by L M Lacee
“What guy?” Harper asked suspiciously.
No they do not but then we were not on earth then! Said an Elemental who appeared before Frankie who said. “That guy. He’s an Elemental Harper.”
“Yeah I see.”
“Hello how are you?” Frankie asked with a smile.
We are well Lady Frankie. We are glad you have arrived.
Frankie nodded. “Aww! I said I’d get here.”
We were concerned.
“I am sorry but I needed to wait for Harper to be ready.”
We understand.
Harper looked at her friend. “You did, did you?”
“Well yeah I wasn’t coming without you although I did not know you had family here.” She smiled at Harper who asked. “Why are you here?”
She is here to help Lord Reighn with the magical beings who will come to Dragon’s Gap.
Reighn said. “It is a large endeavor.”
We know! The Elemental stated. Although a serene being such as Lady Frankie will manage quite well and her talent will only be occasionally used, until then she is as she is!
He disappeared with that pronouncement. Johner appeared as if by magic. “My love are you alright?” Frankie sighed and smiled at him saying. “I am now you are here.” He took her hand in his and squeezed encouragingly, to the others she said. “Well... So yeah that is me!”
Charlie asked slightly stunned. “When did they contact you?”
“Oh about a year ago, they told me what my talent was and how I could help Dragon’s Gap and the Dragon Lord. I told them I would but not until Harper was ready to leave and come here.”
“So they orchestrated all this?” Harper asked Frankie who screwed her lips up in thought. “Yeah probably, almost definitely!”
“Well we all know the Elementals provide.” Reighn stated in his Dragon Lord voice.
“Or interfere.” Edith mumbled, Harper mumbled back. “Agreed, sneaky bas…”
“Uhuh yes well!” Charlie said. Harper then glared at Frankie who opened her eyes wide and asked her. “What?”
“You never thought to tell me?”
“Well nah, not really, seemed pointless.”
Harper looked at her friend and then Johner, who looked just as dumbfounded as everyone else, then she looked at Frankie again and realized to Frankie’s way of thinking it really had seemed pointless. She sighed and said. “Yep it probably was!”
Johner said. “My love please tell me things like this. I do need to know.”
“Oh okay then, glad you told me.” He kept the relieved sigh to himself. Frankie said to June. “So work?”
Sage asked. “Can you really organize?”
“Like a fiend.”
“Well I need help, so do you want to be my Personal Assistant?”
“What do you do?” Frankie almost squealed with glee at the thought of working. Together with Johner they walked to the other side of the room and sat on a couple of couches. Sage and June talked while Frankie listened, every now and again Frankie would nod at something Sage or June said. Her eyes became more excited the longer they talked and the happier she became the more she started to move to her own song. “She will be working with Sage before dinner is finished.” Claire told those that watched them. Harper asked. “Seer?”
“I am.”
“Did you see Frankie coming?”
Claire smiled. “No, I saw someone who would mesh well with Sage, June and Reighn.”
“Well that is definitely Frankie. What will she do?”
“Organize and help run the castle and become a buffer for Sage as the Dragon Lady. A lot of power goes with the position.”
“It will suit her talents, all of them I think. She is as honest as the sky is blue, plus Johner will like that she will stay here?”
Rene` answered her observation. “He will, his dragon will not chaff at thinking she will leave him.”
He watched Harper watch her friend, they had over the last few days come to a truce of some sort. It would take time for Harper to fully accept Rene` but he was patient, he understood it was more the lack of trust she had in fathers rather than she did not like Rene`, so he knew it would happen. He listened now as Reighn asked. “So Harper what will you do other than your art?”
“Become a retriever, no training necessary just point me in the right direction and let me go.”
Charlie nodded. “Fine I will have my secretary get in touch.” She left to go to her children and Storm as they entered with the nannies after cleaning up for dinner. Harper looked after her, Reighn said. “You will have to address that soon.”
“I am working on it, we already started, and she is amazing. I wish I was not so damaged. Oh thank you for my barn it is perfect.” She smiled up at him, he inclined his head as he said. “You are welcome. I have someone coming that will help you. Will you see him?”
She looked at Claire. “Did you see me coming?”
“Oh yes and the one who is to be your shadow. I told him of you.”
Harper sucked in a breath, Oh hell a mate. “But not my name?”
“No that is for you to do.”
“I am damaged.” She told the three of them.
“As was he!” Reighn replied.
“Okay then Reighn, I don’t want to be like this, truly I will take all the help I can get. Hope he is as cute as ya all!” Harper grinned at him and his father as she sauntered away, he sighed as his father was want to do, and understood why he did so now, as he looked after Harper and Claire as she laughed following Harper. Rene` clapped him on his shoulder. “It gets easier I promise!”
Reighn grunted in response not amused or believing him.
CHAPTER NINE:
W hile Harper and the rest of the family were sitting down to a family dinner Ace Battle the eldest brother of the Battle brothers was packing to leave Dragon’s Citadel. This had been his sanctuary since his Sire’s trial. Being one of only two fire dragons, the Dragon Lord being the other they held the ethics of the dragon horde within their dragon souls. When a transgression against dragon kind is felt, known or believed to be happening Reighn or Ace investigate and then solve the problem permanently. Whatever that form may take.
