by Tamsin Baker
“Tattiena!” Leo screamed as he fought off those still coming at them.
Paneer grabbed the princess around the middle and hoisted her up into his arms.
“Cover me,” he said as he carried Tattiena towards the wall.
Nakeeri ran with him. Taking out one soldier, and then another as they came at Paneer. Her arms ached, blood cascaded from her sword, but she kept going.
The door was hidden behind shrubbery which she pushed back and opened the door.
“Go!” she yelled at the male dragon rider.
With Tattiena in his arms, Paneer didn’t stop. Metal clanged and blood spilled on the ground. Leo made it to them in one piece and he took to the tunnel. There was only the two of them left. Her captain of the guard, and herself.
“Kalvis! Come on!”
There was only a few of them left and as Kalvis twirled and fought like the warrior he was, the dragon rider inside of her sung for it had found its mate.
A soldier came at Kalvis’s back.
“No!”
She ran forward and lifted the sword he’d given her from her belt, throwing it with all her strength.
It landed in its target, the head of her victim.
Kalvis ran to her. The king, the only one still standing, screaming at them.
“No! you may not leave! You may never leave!”
Nakeeri pulled Kalvis inside the tunnel and together they pushed the heavy door back into place. It would be hard to move, but not impossible. They needed to get to the dragons straight away.
“Let’s go.”
They ran the length of the tunnel, adrenaline pumping along their veins.
When they reached her cave, only Lordip was there.
“He can carry three if he must. No more.”
Kalvis gripped his sword. “Take the prince and princess. We stay and fight.”
There was a cry in the distance and they all looked towards the horizon. A large dragon was headed their way.
“Nar… goya.” Tattiena said weakly, pointing towards the sunset.
Her dragon, feeling her rider’s pain, had come for her.
But where was Teramessi?
“Where is my dragon?”
She looked between them all and no one answered her. Paneer got up on Lordip’s back, passing Tattiena to Leo.
“Nakeeri, quick. You too Kalvis. Get up here. Nargoya will want to take her own riders.”
Kalvis grabbed her and pushed her towards Lordip.
“But where’s my…”
He threw her up onto Lordip’s back just as Nargoya landed, her firey breath blowing out towards the entrance to the tunnel.
Heat fanned Nakeeri’s face. Kalvis helped Leo get up onto Nargoya with Tattiena, who was barely conscious in his arms.
“Let’s go.”
Nargoya sent another burst of flames at the tunnel, and then launched up into the air.
Kalvis jumped up behind Nakeeri and grabbed her hard around the waist.
“Let’s go.”
She wrapped her arms around Paneer and the massive body of Lordip launched into the air.
“Where is she?” Nakeeri whispered against Paneer, her heart pounding with pain and grief.
Where was her beautiful girl? Her lifelong friend? The one being on Limea who loved her.
She would be here if she could.
Was she dead?
The tears gathered and ran down her face.
Kalvis’s hands tightened on her as her body shook. “She’s still alive. Teramessi is alive.”
The words reached her but her mind had gone cold. The tears kept flowing and didn’t stop until well after she was curled up next to her bloodied and beaten dragon. Safe in Gregorick once more.
****
Kalvis walked the halls of the castle outside Mia’s rooms. The royal healer had a job on her hands tonight saving the princess.
“Is my daughter alright?” the king asked as he came running down the hall.
Kalvis held up his hands in supplication. “I don’t know. Mia is working on her now.”
The king’s mouth trembled and then his whole face hardened.
“How did this happen?”
“We went to rescue Nakeeri. And Tattiena was injured while we fought our way out of the castle of Tumurk.”
“Didn’t they know who she was?” he asked, the king’s face one of shock.
Kalvis nodded slowly, knowing that his next words may cause a war he didn’t want to fight, though the man deserved it.
“Yes, sire. They didn’t care. The king is crazy.”
The king before him trembled with rage, his hands curling into tight fists.
“We have three dragons do we not? Would they mount an attack on Tumurk?”
Kalvis was relieved that his king was not thinking of sending his soldiers halfway around Limea to fight a kingdom they didn’t want anything from, except revenge. It was one of the many reasons Gregorick was a good king. He didn’t covet anything from anyone else. So the kingdom was always strong, and protected, and whole.
“Teramessi is badly injured and cannot fly. But yes, Lordip and Nargoya may want to launch an attack on Tumurk after what they suffered today.”
The king paced, his eyes straying to the door of the sick bay.
“What are your thoughts, Kalvis?”
“Me, sire?”
He nodded. “Yes. You know I trust you, and as a true mate of a dragon rider you must have the heart of a prince.”
Kalvis didn’t know what to say, and turned away to stare down the long corridor for a moment. His thoughts scrambled, then re-assembled. He turned back to the king.
“Their kingdom is old, and sick, and weak, sire. They have nothing we need. The five of us decimated most of their army. The only people left are the poor.”
The king nodded once. “Thank you, Kalvis.”
The door swung open and Mia stepped out.
“How is she?” The king managed to say before Kalvis could speak.
