Dragon Wish

by Judith Leger

  Between pants she managed to answer, “All right, just be

  quiet. I’m trying to concentrate here. The pains are coming

  faster than when I had Mandy. They’re not as severe, but

  they’re beginning to hurt.” She angled another glare at

  Paladin. “Bad, too.”

  There, she’d answered his question from earlier. Still hurt

  and angry at him with his deception, right now it seemed

  unimportant with the baby coming.

  He raised a brow, stood up, and sat at the head of the

  bed. “Come, lean against me.”

  Wanting to reject his offer, but knowing it would be petty

  of her, she moved so she sat flush between his spread legs,

  resting against his body. He placed his hands on her

  ballooned stomach and spread his fingers over each side.

  She sighed and tried to relax. The two wizards stood

  facing each other across the room. The length of the bed plus

  some feet separated them. They placed their hands, palms

  against each other at chest height and muttered some type of

  spell she couldn’t hear. A diagram appeared on the stone

  floor, another circle like the one Ren used to clean the

  cavern. This one held more lines, strange shapes, and odd

  writing inside of it. The lines gleamed with golden hue. The

  light dissipated, leaving black marks imprinted on the floor.

  After they finished, Leo and Ren came to the cot, one at

  the head, and the other at the foot. Paladin eased from

  behind her and helped them lift the bed. They carried and

  positioned it in the center of the circle.

  When Largin spoke, he stared at Paladin. “Perhaps you

  should wait outside.”

  Despite her anger at Paladin, a wave of panic built inside

  her at the thought of him not being there with her. She

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  started to argue, but Paladin interrupted her.

  “I will be here when our son is born.”

  She sagged in relief. “Thanks.”

  He met her look, his gentle and caring. “I won’t leave you.

  You will be safe in my arms.”

  Tears burned the backs of her eyes. He returned to his

  position behind her. She wanted to embrace him, but

  another pain, harsher than the other ones, cut from her back

  around to her lower belly. She panted, agony rendering her

  speechless.

  The wizards moved to their previous positions at the edge

  of the circle and knelt, their hands flat within the diagram.

  Again they spoke in lowered tones, snatches of words coming

  to her here and there. “Power...bound...subdue...protect...”

  All the words between were too obscured for her to make

  out.

  Lights radiated from the marks, surrounding them. An

  invisible, heavy weight came down and the very air

  thickened, pressing on her. Paladin gasped, and concerned,

  she struggled to look up at him. His eyes dilated to the point

  where very little blue showed.

  She opened her mouth to say his name, but another pang

  sliced into her. She cried out, clutching her stomach. Her son

  pushed all thoughts from her mind. Bare seconds separated

  the pains.

  The contraction ended, and she managed to snap at

  Largin. “This won’t hurt my baby?”

  “Not at all. It only ensures the child’s power will be

  repressed enough to allow it to be born. Nothing more. You

  and Paladin, of course, will feel the effects as well. Not to

  worry, little mother. They’re simply safe guards. We have

  never had a dragonseed born who has been blessed with all

  the clan leader’s powers. I can only hope it is an

  uncomplicated matter.”

  Uncomplicated? Seren snorted in response. Since her

  arrival on Avaris, complications sprouted around her like

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  weeds.

  Her world centered on her pain. Nothing else mattered

  but Paladin’s arms around her along with his encouraging

  whispers close to her ear. A woman—one of Ren’s servants,

  she wasn’t sure–arrived and checked her. She grinned

  quickly at Seren. She scurried off to return moments later

  with folded white clothes and a basin of steaming water.

  Seren eyed the basin. “That’s not too hot for my baby, is

  it?”

  Bowing, the woman shook her head. She set the basin on

  the table across the room. “No, my lady, not at all. It is a

  dragonseed after all.”

  Another sharp pain shot deep within her womb, forcing a

  moan to escape. The need to push came over her. She

  struggled to sit up, but the weakness in her limbs made it

  difficult.

  The rich aroma of spice floated in the room. She sucked

  in lungs full of air and choked. Coughing, she pushed against

  Paladin, still fighting to straighten.

  Panting, sweat pouring from her, she grunted, “I have to

  push.”

  The room spun around her. Paladin moved from behind

  and stepped to where her bent knees spread. The pain

  crested. A surge of fluid came from her, wetting her hips and

  the blankets beneath. She gasped at the sudden heat. Light

  radiated from between her legs. She concentrated on the

  illumination. Her body took over, stomach tightening then

  releasing. The birth took her control away.

  The luminosity grew in brilliance until it exploded with

  power. The force shoved her flat on her back. Staring up at

  the stone ceiling, she gathered her strength, struggling to

  draw in air. A low mewl came from the end of the bed,

  followed by a howl. Tears welled in her eyes, blinding her.

