DragonsHeart.wps (35 page)

She moaned.

Dylan immediately rushed into action. He couldn’t get in the middle of this ...

she couldn’t see him die. She couldn’t witness it again. Tears flowed down her cheeks.

She would break his hold. She had to make it snap like a twig.

He sensed what she was hiding before she could force him from her mind.

“Impossible.”

She gritted her teeth, and drew on all of the power lying inside of her. Aurora was right—dragon shifter magic merged with magic kind magic. A bright burst of energy swirled around him. She used her magic to transport Dylan’s parents and her aunt out of the manor house. Then, she turned to Dylan. He was blocking her somehow.

Screaming, she forced her father’s mental probes out of her head. Stunned disbelief dawned across his face.

“You surprise me with your strength, daughter.”

Dylan still hadn’t made it to their side. She still had a chance to defeat Draco.

“No. I can’t allow you to besmirch my bloodline with that half-breed.” His voice turned coldly dangerous.

“You just feel threatened, father. You are afraid that this child will be even more powerful than you, and you
know
he or she will.”

His eyes turned to pure fury. Flames burned within them. She could feel the

room getting hot. Before she could shoot an arrow at him, he had shape shifted into his dragon self.

Horror ran through her at the awe-inspiring sight. Nonplussed, she shot an arrow off at him but before it could reach him, it caught on fire and blew up.

His roar made the walls shake. The quake caused her to lose her balance. She had to stop him. It could not end the way she had seen.

Dylan shouted something and magic swirled around the room.

Dylan’s, magic. It ripped into Draco, causing him to cry out in pain. She reached for another arrow, only to find that her quiver had disappeared.

“No!” She searched the area for it. Her father had to have transported it out of the DRAGON’S HEART Marly Mathews 170

manor house with his sorcery. “Damn you to the pits of hell, Draco.”

He let out another roar. She could see he was battling between deciding upon

whom he should attack first.

“Come for me, you dirty bastard. Don’t you want to kill me? Kill me and your line will not be smeared by a half breed grandchild.” She was hoping he would go for the bait.

‘
Dylan, you must use the spell.
’

‘
No. I wonÕtÑit will kill you.
’

She thought of the child she carried. Aurora had assured her that her magic and her child’s magic would merge while she was pregnant. And, if Aurora was telling the truth ....

‘
Do it, Dylan. Now!
’

She used what little strength she had to move her aunt to a safe distance.

Dylan used his magic to fly toward Draco at top speed. She started to meditate.

If this were going to work, she’d have to be in tune with not only herself but also her child. So much had happened to them in the last few days. Her life was changed forever, and she knew that it was destiny. Nothing had been accidental. Everything had led to this moment. The only thing that had saved both Dylan and she had been the true evidence of their love.

A light started to glow around her. It was her dragon shifter magic and her

child’s magic kind magic working to save them both.

Dylan was reciting the spell. She could hear the words faintly in her mind.

Draco was attacking Dylan, but Dylan was standing up to him. He was her hero

… and she was his.

Closing her eyes, she entered into a deep dragon shifter trance.

* * * *

Dylan had Draco right where he wanted him. His spell was working it’s compelling magic. Screams of dragon shifters in the house and nearby on the grounds outside reached his ears. They were screams of the dying. His stomach nearly heaved.

He was never destined to be a warrior wizard, and yet, here he was fighting for the very freedom of his magic kind, dragon shifter kind and human kind.

“So long, Draco. Don’t come back.”

Draco’s face contorted. He was trying to fight the spell, but whatever Grania had done to him had weakened his resolve. Fire lit his eyes just before it faded forever. In the next instant, a circle of flame started to wrap around Draco.

He turned as Draco was torn apart. It was over.

Grania
.

She had ordered him to use the spell. He had once he’d read her mental message to him.

She had to be alive. He prayed and hoped more in those few seconds than he had ever done in all of his life.

