Tytiana
Page 48
The bush growled, “Tytiana, could you help me with my clothes, please?”
A short while later, with Iridiana returned to her primary Human form, Jakani asked Tytiana, “So, my sweet flame, when I came up to the rooftop, you were smiling about something. I sense you might have come to a decision?”
“Who’s reading whom now?” she complained half-heartedly.
Wink woke and chirruped. She’s hungry, they chorused, and then smiled at each other.
“Babies,” said Iridiana, with a wink at Tytiana that caused the girl to cough.
She dampened the fires in her hands. “Don’t do that. I’d hate to ruin a lovely dress – and Jakani, none of your despicable smirking. Just wait until you see me in my ball gown. You … will … die. Figuratively. Sorry. That sort of emerged with a severe dose of evil-flaming-girlfriend-chuckle thrown in for good measure.”
“Fireproof,” he said airily. “And?”
“Aye, I have indeed made a decision regarding my father.”
“You’re going to try to heal him?”
“Do I even have to speak around here?” Tytiana complained. “Aye, that is exactly what I meant. And this is for you – for the smirk.”
“Suffering spiders!” Jakani jumped nearly a foot in the air as she tweaked his bottom.
“I guess I have low standards, too.”
“Very funny.”
But when she kissed him again, Wink made a tiny growl of discontent, disappeared from existence, and evidently decided that Iridiana’s shoulder would be her new choice of perch.
* * * *
Tytiana knocked politely on the door to her father’s chambers. He was apparently sharing with Ardan so that the two of them could receive the medical attention they required. The Shadow Dragon’s snarling at his enforced bed rest could be heard right down the corridor. Oh, and Na’axion had a few vociferous complaints, too. Apparently Aranya was ‘the amethyst beast’ and Iridiana ‘the most inflexible mother in the Island-World.’
Men!
I’m not like that, Jakani protested.
Better not be, grimy-toes Sakazi. You’ll get even less sympathy from me.
Now Na’axion apparently had the gall to mock Ardan’s fractured jaw. The volume of grumbling and cursing reached a pitch that rattled the chamber’s wooden door and dislodged a painting off the wall – but Jakani, as ever, was more than equal to any task requiring excessive speed. Silence within. Here came Aranya from the other direction, approaching at a harried-looking clip.
Ardan called, “Do come inside, all.”
Reaching out, Asturbar pressed the door open. “Ladies first.”
Jakani scowled at him.
The Azingloriax said, “I heard you’ve skills in arm-wrestling, you scrawny excuse for a Shapeshifter?”
Jakani, to his credit, looked the massive warrior up and down and drawled, “I’ll take you on any day, you poor, underfed street urchin.”
With a huge guffaw, Asturbar clapped him soundly upon the shoulder. Jakani refused to flinch.
Some things would never change, she supposed. Upon reflection, maybe she did not want them to. Jakani would continue to take on men or Dragons five times his size, and grow into his heritage as a rare Onyx-Gold Dragon. She would join a family of Star Dragons and crazy chaotic magic wielders. And if that rascally young man did not propose soon, she would encourage him until he went completely crazy. Ingeniously, of course. She was a woman, and a Dragoness.
Hmm. How did Shapeshifters propose, anyways?
Softly, Jakani said, “You’re being Tytiana the Radiant, my beloved.”
So she was. Tytiana glanced at her treasure, and saw her shining face reflected in his gold-tinted irises. Aye. This was who she was. Tytiana, daughter of Na’axion and Ahlyaza. Shapeshifter Dragoness. Heiress of Chaos, and, with the flourish of a quill-pen, the newest member of the royal household of Immadia. Princess – she grimaced. Hopelessly awkward, that title, but anything had to be better than being a Choice. Possessor of magic few understood, and the adamantine resolve to use her gifts for the betterment of the peoples of Helyon Island, and beyond.
She saw Ardan the Shadow Dragon abed to her right hand, and her father lying in a bed opposite. Na’axion’s face was pasty with pain, but he managed a wretched sort of smile. “Hey, daughter.”
“Islands’ greetings, uh, Dad. Did we neglect to tell you that I have Chaotic healing powers?”
His jaw dropped, and stayed that way.
Pushing up her sleeves, she said, “I’ve spoken to Fra’anior himself, and he called me the ‘Daughter of Chaos. I also took the liberty of consulting at length with Silver this afternoon. Therefore, I thought I’d commence our relationship by burning some of the nonsense out of you. Ready to receive my healing fire?”
Na’axion’s expression could have been sold for a King’s ransom. Hope. Awe. An agony of wonder and perplexity. Glancing about at all the faces surrounding him, he absently mouthed, ‘Fra’anior?’ Aranya nodded grimly. Ardan just folded his arms in a smug way that suggested he might have heard something like this before.