  She managed to half rise to see. Held in his father’s hands,

  their red-faced son vented his fury to the world. Matted with

  blood and mucus, he squirmed, batting his plump arms and

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  legs at whatever he believed caused his discomfort.

  Sobbing with joy, she watched when the woman came

  and took her child to bathe him. When she’d finished, she

  wrapped him in a blanket and carried him to Seren. With

  gentle care, the woman placed him in Seren’s arms. Smiling

  down at her son, Seren tried, but found no words to describe

  how happy this moment made her. She lifted her gaze and

  met Paladin’s. He stared at their son.

  “He is healthy.”

  She laughed. “Very much so. Look at his hair. It’s two

  colors.”

  The thin wisps covering the baby’s head were ebony

  mixed with some white blond. Random sections resembled a

  zigzag across his head with the black on bottom.

  “I wonder if it’ll stay like this? Do any of your family have

  hair similar to this?” She looked up at Paladin.

  He shrugged. “I’ve never seen such. Have you decided on

  a name?”

  She nodded. “He said his name the other day. Legion.”

  “Look, his eyes are open.”

  Their child relaxed his scrunched lids, revealing two

  different colored eyes. One was blue like his father, the other

  gray like hers. His cupid bow mouth shifted in an open smile

>   aimed at them. Her heart melted.

  She held her son. Wrapped tight, he looked at her with

  such knowing eyes. They had to succeed in keeping him

  alive. No matter what. Sending up silent, sincere pleas, she

  hoped Avaris’ problems disappeared and they would remain

  safe.

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  Chapter Twenty-Five

  Seven days after Legion’s birth, news arrived concerning

  the clan leaders flying toward the caverns. Seren asked Ren

  why. He’d looked at her in his stoic manner and walked away

  without answering. She stared after him, the first rays of fear

  shattering the peaceful fairytale world she enjoyed with her

  son.

  She searched for Leo and Paladin, finding them in the

  small room they shared. Leo held a front panel to the armor

  Paladin wore during his rescue of her. His swords lay across

  one of the beds. They both turned to look at her. The fear

  burst inside her. She stood in the doorway, unable to speak

  or move.

  Eyes vacant, Paladin stared at her. With his stare, no

  words were necessary. The answer lay there for her to see.

  Arcane and his army approached.

  She clasped her hands together. Her teeth ached from

  clenching them so hard. He seemed so calm, standing there.

  Didn’t he realize their doom drew closer? He turned away to

  finish dressing. She whispered his name.

  “Do not, Seren.” He angled a hard glare at her. “This is

  war, and with war, battles must ensue. We cannot stop it.

  They want to destroy us. In turn, we desire to stop them.”

  “But—”

  He lifted a hand, stopping what she’d intended to say. “Be

  still. I will not go to fight with the memory of your fear in my

  thoughts. Be strong for me and for our son.”

  She took a deep breath, struggling to shove her growing

  terror aside. Next to Leo, even in the armor, he appeared

  small and thin. Too thin. Their forced separation had

  affected him.

  His deep voice broke through her muddled thoughts.

  “Where is Legion?”

  “He’s sleeping. I asked one of the girls to watch him for

  me. I’d wanted some fresh air but now...” She bit her tongue

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  to keep from crying. Tears burned her eyes and her vision

  blurred. She reached out to touch his arm, trying to find the

  words to keep him close. Instead, she curled her fingers into

  her palms. No, she wouldn’t do it.

  The last clasp fastened under his fingers, and the helm

  placed on his head. He picked up his sword belt. With fast

  efficient movements, he buckled it around his slender waist.

  He walked to her side, slow and with ease in his movements.

  Would she ever see his walk—God, she loved his walk—

  again?

  His fingers, lean and beautiful, brushed a lock of her hair

  from her brow. “I cannot stand by and watch them fight. I

  have to help.”

  With a nod, she moved out of the doorway. Paladin

  stepped through it, his gaze never leaving hers. “I will

  return.”

  Seren, suddenly chilled, wrapped her arms about her

  waist. Her words after Bask’s visit returned. She wanted to

  tell him she forgave him, and that she loved him, but not

  now. She forced an answer past her lips. “I know.”

  He left the room to trail behind several other warriors

  moving to the passageway leading to the entrance.

  She followed, her legs weak with fear. Once above

  ground, he continued through the gap in the barrier Ren held

  open for the ones intending to fight.

  At the sight of the desert surrounding the entrance, her

  eyes widened. The six clan leaders waited. Not alone, either.

  Heart racing, she gazed over the area outside the barrier.

  Dragons, too many to count and of all sizes, colors, and

  shapes, surrounded the limestone entry way. They waited on

  either side of the cavern’s opening on the outer edges of the

  barrier. She stood, mouth open, staring at them.

