medusas.”
Rhys turned back to the page that showed the location of the Isle of the Blessed, his gaze lingering on the X on Westray with her name beside it. “Is this right?”
“More or less.”
“Then this must be the beach where we met.”
“There’s one near my home there. That’s part of why I bought the place. The beach is remote and quiet. I like to go swimming where no one can see.” She watched Rhys nod, then asked for his phone. She searched for an image of the beach she knew so well. For some reason, she felt compelled to show it to him. There was one on a travel blog and she thought she remembered the backpackers. She showed it to Rhys. “See?”
“But that’s not the beach where we met,” h
e said with a frown. “There was a hill back here, and rocks in the sea over here.”
It was Lila’s turn to frown. “No. There are no rocks there, much less a hill over there. My house is right there.”
“There was no house on the beach where we met,” he said. “There was a pair of purple sandals. Sparkly ones.”
Lila met his gaze. She had no purple sandals, sparkly or otherwise, and no one else swam on her beach. “Are you sure?”
“Positive.” Their gazes met and Lila’s heart chilled.
She’d been in Fae—which meant she owed Maeve a toll.
Rhys fanned through the book and spoke a little more loudly, his change of tone making Lila realize that the others were watching them. “There’s no inventory of portals to Fae,” he said to Eithne.
“Because she knows where they all are located,” Eithne said. “And her magick means she can open new ones for a short period of time wherever she desires. When the Dark Queen possesses her magick, portals can be everywhere and anywhere. Which brings us neatly to the matter at hand.” She gave Sylvia a smile, then said Rafferty’s name.
“Is it time?” he asked.
“It must be time,” she replied. “I already wonder whether I have the strength to tell it all.” She did look older than she had on arrival, and Lila could see her fading. There was more mist in her aura and less color with every passing moment.
“Then begin,” Rafferty invited. “I thought the meal would restore you and might be worth the delay. Rhys is a talented chef.”
“It did and I thank you,” Eithne said. Lila looked between them, struck by their formal courtesy, as if they were diplomats from different embassies. “But now I will tell you what you most need to know.” At her gesture, Rhys removed her plate then filled her water glass.
“Anything else?” he asked but Eithne shook her head. He left the pitcher with Sylvia, put the plates aside, then returned to his seat beside Lila. Eithne eyed the flicker and glow of the firestorm for a long moment, gathering her thoughts, then she began.
“First, I must explain to you about magick.”
But Eithne got no further than that before they were interrupted.
Dragon's Heart (The DragonFate Novels Book 3) Page 22