Crossing the distance to her, he fell to his knees beside her. He could feel people entering the picture gallery. Witches and wizards clustered around them, their murmurs of concern made him even more unsettled.

He pressed his hand that was marked with the dragon mark to her heart. He

couldn’t feel a heartbeat.

DRAGON’S HEART Marly Mathews 170

“Use that dragon’s heart of yours and come back to me.”

Aurora stepped forward. “I could help. I do have a good deal of healing

knowledge.”

“I sense a heartbeat.” He looked at her tranquil face. The heart in her chest wasn’t beating, and yet, he could sense a heartbeat.

His child.

A force shuddered through her body. She almost rose off the ground. Light

flared around her, and then her chest heaved as her first breath rushed through her.

“Dylan … you’re alive! Thank the Fates!” Grania breathed.

“I can thankfully say the same thing about you.” He held her and cradled her so her head lay in his lap.

“My Aunt. Aurora, you must attend to Andromeda.”

“I already am.” Aurora’s voice was cheerful despite the somber mood. He knew

that everyone was wary of celebrating until victory was actually a done deal.

Aine stepped forward. “The war is not over yet, you might have cut the heart out of the war, but we haven’t stopped the hundreds of dragon shifters that are still loyal to Draco.”

He could see the light dim in Grania’s eyes. She heaved a huge breath. “I think I’m going to be able to get up soon.” Some of her color slowly returned. “Your mother is right. They will still be fighting.”

“Then, we’ll tell them to surrender ... or I continue to use my spell against them.

They won’t like that ultimatum.”

“Then, we should order all of the dragon shifters away from the various

battlegrounds. We can’t take the risk of you killing more innocents, just in case they don’t decide to put up the white flag.”

“Agreed.” He looked down at her. Love swelled his heart.

“Help me up.” She gave him a determined look. He assisted her to her feet, and then held her against his chest.

“I have to say I almost didn’t use the spell.” His voice dropped to a soft whisper.

“You had no choice. Draco had to be stopped. He was destroying our world, and if we’d let him live for a few more days, who knows what would have been left of England and the rest of the world.”

His mother turned to consult with a few of the wizards and witches that had just magically popped into the hall.

She nodded, and whirled back to report the news. “We have gained ground

against the enemy forces. Our allies have tipped the balance of power in our favor.

Sometimes the elves and the faeries truly do come through for us.

Draco’s death is spreading through the various ranks. The enemy seems at a loss as to how to proceed. Everything has simply stopped.”

“Then, we take advantage of that.” Grania nodded. “We’ve taken out their leader.

I don’t think there will be any more fight, so they won’t know what to do next. Without Draco, it will seem pointless to proceed.”

“We can only hope,” Aine said.

Brianna and Nicholas entered the gallery. “Is it really over?” Brianna looked stunned beyond belief.

Hope spread across Brianna’s face.

DRAGON’S HEART Marly Mathews 170

“
Mother?
”

She rushed to Andromeda. Mother and daughter embraced. He watched Grania

smile.

“Are you okay?”

“I’m fine. I haven’t lost all of my family. Don’t worry about me.”

“The child .…”

“Our child is fine. She or he is stronger than you would think. Remember our offspring will be immortal.”

“Indeed, and his or hers power has already activated. How is that possible?”

“You should know more than I that when magic is involved anything is possible.”

He clasped her hand tightly in his.

She stiffened. Instantly, he knew something was wrong ....

“What is it?”

“I ....” She flinched with pain. “I think we need to clear out all of the dragon shifters out of the house again.” Fear leapt in her eyes.

“Why?”

“Dylan … you need to get out.” Dawning panic crept into her voice.

He clasped her hand even tighter. “I’m not going anywhere. We’ve had a

decisive victory today. What are you so frantic about?”

“I’m not frantic, I’m positively overboard with worry. It was an illusion.” Her voice sounded strangled.

“
It?
What are you talking about?”

