The Dragon Mage Collection

by L J Andrews

  “You will come with us, Nuka,” Sapphire demanded.

  I thought she might protest, but Nuka actually nodded. “As you said, brother. This is everyone’s war. Consider us your newest allies.”

  I don’t think I’d actually released Teagan’s hand since we’d left the common wyvern haven. My tea was long gone, but I found it was easier to withstand the sickening energy collision now that the child was growing stronger. We’d hardly had time to retrieve the blade I’d left behind before we’d taken to the sky. When the cave had come into view, I’d nearly sobbed in relief.

  Crowds of warriors and mages greeted the families of the common dragons. I expected more expansions to the cave would need to be added to accommodate all the new bodies. Garwin’s innocent excitement returned as he marveled at the countless mages spilling out to tend to any wounded among us. He stopped when Gaia rushed from the cave to wrap Thane in a tight embrace.

  “The High Priestess,” Garwin gasped. Teagan chuckled, turning to his mother, who pulled the both of us tight against her body before adding Mitch as well.

  Eisha smothered me in her tight embrace the instant Gaia released us. “I felt such an unease,” she cried against my head. “You’re alright. You’re all alright. My, look how you’ve blossomed. It won’t be long now.”

  Teagan’s eyes widened as we walked by. “I think it takes longer than a few months.”

  Eisha beamed. “Not for wyverns, Teagan. Well, if this were only a dragon I’m certain you would have the child by now. It seems a dragon mage may take a little more time.”

  I laughed, wrapping my arm around his waist when Teagan looked as though he might be sick. “You knew it would eventually come out, right?”

  He nodded, swallowing hard. “I guess I thought we had a little more time to wrap our heads—well, my head—around it.”

  Later that night, Gaia and Thane sat with us around the fire. Ced was inspecting Teagan after he’d learned how close he’d come to succumbing to Bron’s curse. “There are definitely remnants of warped night energy. It was powerful, and no doubt designed to kill anyone who took Onyx’s sword. I’m sure Bron would have been pleased to know it fell to your hands.”

  Gaia’s jaw twitched. She radiated such fury, but I smiled knowing I’d felt the same fury at the idea of someone harming my child. “How did it clear without your help?” she grumbled at the prince.

  “Jade,” Ced offered simply. “The others helped keep elemental power rushing his veins. It was wise to use the family connection. There is power in families, but even that wouldn’t have been enough. Night energy certainly cleansed him. I can feel it.”

  “I don’t have night energy,” I whispered, threading my fingers through Teagan’s grip.

  “You do—well, I suspect for a month more or so,” Ced grinned.

  My mouth parted, and Teagan sucked in a breath. “Are you saying she took night energy from…our unborn child?” he asked.

  Ced shrugged. “It’s the only explanation I have. Dragon mages are few, as we know. All we have to understand what sort of energy comes in a mixed race is you, Teagan. And if I’m honest, I don’t think you’ve unlocked your potential yet. Who’s to say what sort of energy your child will be born with? Night energy is part of the earth, why wouldn’t the son or daughter of the jade mage and the queen of jade have a strong power of the earth? Doesn’t the jade bloodline harness the power of all elements? Perhaps it goes even further.”

  Teagan actually smiled. I beamed, my hand running over the firm spot on my stomach. So, the strange energy, the power I’d felt burst through my palms, wasn’t mine at all. How I desperately yearned to meet my new dragon mage.

  “Of course, such power will bring more danger,” Ced added—the calm feeling shifted like an iron weight dropping off a cliff. “If anyone in Nag’s household finds out a new power is within our walls, well, I don’t need to paint the details. We all can imagine for ourselves.”

  Teagan’s smile was gone, and even Thane was pacing now. I’d lost my parents to death. It was painful, and though I had few memories, there wasn’t a day that passed I didn’t wish they were here with me. Yet the story of what had happened to Thane and Gaia—losing Teagan to the world, never knowing what became of one another—the tears burning behind my eyes assured me that was more a fear than even death.

