by Dianna Love
Daegan looked like a red mountain with wings next to Ixxter.
“Shit,” Bernie muttered.
That about summed it up. Tristan said, “Good to see you, Daegan.”
The dragon cocked his head at Tristan and spoke out loud in a clear voice, which the gryphons couldn’t do. “You would have seen me sooner, had you teleported to the castle first, Tristan.”
Tristan gave him a nod of deference. It was good to be friendly with the dragon king of Treoir.
Ixxter’s lower beak dropped open.
Tristan had informed the pack about Daegan and that he could speak in dragon form, but Ixxter must have thought Tristan had been exaggerating.
“I did stop by the castle,” Tristan said with a wry grin. “But you were detained in a private conversation with one of the guards.” Daegan had met a female guard who had been more than willing to become an inside guard.
Tristan had no idea if anything had happened and he sure as hell wasn’t judging. Not when that dragon had spent two thousand years imprisoned as a throne in the realm of their enemy.
But something told Tristan that while Daegan might enjoy charming the women, he would be careful about allowing any of the guards into his bed.
Daegan chuffed out a puff of smoke and Ixxter drew back as if the dragon had unleashed fire. “In that case, you were wise not to disturb me, Tristan.” When Daegan’s silver, reptilian eyes turned to Ixxter, all humor fled. “You are known as Ixxter, correct?”
Ixxter bobbed his head up and down.
“You have been given the opportunity to remain here where you’re safe from the Medb warlocks hunting for all Alterants. Have you decided you no longer wish to remain on Treoir?”
That surprised Ixxter, who had been complaining constantly that it was time for him to have a visit in the human world.
Tristan hadn’t known Daegan long, but he knew enough to catch the note of decision in Daegan’s voice. The dragon stepped around Ixxter, eyeing him with a predatory look. “I hear you’re unhappy. You are not being forced to stay, nor are you expected to return should you leave.”
Ixxter was worse than a barking dog pulling hard against the end of his chain. Unclip the chain and some dogs froze, unwilling to follow through on the threat of attack.
That gryphon had griped constantly about wanting to leave, but Tristan didn’t believe Ixxter expected to be given a one-way ticket, no matter how much he pretended that’s what he wanted.
“What will it be, Ixxter?” Daegan demanded. “I will not tolerate any of my gryphons or my Beladors being harmed.”
And that was the real question.
Would Ixxter declare himself entirely free of Treoir rule, or admit that he wanted to remain a member of the pack?
Ixxter must have answered Daegan telepathically because the gryphon moved his wings as someone would use their hands while trying to explain.
Daegan angled his monstrous dragon head to one side, then back the other way, concentrating.
When Ixxter stilled, his gaze went to the ground, no longer pumped with arrogance.
“Go change into your human form and get dressed, Ixxter. Come to the castle and I’ll teleport you. I will give you one week to make your decision about whether to return ... or not.”
Ixxter nodded his head and took two steps then leaped into the air and flew out over the water, banked wide, then soared over them toward the gryphon village they’d created.
Bernie had done his best to become invisible once Daegan arrived. When the dragon’s head dropped down to eye level with Bernie, Tristan worried the guy would embarrass himself and need a change of clothes.
Daegan’s voiced gentled. “I would ask you to take on a responsibility.”
All color fled Bernie’s face. “O... kay.”
“You agree before I’ve told you what I require?” Evidently Daegan found that humorous.
“Y-yes ... uh, sir. King. Dragon.”
Tristan rolled his eyes. “Bernie, he’s not going to eat you or torch you. You met Daegan back the first day he was here.”
Bernie turned to Tristan. “He was on top of a mountain talking to us in our minds, not right freaking in front of me.”
That Bernie could still snap at Tristan was a good sign.
Daegan snorted and a cloud of smoke smothered Bernie, who swatted it away, coughing. “Ugh ... stop it.”
