“No kidding.” Clay ruffled his hair and looked ahead of them, tenting his brows at the tall, rounded doorway.
He could sense the boy.
And it seemed that the boy could sense him. The door burst open and the tiny hatchling, all pearly scales and black eyes and ineptly fluttering wings, practically tumbled toward Clay. He lifted into the air and dropped, stumbled a few steps, and lifted up again.
Clay met him halfway and wrapped his arms around the little hatchling.
I know you! the hatchling’s thoughts trilled in their minds.
“Yeah, I know you, too. It’s good to meet face to face,” Clay said, his lips curving into a lopsided grin.
One large purple-streaked dragon emerged from the house, followed by a green and white dragon. Saff did not know them, but their presence was soft and calming.
He has spoken of nothing but you, the green dragon said.
The other nodded her head gracefully. We are so glad to meet you. I am Skelenae, and this is my partner, Benalura. And this…
She lowered her head and nudged the hatchling with her nose. Is our little Tamsyn.
Are you staying with us? Tamsyn cocked his head to the side and looked up hopefully.
I definitely will.
Saff blinked as Clay sent the message to them easily.
This would be the perfect place for him in this difficult time. With dragon magic to hold back the wild magic buried in his soul and to scare away the dark things that stalked him. And, not least of all, a family more than glad to have him with them.
Minerva came to her side and nudged Saff with her shoulder. Clay laughed as Tamsyn bounded around excitedly. His washed out face glowed with joy as he looked on at his new little brother, and then, bidden to join the game, rose with an energy that would have seemed impossible only days ago, and chased Tamsyn around the garden.
50
Minerva
Once more into the big freakin’ cave.
Minerva couldn’t say she was delighted be walking back into this space. Nor was she overjoyed with the notion that she was “allowed” come here. They were tolerating her presence, but only just, and only because she had proven herself to be an “exceptional” human. Not one of the boring, dirty ones that dragons kept themselves separate from.
Ugh.
Minerva stuck her hands in her pockets and scanned over the cathedral once more. She had to admit that her first time here, she’d been too frightened and agitated to fully appreciate its beauty.
Now, though, something bothered her. She couldn’t put her finger on it.
“I’m going to change back in a moment,” Saff warned.
“Is this going to be another rousing game of Kick the Human? Or are we gonna shake it up a little and play Dissect the Human?”
“No one wants to dissect you.” Saff rolled her eyes. “Study you, maybe.”
“I don’t know that I’m entirely comfortable with you learning how to use sarcasm.”
“You shouldn’t have been such an efficient teacher, then.” Saff smiled warmly. She stopped and took Minerva’s hand. “We are together on this. They simply wish to discuss what comes next.”
“You mean order.”
“I do not mean that. Dragons are not a hierarchical species. You’ve seen but a small sliver of our society, and it was during a time of extreme crisis. Please, just as we ask them to give you and your people a chance, offer them the same.” Saff tilted her head to the side, and her hair fell over her shoulder. “There is much more to a person than the shine on her scales.”
Minerva laughed in surprise. “Another wise dragon saying?”
“Yes.” Saff smiled. “We are so very wise.”
Minerva swallowed and looked to the hall that would lead to the Council. “Together, then?”
“Together.”
Minerva knew that she should let go of Saff’s hand so she could shift. But she didn’t. They walked hand in hand into the immense cavern where most of the Council already waited in near silence as they clearly shot messages back and forth to one another.
Nehemaiah’s eye slide eerily to the side before he even turned his head. Simultaneously, their hands parted.
Oh, so Minerva is quiet now? How one battle changes things, he said, positioning his bulk on the chair.
“Just trying to be a credit to my species,” Minerva joked.
She caught Saff’s eye just before the woman shifted and watched with admiration, rather than fear and alienation, as Saff’s scales came forth in a shower of sparkling light. God, she was beautiful. Minerva stepped into the dragon’s massive hand and allowed Saffyranae to place her not in the chair beside her, but on the table where everyone could see her.
Kiayana has not yet returned, but she and I have spoken of her wishes, Oyshin folded his arms on the table, the length of him twitching idly in the chair behind him.
Saffyranae must return to her training. That much is certain, Roryneela said. However, we have been discussing what to do with you.
Oyshin’s lips twitched in a smile as Minerva scowled in annoyance. However, a human’s will is not something we can control. Even if that human may find her spirit mixed with something else beyond our ken. It comes to your decision, Minerva.
“My decision to what?” Minerva asked warily.
There has been a hole in our defenses, Nehemaiah admitted gruffly. Saffyranae fought poorly, which is no surprise for a young shaman—
“I thought she did pretty well against that guy,” Minerva objected. “You didn’t do that well your first time fighting Jorgenson’s experiments, with the air freezing around you.”
Before Nehemaiah could respond, Minerva could feel a gentle claw resting on her shoulder.
It is alright, Nerv. I have been trained as a shaman, not a warrior.