  “We’ll take precautions,” Gaia offered, glancing at me. “I think you’re far enough along that you should stay within the walls. The energy from the child is detectable now.”

  I nodded, running my hand along Teagan’s knee. He was leaning forward on his elbows, his fists pressed against his lips. There had been a few moments since we’d met that his eyes turned to icy stones. Now was one of those moments. He was so focused, I hesitated to even speak.

  “Teagan,” I finally whispered. “What are you thinking?”

  Slowly, he faced me. Every shade of blue in his eyes burned with fervor. “I’m going to need you to trust me through this. I’m not going to let Bron get close to us. I promise. I’ll do whatever it takes, but I need your trust.”

  I smiled, though a wave of apprehension prickled along the back of my neck. “I will always trust you. We trust each other. We’ll protect our family—together, like always.”

  It was more a question than a statement, but I covered my tone enough I wasn’t sure anyone noticed. Teagan smiled and kissed the top of my hand. A sweet gesture, but the way ice coated his expression I knew he planned to be the only one to do anything to keep us safe. I would be protected, and Teagan Ward would give his life if it meant his family walked away. That wasn’t good enough for me—living without him was simply not good enough.

  Part Three

  The Gathering

  Chapter 19

  The Dragon Mage

  Death had been so close. Although several weeks had passed since the night we’d found Onyx, an icy chill remained in my veins. I’d absorbed night energy plenty of times, enough to know I could tolerate the power. I’d long ago determined it was because I was a dragon mage that I could tolerate the lindworm power. But whatever had cursed that sword was something entirely different.

  Like razors carving through my veins, I’d felt my own energy ripping from my soul. Though I heard Jade’s voice, felt her touch, I’d wanted to die. For a short moment, life was not worth keeping if I was forced to live in such agony. Then I’d felt the scorch of elemental power bleeding through my body like a ray of sunlight breaking through a tumultuous storm. Athika’s power, Rochelle, Donovan. They’d all helped. I’d felt stronger when Thane and Mitch had touched my skin, but it wasn’t until Jade’s thoughts, her pleas for my life filtered through my mind that I found the glimmer of strength to reject the poisonous energy from my own body. There was something else, something strangely familiar and unique. Now I believed it was the energy bursting from my innocent unborn child. Jade and I had created something more powerful than the two of us—of that I was certain.

  For that reason, I stood outside the walls, waiting.

  The nights were getting warmer, and the clean scent of summer drifted through the air. Closing my eyes, I breathed deeply, concentrating on staying calm. Jade had changed so much in the last few weeks, my heart nearly thudded into a panic when I saw how close she was to actually having the baby. Jade smiled through most of the aches and pains I knew she felt—there was a serenity about her expression lately when she met my eye. I loved her more than I thought possible, though sometimes it only added to the fears mounting in my heart. The only comfort through my panic were the moments I rested my hands along her growing stomach and felt the strong nudges, energy, and movement from my son or daughter. It was surreal, and part of what had brought me to this moment.

  “There you are, young dragon mage.”

  “Gumma,” I breathed out, smiling at the ancient mage. “Thank you for meeting me.”

  “We’ve spent many weeks planning and thinking. Now it is time to finally do something about it,” the old woma
n smirked as she patted my cheek. “You have the stones?”

  I nodded, holding a large leather bag. Each elemental stone was placed securely in a separate divide, according to Gumma’s instructions. No one had questioned me when I took the stones; most mages and dragons assumed I was using them to add power to the barrier walls. After Donovan had unsuccessfully used the onyx stone to heal Onyx’s mind haze, and the royal tried to break free and use all the stones against us, my parents became the unofficial guardians of all the stones.

  “All of this depends on the fire stone rejoining the other powers, you understand?”

  Nodding again, I held tight to her frail arm as we moved toward the enormous walls surrounding the caves. “I’ll make sure the stone gets to where it needs to be.”

  “That is to assume we will ever be found,” Gumma offered.

  “If what I’ve been sensing is correct, and Ced, and my mom, I don’t think it will be long, Gumma.”

