DragonsHeart.wps (20 page)

“I know. I’m so sorry.” She dropped her voice to the barest of whispers. He was having a hard time letting go, and she could understand why. Her sympathy for him knew no bounds. She was only going to add salt into his already raw wounds by asking him her next question. “What happened to make me feel as if hundreds of dragon shifters had died? What did my father do to incite such genocide?”

“He had all of the heads of parliament killed, plus their families.”

Her stomach fell again. Sourness churned within her. “He’s gone insane. I

thought before that he’d given into his animalistic nature, but now I know ... he has truly lost himself.”

“He was with it enough when you put your rosy little lips against Blaze’s,” Dylan said sardonically.

She turned to him. “If my father is right in the head, as you try to impress upon us, then he is a madman.”

“Oh, sure. This world has seen plenty of those. There’s been Hitler, Peter the Great, Napoleon … countless men of power have let it go to their head and done horrible unspeakable things … evil things.”

She sat down on one of the chairs that Kayla had conjured. The pews in the

abbey had been knocked over or destroyed during the battle. To think that the battle had reached the inner sanctum of this holy building was beyond comprehension.

DRAGON’S HEART Marly Mathews 170

“I think you should go and leave my cousin and me in peace for a few minutes.

Go and see if there’s anyone that requires medical attention.”

“Leo and I can help, we have our magical medic training.” Kayla nodded at him, gesturing for him to follow her. David slunk back into the shadows and trailed along behind Kayla and Leo.

“Do you know what happened to Nicholas?”

Blaze looked up at the sound of Dylan’s frantic voice. “I think he escaped. I don’t know, in the entire hubbub of activity it’s hard to say. I wasn’t exactly keeping that close of an eye on him, once my family was put into the line of fire. All I could think about was keeping them safe. My sisters are still back there! They must be frightened to death.”

“Your sisters will be fine. We forget how enduringly strong the young dragon

shifters are. They also share a twin bond, they will prevail.” She managed to speak without having her voice wobble, even though her heart was racing at the thought of her young cousins left alone, vulnerable to her father’s influence. He could be awfully charming when it came to young children. He had a way of twisting their minds, molding them to believe his every word.

“If that’s what you think.” Blaze turned sullen. She didn’t know how to snap him out of it.

“You have to get your head together, Blaze. Like it or not, you are the leader of the Royalists. You are their Prince. You must be their shining beacon of hope. As the Prince Regent, you have a duty to show them that the way is not lost yet, and they will need your guiding hand when my father strikes again. Make no mistake. He has not been beaten. He will try again. He will attempt to catch us off guard and strike while the iron is hot.”

Blaze nodded. “I want you at my side, Grania.”

“Hey, she’s my wife. Don’t forget that, Blaze old boy.” Dylan gave Blaze a

sarcastic smile, but his eyes were deadly serious.

“I would never think of Grania that way. Don’t worry, my family dispensed with marrying their cousins in order to keep the bloodline pure long ago.” He gave Dylan a smart-assed grin … taking great delight in goading him to the breaking point.

“Don’t fret, Dylan. Even my bold cousin here couldn’t disrupt what we share.

You’re my pain in my ass ... for life.” She gave him a quick grin. His eyes lit with good-natured humor. She knew he could take her quip and run with it. Their verbal sparring would never grow dull no matter how long they both lived.

“My father won’t strike in the same spot again, so I feel fairly confident that Tewkesbury and this Abbey are safe from insurrection.”

She sighed. The chatter of the many warriors holed up in the abbey met their

ears. “I pray that we haven’t suffered many casualties.”

“I second that prayer.” Dylan walked over to stand by her side. Blaze flanked the other side. He looked a few years older than he had yesterday. She completely understood why.

“We have the casualty list, here. Many were magically transported back to

headquarters.” David’s voice reached them.

“Thank goodness for that.” She breathed a sigh of relief.

