To Save The Broken Heart: Dragons, Griffons and Centaurs, Oh My! (Dragons, Griffons, and Centaurs, Oh My!)

by Margaret Taylor

  “I said I would offer you two seats on the Council and another ten-percent of the next Suns budget for your aid, Prime Minister. Anything more may bankrupt city finances…”

  The man on the screen was typical of every fairy tale or myth she’d ever read. He wore a bowler style black hat and she could just see the vest of a three-piece suit on his small shoulders. White tuffs of hair stuck out from either side of the covering and his crooked nose and bushy eyebrows gave him a shrewd appearance. Which was further reinforced when his bright green eyes narrowed into a glare and he sniffed in disdain. “And I said I would take no less than 3 seats and fifteen percent.”

  Draven threw up his hands and paced away, muttering under his breath.

  She left him too it and sidled up to Arin, keeping her voice low. “Did he get in touch with the Pixies yet?”

  Arin leaned down, keeping his response just as quiet. “Yes. They agreed to send 20 of their best.”

  She patted his arm and returned to the conference room. “So, we have the Pixies. And I say we use them…”

  Haydn’s eyebrow quirked. “If you are thinking what I think you are thinking, I like it.”

  ***

  Late into the night, Arin lay with Haydn curled into his side. A hundred plans and scenario’s raced through his thoughts. What the pair of them had come up with earlier was sound and much better than they’d been able to do.

  After gaining the Leprechauns allegiance, he and Draven had returned to the room only to find both women calmly plotting the demise of Golix’s forces. Once more, the Orc had impressed him as they explained their plan of action.

  Draven was equally amazed and cocked a smile his way when they were done. “Do you think that will work?”

  He went over it, tearing it apart from every angle he could think of and finally had to nod. “It will.”

  Terra had beamed, accepting a hard hug and a passionate kiss from her lover and Haydn had come around the table to stand next to him.

  “Hope you do not think we stepped on your toes,” she said calmly.

  He dropped an arm around her and kissed her temple. “Not at all.”

  She slipped one her hers around his waist. “Good. Because this is what we are going with whether you two like it or not.”

  He’d laughed and they’d spent the rest of the rotation finalizing the women’s ideas. Not that any of it was set in stone, things had a way of ebbing and flowing in the heat of battle, but it was a solid start and he had to admit, an impressive one to boot.

  “What are you thinking about?”

  Her question drew him back to the present. So many females had asked him that very thing and he’d always lied, spouting off some nonsense about their looks or their smell or something equally as inane. But not this darkfall. Rolling onto his side, he trailed a hand down her arm. “Your plan.”

  Her teeth shone in the shadows. “You like it?”

  He kissed the tip of her nose. “Surprisingly enough, I do.”

  Her fingers came up and brushed through his whiskers before dipping into his hair. “When you spend a lifetime plotting and planning the demise of your target, I guess you learn a thing or two.”

  She was making light of her life, even though it was anything but. He felt for her and the things she’d had to do. “Haydn, your past is no joking matter, love. Yes, you did bad things, but only because you had no choice.”

  She snuggled down against his chest, tucking her face under his chin and her voice, for once, sounded small and feminine. “I know. I took no pleasure in it, you know this, yes?”

  He squeezed her tightly, nuzzling the top of her head. “I do. I looked into your eyes when you ran me through in the Arena.”

  She gulped audibly, her next question coming out on a croak. “And what did you see?”

  He answered honestly. “Nothing but guilt and regret.”

  She dug her fingers into the muscles of his back and shifted her face into the crook of his neck. “I am so sorry,” she whispered, the emotion crackling through the air. “I never wanted to hurt anyone…”

  “Shhhh,” he whispered. “I know, I know.”

  He’d had plenty of females cry on his shoulders over the Suns he’d been alive and he’d always been strong and confident. But this woman’s tears were his undoing and he finally let go of everything that had happened over the last rotations.

