The walls were two feet thick in most places, more where it butted into the mountain. There were no entrances on the lower level where anyone from the outside could get into the house. But there was a tunnel that would lead the family out, along with staff, when necessary.
“There is a guard on duty at each of the entrances as well. The one in the tunnels is a water buffalo that has also been here for a long time, and the person to the front is a troll. They’re not to be messed with even on good days. He comes around in the evening, and is gone when his replacement comes at dawn. He too is a troll, but in a better frame of mind most of the time.” Vance told Toby that he’d never seen a troll. “We’ll have to rectify that for you then, sir. You might not think you’re in for a treat once you meet one. They can be quite foul mouthed when the mood strikes.”
Vance was happy, he realized. And relaxed. As Toby introduced him to more of the staff, Vance shook hands with them all and was glad when none of them seemed to like Butler any better than they did. One of the women in the garden—plucking, she told him, not pulling weeds—said that she had helped the queen mother to care for her son when he was but a babe. He liked her very much when she offered to make him a wee bit of a snack.
The snack turned out to be a turkey leg, a fried pie, as well as a gallon of lemonade. Vance didn’t want to seem like a pig, but with her encouragement, he ate all of it while talking to her. Toby had to see to the stable, so Vance was shown around by Miss April while he finished his meal.
The fruit trees were lined up in neat rows. There were all kinds of fruits too, not just things that he thought would grow there. Miss April told him that the magic of the castle made it, so they could have fruits year-round, and also greenery. He told her his wife was a faerie.
“Yes, we were told that Lady Raven and Lady Micky would be joining you here. The others I haven’t met, but I’m sure that they’re as sweet as pie.” He told her not to bet on that. His mate was a warrior and his mom was considered mouthy. “Oh well, we’ll enjoy having them around. No matter the mouth they have.”
After he’d made the rounds to as many people as he saw close to the castle, he went inside. He could feel the magic around the place when out of doors. Inside it was thick on him, like he was wearing armor. This was a place he’d feel safe in any day.
Chapter 6
Micky wasn’t sure what to think about this. Yes, she did want to marry Vance, but with all these people here as a witnesses, she wondered if anyone had given this a lot of thought.
Like what about Butler coming? What if he tried to hurt them all? And where was the necklace that was supposed to end all this for the family? Butler could have had a fake one there when he killed Raven’s mother, just for someone to take from him, and that’s what they had now. Also, what if he wasn’t nearly as weak as he was letting on? She knew this man and his trickery. He could be just lying in wait and—
“You do know that I can read your mind, right? And while I have thought of all the things that are racing through your mind like a carnival ride, I believe with all my heart I have the right piece.” Micky asked Raven how she knew that. “Because, like all the pieces, I can see it for what it is. And you’ll see it when it touches you.”
“We’ve not even talked about it. I mean, for me to get it. While I’m not insecure about loving him, maybe he doesn’t really care for me. And he doesn’t want me to have the necklace at all.” Raven popped her in the forehead and laughed. “This isn’t the least bit funny. And I can hurt you.”
“Maybe you can, but you’d be hurting just as badly. But he loves you. Lewis and I were talking about it last night, how much he’s mellowed out. Not so much that he’s not out there looking at things to make sure we’re safe while we’re all here, but he smiles more. Laughter isn’t something that he shared a great deal. It’s wonderful to see the two of you together. You’re both these militant type people, yet when you’re side by side, or even just in the same room, it’s like you’re these mushy people to each other. It might seem sort of gross to some, but to us married ones, we love it.”
“He does that to me.” Raven nodded. “Vance isn’t like you guys see him. He’s compassionate, loving, and kind. He cooks, and he loves the outdoors. I mean, I know that I’m different when I’m around him, but I can be myself with him. I don’t need to be, nor do I want to be, on guard all the time. I can just lay my head on his shoulder and know that if I happen to fall asleep, he’ll make sure that I’m all right when I wake up.” Micky flushed, feeling her face heat up. “You must think I’m a sap. I’m not, you know. I can kick anyone’s ass and just walk away.”
