When he glanced up at Emilia, her expression said the same. This was not a social visit. They were here for information, but if they had to take part in the celebrations, then they would fulfill their roles.
Even when a man offered his hand to Emilia and got her up to dance. She moved formally and stiffly to the music, reminding everyone that she did not belong to this time of gyrating hips and scant clothing. She belonged to a time when women were expected to cover their ankles and act demurely. But she soon loosened up and swayed to the beat, surrounded by her adoring fans, who all wanted to touch her blonde hair and wish her well.
As Patrick sat with his mate surrounded by well-wishers and people who wanted to speak to Sage, and who were fascinated by Emilia, he began to let his guard down.
He sensed the Stone Claw Clan were as happy to put the past behind them as their visitors were.
As for Patrick, he would be happy to focus on the future. One where his mate woke every morning in his bed surrounded by their children. River Wolf or Stone Bear, he no longer cared.
Chapter Fifteen – Sage
Sage kept a clear head throughout the morning, despite the various alcoholic drinks she was offered. “We need to leave tonight,” she reminded the others as they followed Chin Lee back to his small hut.
The Stone Claw Clan member had drunk most of the pink liquor himself, and he swayed from side to side as he wandered down the trail, humming a tune.
“I’m not sure if we might have to wait for Chin Lee to sober up before we get anything out of him,” Patrick said as Chin Lee lurched forward and then looked behind to see what he had tripped over. There was nothing there.
“Sometimes, you get the best answers when a person is a little more relaxed,” Thorn told them, his eyes widening as he tried to convey his meaning.
“The alcohol has loosened his tongue,” Emilia said with a nod.
“Exactly.” Thorn took hold of her hand, his words filled with concern when he asked, “Are you strong enough for a return flight after what happened?”
“Yes, if we leave early. I can fly slower.” Emilia pressed her lips together, and concern spread across Thorn’s face.
“We can stay another day. You should rest.”
“I am all right.” She looked around and shuddered. “I long for our own mountain. There are bugs here that are the size of my fist.” Emilia wrinkled her nose in disgust and Thorn burst out laughing. “What?” she demanded.
“A mighty dragon scared of a bug or two?” He arched his eyebrows and grinned as she grimaced at him.
“Thank you for your chivalrous concern.” She bowed her head and he lifted her hand to his lips and kissed it.
“I would squash any bug for you, my love.” Thorn looked more his normal self. The hospitality shown to them by the Stone Claw Clan was incredible and unless they were all crazy good actors, it was also genuine.
Ahead of them, Chin Lee stumbled into his hut, leaving the door opened for them to follow. “It’s going to be awfully snug in there,” Sage warned them as Patrick ducked down to enter.
“You are not joking,” Patrick said as he surveyed the one-room building.
“Come in, sit down.” Chin Lee beckoned them in and indicated a wooden bench to one side of the room, and the straw bed to the other. “Make yourselves at home. And I will make the tea.”
Emilia headed for the straw mattress with Thorn, looking grateful for the chance to rest. While Patrick and Sage seated themselves on the wooden bench, Emilia kicked off her shoes and laid her head in Thorn’s lap. She fell asleep instantly.
“The dragon child has had quite a day,” Chin Lee said, gazing with reverence at the blonde head of Emilia. “I still cannot believe she is here.”
He walked over to the straw bed and hunkered down to look at her. Thorn tensed, right fist balled, while his left hand lay protectively over Emilia’s back. “She’s been through a lot.”
Chin Lee looked up at the bear shifter. “For that I am sorry. My people would never have accepted the money from Chin Shan if they knew the cost.”
“Emilia’s father fought for you, didn’t he?” Thorn asked quietly.
Chin Lee nodded his head. “Fought and died for us so the stories go.”
“Do you know what happened to him?” Thorn glanced down at the sleeping Emilia, his expression guilty, as if they were talking about her behind her back.
