by D. R. Grady
His brain processed Felicity’s statement and her earlier one about their mentor’s wealth. “Of course. You are thinking to create a massive treasury of all the Aasguard wealth that has been left behind.” His mind opened to the possibilities.
“I am. It would be perfect for any dragons who seek to reassess things, and it might provide a wonderful opportunity for them to meet.” She wiggled her brows at him and he laughed.
“I did not expect that from you.”
“I am oft far too serious. You have changed this solemn trait within me.” Her hand reached out to cup his cheek. “Thank you for such a gift.”
“You are welcome.” A rush of solemnity encased him. “I am happy to bring levity into your life.”
“I am thankful. I am also thrilled that we have so many options now. This shared treasury will not only aid dragons but also any Aasguard who wishes to start a business or occupational endeavor.”
He stilled. “Of course. Those monies could be used for additional schools, or businesses, or anything our people require at the moment.”
“It could be used for research.” She raised those violet eyes. “It would be extremely helpful to know whether it is safe for us to marry and reproduce. To know what to expect and how to train during pregnancy. We do not become ill, but it might be helpful for some of our kind who are gifted healers to aid others.”
“The possibilities are stretching wider and wider.” He marveled at the way she thought. “Perhaps we should present these notions to the other Aasguards.”
“I was on my way to see Maeze.”
“I was on mine to see Felix.” He grinned. “There is no telling what trouble my dragon has caused.” But they placed those plans on hold in lieu of speaking to their colleagues.
Felicity’s light laugh made him certain he could conquer the entire realm of desampus single-handedly.
CHAPTER FIVE
When she and Rykert explained their idea about combining the wealth of those Aasguards who had passed to fund the new enterprises of living Aasguard warriors, silence greeted them. Felicity had expected that. She waited patiently for them to process her proposal.
They all sat in the main lounge of the school. A homey place filled with sturdy, comfortable seating and a roaring fireplace that added to the ambiance. Fall came quickly to this region. The winters howled through the landscape with vengeance, and the summers smoldered with blazing heat and dry conditions. All pluses for an Aasguard school. Kellen and Ari had chosen the location well.
“How will you find those treasures? Most bury them deep.” Kellen didn’t argue. He did ask a legitimate question.
She smiled. “Dragons are made to find treasure.”
A wave of quickly suppressed sorrow crossed Kellen and Ari’s faces. She hated that anything she said would cause them pain, for any reason. Both their dragons had passed on before Ari or Kellen came to Montequirst nearly two years ago. They had married a year ago and no longer required a dragon for companionship, but both of them had lived centuries with a dragon companion.
“I had forgotten that dragons have treasure seeking skills.” Ari rubbed a hand across Kellen’s. A subtle show of support to her husband.
Felicity hoped they realized she did as well. While she had a new dragon in Maeze, she had to say goodbye to Maeze’s mother and missed her first dragon every day. Having Maeze made life easier, but grief still came calling.
“I would like to see Felix find treasure.” Lajos pursed his lips.
Rykert chuckled. “He acts like a newly-hatched. Gets beside himself with excitement.”
“I can imagine.” Lajos’s amusement made the others nod.
“He likely excels at finding treasure.” Vidar glanced at Rykert.
“He does. Probably because he does still get excited by it. We have been traveling for several years now. Spending a few days with treasure has done him plenty of good.”
That brought up a concern she had. “If we go seeking treasure, will that be enough for our dragons? Maeze is still young.”
“We will need to spend time with the treasure as we send it to the main treasury. Depending on the size, it will likely take a few days before it completely disappears.” Rykert did not frown, but he did tap his fingers in a quick tune. “Felix always does better when he has opportunity to bask in treasures but he is of an age now where he does not require as much exposure to gems and monies.”
“Maeze is young. She needs more time near them.” Felicity stated the obvious as they needed to figure out a way to make this work.
“Where are you thinking to form this treasury?” Ari cocked her head to the side.
“It will clearly need to be a large place. Well guarded.” Kellen looked between them.
She exchanged a look with Rykert.
“No idea.” Rykert’s quip was typical of him and produced a laugh.
But what he said was true. They had yet to formulate all the details of their plan.
“I dug out a cavern deep in the mountains not so far from here when I first became Aasguard. I expanded it once and set it to keep enlarging as necessary.” Kellen gestured toward the brimming room deep within the school. “Obviously that space is empty now.”
“How many treasures are you seeking?” Ari inquired.
“As many as we can locate of our late mentors. Some might know the locations, while all the others Felix and Maeze should be capable of locating.” Felicity couldn’t fathom a space large enough to contain all the treasures amassed by those who had gone before them.
Lajos stirred. “Do you remember the island of Atlas, out in the Nesslock sea?”
Felicity’s chair creaked when she bolted upright. “Of course.”
“An Atlas treasury is going to be rather wet.” Rykert joked, but it was true.
“Did Atlas not sink into the sea over a century ago?” Raene quizzed Lajos.
“It did. And it is the perfect place for treasure. While it is leagues under the sea now, it has plenty of space and only an Aasguard or dragon can withstand the water pressures.” Lajos spoke with confidence but she did not follow.