Lifting up to his full fifteen-foot height, Daegan said, “I want you to oversee the gryphon village and keep me informed of any issues. I don’t want the gryphons fighting each other. We have battles coming and we need to be strong.”
The smoke dispersed. Bernie pulled his shoulders back. “Yes ... dragon?” he squeaked, unsure.
“It’s Daegan to those of you who belong to my guard.”
“Oh, wow, I mean thank you, uh, Daegan.”
“Now, go to the castle and inform them of anything the gryphons need that we’ve overlooked.”
What a way to win over the rest of the pack.
The more Tristan was around Daegan, the more the dragon grew on him, which was saying something. At one time, Tristan had vowed to kill everyone involved with Treoir, including the Beladors, but that was due to his being unfairly imprisoned for four years.
“Absolutely,” Bernie said, nodding like a bobble doll. “The pack does need a few things and—”
“Bernie,” Tristan said, cutting him off before Bernie got on Daegan’s nerves after he’d been given a promotion. “I think he wants you to go to the castle immediately.”
“Oh, right. Okay, I’m gone.” Bernie hurried away, disappearing into the woods where a trail led to the castle grounds.
Once Bernie was out of hearing range, Tristan crossed his arms and looked up at Daegan. “That was a great idea. He needs to develop confidence, which would not ever happen with Ixxter around. I’m glad that prick is leaving, but things are getting tense back in Atlanta, so you may want to send him somewhere else.”
“Will he cause trouble?”
“Probably. The biggest problem may be that he’ll shift. We were all forbidden from doing that in the human world, but to be honest ... ” Tristan opened his arms. “I have no idea what the rules are now that you’ve taken over Treoir.”
Greatest smack down ever when Daegan showed up and ordered Macha off his island four days ago.
“The only rules that count are my rules,” Daegan clarified.
“Agreed, but no one knows your rules. I’m also talking about rules for when we’re in the human world.”
“That’s no different. Anyone who is loyal to my rule will do as I say there as well if they want my protection.”
This was going to get testy, because Tristan was no mediator. “I see your point, Daegan, but you haven’t spent any time in the human world in two thousand years except for when we dragged you around Georgia in the shape of a chair.”
“Throne.”
“Semantics.” Tristan went back to his original point. “The Beladors have been part of the VIPER coalition for longer than I’ve been around. What do you plan to do about that? I have no idea how the Belador leadership worked with VIPER and the Tribunals, but I’m thinking we can’t ignore them.”
“I heard about the coalition and the Tribunals over the years while I was imprisoned in Tŵr Medb.”
“But you aren’t actually familiar with how things work in places like Atlanta, right?”
The dragon made a grumbling sound and a flame curled from his snout.
Note to self. Don’t point out shortcomings to a dragon.
Tristan said, “I don’t see any big issue, but you have to decide if we’re going to stay with the coalition or not.”
“Why would we?”
Laughing, Tristan said, “I couldn’t give two shits about staying with them, but Evalle is always trying to get me to see the other side of things. She’s the one to talk politics with, but basically if we pull out of VIPER then w
e become an enemy of the state. If we stay, we’re subject to the rule of the Tribunal. That’s all I know.”
“I am subject to no one’s rule.”
See? Evalle needed to be here explaining. “I agree, Daegan. I’m just telling you what I know of VIPER and the Tribunal. With a trio of three gods and/or goddesses on a Tribunal at any given time, that’s a lot of nuclear power to piss off.”
“I will consider this. Now, about this Ixxter. I’m going to teleport him to Atlanta—”
Hadn’t Tristan just said that was a bad idea?
“—and I’m sending you, too. You and Evalle should be able to deal with Ixxter if he becomes a problem.”
Shit. This sucked. Tristan didn’t hide his irritation. “Why send him there?”
“I warned a war is coming, but I’m in no hurry to put our warriors at risk. However, someone may be setting us up to be the ones who start the war. We have Beladors and their human families to protect.”