For Ace not to have known for many years that his father lead a rebellion that could have resulted, if it had succeeded, in the removal of the entire Royal family felled his belief in his intelligence and crippled his dragons belief in himself. Ace like his brothers always knew that their father desired more in his life and felt he had always been short changed of his position within the dragon society. He became a bitter old dragon but Ace had no idea of the depth of his depravity.
His genetic manipulation of he and his brothers and the death of their beloved mother was only one of many revelations of his father s corrupt nature. The reports on why his mother had died cut deep into his and his brother’s hearts.
When Ace started to view the world and people around him through a heart gone dark and a soul filled with pain, which resulted in his own ethics and judgement being compromised, and when his dragon had withdrawn his counsel causing him to become dangerous he knew it was time to seek help. Before he could act on the impulses to raze the world, Reighn had sent him to Master Patrycc Maythom the Redeemer. The only dragon that was capable of counseling and keeping an ethical dragon from succumbing to his despair.
Ace had taken months to come back from the killing edge. Master Patrycc also spent months showing them both, Ace and his dragon that amongst what they considered the rubble of their lives there was much to be redeemed from the ashes. Growth could happen. Together Ace and his dragon, over the last few months, re-learnt who and what they were now. It had been a hard learning curve for them both.
“So you are leaving?”
Ace looked up from his packing towards the tall male that leaned his long, wiry body against his bedroom door frame. Dressed much as he was in black jeans, shirt and boots his long blonde hair was in a warrior’s top knot above a handsome face
. Ace was positive the male with the golden eyes would always have a touch of arrogance about him. As he himself had been or was as a youth. In Hayden it was not a bad thing, his confidence had taken a hard knock, to learn you as a dragon were vulnerable when you have been lead to believe all your life you were indestructible… was tough. Ace knew so well that feeling, so if he was arrogant Ace did not begrudge him that. It seemed to be serving him well by giving him the confidence to understand who he was and his place in the world but not enough to make him unlikable.
Hayden looked around the sparsely furnished bedroom as all the rooms in the Citadel were and realized he was going to miss the taciturn male who he considered a friend. Ace grinned at the male. He had obviously come from sword training, he looked fit and healthy, a change from the dragon who earlier arrived carried on a sling between two dragons. His wings and body so badly damaged from fire it was hard to believe he would survive let alone ever be able to fly again. Thankfully he was almost whole a few scars remained, no one battled dragons fire and came out unscathed although his mental and emotional damage was taking time to heal.
Privately Ace believed Hayden needed a shadow, someone more than his young brother to fight for. Maybe knowing he had one out there would helped him. It helped Ace knowing someone, somewhere, was for him and his dragon. Ace told him now. “Yes I have been told I am needed at home.”
“So that was why the Dragon Lord and his Prime came here?”
“Yes, they came to tell me the seer had said I should return.” He did not tell Hayden, as he had not told Reighn, it was because his shadow would be at Dragon’s Gap. Hayden walked in and stood looking out over the mountains. The Citadel was somewhere in what the humans called the Himalayas and sat on the very edge of a cliff or more precisely was built into the cliff side and hidden by dragon magic. It was the domain of Patrycc Maythom, redeemer of bodies, souls and hearts and in Hayden’s case his mind.
Master Patrycc was brother to Lady Verity, former Dragon Lady and mother of the present Dragon Lord he looked like her except he was manlier. Hayden thought, where she had the soft face and shy eyes. The Dragon Lord was hard and worldly his eyes held secrets and mysteries Hayden never wanted to find out about.
He sighed, he missed his brother and he missed his friends and most of all he missed his dragon talking to him more than all the other things combined. “I want to return home.” He said before he thought too much about what he was saying.
Ace nodded and softly said. “It cannot be long now my friend.”
“I hope not, I miss living.”
Ace understood that while being here it was like living half a life with days filled with meditation and sword training. Every minute of every day was filled with a form of rehabilitation and many hours with master Patrycc delving into you and your dragon’s hearts, minds and souls. All the time forcing you to search out what it was that hindered your life. That wanted to hurt you and that caused, in his case, his soul to turn black.
“Take each day as a blessing and find your balance then you will be home.” Ace told him. The same advice the master had given him, many times over the last few months. Master Patrycc came in. “Ace is correct, it will not be long now Hayden, but to get there you are required in meditation.”
Hayden bowed, “Yes master, goodbye my friend. If you see my brother Clint tell him I miss him and will be with him soon, please.”
They clasped arms in goodbye. “I will and Hayden thank you.”
“For what?”
“For helping me through the last months without your assurance I would make it. I would not be here.”
Hayden smiled a lightening of his dark features. “I am glad I could help.” He walked out a happier male than the one that had walked in.
“That was nicely done, he is almost where you were a month or two ago he will be home soon.”
Master Patrycc clasped his arm and then pulled Ace into a hug. “I am glad you are leaving.”
