Breath of Dragons (A Pandoran Novel)

by Barbara Kloss

  She was not dead.

  Her life hung by a thread, but she would live. The magic had almost cost her her life, but she was stronger than most. Perhaps she was even stronger than he had been.

  Men ran away as we approached—save one. This young man stood like a king, erect with purpose, and the fear in his eyes was not for us. It was for the girl in my talons. And yet…the man looked familiar, somehow. The shadow of a man I once knew very well.

  He stood perfectly still as I lowered her, placing her carefully on the wall.

  We would see each other again, this young man and I. Our futures would be forever intertwined because of her.

  I spread my wings with a cry, rose to meet the others, and the three of us flew into the beautiful new dawn.

  Chapter 27

  Awakening

  My mind woke well before my body did.

  It had been haunted by images of a past I didn't know and a present I hadn't experienced. In those images, I saw myself as another might have seen me. Beaten and broken and dying in a lake of fire. And then I was flying. My wings beat against a hot breeze, delivering me to a great wall where a man stood waiting. A man I knew to be Alex, but the memory hadn't known. And then I saw myself being deposited on the ramparts, unmoving and relaxed as though I were sleeping. It was a very confusing thing, envisioning something in which you're seeing two perspectives simultaneously.

  I remembered the battle with the kytharii. I remembered them flooding the countryside and how hopeless I'd felt. I remembered sneaking out of the wall and past their horde and destroying the curse laid by my uncle. I remembered being overcome with exhaustion and then seeing three dragons and a lake of fire, but everything after that was fuzzy and seemed to belong to another consciousness. Which brought me to the present.

  I was thinking, therefore I assumed I was alive. And I was comfortable and warm. There were voices—soft voices—speaking nearby, and I thought I knew who those voices belonged to. Finally, I forced my eyelids open.

  I was lying on a bed beneath a pile of woolen blankets in a room that was fairly simple. Large windows faced a setting sun, and the other walls were filled by wardrobe or artwork. In the corner of the room stood a small group of people—one of which glanced up as if sensing my sudden awareness.

  Sonya's eyes widened as she rushed to my side. "Daria!" She sat on the edge of my bed, placing her palm on my forehead. She looked so happy there were tears in her eyes. "You're awake. How are you feeling?"

  I propped myself up on my elbows, feeling strangely light but otherwise fine. "I'm not sure. How should I be feeling?"

  She smiled widely, placed her hands on my cheeks, and kissed my forehead. "Hopefully rested. You've been asleep for three days."

  My body seemed to be making an unfortunate habit of hibernation instead of sleep. I could just see Thad's face peering over Sonya's shoulders, like a child who was too short to see inside the lions' cage at the zoo. I smiled up at him. Sonya noticed and leaned aside, giving Thad a chance to approach.

  "Rook, I thought I was going to have to kill you," he said.

  I chuckled, though the movement felt a little tight on my lungs. "Did the city survive?"

  "It more than survived," Vera answered this time. She appeared on Sonya's other side. "All day they've been singing songs about dragons and the heir of the Draconi. You may have a book of hymns written about you."

  Noting my confusion, Sonya said, "It's true. You and your dragons saved this city, Daria. We would not have survived without you."

  "My dragons," I repeated.

  "Yeah," Thad said. "I know. I told you genetics aren't fair. But seeing as how we're family and you have three, maybe you could, ah, spare one…? Christmas is coming up, you know."

  "Do you even celebrate Christmas on Gaia?" I asked.

  Thad smiled, twirling a piece of grass in his mouth. "We could make an exception this year."

  Sonya glanced behind her, then stood and backed away, and Vera and Thad followed suit. For Alex.

  He stood there, perfectly still, watching me. I had the impression that he was looking at all of me, though his eyes remained fastened only on mine. My heart squeezed a little, looking at him. And it was strange. The memories of the dragon had interfered with my own, so when I looked at Alex, I wasn't just seeing him as I had always seen him. I wasn't just seeing the handsome young man I had fallen in love with. I saw him as the embodiment of power and strength. One whose presence held the aura of a mighty king.

  Very slowly, he walked to my side and sat on the edge of my bed while the others conveniently stepped out of the room. Alex studied me as though he were memorizing my face. At last, he grabbed my hand in his and whispered, "All this time I've felt this fierce need to protect you." He looked right into my eyes, and the green in his seemed to liquefy. "But I realize now that I was wrong. So very wrong. You were never the one who needed protection; it was everyone else."

  I smiled up at him. "I hope this doesn't mean you're asking to resign as my Aegis, because I'll pull rank again…"

  This time, he grinned, tucking a lock of hair behind my ear. "No, I am not asking to resign as your Aegis, though I do think it would probably be wise to do so."

  "Alexander Del Conte, you are the most talented fighter in all of Gaia, with a heart purer and more loyal than any human being I've ever encountered. So tell me why, exactly, it would be wise to resign in your service to me," I teased.

  He leaned forward, his eyes glittering as he whispered, "Because I love you. I love your large gray eyes and the way they look at me, and I love how they storm like the winter sky when you're angry. I love the way your nose wrinkles and your lips purse when you argue, and I love how your cheeks blush with frustration when I don't agree with you.