“His dragon was mortally injured by Karim. His jaw was smashed.” Chin Lee held up his hand to his face. “Jared shifted into his human form and my people carried him to his home in the mountains where his mate and children waited for his return.”
“He died on the mountain?” Thorn asked as Chin Lee swayed slightly on his feet.
He jerked as if coming out of a trance when the kettle began to whistle. With some effort, he stood up and crossed the hut to make tea. “He died on the mountain and my people buried him there. They took his mate and his children with them. They owed him their lives.”
“And Karim?” Patrick asked. “What happened to him?”
Chin Lee shrugged. “He lived on. I believe he hunted the mate and children of Jared. Those children being Emilia and Magnus. My ancestors took them to safety and covered their tracks.”
“And the attacks on the Stone Claws continued for years?” Sage asked. “Which prompted Chin Shan to sacrifice the children of the dragon who tried to save you?”
Chin Lee made tea and handed around the small cups. “I did not know this truth until you arrived here. The stories say that the Clan worked and saved for their passage home. That Chin Shan was a wealthy merchant who chose to stay behind.”
“He did choose, but he was not a wealthy merchant. He sold out the dragons to a man called Peregrine Manning. My ancestor,” Thorn admitted.
Chin Lee shook his head and was silent for a long while. When he spoke he pointed to each of them in turn. “You are all linked by the past. Perhaps fate always meant for it to work out this way.”
“I can’t believe we can blame this all on fate.” Thorn didn’t hide his anger.
“It moves in mysterious ways.” Chin Lee sat down heavily on a wooden stool. “I never found my mate. I’m so old now, I doubt I ever will. But I still believe in fate. Perhaps I never found her so that I could be here when you all finally arrived.”
“You mean so you could try to put Emilia under the Ancient Slumber spell?” Sage asked.
“Or so that I could be here to meet you and tell you what you need to know to move past the…past.” He smiled sadly. “Whatever reason, I am pleased to be here and see you all together. All linked by the past and looking forward to a happy future. Be blessed by that future. And make every day count.” Chin Lee stood up. “Rest here. I need some air to clear my head.”
Chin Lee took his teacup and went outside. The door swung shut behind him and they heard the scrape of a chair as he sat down. None of them spoke as they all tried to digest what he’d said.
Or were they afraid he might be listening to their private conversations if they spoke?
Thorn looked down at Emilia, who lay sleeping, exhausted from her flight and attempted capture. Tenderly, he stroked her face, concern etched into his features.
Patrick’s hand on hers made Sage jump, she looked up and her eyes were met by a soft smile. “Are you okay?” he asked, his voice low.
She nodded and rubbed her temple with her free hand. “It’s a lot to take in.”
“You mean that Chin Shan acted alone?” Patrick asked gently. “I can see why he would lie. It must have been a difficult choice for him. To either watch his kin wither and die because of the dragon attacks or betray the family of a dragon who had helped them.”
“Perhaps he was worried the young dragons would grow up and be as foul as Karim.” Emilia spoke, even though her eyes were half closed.
“How much did you hear?” Thorn asked quietly.
“All of it.” She sat up wearily. “I wondered if our host might talk more openly with
out fear of upsetting me.”
“I swore you were asleep,” Thorn told her, his arm slipping around her shoulders as she sat up.
“If there is one thing I am well practiced in, it’s sleep. Under Ancient Slumber, I could both dream and be aware of my surroundings. It is a strange trait I seem to have kept.” Her eyes were dark hollows against her pale face. Even her sky-blue eyes were faded with fatigue.
Sage got up from the wooden bench and crossed the room, to kneel before her friend. “Do you believe them?”
Emilia shrugged. “I believe that they believe what they say. That is good enough for me. I’m ready to leave.”
“But it’s still light,” Thorn told her, worried her lack of sleep had made her reckless. A concern Sage also shared.
“I don’t think the sight of four humans walking in the forest would raise too much suspicion.” She gave him a half-hearted smile. “Let’s go and find somewhere private to rest. You are an adventurer, you must have a sixth sense for these things.”
