"Hell, no. But I think I can trust their fear of our friends here." Falcyn looked down at her and frowned. "However, that's not what really concerns me."
"No?"
"Nope. What rates highest on my shitometer at the moment is just how the hell they got into Kalosis to begin with. I mean, think about it. Breaching the portal ... not an easy feat. We know Mama Polly didn't open it. We didn't let them in." He glanced to her parents. "Lucy, want to take this?"
Her father turned pale. "He's right. The number of people who can open a bolt-hole is finite and small."
Medea went cold. "There's a traitor among us."
Davyn's eyes widened. "Who would dare?"
Only one name came to mind.
She arched a brow at him as they both knew that Davyn had dared in the past, but that had been for Urian's benefit alone. And while she knew he'd carried information to her brother, she didn't suspect him in this. It was one thing to help out his friend. Quite another to help out an enemy who'd betrayed them all.
An enemy and god no one could stand.
No. Davyn would never have helped Apollo against his own race. A race Apollo had cursed to die.
Only a rank idiot would be so stupid. So who among them was that said idiot?
Her mother crossed her arms over her chest. "We will find them and eat their entrails."
The Charonte perked up at her words.
"Yes," her mother said, louder. "I will personally hand-feed them to you, my demons. With barbecue sauce."
"Find the traitor!" they chanted as they rushed from the room to begin a search.
"Wow." Falcyn let out a nervous laugh. "Charonte are some scary beasts. Basically flying piranha, except piranha aren't nearly as ... hungry."
"No kidding. Makes you wonder what the Lemurians were thinking when they created them."
"That they hated the Atlanteans."
The four of them stared at Falcyn for his flat-toned response.
"What? I was there ... ish. It was what they were created to attack."
"Then how did they end up enslaved to the Atlanteans?" Medea was dying to know.
"Same way you ended up with a dragonstone."
She scowled at his answer. "Huh?"
"The queen found the only set of chains that could hold a truly feral beast. She captured the heart of their leader. Took him deep into her lair, warmed him with her fire, and made it so that he never wanted to leave her side ever again."
Those words melted her as she understood the underlying meaning and what he was saying not just about the Charonte, but about himself. "And is the dragon tamed?"
"Never, my lady Daimon. Like a Charonte, you can never tame so savage a beast. Only make him crave the fire where you are more than the cold where he used to live."
Her father laughed. "I would be angry over this, but I can't help thinking that having our own dragon can't possibly be a bad thing."
Falcyn scoffed at her father's words. "Unless you piss me off, Stryker, I wouldn't advise doing that."
"Ditto."
"Then do we have an accord?"
Stryker dropped his gaze to Medea. "So long as you treat my daughter with all due regard and like the queen she is, we will have no problems, you and I."
"Then we will never have a problem."
"Except for the god who is still out to end us." Medea scowled as she met Falcyn's gaze. "This isn't over. Apollo's not finished with us, as the strykyn proved. You've saved my parents. But we still have a traitor to find."
Falcyn shook his head at her, then glanced over to Davyn. "Chicken Little?"
"Always. She can't help herself."
And he still had his son to free. Somehow.
Overwhelmed and losing hope by the second, Falcyn sighed. "I need to see to my sister. Make sure she's all right with the others."
Medea stepped forward. "I'll come with you."
"You sure?"
She nodded. "Just don't let me burst into flames."
"I'll do my best on that, as it would ruin my best day, and I'm sure it wouldn't make yours, either." He held his hand out for her. The moment he felt her touch, a strange flutter went through his chest. He wasn't sure if he'd ever get used to having such tender feelings for someone else. To having a living weakness.
Honestly? He didn't like it. It was hard to know that she was an easy means to his destruction. That alone made him want to push her away and deny her. He hated the feeling of vulnerability she wrought.
She narrowed her gaze at him. "You okay?"
No. He had a new, profound respect for her as he realized just how much strength she possessed. The fact that she'd been able to survive without her child and husband ...
