DragonsHeart.wps (34 page)

“Good. I think I’ll be walking through it soon,” Grania said, looking around at the destruction.

She surveyed the damage. Her stables were on fire. She could only hope that the horses had been freed. She glanced back down the hill at her cottage. She couldn’t see it. Relief surged inside of her.

The enchantment still held.

She slipped through the force field, hesitating to wait for Aurora to follow her.

Aurora spoke in a low voice to Apollo and Aphrodite. And, if she wasn’t mistaken they were answering her. She shook her head she had to be losing it. At this rate, she’d be certifiably insane before she knew it.

She could feel his mind trying to flutter against her own. She drew back, startled.

“I think the gig is up, Aurora. Dylan can feel me.”

Her heart plummeted, as another voice filled her head.

She staggered backward. “No.” She reached for Aurora’s arm. “He knows we

are here.”

“I know, you just told me that Dylan had sensed you.”

“Not Dylan. My father.”

DRAGON’S HEART Marly Mathews 170

Aurora gave her a surprised look. “Well, that’s probably going to shake things up here a bit. There isn’t anything he can do. He has already had quite the struggle on his hands. I don’t think he thought that our side would be bold enough to attack him from his home base.”

“This is my home.”

Incredibly, Aurora and the other witches and wizards had cleared a path for them to the front of the manor house. The stately structure made her feel at ease. Her father might be taking up residence in her home, but it would always be her HOME. The echoes clinging to this structure were echoes that belonged to her.

Could she twist the ancient magic dwelling within this site and these lands to her own means?

“Has he turned the magic to his dark needs yet, Aurora?”

“I do not think so. This land is still owned by white magic, though the dark magic is vainly trying to grab a foothold.”

“Then, once we enter this structure the balance will be split. I won’t let him tap into the power the land holds. If he is able to do that, we won’t have a hope. His darkness might be seeping across the land but it hasn’t invaded the heart of the land.”

“He hasn’t realized what the land can do yet, has he?”

“No. I think he might have suspected, but [these lands have been claimed by my mother’s clan has claimed these lands for centuries. She told me the secrets, but I get the feeling that she never disclosed anything of the like to him.”

“Are you certain he is still not listening to your thoughts?”

“He can only touch my mind—there’s no way I’d allow him past my shields to

actually read my thoughts. He’s powerful ... I’ll grant him that. Despite that, I’ve always been more than a match for him when it comes to dragon shifter telepathy.

Perhaps that was always meant to be ... he was never truly my father. He always posed a threat to me and now, he is a true threat.”

“Okay, well, I think we have clear sailing from here on in. Our side has done quite a lot of damage to Draco, I imagine we’ll find him sulking in his conjured throne room,” Aurora decided.

“Not sulking.” The voice boomed out at them. “Striking back!”

They looked at each other in horror, and then, in the next instant her entire world was blown to smithereens.

DRAGON’S HEART Marly Mathews 170

Chapter Twenty Three

Aurora raised her hand. The explosion ripping around them froze.

“Move back!” Her orders carried to her and the rest of the magic kind. Grania's house was crumbling in on top of itself. Her heart cried out. Tears ran down her cheeks.

Dylan and his parents had been inside. So had Merdwyn.

Her father had taken his combustive powers to an entirely new and terrifying

level.

Aurora’s force field shimmered in front of them. The Pegasus’ behind them were neighing loudly.

“He’s pulled a real fast one this time.”

“A fast one that might have just killed the man I love.”

She reached out searching for Dylan. She could feel him ... faintly.

Relief surged through her. She started breathing again. A glimmer of recognition took hold in her mind. She started to look past the veil of sorcery and into her own heart.

“This is an illusion.” Her voice sounded hollow to her ears. “An illusion is only a trick. Dark Dragon Shifter Sorcery at its worst. You’ll have to work harder than that you old bastard. Bugger you!” She lifted her hand. A trail of fire works emitted from her palm … the scene of destruction in front of them faded.