  "I love your unwavering confidence as you march ahead, ignoring any and all odds—and my caution—because you always stand up for what you believe. I love your pure heart and fiery spirit, and I love the way you tease me with both of them. I love your creative mind and how you use it to challenge every convention." He leaned a little closer.

  "I love the color of your skin and how it turns copper when you've been out in the sun. I love the way you ride a horse, and I love your shape in your leathers. I love the texture of your hair and the taste of your lips. I love the smell of your skin and the way you fit so perfectly against my body when I hold you. Daria, I love you more than anything in both worlds, and the more I try not to, the more I find myself loving you." He leaned closer still, and I could smell peppermint on his breath.

  "Like now," he continued, trailing the backs of his fingertips along my jaw. "I should be asking only about how you feel, but all I can seem to think about is how badly I want to kiss you."

  I smiled and my cheeks warmed. "I like those thoughts."

  He trailed his fingertips over my lips. "Which thoughts, exactly?" he whispered.

  "All of them. Actually, would you mind writing all of that down for me?"

  He chuckled softly, cupping my chin. "And why would I do that?"

  It was a little difficult forming a smart response with the way he was looking at me combined with how close we were. "So that I can remind you."

  "I don't need reminding," he said on my lips.

  "Well, maybe I do," I managed. "You don't always make it easy knowing how you feel."

  He slipped his other hand around the back of my neck. "You wouldn't like it if I made it easy."

  "True, but you could at least—"

  He kissed me silent, and all of my senses filled with him. His lips were raw and rough, yet somehow still supple. Perfect, so perfect. His love poured over me, through me, filling me from head to toe until I felt light as a feather, as if I might float away.

  There was a soft knock on the door. Of course, my mouth was preoccupied, so I didn't answer immediately. The person knocked again, and then said, "Princess Daria?"

  It was Sonya.

  I pulled away from Alex's mouth just to say, "A few minutes
please!" And then I went back to kissing Alex. I thought I could kiss Alexander Del Conte forever.

  "She won't wait much longer," he said through the kisses.

  "Your mother has the worst timing," I managed.

  "Would you have preferred she knock sooner?"

  I punched him in the shoulder, and he chuckled against my mouth.

  "Then maybe you should stop trying to kiss me when she's standing in the next room," he said.

  This time, I pulled back slightly and grunted. "Excuse me, but—"

  He kissed me so firmly and so deeply that even when he pulled away as the door opened and Sonya walked in, it still took me a few moments to regain my composure.

  Sonya shut the door behind her and cleared her throat. Her eyes slid to Alex, who was straightening his collar, and then they moved back to me, and her lips pursed. "I'm sorry to interrupt, but Sir Torren is asking for you."

  It took me a moment to place the name Sir Torren.

  "Daria, did you hear me?" Sonya was no longer speaking to me as my Aegis; she was speaking to me as a mother. One that was slightly annoyed.

  Alex glanced at me, and he looked a little triumphant.

  I fought the urge to roll my eyes at him and focused back on Sonya. "Right. Sir Torren. He's asking for me." I paused. "Wait, why is Sir Torren asking for me?"

  Sonya sighed and looked accusingly at Alex. "Alexander, I told you to be careful with her. She's been through a lot, and she's still a little delicate."

  "Oh, she's never been delicate…"

  His words trailed at the look from his mother. However, despite that look, he seemed to be desperately fighting back a smile and opted for scratching the back of his neck to distract himself.

  Sonya looked back at me, but her features had considerably softened. "Since I see that you are feeling up to it"—here, she paused to make a point—"we need to get you up and moving. There is an entire city that's been anxious to finally meet the princess who used her dragons to save Pendel."

  The next few hours sort of blurred together for me.

  Before I left my room, Sonya helped me change. After the battle and while I'd been unconscious, she and Vera had changed me into a simple nightgown. Of course, I couldn't walk the streets like that, so Sonya handed me a white blouse, a long wool skirt that fastened high upon my waist, and a new pair of tall leather boots. My leathers, apparently, had been ruined during battle. This saddened me much more than I'd anticipated. My leathers and I had been through a lot together, and in a way, losing them felt like losing a friend.

  My scabbard, however, had survived with Nightshade, so once Sonya finished helping me dress, I lifted my skirt and secured my dagger and sheath to my thigh. I felt naked without it. And then Sonya led me outside.

  Master Durus, I was told, had been spending his time with Arioch Prime, helping to repair the city. Alex, Thad, and Vera were just outside my door, waiting for me, and when Alex saw me, his eyes slid over me from head to toe with a brilliant smile in them. He had a talent for stealing my breath with one look.

  The city had transformed since I'd last seen it. The bodies had been cleaned up and the banners hung, bringing a colorful sense of hope to the general atmosphere. Even the sun pitched in, shining brightly in a clear blue sky. You wouldn't have known such a horrible battle had been fought here only a few days ago. The people looked a little weary, but they worked with purpose and walked on the balls of their feet, reveling in the rare gift of life.

  The land beyond the wall was singed black, sparse and dead from the dragon fire like a great scar, but it would heal. It would take time, but it would grow back. But there was more to the transformation than appearances.