Felicity sought further clarification. “I am not following your thoughts. Can you explain in more detail?”
“The city of Atlas is on an island. The entire island sank into the sea. The city is under water, which any worthy mage could form a bubble around if you wished to keep the treasures dry. There are tunnels and caverns running all under that city. If you drove the water out of those you would have a fine treasury.” Lajos’s explanation opened up new ideas. “Even if you left the water the space would still work well for our purposes.”
“No neighbors to speak of.” Rykert grinned at her.
“Other than all the dangerous sea creatures with lots of teeth and big appetites.” No Aasguard enjoyed grappling with Mother Nature.
“They do not tend to be a problem. Felix has to dull his scales quite a lot, but dragonfyre is as effective under water as above.” Rykert shrugged.
Her eyebrow rose. “You and Felix have spent time in the sea?”
He blinked before a sunny smile overtook his face. Her breath caught. Really, the man should not be allowed to do so. But that was silly so she refrained from stating her observations.
No one else in the room, namely the other females, appeared to be afflicted by him, so Felicity deduced she was alone in this matter.
“Do tell.” Raene returned his smile. Of all the people clustered in the room, she and Rykert probably shared the most sunny of dispositions. Felicity had wondered if they would become fast friends and they appeared to be doing so right now.
“Several of our mentors have chosen to bury their treasure in the sea. Felix somehow can better sense treasure if there is water involved.” Rykert held up a finger. “Be aware, he failed to warn me the first time he dove while flying over the sea. Not the Nesslock, but a nearby ocean, to get to that treasure.”
“He did not warn you?” Felicity clapped a hand over her
mouth.
“In his glee, he forgot.” Rykert’s lips twitched.
A ripple of laughter undulated through the room. “So you got dunked.” Vidar displayed a little glee of his own. “By your dragon.”
“I did. He felt a smidgen of guilt for not warning me.”
“What did you find?” Ari’s inquiry sobered them. Mostly.
“I cannot be certain, but I believe it was the cache of one of the first Aasguard warriors to be trained. It might have even been the founder’s treasure.”
All of them sat up straighter. “You found Fergus the First’s treasure?” Vidar blinked at this news. Felicity could relate.
“I am not certain how to verify this, but I believe so.” Rykert’s smile faded as they all contemplated Fergus’s long life and all he had done for them.
If not for him, none of them would still be alive today. None of them would possess their skills.
“Is his treasure still there?” Stefana asked. She and Raene might not have ever heard of Fergus the First. If so, Felicity and her fellow Aasguards needed to rectify that lack immediately.
Fergus had trained so intensely and hard that he had become the first Aasguard warrior. They owed him so much.
‡‡
Rykert appreciated Felicity’s interest in their founder. He had been friends with Fergus the First.
“Yes. Felix and I enjoy that treasure because it is central to all the regions we travel.” He studied Felicity’s face. “Felix and I have made it a base of sorts.”
“You carved out a space there where you can breathe?” The sun danced in her dark tresses.
“Fergus or whoever created it had already done so. That treasury is located in the perfect place for us to rest comfortably.” Rykert brushed a knuckle along the edge of Felicity’s jawline.
“I wonder if we should travel to Atlas to determine whether we can make it the official Aasguard Treasury.” While it didn’t show, excitement pulsed from Felicity. He detected it but could not determine whether the others could.
“We should.”
“Winter is nearing. Will that be a problem?” Stefana asked. She and Raene must still have plenty of questions.
He and Felicity shook their heads in unison.
Both queens’ husbands took their hands. “Aasguards do not worry about the elements.” Lajos kissed the back of Stefana’s hand.
Rykert looked away after that. Since he could not mate yet with his bride, he didn’t particularly wish to witness others enjoy the lovey dovey moments.
He entertained a few second thoughts about heading out to Atlas with Felix in tow. The comments from his dragon would be entertaining, but… Of their own volition, his lips curved up.
“What are you smiling about?” Felicity asked in a low voice that only he could hear.
“Going to Atlas with you and Felix.”
She snickered. He was entranced. “Remember, I have a female dragon in his opposite colors.”
Before he could stop it, Rykert groaned.
Everyone in the room paused their low voiced conversations to turn to them.
He and Felicity had selected a comfy lounge. They had forgotten they did not have the room to themselves.
“He just remembered that Felix is yellow and blue-eyed and Maeze is blue and yellow-eyed. It should be an interesting trip to Atlas.” A tinge of drollness escaped Felicity’s statement.
He covered his face with a hand. “This endeavor is going to be a nightmare.”
“Maeze is of age now.” Raene pointed out.
“Does she still have a huge crush on Felix?” Ari followed Felicity’s train of thought with ease.
“She does. She is not as overt now but she certainly still gets tongue-tied and awkward when he’s around.” Felicity shot a look at him that he did not take the time to translate.
