Kelly Lucille - The Dragon’s Mage

“Do you know whose blood was used?” Eben asked, his voice a cold northern wind.

“Not the specific dragon but the house. Yes.” She looked pointedly at Ladon. “It was blood from the royal house of fire.”

Ladon choked on his shock, even as he prepared to roar his innocence.

Easy young one. You forget that we are bound. You could not keep such from me.

But someone from my house? I can’t believe any would do this thing.

We already know you were betrayed to the humans. Perhaps that is not the end of the traitor’s crimes.

Then the rest of my family could be in danger.

“Ryall.” Eben said finally. “You will call the Council together. There is much to be disclosed and they must hear it first.”

Ryall saluted a fist against his chest and then the ever-silent warrior dragon was pulling his mate behind him as they departed in a hurry.

“What is it?” Melly said in an unsure voice behind them, Clare and Rhune both looking at Morgan who was holding onto Eben like a child scared of the dark. “What’s happening?”

Pulling herself together Morgan stepped from Ebens arms and took a deep breath. She turned to her brother and sisters. “This is Eben Kinkaid and Prince Ladon. They have offered us sanctuary in Dracon away from the blood mages and the nullmags.” She drew another deep breath. “They are my mates.”

It was Rhune with awe in his young voice that finally broke the shocked silence. “You have twodragons?”

After spending their whole lives in a place where magic was seen as an abomination, to suddenly be in a place where the very air they breathed sparkled with it, was heady stuff. Within half an hour, everyone was enchanted clean, with a new wardrobe and their own rooms in a dragons Forsaken castle.

Finally, Morgan felt like she could breathe. Her family was as safe as they could be. If not for the blood mage mark on Melly, the upcoming dragon council meeting to decide the fate of mage kind and the still undiscovered traitor in Ladons family, it would be perfect.

Both Clare and Rhune had decided to sleep in Melly’s room for the night so they were all cuddled up in a giant bed that was softer than anything they had ever slept on before. Morgan sat beside them her arm around Clares shoulder.

“Can we really stay here?” Clare asked, her eyes going around the vast room in awe. Everywhere she looked her eyes hit on something beautiful from the lush rugs to the silk drapes blowing at the open terrace. Even the walls cut directly from the mountain glowed with embedded jewels and precious metals.

“Yes. We really can.” Morgan said, pulling her tightly against her side. “I have to leave for a little while, but I’ll be back before you wake up in the morning.”

“You’re going to talk to the dragon council.” Rhune said jumping up excitedly. “Can I come?” It made Morgan laugh and Melly had to grab him and pull him back down to the bed.

“No.” Morgan said leaning over Clare to buss him on the cheek. “And don’t even think about changing shape and flying out of this castle unless one of us is with you.”

He huffed, wiping off her kiss and looking belligerent.

“I mean it.” She stated firmly. “It’s magical here, better, but we need to be careful until we know what to expect. For now, you have a whole enchanted castle to explore. How about you stick with that for now?” At the reminder that they were now living in an enchanted castle Rhune perked right up. “Do you think there’s a real dragon treasure here? Like in the stories.”

“You’ll have to find out won’t you?”

He smiled happily, snuggling back down between Clare and Melly.

Morgan would have said more but something was happening on the mountain that distracted all of them. Outside the sun was setting, bathing the mist that surrounded the mountain in golds and reds as if the sky itself was on fire. All around them, the walls started to glow with it. When it was over Clare said what they were all afraid of.

“What if they won’t let us stay?”

Morgan was still forming an answer when Eben spoke from the doorway. “You are family to my mate. That makes you mine as well, I guard my treasures well.” He said his voice a harsh growl that reassured even as it warned. “And hatchling.” He said directing his words to Rhune of the wide eyes. “No one ever takes a dragons treasure.”

Come Morgan, the Council awaits.

Will they be safe here?

I will set the guard spells. No one will be able to enter or exit the castle until our return. They will be fine.

Morgan sighed in relief trusting Eben knew what he was doing and said her goodbyes. She was worried about how quiet and tired Melly appeared but hoped that a decent nights rest would help.

Meanwhile she was not looking forward to meeting the council. From what she had seen, dragons did not have a high opinion of humans. What would their reaction be to a human mate? Would her family be forced to leave the only place of safety they had ever found?

You will remove this worry from your mind. A mate is a sacred thing. The council is old and set in their ways, as am I, but they know what it is to find a mate.

And my family? If they make them leave, I will not desert them to the world.

As I told the hatchling. I protect what is mine.

Against your own people? I know you work for the council. What if it’s an order?

You need not ask, only look into my heart and you will know the answer.

So Morgan opened her senses fully and felt the conviction and absolute surety that Eben could and would protect her family against all comers. She'd been afraid to look, she realized, afraid of what she would see. The tension went out of her shoulders as Eben pulled her into his embrace, and off her feet, his words spoken directly into her ear. “There is nothing that could take you from me. To my last breath of fire I will keep you and your family safe."

Her doubt had hurt him. She hugged him close sending him her love and faith. "I should have more courage."

He laughed, and she felt it in her bones. "More courage? I have not felt fear for 6000 years, but you bring me to my knees with worry over the courage you display hourly. Have pity on the mates that wish for nothing more than your safety and happiness. I beg you, no more courage. No more flying on bed sheets or trying to storm blood mage castles."

He placed her back on her feet smiling down at her while she rolled her eyes at the impossible idea of Eben Kinkaid "brought to his knees".

"You old dragons seem prone to drama. As if anything would bring you to your knees." She teased, rubbing her hand down his fierce face. "You forget I've seen inside your stubborn proud head. There is not one thing on this earth that could bring you low."

He took her hand from his face and kissed the back of her fingers. "There is one thing." Then his grip tightened and he used his other arm to sweep around her waist and pull her bone crushingly close. "I will not lose you. Shameaa." His eyes of old gold bore into hers. "Not your smile, not your scent,” He breathed in; his eyes closing in appreciation. "Not the way you feel in my arms and not the way you feel in my heart. Not any part of you. I would take on the world to keep your family safe and you by my side."

The intensity of his deep need was as awful as it was awe-inspiring. It buffeted her from all sides like a great tide that would drown her. How could she, as young and insignificant as she was give this powerful being what he yearned for? How could she be enough? Morgan shivered out a breath and opened her heart as far as she could flooding him with her fears and insecurities, but also her wish to be all that he needed. She felt his full body shudder and then he relaxed his grip incrementally.