by Rinelle Grey
The Trima life dragon stood in the middle of the clearing, waiting impatiently, her disdain for them obvious, but Lyrian had to be sure.
Everything hinged on this. Everything hinged on what Sarian had to say.
She felt guilty for hoping that her sister was, in fact, in love with Ultrima. She wanted her sister to mate for love, but she couldn’t help suspecting Sarian would say whatever it took to prevent a war.
Lyrian wanted to prevent a war too, but not if it meant her sister mating a dragon she didn’t love. Someone who, if what her clan had always believed was true, was willing to force her to mate with him, whether she wanted him or not.
For the first time, a sliver of doubt surrounded that story. Was it possible that it hadn’t been true?
She wasn’t going to find an answer to her questions out here. The only way to ever truly know if Sarian cared for Ultrima or not was to wake her and ask her. Which is exactly what they planned to do.
“It’s clear,” Taurian said, stepping out into the clearing next to the mountain.
Lyrian followed him, staring up at the mountain towering above her. Sarian’s Mesmer chamber was at the very top. Only accessible by dragons. This had kept her sister safe from humans all these years, but it would now also make it hard for them to get a human up there to wake her.
But a human was still their best choice.
She could, of course, wake their sister herself. If she were sure of her sister’s love for the Trima clan leader, she wouldn’t hesitate. It would take her longer to recover completely without sex to speed her recovery, but it would remove any discomfort over feeling attraction to someone else.
But if her sister were not in love with Ultrima, then who knew how Latrima would react. It could be imperative Sarian reach full strength as quickly as possible.
Because Lyrian would never allow her sister to mate with someone out of obligation. If her sister didn’t care for Ultrima, or even if she had but his actions had caused her to change her mind, then there was a good possibility it would mean war with the Trima clan.
War with the life dragon who stood next to them.
Lyrian’s heart thudded in her chest as she shucked her clothes and transformed. “Come, it is time,” she told Raven, who waited in the trees.
Beside her, Latrima changed as well, as did Taurian. He’d refused not to be present at this meeting, and Lyrian was glad of his company. Glad she wasn’t doing this alone.
Raven looked as nervous as she felt. She could feel his hands shaking as he climbed onto her back, and she hoped he kept a firm grip. She would fly as carefully as she could, but she would feel awful if he fell.
Silently, the three dragons lifted into the air, circling the mountain as they rose up its steep sides. Lyrian couldn’t help glancing towards the Trima lair in the distance, even though she could see no signs of dragons at this distance.
She was so distracted, she almost missed the cave entrance. It was small, the ledge outside only just big enough for one dragon to land at a time. Taurian hovered above it, waiting for her to land first.
Lyrian set down on the ledge and waited for Raven to slip off her back. He turned his head away as she transformed back to her human form, and stepped, naked, into the mouth of the cave.
Raven handed her her clothes, keeping his face averted. Lyrian hoped he wasn’t as prudish if he had to mate with Sarian. He was a rock singer. Weren’t they supposed to be far bolder than this? The ones she’d seen on the television at Henry’s had certainly seemed more daring.
Latrima followed close behind her, and for some reason, Raven wasn’t anywhere near as prudish about looking at her. Lyrian saw the admiring look he shot the pale Trima life dragon as she transformed and reached for her clothes.
Taurian followed close behind.
Once all of them were dressed, they hurried down the dark, rocky passage way. Taurian created a ball of fire that hovered just ahead of him, probably for the human, as dragon eyes could cope with the half darkness in the passage.
The wooden door, inscribed with storm clouds and lightning bolts, loomed out of the darkness, the firelight flickering over it. Taurian stepped forward, and inserted their sister’s medallion, turning it.
No one said anything as the doors slid open.
Lyrian held her breath, half afraid, for a moment, that her sister wouldn’t be here. That somehow, someone had found and woken her years ago, as they had Lyrian.
But her fears were unfounded. Sarian lay on the raised stone bench, her silver hair spilling out around her, her pale white tunic almost glowing in the darkness.