  “Yes, I should think you’re right.” Gumma cocked her head as I helped her over a steep ledge outside the walls. The air was strange outside the protections of the cave. Like the darkness spreading throughout the earth was heavier. “You might consider allowing a few more in on your plan. I should think the queen would wish to know.”

  “She won’t accept it,” I muttered, feeling a pang in my chest. I didn’t like keeping things from Jade, but I was so certain that this was what needed to be done, it frightened me. Almost like I knew what might happen. If I had any gift of premonitions, then the feelings I’d had for the last few nights had me worried I might not see my own son or daughter grow up. “This will ensure their safety. That’s what I need more than anything.”

  Gumma clicked her tongue as we padded toward the clear spot in the surrounding forest. I’d missed spending time in the spicy trees. Cool air, pungent with sap and pine, sent a rush of peace through my chest. “It will not hold against the jade royal, not when she is capable of her own earth energy. I’ve told you this.”

  “I have to hope she’ll realize the importance, especially if our child is already born.”

  “Perhaps,” Gumma offered. She didn’t agree, I could feel it, but what I liked most about the ancient woman was she didn’t argue. She accepted each living thing’s freedom to choose, even if she didn’t agree. Gumma sighed and stared at the distant towns. “Such beautiful energy. Such innocence. I can only hope it will be left untouched.”

  My stomach churned as I mourned for what would come if we failed to end the war. Just last week, Leoch and Mitch had returned from outside the walls and reported the Midwest had been pummeled with fires. Not typical fires. Blue flames, black flames—flames that repelled water. Hundreds had been trapped, and the fire had devoured town after town. Humans were under attack as the search for our cave continued. Even though Bron had attacked the caves before, the warding seemed to be confusing the dark forces enough right now we remained lost to them. For how much longer, I didn’t know.

  “This is the spot?” I asked, stepping into the center of the clearing.

  Gumma nodded. “This should do quite well. Now, you’ve been practicing, yes?” I nodded and tugged the bag of stones off my shoulder. “Good. You are a dragon mage with unmatched power. You have the power to create this. It is a good plan, Teagan.”

  Gumma rarely said my name, but I felt at ease when she did now. “I hope so.”

  “Place the stones in a circle, and make sure—”

  “To leave an opening for the fire stone,” I smirked with a wink.

  “Very good. It is most important to repeat; without the fire stone, the veins of energy will not bind.”

  With care, I positioned the four elemental stones in a wide circle, leaving a wide enough space for the fire stone if our plan worked. A steady, constant rumble rolled through the earth as the power of the elements reached for one another like a magnetic force.

  “You have night energy, though you resist the truth,” Gumma whispered, gently touching my shoulder before I rose back to my feet. “It is the only way she will be concealed. You must accept that your power is different than the elemental mages—you are different than the earth mages. You are a dragon mage—all the powers of the wyvern race, of the mage race, are yours to manipulate, to honor, to rule. Now, consecrate this spot with all the energies and it will be unbreakable.”

  Gumma knelt down with ease for such an old woman and splayed her knobby fingers along the soil. She muttered under her breath, adding to the strength of what I would do. Swallowing hard, I stabbed the points of my swords deep into the soil. So many times, the motion had given me more power, and they did the same now. A ring of brilliant white energy surrounded me, Gumma, and the stones the moment the blades lodged below the surface. Leaning forward on my open palms, I closed my eyes.

  For weeks, I had studied the enchantments while Jade slept at night. Dangerous, wordy, and complicated. So much that Gumma had never attempted such a powerful energy summons in all her years. But as she said, I had all energies—I just had to believe I did. The spells repeated through my head. Words like celare amare, and capricum ma hostem, and my least favorite, praesidio in morte.

  “Speak clearer,” Gumma whispered.

  My fingertips were soaked in damp soil. I clenched my eyes and spoke with more fervor. I repeated the words over and over. Night energy was beautiful in many ways—much like the enchantments, it was dangerous and complicated. I envisioned the moments when I’d absorbed excess energy—from Ced, from the lindworms, from dark mages. I kept my mother in my thoughts. Her power was stunning now. She wasn’t at complete peace with her changes, but she was incredible to watch. Healing was stronger, the night could save, it could darken, it could hide. It could bind. The surge of dark power rippled along the jade armor coating my skin and into the soil.