Aurora gave her a satisfied smile. “You are beginning to master your own power.

It’s not all about brawn and muscle when it comes to a dragon shifter warrior.

Sometimes, they also need to get in touch with their mystical side. It is your time to claim your mystical side. Embrace it, Grania.”

“I’m not strong enough. I can’t hope to face off with him and win.”

“You will win. You must. There is no one else. I must keep the rest of the battle from falling in favor of Draco’s forces. Merdwyn must have been injured along with Dylan and his parents, for I haven’t seen him coming to our aid.”

“I’m going into the Manor House. Watch my rear. When I come out, I intend to come out bearing news of Draco’s demise.”

Her heart dove in her chest. Could she do this? She swallowed thickly, smiling when Aurora pressed her hand gently.

“I realize the immense turmoil you are going through right now. If you can

restore your father to a just and sane man, do so—if he doesn’t have to be vanquished

....” Aurora’s eyes darkened.

“I suspect there is nothing that can save Draco from his darkness. He has allowed it to consume his soul. No. Even though he is my blood father, he isn’t my father in heart. If he were, he would have never gone so far with his campaign. Nothing has smartened him up. I doubt at the eleventh hour that he will come to his senses. If I don’t see you again, thank you for all of the hope and help you’ve given me.” Her voice wavered with emotion.

Aurora frowned. “I do not think you are at the end of your destiny yet, my dear.

The hour might seem dark, but in due course you are going to bring back the light.”

DRAGON’S HEART Marly Mathews 170

“Farewell,” she said, smiling at Aurora. Mustering her inner strength, she walked into her family home to face the demon within.

* * * *

Pain pressed behind Dylan’s eyes. He opened his eyes and glanced around the darkened room. Part of it was crumbling from the mini major explosion that had almost had the walls crumbling down around them.

Merdwyn had saved them just in time.

Merdwyn.

He searched the debris for Merdwyn. His robes peeked out from beneath some rubble. He clenched his jaw. Pushing himself to his feet, he combed the area for his parents.

They were nowhere to be found. Draco must have taken them as his prisoners

and moved them to another area of the large mansion.

“Merdwyn!” He teetered toward him. Blood dribbled out of his ears. He had

probably sustained a concussion and perhaps even ruptured an eardrum.

“Dylan?” Merdwyn’s voice weakened by the moment. “Dylan, I am weakening

to a dangerous degree. I must magically transport back to the realm I came from in order to recover from my extensive injuries. I’m afraid you will have to go it alone in rescuing your parents. I will send my brother if he is in residence when I return.”

“Go … heal yourself. We can’t lose someone of your incredible talents.”

“Farewell for now, nephew.” In a bright flash of light that made the pain behind his eyes intensify, he was gone.

His heart shook. Now, he was truly alone.

He braced himself, and headed off to hunt the man that had taken almost

everything from him. So many of his friends had already died. The casualty list was mounting ... he had to stop Draco here and now before he could do anymore damage.

Stooping low, he picked up his wand. Tucking it into his robes, he started off to search the manor house. He stopped dead in his tracks.

A dragon shifter approached but it wasn’t the one he wanted to engage in mortal combat—it was Grania.

His wife.

* * * *

She felt a tingly sensation at the back of her mind. Dylan was trying to open a telepathic link with her. She couldn’t risk having him telling her to turn back. She was his protector. Her oath to her King and Queen still stood even if her King was dead. The war wasn’t over. She was going to end it.

His telepathic words intoned in her head over and over again. He wanted her to stop and turn back but she couldn’t acquiesce. She couldn’t allow him to affect her.

‘
I might be your wifeÑbut I was your protector first. Allow me to finish the job I
started.
’

‘
You started the job of protecting me so I could destroy your father with my spell.

