by Rinelle Grey
She’d never felt a fear this intense before, even when she had been facing Ultrima. “Bloody hell, you weren’t kidding, were you?”
“Are you all right?” Taurian asked, his voice concerned. He looked over at her, frowning.
Karla managed to nod. “Yes, I think so. I’m glad you warned me about this though, Jayrian. It goes away you said?”
“Yes, as soon as you are determined to ignore it,” he assured her. “That’s how it worked for Gretchen.”
Kind of like the dingoes at Ultrima’s lair. For some reason, that thought made the panic retreat a little. Karla took a deep breath, and reminded herself that there was nothing to be afraid of. This wasn’t an enemy dragon’s territory, it was Taurian’s clan’s. They wanted them to come.
They wanted Taurian to anyway.
They may not be as keen on her.
Taurian didn’t seem to think it would matter. He hadn’t wavered from his certainty that if he said she should be there, the clan would accept it.
Karla wasn’t so sure.
Then again, she wasn’t planning on staying that long. Once she was sure Taurian was settled with his clan and that he would be safe from Ultrima, there was no reason for her to stay.
If she kept telling herself that, maybe she’d eventually believe it.
The fear retreated a little as she pushed on down the path. Once she rounded the corner, and could no longer see the plains through the trees, it disappeared completely. Karla took a few deep breaths, relief filling her.
“So that only happens the first time you come here, right?”
Why was she even asking? It wasn’t like she was going to be coming here more than once.
Jayrian nodded.
No one said much as they pushed on through the trees. After a few minutes, a dirt mound, red like the sand surrounding it, appeared in a clearing in the trees. A dark hole leading inside gave a clue to its purpose. Several men, wearing leather shorts similar to the ones Taurian had worn when she’d first found him, stood up straighter and exchanged glances.
They watched the ute pull to a stop, not moving. Karla’s heart beat uncomfortably fast. This was it. Taurian’s clan. After all this time, they had found them.
Chapter 40
Tears pricked at the back of Taurian’s eyes, and he blinked hard. He would not cry. A prince of Rian clan would never cry. But it was hard to dampen the strong emotion that welled up in him. They were here. Rian clan still lived. Dragons, several of them, clustered around the opening to the lair.
He was so incredibly relieved to know he wasn’t alone. That his clan had survived.
That there would be chance to rebuild.
He climbed out of the ute and stared at the human form dragons gathered around the mound. He didn’t recognise any of them.
Of course he didn’t. Anyone he had known was long dead. These were the descendants of his clan. Dragons lived a long time, longer than a human—it wasn’t unusual for one to make two hundred years—but none would survive to three hundred. The only reason he was still alive was that ageing, like the need for food or water, had been suspended while he was in the Mesmer sleep.
He tried to tell himself it didn’t matter, that they would always be his clan even if their faces had changed. But his excitement was dampened a little.
“Get the elders, quickly,” one of the men hissed.
A younger man raced away inside the mound.
Jayrian climbed out after Taurian, and Karla followed.
The men at the entrance watched warily as they approached. They inclined their heads towards Taurian respectfully. “Welcome, Prince,” one of them said.
The dampened excitement had returned in full force at the greeting. Taurian inclined his head back, trying to keep his expression solemn, as this moment required. But he’d been waiting for so long for this, he couldn’t help a wide smile spreading across his face. As he saw their answering smiles, he decided it didn’t matter. This moment wasn’t solemn, it was joyous. “I am glad to be back among Rian clan.”
Several more men and women appeared at the mound entrance, and as soon as they had cleared the entrance, more followed. Soon, about fifty people, fifty dragons, their varied scents filling his nostrils, surrounded Taurian, Karla, and Jayrian.
“Welcome to our new lair,” an elderly man, his hair a steely grey, said formally to Taurian. “I am Kyrian, one of the elders elected to guide Rian clan in your absence. On behalf of the elders, and all the dragons of Rian clan, I bid you welcome. We rejoice at your return.”
Taurian memorised his face and name. He would have a lot of new names and faces to learn today, he needed to concentrate and not miss any.
“Thank you,” he said. “We appreciate your care of the clan in our regrettable absence. And now that I have returned, I would appreciate your guidance as I adjust to the situation that has eventuated.”
He thought he had sounded suitably respectful, but Karla was staring at him.
Her confusion apparently had nothing to do with his tone. “You’re all speaking English,” she said in surprise.
The elder who had spoken, Kyrian, looked at her as though seeing her for the first time. He inclined his head slightly, though to his dismay, Taurian sensed more annoyance than respect. “We have always spoken English in human form,” he said flatly. “Although this language you speak has changed so considerably since our days in England, it may well be considered a different language.”
Taurian remembered how difficult he had found it to understand Karla when she had first woken him. Surely it could not be the same language? He had been so weak though after such a long sleep. That must have affected his ability to detect the similarities in the language. It had been easier to use the contact to connect directly to her mind, and use that understanding of the meaning to learn the language. It did explain why it had been so easy though.
Karla tilted her head to one side, obviously going through similar thoughts. “How long is it since you were last in England?” she asked.
