by A C Wilds
“If she is, we must see her. She’s the one we have been waiting for. We have something she needs to win this war,” Eugene says. His tone completely changing. He’s practically begging us.
“Why would I let two murders around my mate?” I ask, placing my sword back into its scabbard. This guy isn’t a threat anymore. Besides, there are like twenty Fae aiming their weapons at him.
“We have the other half of the Death Stone,” he admits. I can’t believe he would just come out and say it.
“Give it to us, and we’ll be on our way,” Gunner says, standing up to join me.
“We can only give it to the Changer. It’s been spelled, and only she can retrieve it,” the female dragon explains. She crawls up to a sitting position, wincing the whole time.
“That’s bullshit, if you think we’re letting you anywhere near our mate, then you’re stupider than you look,” I say, daring him to defy me.
“Then kill us now, because you’re never getting the stone otherwise,” he says, shrugging his shoulders. Fuck! He knows how much we need it and he’s going to be a dick about giving it to us.
What do you think? I ask Gunner through the bond.
We have no choice, Greyson. They have the stone.
Fine, neutral ground then. I’m not bringing these assholes into the town where the children are.
I agree. I can ride ahead and have Azra meet us with Shax and Cassiel. I’m sure Izzy and Red will want to be present as well.
Nodding, he takes off into the direction of Jezebel. She managed to stay out of the way of the dragons’ fury.
“Ok, assholes, Gunner is going to get our mate, but you are coming with us. We’re meeting in neutral territory in case any of your friends decide to show up,” I say, waving the guard over to help the female up, so they can both be restrained. “And if you give Azra what she needs, I’ll have Gunner heal the rest of your wounds and release you. But if you so much as fucking look at her funny, I’ll end you.”
“Understood,” Eugene says. His resolve is back, now that he thinks he has the upper hand. This better work out.
Chapter 14
Death Stone
Azra
Gunner comes riding into the gates like a bat out of hell. I don’t see Grey, and my stomach does a flip. Cass helps me down the stairs as I struggle to make my way to him. He hops off of Jezebel and comes crashing into me, almost knocking me down.
“Are you ok? Where is Grey and the rest of the guard?” I ask into his chest. He has me pressed so tightly that all I can see is his shirt.
“I’m fine, I missed you. We’ve found the dragons, and Greyson is with them now,” he says, letting me go a bit so I can lean up to see his face.
“Did they have the Death Stone?” Shax asks, coming to stand with us.
“They have it, but won’t give it to anyone but Azra. They said she’s the only one that can access it,” he replies, keeping his gaze on me. His face shows worry, but I also see hope there.
“Where are they? Are they coming here?” I ask, showing my own worry. The children are here, and I don’t know how Izzy will take it if dragons just show up.
“They’re on their way to a central meeting point. We thought it better if they didn’t know the location of the town, especially since Izel has hidden it so well over the years,” Gunner says, twisting my hair between his fingers. The look he gives me is all heat, and I wish that I didn’t feel so broken.
“That was a good call. When do we ride out to meet them?” I ask.
“Whenever you feel up to it. They were a little behind me, so we should arrive after them,” he explains.
“Let’s go now. I don’t want to waste any time,” I say. I call for Red through the bond. Ash follows along with him, and in a short while, we are off, riding to meet Grey.
Red’s gait is so smooth that I hardly feel any pain. While it’s uncomfortable, it’s not as excruciating as it would on a normal horse. It’s almost like he runs above the ground.
We meet up with them about a half hour later. The guards look exhausted, and some are carrying stretchers of the wounded. The supply cart is now filled with the bodies of the dead to be returned to their families. I know this is war, but it’s never going to be easy for me to see the lives of others destroyed.
Grey lands in front of Red in a very graceful maneuver. I wish I was able to fly that well. One day, I’m going to spread my wings, and Grey and I will fly off into the sunset somewhere for a while.
“I found the dragons,” he says, a little smug.
