Dragon Mates: Dragon Knights (The Sea Captain's Daughter Trilogy Book 3)

by Bianca D’Arc

  “Your son has graciously agreed to be my eyes for as long as the spell Gryffid cast lasts,” Hrardorr joined the conversation, coming up beside Seth. “For the next week or so, I can see what he sees.”

  “That is…that’s…it’s amazing, Sir Hrardorr,” Paton said, graceless in his conversation, which was not usual for him.

  “The wizard was very kind in allowing me this last hurrah, as it were,” Hrardorr went on, smoothing over Paton’s lack of eloquence. “You will understand, I hope, that Seth has agreed to stay with me for the duration of the spell, so that I may see as much as I can before…I cannot.”

  The reminder that Hrardorr’s reprieve was only temporary brought the mood down a bit, but Gerard stepped up and spoke. Because Gerard was usually a man of few words, everyone listened when he occasionally had something to impart.

  “We are very proud of our son,” Gerard said in a calm, strong tone. “He is a good lad with a generous heart. As are you, Sir Hrardorr. We wish, of course, that things could be otherwise. That your cure could be permanent, as well as your association with our son.”

  Did he just say…? Seth looked at Hrardorr, wondering how the dragon was taking the implication that his fathers wanted Hrardorr to choose Seth as his knight.

  “You are very kind, Sir Gerard, but I must be satisfied with the die that has been cast for my fate. Although I am grateful to finally see the Southern Lair and the faces of the people and dragons that I have come to know here over the past months, I must resign myself to the knowledge that it is temporary.”

  Seth noticed that Hrardorr hadn’t said anything about their relationship. Seth knew the dragon was still in mourning, and he also knew it was a lot to ask, hoping that Hrardorr would change his mind and choose another knight. It was even more of a stretch to hope that he’d pick Seth if he did feel able to choose another knight to share his life with.

  Like the dragon, Seth had to resign himself to taking what he could get. If this was the only time he had partnering with Hrardorr—though not the same way a real knight partnered with a dragon—Seth would take it and enjoy it for all it was worth.

  “Now that that’s all cleared up,” Seth broke into the uncomfortable silence, “were you coming or going?”

  “We had reports of another attack on the beach just beyond the harbor,” Paton said. “We were going down to help.”

  Seth felt relief. “Livia is down there with Mr. Stuart, unloading her boat,” Seth told them. “She has two small cannons she plans to install near the dock to deter more of these kinds of attacks. Plus, Hrardorr made navigation hazards out of the ships he just sank, so there’s only one small lane to get to the dock now. Looks like the pirates figured out that they could dock there, away from the harbor gun emplacements and attack the town from behind. We just put a stop to that idea, but there are a large number of prisoners down on the beach, and Sir Trevalian will not be flying anytime soon. I sewed a tear in his wing, and he’s doing guard duty on the ground for now. They could probably use more help to settle the prisoners.”

  “We’ll go down and help organize things then,” Paton said, seeming glad of something to do. He put one hand on Seth’s shoulder. “It’s good to have you back, son.”

  Seth wanted to say it was good to be back, but he wasn’t so sure it was true. Trevalian’s attitude had been a rather rude homecoming after his sojourn on Gryphon Isle.

  Gerard stopped in front of Hrardorr and bowed formally, acknowledging his respect for the dragon. Seth watched his father’s actions and knew, for the first time, Hrardorr could see it too. The thought touched him deeply.

  “I expect Mace and Drake will want to talk with you both. Better go see them first thing. Then,” Gerard turned toward Seth, “you’d better check in with your mother. She’ll want to see you, if only for a short time. I’m glad you’re both back, safe and sound.”

  Gerard left, following his fighting partner to where their dragons waited by the ledge, packed and ready to go. Seth wondered if either of his dragon parents had had private words to say to Hrardorr, but didn’t ask. Some things, Seth was learning, dragons kept among themselves.

  *

  Seth was more than a bit stunned by the gorgeous peach-gold dragon sitting by the head table in the great hall when he entered with Hrardorr a short time later. She was absolutely spectacular. Her coloration was one in a million, and her form was as elegant as her demeanor.