His only solace over the centuries had come from the fact that he hadn't known Maddor. His son had been a concept for him. Not a reality. He hadn't held him or known Maddor at all.
Not the way he knew Medea.
Now ...
She was a part of him.
The best part.
And the thought of something happening to her was crippling.
"How did you survive after Evander?"
Her eyes turned dark and haunted. "One breath at a time. Some days, that was all I could manage to get through."
That was a sobering thought he didn't want to even contemplate. Terrified beyond rational thought, he pulled her into his arms, and teleported her to his home. "I will never let you go, Medea."
"I'm counting on that, dragonfly."
Taking her hand, he led it to his lips and kissed her palm, then stepped back so that she could inspect his island home.
Medea gasped at the beauty that was Falcyn's "lair." No wonder he'd been so defensive when she'd accused him of living in a cave. This was absolutely breathtaking. Open and airy, it was technically a cavern.
Just a very large, spacious one with an ocean view that took her breath. The enchanted walls were crystal clear, so that he could look out, but not be seen by anyone else. Their transparency made them shimmer and sparkle from the daylight that burned her eyes, yet not her skin.
"How long have you lived here?"
"Forever and a day." He winked at her.
Shaking her head at his humor, she turned a small circle to survey everything. Outside the cavern, the landscape held ancient ruins of some Greek city and temple. Inside, it was a bit cramped by the number of dragons. She could see why he'd balked a bit about having them here.
Still, without them, it would have to be lonely. Such a large space with no company ...
Yeah, that wouldn't make her happy.
But then she'd never really been alone. She'd always had her mother and then her husband.
Unlike Falcyn. Never had she been forced to live by herself. Family had always been a part of her life.
His sister came over to them. "Like the new decorations? Wall-to-wall dragon?"
"Ha ha. I hate you so much." Yet there was a light in his eyes that said he appreciated his sister's teasing.
And Xyn knew it, too. "Ah, you're not fooling anyone. I know you missed me."
Falcyn made a disgruntled face at her.
Medea pressed her lips together to keep from laughing. It was so strange to see this side of him. He was so protective with his brothers. Protective with her and Xyn as well, but they saw the much less serious part of him. While he could be flippant and sarcastic with Blaise and Urian, it was a different kind of humor than the more vulnerable one he showed the two of them. He was softer and kinder to the women in his life.
"So what do you plan to do with all of these beasts, Xyn? I'm not planning to let them move in, you know. Definitely not comfortable with them here."
"Why not? It's rather cozy." Xyn smiled.
Falcyn let out a sound of supreme disgust. "You know why. And don't start on me. As the old saying goes, door's in the wall."
"Oh relax, you old mangy beast. They're not planning to stay, anyway. We're just messing with you."
His relief was tangible
Xyn met Medea's gaze and shook her head. "How do you put up with him?"
"I think he's hilarious."
She blew a raspberry. "This one's a keeper, brother. You better not let her go."
Before he could comment, the light dimmed near them.
Medea braced herself for another battle, then relaxed as she saw Shadow manifesting near Xyn. Yet for the life of her, she couldn't imagine why he was here, given the condition he'd been in when last they'd seen him. She would have thought he'd have been out of commission for a while.
At least laid up for a month or more.
But apparently, nothing kept the being down for very long.
Inclining his head to them, he approached Xyn and spoke to her, letting them know that he must have been assisting her for a bit now. "I've found a few more homes."
Falcyn let out an audible sigh. "Shadow ... you're my man."
Shadow let out a nervous laugh. "Since when?"
"Since I saved your ass. How are you feeling?"
"Like I had the hell beat out of me ... And you're welcome."
Crossing his arms over his chest, Falcyn's expression said those words chafed him. Yet the gleam in his eyes betrayed his amusement. "How has Varian failed to gut you all these centuries?"
"Not from lack of effort on his part, I assure you. I'm just quicker than he is."
Falcyn shook his head. "Anyway, I'm glad to see you back on your feet."
"Glad to be back on my feet. Especially without Varian hovering over me like some great hairy mother. And I heard you made friends with little brother, Lombrey."