This was the moment of truth.
What would her sister say when they woke her?
Raven gave a gasp, and didn’t even look back as he walked towards Sarian, as though mesmerised. Lyrian watched silently as he laid his hand on Sarian’s belly.
Her sister’s eyes flickered open, and she looked up at Raven with a frown.
“Who are you?” she demanded.
Raven looked confused, and glanced back towards Lyrian and the others. It took her a few moments to realise that he didn’t understand her sister’s words, spoken in a heavy old English accent.
Lyrian stepped forwards. “We are here, sister.”
Taurian was only a step behind her. “It is good to see you again.”
Sarian’s eyes met theirs, and Lyrian saw a steely determination. “Give me an update.”
Her hand reached for Raven’s, and clasped it, but she otherwise didn’t look at him. Lyrian wondered if that was a sign that she loved Ultrima, and resented the pull to the human, or just that she was focused on her tasks as a princess.
Lyrian hesitated. There was so much to tell her, so much news and change, but the reality was, it would take Sarian time to take it all in. Time they didn’t have.
Latrima was already stepping forwards, opening her mouth to speak, to demand an answer to her question.
Lyrian jumped in before she could. “There is much tell you, Sarian, but first, we need to ask you a question.”
Taurian put his hand on her shoulder, offering his support, but didn’t speak. He and Verrian had seemed to think she should be the one to speak to their sister, as though she were closer to her than they were.
Sarian frowned, as though she already knew something was going on. She stared at Latrima with narrowed eyes, then back at Lyrian and Taurian. “What is it?”
Lyrian hesitated. It seemed almost foolish to ask. Surely if Sarian loved Ultrima, she would have said something before they had fought with him? Before they had been injured and entered the Mesmer sleep.
But she had to know. Had to hear the answer from her sister’s lips.
So she took a deep breath, and said, “Do you love Ultrima?”
Sarian stared back at Lyrian, a multitude of expression flashing across her face. Lyrian tried to read them, tried to guess if any of them indicated that Sarian did care for Ultrima, but mostly she saw disorientation and confusion.
She stared at Latrima, and her confusion only grew.
Lyrian could only imagine how hard it must be for her, waking into this situation. It was obvious things had changed in a way she couldn’t even begin to understand.
Lyrian felt bad about pressing her, but she could feel Latrima’s eyes boring into her back. If she didn’t, the Trima dragon would. “Do you love Ultrima?” Lyrian asked again, reaching forwards to lay her hand on Sarian’s arm. “We need an answer. An honest one.”
Sarian’s eyes met hers, and Lyrian could see pain in them. Sadness.
Then they hardened. Her sister lifted her head and looked Lyrian straight in the eye. “Ultrima is our enemy. I hate him.”
Chapter 45
Brad wasn’t too happy to be sent back to the room with Ultrima, but at least they took the lightning dragon away this time. Brad wondered what he’d think of Barry the lawyer.
He wondered what Barry would think of him.
Could anything come of this idea of repr
esenting him too? Could anything come of the truce the Rian dragons had been trying to form with the Trima dragons? Did any of it matter, when the police were out there hunting for Lyrian?
Brad heaved a sigh. He felt so helpless here. Even more helpless than he had out there with Lyrian, not knowing what to do when dragons were chasing them.
In retrospect, he’d been able to do quite a lot to help then. Driving cars as they ran away from dragons, shooting at them.
In here, he could do nothing. Nothing except talk.
Maybe that would help at some point in the future. Brad slumped down on the stretcher, exhaustion overtaking him. How long had it been since he’d slept, really slept? He’d lost count of the days. Probably not since he’d come to Australia.
He gave a short laugh. Nate looked at him, but didn’t ask what was funny, only gave a wry smile. His twin brother got it without him even having to say it.
Brad wondered if Ultrima would be gone long enough for him to get some sleep, but he doubted it.