It worksÑit will take out Draco.
’

‘
Aurora awaits you on the grounds. Go and remain with her until I can defeat my
father and free your parents. Please, Dylan. Do this one last thing for me.
’

‘
Last thing?
’

Rage reverberated through their telepathic link making her clench her teeth.

DRAGON’S HEART Marly Mathews 170

Lifting her hand, she drew on her telepathic power and broke the link. It snapped like a rope pulled too taut. She could feel him reeling from her assertion of power. He would have to get used to it. If she were going to survive the night, she’d have to use all of the steely blood running through her veins. That meant she was overruling her husband—

besides, he was getting a bit too controlling for her taste.

She drew in a deep lungful of air, and opened herself to the vibrations of the house. It didn’t take her long to focus in on the location of her father. She could smell his dark sorcery.

She walked into the picture gallery. Most of the portraits had been ripped off the wall and torn to shreds. Dragon claw marks were the culprit.

“Lord Draco.” Her voice remained even. He was at the far end of the picture

gallery, a good distance away from her. Her aunt was in chains on his right, and her in-laws were on the left—chained.

She had to use her magic to free them. Sweat slathered across her palms. She could do this.

Reaching for her bow and arrows, she was about to fire off one at her father when a blow hit her from behind.

“You should play nice, dearie.”

She turned at the sound of the twisted voice. It was imbued with a hardness that made her nerves rattle. Her bow went flying from her hand, and the arrow was blown up by a burst of fire. She fell to her knees. Blood rushed in her ears.

“Aunt.” Looking up, the illusion of her aunt in chains standing by her in-laws side faded into the air like blowing smoke.

“Indeed," her aunt agreed. She now stood beside Draco, she looked like his consort.

She could feel the blood lust emanating off her in waves that nearly drowned her.

“You are drowning in the mind spells my father has put on you. You can’t allow him to continue his hold on you. You must break it—break it for the sake of your children!”

“Oh, pitiful but sweet little Grania. I’m not under the thrall of your father ...”

“Yes … you are. Why would you kill your mate ....”

“My mate is not dead. That was an illusion of Draco’s.” A halting catch entered her voice, then it wavered. That was enough to tell her that she truly was bewitched.

“You are mistaken, he tricked you. My uncle is dead. Blaze saw it with his own eyes.”

“Blaze?” Andromeda’s voice faltered. The concrete expression on her face

wavered … nearly breaking.

“He saw his father perish. He would not lie, and Blaze was never susceptible to Draco’s mind illusions. That was his one strength when it came to my father’s foolery.

That was one reason why my father despised him so much.”

“Fool am I, daughter? I will show you once Andromeda takes a chunk out of

you.”

“He’s taken your husband, your twin sister and your eldest daughter from you.

How much more will you allow him to take? Bronwyn and Brianna will be left to his mercy if we do not emerge as the victors in this hellish war.”

“My twin daughters.” Her voice broke. “He took Britannia from me. He will not DRAGON’S HEART Marly Mathews 170

take my youngest girls.” Shadows flitted in her eyes ... pain enveloped her features.

Andromeda fell to the ground. She crawled to her side. Gripping her hand, she transmitted her magic into her aunt, using their blood bond to break the hold her father had on her.

Gasps turned to agonized cries.

Andromeda was finally free, and now she had to live with the present—and the

past. Her love for her children had been her saving grace, but it would not be the same for her father—nothing could redeem him. He was evil right down to the core.

She heard her husband enter the room. Her aunt’s hand squeezed hers. “Get up, Grania. I am too weak, but you are strong. You are your mother’s daughter. Stand up against him as your mother would, and break him the way he has broken so many other good souls. Bless you, niece.”

She could feel Dylan’s piercing gaze rest on her. She stood up, wavering slightly with the rubbery feeling in her knees. The jelly sensation firmed. Extending her hand, she called for the bow. It sang and flew toward her. The quiver rustled against her back.

She reached for an arrow, and then froze. Her father had invaded her mind. His black sorcery tore through her.