“Felix failed to notice her before because she was not of age yet. But he likely has now. I forgot all about them being complimentary.” Rykert had sudden misgivings about their impending journey. Felix lacked bossy tendencies, but part of an older dragon’s job was to educate the young among them. He was duty-bound to fill in the gaps in Maeze’s education. He could only hope that Fricassa, Aern, and Felicity had been thorough.
“To give you hope, Aern and Fricassa resisted their attraction for centuries.” Vidar stretched out his legs. He looked the epitome of a man at ease.
Rykert glanced at Lajos. He also projected the picture of a man content with his world.
What did that feel like?
“Aern and Fricassa felt they could mate after Vidar and I wed.” Raene must have taken pity on him because sympathy emitted from her. She had not missed the potential fireworks of two dragons attracted to each other who had to spend time together.
For that matter, he had never spent time with a female of his species who he was attracted to. And they would be spending the next few days, if not weeks, together.
Alone.
With dragons of complimentary color.
He swiped a hand over his face. “This is going to be a …challenge.”
“Whoever gets dragon babies first, may we have one?” Kellen wrapped a heavy arm around his wife. Ari snuggled closer and Rykert re-thought everything.
This could not be his life.
Randy dragons, his own hormones, and a mate whose warrior instincts prompted her tamp their relationship right now. This meant he and frustration would circle each other for all those days or weeks ahead of him.
Raene’s tinkling laugh rang through the room. “We have heard little snippets that there might be some dragon babies on the way.”
Everyone in the room set astonished eyes on her. “Really?” Ari leaned forward to set her tea mug on the coffee table.
Vidar held up a hand. “We have not been able to confirm this. But…” He broke off but gestured to his brother.
“The thing is, Fricassa is resembling a watermelon lately. She tends not to gain weight. So we have been speculating that she might be with babies.” Lajos tapped a finger to his lips.
“Do they know?” Felicity asked.
“We haven’t asked.” Stefana smiled at her husband. “We are all so busy and dragon gestation is very different from ours.”
“From what we can gather, Aern has not noticed.” Vidar added to Stefana’s thoughts.
“He did state the other day that Fricassa is eating more than she has in the past.” Lajos adjusted his sword even though they were seated. “That would account for her roundness, but I do not know if expecting dragons require more nutrients or not.”
“Do you know whether human females require more nutrients?” Stefana nudged her husband.
Lajos’s cheeks might have reddened. Additional laughter rounded the room and Rykert was thankful it wasn’t directed at him.
Although, he had no problem with people laughing at him. If they did not he would insist upon leaving immediately.
“For the record, pregnant females of the human and Aasguard races both need a few additional nutrients. I imagine dragons require more, especially if expecting more than one dragon.” Raene inserted this and rubbed her husband’s thigh.
“I could ask Maeze, as she retains her mother’s memories.” Felicity glanced at Lajos. “However, I remember that her mother did consume more. Her mate and I both teased her about it. Salunga hoped it indicated that she was with more than one dragon.”
“Did Salunga know she was gestating?” Lajos’s eyes narrowed.
“She did. Mainly because she and Maeze’s father wanted young so badly that they were hyper aware. They also did not wish to go on to the next life without supplying me with a new dragon.”
“As busy as we have been, Fricassa might have completely missed her condition.” Stefana adjusted the sword at her back. She wore hers differently than the rest of them. Hers resided in a sheath she carried at her back rather than on her hip. “And Aern lived with Vidar all those years. He surely has no clue.”
“I will be
able to tell whether Fricassa is expecting babies.” Felicity made this announcement with the air of one commenting on the weather conditions.
CHAPTER SIX
All eyes latched on her and Felicity wished she had kept her knowledge to herself.
“You can tell whether Fricassa is with dragons?”
“I was with Maeze’s mother from the time she conceived Maeze until she and her mate moved on to the next life.” Felicity had no intention of going into detail. But she knew the nuances that should help her determine whether Fricassa and Aern had reproduced.
“Do you think Maeze knows?” Ari asked.
“Probably not. Unless she has tapped into those particular memories of her mother. But Maeze has only been a full adult dragon for approximately a year. She most likely has not been thinking along those lines.” Felicity doubted Maeze had read the signs.
“Is it too soon for her to mate and produce dragon babies?” Rykert asked. A viable question.
Felix and Maeze were mates, so it made sense to be aware of this.
“I doubt it is too soon physiologically. But I doubt she is ready to reproduce this soon.” Felicity could not imagine the young dragon taking on the responsibilities of a mate and young ones at this point in her life. She still had a lot to learn and experience.
Lajos held up a finger. “I traveled with Fricassa for a good deal of her life. She rarely went into heat. And certainly not when we were younger.” He frowned. “However, as the years progressed I noticed she did cycle more frequently.”
“I wonder if that was due to the decreased number of dragons.” Ari’s forehead pleated. “We have lost quite a few to old age.”
“Those living are much older than us.” Lajos touched his sword hilt. “Fricassa was no hatchling when I met her but she was certainly young.”
“She is not young now. And neither is Aern.” Vidar uncrossed his legs. “It is probably time for them and any other dragons who are of an age to increase the dragon population.”
“They might not even realize their numbers are also dwindling.” Ari brushed hair off her temple.