He was right. Ultrima was back not long after. He couldn’t have been gone more than twenty minutes. Well, Barry probably didn’t have as much to say to him.
Brad wondered, though, if Ultrima was interested in the lawyer’s offer of help. Or did the Trima dragon have some plan of his own? He’d have to have, wouldn’t he, to have given himself up to the police like that?
The lightning dragon didn’t say anything as the woman returned him to the room and locked the door behind him. He walked back to the stretcher and sat down, leaning back against the wall and closing his eyes.
It occurred to Brad that perhaps he was tired too.
It was strange, to be feeling sympathy for his enemy. A little uncomfortable.
But really, the Trima dragon wasn’t in a much better position than they were. Sure, he could probably bust his way out of here, but it wouldn’t help any more than Barry getting Brad off any charges would. Their clans would still be in trouble, and somehow, that was far worse than any personal issues.
“Did you ask your legal man to speak to me?”
Was it Brad’s imagination, or was Ultrima’s voice a little quieter this time, more respectful?
“It wasn’t my idea, no. Someone back at the clan suggested it. Lisa, I think.” Ultrima had met Lisa, he’d saved her life in fact. Maybe the Trima dragon would think this was her repaying the debt.
Somehow, he wasn’t sure if it was a good plan to tell Ultrima that his life dragon was working with them to wake the princess and ask if she really loved him. He suspected that wouldn’t go over well.
Ultrima raised an eyebrow. “Lisa? She wanted to help me? After I made her mate promise never to see her again? Somehow I find that hard to believe.”
That’s right, Ultrima didn’t know Latrima had rescinded that deal either. Brad hid a wince. “Maybe she’s hoping that you’d release him in gratitude?”
The Trima leader’s eyes narrowed. “What is going on? Tell me the truth, human. Or you may not live to regret it.”
Brad swallowed, then took a deep breath, trying not to give into the fear. Any connection he’d felt to the Trima dragon after their chats earlier dissipated. He and Nate were locked in a room with the irritated lightning dragon, angering him probably wasn’t the best plan. Maybe he should have just kept quiet.
But Nate was watching him, a trusting smile on his face. His brother didn’t seem worried at all. He seemed confident that Brad could deal with the Trima dragon.
Brad straightened his shoulders. He was a Rian prince. He could do this. Even if he did have no idea how.
Inspiration hit him as he thought of all the dragons needed to accomplish.
“Look, you’ve seen all those humans out there. They’re scared, and I probably don’t have to tell you that when humans are scared, they can be just as dangerous as dragons. I figure if we want to keep the clans safe, and find a place for them in this world, then we need to show them a united front. If they see us constantly attacking each other, then they’re going to see us as warlike and dangerous. I’m sure you don’t want that any more than we do.”
Ultrima was still frowning, but his expression seemed a little less angry now. “Are you suggesting a truce?”
“It seems like it could be a good idea. At least until we get out of here and get these humans off our back. The enemy of my enemy is my friend and all that.”
Brad held his breath, wondering if there was any hope the dragon would agree with them. The possibility seemed too good to be true, but then again, the Trima dragon hadn’t blasted him yet.
Ultrima raised an eyebrow. “You’re not even a dragon. Why do you think Rian clan would agree to a truce, even if you managed to convince me it was worth my while?”
Brad hesitated, torn between using his credentials to add weight to his offer, and keeping his mate a secret to protect her.
But he knew that Lyrian wouldn’t hesitate. She’d put her life on the line if she thought it would keep her clan safe.
Could he do any less?
He took a deep breath. “I’m mated to Princess Lyrian.”
One of Ultrima’s eyebrows shot up. “Rian clan has managed to wake another dragon? Trima clan must be shirking their duties in my absence.”
Brad hesitated. Was it possible the Trima dragon had an inkling that things had been going on behind his back? Latrima was only trying to help him achieve his aim, but it was possible he might object, if he knew the truth.