“She’s weak, but she’ll live. The blade sliced some important blood vessels which will make using her right arm a problem for a while. But she should fully recover.”
The king shook the healer’s hand and walked past her and into the room.
Kalvis nodded at her. “Thank you, Mia. I better get back to the stables.”
“Yes. I heard it was quite a battle.”
Five people against an army? Yes, it had been.
“It was. Thankfully Tattiena will be alright.” Trading Tattiena’s life for Nakeeri’s wasn’t something he could handle weighing on his conscience. He would never have forgiven himself.
“How is Nakeeri?” Mia asked.
“I don’t know.”
When they’d landed she’d gone straight to Teramessi, and he’d focused on helping with Tattiena. In truth, he was half afraid of how Nakeeri would handle Teramessi’s injuries. Guilt was a horrible beast.
“Would you like me to come and see her? Is she hurt?” Mia asked, which was kind of her as she was reserved only for members of the royal family.
“She has some small wounds, but nothing for you Mia. Mostly, it’s mental, I think.”
“Well, the offer is there,” she said with a small smile.
“Thank you.”
Kalvis bowed himself out and made his way to the stable, where he found his beautiful warrior woman still nestled into her dragon.
Teramessi seemed to be doing better. Her breathing was steady and there was a calmness to the dragon handlers that boded well. She lay sleeping in the heat of the closed in barn.
He walked up next to the dragon and reached for Nakeeri. “Come on, beautiful. Let’s change you and get you into bed.”
“I want to stay with her.” Nakeeri protested as he tried to pull her up off the ground. She didn’t even open her eyes.
He knew the signs of depression and wouldn’t lose Nakeeri to the monster. Life was for living, and even on these terrible days, there were things worth gettin
g up for.
“You’re getting dirt and blood all over her clean bandages,” he said, hoping to rouse Nakeeri from her slumber.
Nakeeri twisted around and stared down at the mess she was making.
“Oh.” She was blinking hard with her eyes wide open, but didn’t seem to know what to do about it.
“Come with me and don’t worry. She’ll be okay. She’s not alone.”
Lordip wandered over and lay down next to Teramessi, his long snout touching the top of her head.
Seeing that her dragon was well cared for, Nakeeri finally stood up and let Kalvis drag her into the apartments.
He stripped her soiled clothes from her body and turned the hot water on.
“Can I join you?”
She nodded, her eyes downcast. Her body shivered as though cold. She was smeared with blood and grime. Memories of the past day that she surely didn’t need.
Kalvis removed his own bloodied clothes and tugged her into the shower with him.
He closed the door to keep the heat in and poured some soap into his hands.
She wasn’t moving, so he set about cleaning her like he would a child. She stood still, not responding to his gentle touch at all as he scrubbed her back, her belly, her breasts.
She tilted her head back beneath the spray and he washed her hair, careful not to irritate where she was hurt.
Her neck and her face had bruises that he hadn’t seen before, and her wrists were a mess. Anger bubbled up and he released it as fast as it sprouted. He couldn’t spend tonight being angry at those that did this to her. He needed to focus on bring his dragon warrior back to the land of the living.
When Nakeeri was done with the shower, he jumped beneath the spray and scrubbed himself as quickly as he could.
His muscles ached, stiffness settling into the scars of old. Especially the injuries he’d sustained last year against the barbarians.
He owed Tattiena his life, and he hated that she’d almost lost hers today for a cause of his.
“Let’s tuck you into bed, beautiful.”
Nakeeri nodded her head, but didn’t speak, her eyes cast down to the ground. He rubbed her down with the towel and paid special attention to her long hair.
She swayed on her feet.
He guided her towards the bedrooms that they’d made love in only a few days ago and pulled back the sheets on the bed. He pushed her softly down on the mattress and covered her up.
She was thinner than he remembered, though that could be more her appearance of fragility rather than her actual physicality. He didn’t want to leave her, but thought it best to go into the next room.
As he turned to leave, her arm snaked out and grabbed his wrist.
“Stay.”
His heart ached for her. “Of course, I will. If you want me to.”
She didn’t answer, only curled up on her side, making herself smaller than before.
He walked around the other side of the bed, climbed in and pressed his body against hers.
She shivered in his arms and he held her tighter to his chest.
“I’m glad you’re finally home again,” he whispered into her ear.
She sobbed in response.
“Hey, hey. What’s this? Your dragon is going to be fine. Tattiena is going to be all right too. What’s wrong?”
“I just…” She lost her battle to speak and continued to sob. Heart wrenching, belly churning sobs that tore at his heart.
He pulled at her shoulders and turned her around so that she was facing him.
“What is it? Which part? Tell me so I can help you fix it.”
But it was no use talking to her. She just cried and cried and all he could do was hold her as she sobbed. She went on for longer than he thought one person could cry and eventually passed out on his chest.
Whatever it was, he was sure they could overcome it. As long as no one died. That was not something you could come back from.
Chapter 11.
Her father… her father… he was her father.