David now walked side by side with Leo and Kayla. He had transformed himself

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back into his native form. She was surprised how warmhearted he looked. He had a face that was easy on the eyes, and yet, his personal charisma gave life to the room. The beleaguered troops trailing behind him had an extra spring in their step. He’d certainly done wonders to their morale. Whatever he’d told them had to have been good for the spirits. He also had an air of leadership about him. Dylan and he seemed to be on equal footing when it came to the chain of command, within the witch and wizard hierarchy.

“How are you doing now, Your Highness?”

Blaze gave him a piercing stare. “I am much better.”

She searched the large crowd for faces that she’d recognized. She knew quite a few of the dragon shifters that were walking side by side with the witches and wizards.

They all looked as if they’d forged quite a friendship. Winning a strategic battle against enormous odds had that sort of effect on comrades in arms. Hope shined on the faces of the dragon shifters. Finally, they felt as if they could beat back their oppressor. From being beaten onto their asses for so many years only to have to get up and keep on going, this victory was all the sweeter.

“Earth is safe ... for now," Blaze's voice boomed out to the crowd

Gasps rang throughout the crowd. They were all worried that Blaze was still

being inhabited.

She stepped forward. Dylan released her hand as she did so.

“I realize that everyone here is worried that my cousin is still being used as a puppet by my father. I will attest that he is free from my father’s mind control. We have four other witnesses to vouch for him as well.”

The mood in the crowd shifted. They all started to clap their hands.

“Our two peoples have been united today through Grania and Dylan.” Blaze’s

voice was weak, but it endured as he continued his speech. “They have married each other, giving into their bond as predestined mates and sealing our bonds of friendship for all time. Never again will the dragon shifters and magic kind live with hatred for each other. This day marks a new beginning in our history. It marks our foray into being forever friends.”

More applause came from the weary crowd. Their faces shone with exhaustion,

but their spirits were lifting with every word that Blaze spoke.

They had found their new leader.

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Dylan pulled her away from the crowd.

“We should get to London, soon.”

She hesitated, watching Blaze start to embrace his followers. Her heart thrilled with pride.

“This is
his
hour,” she said proudly.

“It seems to me that it should be your hour. You are the one that forced your father out of his body. You’re the hero in all of this, and it seems to me that you should be the one running things. You have a level head ... he is ruled by his emotions.”

“Blaze needs this. I don’t need to be a leader in order to have the will to live another day. I’m in this for the long haul. Besides, I never signed on to be a leader of two peoples.”

“My mother happens to lead the witches and wizards.”

“Of course. But this group of witches and wizards has found a new sense of

respect for Blaze. They honor his leadership, and they know that when they follow him into battle he will be there for him. After all, they did successfully scorch the asses of the first wave my father sent to Earth.”

“Indeed they did.” Dylan sighed. “Where do we go from here?”

“We prepare for the next onslaught. It’s only a matter of time for my father to lick his wounds and get back to the drawing board, so to speak. As we stand here talking about him, he’s probably making my aunt’s life a living hell. How broken hearted she must be. I can only imagine the pain of losing someone so dear to me. I can’t bear to ever lose you, Dylan. I think you should remain here in Tewkesbury. Better yet, return to Cheltenham and Aurora. You’re mother was right in wanting to keep you there .…”

He held his hand up. “We’re not going to get into this again, are we? I’m done trying to convince you that I can take care of myself. Sometimes you make me feel like such a little boy.”

She looked away from him. “Excuse me then for looking out for your best

interests. I only seek to keep you safe.”

He reached for her hands. “I am safe with you. As long as we are together we are strong.”

She nodded.

The air lightened. She valued the insight that Dylan brought out in her. When she was with him she thought about everything right down to the most miniscule detail.

Blaze came toward them. “We have decided to return to Cheltenham. The magic

kind tell me they were given explicit orders to return to their nearest base before taking any other plan of action.”