But his story, at least, didn’t incriminate his clan. “Actually, my uncle woke Lyrian a year ago by accident. Up until last week, she has been searching for her clan. I helped her find them.”
“And she mated you because of her undying gratitude?” Ultrima’s mind voice sounded amused. Teasing, if a dragon could be teasing.
“That, or because she loved me. One or the other.”
As soon as the quip was out of his mouth, Brad wished he could take it back. What was he doing, joking with a dragon?
But Ultrima actually let out a laugh. “I like you,” he proclaimed. “If your lawyer is smart enough to get us out of here, I might just agree to work with you. For the good of both our clans, of course.”
Brad stared at him, finding his words hard to take in. Had Ultrima just agreed to a truce with Rian clan? Because of something he said?
Or was the lightning dragon just wanting to get closer to Rian clan, so he could find a way to talk to Lyrian’s sister? To pressure her again?
“See,” Nate said into his mind. “I knew you could do it.”
Brad was glad his brother had had confidence in him, because he certainly hadn’t.
He had no idea what he was doing. He was feeling his way in the dark by guess and intuition. It was hard to stride confidently when he was sure that at any minute he was going to smash his knee on a jagged rock and fall.
But inching along in the dark wasn’t going to get them out of this.
Chapter 46
Lyrian swallowed. She thought she’d been prepared for her sister’s words. Would even have said she had expected them. But the way her stomach dropped when her sister was so vehement in her hatred for Ultrima indicated otherwise.
Deep down, she’d begun to believe Latrima’s words. Believe that her sister did feel something for the former Rian dragon. They’d made a kind of sense that this war within her clan never had.
And with one sentence, Sarian threw away any chance they had at a truce with Trima clan and threw them back into chaos. She glanced over at Taurian, watching from behind Latrima, and met his eyes. They showed as much concern as she felt.
Latrima was similarly concerned. She frowned, her lips a thin line, and Sarian stared from the life dragon, to her sister.
“What is going on?” Sarian demanded. “Who is that dragon and what is she doing here?”
It was time for the explanations, now that they wouldn’t affect her sister’s answer. “This is Latrima, a life dragon from the Trima clan. She agreed to let us wake you,
so long as she could be present and hear your answer to my question from your own lips.”
Sarian’s frown didn’t lift. Nor did Latrima’s. The two dragons glared at each other for several minutes.
“Since when did Trima clan have a life dragon?” Sarian demanded into Lyrian’s mind. Lyrian felt the echo of her question in their brother’s mind.
Her sister’s voice was weak, her magic still drained from the long Mesmer sleep. Lyrian needed to get her some privacy, so she could complete the ritual and regain her full strength. They were going to need it.
They were going to need all the help they could get.
But she wasn’t sure how she was going to convince the Trima life dragon to leave and give her sister that time. She wasn’t sure how Latrima was going to react to this at all. Thus far, she hadn’t attacked, but Lyrian didn’t trust that she wouldn’t yet.
Despite that, she couldn’t help feeling some sympathy for Latrima. The Trima life dragon had pinned everything on the belief that Sarian and Ultrima were in love. She’d broken Ultrima’s deals, and even offered Rian clan a peace treaty without any backing from her leader, all because she thought he was going to be happy when Sarian declared her love.
Now she was going to have to explain all that to her leader when he returned.
Lyrian winced. That would not be fun at all.
None of that showed on Latrima’s face though, it was impassive and emotionless.
Taurian’s voice echoed in Lyrian’s mind as he responded to their sister’s question. “It’s a long story sister, but the truth is, you’ve been asleep for three hundred years. A lot has changed in that time.”
Sarian’s eyes widened slightly. “Three hundred years? And Ultrima is still alive?”
Lyrian had been surprised that their enemy had survived all that time too. “I have no idea how, but I can assure you, he’s quite alive. And been harassing our clan, preventing them from waking us, all this time.”
“Where is he now?” Sarian asked sharply.
“He’s not here, you’re quite safe,” Taurian assured her. “He let himself be arrested by police.”