  “She is lovely, isn’t she?” Hrardorr said to Seth privately. “I’m thankful to see her through your eyes. Everyone talks about Lady Jenet and her beauty.”

  “She’s stunning,” Seth answered, still in a bit of awe as they strode forward.

  People moved out of the way, giving the blind dragon a wide berth, but Hrardorr made no stumbles or missteps. A murmuring arose from the hall as the dragons began communicating the change in Hrardorr’s circumstances to their knights. The gossip had started. Then, a hush fell as everyone simply watched Hrardorr’s progress toward the high table.

  By the time Seth and Hrardorr were standing in front of the new leadership, the entire place was silent. Seth felt a bit conspicuous, but he would withstand any scrutiny for Hrardorr’s sake. The dragon had been through so much. Had survived so much loss and pain. The least Seth could do was stand by his side as he came under the inspection of two of the leading knights of the realm.

  “Sir Hrardorr.” The blond giant, who must be Sir Drake, had a melodic voice that carried to the far reaches of the hall. “Welcome back. I am Drake, and this is Jenet,” he said, introducing his dragon partner first, then turned to the dark warrior at his side. “This is Mace and his partner, Nellin.” Drake indicated the bronze dragon sitting happily in the shadow cast by the beauteous Jenet.

  “Greetings. You should be aware this is Seth, apprentice healer and son of this Lair.” Hrardorr returned their greetings and introduced Seth as an equal. Seth felt Hrardorr’s surprise that the leadership had not acknowledged Seth along with Hrardorr and the indignation that made Hrardorr want to correct the error of their ways. Seth put a calming hand on Hrardorr’s shoulder, hoping to ease his tension and was surprised when Mace gave them both an appraising look and spoke for the first time.

  “Forgive my glib friend,” Mace said, a smile on his craggy face softening his words. “We meant no disrespect to the Lair’s apprentice, Sir Hrardorr. We merely wished to convey proper respect to you for your many heroic deeds these past months. It’s our understanding that your efforts were less than welcomed by the previous leadership.” Mace bowed his head respectfully, keeping his gaze on the dragon. “And now, Nellin tells me you can see through Seth’s eyes.” Mace’s laser-like gaze zeroed in on Seth as people in the hall rustled behind them in agitation. “At least for a time.”

  “That is true. A gift from the wizard,” Hrardorr told them, beginning to calm. “And one I hope you will utilize while it lasts. I came to put myself—and Seth—on the roster.”

  The knights behind them rustled again as shock went through the room. The gossipy dragon grapevine hadn’t known that. Hrardorr had broadcast his message so that all could hear, and Seth felt a bit of dismay, coupled with pride, filling him. While it wasn’t a claiming, it was still a public statement of their partnership—albeit a brief partnership, unlike any other in the Lair. Or the entire land, for that matter.

  It was Jenet who spoke next. “A truer servant of Draconia we could not hope to find, Sir Hrardorr. With all that you’ve been through, to still be so willing to put yourself on the front lines of a difficult situation is truly praise worthy.”

  Hearing the elegant dragon’s speech was like being stroked with velvet from inside your own mind, Seth thought. She had a light touch, a bit unlike other dragons who had spoken to Seth over his lifetime. There was something very special about the peach-gold dragon, Seth feared he was very much in danger of becoming enchanted by her. She’d definitely made a fan of him, though, when she said such nice things about Hrardorr for all to hear.

/>   “And you, Master Seth.” Jenet’s attention fell to Seth, shocking him into immobility as her topaz eyes focused on him. She’d given him a title. Master. It was a sign of respect he hadn’t expected. “You have proven yourself a true friend to all dragons, many times over. I’ve been talking to many of your former patients, and they all speak very highly of your care. Additionally, we owe you a debt of thanks for riding into the breach when our allies were in need. You rode with the honor of all Draconia on your heels, and you did us all proud. Doing the right thing is often harder than doing the easy thing. You could easily have stayed here and let the wizard fend for himself. Instead, you went against popular opinion at the time to follow your conscience. You and all your party are heroes of our land and deserve our respect and thanks.”

