Prince Verrian: Dragon Echoes Compilation (Return of the Dragons Book 4)

by Rinelle Grey

  That suggestion was enough to startle Lisa out of her tiredness. “You’re inviting me to come with you?”

  She hadn’t seen that one coming. The tiny seed of doubt in her mind grew a little. Surely the life dragon wouldn’t have made the offer if she didn’t believe, completely and utterly, that what she was saying was the truth.

  But Verrian believed his story just as completely, she was sure of that.

  Going with the Trima dragons, or rather, this human, when he went to wake the princess would give her an answer. For a moment, she was torn.

  But the fact of the matter was, if Princess Sarian did have objections, Lisa’s presence wasn’t going to help. There would be nothing she could do to help the princess if Ultrima tried to force her to mate with him.

  She shook her head. “That doesn’t give Princess Sarian a true chance to choose. If you truly believe she will choose Ultrima, if he truly believes it, then why won’t he just let her brothers and sisters wake her? Why keep trying to stop them?”

  Latrima crossed her arms. “Do you really think they’re going to let her mate with him? They didn’t before, they’re even less likely to now after they’ve been fighting for so long.”

  Lisa opened her mouth for an immediate denial, then closed it.

  An immediate denial was what Latrima was expecting, and she was sure she’d have a comeback for it.

  What Lisa needed was a well thought out, convincing argument.

  If only she wasn’t so tired. If only she wasn’t struggling to remember why she even cared.

  Verrian. The dragons.

  Lisa could pull herself together for them.

  “It’s been three hundred years,” she said slowly. “The world has changed. Ultrima has to be able to see that. The dragons have changed too. They’re changing even now. Do you think they were happy when Taurian and Karla mated? There were those who objected, who still objected to Verrian and I mating, but they aren’t winning anymore. Taurian stands up to them, and Verrian will do the same. I have no doubt that if Sarian told them that she loved… wanted to mate…” It was hard to say it, hard to believe it was true.

  But it didn’t matter if it was true. All she had to do was convince Latrima that if Sarian declared her love for Ultrima, then her clan would honour that. “That she wanted to be with Ultrima, then they would support her, despite the war between the clans.”

  Latrima’s eyes were narrowed. “You really believe that?”

  “I do, without any doubt.”

  Latrima’s expression changed. “I believe you do.” She stared at Lisa for a moment. “If this is true…”

  “But they attacked him last time,” Altrima reminded her. “Drove him out of his clan for daring to think he was worthy of her. What excuse is there for that?”

  Lisa winced. If there was any shred of truth in Latrima’s story, then the way Ultrima had been treated had been grossly unfair.

  Even so, he hadn’t been blameless in the war since. “Dragons on both sides attacked each other,” Lisa pointed out. “Many of whom aren’t even alive anymore.”

  Latrima didn’t appear to be listening to either one of them. “Ultrima’s goal is to prove that Sarian does, in fact, love him. That is why he planned to wake her.”

  For a second, it crossed Lisa’s mind to wonder if Ultrima really did love Sarian. Actually, it made sense that he did. The question really was, did she love him back?

  If she did, that was going to cause a lot of angst among the Rian clan dragons. They weren’t going to believe it easily.

  “If he does that the Rian dragons are never going to believe him,” Lisa said quickly. “If it isn’t proved before the mating ritual then it won’t matter what she says, they will always believe it is because of the mate bond.”

  They’d thought that about her and Verrian, she was as sure of it as she was sure it wasn’t the truth.

  It didn’t matter for her. She and Verrian knew how they felt about each other. If the others didn’t believe it, they were just going to complain. They weren’t going to fight over it.

  Ultrima had a lot more to prove.

  Could he do it? Lisa had no idea. But she was interested in finding out.

  It looked like Latrima might be too. She looked at Lisa thoughtfully, her head to one side. “So how do we prove it then?”