Tristan nodded even though he couldn’t see where Daegan was going with this. He said, “When I left, Evalle was out with the teams patrolling residential areas with the heaviest populations of Beladors and Medb. I’m still not following you about why to send Ixxter. Has something happened?”
Daegan lifted his head and stared at the water. “Yes, Tzader just learned there was a new attack in Atlanta, but this time Quinn’s task force interrupted it and killed two men.”
“That’s good news, right?”
“Not necessarily. Quinn believes the two men they killed were Beladors.”
“Hold everything,” Tristan said, unfolding his arms. “Our people are committing the murders?” When had he started thinking of Beladors as his people?
Oh yes. The minute Daegan stepped in to run things and told the gryphons they were free to come and go.
Daegan swung his big dragon head around and looked down at Tristan. “Someone is recruiting our warriors. I’m going to assume they’re offering something of value and targeting those who are not happy with my being in charge, since I haven’t gone to meet with our forces yet.”
“Do you plan to do that?”
“Eventually, but not until you have time to scout Ixxter.”
Tristan put it all together at once. “You’re sending Ixxter out as bait and you want me to follow him to see if he flips to the other side?”
“He’s a logical choice. If he’s loyal to us, he’ll find Quinn, you or Evalle to inform on anyone attempting to solicit his allegiance. If he fails to do so, then he will have put himself in a compromising position.” Daegan’s silver eyes narrowed. “It will be Ixxter’s choice, but as bait he’ll have only one chance to survive.”
Tristan hoped that didn’t end with the bait’s shadow dying, too.
Daegan stretched his wings. “I’ll be at the castle soon. While I’m gone, you should warn Ixxter not to complain about any delay in my teleporting him to Atlanta. Also, go find Tzader.”
“Okay, what am I telling him?”
“We must protect Beladors and their families. Tell him when I return I want to meet to discuss a plan. Have Brina teleport Evalle, Storm, Adrianna and Quinn to the castle.”
Before Tristan could get pissed over being left out of Daegan’s inner circle, Daegan added, “If they arrive before I return, you start the meeting.”
“Me?”
Daegan’s head swung down to Tristan’s eye level. “Yes, you. I want my closest advisors there, the people I know I can trust to speak the truth. You have earned your place at my table and your advice will always be welcome. Don’t ever doubt that.”
Guess that’s what a big slice of humble pie tasted like. Tristan said, “Got it.”
Appearing satisfied with that answer, Daegan lifted his head and drew in a deep breath, expanding his chest then exhaling slowly.
Tristan waited to see if Daegan would take flight, wanting to ask him something that might put a kink in their working relationship. With the exception of sleeping a handful of hours, Daegan had been flying every minute since Tristan first gave him a tour of the island.
Their new leader was not flying for the hell of it any more.
The dragon was hunting something.
Tristan risked Daegan’s wrath by asking, “You want some help?”
Daegan had been staring out to sea and turned to him. “Help with what?”
“Finding whatever you’ve been hunting for since you flew over the island the first time.”
They had a moment of studying each other, then the dragon turned around, swishing his big tail behind him so quickly that Tristan had to jump back out of the way.
Guess that’s all the answer I’ll get, Tristan mused silently to himself.
Daegan spread his wings and with a couple of hops, he took to the air.
Tristan watched as Daegan flew with a grace not one of the gryphons had, not even Tristan.
The red dragon circled, light rippling across his scales with each sweep of his wings. As his massive shape passed overhead, Daegan’s voice came into Tristan’s mind.
Do not let me hear that question spoken aloud again. Ever.
The underlying threat in those words ended any other speculation on Tristan’s part. At least any he’d let slip past his tongue.
What could be so important to Daegan that he wanted it kept that secret?
