by L J Andrews
Aldwin smiled toward Jade—a grandfatherly sort of grin—but I sensed it was the reason behind Jade’s sudden scowl. “Your strength is so admirable, Highness. I look forward to your ascension.”
“Well, shall we get along with your questions Elder?” Eisha asked. She handled a small bit of raw amber as though the stone calmed the pressure mounting between the wyverns.
“I suppose that’s why we’re here,” he said through a smile, cryptically facing me in his seat. “Mr. Ward, as representative for the Elder Council of the Wyverns, am I to believe you had no idea you were born of the mage race?”
Swallowing hard, I glanced at Jade who swiftly crossed the space between us, her fingers brushing along my shoulder. Her touch sent a thrill through my system. “Yes, sir.” I muttered. “There were no signs before coming to Wyvern Willows and facing a zomok for the first time.”
Aldwin nodded, but his eyes spoke a different tale completely. “It isn’t uncommon for the armor to remain dormant until an event of such nature occurs. Though I’ve never known a mage to not know their lineage.”
“Elder Aldwin, I reported to the council of the unique situation Teagan was placed. His guardian is not a mage, she is human and knows nothing of any of this.”
Aldwin nodded, never glancing at Eisha. His eyes narrowed toward me, and the prickle of my armor trickled along my skin as I waited for him to speak again. “Yes, I do recall the report. Has the woman been questioned?”
“She doesn’t know anything,” I snapped. “We decided to keep it that way for her safety.”
Aldwin chuckled. “Her safety? My dear boy, wasn’t the woman nearly torn to shreds by the serpents?”
“I handled her thoughts on the event,” Jade insisted. “She has no recollection of what happened and a warrior now stands near her home for her protection unbeknownst to her.”
Aldwin clicked his tongue. “Wyvern warriors now protect humans?” No, I didn’t miss the sharpness in his tone, nor the disgust. I didn’t think I liked Aldwin the Elder. “Your Highness, forgive me, but manipulation cannot wipe away memories.”
I thought Jade might glance away, embarrassed, or unsure around the elder. To my pleasure and pride she only took a step closer, her shoulders squared and an arrogant smirk along her rosy lips. “Well, with all due respect Elder, you have never witnessed my abilities.”
“Of course, my young queen.” Aldwin said the words, but it was clear the man was only saying it to appease Jade. She didn’t fall for the theatrics by the way her eyes flashed like fiery emeralds. “I sense such tension. I am not your enemy,” he said facing me once more. “We are obligated to understand any change, and mages entering our way of life once more is certainly of note. You understand, young mage, that we must keep you in our sights? You were able to retrieve the High Priest blades, were you not?”
I didn’t want to speak about the blades. I didn’t want Aldwin to connect any doubts that put me in the same realm as Bron, but I could see the cogs working in his ancient mind. Everyone believed the same thing, Jade was the only one who truly understood how shamed I was knowing the mage who had slaughtered most of the royal wyvern family was my father. Bron believed it, I believed it, everyone believed it as truth.
Swallowing the tension in my throat, I raised my eyes to Aldwin. “Yes, sir. I was able to take the blades from the earth during a time of need. They banished the lindworms for now.”
“Yes, but the banishment will not keep out the likes of King Nag. I’m certain the dark High Priest has been breaking apart the blades’ power since leaving. You understand as a jade bloodline mage, as the one who summoned the blades, your lineage is certain to come from the highest mages. One is a known murderous traitor. The other has not been seen or heard from since the willow of this town was placed as a protection.”
“We know, Aldwin,” Eisha said. “We know all this, and as you know none of us can control who our parents are.” Aldiwn narrowed his eyes, but his grin widened slightly.
“Very true,” he said. “Although, I remain suspicious. It is not meant to be taken personal, Teagan. The Elder Council watches over the wyverns, and I am not yet satisfied you are not a threat to my people. For this reason, the sentry of the council will be placed as a protection for our purposes. Think of him as a scout of sorts.”
“You’re sending someone to spy on me?”
The heat building along my neck was like a spray of boiling water. I knew the armor was flashing into a richer green, with shimmering gold in the hue. I was threatened, and I wasn’t convinced Jade and the others were completely safe either.