“That’s a good idea. We wouldn’t want Dylan’s mother to bring her wrath down

upon her warriors.”

David came up behind Blaze and chuckled when he heard Grania’s remark. “She

is quite the fury when she puts her mind to it. Mild mannered and meek is only her ruse DRAGON’S HEART Marly Mathews 170

to lure you in, then she snaps with her magical jaws.”

“I’ve been privy to her mild and meek side, and her take no prisoners side as well.

Both aren’t pretty though, I will admit her power side is even more intimidating.” Dylan let out a nervous laugh.

“Once we ensure that Earth is safe from invasion, David tells me he might be able to convince Aine and the council to send out troops to Dragonia. We certainly could use those troops.” Blaze sighed, his eyes lighting with hope.

She knew how important this was to him.

“I’m happy that the magic kind have proven to be so worthy when engaged in

battle. My father will definitely be reassessing his strategies.”

“Battle magic is hard to counter attack, especially when you don’t have the full mastery of the craft.” David nodded.

“My father does use the craft.” She looked at David, wondering at something that had shifted in his tone of voice.

David nodded. “I know, in my time with him, I studied the sort of magic he

practices with deep intensity. Your father knows practical magic, but he certainly doesn’t know how to use the kind we wield when in battle. Besides, he dabbles too close to the dark arts for my taste. I was sincerely spooked a few times when he was dabbling.”

She shivered. “I’m sorry.”

“He lusts for power, and unfortunately, he seems all too ready to make incredible sacrifices to obtain that power.”

“My father will be stopped. It’s only a matter of time.”

“Time doesn’t seem to be on our side. I’m going to suggest we all return to base and rest. We’re going to need all of our wits about us for whatever else your father decides to throw out at us.” David gave her a stern look.

“Stop it!” She threw her hands up in the air. “I insist that everyone stops referring to him as my father! He might have made me with my mother, but he failed in his role as my father! I have totally broken all ties with him, no matter what he might try to say to the contrary. I’m never going to think of him as my father again, don’t you understand?

He’s Draco to all of you, and he’s Draco to me.”

David’s eyes wavered. He seemed unwilling to accept what she was saying.

“I’ve seen how connected dragon shifter children are to their parents. You might think you’ve broken away from him, but I wouldn’t put all of your eggs into one basket so to speak, Grania.”

“You just don’t get it! I’m done with him! And for the last time, we don’t hatch out of an egg! We are warm blooded. We are born just as human and magic kind children are born!”

Dylan moved forward. “I think you should knock it off, David. You’ve done

quite enough as it is. Grania told you already she doesn’t have any sort of loyalty to her father. She could have allowed him to stay in Blaze’s body ... she didn’t. So just drop it—end of story.”

David chuckled. “Okay, okay. Don’t go for the jugular, mate. I’ll leave it be. I never was one to go on like a broken record.”

“You weren’t? That’s not the way I remember it.” Dylan’s eyes narrowed. “You need to learn that Grania is one of us now. She didn’t kill you earlier, you should take DRAGON’S HEART Marly Mathews 170

that as a good sign, and she defended you to Blaze. The way I see it, you should be bowing at her feet. You should be begging for her forgiveness. Just don’t doubt her again, or I’m going to do more than just calling you on it.”

David nodded. Motioning to Kayla and Leo, he walked away from them. Kayla

and Leo followed him. Blaze remained behind, though she could tell that he was tempted to follow as well. He was tempted to follow Kayla.

“And what if I am?” her cousin asked.

Blaze turned back to her.

“You will have to stop reading my mind soon, Blaze. Or, I will be forced to push you out of it.”

“You will? We never did play that game before, cousin. You were always an

open book to me.”

“Not anymore. I feel like my privacy now.”

“Just because you’re married, wonderful.” Blaze thinned his lips. “I’m going to travel with my people and the witches and wizards back to their home base. I take it you and Dylan will be coming with us?”