  Every person we passed, every man, woman, and child, stopped and bowed their heads to give me their blessings. They handed me flowers and kissed my hands and cheeks, touched my face and called me blessed. My Aegises stood back, allowing the people to approach me freely. Gifts had even been sent from surrounding clans, giving me their thanks for saving them. And it was humbling. So humbling. I knew many of them had lost loved ones, but they were here, swearing their fealty to Princess Daria Regius, last of the Draconi and daughter of dragons, the savior of Pendel. My heart swelled, overwhelmed with so much love and respect. My heart swelled for this land and its people, and it made me feel even more protective of them. And, strangely enough, it made me feel closer to my mother.

  Maybe this was a new start for Pendel. Maybe this was what the people needed in order to realize they weren't alone, so isolated from mainland. That the regency in Valdon was not all bad, and that there might just be someone on their side. And I would be on their side, from this day forth and forever.

  I was eventually ushered to the great hall at the top of the city. There was no sign of the massacre that had happened before, and for that, I was very thankful. My mind remembered it clearly enough, and when I looked over to where the guards had lain, in their place was a beautifully decorated table covered in candles and fresh orange and red flowers like a memorial. Red and gold banners hung like ribbons from the ceiling, and a large, square table sat at the foot of the steps that led to Sir Torren's chair.

  The table itself had been surrounded by at least two dozen high-backed chairs, and silver dinnerware had been placed at each setting. Sir Torren stood near the table, discussing something with Arioch Prime and Master Durus, and when they heard us enter, all three looked up. Master Durus was the pinnacle of stoicism, but even his eyes lightened a shade when they settled on me. Arioch Prime's smile was as warm and gentle as a grandfather, and Sir Torren bowed his head respectfully.

  I walked forward, and my four Aegises followed behind me.

  "Princess Daria," Sir Torren said, taking my hand and bringing it to his lips.

  How different this was than before.

  "I am so glad to see you well," Sir Torren continued, releasing my hand. He really did look happy to see me. "I know you were in the best of care with Aegis Sonya Del Conte."

  "I was. Thank you," I said. "And thank you for letting us stay."

  "Of course, your highness. It is the least I can do after what you have done for me and my people. I also…" He took a deep breath, as though what he were about to say was very difficult for him. "I wanted to…apologize for my attitude toward you initially. History has made me a skeptic, but what you've done for Pendel…" His voice trailed as he looked into my eyes. His regret ran deep, and he didn't know how to process the emotion.

  I touched his arm and smiled warmly. "Sir Torren, don't apologize for earlier. I completely understand your hesitation toward me, considering my family, and I can't say I wouldn't have acted in the same way. Why don't we start over?"

  This actually brought a faint grin to his lips, and I felt the admiration of my Aegises behind me.

  "You have honored me more than I deserve," said Sir Torren.

  Chapter 28

  Responsibility's Burden

  A wonderful dinner ensued, and with it came much conversation. I'd been ushered to Sir Torren's side, and we filled each other in on matters of state. Of course, I had been away from Valdon for the past few weeks, so Sonya and Master Durus filled in most of the gaps. I was relieved to hear that the shadowguard hadn't penetrated the wall yet, but I still had no idea what our next move should be. While I'd been asleep, it seemed Thad had already filled Sonya and the others in on everything Arioch Prime had said, and then Alex had told them about our journey prior. Everyone agreed it was unfortunate the box had held no answers about the shield of power and that the old genealogies had found their way into Eris's hands, but the latter was another battle for another time. Right now, we needed to figure out what to do about the shadowguard and how to stop my uncle.

  I was angered to hear that Orindor still refused to help Valdon. Campagna was not helping either. When I'd questioned the legality of this, the answer given was that since Eris had the shield of power, and after what had happened at the games, the issue of kingship was in question. And a
king was only as powerful as his lords. According to Sonya, my grandfather was still in hiding, which inevitably gave the responsibility of the world to Stefan. Stefan was apparently handling things well, considering, but he worried for our safety. Alex admitted to having sent a raven to Valdon, letting Stefan know briefly what had happened in Pendel and that we were all right. Alex also said he'd left out the part about dragons.

  I had dragons—yes—but what did that really mean? I didn't know, and no one could give me an answer. No one had ever seen dragons before, and any relationship with them hadn't existed for centuries. Not even Arioch Prime knew what to expect. So, until I figured out what that meant, we would need to strategize in a way that was familiar: magic and military.

  "What we need to figure out is how Eris will use the shield," I said, addressing the table. "Does this shield amplify his power? Or does it hold a power of its own?"

  "I believe it amplifies his power," Arioch replied, "though he cannot use the shield quite yet."

  "Why not?" I asked.

  "We've learned very recently that the Pontefracts still have possession of the unity stone," Master Durus said.

  I paused. Danton had taken the stone during the games and then had disappeared. He hadn't been there when Eris had shown up inside of the castle. Could it be true? Did the Pontefracts still hold the central piece of the shield? "How is it that one family can stand against my uncle, but an entire realm can't?" I asked, realizing distantly that my voice was rising.