“If you want to view in such a way, yes,” Aldwin said cautiously, his stormy eyes meeting mine. “Listen to me, Mr. Ward. I care little if this choice is accepted by anyone in this room. I will do what is necessary to ensure the safety of my people. I won’t…I refuse to be witness to the carnage delivered at the hands of the mage so many years ago.”
“You would punish Teagan for the sins of another, Elder?” Jade snipped.
“For the sins of his father it would seem, Highness. And for now, I will. You were too young to understand the loyalty among the mage. Their bonds and connections rival that of our own. It would not be hard to imagine a son remaining loyal to a father.”
My fists balled, and I directed my words at the carpeted floor. I couldn’t look at the elder for fear I may strike the man. “Even if the man abandoned me, and tried to kill me?”
“Even then. I assure you Frenrir will not be a bother, you will hardly notice him.”
“Frenrir?” Eisha questioned, though I saw her glance toward the door where Raffi and Dash stood waiting.
“Yes, my dear. Well, that is the council decision. I shall make my leave of you now. By law the council will be informed of anything changing, yes?”
“As always, Elder Aldwin,” Eisha insisted.
With a nod, Aldwin rose from his seat, adjusted the black tailored suit, and stepped out of the office. Eisha followed close behind, leaving Jade at my side until Raffi and Dash immediately stepped inside.
“What was said?” Raffi asked.
“I get a babysitter,” I snapped.
“Teagan, don’t see it in such a way,” Jade insisted. “Let the council believe what they will. Each of us knows what you sacrificed to keep us alive. It will be made known soon, and the council will be out of our business and back in the cave where they huddle.”
“Jade,” Dash scoffed in surprise at her tone.
“What?” she demanded. “I tire of our ancient ones seeing only one way. It is nearly impossible to open their minds up to new possibilities. I’ve said it before, recent events only prove to me change may be the way we finally defeat King Nag. Hiding, and sticking to old traditions did no good for anyone.”
“I agree,” Raffi chuckled. “We’re just a little shocked to hear you speak of the elders in such a way. The royals have always revered them like deities. You’re speaking like a warrior.”
“Well, perhaps I am more of a warrior than a royal,” she replied with a flush, accepting my hand when I clasped her palm tightly.
“So who is being sent to watch Teagan?” Dash asked.
“I do not think you’ll care for the response,” a frigid voice filled the room from the doorway.
A slender, crimson-haired man stood in the frame. His jaw was pointed, and sharp. His brow pulled tight, as though locked in a constant worry. I smelled the woodsy scent of burnt wood on his skin—he was a wyvern, yet he seemed to be the weakest looking wyvern I’d yet met.
Raffi and Dash stopped speaking. I saw the fire of anger flash through their eyes and in unison the two warriors faced the newcomer.
“Hello, warriors. Have you missed me in my promotional absence?”
Raffi’s fists were clenched so tightly I thought his fingernails would break through his skin. “Frenrir?”
“Good to see you, Raffi. And Dash, you as well.” Frenrir’s eyes drifted toward me and I sensed immediate hatre
d. Jade must have felt similar since she stepped protectively in front of my chair. Frenrir didn’t miss her movement and bowed his head. “My queen, you are stunning as ever. This must be the mage?”
I rose and stepped toward Frenrir. His pasty skin and spindly limbs seemed like a tiny threat. “I’m Teagan,” I grumbled.
“Yes, I see that,” he hissed. “I know you find this unfair, and frankly I would rather be anywhere than thrust into the life of a mage, but I warn you I will be watching. I may not seem threatening, but I assure you one word from me will bring the council of Elders upon you with the upmost violence.”
“You always were a weasel, Frenrir. Always stomping over others to rise to the top. Do not forget we hold the word of the queen and the Duke of Sapphire over yours,” Raffi snarled.
“True,” Frenrir added lightly, as though he’d hardly heard what Raffi said. “But we all know the elders are no small opinion either.”
“Look,” I said, stepping closer toward the new wyvern—he backed away slightly which brought a certain gratification. “Do what you must, but stay out of my way. We have other things to worry about than a snooping dragon servant.”