The man looked even more annoyed, but when he glanced sideways glance at Taurian, Taurian frowned. Kyrian’s reply was just barely polite. “We left England over five hundred years ago.”
Karla nodded, as though that cleared it up for her.
“Prince Taurian, if you would come this way, we will show you to the rooms that have been prepared for you. There is much we must tell you of things that have happened in your absence,” Kyrian said.
Taurian nodded. “Karla’s family will be arriving soon. Please see that rooms are prepared for them as well.”
Kyrian looked shocked. He stared at Karla, then back at Tauian, and Taurian only barely avoided grinding his teeth. This disrespect was getting old fast. Something of his anger must have shown on his face though, because Kyrian said quickly, “Of course, Prince Taurian. We did not know that others would be coming with you, but rooms shall be prepared immediately.”
“That’s okay, we won’t be staying long,” Karla assured him.
Taurian’s stomach dropped at her words. Was his clan making her feel unwelcome and hastening her departure? If so, he would never forgive them. He frowned.
Karla turned away, avoiding his eyes.
He needed to do something, quickly. “Until then, Karla will stay with me.” His words were short, and his voice clipped. It wasn’t technically a reprimand, but apparently the elder had the sense to realise it really was. He whispered something to a man behind him, who scurried off immediately.
Karla still looked uncertain, but when Kyrian waved a hand and said, “This way,” she followed them without objecting further.
The narrow passageway opened up into a spacious room. They were well below the surface now, and the air was cool and pleasant, and the sandy floor shifted beneath his feet.
Taurian tried not to stare. As he had said back in Karla’s father’s house, dragons didn’t need beds or other human comforts. Even given that, there wasn’t much here at all. The size of t
he room, at least, as big as Karla’s father’s whole house, was impressive. But the only furniture was a pile of skins and a cut off log standing on its end with several wooden bowls stacked on it.
Where were the woven grass mats? The gourds of water? The extra skins for visitors to sit or sleep on?
“I’m sorry it’s not much,” Kyrian apologised. “Ever since you entered the Mesmer, the Trima clan has been hounding us. Hunting or collecting anything more than the bare necessities has been virtually impossible.”
For the first time, the man looked embarrassed.
Taurian felt sorry for him. “I understand,” he said gently. “But now that I am back, all that will change.”
Karla raised an eyebrow, and he deliberately didn’t meet her eyes. He knew what she was thinking—that he had already been defeated by Ultrima once, what did he think was going to be different this time?
Taurian was grateful she didn’t voice her doubts. The shame of that fight, and the fact that he owed his life to Bruce and Lisa, twisted his belly. But his clan didn’t need to know about that. At least, not until Ultrima was defeated. They needed hope now, even if it wasn’t based in reality.
Kyrian looked surprised at his words, but he obviously decided on prudence as well. “We are preparing a feast in your honour,” was all he said. “If you wish to join us in the main room when you are ready, we can begin.”
“Of course,” Taurian agreed. He gave one glance around the room, then turned to Kyrian. “Lead the way.”
For some reason, Kyrian looked taken aback. He stared at Taurian for a moment, then said, “Don’t you wish to get changed, Prince Taurian?”
Taurian stared down at the clothes he wore. The garments he had bought with Karla were still clean and presentable. A glance at Karla and the way she was staring at him reassured him that they were fine. Anyway, since his last lot of clothes had been destroyed when he’d transformed back at his old lair, they were all he had.
Of human clothes anyway.
“What is wrong with these?” he asked, frowning.
“I just thought…” Kyrian stammered. He looked at Karla, then back at Taurian. “I thought you might prefer to wear dragon clothes, that’s all.”
Taurian couldn’t help pretending ignorance of what he meant. He shrugged casually. “These are quite comfortable. I see no problem with them. Or do they offend you?”
Kyrian looked flustered. “It’s just, well…” He trailed off, looking nervous and very uncomfortable.
“Well what?” Taurian demanded, dropping his pretence.
To his surprise, while a sweat broke out on Kyrian’s brow, he didn’t immediately withdraw his comments. “The other dragons, they are rather nervous about human clothing. With the human woman’s presence…”
This was worse than he thought. He needed to fix it. Now.
“Is there a problem with Karla’s presence? She saved my life,” he said flatly.
“Of course not,” Kyrian said hurriedly. “I understand completely. You must do what you believe is best. I just feel that the other dragons will be more comfortable if you are dressed as they expect their prince to be.”
The fact that the slightly nervous elder felt strongly enough to speak up in the presence of his prince’s disapproval gave Taurian pause. This was going to be more difficult than he had expected.
“It may take a little time for Rian clan to accept a human presence. I hear that you have continued to avoid them all this time.”
“That is what our orders were,” Kyrian said quietly. “We had not thought to question them until Jayrian brought the human woman here. Some dragons are still afraid you will be upset by their presence.”
“All the more reason for me to remain in human clothes then,” Taurian said. “That will send a clear message that I am not upset.”
“If you feel that is best,” Kyrian said. Taurian suspected that he still disagreed, but he kept it well hidden if he did. “Anything you choose to wear is completely appropriate.”