“Why don’t we just wait here? The Stone Claw Clan seem welcoming enough,” Patrick said, moving across the hut to the others.
Emilia looked furtively at the door. “The man who danced with me…”
Thorn’s arm tightened around her. “What about him?”
“He said something about how the Stone Claw Clan always knew a dragon would return.” Emilia shrugged. “As if they expected me to stay. A symbol of prosperity and good luck.”
“But that’s your choice. No one can make you stay.” Sage frowned, she didn’t like the idea that the Stone Claws were bad people. “And if we leave, they know where we come from.” Her forehead creased as she thought of the information they had told the Stone Claws. Would they come for Emilia or her child? With their spells and their potions?
Thorn looked toward the door, which opened as Chin Lee reentered. He was alone, his expression tired. “Ah, you are awake. There is something I would like to show you. If you feel strong enough.”
Thorn stood up abruptly. “What do you want to show her?”
Chin Lee placed his teacup down on a wooden table and beckoned to them all. “You can all come. It’s not a secret to those who know of dragons.”
The four friends looked at each other. “Emilia, this is your decision.”
She stood up and stepped toward Chin Lee. “Show me.”
Patrick took hold of Sage’s hand. She nodded at him, happy to go if they kept on their guard. If the celebration had been to make them let their guard down, it hadn’t worked. They were ready to fight, prepared to do whatever it took to get out of there.
Chin Lee left the hut and led them away from the village, into the surrounding forest with was alive with wildlife. “This is a beautiful place,” Sage said conversationally.
“It is, my ancestors were fortunate to find it and make it their home. The stories told are that after living so long on the River Run Mountains they were acclimatized to the clear air and could not live at a lower level. And so they found their way here.” He raised his hands and looked around at the forest. The love for his home was evident.
“Where are we going?” Thorn asked as Chin Lee left the well-worn trail and headed deeper into the thick forest.
“To a cave my people have used as a shrine to the dragon who died for us. There is something I wish Emilia and her brother to have.” The trail climbed upward and Chin Lee’s pace slowed, an indication of his age. “I used to scamper along these trails when I was a boy.”
The trail had completely petered out, as if it was hardly used anymore. Sage figured they might be better to make a run for it, but Emilia was committed to seeing whatever it was Chin Lee planned to show them. He’d somehow lured her into following him, despite her fears this was a trap.
“Here.” Chin Lee stood in front of what appeared to be a wall of rock, covered in vines.
“What is this?” Thorn asked, stepping forward, putting himself between Emilia and whatever lurked here.
Chin Lee grabbed hold of the vines and yanked them down, revealing a cave mouth. “This is where those who returned from across the sea came to pay their respects to your family. No one comes here now. They haven’t for years. Dragons were a distant memory. Make-believe.”
“But you still knew the spell of Ancient Slumber.” Thorn squared up to Chin Lee, who seemed to shrink in his presence.
“It is a ceremonial role, nothing more. Born of superstition.” Chin Lee appeared embarrassed by the situation.
“But you are still capable of putting a dragon to sleep.” Thorn’s accusatory voice cut Chin Lee, who looked apologetic.
“I never expected it to happen. I acted out of fear. I am sorry.” He gave Emilia an apologetic smile as if to reinforce his words. Then he pulled more of the vines down from in front of the cave and ducked inside.
“Stay here.” Thorn followed Chin Lee and the others waited. If there was any danger of attack, it did not come as a light flared inside the cave, followed by another.
Emilia didn’t wait for Thorn’s permission, she ducked inside the cave, with Sage and Patrick right behind her.
“Wow.” Sage put her hands to her mouth as she looked at the huge stone carving which stood in the middle of the cave. Its body was covered in a green glittery dye of some kind that made him shimmer in the torchlight.
