by Nicole Hall
“I don’t decide who gets the magic. Ljos does. We were never meant to control it. Our ancestors became the guardians of this realm to ensure that the flow of magic never ceased. Guardians, mother. The vessel’s power was only to be used to protect Ljos and the sacred waters. You twisted it for your own needs. I’m here to fix it.”
Hollis straightened, and her nostrils flared as she panted. “Give it back!”
She rushed forward with her hands curled into claws, trying to gather what power remained to her, but the effort was wasted. If needed, Dru had access to the whole of Ljos’ magic, but Hollis couldn’t touch it. The connection had shifted when Dru became the new guardian. She stood her ground as Hollis approached, but a pull on her power caught her attention.
All at once, a massive, pissed-off dragon stood between her and Hollis. Thank goodness the room had enough space for Seth’s entire apartment or they’d be building a new castle. Light from the globes shimmered on his blue-black scales, and his wings extended out with a whoosh of air. Hollis stopped short and backpedaled a few steps.
Tamra gasped from the corner, and Dru swiveled in surprise. She’d forgotten about Oren’s assignment in all the craziness. The tiny woman stood and took a couple of steps as the vines fell away. Belatedly, Dru noticed the chair where her sister had been passed out sat empty.
A loud roar made Hollis yelp, and Dru shook her head. One problem at a time. Oren apparently had a hair trigger after seeing her almost die. Understandable, but inconvenient.
Dru walked around to where he had his head lowered in front of Hollis. His serpentine eye shifted toward her for a moment, then focused again on her trembling mother. “It’s okay, Oren. She can’t hurt me.”
The warm sensation of protection covered her, and she smiled. “You may be the shield, but I’m the sword.” She ran her hand down the center of his snout, and his rough tongue slid across her inner wrist. A tickle of magic from the doorway touched her, and Dru waved her hand in that direction, creating a barrier in front of the exit.
Hollis had crept to the door, but now she banged on the invisible wall keeping her captive in the room with a dragon. As an afterthought, Dru blocked all the exits. It wouldn’t do to have their enemies wandering around at large, especially since the guards outside weren’t yet aware of their new queen.
Dru turned away from her mate and clapped her hands. The noise echoed loudly in the silence. “Okay, here’s what we’re going to do. Hollis, you’re going to announce the change in management. Tamra, you’re going to go back to Aecantha with Oren. And Bri—” She stopped mid-sentence when a loud, wet thunk interrupted her.
Hollis wheezed in surprise then fell forward with a giant thorn sticking out of her back. Dru followed the trajectory to see Bri standing next to the throne with a satisfied smile.
“Nice throw.” Oren appeared beside her and crouched down to check Hollis’ pulse.
Dru propped her hands on her hips. “What the hell, Bri? We don’t just go around stabbing people.”
Bri shrugged, entirely unrepentant. “Maybe you don’t. She deserved it. I have no regrets.”
Oren stood and wiped his hands on his pants. “She’s dead. The thorn penetrated too far to save her, and it paralyzed her immediately.”
Dru glared at her sister, but Bri cut her off before she could start lecturing.
“Look, I know she didn’t seem like much of a threat, but she’s survived for hundreds of years by sacrificing her own people. You really think it’s a good idea to give her time to find a loophole for her current situation?”
“Maybe not, but murder isn’t the right answer.”
Bri shook her head and sighed. “I was protecting us against future retaliation. Granted, I thought she’d be harder to kill. Kind of a let-down after training so hard to defend myself, but not everyone is the avatar of a god and has a dragon boyfriend.”
Oren wrapped his arm around her waist, and Dru silently acknowledged her point. Hollis was rotten all the way through, and she’d been struggling to come up with a solution for what to do with her. The bond told her that Oren supported Bri’s actions one hundred percent, and Alex’s mangled neck told her that he’d done some killing of his own.
Surprisingly, Dru was mostly okay with it. They weren’t like normal people in Terra, and though she’d been raised with those ideals, she’d since embraced the more barbaric aspects of magical society.
