Kezari let out a small but pointed snort. “Those are inside mountains. What if one of these trees crashes on this puny structure? There is no bulk. The other structures we entered might have been flimsy, but they weren’t so ill-placed.”
Aris chuckled at that, earning a questioning glance from Selia. “How many spells would you say fortify this place?” he asked aloud.
Selia’s brow furrowed for a moment before she answered. “There are seven types upholding the walls themselves, mostly preservation against natural degradation but some for fortification. A solid twenty-two maintain the roofs, and approximately fifty are layered carefully to prevent damage to and from the trees. Why do you ask?”
“Dragon taming,” Aris answered as Kezari lifted her chin and pretended not to hear. “Kezari was concerned about the possibility of collapse with so many trees.”
“Reasonably so,” the dragon sent to him alone. “This form squishes easily.”
As Aris choked back another laugh, Lyr peered at Kezari. “Braelyn has stood on this spot for thousands of years. In fact, the main entry and the rooms above were built just after the war with your kind.”
“After we burned the original, I suppose,” Kezari said stiffly.
“There was no ill-intent behind my comment.” Lyr paused in front of a door and caught the dragon’s eye. “We are not our ancestors. Even had our own parents warred, I would not hold you in poor regard because of it. I meant only to highlight the security of the building.”
Kezari inclined her head. “I thank you, then.”
Lyr opened the door and gestured for them to precede him. Aris followed Kezari through a short hallway that opened into a large oval room. Bookcases and tall windows lined the longer sides of the oval, with a short dais and large desk on the farthest end. The couple from earlier rose from two of the chairs in the center as the group entered. From their tense body language, he had a feeling the pair had been arguing, but he was hardly one to judge.
Quickly, Lyr made the introductions. Aris processed the formal titles with a smile, although the information prompted more questions he wouldn’t ask out loud. The tall red-haired woman with green eyes was Lyr’s daughter and was soulbonded to the frowning male with black hair. Arlyn and Kai. Seven years ago, before Aris had left on the expedition, the Myern hadn’t had children. At least he didn’t think so. Either Aris hadn’t been paying attention, or something strange had happened in the last seven years.
“It is an honor to meet you,” Aris said, keeping his curiosity to himself. “I appreciate your assistance with Iren. I hope he didn’t give you too much trouble.”
Arlyn grinned. “I had him go study with Lady Lynia. My grandmother will keep him in line.”
He knew nothing about the lady in question, but from Selia’s low laugh, he assumed it had been a good decision. “Thank you,” he said.
Aris studied Lyr’s tense posture as he strode across the room and opened a book on his desk, frowning down at the pages. Something was obviously bothering him. Were the terms of the Moranaian treaty with the dragons so dire? Kezari’s request hadn’t sounded like a problem to Aris, but his knowledge of the war didn’t go beyond the basics every child learned. It seemed that hadn’t been the case for Lyr, who flipped through the tome like he knew what he was looking for.
“It is as I thought,” Lyr said. “No dragon can pass through the portal without the permission of both rulers. Even then, there are very specific conditions listed.”
Aris took a step closer to Kezari, who had stopped her pacing to glare at Lyr. “Our queen could not feel the scope of this danger. She did not believe. You must be wiser.”
Lyr placed his hands on his desk and leaned forward. “Perhaps you should explain what is going on.”
“Skizik?” the dragon demanded.
“Oh no,” Aris answered, shaking his head. “I barely understand this myself.”
Kezari shifted on her feet. “I am of the Earth and the earth. I can work with the rocks and soil here, but my connection to our original world remains strong. Something is wrong there. It is terrible.”
Lyr’s lips turned down. “I have guides who travel there regularly. Although there was trouble with poisoned energy, that was resolved about a month ago. Is this feeling recent?”
“It is now,” Kezari insisted. “It grows. It seeps into the ground. The plants and living creatures must be affected. Aris and I, we can heal it, especially with his mage.”
Beside him, Selia let out a soft sound, a sure sign of her annoyance to any who knew her. “I have not agreed to such a thing.”
Kezari turned her golden eyes their way. “You will. You must.”