“I am sorry I was such a trial!” Ace dryly stated.
“Ahh humor… interesting!” Patrycc grinned at Ace’s raised eyebrow. “Tell my sister I will come home with Hayden. I am in need of her tender care.”
“I can hardly wait! Are you sure this is not going to be a problem?” Ace asked. Now it was Patrycc turn to dryly say. “I am sure, my visit is to my sister, not to meet my shadow.”
Ace sighed. “I only hope she will accept my help.”
“Of course she will, you are if nothing else charming.”
Ace cocked an eyebrow at the master. “Charming master?”
“Definitely or so my Verity tells me!” He grinned again, “She is of course biased or so my nephew Reighn says.”
“He has always been jealous of me!” Stated Ace as he closed his pack.
Patrycc Maythom the Redeemer for dragon kind, grinned but did not reply, he just touched the males shoulder before he walked towards the open door and said seriously. “You have all the tools to remain healthy and help your shadow, if you need me call. I will be there in a moment, are you flying or using a portal?”
Ace shook out his shoulders in preparation for his flight. “Thank you master, I am flying. My dragon and I need the time and the flight to settle back into who we are now.”
“Good choice! Goodbye my friend.”
Ace picked his pack up and turned to the male that started out master and ended up friend. “And to you my friend, do not make it too long until we meet again.”
“I will not, I need to see the female who is shadow to the Elite Shield, Ace Battle.”
“As do I!” murmured Ace.
CHAPTER TEN:
H arper and Frankie had been living and working at Dragon’s Gap for the last three weeks. Harper spent most of that time on assignments away from home. Frankie walked into her job like she had been born to it, Sage and June had no idea how they ever managed without her.
It was Monday the day after another family Sunday, day. Harper had spent the whole of Saturday working on her large block of marble chipping away at the stone. What was emerging was, she thought, probably going to be a master piece. Amazingly enough she was finding Sunday family day’s fun and mostly, highly entertaining. Especially when the little ones all ganged up on usually Axl or Ark. They seemed to place themselves in the firing line along occasionally with Clint who had missed being there yesterday due to work. When Harper finally dressed and looked at her messages, it seemed she just received another assignment.
She reported to Charlie’s office just after seven in the morning, a brief run down on where she was to go which was standard before a retrieval. She was once more issued with a phone. Also weapons and ammunition which she again declined. She picked up her keys for a new vehicle. They rotated vehicles so no one got used to the same car being in the same area more than once or twice.
Harper was headed to a notorious section of England. She just loved portals it made traveling fast and helped the rescued get to Dragon’s Gap safer.
This pocket of England was known for harboring shifters, predominately females and young. In the three weeks since joining the team Harper had taken out three large holdings of this particular cartel. Two in Europe and one in Australia. She and her team had rescued over two hundred females and young from each location. This was apparently their main compound situated in England.
Unfortunately many of the captives were held by shifters and humans that were unwilling to release them as they thought their prior claim was more important than Harper’s or the females themselves. So she often found herself defending not only herself but those she rescued. There always seemed to be those that chose death to giving up.
Harper lost count of the injuries she had received over the last three weeks, she was never more glad for healers and her quick healing abilities than she was since starting this job.
Apparently they had only just received last night information that the cartel was gearing up for a big trade so Harper and her team would go and rescue who the
y could and kill the rest. That was not quite what Charlie ordered but Harper felt that was the sentiment of Charlie’s. “Go get those assholes.”
She nodded to the receptionist, a cougar named Betty, as she left snagging another cup of coffee from the reception area before wandering through the castle to the rear where the retrieves parking lot was, to find her vehicle.
Harper made the steps and drank the last of her coffee and then took several early morning breaths of crisp fresh air. When she felt satisfied with how things were going, meaning she had missed Frankie who would only yell at her about going out again so soon after only being back two days and there was no disapproving Reighn giving her the Lord look because she was off again, which she thought he had perfected since her arrival. She smiled to herself and sauntered down the steps to the cobble stones and found herself coming to a halt and standing slightly amazed as she looked up then up some more.
If anyone had told her any time in her past she would sometime in her life be standing toe to snout with a fire breathing, green eyed, crimson, seventy foot tall winged dragon, with only knives to defend herself with, she would have laughed herself silly. But here she was standing, not two feet from said dragon. Knives raised and a glint in her eye that read death or nothing!
Suddenly males arrived from everywhere. Rene`, Ark and Axl ran from inside the Castle. Lars, Keeper and Johner flew in from the town changing as they approached. Reighn and Storm dropped down from the castle’s battlements transforming with a thought to human as they touched down. All to protect the dragon from her. Amazing!
Harper sniffed as Reighn swiftly went from dragon to human. “Seriously dude. I wouldn’t have hurt him too much.”
Reighn sighed deeply as he seemed to always do around her. “Sheathe your knives female.” That he said a lot, all the dragons were now in their human forms, except the dragon Harper had been facing off with.
Harper placed her knives away and watched as the Dragon Lord called to the dragon. “Welcome home Ace, it has been a long time. I am sorry about your reception, Harper is a little quick with her knives.”
