dragon archives 05 - forever a dragon (36 page)

Chapter 40

Callaway and Elliott left the village that morning, but Scott insisted on staying. “I want to meet Master Drake,” he said.

“What about your wife?”

Scott shrugged. “A few more days won’t matter.”

“You know I’m not planning to return to Civitas right away?” Lleland asked him. “You’ll have to travel back on your own.”

“I don’t mind.”

Aaron Drake returned four days later, on a gray, snowy day. It was late afternoon, and a fire roared in the tavern where Lleland sat with Scott. The door opened, bringing in a blast of cold air and flakes of snow that melted into puddles on the floor. Scott shivered as Aaron stepped into the low room, Zach and another man on his heels. Scott stopped what he was saying and gaped as Aaron walked towards them. All three men exuded strength and power.

“Lleland,” Aaron said, “I wasn’t sure I’d ever see you again,” he said dryly. “You look well nourished.”

“I thought about what you said, and decided that I rather enjoy life after all.”

“I see. Well, I’m glad to hear it. Of course it doesn’t explain what you’re doing here.” Aaron pulled out a chair and sat down as the others followed suit. “This is Max,” he said, nodding at the third man, “my brother-in-law. Richard says you arrived with Matthew Hobbes. He thinks you want to kill me. Of course, he isn’t aware of certain changes since your last stay in the village.”

“What do you think?”

“Matthew Hobbes seems like a strange traveling companion. I’d be interested in hearing what you were doing in his company.” Aaron waved to the bartender, and took a seat across from Lleland. Zach and Max did the same. “Who’s your friend?” Aaron asked.

“This is Master Scott. Another traveling companion.”

“Hmm. And why exactly did you bring companions to the mountains, Lleland?”

“I came with the League.”

Aaron leaned back with a frown. “Explain.”

“Matthew convinced the League that the dragons here are a threat and should be hunted and killed. I hoped to convince them that this was not the case.”

“You think people like Matthew Hobbes are a danger to dragons? He’s been wanting dragons dead for years, and yet they still live.”

“True. But there were other skilled hunters in the company. People like Scott.”

Aaron turned to look at Scott, his eyebrows raised. “You’re a hunter?”

“I was. But,” he glanced at Lleland, “I realize now that it would be wrong to kill dragons.”

Aaron stared at Scott for a moment, then turned to Lleland. “What does he mean?”

“He saw me change.”

Aaron frowned. “That was careless,” he said.

“He was saving your daughter!” Scott interjected.

Lleland sighed. “One of the men was about to shoot Lydia with an arrow dipped in wolfsbane. I intercepted the shot.”

Aaron paled slightly. “Matthew’s getting desperate,” he said. He passed a hand over his forehead. “So you changed form and took the arrow?”

“Yes.”

He leaned back in his seat. “You saved her life,” he said. His gaze was intent as he watched Lleland. “How did you survive?”

“Lydia ripped and burned.” Zach grimaced, and Lleland smiled grimly.

Aaron took a quaff of ale. “You’re facing your fears. Your father would be proud.” He met Lleland’s gaze as he continued. “I think you’d better start at the beginning. How did Matthew know about the League, and how many hunters did you bring?”

The next few hours passed quickly as Lleland related the events leading up to his arrival at Storbrook. Aaron stopped him from time to time to ask a question, and once or twice Scott interjected with his own comments.

“Where are the other hunters now?” Aaron asked as Lleland finished his tale.

“Callaway and Elliott have returned to Civitas, and Hobbes is locked in the prisoner’s tower.”

“I see.” Aaron paused. “And what about you? Why are you still here? Don’t you have classes to teach?”

“I’ve been waiting for you. There are some things we need to discuss.”

Aaron leaned back in his seat. “Master Former Hunter,” he said, glancing at Scott, “can you please excuse us?” Scott glanced at Lleland, then nodded and slid off the bench.

“Well?” Aaron said when Scott was gone.

“I’m ready to give you my oath,” Lleland said.

Zach leaned forward with a grin. “It’s about time!”

“Why now?” Aaron said. Lleland glanced at Max. “You can speak freely,” Aaron said. “Max already knows everything.”

“I know what I am,” Lleland said. “A dragon. And I’d like to take Lydia as my wife.”