This returns to my point, Nehemaiah continued. Saffyranae should first continue her training with Oyshin but also with me.
Minerva would have laughed at Saff’s expression, if everyone at the table didn’t look so damned serious.
In addition to this decision to diversify your training, Oyshin added, which I have agreed to… We have decided that you should begin your station very soon.
“What does that mean?” Minerva looked to Saff, whose eyes were sad.
I am to take a position to begin my shaman duties.
“How can she possibly do that and train at the same time? Dragon shaman correspondence school?”
Roryneela seemed to laugh. Nehemaiah’s spikes rustled. Was that his way of expressing amusement?
We will not be sending her anywhere. Oyshin’s eyes shifted between Minerva and Saff. Her position, if you agree to it, will be at your side.
Minerva straightened, her heart beating fast and hard. “Wait, what?”
We have no defined positions for those who are skilled in investigations. We have no means of heading off disasters such as the one we have just endured, Nehemaiah explained. It is necessary to begin building a force of those who can take care of paranormal threats in the human realm, which we can no longer afford to ignore.
And you wish for those to be us? Nehemaiah, I am only half-trained, Saff objected.
You both will need much rigorous training before we allow you to continue independent investigations, Nehemaiah confirmed, starting to sound his grumpy old self. I will not go easy on you.
That sounded dangerously like Old Man Maiah thought he was going to be training Minerva, too.
Lucky, isn’t it, that there is no crisis to investigate just now, Oyshin said, narrowing his eyes pleasantly at the two of them.
Not all of the dragons seemed pleased that they were going to be pairing up. Roryneela in particular had watched them both closely, her eyes going back to Saff so many times during the conversation that followed that Minerva had started to get jealous.
Eventually, though, the conversation shifted away from them and to other matters of cleaning up this mess.
By the end of it, Minerva wa
s exhausted. This weariness than the one she had felt after the last Council meeting. She didn’t know if their behavior now really equaled acceptance, but she could roll with whatever it was for the time being.
She wasn’t naïve enough not to think each of the dragons at that table didn’t have their own motives behind whatever they’d chosen to do.
Or rather, allowed to happen.
After the Council let out, Minerva followed Oyshin’s swishing body as it floated to the air. All at once, he shrank down into the form he’d held as he healed her, that of an aging Asian man. Korean, maybe Vietnamese? She wondered if his species hailed from the East, and that determined his choice in human shape. She wondered if that was how other old dragons, like Nehemaiah chose, and if she’d ever have the balls to ask a question like that.
Oyshin still chose to be taller than her.
“I wanted to ask you…” Minerva looked down at her hands. She didn’t know whether she should say something or not.
“You can always ask, child. I may not answer.” He arched a gray brow. “Then again, I might.”
“When you healed me…” The words came out of her mouth in a tumble. “Did you sense that I had some kind of magic other than the dragon magic inside me? Is this… Whatever I am… Is it why I was able to touch the dragon egg and not get sick?”
“Yes, of course.”
Minerva felt her face heating up. He knew! He’d always known. “Then why the hell didn’t you say anything?”
“You had to come to this on your own. One must believe in her own magic before she can have any use of it.” Oyshin put his hand on her shoulder. “You’ll understand more in time, but there is only so much your teachers can give you. At most, they should lead you in the right direction, and then they must allow you to make your best choices.”
Minerva sighed heavily. She looked over her shoulder. Saff was still not back from talking to Rory, but she could feel a bit of irritation from her direction.
“Our magic could not corrupt inside you, Minerva. You are not of that kind. I have never in my life seen magic such as yours, but it will be a delight—” He smirked. “Indeed, it will be an honor, to help you learn yourself.”
“I didn’t know when I came up here that I was signing up for Dragon University.”
“You didn’t know when you robbed that man’s house you would become a hero.” Oyshin tilted his head back and shook his head. “The world is a funny place.”
“Seriously.”
“Your partner is coming.”
Minerva looked back to see Saffyranae emerging from the hallway. Her cheeks were flushed. It seemed that she may have gone to bat with some of the other dragons for another round after all. She hoped that Saff would tell her everything that had happened.
They had a lot to discuss.
Her heart skipped a beat as Saff came to her side. They were going to be partners. She was not only going to get to keep her friend, but they would be training together and working together.
“‘Sup, Rizzoli? Or am I Rizzoli and you Isles? I don’t want to be Cagney to your Lacey cause that’s way old,” Minerva said.
Oyshin chuckled. “I have business to which I must attend. I look forward to seeing you both tomorrow.”
After he had left, Minerva looked up at Saff. “Did that sound like a threat to you?”
“Do not be afraid. He has been my dearest teacher,” Saff promised. She hesitated, looking at Minerva’s hand, then led the way back down the hall. “We should go get some rest, though.”
“I knew it.”
Saff’s lips curved. Her eyes sparkled. She was a vision of happiness. But it was not one that was free of pain. Her people had lost much in the past few weeks. So much that as the question formed in Minerva’s mind, she hesitated to give it words and let it out into the air.