  Wow. Seth felt a bit overwhelmed at the praise and wasn’t quite sure how to react. But it seemed they weren’t done with him.

  “My partner speaks true,” Drake said, taking up the conversation once more. “And I meant no disrespect to you for not addressing you at the same time as Sir Hrardorr. Protocol, you understand, demanded my acknowledgment of dragonkind first, but I would not have forgotten to recognize your contributions, Master Seth. Still, I can see that your friendship is stronger than any protocol.” Drake smiled ruefully and ducked his head in a charming way that was effective at disarming the tension.

  “Nico wanted you to know you have the thanks of the realm, and a boon, if ever you need it.” Jenet put in, reminding Seth, with her casual reference to the prince, that she had grown up with him in the Castle Lair. No doubt these four rubbed elbows with royalty on a regular basis.

  Seth looked up at Hrardorr. “Having a royal boon in your pocket is no small thing,” he commented privately to the dragon.

  The idea that the prince would grant a favor to Hrardorr in the future, if asked, was not exactly uncommon, but also not something lightly given. It was a real, tangible honor. Hrardorr merely snorted lightly, sending a tiny bit of smoke upward from his nostrils. Only Seth knew the small gesture was in response to his words.

  “I am honored,” Hrardorr replied politely to Jenet’s announcement.

  “Now, perhaps you would join us for the meal and speak of your travels?” Drake asked.

  Only then did Seth realize the hall was filled with people just sitting down to supper. Seth’s stomach rumbled a bit, and he realized he’d been running on adrenaline and little else since sighting the shoreline and the battle.

  “We would be honored and pleased to brief you on recent events,” Hrardorr replied for both of them.

  Mace drew back a seat at the high table, right next to his chair and nodded toward Seth, while Jenet used her clawed hand to indicate that Hrardorr should join her and her mate, Nellin, in the area set aside for the dragons, adjacent to the high table. Seth noticed a selection of meats and fruits had been laid out as snacks for the dragons so they could join their human partners in the ritual of sharing a meal.

  Seth made a point to direct his gaze toward where Hrardorr would need to walk. He walked at Hrardorr’s side, watching Hrardorr’s path so the dragon could navigate, then waited for him to settle before taking his own place at the table. Seth angled his chair so that he could continue to monitor the area where the dragons were gathered, allowing Hrardorr to see what was around him.

  Mace noticed and made a quick rearrangement of the table to accommodate, winning Seth’s thanks and respect. Mace was a quick fellow, Seth realized. He hadn’t needed to be told what Seth was doing. He’d simply figured it out and acted accordingly. An excellent quality in a warrior.

  The meal was filling and relatively quick, combining the need for sustenance with the need to disseminate information. Drake and Mace questioned Seth while the dragons talked among themselves and monitored the human side of the conversation, as well. At least, that was Seth’s impression, since Hrardorr stayed mostly quiet, though he looked busy. Meaning, he looked like he was making his own report to the other dragons, privately.

  Seth didn’t mind. He had come to understand that there were certain things the dragons kept to themselves. That was okay. There were some things humans kept separate from dragons, as well. They were partners, not exactly the same. Each deserved a modicum of privacy for dealings with their own kind, right?

  Seth wasn’t much of a philosopher normally, but that seemed right to him. He supposed if he ever did meet any of the royals, any one of them would be the ultimate authority on dragon-human relations, since they had been born and bred to lead both races.

  “We’ve been getting slammed with attacks up and down the coast,” Mace said after Seth had told them about the action they’d run into by the Stuarts’ small dock. “Any place they think they can come ashore has been hit at one time or another. We’ve got half the Lair out flying patrol and engaging when they find trouble at any given time. Those you see gathered here are either support personnel, injured or off-shift at the moment. It’s been a hellacious few weeks since we started fighting back. As if they were content to let us be while the former leadership was still in control of the Lair and under the spell that kept them quiet and tucked up inside the Lair, doing nothing. Once we arrived and started fighting back, all hell broke loose.”

  “It’s a distraction,” Seth said quietly, the pieces falling together in his mind. “To keep us from the real target. All these feints are probably designed to keep us from finding and stopping Fisk.”