Bri had fallen silent after her defense. Her face said ‘fuck off’, but she’d wrapped her arms around her middle. Dru wanted to run up and hug the deadly woman who looked so much like her, but she’d have better luck convincing Samantha to take a day off. With time, Dru believed she could break through the shell of indifference, but would Bri give her that?
“Stay here with us,” Dru blurted.
Bri’s brows shot up. “Why?”
“Because we could use someone with your skills, and I want to get to know my baby sister. Not in that order.”
Oren’s chest shook with laughter, but he kept it contained.
Bri sent him a speculative look, then nodded. “I might have some vacation time coming up.”
Dru’s gaze darted back and forth between them before stopping on Oren. “What’s that all about?”
He inclined his head at Bri, then smiled at Dru. “We bonded in battle. I’ll give you the details later.”
Bri snorted. “We did not bond. I just like the idea of potentially stabbing more people.”
Tamra cleared her throat behind them, and Dru cursed silently. How did she keep forgetting about that woman? Oren’s smile faded, but before he fully turned to face her, an oily bit of magic came from Tamra.
“You don’t want to hurt me.”
Bri and Oren slowly stilled, and Dru rolled her eyes. Again? Why was it after ten years of avoiding magic-users, most of the ones she’d met in the last month were either okay with death as a conflict resolution or bad guys?
Oren spoke through a clenched jaw. “The elders will punish you for what you did to Seth.”
She laughed. “You think the elders didn’t know? Still suffering under the impression that they work in our best interests? Poor Oren, always the last to know and the last to react.”
Dru felt him stiffen next to her, and suddenly, she’d had enough with the witty barbs. “What do you want?”
Tamra turned her power on Dru. “Give me access to the sacred waters.”
Dru cocked her head and examined the magic that tried to coat her mind. A slimy spell of sorts that resembled a forceful suggestion. Her connection to Ljos prevented the compulsion from taking root, but Tamra didn’t know that.
Interesting that Oren wasn’t similarly protected. She’d have to keep that in mind in any future battles. Dru tried a simple little spell to immobilize Tamra. The pendant around Tamra’s neck gleamed in the light, and Dru’s new, nearly-limitless power bounced right off of it. That must be one of the artifacts she stole from the clan.
“Give me your necklace first,” Dru countered.
Tamra’s hand came up to cover the golden medallion, and a heftier burst of magic splattered against Dru’s shield. “It’s not for barter.”
With a shrug, Dru circled her hand, creating a portal behind her and Oren. “Okay, then.”
Tamra dropped her hand and narrowed her eyes, but her need for the sacred waters out-weighed her caution. She strode past them with her gaze locked on the shimmering portal, then disappeared through it.
Dru circled her hand the other way and undid the magic, then she cleansed the suggestions from Bri and Oren. The magic boost from Ljos really was handy. Bri sucked in a breath and clenched her fists.
“What the fuck did she do to me?”
Oren stared at where the portal had been and answered her. “Tamra has an affinity for compulsion. When she uses her power on you, it combines with her words to create a suggestion that most people can’t resist.”
Bri turned to Dru. “But you resisted it right? Why’d you give
her the portal she wanted?”
Dru slid her hand into Oren’s and squeezed. “I didn’t. That portal took her to Aecantha, where she and Oren are from.”
Her prickly sister thought about it for a second, then nodded. “I can accept that.” Bri moved away from them, ostensibly to search the room, but Dru thought maybe she was giving them a little privacy.
Oren shook his head, and his shoulders relaxed. “She’s going to be extremely angry that you tricked her.”
“Wouldn’t be the first time I pissed someone off, but I’m not worried. The doorways here are closed to her. She’ll find it exceedingly difficult to return, and even if she did, she couldn’t get past the barrier around the sacred waters. Only those of guardian descent are welcomed inside.”
