by L M Lacee
“Oh…oh my son, thank you I have missed you very much Patrycc.”
“I know you have dear one.”
Sage asked. “What is the third reason?”
“My shadow has finally arrived, she is here for me.”
“Oh who, tell me who it is, do I know her?” Verity asked excited for her brother after all these years on his own to have finally found his shadow.
Patrycc laughed. “No…no sister, I will not. You would plague her until she bonds with me out of desperation or runs away. You will have to wait and see.”
Verity pouted a sight that amused Sage who could not wait to tell the others. Rene` leaned over and whispered to Sage. “She would do that. Her brother knows her well.” Making Sage giggle as Verity said sulkily. “Oh, Paddy, that is so mean.”
“Do not call me that!”
“And yet we all heard it.” Rene` grinned as he poured more whiskey in their glasses.
“Repeat it and die!” Patrycc growled with a laugh then he turned to Reighn.
So my nephew the one named Conor, you know who and what he is?”
Reighn wiped the food from his mouth as he replied. “Yes uncle I do, we have talked about it.”
“And what conclusion did you come too?”
“None, it is what it is. Conor being a ‘First’ of his species is what he is! He can neither change it nor halt it. Evolution comes whether we wish it too or not.”
“Agreed but his life will be a hard one.”
Reighn shrugged as he sipped his whiskey his eyes on his uncle. “Maybe, although I have heard the ‘First’ dragons received much help from the redeemer of the time who was a ‘First’.”
“Are you hoping a decedent from the ‘First’ redeemer will help the Lion?”
Reighn tipped his glass towards his uncle. “It crossed my mind.”
“I see, then by all means I will talk with the male.”
Verity smiled as she told him. ‘You will like him Patrycc he is lovely, kind and very well educated. He loves his people and Dragon’s Gap.”
Patrycc nodded he knew, as did the two males that Conor was the ‘First’ of a new species. There had been no ‘First’ in a line of species since the dragons. The weight he carried was tremendous. No wonder Reighn hoped he could help Conor in fact Patrycc knew there was no one else that could. He would think on how to approach the lion.
Much later that night as Ciana lay down to sleep, she worried over Thorn. Andre` had told her he was well after his bout with Conor and had spent most of the day looking at estates and talking to Conor about work for his people. He and Phoebe had also been with Charlie and Storm talking to them about little Cara, her parents had concerns with her being half elf…apparently. Thorn was helping them settle some issues. Ciana sighed just as she fell into sleep, she missed seeing his face.
CHAPTER EIGHTEEN:
T he following morning found Ciana listlessly looking at books in the library, she was on the scholars section. She did not bother to turn when she heard the lift approach. “Hey what are you doing here?”
Ciana turned from the row of books and smiled when she saw Harper step off the lift. “Hiding…what about you?”
“Same...why are you hiding?”
Ciana made a face as she answered. “Thorn he is my intended apparently.”
“That is a cute way of saying he wants you as his shadow.”
Ciana grinned. “Isn’t it, though? It sort of places it out there, not so here and now.”
“Tell me that you don’t want it to be right this minute. If he walked in here and swept you off your feet, you are telling me you would scream bloody murder?”
Ciana replaced the book she was not really interested in and sighed. “How do I know? I have only spoken to him once, and I thought we were getting on okay but since yesterday I have not seen him. I think he is avoiding me.”
“Oh well males, I swear they are a weird species.”
“Who or what are you hiding from?” Ciana asked as she started to move towards a chair.
“Clint.”
“Huh!” Ciana sucked in her bottom lip and sat in the armchair strategically placed to overlook the libraries ground floor. Harper hands in her denim jacket pockets followed her and threw herself into the opposite chair and scowled as she growled out. “It is not that I don’t want him to grow up. I mean he is way older than me already.”
“It is that he did not talk to you about it.” Ciana guessed.
Harper nodded. “Yeah, he just assumed I would say no!”
“Would you have?”