“And for a minute there, I thought you were about to go all mushy on me again.” They both laughed then. “I know just what you mean. I’m a witch, and a very powerful one, but with Lewis right next to me, I feel like a pretty woman that has the strongest man in the world right in my corner. But I think we’re supposed to feel that way. Secure, yet on guard. Loved and protective at the same time. It’s the life we lead that makes us what we are. The good thing is, we all have a balance, a person that is like us but different enough that we mesh well.”
After the girl talk, she supposed it was called, she did feel a lot better. Alisha came in to see them a few minutes later, holding a large garment bag and nodding even as she started to shake her head.
“Yes, you’ll do this for me. I’ve been waiting for Vance to get married since he went off to war. And no one has been able to use this dress since my mother helped me get into it when I married his jackass of a father.” Micky asked why she should wear it. “It was my mother’s. And I told my little boy when he found it hidden in the back of my closet that someday he’d meet a beautiful woman and he could marry her with her wearing it.”
“You made that up.” Alisha laughed, but told her it really was her mother’s. “Then why didn’t any of the others wear it? I mean, I’m the last bride, right? Why not Emma? She was first.”
“I don’t know, honestly. When we were getting ready to come here, it occurred to me that none of the women in this family had ever worn it. It made me sort of sad that I’d never thought about it until then. So, you’re the only chance I have for someone from this family to wear my mother’s gown.” Micky asked her how she knew that it would even fit. “I don’t know that either. I’m hopeful, I guess you could say.”
It fit. Not only did it fit, but the shoes that had been put into the bag also fit her foot like a slipper. Standing in front of the mirror, Micky looked at herself and couldn’t believe it was the same person. Looking over her shoulder, she saw Alisha crying with a pretty blue hankie in her hand.
“I’ll need that, I think. Something blue, right? And the dress is borrowed. What else goes with that saying? Let me think. Something old, something new, something borrowed, something blue. I think that’s it.” Raven corrected her. “Oh, that’s right, and a silver sixpence in her shoe. I have no idea where we’d get one of those this late in the game.”
“Oh my word.”
Alisha dumped her ever present purse out on the table. Micky marveled at the amount of things that she had stashed in that sucker. There was a switchblade that had a pretty pearl handle; a can of mace that lay next to a roll of mints; a half-eaten donut in a plastic baggie that looked as if it had been smashed up against the knife; a tube of lipstick that was taped together; and a brush and several screws, a tiny hammer, and keys. There was also a cell phone that had a cracked front, and a mirror. Micky laughed when she picked up what looked to her like a coin purse that small children took to school a long while ago for their milk money.
“That’s what I’m looking for.” Alisha opened it up, and there in the middle of her palm was a slightly tarnished sixpence. Taking it from her, Micky looked at her when she saw the date on it. “It’s very old. I don’t know if that will work double for the old part.”
“This is very old. It was minted in sixteen-o-one, when it really was made of silver. And you just carry i
t around with you? In your purse? Aren’t you afraid of losing it? Or someone taking it?” Alisha nodded, then shook her head. “I don’t understand.”
“You’ve just seen what I carry around. I think some robber would bring me my purse back because he’d feel sorry for me. I’m forever saying I’m going to clean it out, but.... Well, I haven’t gotten around to it. But as for the coin, my father gave it to me on the day I married my husband. He told me that Mom had been given it by her mother when she’d married him. Since my mom had passed away when I was younger, he made it his duty to pass it on to me.” Micky didn’t know what to say. “I didn’t mean to make you cry, honey. It’s just something that I thought of too.”
“You’re not a nice person.” They all laughed and hugged. Then hugged again. “I don’t know what to say. I really don’t. You are a wonderful person, a generous and kind woman. No wonder your boys love you so very much.”