“This requires more investigation,” Lyr said as he straightened. “I will not send any of you through with so little information. I do not mean offense, but it is difficult to believe that none of my guides would have noticed this kind of danger.”
“It can’t be too bad if Ralan isn’t here giving orders,” the one named Kai muttered.
“Prince Ralan?” Aris stared at the other man, uncertain he had heard correctly. The prince had left Moranaia centuries ago. “Why would he be?”
Lyr grimaced. “I’m sorry, Aris. You wouldn’t have heard of his return during your…absence. The prince has been back for a couple of months now. Ralan, his daughter Eri, and his bonded Cora are currently staying in my home while a secondary palace is being built to the south of my lands. They are at the site consulting with the builders today.”
“Eri isn’t,” Selia said, giving the door an uneasy glance as though someone would rush through at any moment. “She asked to stay and play with Iren after lessons.”
“She was with my grandmother,” Arlyn said.
Silence fell, and Aris pursed his lips at the oddness of it. He could deduce that Eri was a child, but why would that make a room full of adults nervous? Suddenly, he felt like an outsider in the land where he’d been born. Important events had obviously occurred, things the others knew well. As an adventurer, he’d always tried to keep up with the news from the larger estates—it was how he’d found some of his best missions. Now he was a tree with no roots.
“I do not care who is here,” Kezari said, her voice rising in annoyance. “Something must be done. Contact your ruler. Work out a new treaty.”
Lyr’s expression turned sympathetic. “I understand your concern. I do. There has been much to handle here, so I have grown accustomed to crisis. A rogue Moranaian caused the initial energy poisoning, and it affected quite a few fae realms as well as Earth. That foe has been defeated and a counter-spell activated. In truth, I have experienced enough chaos lately to know better than to dismiss your words.”
“But?” Aris demanded.
“I must obey the law.” Lyr gestured at the book still open on his desk. “This treaty is older than any of us, save perhaps Kezari. Ralan could negotiate on his father’s behalf with the king’s permission, but unless you are dragon royalty, Kezari, there is nothing to be done.”
“I am not a princess.” Kezari sniffed. “Nor am I so old. That happened in my grandparents’ time, thank you.”
Aris smiled slightly at the dragon’s vanity, but he didn’t want to hurt her feelings by calling her on it. “What would you suggest, Myern?”
“I’ll send Kai and Arlyn through the portal to see if they can detect any hint of trouble. Arlyn destroyed the other spell, so she might be more sensitive to new problems.”
“No,” Kai said at once.
“If we weren’t bonded, I’d shove you off the top of the brooding tower.” Arlyn poked her finger against Kai’s side. “Stop it.”
Brooding tower? Bemused, Aris glanced between them. The group’s arrival had definitely interrupted an argument, one that appeared ready to erupt again. Arlyn glared at her bonded, who stood with crossed arms and set jaw. If the Myern thought she was skilled enough to take on such a mission, why would her bonded protest? How unusual.
“This is not the time for su
ch a disagreement,” Lyr snapped. “We can discuss this in greater detail once I have found our guests shelter.”
Kai clenched his jaw tighter, but Arlyn’s face reddened. “Of course,” she said.
Though Lyr’s eyebrows were lowered in frustration, he strode easily around his desk, and the emotion had smoothed away by the time he stopped in front of Kezari. “I assume you will want a place where you can shift back to your natural form?”
“Oh, yes,” Kezari said emphatically. “This skin itches after a time. Far too small.”
Aris frowned. His mind had been too muddled to consider this problem. There’d been fewer trees on their other stops, but the area around Braelyn was largely ancient forest. They’d learned to build their houses in, around, or on those trees, but Kezari’s dragon form wouldn’t fit in any of those structures. The few clear places along the ridges weren’t particularly secure.
“The stone beneath Braelyn is fairly solid, but there is a small cave system on the north end of the ridge,” Lyr said. “If it does not cause offense to be so removed from the bulk of my home, I would suggest you stay there. You are more than welcome to make subtle changes to the caves if they are not large enough.”
Kezari’s head tilted back. “You would trust me to make modifications?”