“I am no servant,” Frenrir said with bitterness.
“Sounds like you’re no warrior, no royal, and no elder. To me it sounds like you do just about anything old Aldwin asks,” I snapped, watching Dash and Raffi nod their heads in agreement. “So, to me that makes you their servant—I could use a different word if you’d like?”
Frenrir glared at me with sharp eyes like the point of a knife, but I simply clutched Jade’s hand once more—enjoying every uncomfortable gaze Frenrir shot in our direction—and stomped passed the man.
“Where are you going?” he snapped.
“To class. We, by all accounts are still in school. Have a fun time watching us learn all about equations and biology, Fren.”
Raffi chuckled arrogantly and followed close behind us with Dash slamming the door behind us. Jade was stiff at my side, I couldn’t blame her, I felt much the same. I was quick with my tongue to hide the truth of my worries, but with her touch she could read my discomfort as plain as if I’d said the words out loud. Tromping down the hallway, we quickened our pace when the tardy warning sounded through the halls. We would behave normally, but there was the pounding warning in the back of my mind that the elders had more plans than they were letting on. I had a feeling it involved ridding the wyvern race of anything resembling a mage once and for all.
Chapter 3
Frosty blue light filtered across the porch when Jade and I returned to the reform house. Raffi and Dash stuck with us, though I was tiring of Raffi’s endless complaints of Frenrir.
“He couldn’t survive warrior training. His father, you remember the Norshak, the hornback, was one of the more vicious warriors. Everyone expected such great things from Frenrir. Look at him, he’s withering away,” Raffi muttered with each crunching step along the gravel.
“Raffi,” Jade breathed deeply. “He’s in human form—”
Dash snickered, shoving his hands in his pockets when a particularly frigid breath of air circled us. “You know our human forms are a likeness of our true form. I agree with Raffi, Frenrir was a sniveling disappointment to the warrior clan. He does better snitching than actually fighting. Rumor was he knew the High—I mean, Bron, was dissenting, but he saw it in his favor to wait for the last second and report to the elder council as though he’d had a premonition. Visionary wyvern are always fast tracked to the elder council. Seems it may have worked.”
“You’re accusing a wyvern, despite his unseemly qualities, of treason. If Frenrir truly heard rumor of Bron’s misdeeds, he is just as much responsible for what happened to our people as anyone,” Jade insisted.
“Exactly,” Raffi grumbled. “That’s why I don’t trust him in the least. He’s going to spin something about Teagan, I know it.”
“I can handle myself,” I insisted, holding the screen door open for Jade.
Sapphire wouldn’t be pleased I’d returned so late. I was still under the pretense of a reform student and it was increasingly more difficult for the man to make excuses for my long absences. Today, however, he would have to understand.
“Teagan, you know I’ve placed my trust in you after the incident, but you’ve never dealt with the elder council,” Raffi said, running a hand through his hair. The tips appeared like fire when the gilded lantern light on the porch shone through. Raffi was right about one thing—human characteristics did match their wyvern forms. As strange as it seemed to think, Jade was a beautiful dragon. Her body was strong, yet sleek and soft. Her eyes large and knowing—and it was plain for all to see in her human form she was the loveliest girl in the school. Dash was dark and strong with ashen wings. His hair in human form was like the night sky, with his skin rich and brown. Raffi gleamed like fire and brawn whenever he shifted, his cinnamon hair and blushed complexion were both appropriate for the warrior.
Jade’s grip on my hand tightened when we sauntered toward the kitchen. “Raffi’s right,” she spoke softly. “The elder council is laden in tradition. You heard how Aldwin felt about me rising to the throne now. They view me as a child. Even if I was crowned in earnest, I’m certain the council would be an ever constant voice in my ear. Frenrir could quite possibly be here for me as well as you. I’m concerned he will find…my feelings for you, a threat. I fear my presence in your life might possibly be dangerous for you.”
I paused, grateful Raffi and Dash still seemed to buried in their complaints to hear our conversation. Gently, I eased Jade into the front living room. No students had lost their private room privileges as of late. The cots were all stacked neatly along the wall, and we could be alone for a moment. My arm circled her waist, while I gently traced her smooth jawline with my thumb.