A little fact that would have been super helpful in her training. Along with pretty much everything else she’d learned from Ljos that Hollis had kept hidden. Honestly, it was a miracle Hollis had lasted as long as she did without the blessing of the sacred tree. A blessing that felt damn fine from where she was standing. Her chest warmed at the thought that Ljos had trusted her to make it right.
He pulled her close. “And how do you know that?”
Dru tapped her temple. “I’m all-knowing now. You should be super scared.”
He grinned and nudged her head aside to drag his tongue along the mark on her neck. “Omnipotence might come in handy the next time you get yourself kidnapped.”
She shivered and tilted her head to give him better access. “Excuse you. If I understood correctly, we were both kidnapped. Do you need to go after Tamra?”
Oren kissed her jaw. “No, her return fulfills my assignment. I’m done working for the elders. Let them deal with Tamra. They’d already closed the doorways to keep her in. She won’t be that hard to find, especially without the medallion.” He opened his palm to reveal a glimmering golden necklace.
Dru chuckled. “You took that off her neck without her noticing? Now that’s a skill you need to teach me.”
“Maybe one day, when I’m sure you won’t use it to get into trouble.”
She grinned. “Finding trouble is what I do. It’s a gift. Along with painting and the ability to put my legs behind my head.”
Oren tucked the necklace away again and pulled her flush against him. “Fascinating. What other gifts were bestowed upon you?”
Dru reveled in the warmth of his body pressed against hers after thinking she’d never see him again. “You’re my best gift. I don’t know what I did to deserve you, but I’m glad I did it. My life is infinitely better with you in it.”
“Is that what your rules say about people who accept the gifts they’re given?”
Dru reared back to frown at him. “Where did you hear that?”
“What? The rules thing? You started it.”
She shook her head. “No, the gifts thing. It’s the same thing the lady in the garden told me. She said to accept the gifts I was given, and I guess she was right. When I accepted Ljos, I got everything I wanted.”
He brushed his lips against hers. “Only Ljos?”
Languid heat filled her. “And you too.” She wrapped her arms around his neck to bring him down for a real kiss.
They broke apart, and he leaned his forehead against hers. “You’re everything I want, kalia.”
Bri made a gagging noise from across the room. “Hey lovebirds, one of you want to help me with these bodies? No? Go ahead and keep making out then. I got it.”
Oren chuckled. “I love you, but your sister is going to drive me insane.”
Dru rolled her eyes and kissed his cheek, then reluctantly backed out of his arms. “I love you too, but she’s right. This probably isn’t the best place for sexy times.”
His eyes flared with heat, but he let her go. “I can wait.”
“I’m not getting any younger over here,” Bri hollered.
Dru shared a smile with him and shook her head. Bri was going to make things interesting for a while. They’d have to take her back to Terra to visit her parents. Dru hoped Bri would let them past her armor.
Oren joined Bri in disposing of the bodies, and Dru sighed. As queen of the dryads, she’d be moving away from Terra. The change would be bittersweet. She’d miss Samantha and Keely. At least she’d be able to come and go at will, and hopefully fix her own relationship with her mom.
To Dru’s surprise, her new responsibilities excited her. With her gifts and her mate, she could do so much good in the world. Her eyes narrowed on her grinning sister. As long as she convinced Bri to take her aggression out through art instead of murder.
Epilogue
DRU
Dru sipped her margarita and watched Samantha glare at Luc. He, in turn, stared in rapt attention at Keely as she described the imp she knew back in Texas. He’d been ignoring Samantha all night, which apparently made her twitchy. How interesting.
Oren and Seth had retreated to the backyard of the row house to talk about Tamra and the elders. Hollis’ information had been a dead end, but they believed their clan leader had some knowledge about the envoy. After a month as dryad queen, Dru only wanted to relax with her friends. She’d worried traveling to Terra would strain her connection to Ljos, but her magic remained as powerful as the day she’d become the guardian.
Her people—and it was still weird to think of them as her people—had rejoiced when they’d found out about Hollis’ death, a testament to how shitty of a queen she’d been. Dru wasn’t sure she’d be much better on the political front, but at least she wasn’t running auditions for her next sacrifice.