Harper shrugged. “I would hope if he told me why he wanted to go I would have agreed.”
“But he did not give you the opportunity to do so?”
“Exactly and Ace colluded with him!”
Ciana nodded sympathetically and tried not to laugh at the word colluded she murmured. “And now you are worrying that they see you as a tyrant and you wonder if they have done this before. And it occurs to you they may not trust you?”
Harper stared at her. “Umm! Well sort of all that!” She thought about Ciana’s observation and realized that was exactly the problem but before she could say anything Ciana hummed, then said. “And of course now you have Hayden coming back, so really you can’t say anything at all to Clint as he is blood family and you are not. It is a problem.”
Harper stared at her again. “It wasn’t until just now sheesh Ciana! Now thanks to you I have to think about all that too.”
“Oh sorry.” Ciana shrugged contritely. “Sort of an occupational habit to explore all the pieces of the puzzle.”
“Well don’t do it anymore.”
“Okay! So want coffee?”
“Yes desperately.” They both looked towards the lift as the doors silently opened and Olinda stepped off. “Why are you both here?”
Harper and Ciana grinned at the no nonsense Olinda as Harper told her. “We are hiding!”
“Well, you will have to hide later. We are meant to be at the meeting.”
Ciana frowned as she asked. “What meeting?”
“The one Reighn called for this morning.”
“I did not know about it, did you?” Harper asked Ciana who looked as bewildered as she felt.
“No not really, Andre said something when I left but I am not sure what it was.” She had left with other things on her mind.
“It was about the meeting.” Olinda told her.
“Yes, I can see that now.” Ciana agreed, then asked. “So why are you here?”
“Looking for you two.”
“Really how did you know we were here, did you see us come in? I never saw you when I arrived?”
“Oh please! This is my place. I know everything that goes on here.” She sniffed with amusement as she went unerring to the book Ciana had misplaced when she put it back and took it out with a disapproving look at Ciana. She replaced it in its correct place. “Now hurry I have coffee ready for you, let’s go.”
Ciana looked at Harper. “Did you know she could do that?”
“No, why would I know that?”
“Oh, I thought you knew everything?”
“No, that is Frankie.” They looked to see Olinda’s foot tapping in impatience. Harper scowled. “Alright Miss bossy we are coming.”
“That is Mrs Bossy to you lady-killer.”
Ciana blinked. “Wow that was mean.”
Harper grinned. “Nah, not really, sort of true.”
“Oh well okay.” Ciana grinned as they piled into the lift and were whisked down to the ground floor where Keeper stood ready with a tray of coffee. “Ladies!”
“Keeper.” They both said as he smiled and opened a portal. “We are late.” He told them at their looks of surprise.
“It is not our fault, no one told us.’ Harper mumbled as she took her coffee and walked through the shiny portal but not before she kissed Keepers cheek. Ciana smiling said seriously. “What she said.” And she did the same with a small kiss on his cheek
making him smile wider. Olinda looked after both females and grabbed her coffee gave Keeper’s cheek a kiss and asked as she walked through the portal. “Is this a thing we are meant to do when we go through because no one has told me this?”
Ash said. “No!” As she smiled up at him. “Oh okay.”
Keeper entered the room, and Ash gave him a hard look he sipped his coffee and grinned broadly at the annoyed male until he turned around and saw his shadow who stood looking at him with raised eyebrows. “Ella!”
She looked from him to the three females grinning at her “Ladies…Keeper.”
She said and moved to her seat Keeper looked from her to the three females. “Damn!” They all laughed at his look of consternation as Ash said. “That serves you right.”
Ciana saw where Thorn was sitting next to his brother who she recognized from the day before. She moved to the empty seat next to him and wished him a “Good morning.”
“Good morning, Ciana you are well?”
“I was going to ask you that?”
“Oh.” He smiled as he heard the concern in her voice. “Yes, I am well it was a good bout.”
“But he knocked you out?” She whispered. He grinned at her, happy she seemed worried about not only him being knocked out but that someone would over hear their conversation.” He did but as he is first. I would have been surprised if had not. It was a learning experience for me and for him.”