“Just you? No one else helped?” I ask, with mock shock on my face. This gets a smile out of him, as he comes over to help me off Red. Standing next to him, I see the dragons for the first time. While I thought they would be creatures, it turns out they’re shifters, just like the Light assassin.
“Azra, these are the two dragon shifters who claim to know where the Death Stone is, Eugene and Rosalyn,” Gunn announces. Getting a better look at them, I notice the female is hurt.
“Why is she hurt?” I ask both guys.
“I stabbed her in the shoulders when she was trying to kill everyone. They got a lot of our guys before I could fly up there and change her back,” Grey says, with an annoyed tone. I’m sure he’s feeling the loss of the guard as much as we all are.
“Gunn, can you please heal the rest of her wounds?” I ask. The rest of the guard and my guys look at me shocked. Red shifting into his Fae form comes to stand with me. He understands what I’m doing.
“Yes, love,” he says, going to her and moving behind Rosalyn to get better access to her back. A pull of power forms in the air, and Gunn’s green light shines bright before the dragon calls out in pain. Her wounds must be deep.
After it’s finished, I look at Eugene while he picks Rosalyn up, so she doesn’t fall to the ground. “Where is the stone?” I ask, putting power into my words. I may have allowed Rosalyn to be healed, but I’m still going to get what I want.
“It’s inside of me,” he says, walking toward me with Rosalyn in his arms. The guys tense up, but I hold my hand out to them.
“What do you mean inside of you?” I ask.
“To keep it safe while we waited for you to come, I hid the stone in the crevice of my heart. Dragons have a chamber for their most precious possessions, and I chose the stone as mine,” he explains. I think everyone in the clearing is as taken back by his statement. That’s both incredibly cool and insanely gross.
“Get it out then,” I say, wanting to waste no more time. We’re out in the open in the woods, and I don’t like being away from the rest of the town. These dragons could be double-crossing us.
“I can’t. Once a treasure is secured in a heart vault, only the true owner can get it out. You have to reach into my chest and grab it,” he says, his voice never wavering.
I gag a bit at the thought of sticking my hand into someone’s chest, but if he insists this is the only way, I’ll do it.
“Do I just have to place a hand on your chest? How does it work? And make it quick, because I don’t want to be out here too long,” I say, coming closer to him. The guys move with me as one, still in protection mode.
“Place your hand above my heart, and say patentibus while pushing your magic into my chest,” he says, opening up his shirt. His muscles are ripped like someone who is used to hard labor. His chest has a dusting of hair, and the necklace he wears has the symbol of a dragon on it, with a shield behind it.
Rosalyn senses my curiosity at the charm and speaks for the first time. “It’s the symbol of the Order of the Dragon Knights. We were tasked long ago to fight for the Changer and to help aid her in all things. It has been centuries since we have been called upon, and seeing you here in front of us is a great honor.”
“Dragon Knights? Then why did you kill the guards? They were good men that were sent out to look for you,” Shax says. His anger is apparent, but his princely charm is overriding his real feelings.
“Because we didn’t know. We’ve been
searching for you since you came into Faerie, and haven’t been able to find you. We saw the camp that the Light King has set up, but we didn’t see you in it, so we choose not to make it known that the Order had survived. The last Changer was a bit of a power hungry Fae, and she destroyed more than she changed. We didn’t want to be a part of that again,” she explains. My heart goes out to them that all this time they’ve been hiding. It’s the same for Izzy`s people, living in secret in case others stumble upon them and violence ensues.
“How many of you are there?” I ask, curious to see if they are the last.
“There are over a thousand Dragon Knights at your call, Changer,” Eugene says, puffing his chest up a bit. His brown eyes twinkle in the morning sun.
“A thousand? Dragons? Like you two? Who can shoot fucking fire?” Grey asks, seeming entirely in awe, just as I am.
“Yes, all battle trained. Dragons are immortal, and many were there the last time the Changer went into battle. Many worry you’ll be the same —bloodthirsty and power hungry,” Rosalyn says.