  To him…

  To her…

  To Lanni…

  To Terra…

  Even to Draven…

  And as the shadows were forced back by the coming daylight and the war that awaited them, Arin Manus…cried.

  ***

  “There is no way that will work!”

  “Yes, there is. I will distract them, while you two rush them.”

  “I am good, but not good enough to take on 4 Unicorns.”

  Tollo listened to the triad plotting and rolled his eyes. Back in the form they knew, he bounced from Garax to Rygan to the woman and back again.

  Trill, trill, purr, trill, trill!

  Rygan waved him away with a snort. “What is he on about?”

  He jumped back to Garax’s shoulder. Purr, purr, trill, trill, purr, purr, growl!

  Garax gave him a scratch.

  Which was all find and dandy and under normal circumstances he’d have appreciated it. But not this darkfall.

  Why didn’t they understand him!? What was wrong with them?

  He was telling them exactly what needed to be done and they just wouldn’t listen!

  Slapping the Ogre with a foot, he tried it again.

  Growl, purr, trill, trill, purr, growl! He threw in a snort for measure and got another scratch behind the ears.

  “I have no idea,” his friend said. “Something has him upset though.”

  No kidding ya buffoon!

  He tapped his foot against the Ogre’s cheek several times.

  Listen to me!

  All that got him was a scratch under the chin and he snapped at the fingers as they passed close to his mouth, trying one more time. If they didn’t get it, he’d just have to take matters into his own paws.

  TRILL, TRILL, PURR, PURR, GRUNT, GROWL, PURR!

  There, that should do it.

  “He says, we need to remove Her Ladyship from the plate. The spell is draining her life force. If it continues, she will die.”

  Finally!

  The three of them turned as one and stared down toward the floor. A small ferret stood in the doorway, his little chest heaving as if he’d just run a great distance.

  The Naiad dropped the sword, pressing the tip toward him. “And you would be?”

  He slipped back from the sharp point and gave a flourishing bow. “I am Furiem Corlant, Royal Report…”

  “And how did you get here?” she asked, interrupting him.

  The little guy crossed his arms, tapping a foot. “Just once, I wish someone would let me finish my introduction!” With a sigh, he added, “My arrival involved a not so equitable arrangement with a pigeon.”

  Well, that explained the white stuff all over his suit coat! Pigeons were a greedy lot though, so it was no surprise.

  “And how did you find us?” Rygan asked.

  The ferret pointed up to where he’d perched on Garax’s shoulder. “I followed the little one there. I hoped he might know some allies. Turns out I was correct. Was I not? You are here to help, despite the fact you are on one of Golix’s ships?”

  There was a pinch of fear in his eyes and he jumped to the floor, rolling forward to lick him. Indeed. We are friends. Can you translate for me?

  Furiem sighed and swiped at the slobber. “I can.”

  Tell them, if they do not break the spell before she dies, the shield will become permanent.

  The ferret shuddered and his fear became tangible. “It will?”

  Indeed. They must interrupt it before that happens, elsewise it will never come down again.

  Chapter Twenty-Three

  Fyris supe
rvised the loading of the last Rail gun with a critical eye. It’d taken them three rotations to get this far and he wasn’t about to mess it up now. The platform thudded on the deck of the ship, sinking the boat another four or five feet into the water with its weight.

  He let out a sigh of relief and flapped a bit higher to get a look at the other three. Two more carried the other guns and the third was loaded with all the ammunition it could possibly carry. It sat even lower in the water than the others but it couldn’t be helped. If something happened along the way, it was better to lose one gun than one gun and all the ammo for it too.

  Satisfied everything was as ready as he could make it, he circled back to his Grandparentals home. Bypassing the tunnel entrance, he joined Draven, the Twins, Resa and Rhu’Tus on the mountaintop above it.

  “We are ready.”

  Draven nodded and gave Terra a kiss. Stepping back he shifted into his true self and dove off the cliff, heading for the lead ship in their tiny little fleet.

