by Sariah Skye
I snorted. “No way.” I lifted up one of my hands and parted my fingers, making a V; the sign of the Vulcan greeting. “I could never!”
She rolled her eyes. “What a relief.”
I stuck my tongue out at her playfully. “Meh,” I said, making an odd face at her, but I grinned impishly for a moment before it faded away into a helpless sigh.
“Oh, it will be okay. Somehow. The Loremasters won’t let anything happen to your baby. I don’t know how I know, but…just believe in Finnian.” She grasped my upper arm in solidarity.
I nodded slowly. “I hope you’re right. But if something happens to Maxx, or me—”
“No.” She shushed me. “No talk like that. Intention, right? Isn’t that Gabriel’s big thing? Well, mine too. Just think positive thoughts.”
“Okay, okay,” I sighed, relenting.
Kit and I sat for awhile longer, eating sandwiches and sipping tea, talking more about relationships, her dodging questions about Loremasters and eventually, just chatting like old friends do. Maxxus hadn’t returned, but it was nearly time to prepare dinner and the kitchens would get full, fast. And when I mean full, I mean Kiarra and one or two other shifters; and that was one or two more people than I wanted to be around, right now.
“You’ll see, Leo. Everything will be all right.” Kit said reassuringly before we parted for our separate ways.
“You look better,” Maxxus said, when I entered our chambers that evening. He set down the book he was perusing, next to him on the bed. He shot me one of his dreamy smiles and I couldn’t help but smile in return. “Guess you needed time with your friend, huh?”
“I guess so,” I agreed, with a grin, feeling more at ease then I had in awhile. I tossed off my robes, trying to hit the chaise but missing, and landing on the floor instead. I shrugged indifferently and slid into bed. “So, where did you run off to? Did you and Finnian figure something out?”
“Not sure, but there is a possibility he could put us in one of those Loremaster time-warp bubble things, while you’re pregnant,” Maxxus explained, mindlessly tracing the words embossed on the black leather cover with a finger.
“What are you reading about?” I asked, nodding towards the book.
“What?” He asked with surprise. He quickly yanked his hand away from it. “Oh. Just Loremaster stuff to help us do this time thing. It’ll be hard—being in a bubble for nine months or so,” he added with a chuckle.
I considered this. “And when we come out it’ll be five seconds after we went in? Score,” I said with a laugh.
He chuckled too. “Yeah. We’re not quite sure if it’s possible to do it for that long, but Finnian is looking into the details.”
“Sounds like a good idea.” I slid further in the bed to snuggle up next to him. Just as I was about to wrap my arm around his waist, Maxxus jumped up and out of bed. “Seriously, where is dinner?” he growled angrily.
I pulled back, wincing. “Damn. Didn’t realize my touch was repulsive to you.”
“Huh?” he asked in confusion, until he realized what I meant. “Oh, Leo, I’m sorry! I was just—” He reached out to me and I pushed his hand away, crankily.
“Oh no, you don’t get off that easily,” I spat, glaring.
“Leo,” he pleaded, crawling into bed on his hands and knees, looking pathetic like a lost puppy, right down to the sad-puppy eyes.
I grumbled, as he inched closer to me. “Stop.” He ignored me, puffing out his lower lip.
“Come on darling, I’m sorry. I’m just…worried about things and trying to figure it out for us. Okay?” I folded my arms in front of me, trying to block his long body from crawling over me. I was losing the battle quickly when Maxxus buried his face in my neck, and began tracing seductive kisses behind my ears.
My head fell back slowly, as Maxxus trailed over the front of my neck and over my chest. His gorgeous blue eyes peered up at me with such intensity that all my resolve crumbled.
“Mmm. Fine, you’re forgiven,” I said, with a sigh as he inched ever so lower to my breast. I clutched a breath, and his hand trailed up my side and softly cupped the other one.
“Good. Allow me to—” he started to say, with seduction in his voice when suddenly, my stomach lurched up into my throat.
My palm flew to my mouth as I gagged on the bile. “Oh dear gods…” I unceremoniously tossed Maxxus off me and raced into the bathroom, where I began heaving the near-empty contents of my stomach into the toilet, clumsily pushing aside my hair before it became tainted with toxicity.