Aye. Tytiana might be the only person ever born who possessed the magic to heal him.
Jakani could not withhold a wicked little chortle. “I sense a rapid education in the matter of having a daughter is at hand.”
Weakly, Na’axion said, “Isn’t dealing with nonsense meant to be a father’s job?”
“You’ll have to practice being one first,” Tytiana riposted, with a smile as gentle as it was implacable. “Don’t worry, Dad, I’ll train you well.”
The End
About the Author
www.marcsecchia.com
Marc is the bestselling author of over twenty-five books and is published in five languages. Born in South Africa, he lives and works in Ethiopia with his wife and 4 children, 2 dogs, a rabbit, and a variable number of marabou storks that roost on the acacia trees out back. On a good night you can also hear hyenas prowling along the back fence.
When he’s not writing about Africa or dragons, Marc can be found travelling to remote locations. He thinks there’s nothing better than standing on a mountaintop wondering what lies over the next horizon.
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Email: marcsecchia@gmail.com
Other Books by Marc Secchia
Shapeshifter Dragons: (Young Adult and older readers) Four allied series of bestselling Dragon adventures. Prepare to wing away to a unique world of mighty Dragons and volcanic Islands above the deadly Cloudlands! In chronological order (Island-World timeline):
Dragonfriend series: Dragonfriend, Dragonlove, Dragonsoul and Dragonstar
Scrolls of Fire series: The Dragon Librarian
Shapeshifter Dragon Legends series: The Pygmy Dragon and The Onyx Dragon
Shapeshifter Dragons series: Aranya, Shadow Dragon, Song of the Storm Dragon and Beautiful Fury
Shapeshifter Dragons linked book, read after Song of the Storm Dragon or after Beautiful Fury: Chaos Shifter
Standalone Book: Dragon Thief
Set in the same world as the Shapeshifter Dragons series, join Zhialeiana in an oceanic adventure with Whales and Sea-Dragons:
IsleSong series: The Girl who Sang with Whales, The Girl who Loved the Whales, and The Girl who Swam with Whales, after which this series connects with Shapeshifter Dragons above in Dragons of Sea and Sky, coming soon.
Whisper Series (Teen and older readers)
Conjured by the sadistic Warlock Sanfuri, Whisper faces a stark choice. Run with his message, or die. Bound by the Warlock’s unbreakable magical imperative, Whisper is forced to navigate the tortuous pathways of a labyrinth twenty miles deep, riven by Dragon-infested canyons and scorched by sunstrike. An extraordinary legend is born.<
br />
Whisper Alive
The Equinox Cycle: (Young Adult and older readers)
Trapped in a car wreck, crushed by a train. In seconds, Zaranna’s world is torn apart and she must start life anew, as a survivor. A double amputee. Yet why does this promising equestrienne remember a flash of sulphurous fire, and a crimson paw hurling her mother’s car onto the train tracks? Why does a tide of beguiling butterflies flood her increasingly chaotic dreams?
As Zaranna Inglewood adjusts to life minus legs, plus gorgeous Alex, the paramedic who cut her body from the wreckage, she learns the terror of being hunted. Relentless and inimical, the enemy lures her to a world where dreams shape reality. Equinox. A world of equinoctial storms; lashed by titanic forces of magic, dominated by the Pegasi and their centuries-old enmity with Human Wizards and the Dragons. This is a world where a girl can Dream her destiny. Where her soul can fly, or be chained forever.
She is Zaranna, the Horse Dreamer. Survivor. Fighter. A girl who doesn’t need legs to kick an evil fate in the teeth. All she needs is courage – the courage to Dream.
The Horse Dreamer (Equinox Cycle Book 1)
The Shioni of Sheba series: (Middle Grades and older readers) Unique African historical fantasy adventures set among the myths and legends of ancient Ethiopia.
Shioni of Sheba #1: The Enchanted Castle
Shioni of Sheba #2: The King's Horse
Shioni of Sheba #3: The Mad Giant
Shioni of Sheba #4: The Sacred Lake
Shioni of Sheba #5: The Fiuri Realms
Shioni of Sheba #6 – The Night of the Hyenas
Shioni of Sheba #7 – The Secret of the Simiens
Shioni of Sheba Box Set – Books 1-5
Epic fantasy (New Adult and Adult readers) Epic length tales of unique worlds and powers.
Feynard
The Legend of El Shashi
Foreign language editions
Italian – Dragonfriend, Il Drago Pigmeo
Spanish – Dragonfriend
Portuguese – Aranya, Shadow Dragon, The Pygmy Dragon
Chinese – The Pygmy Dragon (US, China) Aranya (US, China)