“I don’t want to hear you talk that way,” I whispered. “Jade, you’re right, it may be dangerous to be together. It’s different, a mage and a dragon hasn’t ever happened, right?” She nodded, her lips parting slightly and I felt her rapid heart beating against my chest as I stepped closer. “Do you want to be apart? Do you want to live as protectors of each other and nothing else?”
She hesitated, and for a moment I wondered if I would get an answer I didn’t want.
“I don’t want anything to happen to you,” she admitted. “But even if I tried I’m not certain I wouldn’t be able to stay away.”
My favorite thing was when Jade dragged her fingers through my hair, it sent my head into a spin and this moment was no different. Pressing my forehead against her soft skin I sighed. “Then we stick together. We knew we’d meet those who didn’t approve—even Sapphire still views it unnatural. You are the youngest queen, I’m a mage without a past, a mage with a personal seal of a wyvern. We are firsts in many ways. Why not be the first to do other things?” I smiled coyly and brushed my lips against hers, lingering just long enough until her breath hitched in her throat. Jade was the one who finished the job. She pulled my lips against hers forcefully, enough to send a surge of electricity pulsing through my body.
It was a fact I’d accepted long ago—I would never tire of Jade’s kisses. The wall braced her, as she wrapped her arms around my neck, and I pressed closer. The moment could have lasted all night were it up to me, but a booming, angry shout broke us apart just as fast as we’d joined together.
Jade pushed through the swinging kitchen door first. The pungent, greasy scent of bacon struck my face. A pan was spitting grease on the stove and revealed the culprit of the smell. Raffi was purple with exertion, his fists balled and corded muscles in his neck throbbed in anger, bringing me to attention to find out what happened.
It didn’t take long to find out.
Sapphire was pressing his strong arm against Raffi’s chest, pinning him against the wall while Frenrir stood smug, with his arms folded over his chest.
“What a way to behave,” Frenrir muttered. “I see nothing in your temperament has changed or mat
ured.”
“You lying, miscreant,” Raffi bellowed. “You did not even have the warrior seal, and you dishonor every warrior who has given a life for the service of the crown.”
“Raffi, what’s going on?” Jade demanded. “Frenrir, what are you doing here?”
Frenrir smiled innocently at Jade, though he had a remarkable way of keeping me in his eyesight at the same time. “Your Highness, I am to look over the mage. So naturally, I would be where he will be.”
“He thinks he can defend the royal bloodlines better than a warrior,” Raffi growled, slashing his hand over Sapphire’s shoulder for one more grasp at Frenrir.
“Konrad, did you know of this?” Jade asked.
Sapphire narrowed his black eyes toward Frenrir. “It was only just brought to my attention before you arrived. He is to play the part of a student. Though I’ve made it clear I have a handle on the situation.” Sapphire grunted when Raffi tired to shake him lose. “I demand you not touch him,” Sapphire growled toward the warrior. “It will only cause trouble for us all.” I’d never seen Sapphire demand something of a lesser wyvern, and at times I forgot he too was one of five royals. Raffi glared at Sapphire, but nodded his head.
Slowly, Sapphire lowered his arm, and Frenrir smirked toward me as though he’d won some great victory.
“Great, what else are you going to do? Sleep in my room?” I muttered.
“Actually, that would make my job much—”
“No,” Sapphire spat—I could have kissed the man. “That would be completely suspicious to the human students. You can take the room adjacent to Teagan, but each student is provided with a private room.”
Frenrir seemed disappointed, but I detected a glimmer of intimidation when Sapphire towered over him. “Fine, as you wish, my Lord.”
“And you will stop saying degrading things to our warriors,” Sapphire growled. “We have been safe and protected thanks to Raffi and Dash. It is a noble position.”
Frenrir chuckled darkly, his annoying voice taking a nasally pitch. “I meant no disrespect. The temper of Raffi is one I’m rather accustomed to. He always was a lose canon, I suppose that is why he nearly lost his head against the lindworms.”