“This is your father, Jared Dumas. My people used to come here and lay flowers at his feet. I am ashamed to say that is a thing passed. But with your arrival, I will revive the tradition and we will give thanks for your father’s sacrifice.” Chin Lee stood back and admired the work of his ancestors. “We never saw what they saw. We have grown to believe the stories were just that. That dragons were metaphors for bad men.”
Emilia reached out and touched the stone dragon. “It doesn’t matter if we are forgotten. It does not change the sacrifice my father made.” She turned to Chin Lee. “Thank you for showing this to me.”
Chin Lee bowed. “You are welcome to visit whenever you want, as often as you want. Your secret is our secret. We swore to protect the children of Jared. That has not changed.”
“Even if you thought we never existed.” Emilia gave Chin Lee a wry smile. Then she did something very undragonlike and hugged the old man from the Stone Claw Clan. Her suspicions were gone, and finally, the people of the families of those affected by the past were united in the future.
Chapter Sixteen – Patrick
As the sun disappeared from the sky, a much-rested Emilia shifted into her dragon with a large crowd of people there to witness her flight home.
Patrick was relieved they hadn’t had to fight their way out of the village to get home. Emilia’s early reservations were set aside, and she smiled and waved like a movie star as the people watched.
“She’s never going to let me forget this,” Thorn said, albeit good-naturedly.
“You mean after all the artifacts and treasures you have spent your life discovering, your wife is more famous?” Sage asked.
“Richer and more famous.” Thorn’s eyes sparkled as he spoke.
“I’m sure Emilia sees your true worth,” Patrick cut in. The subject was a sensitive one for him. He had little to offer Sage other than his undying love, and they didn’t have the backup of a dragon’s treasure hoard to make life easier.
“I’m sure she does.” Thorn grinned and puffed out his chest as Emilia shifted and he immediately sprang up onto her back. Another cheer sounded, and Thorn milked the crowd for attention, which earned him an eye-roll from the dragon beneath him.
“Let’s go home.” Sage kissed Patrick’s cheek and then climbed onto the dragon, slipping into place behind Thorn, to a cheer of her own.
Patrick went next, a little self-conscious of the people watching. He sure hoped this scene did not end up on social media by the time they got home. Although Chin Lee had assured him the dragon’s secret was safe, and since the population of the village were all bear shifters it was in their own interest not to draw
attention to themselves. Plus, any attention on the village would destroy the quiet way of life the Stone Claw Clan craved.
After a brief tour of the village, while Emilia slept, it had been revealed they were almost cut off from the rest of society and were self-sufficient in most things, which explained the pink sake. A Chin Lee experiment, a villager had told Patrick with a laugh.
The village had given Patrick some more ideas of how River Wolf could encourage more people to stay in the village and not migrate to urban areas for jobs.
“Wave.” Sage’s words cut through his thoughts and he lifted his hand and waved to the people below as if he were a sports star about to leave on a tour bus.
“This is the weirdest thing I’ve ever done,” Patrick told his mate as he waved at the people below.
“Me, too. I can’t wait to get back to normal.” She dropped her hand and clung onto Thorn as Emilia crouched down low and then rocketed into the air with a burst of energy. If she was showing off, Patrick could not blame her. Her father died fighting for these people and now they knew it was real and not a made-up story.
The warm air soon gave way to cool as they climbed higher in the sky. Patrick was thankful they were not chasing the dawn this time and Emilia appeared more relaxed, even if the flight did take a couple of hours longer.
However, Patrick made use of those hours, planning the future he wanted to give Sage and dreaming of a family they had yet to make. Perhaps some of his thoughts also turned to actually making a family with the woman in front of him, who he held tightly in his arms.
When the River Run Mountains came into view, he allowed himself to be thankful, and he let out a sigh of relief. Beneath him, he could sense how tired Emilia was, how each beat of her wings was made by muscles that burned with fatigue. But she went on, perhaps wanting to be back on familiar ground, too. Or perhaps wanting to visit the place where her father died so she could tell him that his fight and subsequent death had not been in vain and that he was still remembered.
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