I give her the once over and realize she’s one of those dragons. I don’t blame them. From the flashbacks I saw the first time I held the Changer sword, I would be just as cautious.
“I can tell you for hours how I’m not like the last Changer, but actions are always better than words, so come back with us to Solaris and we can speak more about the Knights. We can also extract the stone in a more private setting, and not have to worry about outsiders attacking us,” I offer. They both are still unsure, but nod in agreement anyway.
Cass helps me onto Red as soon as he shifts into Arion form, and we make our way back to the town. I hope Izzy is ok with me bringing guests.
Chapter 15
Visitors
Azra
Riding into the gates, I notice that there is an entourage waiting for us. It seems like everyone from the manor is curious about the newcomers. No one has seen a dragon in decades, and it’s quite a show.
We stop in front of Izzy. A fuming look comes over her face and I doubt that we’ve made the right decision letting the dragons come here without having warned her. I don’t blame her, there are Fae here that need protection. Without Izzy and her rules, they would be in danger.
Glancing behind me, I see the dragons looking around with wide eyes. The town is magical in and of itself, but I don’t think that’s it. I think they are in awe of how the Fae live here. I can only imagine the conditions they’ve had to endure.
“What is this?” Izzy demands. I try not to flinch at her words. I feel like a child being scolded by a parent.
“These are the dragons who have my stone,” I say, hopping off of Red and trying to muster up the courage to prove that I did the right thing.
She gives me a raised eyebrow and looks over at the dragons. They are dirty and bloody from being in battle, but they have their heads held high and eyes set in determination.
“You brought them here. Without my permission. Azra, you know the townspeople count on me for protection. I can’t have everyone coming in and out,” she expresses. I feel the weight of her words, but this means everything, and I’m confident I did the right thing.
“I’m sorry, Izzy. I should have checked with you first, but this is important. This is how we win the war.”
She watches me for a moment and turns to look at Eugene and Rosalyn. Even though they look out of sorts, the dragons are proud, and a bit of their magic caresses the air touching the magical signatures around them. There is no ill intent in it and my body relaxes a bit as I see Izzy realize the same.
“As I said, they also have my stone.”
This finally gets her attention. She looks back and forth between them and me. Hope sparks in her eyes and I sigh in relief. Now is the time to drop the even bigger bomb.
“They also have a thousand dragon knights ready to fight with us,” I declare.
“A thousand? Truly?” she inquires.
“Yes.”
“Well, then, there is nothing left to say. Welcome to Solaris. We’re honored that you are here, and so very grateful you have decided to fight with us,” she announces. Izzy is a true leader someone who has seen battle many times. She knows not to overlook a gift when it’s given.
Turning to the guard, she says, “Coyotl, can you see that they are fed and offered clean clothes?”
“Sure, Izzy. Welcome back, Az,” he responds, giving me a wink before gesturing for the dragons to follow him.
“We should probably get you off that leg. We can catch everyone up after the dragons have had time to rest,” Gunn says, coming up to my side and putting my hand on his arm to guide me into the manor.
Smiling up at him, I recognize his caring nature. It could be an Earth Fae thing, but I think it’s just a Gunn thing.
Everyone is already seated when I enter the operations room. Red and Ash are here, as well as Maztal. Izzy and her mates have taken seats at the table, and some of the guards are stationed about. I notice that there is more than one guard standing behind Eugene and Rosalyn. Trust needs to be earned and, right now, they are an anomaly. We won’t know if they speak the truth until I have my stone.
“Ok, let’s get this started. Give me the step by step instructions. I want to know how not to fuck this up,” I quip. I’m a little nervous. Sticking my hand into someone’s chest isn’t something I ever dreamed I’d do.
“You simply need to reach into my chest and get the stone.” Eugene explains, like it’s normal to keep things hidden in one’s chest.
“Isn’t that going to hurt? I mean, I’m going to be rummaging around in there, next to the thing that pumps all your blood. Oh god! Am I going to get blood all over me?”