Ciana went over all the information she had read and been told about the ‘First’ dragons. If Thorn was implying Conor was the ‘First’ of his species, she was amazed he was alive. “Oh, I see. So for you it was worth it?”
He nodded. “Yes very much so. We have talked and come to some decision on the integration of my people into Dragon’s Gap, and I have no concerns over him upholding the laws impartially.”
She shyly said. “I missed talking to you yesterday!” Thorn almost cheered, Andre`s plan of staying away had worked it looked like his little Ciana was not only annoyed but worried. He said now, “I was very busy setting things up for my people. I had to find a place to live which I did, it is lovely and then there were houses to be brought and looked over.”
“I see so you found a place to live?”
“Yes.”
“Well, that is nice, I hope you enjoy it.”
“Ahh! I am sure we will.” He eyed her from the corner of his eye, did she sound interested or irritated he did not know her well enough to know. Tayne nudged him from his other side. “I think you annoyed her!”
“Why would you say that?”
“She looks annoyed.” Thorn looked at her again and he could see she did. Hoping to smooth over whatever caused her to frown he introduced his brother. “Ciana this is my brother and second Tayne.”
She smiled and held her hand out to him. “Welcome to Dragon’s Gap Tayne, I hope we get time to talk later.”
“I thank you Lady Ciana.”
She sat back in her seat and did not look at Thorn again. Tayne nudged him again. “See annoyed.”
Thorn shot him a look. “Yes, I do see that.”
Reighn stood at the head of the table in his conference room which had been enlarged to accommodate the thirty foot long table. As he had watched everyone enter and take a seat, he realized he would either have to increase the size of the table or stop having the meetings in here. He looked around at the finished art work on the walls, the soft soothing colors Sage and his Dam had chosen. He liked this room, so he would enlarge it again or add a larger table. He knew this was an unusual council meeting and could be seen as a back track on what he had stated months ago. That he would not have a council but in truth he believed he did not. Instead, he had a large loud, assertive family that had views not always aligned to his and they were not slow in saying so.
It was so diverse that he could see these meetings would be involved and productive if he could keep them on track. He liked knowing that when he made a decision they stood behind him. Whether they agreed with him or not this was what he needed behind him so he could run this world. Sage touched his shoulder as she noticed his pensive look. “Are you alright?”
He smiled as he kissed her hand. “I am basking in my good fortune.” She too looked around at the laughing, talking members of her family as they all started to find their places at the table. “You my Lord are a hoarder of people.”
He shrugged not denying her accusation. “A collector of family.”
“You say potato I say po-ta-toe.” Causing him to laugh his deep laugh that always made her sigh in delight.
Smiling still he pulled out her chair and kissed her as she sat causing her to sigh deeper again. Reighn then turned from her and called the meeting to order.
“Welcome everyone, for those of you who do not know or have not met the new people among us. Allow me to introduce King Thorn and his second as well as his brother Tayne Moonwalker from the Moon Elves.”
Thorn and Tayne stood and bowed to the room then retook their seats. Reighn looked at Ark and Phoebe who fairly sparkled in his sight with all her battle ‘magics’. “We also wish to welcome battle mistress Phoebe who is shadow to Ark Battle.”
They both stood and endured the congratulations and whistles from Ark’s family. Phoebe and her brothers were surprised by the reception to Reighn’s announcement. Under cover of the well wishes Andre` who was sitting beside Tayne told him. “As with your race finding and bonding with the other half of your soul makes it a time of great celebration.”
Tayne took his eyes from Ciana who was talking to the one known as Edith the grounder about a party. He asked Andre` “You felt this way about your daughter?” Thorn listened to them he obtained a lot of information in the last days since arriving at the Gap, about the workings of Dragon’s Gap and the Royal family he knew who Andre` was and his place in the family as he was well aware of Ciana’s new arrival.