A pair of hands rubbed my shoulders gently, before reaching over to pull my hair out of my face, and hold it down my back just in time before I heaved once more.
“Oh this sucks,” I whined, my voice echoing slightly into the porcelain.
“I know it does, I’m sorry.” Maxxus held my hair aside with one hand, and rubbed my neck easily with the other.
I waited, hunched over the bowl for a moment before my stomach finally settled and my panting became more normal. I started to sit upright when I noticed my mouth and chin were covered in disgusting bile. My hands flew to my mouth to cover my embarrassment, but Maxxus quickly pushed them aside, knelt over and gently wiped my face with a soft cloth. He stared at me with sympathy. “Are you okay?”
I started to look up at his concerned face before I realized I probably looked like shit, with my flushed cheeks and my bedraggled expression. “Ugh. Not really though I’m sure I look worse than I feel.”
He palmed my chin and forced my face up towards him. “Not. Possible.”
A half smile spread over my lips. I opened my mouth to acknowledge his kind words, and let out a vile belch instead, complete with pink dragon ‘mist’.
I smacked my hands against my mouth and groaned pathetically.
Maxxus just chuckled, placing his hands under my arms. “Are you okay to stand?”
I nodded slowly, and allowed him to pull me into his arms and walk me carefully to the bed.
I laughed shortly as he put me down. “This is really becoming a habit, huh?” I groaned. “I feel so weak, this sucks! I’m supposed to be the fighter, the warrior—the savior! I’m not supposed to be laid up in bed because I’m barfing, or exhausted by magic or whatever! Uggh!”
Maxxus sat beside me, clicking his tongue. “Leo, even the strongest warriors need help. It makes you even stronger to allow yourself to accept the help, even if it is only from me,” he said, winking an eye. “This is my job; you’re carrying our child, I carry you to bed. It’s only fair.”
I grinned reluctantly. “Okay, okay. I’ll allow it because this is all your fault,” I said, motioning to my stomach.
He threw his head back with laughter. “Fair enough! I take full responsibility!”
A knock sounded at the door at that moment, and my mother announced her presence before opening the door.
Maxxus climbed out of bed, blushing guiltily. I’m not sure why, but I guessed it was always an embarrassment to catch you in bed by your woman’s mother—human, dragon or otherwise.
“Evening, you two. Afraid Kiarra is tending to the delegates and Daniel is who-knows-where, so it’s just me bringing you dinner.” My mother glided in with a timid smile, carrying the typical dinner tray.
“Seriously, we can eat in the kitchens, or with everyone else,” I insisted, sitting up weakly. “Might do us good to chat with the delegates.”
My mother avoided my look and poured tea from a silver pot into two porcelain cups.
“What?” I demanded at her hesitance.
She exhaled slowly. “Some of the delegates and Court members are still uneasy with you, Leorah.”
Maxxus growled, but I sniffed with indifference.
“Used to it.”
“What else do you have to do to prove that you are not Cyril!” Maxxus frowned, shaking his head. “Perhaps that’s what should be done is dining with them, despite how uncomfortable they are. Tradition or not.”
“The monarchs never di
ned with the Court?” I asked, stunned.
“Only on special occasions,” my mother said. She prepared the trays on a nearby table and brought one to me. Even though I could smell the food from across the room, the nearer it was, the more nauseating the scent was when she uncovered a big bowl of hearty beef stew.
I gagged into my open palm, feeling instantly “green”.
My mother quickly covered the bowl, and stepped backwards with the tray.
“You okay?” Maxxus whispered to me, lightly stroking my hair against my back.
I choked down the bile, and forced a grin. “Sure, just great.”
“Oh dear.” My mother set the trays on the table before giving me a quick, comforting hug. “Maybe right now isn’t the greatest time to be eating with the Court, no?” Her tone was humorous but I knew she was in fact right just the same.
I groaned. “Perhaps not. Just as well for now.”