  Rhu’Tus gave his long-time wife a tender look. Despite their constant fighting there was no doubt in his mind the two still loved each other deeply and dearly.

  Resa poked him in the chest, her eyes filled with tears. “You bring my boys back now, you hear me, you old goat!”

  Rhu’Tus smiled gently and pressed his forehead to hers. “Leave me be, woman! They are big lads. They can handle it.”

  His heart ached just a bit. The words were typical of the pair but the meaning underlying them was equally easy to see. Before the part of him that wanted that kind of love could take hold, he lifted off the rocks, flapping his wings at his younger siblings. “Come on you two, off with you both.”

  The Twins snickered at their Grandparentals, but shifted and followed their Liege down to the water.

  He waited for Rhu’Tus to shift and gather up Terra, Arin and the Orc in a large claw. Spinning on a wing, the oldest of them all, dove after the others.

  Once everyone was aboard, the Dragons took up the tow lines attached to the four ships and they were off. It would take them two rotations of straight flight to reach the coast of the Third Kingdom and then another full rotation to off-load the weapons and make their way across land…

  ***

  Draven swiped a tiredly at his hair. It had been a long trip that left everyone short of temper and equally short of sleep. The sad part was, they hadn’t even engaged the enemy yet.

  Terra’s hand dropped to his shoulder. “You should rest, love.”

  He couldn’t argue that point but there was still plenty to be done. “I must finish this,” he said, tapping the paper he was bent over.

  She lifted his hand from it and pulled him to his feet. “It will still be there in the morning.”

  He grumbled but had to heed to her wisdom. This time. “Will you wake me if anything changes?”

  She laughed and rose up on tip-toes to kiss his cheek. “You’ll be the first.”

  Staggering off to the tents they’d set up at the base of the mountains north of Bra’ka, he ducked under the flap and stretched out on the cot.

  She was right, he needed the rest. Pulling the ship across the open waters between Hitsani and Gommel had been more taxing than anyone realized.

  But, they’d made it and the Rail Guns were slowly inching their way across the hills to the points Kyleri and Haydn had worked out. Come the next darkfall, everything would be in place and the war would truly begin…

  ***

  Terra laughed as Draven wove his way through the massing troops, shaking her head. Poor guy was dead on his feet and she couldn’t blame him. She could only imagine the effort it had taken to get them here.

  “Did you finally convince him to lay down?”

  She turned toward Arin. “I did. Now, let’s get started, shall we? Have the Pixie’s arrived?”

  “Just now.”

  “Good. Would you ask their leader to meet me in the main tent please?”

  Arin bowed his head respectfully and left her and Haydn alone.

  She headed toward the covering, the woman she’d come to think of as her advisor tight on her heels. “What did you find?”

  “My contact was not much help,” she said, ducking under the flap when Terra pulled it back.

  “That’s a shame. Did he have anything?”

  Haydn moved to the table they’d set up and pointed at the hand-drawn map they’d used in Lad’ak. “Whatever the source, it is on top of the King’s Tower. That is all he was able to say.”

  Terra tapped a finger to her chin.

  The flap opened and Arin ducked in, two Pixie’s perched on his wide shoulder. “My Queen, might I present Asil and Lyrax, leaders of the Gothla Clan. Ladies, Her Majesty, Queen Terra Heegan.”

  Geez! Everyone was so big on formalities here. She snorted and waved a hand. “Please, call me Terra.”

  The two small females, one blue and one green, laughed a trilling sound that reminded her of the wind through the trees. Their tiny wings flapped as they bowed in respect.

  “It is an honor to aid you, My Queen,” the red one, Lyrax said.

  The blue one, Asil, elbowed her. “Stop it you idgit. She said we could call her Terra.” With a shake of her head, she lifted off Arin’s shoulder and landed on the map, crossing her small arms across her equally small chest. “Now, Terra,” she empathized her name with a glare at Lyrax. “What can we do for you in this?”

