Loving Two Dragons (Awakening Cycle Part 4) (BBW Dragon Shifter Paranormal Romance) (2 page)

Chapter three

Jennifer

"Queen Dao," I bow at the waist as she enters keeping eye contact as Nephetitia has taught me. "My humble self is honored by your presence and grace."

Dao smiles and gives a small curtsy. She's a beautiful woman with dark black hair done up into a tight bun. She wears the makeup of a geisha as well as the traditional garb. It seems an odd look for a Queen to wear but I'm in no position to question her. I need her help and cannot risk offense.

"Please, call us Dao," she says, her voice soft and musical.

"Thank you Dao," I say motioning to two straight backed chairs.

A porcelain tea service is laid out on a small table to one side. As Dao takes her seat I pour two cups offering her one and she takes it before I assume my own seat. She sips the drink as do I in order to complete the ritual of welcoming. Her acceptance of hospitality from me is a good sign.

"We are not pleased with the current state of affairs," she says. "The Gold Queen Regent is not a fit Queen."

"I agree. I come to humbly seek guidance."

I send a mental thank you to Nephetitia for drilling me in the protocol of dealing with Dao. I never would have been able to navigate these waters without her help. Some of it's familiar but only vaguely. I know I've dealt with her before, but I don't have clear memory of it or a certainty of the intricacies of formality she expects.

"Guidance sought should not be denied, wisdom is to be shared not hoarded like gold."

"And who among the Queens is more steeped in wisdom than she who cares over the Clan of Silver?"

"You either remember well or Nephetitia has trained you. Thank you for your observance of formality and the old ways. I know though, you are young, and I suspect not fully in possession of your past. Perhaps you would prefer if we spoke more plainly?"

She smiles and her eyes dance with light.

I sigh loudly and nod with enthusiasm. "Yes please!"

She laughs and I join in.

"Very well. Marathe is not fit to be Queen of the Gold. A Queen is the heart of a clan. She cannot fulfill this role for her heart is blackened by her hate. A King is the mind and thoughts of his people. Her son's mind is not clear of thought but twisted. They are not fit rulers and have no place at the Council," Dao asserts.

"I agree, of course, and am glad you feel the same. Can we count you as an ally in our reclaiming the throne to its rightful ruler?"

"Ah but there we come to another matter. There are politics and deep waters here. Where is your King?"

Damn I'd hoped to avoid that question.
I can't hide the dismay on my face. "He has been delayed by Marathe."

She nods sipping at her tea. "I see. This makes things more difficult indeed."

Internally I debate the correct course of action. Do I reveal just how bad my position is? Do I put trust in her? If I venture nothing I gain nothing. "There's another matter in which I would seek your assistance."

"Oh?"

"My friend and ally has fallen victim to some dark magics. Those I've trusted to assist me in this matter have not been able to. I've been told that no Queen has greater control or ability when it comes to magic than you. I beseech you to aid me in freeing my friend."

"Who is this 'friend' you speak of?"

I hesitate a second before I blurt it out. "Remy."

Her eyes widen forming small cracks in the paint around them but it's only a moment before her face is composed again, unreadable.

"How could he, of all people, fall prey to dark magics?"

"He was betrayed," I say. "His apprentice double crossed him, she was working with Marathe."

Dao sips her tea. We sit in silence that seems to drag out for eons. I don't know if she's debating helping me or toying with me. I sip my own tea but my hand shakes as I raise it to my lips so I set it back down.

"I am surprised by this request."

I wait for more but she's silent. Her dark eyes stare at me, her painted face reveals nothing, so I wait. My nerves demand I move, twitch, do something but I push past that reaching for a place of calm and control. I am Queen of the Gold and I will present such to the world. As the moments pass I struggle until I reach a point of calm. As I do everything around me, the distractions of nerves and demands of my body fall away. I am here and I observe as a Queen should.

I sit in silence now. Dao watches me but now I watch her as well. She smiles and nods.

"You are the true Queen of the Gold. Untrained, unschooled, but your soul is the one."

"Thank you."

"I will assist you. Where is Remy now?"

I rise and cross to the door. Dao follows me silently and I lead the way through the section of the Black compound that has been given over to me and my compatriots. When we reach a door guarded by two of the men who've pledged to me they stand to attention. I nod and one opens the door through which I lead her.

Remy stands in the middle of the room, frozen as he has been since the night of Marathe's attack. Dao walks around him in a circle. She reaches her hands out motioning them through the air around him without touching. She does this as she continues to move in a circle and then the air around her hands begins to shimmer.

I stand a distance off unable to assist and not wanting to be in the way. As she works it feels familiar but not personal. It reminds me of something I've seen and played with but never mastered. I don't believe magic has ever been my strong suit.

Small bolts of silver electricity begin jumping from her hands as she continues the motion and the circling. The jolts turn blue as they leave her hand and expand around Remy's frozen form. She moves her hands up and down, the bolts increase in frequency and intensity.

She circles back around and around. The bolts start to connect from one side to the next lasting longer as they do. Then something in the air seems to take shape and resist the bolts. Purple dragons formed entirely of electricity attack the bolts that she creates. Her bolts shimmer as they come into contact with the dragons. Small pops like tiny firecrackers exploding fills the air. A scent of brimstone drifts to me as the purple dragons start to collapse under her attack.

Remy's eyes blink as they come to life. The dull look in them fades. Dao continues her circle and more of the purple dragons succumb. Then Remy's mouth starts to move.

"Marathe!" he yells then collapses on the floor.