  “Let Taurian and Verrian arrange to wake Sarian and ask her themselves,” Lisa said promptly, “Without anyone even telling Ultrima. If they hear it from her, when they’re certain no one is pressuring her, then maybe they’ll be willing to give Ultrima another chance.”

  Latrima folded her arms. “Of course you would say that. That gives them just as much time to pressure her as it would give Ultrima. How about we wake her without Ultrima?”

  “Not good enough,” Lisa shot back. “You’re just as likely to pressure her.”

  The two women glared at each other, at a standoff. Lisa had almost forgotten that this was a dragon standing in front of her. Not even just a dragon, but a life dragon, one of the most feared and revered dragons there were.

  Latrima could, with little effort, mess with Lisa’s mind, convince her Ultrima was right and she was wrong, but she hadn’t even tried.

  Had she? Lisa remembered how it had felt when the life dragon had manipulated them back at the big battle. She’d certainly been aware that wasn’t normal. She was sure she’d know if she was being manipulated now.

  A tiny bit of respect for the Trima dragon crept into her mind, and refused to be dislodged.

  “It appears we are at an impasse,” Latrima said slowly.

  Lisa really wanted to find a way out of this, and not just because it had the potential to get Ultrima off their back. It occurred to her that the best outcome for Rian clan, for both clans, was if this bridge could be mended.

  “Look, at this point, Ultrima has to be the one to give,” Lisa said softly. “No matter whether it was the truth or not, Rian clan believes they have been wronged. It’s not going to matter how much he pushes, he can’t get anywhere this way. Sarian is never going to mate with him while he’s at war with her clan, no matter how much she loves him.”

  “Love is more important than a clan who doesn’t care what you want, only what is good for them,” Latrima said flatly. “You all know that. Even Verrian does. It’s why he will come back to you, despite the fact that breaking this deal could go badly for his clan.”

  Lisa shook her head. “You don’t get it. He won’t. That’s not who he is. It’s not who any of the Rian princes and princesses are. They are honest to a fault, and they will do what’s right, even if it costs them personally. If Ultrima doesn’t realise that, he’s never going to be the right mate for Sarian.”

  Latrima stared at Lisa, her eyes wide. She blinked a few times.

  “You are… wise… for a human,” she said eventually. She looked at Altrima for a moment, her eyes narrowed, then back at Lisa. “Ultrima would never agree to this if he were here, but he’s not. And he left me in charge. We will allow you a chance to wake Princess Sarian on the grounds Ultrima gets to talk with her once she is awake, and that whoever wakes her completes the Mesmer ritual without sleeping with her.”

  “Ultrima will still be furious,” Altrima said quickly. “This is a bad idea, Latrima.”

  She held up a hand. “Are you disagreeing with me, Altrima?”

  He stared at her for a moment. “No, Latrima. Of course not,” he murmured.

  “Good.” She turned back to Lisa.

  The deal seemed reasonable to Lisa, but that didn’t mean she could convince the other dragons. “I can’t speak for Rian clan,” she said, “but I would be more than happy to present your deal to them.”

  Maybe that would get her out of the lair and on her way home.

  It hit Lisa with a jolt as soon as the word registered in her mind. She didn’t mean it to refer to her apartment in the city, she meant the Rian lair.

  She thought of it as home.

  Latrima fro
wned, then shook her head. “I will come with you, and present the deal myself,” she said firmly. She glanced at Altrima. “And you can come with me.”

  “M…Me?” he stammered, taking a step back.

  Latrima grinned. “Yes, that way you cannot inform the others of my plan. I think it’s best we keep this just between us, for now.”

  Lisa wasn’t going to argue with that. “How do we get out of here?”.

  “Through the secret passageway you were looking for, of course,” Latrima said with a smile.

  The life dragon’s ability to read her mind was uncanny. Lisa hid a shiver, hoping the woman didn’t see everything she was thinking.

  Although right now, her biggest concern was the long way they were going to have to walk.

  Chapter 67

  Verrian tossed and turned on the furs. Taurian had told him to have a nap, that even twenty minutes, while the clan prepared, would make him more alert and more able to help in the upcoming battle.