Aaron laughed. “Well, if nothing else, that certainly tells me you’ve accepted what you’ve become. And Lydia has agreed?”

“If I give you my oath,” Lleland said.

“You understand what that means? You’ll give me your blood and submit yourself to me. I’ll be your Master.”

“I understand.”

“And you understand that Lydia can’t bear children,” Aaron said.

Lleland nodded. “I do.”

“And you can accept that?”

“I love your daughter, Aaron. Before I knew what she was, I loved her. I’ll admit I lost my way for a while, but there’s nothing I want more in this life than to spend it with Lydia.”

“Even if it means forgoing your human form entirely?”

“Even then.”

Aaron nodded slowly. “Very well. I told you once that Lydia wouldn’t be foolish enough to accept you, but you’re no longer the man you were.” He paused. “You’ll be welcomed into the clan not only as another dragon, but also as my son.”

Pleasure spread through Lleland as he met Aaron’s gaze. “Thank you,” he said.

“We’ll do the oath tonight,” Aaron said. He stood and turned to Max. “Keira and Anna will be wondering what’s become of us.”

“You go ahead,” Zach said. “I’ll bring Lleland.”

Aaron nodded and strode out of the room, but Max paused to look at Lleland. “You may be a new dragon and not very powerful,” he said, “but as the one who’s won Lydia’s heart, you have my admiration.” He slapped Lleland across the back with a grin, then followed Aaron out.

“So you’re finally ready to be a dragon?” Zach said when they were alone.

“I am.”

“Have you had human flesh?”

Lleland grimaced. “No. Nor do I intend to.”

Zach’s eyebrows pulled together. “You’ll have to eventually.”

“I don’t think so. Since I wasn’t born this way, perhaps I don’t have the same needs as you.”

“Perhaps.” Zach’s tone sounded doubtful.

Scott was loitering outside the inn, slapping his arms to stay warm beneath his cloak when Zach and Lleland emerged a short while later.

“Well?” he said when he caught sight of Lleland.

“I’m going back to Storbrook, and you’re going home.”

“I could come with you,” he said hopefully, then raised his eyebrows when both Zach and Lleland gave a resounding no. “It was just a suggestion,” he said. “But clearly I’m not wanted.”

“No,” Zach said. “You’re not!”

“I’ll see you back in Civitas,” Lleland said. “Go home to your wife. And tell her you love her.”

Lleland and Zach walked into the hall at Storbrook an hour later. Aaron and Max were seated at one of the tables scattered around the hall, while servants bustled in and out of the room. Keira sat next to Aaron, and a woman Lleland did not recognize sat beside Max. Her hand was on the table, and he played with her fingers as he talked with Aaron and Keira. Lydia sat next to her, their heads bent together in close conversation. Keira looked up as the two men entered the room.

“Lleland! How wonderful to see you again!”

“Mistress,” Lleland said.

“Call me Keira,” she said, “since you are going to be part of our family. I cannot tell you how delighted I am to welcome you as my son.”

Lleland smiled and glanced at Lydia. Her face was still bent toward the other woman, but she was smiling, and he could smell her pleasure. “Thank you, Keira,” he said, returning his attention to her.

“Lleland, this is my sister, Anna,” she said, nodding at the other woman. She looked up from her conversation with Lydia and smiled. “And I believe you’ve already met her husband Max?”

“So you’re Lleland,” Anna said. “I feel as though I already know you!”

“Anna!” Lydia murmured.

“I can see why you’re so taken with him,” she said. “He’s very pleasing to look at!”

Lydia groaned as Max turned to his wife with his eyebrows raised. “You should take Anna home to your brood, Max,” Lydia said.

He looked at Lydia with a grin. “My sister is quite happy to watch our brood for a few weeks. Besides, I don’t want to miss seeing you brought to heel, and Anna will forget all about your young man when I get her alone later.”

Lydia laughed. “You should know by now, Uncle Max, that I’ll never be brought to heel.”

He nodded solemnly. “I know. Which is why I already feel unlimited admiration for your betrothed. He’s either a fool or the bravest man I know.”

“That’s what we said about you once,” Aaron said with a laugh. “In fact, we still wonder about your sanity at times!”

Max grinned and placed his arm around Anna as she glared at Aaron. He brought his lips close to her ear. “Still my little shrew,” Lleland heard him say.