"Yeah, you can keep him."
"Hmmm, so everyone keeps telling me. He's actually not so bad. Get him liquored up and laid, you can get about five or ten minutes of peace before he's in your face again."
"So that's your secret."
"Basically. I find it works on most people."
Falcyn laughed. "And why is it that I think there's a little more to it than you're letting on?"
"Again, he's not so bad. You just have to understand where he's coming from. We're all creatures of the hell that birthed us. Are we not?"
Medea would give him that.
"True." Falcyn stepped back as one of the dragons approached them.
"Are the sanctuaries ready?" he asked Shadow.
Shadow nodded. "Merlin's preparing them. We should be able to transport more of you before much longer. Kerrigan and Merewyn said they'd come to assist you as soon as they're open."
"Thank you."
"Our pleasure."
"Kerrigan?" Medea vaguely recalled the name, but couldn't place it now. She remembered that Merewyn was Varian's wife.
Falcyn let out a bitter laugh. "The former Pendragon of Morgen's Circle. He was the one who took Arthur's place to lead her knights."
"Now he fights with the Lords of Avalon." Shadow smiled. "War and love make strange bedfellows."
That was certainly true, but it made her wonder one thing. "Why did he change sides?"
Shadow jerked his chin toward Blaise and Brogan. "Kerrigan was the merlin charged with the sword Caliburn. His wife Seren was the merlin for the loom of Caswallen that Morgen demanded he and Blaise capture. In the process of taking it from her, the Lady Seren won Kerrigan's heart. He couldn't hand her over to Morgen any more than Blaise was able to hand over his Brogan to the Crom. So Seren and Kerrigan, and their son and daughter, now live in Avalon with the others, where they continue to fight against Merlin and her fey court."
Medea glanced to Falcyn. "Like you."
"I have no plans to relocate to Avalon."
"You know what I mean."
Falcyn looked a bit uneasy. "What? That I'd follow you anywhere?"
"Would you?"
Falcyn's gaze scorched her and warmed the darkest coldness inside her. "You know I would."
He placed a kiss on her cheek, then turned toward Shadow. "Can I beg a favor?"
"Depends on the favor, especially given what happened to me the last time I did you one."
"Can you get me back into Camelot? Near Morgen?"
Shadow made a truly spectacular sound of scoffing disbelief. "And what level of special stupidity have you achieved, dragon? I know you took a significant hit to the head, but didn't realize it'd given you brain damage. Should we get you a CAT scan? Dog scan?"
"Ha ha. And I'm serious."
"Yeah ... so am I. I actually like having my bullocks attached to my body. While I don't get to use them as much as I'd like, I still prefer the comfy feeling of having them there over the alternative of seeing them in a jar on my desk."
"Then you'll help me or I know what to attack."
A tic started in Shadow's jaw. "Really hate you, dragon.... Fine. But if you're caught, I don't know you. Never saw you and I have no idea how you got there. And I'm sending Lombrey to rescue or kill you, whichever. His choice."
"How have you managed to live so long without anyone killing you, again?"
"Told you, I'm fast on my feet." Shadow sighed. "So when do you want to partake of your suicide?"
Falcyn glanced around his crowded home. "Now would be a good time. It'll keep me from freaking out over my OCD."
Xyn scowled. "OCD?"
"Overpopulated communal den." He pointed to the group. "Get rid of that while I'm gone."
She rolled her eyes at her brother. "Ugh, you big baby. You never did learn to share!"
"Oh, that's not true. I learned to share pain and misery, early on."
"No, no. You learned to deliver pain and misery. Big difference. Being a carrier and deliverer isn't the same as sharing, m'gios. Do not confuse those terms."
"You're determined to annoy me, aren't you?"
Xyn smiled. "Always. Aren't you glad now that you woke me?"
"Thinking I should have overlooked your statue." Falcyn growled in the back of his throat. "Blaise! Why did we wake Xyn again?"
"You missed her!" he called out across the room.
"I lied!"
Xyn pushed him toward Shadow. "Go on and take him before he has a nervous breakdown. Or I kill him."