“Yes very much so. Since meeting you and your brother I know my daughter and granddaughters will be safe.” He gave them both a smile showing all his teeth. Thorn found it hard not to pull back away from the male as Tayne did, for within that smile was Andre`s dragon. He hurriedly said after the not so subtle kick Tayne gave him under the table. “Of course they will be. I will die to ensure she and my young are protected and happy.”
“Of that I have no doubt!” Was Andre`s cryptic remark. Reighn brought the room back to order. “So let us get down to business. First we have a new mediator. Ciana Walker has decided to take on the mediation role of Judge she will start in two weeks.” There was a round of applause at his announcement, Ciana grinned as she acknowledged their well wishes. “Thank you I know that applause is for you not having to do the job.”
Stanvis agreed. “You have no idea how relieved we all are.”
“I think I do!” She laughingly replied as the others joined her mirth.
Edith grimaced. “Better you than me that is for sure.”
Sparrow said. “Better anyone but you.”
Edith’s. “True!” Made several more laugh. Ciana looked to the side to see Thorn frowning. “Why do you frown?”
“You took a position without asking me?”
Ciana raised both eyebrows. “Asked! As in your permission?”
“Yes, I am your radiance it is not as though you do not know this Ciana!”
Ciana shook her head. “I do not ask permission. In fact I have not for many years, and I do not expect to start now. Especially not of a male who is supposed to be my shadow.”
Thorn could hear the growl of her dragon in her tone and a soft snort come from Andre`. “Maybe we can table this for a later discussion.” He murmured as the room started to quieten down again. She shrugged as Reighn brought the room to order again. “I think that is a fine idea.”
Reighn said. “I am sure you all have read the brief Fin sent to you about the town and what went down there?” Everyone nodded he motioned to Ark.
“Ark what did you learn from your inquires?”
Ark stood. “My Warriors and I questioned the males who were traveling in the trucks and discovered they had no idea who they were to collect and for whom.” A general sigh ran around the room of disappointment. “Although our tech division had a better result from their laptops and phones, they discovered the name and address of the one who paid them. We sent a team of Shields out to the address but it was vacated, sadly there was nothing to look at as it was burnt out. They did find traces of faerie magic in the ashes.”
“Damn it!” Elijah said quietly.
Reighn nodded feeling like Elijah did as he asked Ark. “Please name the ring leader.” Already he knew as did Elijah who it would be, Ark uttered the fateful name, “Definiao Kiltern!”
Instantly the room stilled as Fin sighed and brushed a hand over his head, Charlie and Harper looked at each other, faces unreadable their eyes held anger and death. Frankie shook her head. “That male is sure getting on my last nerve. We are going to have to do something about him.”
They all looked at her. “What? I am only saying what you all are thinking. The male is a dead faerie walking!”
Reighn grinned, Frankie had relaxed the room once again, and she was a master of doing so. The elves looked at her as she smiled and shimmered in her chair in pleasure. Thorn asked. “Who is this male that wished us dead or worse?”
Reighn nodded to Andre` to explain as he retook his seat watching and listening in on Harper and Charlie.
We should just go and find him. Harper mind sent to Charlie.
She replied. I agree but we sort of promised not to do that sort of thing anymore.
Harper let a growl hum as she sent. Yeah but seriously this fucker is really pissing me off, he could kill one of us. I will not let that happen.
Charlie sighed gustily. I know…I know…believe me I know but we promised and I like you do not take that lightly. How about this, we see how the meeting goes and what they decide then we talk to Reighn if we don’t like it?
Harper thought about that for a minute, then nodded. Okay, I will go with that.
Reighn breathed out a silent breath he was worried the sisters would go hunting alone. Something felt wrong about that. It was not as though he had not thought of sending Charlie and Harper out beyond the borders of Dragon’s Gap. They both had hunted in the human world for years and were very good at it. But after careful consideration and discussion with Elijah and Andre` he had come to the same conclusion they had. It was what the male Definiao Kiltern was waiting for.