“Perhaps we can do something else that doesn’t involve food. Like maybe, go visit different neighborhoods around Anarach and just get a feel for the people?” Maxxus suggested.
My mother nodded appraisingly. “Now that would be a good idea, and unprecedented as well.” She gave me one more hug and a look of motherly sympathy. “Now, you take care of them both, you hear?” She waggled a finger at Maxxus warningly. “I don’t want my first grandchild going hungry.”
Maxxus reclined his head lowly. “Of course, Lady.”
She smiled at him. “Good. Leorah, there is some bread and butter to go with the stew, and I brought milk as well. Do you think you can handle that?”
I shrugged. “I’ll try.”
She patted my shoulder. “Good. I’ll send your vampire friend over to check you out. I’m sure it’s nothing but just in case…”
“A wise idea,” Maxxus concurred. I glared briefly in between both of them.
“Uh, I can make my own decisions, thanks. I’m just a little nauseas. It will pass.”
“We know Leo, but sometimes you just need to accept a little help, all right?” My mother retrieved the loaf of bread and a pitcher of ice cold milk and brought it to me before leaving the room.
I managed to nibble at the bread and butter while Maxxus sat across the room at the vanity eating the stew. It didn’t go down easy, I had to gag it down with every bite and with every bite I groaned.
Our relatively peaceful meal—interrupted only by my periodic retching—was disturbed by the echo of screams reverberating throughout the castle.
“What is going on?” Maxxus asked. He abandoned his meal after hearing a loud growl and the sound of slams and proceeded to head towards the noise.
I followed him through the door, glancing once behind me to make sure Sona was still in the room and not causing a ruckus again (even though the sound was much too large for a single cat to make…maybe a hundred jungle cats, perhaps). Maxxus stormed through the hallways, through the wing and we paused in the foyer, hearing the noise grow louder from the throne room.
“How dare you?” The sound of metallic rustling followed the angry shout, followed by a surprised yell.
Maxxus’ turned angry. With a wide parting gesture, he opened the heavy doors to the throne room and exposed the fight that was ensuing inside between a handful of delegates, squabbling in the center.
One of the male guards from Dreka and Prince Darzius were in the midst of shooting magic at each other. Darzius, a deep indigo dragon, had water and lightning bolts jutting from his hands, and with his sheer size appeared like Zeus with his legendary lightning bolt. With a wide gesture he shot his magic towards the Drekan guard, who was a gray dragon with his air magic.
“You have no right!” Prince Darzius’ voice boomed, as the magic soared through the air, barely blocked by the summoned wind of the Drekan guard. The magic did not disperse, though and simply mixed with Darzius’ storm magic. Grinning with menace, the Northland Prince began spinning the magic into a wild storm, that crackled and boomed over his head.
“I did nothing!” The guard protested, taking a step backwards, intimidated by the magic. Clearly, the guard was no match for the powerful prince of the Northlands.
Maxxus took only a few moments to apprise the situation. No one had noticed our entrance; not the Babuans, not Irelle that was standing in close proximity, visibly shaken and clutching her palms together in front of her heart, almost as if she were praying. But Maxxus took action.
“ENOUGH!” Maxxus stomped one foot with force and threw up his hands. The prince and the guard took steps backward as the ground underneath them began to shake and thunder.
Irelle was standing close enough to the quake Maxxus summoned, and caught off-guard, tumbled to her feet. One of the Babuan males was close enough to her that he helped drag her out of the magic ground zero.
Darzius’ magic subsided to a certain degree, but the thunderstorm he summoned still rumbled over his head, even as Maxxus gestured, calling for strength from the earth and causing the ground to shake even harder.
“How dare you come into our kingdom and fight against each other?!” Maxxus voice boomed over the quaking earth.
“Your High—” Darzius tried to speak, but he was cut off by Maxxus, as he pushed his hands in front, and tossing them upwards once more, pulling up from the ground a mound of earth that jutted upwards and cracked the stone floor.
“Maxxus!” I shouted, dashing forward. He paid me no attention and continued summoning earth magic underneath the two squabbling dragons, causing them to nearly lose their footing and tumble to the ground.