Medea laughed. "C'mon, dragonfly."
He paused at her actions. "What are you doing?"
"I know what that look in your eyes means. You're going back for Maddor. I plan to go with you."
"No. You're not. You're going to stay here."
Cocking her head, she gave him an oh-no-you-didn't stare.
Falcyn cleared his throat. "No?"
"I'm going with you," she repeated firmly.
Shadow laughed. "I wouldn't argue with that, dragon. She looks kind of pissed off, and while I'm no expert in women, that is the kind of expression that in the past hasn't boded well for my body parts being happy at a later time and date whenever a female pointed them at me."
He gave Shadow a droll stare. "Do you not have an off switch or filter?"
"Not really."
With a deep growl, Falcyn shook his head. "Fine. I can't argue with both of you. Let's get this over with. See if I can work some miracle."
"What kind of miracle are you thinking?"
"No idea. Hoping for inspiration." Falcyn took a deep breath. "All right, Shadow. Lead us in."
"Lead us in, he says. Like that's easy. Like all I have to do is snap my fingers and poof." Shadow snapped his fingers and they were in Camelot.
Falcyn arched his brow at Shadow's continued bitching.
"Well, that part was easy." His voice broke off as they realized they were surrounded by Adoni warriors. "But this is what I was talking about. Lousy, pointy-eared bastards tend to notice when we come and go. Worse? The little bitches attack like locusts."
He'd barely finished that sentence before they proved him right and pounced.
20
Falcyn cursed Shadow and the Adoni as Medea manifested a sword to fight them. "Really? You had to dump us in the middle of a fairy hoedown?"
"Well gee, Bubba, you didn't specify where exactly you wanted ole Miss Scarlett to put ya! It seemed as good a place as any."
"Oh shut up!" Falcyn lobbed a fireball at the Adoni nearest him.
Meanwhile, Shadow took up arms against those nearest him. "I've got to find a better class of friends. I swear."
"Enough! Stop this!"
They all froze at the sound of Morgen's voice.
Confused, Falcyn moved to cover Medea. Just in case, as he had no idea what Morgen intended or why she wasn't ordering their deaths, when that was her normal command.
Shadow also stepped back as the fey queen materialized in front of them.
Morgen cut an evil glare to each of them in turn, but it was Falcyn she singled out for her malice. "I told Narishka you'd come."
"Pardon?"
"Beg all you want. But I knew you would return for Maddor. She thought me crazy and sentimental. However, you are predictable."
Falcyn ground his teeth. "Your point?"
"Simple. You want your son ... I want your rock. One for the other. Now give it."
Yeah, right. He knew better than that.
Falcyn hesitated at giving in over her lie. "How do I know I can trust you when I know exactly how untrustworthy you are?"
"You would dare talk to me about trust after you killed my mother?"
Medea choked. "Um ... you do get that Maddor is your brother? Right? Surely that hasn't escaped your notice in all this?"
She passed a cold stare toward Medea. "Half. And he wasn't my only one. I learned not to get attached."
Ouch.
Falcyn's reaction was a lot more violent. He lunged for her. Shadow caught him before he could reach her and cause them to be attacked.
"Temper, brother," Shadow warned. "Don't let her get under your skin. Think it through."
Shadow was right. His anger would cause him to make a mistake, and that was what she was counting on.
Slow and steady won the race.
Still, he wanted to mount her head on the wall. Forcing his temper down, he took a deep breath and reviewed his options. He could turn into a dragon. Take a number of them out.
But they were Adoni. Wizards all. More than that, they were used to battling his kind and knew how to bring a dragon down. In a group of real dragons with the powers of his brothers, he might stand a chance against them.
Alone, even with Shadow and Medea backing him, they could do damage, but would ultimately fall to the fey bastards.
And Maddor would continue to be held by Morgen and would be punished for it. Medea would be dead, and it would all be his fault.
He could never allow that.
So he made the only decision he could. He used his powers to summon his stone and held it in his palm. "Give me my son."
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