“Dragons are renowned for such work,” Lyr answered. “And it would not be in your best interests to destabilize the land above you.”
Cave…land above… Aris’s shoulders jerked in an involuntary shudder. At Selia’s concerned glance, he shook his head. He did not want to reveal yet another weakness, but he had no choice. Kezari was certain to be upset by his refusal. Still, what else could he do? Not even under the prompting of the Nine Gods of Arneen would he go into a cave voluntarily. “I will have to beg a different kind of shelter.”
Kezari spun, her nostrils flaring. “I will not leave you unguarded. We should be close.”
“I cannot.” Aris let out a shaky sigh. “A cave would be living torment. Perhaps I could camp on the ridge just above? Anything out in the open.”
“You are not considering the season. The nights are turning chilly, and the cold rains are almost upon us. Late autumn is an unpleasant time to camp,” Lyr said.
Fiorn, where Aris had lived most of his life, didn’t suffer through autumn rains—at least not in the same way. The plains did flood off and on through autumn and winter, but it was warm throughout both seasons. However, he’d been on several expeditions to climes like Braelyn’s, and those had been sheer misery. Too bad he wouldn’t be able to abide a tent. Fabric close to his face, blocking any view… No.
Selia stepped forward, catching his attention. “What about the brooding—I mean, the observation tower?”
Shame and frustration curled through his insides and sharpened his tone. “What, you think I need space to mope?”
“No.” Selia lifted a hand in conciliation. “It’s a nickname that has nothing to do with you. I wasn’t trying to insinuate anything.”
Lyr chuckled even as his daughter winced. “Arlyn has caught both myself and Kai atop the tower in times of distress, so she dubbed it the brooding tower. The name stuck.”
Aris rubbed the back of his neck. He’d grown too sensitive during his capture, and he had a feeling it would cause him more than a little embarrassment. Selia wouldn’t have been so rude. She, unlike his so-called bonded, had never insulted him like that. Well, besides a few well-placed barbs during arguments, but he’d never held that against her. He’d said his own share of foolish things.
“Forgive me,” he said.
“Of course,” Selia answered softly, but the tense set of her shoulders told him she was still upset. Nothing to be done about it now. “I suggested the tower because the walls of the top floor are largely glass. You can see from any angle but still be inside. And Kezari could perch on the top when she wished to be close to you. The roof is flat.”
Lyr nodded. “Excellent suggestion. Would you mind showing Aris and Kezari the tower while I speak with Kai and Arlyn?”
“It would be my pleasure,” Selia said.
Oh, he just bet it would. She was probably eager to reprimand him for thinking ill of her. “We would greatly appreciate it,” Aris said.
Selia gestured toward the door. “Then let us go.”
Hoping she wouldn’t be too hard on him, Aris nodded and then followed.
As soon as the door closed, Lyr rounded on Kai. “That’s it. What is wrong with you? Don’t try to tell me everything is normal, either. Clearly, it is not.”
Kai’s nostrils flared. “I don’t want Arlyn put in danger again. Last time was bad enough.”
“You’re joking.” Lyr stared at his friend, aghast. Kai had never reacted this way before. He was treating Arlyn the way he’d seen some human males act toward their women, possessive and overprotective. “Would you say the same for Kera or any of our other female warriors?”
Kai gaped at him for a moment before shaking his head. “You think it is because Arlyn is a female? That’s not it at all. Well, I suppose it’s related, but—”
“I’m pregnant,” Arlyn blurted, her words ringing into a sudden silence.
It didn’t hit Lyr immediately. Then the full import trickled through, along with a shock so profound it rattled him to the core. His daughter was expecting a child? But she’d only been here for three months, had only been bonded with Kai the same length of time. Few elves conceived so quickly.
Joy sparked inside him as the news settled in.
“I should have waited a few more weeks to tell you,” Arlyn mumbled.
Lyr’s gaze shot to his daughter, his rising happiness stifled a little by her statement. “How long have you known?”
She nibbled at her lower lip. “Since just before Ralan went to Earth to find Cora.”