  She laughed and the tension in her shoulders eased just a bit. “Well, to start, what you do best…”

  ***

  By darkfall, everything and everyone was in place.

  The Rail Guns were loaded and ready…

  Ten Dragons and their Pixie passengers waited beyond the hills for the first ships to appear…

  The Chimera’s and the Leprechauns guarded the entrenched weapons, ready to defend them from whatever Golix would send as best they could…

  He and the other 27 Dragons would lead the first wave of assault against the shield. Terra’s plan to bombard the barrier with their fire and draw the ships into the open would work! He had faith in his Kyleri.

  She stood next to him now, fingers intertwined with his as they looked down on the city. “Be safe my love,” she whispered, her grip tightening.

  He returned it and let out a breath. “I will. You do the same yes?”

  She nodded, gave him one last, loving look and stepped back, heading back down the hill to coordinate the attack.

  Shifting, he felt the anger course down his scales in a blaze of red coloring and drew in a long breath. The fire heated in his belly and he held it, wanting it the hottest it could be when he launched…

  ***

  “Sire? They are attacking…”

  Golix rolled his eyes, watching the monitors in the command center. The Dragon’s pummeled the shield with their fire, ineffectually of course. The spell they’d used was far too strong for something so simple. “Send five ships.”

  The Satyr didn’t comment but pressed a button, contacting the vessels as requested.

  They peeled off the floating Armada and headed for the barrier, slipping through the magic with ease, just as he knew they would.

  “Outside view.”

  The images shifted to the camera’s he’d planted in the various groves of trees surrounding Bra’ka after they’d arrived. Seconds after the first ships cleared into the open, one of the images rocked slightly and fizzled with snow.

  “What was that?”

  “I am unsure Sire,” said one of the minions manning the stations. “Trying to clear the feed up now.”

  The picture crystallized for a brief heartbeat, long enough for them to catch a projectile spinning through the frame.

  “Turn the camera, turn the camera!”

  The beastie at the controls did as ordered and the image swung to the left and down. Where it found the base of a very large cannon along with half a dozen Goblins, Chimera’s and Leprechauns around it scrambling to reload.

  On
another screen one of the five fleet heaved over on its side, smoke billowing from the rear compartment. It hung against the air briefly then tilted nose first toward the ground.

  “What!? Impossible!”

  “Sire, it looks like one of the Rail Guns from Lad’ak.”

  He knocked the minion out of the chair and crushed his skull under a hoof.

  Another took his place.

  “Send the troops. I want those guns in pieces before the next tick has passed!”

  “Yes Sire.”

  Unfortunately, he wasn’t fast enough as the first five of his fleet fell from the sky, nothing more than smoldering heaps of twisted, burning metal.

  ***

  Rygan piloted the yacht close to the King’s Tower. It had been relatively easy to take the ship but it had no weapons to speak of. Still, no one thought it odd as they eased up to the building.

  On the roof, five Unicorns stood facing the battle field, their backs to Lanni’s prone position and he could only hope they stayed distracted.

  Dragon’s fire continued to explode against the shield above, lighting up the darkness with each strike.

  They should have done this sooner. Waiting the three rotations it took for Draven and company to arrive had been the worst part of it. But, they didn’t dare put their plan into action until they could be sure it would work. Now was their best shot. With the horned devils watching the fight, it might be the only chance they had to get her out of there.

  Maneuvering the vessel as close as he could, he left it hovering and joined Garax, Phara, Tollo and their new friend, Furiem at the rail. “We all know what to do yes?”

  Each of them nodded, not bothering to voice the plan they’d gone over a hundred times already.

  “Good, go, go, go!”

  As a group, they leapt from vessel and landed, pounding across the gravel.

  The Unicorns though weren’t so distracted as to not notice their footsteps and turned.

  Golix’s mother tisked, as he slid to his knees next to Lanni.