She sighed, and Samantha frowned at her. “Stop thinking about Vethr. You’re here on vacation.”
Dru stuck her tongue out. “I’m just distraught at the sorry state of my garden.”
Samantha shrugged. “That’s what happens when you move out. Any word on Nick?”
The reminder of Dru’s former best friend stole some of her merriment. “It’s surprisingly hard to follow someone with no memories. Oren and I were able to track him to Scotland, but the trail went cold. Literally. It ended in the North Atlantic.”
Compassion warmed Samantha’s blue eyes. “Do you think he’s alive?”
“I don’t know, and I’m trying not to obsess over it when there’s nothing else I can do short of stumbling over him through dumb luck. Not that I’m discounting dumb luck, but that’s more of a wait and see maneuver.” Dru sipped her drink, then licked salt from her top lip and firmly changed the subject. “Any luck finding a new magical outcast to take care of?”
After a healthy swallow of wine, Samantha shook her head. “I don’t want to talk about it.” Her eyes drifted to Luc again, standing in the kitchen with Keely. “Why is he here?”
Dru grinned. “Because he’s friends with the guys, he helped save my life, and you still won’t tell me why he gets under your skin.” She glared, and Dru felt physically cold for a second. “Nuh uh, no using magic to distract me. I always thought nothing got to you until I saw you and Luc together. Either he ran over your pet bunny and you’ve vowed revenge, or you want to take his pants off with your teeth.”
Samantha blinked twice then set her wine glass down. “Somehow I’d forgotten how your twisted mind works. I’m not talking about this.”
“Mm-hmm. Probably the second then.” Dru loved needling Samantha, especially now that she didn’t have to live with the consequences, but the brief flash of pain on her friend’s face ruined all her fun.
Samantha shook off the misery and stood as the oven timer went off. “Not all of us get to spend our nights with tall, dark, and handsome, but then, not all of us want to.”
She sauntered into the kitchen, but Luc turned at the same moment Samantha reached for the pot holder on the counter next to him. He wasn’t as tall as Oren, but he nailed dark and handsome. Dru grinned at the pretty pink blush that crept up Samantha’s cheeks. Oh yeah, Samantha definitely wanted to.
“Allow me, love.” Luc moved past her to pull t
he casserole dish from the oven with his bare hands.
Samantha stepped back and crossed her arms. “Show off.”
He smiled at her, a slow draw of wicked delight, and Dru could feel the heat from her spot at the table. “Whatever it takes to get the lady’s attention.”
Samantha’s breathing picked up, and Dru took pity on her. She slurped her margarita as loud as she could, then yelled out the open back door. “Dinner’s ready.”
Seth and Oren came in, arguing about pizza of all things, and Samantha broke away from Luc to carry the dish to the table, this time with pot holders. Dru hoped they dealt with their issues soon or they were going to end up hurting each other when the tension finally snapped. Seth opened the fridge to grab a beer, and her mate took the seat next to hers, leaning over to kiss her neck.
“Are you sure you want to stay for dinner?” he murmured against her skin.
Shivers ran down her back and spread over the rest of her, and for a moment, she considered bowing out early. She turned and found his mouth, letting him know exactly how much she liked that idea. His hand slid into her hair, but she pulled back before he could deepen the kiss and get her into trouble right there at the dinner table.
“Nah, I don’t want to miss any time with them. Besides, the only two seats left are next to each other, and I want to see if Samantha stabs Luc at some point during dinner.”
Oren chuckled. “And you think Bri and I are bloodthirsty. I can wait, kalia. Can you?” He ran his hand down her neck, caressing the mark on his way and causing Dru to catch her breath. She sent him a warning look, but he only grinned at her, not at all sorry.
As the others joined them at the table, Oren captured her hand and kissed her inner wrist, sending his love through the bond.
“I love you too,” she whispered, and she thanked whatever powers that be for the gift of him.
Continue the adventure with Samantha and Luc in Chaotic Magic!
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