Chapter 13
Treoir Island
Quinn paced the room where Evalle, Storm and Tristan waited for Daegan, their new leader whom Quinn had yet to even meet. He wished he had come to this spectacular castle to visit his friends and not to bring bad news to a dragon he knew little about. With Saturday half gone back home and the Tribunal deadline rushing at him, he had to make the most of this time in Treoir.
This could very well be his last visit.
Tzader came strolling in holding Brina’s elbow, which was more for Tzader than Brina. The woman might be pregnant, but she could teleport if she started to fall. They made quite a pair. She had red hair falling to her waist, sharp green eyes, and pale skin that hailed to her Celtic genes. A beauty with a backbone of steel, who was the perfect match for his friend. Tzader appeared African in descent, but he’d once told Quinn that his family tree went back to the time of the black Celts and the Picts.
All that muscle bulk reminded Quinn of the Spartan warriors.
Tzader might be a bit overprotective, but he’d waited a long time to hold Brina’s elbow.
All the anger eating at Quinn died down at the sight of those two. Tzader was the brother Quinn had never had, just as Evalle was a surrogate sister.
Quinn found a certain peace in seeing Tzader finally with the woman he loved after years of Tzader standing on the opposite side of a ward from her. He and Brina had committed themselves to each other at a young age and were, at last, sharing the life they’d dreamed.
Quinn and Kizira had also met when they were young, but any parallel between the two relationships ended at that point. He and Kizira had burned hot and fast over the two weeks they’d spent together.
She hadn’t informed him she was a Medb until the day she left.
That had been thirteen years ago.
More than once over the years, Quinn had believed he’d moved on. Then she would show up and he’d want her as much as he had the first time. He’d dismissed it as lust, determined to do his duty as a Belador, but the day she died ... nothing had been clear in his mind since then.
Over the last year, his feelings for her had been turned inside out and upside down as the Belador-Medb conflict had escalated beyond the normal hatred. The fact that he and Kizira had met for the last time during a bloody battle wasn’t lost on him.
Watching her die had put him in conflict with himself. He knew the stages of grief, but he seemed to be stuck on anger.
Why couldn’t he get past that point?
How could he be angry with a woman who had sacrificed her life for him?
Because she never trusted you. That’s what cut so deeply. She’d never trusted him enough to tell him the truth about her situation and give him a chance to help her. She’d never trusted him with the truth about their child during thirteen years.
Why not? Had Kizira thought he’d refuse to protect their child?
Or had she worried he would keep Phoedra from Kizira?
No, he couldn’t believe that about Kizira. Yes, she’d been a Medb priestess, but how could he fault her for decisions made while in an impossible situation? He wasn’t sure he could have pulled off hiding a child the way Kizira had from a ruthless Medb queen who compelled her at every point.
This internal argument is pointless.
Quinn’s head had been a battleground of its own making for too long and it had to stop before he put others in jeopardy.
He was tired of his agonizing mental and emotional confusion. He just wanted to look in the mirror and respect that man again.
Brina came over to him. “I’m happy to see you, Quinn.”
He opened his arms and hugged her, truly thrilled for Brina and Tzader. “Not as happy as I am to see you healthy and safe. Congratulations on the baby.”
“Thank you.” She stepped back smiling, a good look on her after she’d sacrificed what she wanted for so long to protect her people.
“It’s good to be feelin’ like a free person again,” Brina said, her voice full of the smile on her face.
Tzader stepped up next to her and Quinn wondered if his friend realized he’d been hovering. He didn’t blame him. Quinn would do the same in his shoes.
He asked Tzader, “What about you, Z? How are you doing?”
Tzader stroked his hand over Brina’s hair and pulled her to his side. “I try to be happy for what we have now and not think about how long Macha kept us apart, and how close we came to never being together.”
Evalle strolled over with Storm close behind. The place was full of overprotective males and the women who loved them.
Quinn’s gaze flicked to Tristan. I’m not the only solo male standing around like a fifth wheel.
Tristan tilted his head at Quinn, a reserved greeting from their normally outspoken and cranky Alterant.
