by Lynn Landes
Fire ripples beneath her scales rushing under her skin and swirling over and around her body. She cocks her head and grins baring rows of sharp teeth, but in her beautiful eyes he recognizes a challenge. Syrran tosses his bow and it disappears in a puff of magic.
“Lilliana, what is the meaning of this?” She leans back her head pooling her fire and blows a circle of flame, completely surrounding them. A river of steam hisses out as the snow is singed from the earth.
Lilliana shifts to her elf body in a mist of steam and stares at her fated mate. Love fills her eyes as she speaks. “Tonight we will see if you are ready to walk in the Firelands of a dragon’s soul.”
Desire strikes hard as he stares at her naked form. “You are for me, Lilliana. No test will change that.”
“Be sure, my love. I am no longer, simply elf or mate. I am more. The first of a new species. When you claim me we will become one. Are you ready for what that means?” Holding up a hand she stops him from speaking. “See before you answer me.” She steps forward and presses her naked body to his and seizes his mind. Syrran sees fire. Burning, bubbling, liquid fire. It boils in the center of the earth and the ground beneath his feet opens, sucking him towards the core.
Lilliana stands stunned in the center of the fire ring. He wasn’t supposed to disappear, only see! “Syrran?” she gasps in horror.
Syrran screams as the clothes from his body are burned to ashes in an instant. His skin begins to melt and he hears the earth’s demand. “She is for me!” He roars and he holds up a hand in front of his face as his bones sift to nothing leaving only his souls light. “She is for me!” His soul rages and begins to push its way back upwards through the earth to his love.
Lilliana drops to the ground screaming his name. When she feels it she is stunned. The pressure of a new song builds and demands that she set him free. Tears falling she sings and she can feel it, the presence of new life clawing its way free from the womb of the earth.
Syrran digs and climbs, pushing, refusing to give up. The instant the first note is sung, the fire snuffs out surrounding him in inky darkness. One moment he is in agony and the next he seems to be floating in a cool, soothing void. In the distance a bright dot forms and grows as it shoots towards him. It strikes him in the center of his being and detonates. It explodes bursting out from his body and begins to take shape around him.
Syrran rotates and massive black wings burst from his back. His body shifts and the dragon is formed around the man, both are painted by stars from the heavens. Glancing down at his new body, he finally understands.
Nodding, he smiles, “I am for her.”
Once in ages too far gone to remember Lilliana would sing. Tunes and melodies laced with magic and her voice would call to them; the ancient beasts.
Deep inside the earth the newly formed dragon hears the melody and begins spinning forming a shooting star around his body. Obsidian scales snap to the celestial shape of his dragon body, leaving a black void between each. His golden eyes shine with triumph as the bottom of each wing is painted white flowing down his belly from the bottom of his jaw down the front of each leg in the identical snow color.
As a reward, Syrran is gifted with the images of star constellations floating beneath his skin and scales. The horns on the top of his head resemble a beautiful inky crown and he roars with joy. He builds the pressure beneath his body and fires towards the sound of freedom. When he breaks free of the earths transforming embrace, he explodes from below in flying dirt and rocks from his passage to the starry night sky.
Lilliana crouches on the ground, leaping away at the last moment when the earth beneath her feet vibrates, warning her of what is coming. The ground cracks open releasing its creation.
Syrran leaps towards the sky, desperate to breathe the free air and stretch his newborn wings.
Lilliana shifts to her dragon and leaps after him watching from a distance as he soars across the sky.
Desperate to be close to him she follows at a safe distance, afraid that he will hate her for what he has become. Syrran spins and catches her scent, his mate! A growl rips from his bared teeth and he sails across the sky, spinning on his tail, the chase is on!
She retreats back towards the cabin, afraid that he has been pushed too far and she is desperate to protect Brynley. She almost makes it back to the clearing when he grabs her tail. They snap and claw at each other for a moment and he struggles with the new found beast inside of the man.
‘You are for me,’ she whispers to his mind and shifts to her human form. She plummets towards the rocky earth below.
Surprised, Syrran dives after her and catches her falling body, shifting just before they strike the ground. They are back in the middle of the flames and he is laughing and kissing her, ignoring the tears pouring down her cheeks.
“I’m sorry,” she covers his mouth to stop him and she weeps for what they have become.
“Sorry? Lilliana don’t be ridiculous!” He snaps and grabs her by her upper arms. Giving a little shake he growls in frustration.
“I see what you do not, Syrran! We will never be free now. If we are discovered, when we are discovered…”
Giving another shake to her, “Let them come! They will not find you alone this time.”
“I love that you want to protect me and you think that you can. I see…”
“I see it too, Lilliana. I see the darkness that threatens anything new when greed and envy lust for them. We will not be the only, nor the last of this new species.”
He stands up and waves a hand snuffing out the fire around them. Holding out a hand to her he grasps it and pulls her up into his arms. “I saw fire, Lilliana. The fire that burns inside of you, is not the same for me. We are born to bring peace and balance when it is needed. Until then we will live, love, and dream together. No more running my love.”
Lilliana grabs his face and stares into his eyes and gasps in awe. They are lit inside with a thousand stars and he smiles as he claims his bride.
“Fly with me?” She asks and steps back shifting to dragon she roars with a leap into the night air.
Syrran follows her lead to the tops of the rocky mountain faces around them, they twist and spin through the snowy night sky dancing together. Finally, the Dragon Singer is free.