  My eyes were still closed when the earth shuddered slightly while I moved on and embraced my connection to the forest. Soon the power of the amber stone filtered through my heart. Everything about the forests, deserts, the rocky cliffs rampaged through my mind. The ground rumbled with more violence as the power bled out the tips of my fingers and joined with my connection to the night already in the soil.

  Gasping through a few sharp breaths, I thought of flying on the back of Jade for the first time. It was a memory I never wanted to forget. When I’d fought next to my father, leaping from his back and feeling the rush of wind against my face until he caught me again, as I knew he would, brought the same adrenaline through my veins as the energy of wind and air joined with the other powers I was bleeding into the earth.

  Next was the onyx bloodline—water. I’d stepped on the ocean floor. The salty breeze burned my nose again as I reveled and honored the strength of water. The river I’d commanded had thrashed through the trees, nearly devouring all of us with one gulp. The onyx stone sent a shocking spark along my skin. My jaw tightened, and I only held firmer.

  “Good, Dragon Mage,” Gumma muttered near my ear. “Now create the separate chains. Though the fire stone is not here, picture the power. Leave the vein open for when it comes. You’ve sensed it in the ruby mage, in the ruby bloodline royal. You know its strength. Make it so the chains will lock when it is near. Picture what you expect, the powers are listening.”

  My lungs were burning when, finally, a rush of energy powered through my body, and I released the breath I hadn’t known I was even holding. Slowly, I opened my eyes, and for a fleeting moment, the glimmer of brilliant gilded energy flickered against twilight until it absorbed into the ground.

  I smiled, hopeful that all the weeks of planning and preparing might actually pay off. Gumma tapped my shoulder, her gray eyes filled with pride as she stared at the clearing. “Never in all my years have I witnessed such raw power. Never doubt what you can do,” she whispered, glancing at the changes to the forest. “This is grander than anything I have seen before.” Gumma tapped her wrinkled chin, grinning coyly. “Do you recall the tale of the Mage of Kings?”

 
The term was familiar. Over the weeks I’d read so many ancient writings. Some pages were so old, the parchment was made from bamboo or papyrus—the sort of thing a museum would die to have. Resting back on my knees, I shook my head. “It sounds like something I might have read, but I don’t remember the story.”

  “It isn’t really a story,” Gumma smirked. “More a belief. It has been said throughout the generations that there is enough power in the earth that, one day, a mage, should he or she be powerful enough, could harness all the powers of the earth. Such energy would require devotion, purpose, and focus. But if a mage accepted all the energies of the elements, of the earth, they would reign above all the powers. Their armor would be celestial, impenetrable. They would become a Mage of Kings. Such a mage could command the elements with a single thought. The night would bow to their control.”

  “It’s never happened before?”

  Gumma shrugged. “There have been many mages I’ve had the honor of knowing who were so powerful I could hardly breathe in their presence. But I’ve never seen impenetrable armor, nor have I had the pleasure of knowing a mage who accepted all the energies. I wondered if your mother might be one to harness all the powers when she absorbed the night energy. But alas, we both know her other energies have faded to make room for such power. So I cannot say I’ve ever known of such a thing happening. Most use the tale to entertain their children, or simply call it a myth. However, in this moment, I would daresay if there were to ever be a mage more powerful than all the kings of the elements, it would fall to you, young man.”

  I chuckled and shook my head. “I’ve gotten better with my power, but I wouldn’t say I rule over all the energies. Far from it.”

  Gumma grinned, but her brow remained cocked when she patted the top of my head. “Perhaps. It could well be only a children’s story. Well, are you ready to add the second chamber?”

  I nodded, wiping sweat from my brow. Slowly, I placed the items I’d stowed in the bottom of the satchel in a row a few feet from where I’d created the energy surge.