I turn and look at the guys. My face must show my repulsion because they all give me a smile, but Grey’s is the biggest.
“It will hurt, but it’s the price for keeping the stone safe. There’s nothing more important than defeating Michael and Lucifer. We need to get the stone out, Azra. We need to beat the Unseelie Queen,”
I weigh his words around in my mind. He’s right, we do need to get the stone out. I swallow down my repulsion and prepare myself to stick my arm in a Fae’s chest. This is the last piece before we can take on the courts, but what if they don’t want the annihilation of the hierarchy? What if they just want a new ruler?
“Wait, before we begin, I don’t think I’ve told you my intentions,” I say. Pausing to watch their faces carefully. “I don’t plan on restoring one court over another. I plan on destroying them. Michael and Lucifer are going to die. There will be no Faerie Courts after the battle, if I win.”
They look toward one another before turning back to me. Eugene slips his hand into Rosalyn’s and a smile comes across both of their faces.
“Your words mean so much to us. The dragons have been hiding for too long. We’re ready to join the rest of Faerie, and if getting rid of the courts will do it, we are with you,” Rosalyn states. A determined look crosses her face, and the warrior that she is peaks out.
I close my eyes for a moment and breath in their acceptance. Having the dragons behind us will mean that we have a true chance at beating Michael and Lucifer.
“I’m ready. Just tell me what to do,” I say, opening my eyes up again and taking a deep breath. I can’t believe I’m going to do this.
Approaching Eugene, I stand facing him. His hair is brown and cut short, the five o’clock shadow on his face covers what looks like scars of some sort. His build is broad, and he’s a bit taller than me. The necklace that I saw earlier still shines proudly at the base of his throat.
The guys form a shield behind me, as they always do. Shax steps up close enough that I can feel his front brushing my back. It brings me comfort, and I send some warm thoughts down the bond as a way to thank him.
Rosalyn stands next to her mate. She’s dark haired as well, but her eyes are a seafoam green. She has nothing but love and trust on her face when she looks at Eugene.
Red
is on the other side of the table, ready. And if I know him, he’ll be by my side at a moment’s notice.
I outstretch my hand and place it on his chest. He has already removed his shirt, so there is only his bare skin before me. His skin is cold against my palm, and the minute I touch him, he twitches under my hand, as if anticipating the pain.
Seeing my hesitation, Rosalyn speaks up, “The heart is here. Above it is the crevice that all dragons have, just here.” Using her finger, she shows me exactly where the stone should be. Now that I have a general direction I’m more confident I can do this quickly.
“What’s the word I have to say again?” I ask.
“Parentibus. Push your magic out of your palm and repeat it until you feel my crevice opening up for you,” Eugene replies.
Taking a deep breath to center myself, I say the word…parentibus parentibus ...and a glow illuminates my palm as I press it inward. It’s a struggle at first, but then there is a pop and my hand is inside his chest. I bite back the revulsion of having my hand in someone else’s chest cavity. It’s wet, slimy, and warm. Eugene cries out in pain, and Rosalyn braces him with her arms. Gunn moves up on the other side of Eugene to help.
“I don’t feel anything,” I confess. I don’t want to go grabbing random parts, what if I accidentally squeeze his heart and kill him?
“Keep going, you’re almost there,” Eugene grits out.
I finally feel something. Touching it carefully, it feels like a box of sorts, there is even a latch in it that I flick open with my finger. This causes him to cringe and close his eyes.
“Are you ok?”
He nods for me to continue, but his eyes stay closed, probably due to the pain. Sweat is beading on his brow and he’s gripped both Rosalyn’s and Gunn’s hands.
Placing my fingers inside the box, I feel a solid half moon object. It’s smooth and cooler than its surroundings. My magic responds to it, and I know for a fact that this is the stone we’ve been looking for. I begin to pull it out slowly, the same way I reached in, not wanting to cause him any more pain.