  All eyes turned toward Seth, watching him closely. Even the two dragons who were partnered with Drake and Mace stopped what they were doing to examine Seth.

  “We’ve been briefed on Fisk, but nobody’s seen him or had even the smallest word of where he might be,” Drake said into the silence.

  “What about Livia’s father? Captain O’Dare set off on his trail, and we haven’t had any news from him since. Have you?” Seth asked, concerned.

  “Not a single sighting,” Drake replied, shaking his head. “And, believe me, we’ve had everyone watching for him. For them both,” he added. “Fisk must be stopped and the book retrieved, no matter the cost.”

  “Agreed,” Seth muttered, thinking hard about that dangerous book and the possible consequences.

  “Which is what I hope to do in the time allotted to me,” Hrardorr broke into their conversation for the first time since sitting down with the other dragons.

  Even Seth was taken by surprise by the dragon’s announcement.

  “What makes you think we’ll have better luck finding Fisk than anybody else?” Seth asked, uncaring that others were present, his sole focus on the impossible dragon he couldn’t help but admire.

  “We have magic on our side. At least for the moment, Seth,” Hrardorr answered as if it should have been obvious. “My dragon magic and Gryffid’s mage magic, plus your human point of view, which is very…different…from the way I remember seeing things. It’s both more difficult and much clearer in ways I find hard to describe. But I think Gryffid gave me this gift for a reason, Seth, and I think we’d better not waste the opportunity.”

  Seth stood and went over to Hrardorr, placing one hand on his neck. “You know I’m in this for whatever you need from me, my friend. If you believe we can make a difference in the search, then I’m behind you all the way, even if I don’t exactly understand why you’re so sure we can do any good. I trust your judgment. And, yeah, I’ll admit, Gryffid is a canny fellow. I’ve been wondering why he was so willing—nay, eager—to do this for you, even on a temporary basis. I bet he knew you’d figure it out.”

  “I believe he is casting his net wide,” Hrardorr said, humor in his tone. “The danger Fisk poses with the book is too great to leave up to only one method of retrieval. Gryffid is sending everything he can after that book of his, including a broken-down dragon and a young man who is too brave for his own good.”

  Seth stepped a fraction closer to the dragon. “You always sell yourself too short. There’s nothing broken down about you, and there never will
be,” he whispered for Hrardorr’s ears alone.

  “Only you see me that way, Seth, which I consider the mark of a true friend.”

  CHAPTER ELEVEN

  When the meal concluded, Seth and Hrardorr dutifully trekked up to Seth’s family quarters to see his mother. It was a short visit, filled with awkward questions, but Hrardorr didn’t hold it against Seth, or his busybody mother, for which Seth was grateful. After that, he had to check in with Bronwyn to make sure she was all right.

  Hrardorr opted to go with Seth because he wanted to see as much as he could of the Lair and the people he’d been dealing with for months. Hrardorr greeted the old healer, thanking her for her efforts on his behalf when he’d first arrived. He then stood back and let Seth visit with her for a time, learning that she had more than enough help now.

  Seth knew Bronwyn was trying to reassure him, but Seth left the short meeting with his mentor feeling displaced. As if he was no longer needed now that there were more able helpers available.

  Hrardorr paced quietly at his side as Seth navigated them around the Lair, giving Hrardorr the tour of the place he’d never had before, even though he’d lived there for a while. Hrardorr asked a few questions about things he wanted to see, but otherwise kept quiet, allowing Seth time to process the changes that had been wrought since he’d left home on his big adventure.

  Bronwyn had received not one but two apprentice healers. One was a journeyman healer from the Temple. Her name was Thalia, and they stumbled across her in the hallway during their tour. She was joined by the other newcomer, a gifted young girl from Castleton, named Kylara, even before they’d finished exchanging greetings.

  And there they were. Seth was uncomfortably aware that these two had replaced him. No, they’d more than replaced him. They’d made him completely and utterly superfluous. Both had healing gifts and superior training. Thalia alone would be bad enough, but Kylara was essentially a female version of Seth himself—able to bespeak dragons and having grown up in a Lair. Only she was younger and had a true gift for healing. So she was even better than Seth at being the apprentice.