Hurt pinched Lyr’s heart, warring with joy. She’d kept something this important from him? It explained Kai’s growing protectiveness and reluctance to travel to the Sidhe realm of his own father. Had they told Naomh? Anyone else?
Such amazing news—and only Kai’s snit had revealed it to him.
“Why didn’t you say anything?” Lyr forced himself to ask.
“Because of this. Your reaction.” Arlyn sighed. “I knew you wouldn’t take it well.”
Comprehension dawned as Lyr stared at her worried face. “You think I’m upset that you’re pregnant? No. I’m thrilled beyond telling about my first grandchild. But I am hurt that you didn’t trust me enough to tell me sooner.”
Frowning, Kai crossed his arms. “You were furious when we bonded.”
Lyr made a sharp, impatient gesture. “Not at the bond itself. Only your haste in starting the bond. I thought we resolved that two months ago.”
“I’m sorry,” Arlyn whispered.
At the sight of his daughter’s upset face, Lyr’s hurt, and his heart, melted. He wrapped his arms around her in a gentle hug. “Ah, tieln, I’m the one who is sorry. This shouldn’t be about me. Let’s not mar such wonderful news with worry.”
“I should have told you,” she said with a sniffle. “Only Lial knows. I had to see him to check, of course. Well, Selia guessed this morning when my energy went awry during a lesson. I don’t know why I was so worried. Hormones, maybe.”
Smiling, Lyr gave Arlyn’s shoulders a reassuring squeeze. “Don’t stress this. Are you well? Is Kai so protective because there’s a problem?”
Arlyn took a step back and glared at Kai. “No. We’re perfectly fine.”
“If she and the child are healthy, why would she not continue her duties?” Lyr peered at his friend curiously. Color had leeched from his face along with any hint of anger. “What is this really about?”
For a moment, Kai didn’t answer, his expression twisting with an odd sort of pain. “I didn’t know my own mother beyond my first few days of life. I can’t abide risk to either you or our child, Arlyn. My family is so fucked up, but this…I want better for us. The fear isn’t rational, but I c
an’t silence it.”
“I never said I wanted to go on this mission,” Arlyn said with a shrug. “Unless there is truly no one else, I’d rather not. I don’t think it’s a good idea to expose our child to poisoned energy.”
Kai scowled. “Then why—”
“I didn’t want you speaking for me, either,” Arlyn interrupted, giving her bonded a pointed look.
Lyr couldn’t help but laugh at Kai’s chastised expression. “You deserved that, my friend. As to our current crisis, I’ll see if Inona is ready to resume her duties. If so, she and Delbin can travel to Earth. Delbin can seek out Fen and see if he knows what is going on. Hopefully, he isn’t involved.”
“I don’t think he is,” Kai said. “But our acquaintance was admittedly short.”
“I suppose we’ll see. Now…I won’t tell you to rest, Arlyn. I’m sure Kai does that countless times already.” Lyr grinned at his friend’s disgruntled frown. “I’m sure you’d rather take Kai to task a bit more in private. Or have my mother work with him on his manners.”
Kai groaned. “Can I just grovel?”
Lyr made a shooing motion. “Not here. I have work to do.”
As soon as Kai and Arlyn closed the door behind them, Lyr sank into his chair and rubbed his hand across his eyes. Dragons had been denied access to the portal for a reason. The few dragons who had opted to stay on Earth instead of migrating to Moranaia had lingered for millenia and had caused a great deal of trouble. And during the war, some of the Moranaian dragons had raided Earth with impunity to bolster their resources. The humans had their dragon myths for a reason—dragons did not live well with other species.
But Lyr had a bad feeling that the dragon would have to go to Earth, and navigating the situation was a mess he’d rather not handle. Too bad it was his job. With a resigned sigh, he prepared to contact Inona.
Chapter 7
By the time they neared the tower, Selia was ready to scream. Eradisel had told her to prepare herself, but there was no way to get ready for this. Her beloved husband walked beside her like a near-stranger, asking polite questions about the scenery. Who cared how many different kinds of blasted flowers were in the gardens or how long it had been since the last rain? No one in this situation.
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