Epilogue
Brynley watches grandpa sip his tea while she sits in her new playhouse in the garden. Farley rests at Edward’s feet and she smiles. It has been three months since the houses were complete. Nienna and Gage are living in the main cabin. Syrran and Lilliana built a house on the side of one of the mountains overlooking them. Francesca and Daniel built a few miles away near the river. Using their magic they were able to quickly settle in and begin the process of healing.
Humming softly Brynley watches as grandpa’s eyes grow heavy and within moments he is snoring in his chair with Farley at his feet. Clapping her hands she knows she doesn’t have much time before Lilliana shows up for her lessons. Turning to the door of her play house she waves her hands and draws glyphs over the door as she has seen Syrran do anytime he needs to travel.
The door frame begins to glow and she giggles with glee. Stepping into the light she doesn’t hesitate. Brynley can feel his misery and she won’t wait any longer. Chewing on her bottom lip she stares at the stables in front of her.
Nyx steps through the door carrying a massive basket of fish. Iago follows her slowly outside. His wings are drooping on the ground showing a broken spirit. Bones show through his wrinkled skin and matted fur.
“Still can’t get him to eat?” A male elf asks.
“No, I can only get him to eat a few bites and then he refuses. I’ve tried everything, fruits, vegetables, even fish. It doesn’t make any sense. He is perfectly healthy now. All of his injuries have healed up.”
Walking over to the great beast the male elf waits for him to sit and pets his head. “At least physically. He will come around. Leave the fish for him. Maybe he will eat if we give him time. Let’s go t
o breakfast before we get to work. We can check on him after lunch.”
Nyx frowns looking at him, “Okay. Bye Iago.” She waves and they hurry off leaving Brynley alone with him.
Brynley giggles and runs from her hiding spot across the field. Curls bouncing in the golden sunlight she races towards her friend laughing when his head snaps up. He screeches leaping from the ground and spreads his massive wings. Brynley launches herself at his chest, laughing and crying at the same time.
“Oh, Iago. I missed you so.” Iago drops his head and nudges her, eyeing her he paws at the ground and Brynley wipes her tears and whispers, “We have to hurry!”
Iago stares at her and nods his massive head. He gulps down as many of the fish as he can while Brynley watches for company. “Are you ready?” Iago nods his head and follows her as she runs across the field back to her hiding spot. Waving a hand she draws the glyph on the side of a tree and the bright light shines. “Let’s go home, Iago.” Iago leans down so she can climb on his back and leaps through the gate trusting her to guide them.
Lilliana and Syrran feel the magic the moment Brynley draws the glyph, but they are too late. When they arrive in the back yard, they find Edward and Farley under a sleeping spell. “I can’t find her, Syrran?”
“I don’t feel her near. Where could she have gone?” he demands searching the area.
Lilliana is about to call Nienna when they feel the flare of the magic on the air again. Brynley squeals and they watch in shock as she explodes through the playset door on the back of a very thin Griffin.
Iago is so happy to be with Brynley that he soars up in the air and around the house before she convinces him to land in a clearing near the river. She leaps from his back and watches happily as he jumps into the cold water to drink and hunt for fresh fish.
“That’s right. Eat. You are safe now.” Satisfied she turns and watches as Lilliana and Syrran burst through the trees.
“How did you… Why did you…What were you thinking?” Lilliana demands.
Brynley tears up and turns away from her. “Iago needs me.”
They look at each other and then at the frail beast playing in the water. He tires out quickly, stepping from the river, they notice his condition.
“I could hear him,” she points to her heart, “I tried to ignore it, but I couldn’t let him just die.”
“No you couldn’t, but next time ask for our help.” Syrran pets Iago and covers him with a massive blanket he conjures.
Brynley sits between his paws and his massive chest rumbles with a contented purr. “You are not alone anymore,” she murmurs rubbing his chest.
“Family helps family, Brynley. We will clean up all traces of your magic. Promise me that you won’t do this again.” Lilliana pleads but her voice falls on deaf ears.
“She’s asleep, love.” Syrran sighs.
“What are we going to do about this?” Lilliana whispers staring at the unlikely pair.
Syrran pulls her to his side. “We are going to help him heal.”
“Can you imagine Edwards face when he wakes up?” Lilliana asks with a giggle.
“No more than Nienna’s and Gage. I’ll call them and you call Francesca and Daniel.” He teases.
“Exactly! They can help and it will take all of us to raise her without alerting the world to our presence.” Smiling, her heart sighs as she looks at them sleeping contently together.
“One day soon we will have to face that Brynley is unique to herself. If we are lucky, we will learn together just what it means to be a Soul Singer. Until then let them rest and watch over each other.”
The End.
Before you go!
If you enjoyed this title
You might want to check out
Another book by Lynn:
The Angels Covenant
About the Author
Lynn Landes is the author and independent publisher of multiple fantasy books in all age brackets. Her stories span the spectrum of Romantic Fiction from paranormal, romantic suspense to Christian fantasy including the best-selling Covenant Series.
Educated as a teacher Lynn never lost her love for literature and began writing at an early age. Poetry, short stories and fiction. She regularly can be found in the car rider line at her children’s school writing on receipts, napkins or whatever scraps are at the bottom of her purse. A Virginia girl at heart, she lives with her husband and three children in South Carolina, where she is currently studying Dragon Script with her seven year old daughter.