“I’d very much like for you to love me that much too. All of you.” Micky nodded, emotions making it nearly impossible for her to speak. “I’ve never had so much fun as I have had with you girls. I love my sons, but they didn’t understand women, not like they do now. And I can’t tell you how happy I am that I’m a grandma, and will someday be a great grandma too. All this, simply because a queen one day decided to use her magic to make it possible for me to have so much love in my heart that I can hardly contain it some days.”
“Oh Alisha, you’re truly wonderful.”
They were a mess by the time they were ready to go out and meet the crowd that had gathered. There were more than there had been when she’d gone out earlier that morning. Micky wanted to turn tail and run, but she saw Vance by the flowers and knew that for him, she would and could do anything.
The minister was there waiting for her when she arrived. Gavin had been kind enough to step in for someone to give her away. He assured her that he was getting good at it, that he’d given away his mom too. Smiling at the cheeky young man, she passed a little magic on to him, knowing that someday he’d need the extra when a woman broke his tender heart. He’d get over it and marry well and happily someday, but in the meantime, he’d be hurt.
Vance kissed her as soon as she got to him. The veil was in his way, so he simply kissed her through it, much to the amusement of his family. When the minister cleared his throat, he told the man that she was just too beautiful not to want to kiss.
“Be that as it may, Lord Vance, there is a way we do things here. Now, dearly beloved, we are here today to see the union of these two people. A dragon and his heart.” As he talked about how they were a perfect couple, that they’d live long lives, Micky looked at her mate, her husband to be. And when he squeezed her hands, she realized that she’d zoned out for a moment and had to ask the minister to repeat himself. “I have a feeling that you’ve not heard a word I’ve said, young lady.”
“Nay, I have not. But I’m older than I look, sir.” She winked at him and he laughed. “You were saying?”
“Yes, so I was. Instead of a ring to bless this union, Lord Vance has something different to encircle your love with. If you’d be so kind as to pay attention this time, I’ve asked you if you’re willing to marry this man.” She nodded. “You must let everyone know your feelings, my dear.”
“YES. YES. YES.” Everyone laughed, and she turned to the man again. “Do you think they heard me?”
“I believe those that could not make it today might have heard you. All right then, Lord Vance. You may give her your promise.”
She watched as he pulled something from his pocket. The first thing that popped into her head was a gun, and she had to close her eyes to get rid of that image.
“Micky? Are you all right?” She said that she was and looked at him. “I have a ring for you, but not a ring for your finger. I have a ring of magic, a ring of love from a mother to a son. I give to you the McCade necklace, in hopes that it will keep you safe and happy for the rest of our days together.”
There was nothing from it, no tingle of magic; nothing to indicate that it was anything more than a beautiful necklace that had been around for a while. Looking around the room, she wanted to pull out her magic, all of it, hunt down Butler, and kill him. Even if they had to start this all over, it—
“Honey?”
Before she could answer him, even if she had one, the magic hit her hard, taking her to the ground and then lifting her up from it again. Vance was with her, his body bowed back from it, his face etched in pain. Looking at the others, she could see that it was taking them the same way. Painfully and quickly.
When she opened her eyes she was lying on the ground. The rest of the wedding party was as well, even Alisha. Sitting up, she looked at the group that had come out to enjoy the day with them, and they erupted into cheers.
Clapping and patting them on the back, they helped everyone stand up. It was the strangest thing she’d ever witnessed, and she went to Vance. Holding him as tightly as he did her, she asked him if he was all right.
“Yes. I feel different, but not sick like I thought I was going to be.” He looked at her, and kissed her on the mouth. “We’re still not married yet. He has to tell us that part.”
“Yes, well, I think we’ve done all we need to so that we’re man and wife.” The minister cleared his throat. “You should really see a doctor about that. It could develop into something serious; then where would you be by not being able to marry people?”