  The reality of what was about to happen bit deep in her

  heart. She started to cry out for him to stop, but his wings

  burst out from his back. He whipped around, flying toward

  the spot where Lior waited with other white dragon clan

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  beasts still loyal to her. They spread out behind her, their

  white scales catching the light around them.

  Trembling, Seren stood stiff, pain rippled through her

  chest. The ache increased over not telling him how much she

  cared.

  Leo came to her side and placed an arm across her

  shoulders. “Come inside. We’ll go to the top. The barrier

  should hold against an attack. You’ll be able to see the battle

  from there.”

  She nodded, jaw aching from clenching her teeth to keep

  from screaming at Paladin to stay with her. The calm way

  Leo spoke did little to soothe her nerves. This impending

  battle would result in a life and death struggle, not a

  fireworks display on July fourth. Didn’t he realize it? Paladin

  left. He might not come back. The thought ripped a hole in

  her heart.

  Unable to vent at her friend, she followed him through

  the cavern to the spiral stone stairs leading to the top. They

  came out on the flat ledge.

  The sky darkened. Dragons, too many to number, waited

  for the rogues’ arrival. To the northeast, a black line formed

  on the horizon. So many had come to destroy them.

  Uncertainty entered her mind.

  She drew in a shuddering breath and glanced at Leo.

  “Will he be all right?”

  “We just have to hope. Trust in our strength. They know

  what they’re doing.”

  Though he spoke words of assurance, doubts about how

  much they both truly believed his words remained with her.

  * * * *

  The magic swirling in the air thickened the closer Paladin

  came to Lior and the other clan leaders. He landed nearby,

  his gaze taking in the lines of dragoons. On their backs,

  dragonseed soldiers waited for the order to charge. All the

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  leading clans, their banners slapping in the gusts blowing

  over the desert, cried out of the unity of the black, red, blue,

  green, and purple dragon clans. Dracs pranced alongside

  their older relatives, cawing and blasting magic from their

  elongated throats.

  Bask glided from Lior’s neck to land next to him.

  The silvered skullcap glowed with a white brilliance. “Are

  you prepared to die, Sire?”

  Gritting his teeth, he glared at the ageless wizard. “I am

  ready to live. So should you be.”

  A low chuckle came from Bask. “Ah, but I have lived far

  too long. The thought of death no longer brings fear to my

  heart.”

  “Nor to mine. I have no intention of dying this day.”

  “Take care, mighty White Dragon King, there will be

  many desiring your head.” With this morbid warning, the

  wizard
returned to wait atop Lior’s shoulder. Paladin studied

  them. What did the two speak of while the enemy came

  closer? The gentle way Bask caressed Lior’s neck revealed his

  affection. The sight brought a regretful twinge shooting

  through Paladin’s gut. He should have mended matters with

  Seren. At least showed her his love.

  Screeches rang overhead. He raised his eyes and stared in

  awe at where the lesser dragons of every clan glided above on

  the air currents. Magic glinted in the sky around the winged

  beasts, sending streams of sparkling dust trailing behind

  each.

  Legless forest dragons with vertical striped green and

  yellow scales running the length of their bodies with long

  trailing feathers weaved through the flying ranks of their

  distant kin. Roars erupted below them to echo across the

  dunes. Sand whirled around the dragoons and whipped up to

  the flyers.

  Along the northern horizon, black clouds roiled closer,

  powerful magical waves propelling in the direction of their

  waiting forces. He narrowed his eyes at the approaching

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  army. Through the grayness, Arcane flew in front of the mass

  of writhing dragons.

  “Well, old friend, our guests will soon be upon us.”

  He shifted his gaze to the left. He’d never noticed Ren’s

  arrival. “So it seems.”

  A wicked grin flashed across the wizard’s face. “Best

  method to relieve tension. Fighting and sex. Two ways to a

  man’s heart.”

  His comment, so strange coming from the serious man,

  brought a laugh from Paladin. “For once, I have to agree with

  you.”

  “So, shall we go and greet them in the manner most

  fitting for their visit.”

  Responding with a like grin, Paladin nodded. He called

  upon his innate magic to unfurl his wings. The wizard leapt

  on the shoulders of a nearby lesser white dragon. Sand

  billowed with the fanning of their wings as they lifted into

  the sky and headed for the encroaching enemy. Many of the

  other lesser dragons fell in line behind them.

  * * * *

  Worry clouded Seren’s mind. Her concern increased with

  the many dracs taking flight above them. Waves upon waves

  of dragons ascended to the sky above the cavern.

  Seconds later, the first swell of rogues arrived with

  Arcane in the lead. The converging magnitude shot straight

  for the seven dragon clan leaders. The dracs which were