  But though he was physically and mentally exhausted, he couldn’t sleep.

  It felt wrong, that Lisa wasn’t here beside him.

  He couldn’t help wondering if she was sleeping, somewhere in Ultrima’s lair. And that thought just made him anxious.

  Inevitably, it led him to wonder if he would ever get a chance to sleep beside her again. And the thought that he might not was devastating.

  He tried again to push all that from his mind. To get some rest, so that he could at least help her escape from Ultrima’s clutches. He’d almost done it, was just slipping into sleep, when a commotion in the main cave disturbed him.

  He could hear shouting, some excited, some hostile.

  Verrian jumped up and raced to where the tunnel joined the main cave.

  All he could see, in the sea of dragons, was Lisa.

  His heart beat rapidly in his chest, and his breath caught in his throat.

  Her red curls bounced as she held up one hand, pointing to dragons with the other. Her face was determined, maybe even a little angry.

  That’s when what she was saying broke through the confusion.

  “You all need to stay back. She helped me. She’s going to help us mend this feud with Ultrima. Don’t you think we should at least give it a try?”

  “Ultrima has done nothing but attack us,” Ostrian said loudly. “Why should we give anyone from his clan a chance?”

  “He’s never going to change, not unless we let him have our princess, and we’re not going to do that,” someone else called out.

  “You brought her here, it will be your fault if she kills us all.”

  Verrian made himself tear his eyes away from Lisa, to see the woman standing beside her.

  Tall and haughty, her white hair flowing down her back, there was no mistaking her.

  Ultrima’s life dragon.

  Indecision warred in Verrian’s heart. He’d made a deal not to see Lisa again. Already, just by standing here watching her, he’d broken that.

  But this was about his clan. It was his responsibility to see that the best decision was made in this situation.

  And he couldn’t do that without seeing Lisa.

  His responsibility to his clan won out. Seeing Lisa as part of that role was inescapable. It couldn’t possibly count under the deal he’d made.

  As a clan leader, Ultrima would understand that.

  Verrian took a step closer.

  “She isn’t here to kill us,” Lisa said firmly. “She has the same goal we have, to find out the truth. Did Sarian love Ultrima?”

  That comment stopped Verrian in his tracks.

  Did Sarian love Ultrima? What kind of a question was that? And why was Lisa even asking it?

  Was the life dragon controlling her somehow? Putting words in her mouth?

  But when he looked at Lisa, he recognised the familiar fire burning in her eyes. No one was controlling her. This was coming from her.

  A spark of doubt flared in his mind. Was there any possibility his sister actually cared for Ultrima?

  A hush fell over the whole room. Were they all thinking the same thing?

  Everyone was staring at Lisa. Faces started to look angry.

  For the first time, Verrian was a little worried about Lisa’s safety.

  Even if she believed it, to say such a thing in the middle of the clan…

  “Are you saying my brother was lying?” Taurian’s voice was dangerously low.

  Karla’s hand touched his arm, and some of the anger drained away. “Hear her out,” she said gently. “Remember, Lisa has fought Ultrima too, and saved your life on one occasion.

  Taurian’s expression was still tight, but he nodded. “Go on.”

  Lisa looked at him, her expression sympathetic. “I didn’t want to believe it at first either. But what if it is true? I’ve seen you, Taurian, how you were willing to walk away from the love of your life because you thought it wasn’t the right decision for your clan.” Her eyes found Verrian, near the back of the crowd, and rested on him. “I’ve seen Verrian hold to a deal with his enemy, even though it could cost him love.” She turned back to Taurian. “Is it really so hard to believe that your sister could have rejected him out of responsibility to her clan, not because she didn’t love him?”

  There was a silence in the room. Even Taurian looked shaken.

  Then he straightened his shoulders. “No matter what my sister may have felt for him, and I’m not saying she did, mind you, it did not excuse what he tried to do.”