“Lead the way then,” Taurian repeated.
Kyrian turned back to the entrance to the room, and as his eyes passed over Karla, Taurian saw a flicker of disapproval. He would have to watch Kyrian closely. And probably all the others too, if they felt as strongly about humans as Kyrian did. That was going to be a problem.
Not the most urgent one though. If the problem was simply that the dragons feared his disapproval, he could fix it with a few choice remarks.
Or he should have been able to, had he not been absent for three hundred years.
Chapter 41
Karla stared around at the dragons crowding around Taurian. If it weren’t for the fact that they very carefully didn’t touch her, she would have said they were pushing her out of the way in their eagerness. The effect was the same. She felt crowded out.
Everyone wanted to be close to him, many even tried to touch him. A lot of them women. Karla felt like something was crawling over her skin. They didn’t even know him, but apparently because he was the prince, they wanted to be close to him.
He wasn’t even discouraging them, or looking upset. In fact, he was smiling, and returning their nods and touches.
She didn’t belong here. Not at all.
“You have Karla to thank,” Taurian’s voice rose above the dragon chatter. “Without her, I would not be here. She saved my life, on more than one occasion.”
All of the dragons’ attention shifted to Karla. She took a deep breath and tried to suppress the thought that she wished the sand would swallow her. “It was nothing, anyone would have done the same thing,” she insisted.
Any woman who was affected by the Mesmer bond, she had no doubt. And probably most that weren’t, if Lisa and these dragon women’s reactions were anything to go by.
“We formally thank you for your services to our prince,” an elderly woman with dark hair said. She crossed the sand to where Karla stood and held out her hand. “I am Mesrian, elder of Rian clan. Please accept my gratitude.”
Karla wasn’t quite sure what the expected response was, so she inclined her head. “Of course.”
That seemed to be enough. The attention turned back to Taurian and soon the dragons were offering him food and drink, and a stump for a seat. They sat at his feet, listening in awe as he told the story of how he had woken.
It was actually kind of interesting to hear his perspective on it, how strange the words and her technology had been to him. Karla couldn’t help being drawn in. The dragons all listened intently, though they seemed less awed by the technology than he had been. Not surprising given they’d been awake to see the changes.
After the story was complete, there was silence for a while, then a young dragon child asked, “How are you planning on defeating Ultrima?” Her shrill voice was loud in the silence, and for some reason, it set Karla’s teeth on edge.
“Our first task is to wake my brothers and sisters,” Taurian insisted. “It will take all of us working together to defeat Ultrima.”
Silence greeted him. “We have not been able to even get near their Mesmer chambers,” another dragon said. He looked kind of slimy as though he’d come out of a deep pond. “I don’t think that will have changed now you are awake.”
“We will find a way,” Taurian said firmly, and his eyes met Karla’s across the room. He gave her a smile, a smile for her alone.
Karla automatically smiled back before she could stop herself.
None of the elders missed the glance. Mesrian frowned. The slimy dragon though, was the one who spoke up. “Even if you manage to wake all your brothers and sisters, and given how tightly they are guarded, I doubt you stand much chance, that will still not be enough to defeat Ultrima. We lost last time, remember? Nothing has changed since then.”
“Yes,” Taurian said firmly. “We did lose the last time we fought them.”
“You lost when all of you fought them?” Why had he never mentioned that before? She’d thought that the battle would be easy once h
is brothers and sisters were awake.
Taurian nodded. He didn’t seem overly concerned. “That wasn’t a direct battle as the one I fought against Ultrima was. It was clan against clan, so many, many dragons involved. My brothers and sisters and I were wounded in the first skirmish. We never had a chance to plan or fight the next battle. I’m sure that given enough time, we would have prevailed.”
He turned to his clan and added. “Either way, something has changed. We are not alone any longer. Karla has helped me to escape from Ultrima several times. With her help, I’m sure we can come up with a plan to defeat Ultrima once and for all.”
Karla blinked, and as all the other dragons turned to stare at her, she wished she had somewhere to hide. Why did Taurian think she could help him defeat Ultrima when he and his brothers and sisters had apparently failed? She was just an ordinary person. She’d done what she did in desperation, not because she had some ability to defeat dragons.
Unless he was hoping to have access to human weapons. But she’d already told him she didn’t.
The other dragons must have thought the same thing. They didn’t appear impressed.
“Help from the humans?” the slimy elder demanded. “Do you really think your brothers and sisters will be impressed by that plan? You cannot protect dragon honour by accepting help from others. Especially not from humans. Dragons take care of their own business. They always have, and they always will.”
At least they weren’t relying on her to have abilities beyond what she had. But she couldn’t help being reminded of Taurian’s words back on the cliff. She glanced up at him, at the thoughtful expression on his face. He was already drifting away from her. The only reason he had clung to her until now was because he was alone. Now he had his clan back. The dragons could do this without her help. It was time for her to get out of here.
Somehow, she couldn’t convince herself to get up and walk out of the lair. The curiosity over what they would do, how this ended, was too great. Even without considering her complicated feelings for Taurian.