Still.
“Saff, how do you think Topher got his hands on that many dragon eggs to begin with?”
Saff stilled. They were at the very mouth of the cathedral, half in shadow, and half in the sun.
Minerva looked up at the sky. It was so much clearer than in L.A., or Houston, or any human city.
“I just had to wonder. That’s a hell of a heist. This place doesn’t look like it’s without its defenses. How did they get them all?” Minerva said in a near whisper.
Saff followed Minerva’s gaze to stare at the clouds. She slipped her arm through Minerva’s and began walking again. She said nothing for a long time, taking them past house after house, past gorgeous trees that seemed to touch the sky, and up a winding staircase in a lighthouse on the far side of the island that looked like it was carved from a single, towering block of blue-veined marble.
Once they’d reached the top, Saff took them into a large, circular room that appeared to be an apartment of sorts, with books of various sizes cluttered everywhere, along with piles of fat pillows, and a large arching window that looked out over almost all of the island.
“Wow. Nice digs,” Minerva said, looking around at the room’s disarray.
“Enough jokes.” Saff touched her hair and looked into her eyes. “I just wanted a quiet place, somewhere away from prying eyes.”
Minerva slipped away and dropped onto a pillow that was bigger than her entire body. Saff sat cross-legged next to her. Almost like magnets, their hands were drawn to one another’s.
As the salty sea air lifted through Saff’s windows, the two of them began, first in whispers and then in energetic back and forth chatter. In the next few weeks, they would be given a free reign of the cathedral and training grounds. Whether the Council had planned it or not, they had willingly brought in a woman who could get in anywhere, who could go almost wherever she liked unnoticed. A woman who had magic that was utterly unknown to them.
Minerva felt a surge of confidence as she looked into Saff’s eyes. They had uncovered one corrupt politician’s secrets. They could uncover anything. Weather anything.
“Can I bring my butterflies in here?” Minerva asked when Saff rose to brew some tea.
“Make this place your home,” Saff replied with a smile. “It seems you and I will be working together here for some time.”
Minerva leaned back against the pillows and felt tension releasing from her shoulders. With a new case in their laps and a full “course load” from various shamans, she should be more than overwhelmed, but instead she only felt peace. And, for the first time in a long time, as Saff had said, home.
And it really felt like she was.
* * *
The End
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Midnight Voss – Lesbian, cat-lover, possible zombie: Midnight Voss enjoys long naps in her living room and writing epically weird stories. After many, many, many years suffering in academia, she is dedicated to holding pop culture accountable to its great potential, as well as contributing the stories that all sapphics and friends thereof deserve. Among her favorite authors are Octavia Butler, Tanya Huff, Neil Gaiman, and V.E. Schwab. She currently writes the Lavender Dusk series for Sapphic Fiction Alliance.
Ivy Quinn - By day, she’s is a psychology graduate student, but, by night, she writes an assortment of paranormal tales and urban fantasy stories featuring women who kick a lot of ass. As a bisexual woman, she's dedicated to healthy representation of women in loving relationships in genre fiction. Her favorite books include The Dresden Files by Jim Butcher, Women of the Otherworld by Kelley Armstrong, and L.L. Raand’s Midnight Hunter series. She currently writes the Vegas Shifters and Fanged Fairy Tales series for Sapphic Fiction Alliance.
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Spark
Time of Myths: Shapeshifter Sagas, Book 5
Natasha S. Brown
Spark © 2018 Natasha Brown
Edited by Scott Andrews & Amanda Sumner
* * *
All rights reserved under the International and Pan-American Copyright Conventions. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the publisher.
This is a work of fiction. Names, places, characters and incidents are either the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously, and any resemblance to any actual persons, living or dead, organizations, events or locales is entirely coincidental.
Warning: the unauthorized reproduction or distribution of this copyrighted work is illegal. Criminal copyright infringement, including infringement without monetary gain, is investigated by the FBI and is punishable by up to 5 years in prison and a fine of $250,000.
Spark
Myths come alive in the Shapeshifter Sagas.
Since childhood, headstrong Morgen Hausle has dreamed of becoming a blacksmith but has accepted that was all it could be—a dream—for who would ever teach a woman? Her ever-optimistic father, Tybalt, takes her on his travels, mining the scenic heights of the Austrian Alps in search of valuable gems and ore. But when thieves steal their horse and valuables, Tybalt is injured, and they are left stranded and hungry.
Emich Schmidt, a lonely blacksmith with unparalleled skills, lives a solitary life—and for good reason. If his family secrets were revealed, it would be his downfall. Tales of dragons inhabiting Drachenberg, the picturesque mountainside where his ancestral home was built, keep people away. And that is how he likes it. However, during his monthly visit to the village for provisions, a talkative miner and his fair-haired daughter threaten Emich’s quiet lifestyle when he begrudgingly offers them assistance.
Sirens and Scales Page 139