Those words ran around Nakeeri’s mind like the litany of a crazy person. Of everything that had happened yesterday, that had been the greatest blow.
She came awake with a pounding headache, sore shoulders and a hot, male body pressed against hers.
Nakeeri flinched then twisted sharply, her pounding heart settling down the moment she knew it was Kalvis.
Oh, thank the Goddess for that.
He was still asleep so she settled back against the pillows and tried to settle her racing heart.
She’d never woken up with a man wrapped around her.
Never.
It would have been comforting, if she hadn’t been so terrified. He still slept, his battle-scarred body at peace in the soft bed.
A smile curved her lips as she observed him. Her mate. The man she was meant to be with.
Her heart recognised him as such, as did that area, deep within her body.
But how would he accept her knowing what she’d done? What she’d admitted to yesterday.
Bile tasted in the back of her mouth.
He was an honoured warrior. The captain of the guard in the richest kingdom on Limea. He deserved better than her.
She pulled back the blankets and carefully climbed out of the soft, warm bed.
Her clothes were ruined, not that it mattered. She never again wanted to wear the clothes she had been made a prisoner in.
In the wardrobe hung the dress she’d been given by Tattiena, yet she felt unworthy of such royal finery.
She crept around the room, hearing the morning noises as the stable hands stirred.
She checked the other side of the wardrobe and found some loose fitting tops and pants. Clearly made for a man, but clean.
Perfect.
She slipped them on over her nakedness. Her clean body. Gratitude flowed through her for the man who had looked after her so gently last night.
Never had she been looked after in such a way.
A part of her hated her weakness for liking such things. The warmth of a bed, the comfort of a hot body. How would she go back to living in a cave after this?
No. She couldn’t go back to a cave. And certainly not her cave.
She’d never do back to that kingdom. Never.
If Tattiena would forgive her, perhaps she would be permitted to stay.
Teramessi and she could work to earn their keep, she was sure she could find her place in a kingdom which seemed to have a place for everyone.
If not. There were other kingdoms who would take in a dragon and its rider. Surely.
Teramessi!
She ran from the room and went straight into the nursery, where Nargoya and her infants were playing.
“Where is she?” she practically screamed at the dragon.
The men hurried over to her. “She’s outside. She wanted to walk. Lordip is with her.”
Nakeeri ran outside and skidded to a stop. There she was. A sob escaped her lips and she covered her mouth with her hand.
Teramessi was stretching out her wings, letting the air heal her body. She limped. She was in pain. But she was moving.
Nakeeri ran for her dragon, who instantly dropped her head to be petted.
“Oh, my beautiful one. I’m so glad you’re safe.”
Paneer appeared from behind Lordip. Nakeeri looked at him through mist-filled eyes while she wrapped her arms around Teramessi’s neck.
“What happened?” she asked him.
Paneer stepped closer. “We don’t really know. She flew here a day after you left. Yesterday. She was alone and bleeding from wounds inflicted on her chest and her legs. The men patched her up well, but we didn’t know what had happened to you, so we came for you.”
Another sob rose and she swallowed it down. So much pain and suffering over.
“I should never have come here, Paneer. I should have stayed in my cave for all time.”
He tutted at her. “Don’t be ridiculous. Your mistake was leaving he
re. You should have just told that king to go to hell, and hidden here where he would never have found you.”
“But I’d promised to always…”
He sighed. “Yes I know. And an oath, is an oath. Especially one made when we are young and don’t know the evil that there is in this world.”
She swiped at the tears and pressed her forehead against Teramessi’s cheek.
“Very true.”
Teramessi snorted a little, a warning. Nakeeri jumped back, looking for the problem.
“I think she needs to lie down again,” Paneer said and he was indeed right.
Teramessi limped inside and curled up into a ball on the soft hay the stable hands had laid for her.
They all walked inside, Lordip protectively curling around the other injured dragon.
“Tattiena has been talking about extending the barn for all three dragons to have their own space. What are your thoughts?”
She knew the question was one to fish out her feelings on staying, and as she sat down on one of the many chairs, she sighed.
“Whatever the princess wants, I will pay. I owe her so much.”
“Tattiena will not like that response. She wants you to stay only if you wish it yourself. She won’t have you beholden to her in any way.”
“No. None of us will.” Kalvis’s husky voice came out from around the corner where he carried a tray of steaming hot drinks.
“Here. You need to eat.”
She took one of the cups and drank some of the chunky soup. Paneer took one also.
“Thank you.”
They drank and ate in silence as the dragons moved around the barn and the handlers cared for them, bringing them food and water. They closed in the normally open barn for warmth for Teramessi.
“I think I will go and check on Leo this morning. I’m sure he’s had no sleep overnight.” Paneer bowed to them both and backed away.
Smart man.
“So, what are you thinking of doing now, Nakeeri? I know that you said you wanted to stay in Gregorick, but that was before you were chained up and threatened with death.”
She choked on a laugh. What a horrible day she’d had yesterday.
“I’d still like to stay, if the king and princess will have me. I will understand if they don’t want a person like me around their perfect town.”