Xalana shrieked in terror as the ground started opening up underneath her. She was quickly pulled aside by my grandfather, who was able to reach her before the ground totally splintered and gaped below.
“Maxxus!” I shouted at him once again, smacking him in the arm. Peering upwards at his face, I noticed he was totally lost; his face scrunched up in the complete agony of anger, cheeks flushed with rage and eyes narrow with retribution.
“MAXXUS!” My voice boomed again, as loud as I could to be heard over the terror of screams and the rumbling of earth that was shaking the entire throne room around us, but not Maxxus or I. At least he wasn’t so far gone that he viewed me as a threat.
“I demand you to halt your magic!” Prince Darzius’ focus shifted from the guard who had stumbled away towards Maxxus. The storm magic had subsided, but the Prince chanted and stood his ground, reforming the treacherous storm over his head.
My eyes darted between the two of them in panic. On instinct, my hands lifted as I was compelled to summon my pink magic to disperse the fight, but Maxxus tossed his hand back, calling for a wall of earth to shoot up before me, effectively halting my effort if only momentarily.
I growled angrily. “Are you kidding me?”
I watched from the corner of my eye as Queen Xalana stepped forward, summoning her plasma magic. As a violet dragon, she contained both the magic of the fire and storm, resulting in a dangerous combination.
“No!” I bellowed, as my wings thrust from my back, outstretching around me. Without realizing it, my arms thrust outward as I screamed, summoning the pink mist within me from the warm place in my core until I felt nearly breathless. When my vision was clouded with mist and glow, I spun one hand around me, calling for the wind as I whirled the magic and dispersed it into the throne room.
Everyone turned in surprise as the room filled with a pink glow and everyone’s magic—Earth, wind, water—had squelched and halted.
Maxxus’ eyes shifted to the side, towards me. I gasped and stumbled backward, watching as I swear they turned a deep purple. I blinked once and when I opened them again, whatever I thought I saw was gone. I shook my head, clearly seeing things with my confusion.
“Why did you stop me?” Maxxus grumbled, his eyes still narrow (but entirely blue).
I shot him a look of “Seriously?”, putting my hands on my hips. “You’re kidding me, right? Besides tearing up the floor of the throne room we just had purged a
nd fixed of Shadow damage, you were about to kill the Prince!”
Maxxus’ eyes became slits, before widening. His face fell, and his body relaxed. He eyed his hands in surprise before looking up towards Prince Darzius, who was standing with his hands in front of him to guard him.
Maxxus glanced around us, at the shocked expressions of the dragons around us who either stood back, afraid, or forward with hands at the ready to combat him. His hands fell and he bowed his head.
When the glow of my magic subsided, and my wings relaxed at their sides, not feeling the imminent threat, Maxxus spoke.
“Ladies and gentlemen, I am so sorry,” he said, with solemn voice. “I haven’t been myself since…since…” he trailed off, not able to say the words and expose our secret.
“Since what, man?” Prince Darzius questioned, his voice intrigued but his face still visibly angered.
I rolled my eyes and stepped forward, briefly glancing at everyone before my gaze landed on the Prince. “Since he learned I was pregnant. He’s been a little…worried with the Shadows. As have I,” I added, further confirming our stressful situation.
The Prince’s hands fell to his sides, his face softened. “Ah, I can understand that. Green dragons are known for their possessiveness of course…”
Maxxus raised his head and smiled slowly. “I deeply regret my behavior, please accept my humblest of apologies. I am just fearful for the life of my mate; seeing all this magic flying around, I—”
Darzius raised a hand and with a smile, dismissed his apology as unneeded. “Completely understandable. We should not have been fighting in your castle—your home. Any one of us had done the same.” The rest of the male dragons nodded around us, offering their words of understanding.
“What was the argument about?” I demanded, glaring at the Prince and guard. Their faces both reddened with shame as they darted their eyes.
Irelle stepped forward, still shaken but after clearing her throat she chased away any remaining fear. “Darzius thought the Baron was flirting with me. Apparently, he found that unacceptable.” She walked forward towards me and whispered in a hushed tone. “I am his unofficial consort.”