Aaron laughed and turned to Lleland. “You can give me your oath later tonight,” he said. He glanced at Zach. “Perhaps you want to tell him what to expect.”

Zach nodded. “Yes. Let’s go, Lleland.”

With one more glance in Lydia’s direction, Lleland followed Zach from the hall. “Where’re we going?” he asked.

“Hunting.”

Lleland stopped. “Why?”

“You need to be at your strongest when you give your oath. And it’ll give me a chance to explain what it entails.”

Lleland nodded. “Very well. Let’s go.” He followed Zach into one of the chambers, and a few minutes later they were soaring from the castle over the deep forest below. Snow weighted the branches of conifers, and ice clung to the ground.

“There,” said Zach, changing direction and nosing downward. “A herd of deer.” He hung back slightly, allowing Lleland to pass him. He could see the animals in a snowy clearing below, and could smell their scent through the frigid air. They were still unaware of the danger above as Lleland dived towards them. He picked out a young female and increased his speed. One of the other deer glanced up and signaled an alarm as it started bounding from the clearing, but it was too late. Lleland slammed into his target and wrapped his jaws around its neck. Blood gushed into his mouth and he swallowed the hot liquid. Zach landed a few feet away, a larger doe in his jaws, and with a growl Lleland turned away, swinging his kill with him as he hunched over his meal. Using his talons he ripped open the creature’s chest, then buried his snout in the warm flesh as he tore off large mouthfuls of meat. His tongue cleaned the last remains from the bones, then he fell back on his haunches and looked at Zach, who was cleaning his talons.

“Sorry,” he said.

Zach shrugged. “You’re a dragon, Lleland. It’s what dragons do.”

“Tell me what happens when I give my oath,” Lleland said.

“You’re binding yourself to the Dragon Master.”

“Binding? I thought I was just pledging my allegiance.”

“The tie of blood is stronger than your word. You’ll have a connection with the Master that will only be severed by death, or if you submit to a different master.”

“I thought Lydia was the only one I would bond with.”

“The mating bond is different because it goes both ways, and your feelings for her are different. When you bind yourself to the Master, although you both drink the other’s blood, the bond goes one way. You bind yourself in submission, but he’s not bound to you. When he drinks your blood, it is to signify that your life is in his hands. If you disobey him, he can demand a renewal of your oath. But only after you’ve been soundly beaten in a fight.”

“Have you had to fight him?”

Zach grinned. “The Master’s my father! I had plenty of chances to disobey him growing up, and he beat me into submission each time!”

Lleland sprang into the gray sky and spread his wings. He was deep in thought as he skimmed the trees. Zach was silent as he flew behind. Lleland banked slightly and looked at Zach. “How’s the oath given?” he asked.

“You’ll each spill your blood into a chalice, then give it to the other to drink. Once he’s had your blood, you’ll offer him your fealty as your Master. From that time on, you will be subordinate to him, and he will command your loyalty. When you greet him, it must be with deference. You can follow our lead, but you’ll know what to do quite naturally.”

Lleland dived into a steep valley then surged up the other side. The air rushed past him, lifting his wings. Flames crackled and snapped within him.

“Are you ready to give your oath?” Zach asked as they crested a summit.

Lleland turned to look at him. “Yes.”

“Then let’s go home,” he said.

Lleland smiled. “Yes,” he said, “home.”

Chapter 41

Lydia knocked on the door of Lleland’s chamber a short while after he arrived back with Zach. “Let’s go for a walk,” she said. He followed her down the stairs and out into the courtyard. Snow had started falling, large soft flakes that melted as soon as they touched his skin.

“Where are we going?” he asked.

“Do you remember when you first arrived here? We climbed the cliff with the funnel.”

“I couldn’t believe how easily you managed to walk along the ledge,” he said. “I should have realized then that there was something not right about you.”

She arched an eyebrow. “Not right?”

“Actually, very right! Is that where you’re taking me?”

“Yes. We can talk without anyone overhearing us there.”

“Hmm, I like that idea,” he said. He followed her as she led the way across the garden and to the small wooden door recessed into the wall. Lydia pushed it open and a blast of cold wind swirled her hair around her face. Her scent filled his nose, and he reached for her hand, but she stepped through the door and onto the rocky ledge beyond before he touched her. “We could just fly,” he said, following her onto the ledge.