  “What was that?” the life dragon asked softly. Despite the low tone, her words were unmistakable. Everyone stared at her.

  “When my sister rejected him, Ultrima tried to force himself on her,” Taurian said flatly. “Or do you have an excuse for that too?”

  “There are two sides to every story,” the life dragon said, her voice calm. “It is even possible for each side to firmly believe their own side, without it being the truth.”

  “My brother knew what he saw,” Taurian said firmly.

  The woman looked at him for a measured moment, then turned to Lisa. “It is pointless. They will never agree, which leaves us, as always, with no other choice.”

  “No, wait…” Lisa said desperately. “I know we can make this work.”

  She turned back to the crowd. To Taurian. “We all want this war to end, don’t we? This is our chance. All she wants to do is be present when we wake Sarian, and to ask her, once and for all, how she feels about Ultrima. What is the harm in that?”

  “Don’t you see?” Taurian demanded. “She’s a life dragon. She can manipulate people. What’s to say she won’t just use her powers to make Sarian say whatever she wants? I’m sorry, Lisa, but I just can’t believe it. Nothing Ultrima has done since Sarian rejected him has made me feel sorry for him. He’s attacked us repeatedly, killed many of our clan. I cannot believe he is a suitable lifemate for my sister, no matter how he might feel about her.”

  Lisa’s shoulders sagged.

  Verrian felt her pain. For a moment there, he’d thought that maybe there was a chance. Maybe there was a way to end this feud.

  Maybe there was a way to get rid of this deal with Ultrima, so he could be with his mate without feeling this overwhelming guilt he felt every time he was close to her.

  Perhaps Ultrima felt the same.

  Attacking his brother must have happened in anger. In that raw, desperate fear of losing the person you loved. When everything else felt numb.

  Verrian knew what that felt like.

  Then after that, every step the Trima leader had taken must have seemed small and insignificant.

  For the first time, Verrian felt a flicker of sympathy for his enemy.

  Was is possible that they were telling the truth?

  Was it possible that this war had all been for nothing?

  Verrian took another step closer. “I think we should listen to the woman,” he said, raising his voice.

  Everyone turned to stare at him.

  Tau
rian frowned. “What is your reasoning for that, brother?” His voice was tight, implying Verrian better have a very good reason.

  Verrian was pretty sure he did.

  “Love will do strange things to a person,” Verrian said, his eyes focusing on Lisa. “It can make you feel like giving up, or fighting everyone, both at the same time. It can make you want to throw away things you’ve always believed in, like keeping your word, and not breaking a deal.”

  His eyes were on Lisa, and hers were locked to him. He took a few steps forwards, aching to be closer to her, even if they never touched.

  “The humans have a saying,” he said. “All’s fair in love and war. I think Ultrima might live by it.” He gave Lisa a small smile, his heart aching for the fact that her eyes were filling with tears. His felt a little misty too.

  He made himself turn to stare at his clan. “The trouble is, we feel love not just for our lifemates, but for our clan.” He looked at Taurian. “The love for our brothers and sisters is at war with the love for our lifemates. And it shouldn’t be.”

  Even Taurian looked a little shaken. He’d experienced it too. Ultrima had given him an out, and he’d taken it with both hands. Verrian didn’t blame him. If anyone offered him one, he’d be doing the same.

  But maybe he had to make his own.

  “What do you propose we do?” Karla asked calmly, her hand on Taurian’s arm.

  Taurian didn’t protest. In fact, he sighed heavily, and put his hand over Karla’s

  Verrian looked at Lisa, then at the life dragon, then suddenly it all became clear.

  The life dragon could see it in his eyes. “Ultrima wanted you to feel this pull,” she said, to him and him alone. “He wanted you to realise how difficult a decision it is, and how there is a mere hairs width between one choice and another.”

  Verrian nodded. “I understand, and this is why I'm giving you a chance. But rest assured, this is the only chance you, or he, will ever get. If you double cross us, if you try to manipulate Princess Sarian, then I will personally see to it that your entire clan is wiped out.”