Dao looks down at him and nods then walks over to me. "I have given you what aid I can for now. It is on you to use this power wisely. Return your King and find proof of what White is doing. Bring that to me then I will make sure my King is ready to ally with you."

She curtsies and I bow to her.

"Thank you."

She smiles, claps her hand, and in a flash she's gone.

Chapter four

Logan

I spit out a mouthful of blood before looking over at Archer. He's also down on his knees. I chuckle.

"Had enough yet?"

"In your dreams." Archer rolls to his back taking a moment to rest.

"Huh, well if you got some left old man..." I trail off letting him fill in the rest.

"Old? Huh. I'm what a decade or so older than you? Not really enough to be calling me old."

I snort then lay down on the floor. My face is swelling, my knuckles are bleeding, and I lost at least part of a tooth. It felt good. The best I've felt since Jennifer returned. Muscles aching, bruising, these are things I understand. They make sense. Archer's always been the thinker, I just do what feels right at the time. Of course that may be what leads me into trouble now and then.

"What are we doing?" I muse.

Looking at Archer fills me with emotions I don't understand. There is no clear cut this is what feels good.

"Kicking your ass," he says breathing heavily.

"Huh. Yeah. Besides that what are we doing now?"

"I don't know Logan. We've lost. I lost. I shouldn't have lost control."

My chest tightens and it feels like my heart is being squeezed too tight. I can't draw in enough air. The pain in his words ring of despair, deep and dark without hope or light left.

"Every man has a breaking point."

"I should have done more. Somehow. Now look at us. In a month or less she'll be dead again. We're stuck here and they haven't rescued us yet. That means somehow Remy is out of the game. I'm only going on because I don't know what else to do. If White finishes their plan then it’s more than over."

I push myself back to a sitting position. Stabbing pain in my side tells me I've got at least two broken ribs. It'll heal, faster than a regular man, but slower with the Mark of Binding that prevents us shifting.

"Archer."

"What Logan? What words of wisdom will you of all people impart to me?"

He doesn't look at me. Doesn't rise up from the ground. There's more he's not saying.

"We have to hope," I say.

"Why? Hope for what? You know as well as I do how many times we've failed. I don't understand why..." his voice chokes off and he raises one arm up resting it over his eyes.

I wait for him to speak again but he says nothing.

"What is it Archer? Please, trust me, as I trust you. Say what's on your mind."

"Why does she choose you?"

Stabbing pain hits my chest driving into my heart. The question we both ask but never out loud. We never voice that, not to each other, not to anyone. Why us, why both of us? Why can't either of us live without her?

"I don't know," I force the words out through my tight throat. "Why does she choose you? Why is neither of us enough on our own?"

"Huh," Archer says pushing himself to a sitting position. "You broke my rib."

"Yeah, me too."

I stare at Archer and try to sort out the warring emotions overwhelming me. His beard has grown out since we've been exiled here. Full and strong, outlining his jaw, his deep set eyes look haunted. Looking at him something fills me up. Happiness slides through the heartache and the jealousy, sending a soft thrill through my body.

"Logan. I can't do this anymore."

"I know."

I do. I can't either. I can't live without her but what I don't think I've ever realized or admitted to myself, I can't live without him. Ever since that night when we first fought together our souls and our fates have been bound together.

I get to my feet and hold my hand out to Archer, helping him up. I grasp the back of his head leaning in until my forehead rests against his. His hand is on the back of my head. We lean in supporting each other as magic heals our wounds.

"It's not just her Logan."

"I know Archer. It's not."

"You know?"

"I do."

He nods. "Good. This is good."

I chuckle. "We should get moving."

"Yeah."

We step apart but the change is there. I feel it and I see it in him. There's something beyond the hopelessness. I see him daring to hope again. It's good. It makes me happy.

"That book something to save?" I ask.

"I need Remy to look at it but maybe."

I go back to the wall I'd left off exploring and resume running my hands over it. My hand pushes through a part of it finding an illusion I had hoped would be here somewhere. Inside I feel a stick of some kind so I pull on it. A soft rumble and a whoosh then another secret door opens. I look in and see a stairway leading down.

"Look what I've found," I say.

Swords drawn we progress down the stairs. It's not long before they end in another room, this one filled with books. A table sits in the middle with two chairs on opposite sides. A massive tome rests on that table with a stack of papers next to it. Archer looks at the papers and then over at me.

"The prophecy," he says.

"Which prophecy?"

"And she shall bear a mark on her skin from birth," he reads from the paper in his hand. "Her skin will be as scales, touched by the dragon. She will mark the end and the beginning. In her rests the power to maintain the balance or to destroy it. She will dream with the Ancients and carry their words forth."

A cold chill runs down my spine. "The female shifters."

Archer nods. "This book is our proof. It's all here. There's more on that island, it says something about a teleporter. We need to get this to the Council."

The door we entered slides shut as the room starts to rumble. The wall opposite behind Archer explodes. Splinters of wood and ice fly through the air tearing at my skin. Fresh pain blossoms in my side as a piece of wood stabs me. Archer leaps over the table flipping it with him as he rolls across the top, using it to shield himself as he works his way towards me.

A grinding sound is followed by more shaking. Two massive iron men stomp into the room wielding swords that are as big as either of us. I look at Archer and shrug pulling my weapon.

"Golems?"

"Why not."

We leap to the attack from different directions. The golem on my side parries my sword then punches. I dodge it, barely. A grunt followed by a cry of pain and Archer flies past me having failed to dodge.

"Archer!"