“Your spell. It didn’t work. Draco found a way of nullifying it. Oh, God … you have to leave. Now! Please, leave. My father made you think you’d destroyed him ...

he’s not really dead!”

Aine stepped forward. “She’s right … if he’s still alive, we’re all at risk. You have to leave now, Dylan!”

She pushed at him. She wanted them all gone. She wanted them all to get to

safety.

Magic lit up the gallery. When she opened her eyes. She was alone ... except for one really pissed off dragon.

“Hello, Father.”

DRAGON’S HEART Marly Mathews 170

Chapter Twenty -Four

She backed up, looking for a weapon with which to defend herself. Her bow and arrows were gone, and her spare sword was back at the cottage. She was alone and defenseless, save for any mystical tricks she might have stored up her sleeve.

She swallowed. She didn’t know where she had transported the rest of the

witches and wizards, but she knew one thing, Dylan was pissed off! She could feel his anger permeating to her even across the distance she put between them.

* * * *

“Flipping hell! I can’t believe what she’s done.” He paced back and forth. They were in Dragonia. He still didn’t know how she’d managed to transport them all to another realm. In the last few hours, her many surprises continued to awe, amaze, and infuriate him!

She didn’t have a hope of winning against Draco, not in his enraged state. His spell had failed. He swallowed.

“My spell didn’t work. We’re back to the drawing board when it comes to this

war.”

“We saw what nearly happened when Draco’s forces believed him to be dead.”

Aurora nodded. “All we have to do is succeed in killing that bastard.”

“I have to get my head together and get us a sustainable portal conjured so I can get back to where I belong ... protecting Grania!”

“You leave the portal to me. You have to get yourself together, you’ll need your wits about you when we get back to England.” His mother stood shoulder to shoulder with Aurora. It was funny how they always seemed to set aside their nearly constant bickering when a crisis threatened the family.

“She’s alone. Alone,” he fumed.

“Dylan.” Aurora’s voice was soothing. “She won’t be alone for much longer.

Just give your mother and me some more time, we’ll figure out how to get a stable portal conjured. If only Merdwyn was here—he is the most proficient when it comes to making portals. You even have a talent when you have a level head. And, besides, she isn’t alone. She has Aphrodite and Apollo.”

“Come again?” He shook his head. “I don’t see where the Greek Gods can help

her .…”

“Not the Greek Gods, you dolt. Don’t you remember the mating pair of Pegasus

that befriended me?”

He inclined his head. “Now I do.” He smiled. “They don’t care for dragons, do they?” A soft smile touched his lips.

“They don’t care for dragons at all.” Aurora gave him an encouraging grin.

“They will no doubt come to Grania’s aid and that in itself will buy us the time we need!”

* * * *

She wouldn’t back down from Draco. She’d come this far. They’d had the hope of victory in their hands, and then it had been snuffed away in an instant.

DRAGON’S HEART Marly Mathews 170

She needed a sword. Draco would never let her get away from him so she could

raid the weapon’s room.

"My daughter, you should be wearing an outfit befitting your position as a lady of Dragonia. When you die, I'd like you to be wearing our clothing, not human clothing."

Before she could react, his magic rippled over her. She shivered, staring down at the outfit he'd conjured for her. She now stood in a long emerald colored gown. Just what she needed. He looked hungrily at her. Her goose was cooked. Or not.

Aphrodite and Apollo thundered toward her. They were galloping at top speed.

The cavalry had arrived—too bad they didn’t have a sword strapped to their sides.

Before Draco could strike out against her, they stepped in front of her, activating their force field around her.

Flames licked the shield, though it didn’t weaken a bit.

“Thank you.”

They neighed softly. She knew they could talk telepathically, but only with their chosen ones.

“How long can you keep this up?” She didn’t expect an answer. “I wish I had my sword or my bow and arrows.”

Sparkles enveloped the inside of the force field, and then when they cleared, her sword materialized. It was the same sword she’d carried for the last four hundred years.