“Yes. Later, perhaps, I’ll have your future brother-in-law look at it. But for now, how about I do my job while I can. I now pronounce you man and wife. There.” Again the crowd cheered. Balloons were let go, birds seemed to come from everywhere, and their whiteness filled the sky. When Vance pulled her into his arms this time, he kissed her with all the passion and love that she felt for him.
“I’d like to officially introduce you all to Lord and Lady Vance McCade. Of the McCade dragons.”
Micky was Micky McCade, and as happy as she’d ever been in her life, as happy as she thought she’d never be. And when she was kissed again, all she could think about was that Butler had better stay his ass away today or he’d be sorry. And dead. She was so over his threats and stupidity.
The feast was delicious. There was a large ham as well as a turkey, and a pig was roasting over a large pit. Side dishes were brought out and set up on long tables, most of them groaning from the weight of it all. Baked potatoes, mashed, and fried. There was winter squash and other vegetables that she knew had come out of gardens she’d seen around the yards. Tea and water were served with wines and beer. It was the best food and the greatest company that she’d ever been with. And Vance never left her side.
Music was playing under one of the large trees on the castle grounds. She danced with all the brothers, and they in turn danced with their mom. Pictures were taken of all of them, and some of just the two of them. Alisha had her join her and Vance when the photographer wanted one of the son and mom. There were pictures of everyone that was there, and of all the food as well. When they were posing for pictures for themselves, a nice gentleman came to her and handed her a rose of Sharon, one of the flowers that she had always loved. Micky pinned it to her dress and danced with him.
~~~
“How you feeling?” Vance asked Grady what he meant. “Well, you should be able to shift now. And with that piece that you put on Micky, we should all have this armor. But I don’t feel any different. With each piece, I’ve felt a little of it, but nothing from this. I was wondering how you felt. Maybe, like the knowledge, it has to take a minute or two.”
“I feel like I’m encased in it. You think that’s all it is? Because I have to tell you something, I don’t feel the dragon anymore. I was afraid when I first realized it, but it might just be what you said, because I have to wait.” Grady said he didn’t know. “Yeah, me either. We’re sure that this is the right piece, right? I mean, it’s not a fake and we’re all going to be fucked when Butler gets here.”
“No, I
’m sure that it’s the last piece. But what I don’t understand is your dragon. I felt mine even before Harper got here. Does Warrior speak to you?” Vance told him that he’d never heard from him. “I don’t know then. I’m sort of worried.”
“I am too, now.” Grady said he was sorry to have brought it up. “No, don’t be. I was concerned anyway. This isn’t anything new with our lives right now. I mean, it seems like every day is something else going ass up. What if Butler comes here and we’re not ready? Or we can’t call the dragon? Christ, I have more questions than I did before. But I don’t want to worry anyone just yet. It might be that it’s our wedding and the magic somehow knows that.”
“Could be.” But Grady didn’t sound any more certain than he did. “How do you like this place? I mean, I expected nothing to be here other than some fallen stones and a few overgrown trees that would need to be removed. This is...this is magnificent. And the beds, we slept like a rock last night. You?”
“Yes. I was afraid we’d be up all night worrying about one thing or another. But almost as soon as my head hit the pillow, I was out like a light.” Grady talked about the castle and they discussed the way things were around the property. The fields where corn and other grain was grown were ready to be planted. The fruit trees were in full bloom. He’d even seen a few fruits that he had no idea would grow here. He supposed, like his brother, it was the magic. “You have a stable here. And from what I heard, they’re all trained to be around other shifters. So, you could just ride them right away.”
“I’ve never been on a horse.” They were teasing each other about that, and how much weight one could handle, when his brothers joined them. It was really nice to have them all around all the time now. And if he needed a break from it, just being around people, he could simply walk away and they seemed to understand. Looking around the yard, he saw that Micky was sitting with some of the other women from the village, as well as his mom. Whatever they were talking about, they seemed to be having a good time.
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