Rogue Belador: Belador book 7 (37 page)

He offered his hand. “Come to me, niece.”

The blood drained from Tzader’s head.
Niece?

He heard that word echoed around the clearing.

“Silence.” Daegan shot everyone a look that warned consequences if anyone failed to obey.

Not even the wind dared stir after that order.

That might be because Tzader wasn’t the only one holding his breath, waiting to see what happened next.

Confusion breaking through her gaze, Brina walked to Daegan and took his hand.

He said, “Queen Flaevynn of Tŵr Medb cast a spell to steal your past, your present, and your future. Close your eyes and listen to my words. Take them deep into your heart as I ask the favor of having the spell removed. To force this spell from your body, I must give you something to take its place.” He leaned close to her ear and whispered nonstop for over a minute. As he continued speaking, Brina’s skin turned purple.

Tzader started to step forward, but caught himself. He felt his heart clench. What was the dragon doing?

The purple wicked off Brina’s body and coalesced into the shape of an empty-eyed ghoul that lifted above her, still tied to her by a smoky, black umbilical cord that touched the back of her neck.

Daegan lifted away from her face and barked an order in a strange language that sounded even older than Daegan must be. Tzader didn’t recognize it, and he’d grown up around ancient languages.

The purple, undulating shape opened its jaws and howled.

Daegan roared and hit the ghoul with a short blast of fire, turning it into gray ashes that blinked away.

Daegan nodded to Tzader, and Tzader took a step toward Brina, unsure whether approaching too quickly or touching her now would startle her.

Daegan turned her around to face Tzader and kept his hands on her shoulders, steadying her.

Beautiful green eyes shimmered in a face Tzader wanted to see every day for the rest of his days, which might be fewer than he’d ever expected once Macha returned. He really did not care. Not when Brina stared at him now with the love he’d first seen when she was a young girl.
“Tzader!”

She lunged into his arms, hugging and kissing him.

He didn’t give a damn who stood in the clearing. He kissed Brina with all the feeling he’d kept bottled up during four long years waiting for her. He picked her up and swung her around, finally, hearing his group cheering for him.

Screw the rest of the guards.

Daegan chuckled, then admonished, “Take care with her condition.”

Slowing, he placed her feet on the ground.

She smiled. “I don’t have any uncles. Who is this man, Tzader, and what condition would he be talkin’ about?” Her face turned green and she spun away, falling to her knees.

Tzader held her and kept her hair from her face as she threw up.

She grumbled, “I’m never sick.”

Daegan laughed.

Brina gave him a look that threatened bodily harm as soon as she felt better.

Smiling now, Daegan said, “You’re not sick, niece. You’re carryin’.”

Adrianna walked over. “Have we stepped back into medieval times? Carryin’?”

Daegan grinned and produced a cup of water out of thin air for Brina, who took it gladly and rinsed out her mouth.

She started shaking her head. “Pregnant?” Her hand went to her still-flat belly. “How could I be pregnant and not know?”

Tzader pulled her to him when they stood, and hugged her close to his side. “Macha’s been keeping that from you, and keeping you from me.” Tzader looked over at Allyn. “I realize Macha has played us all at one time or another. If Daegan can keep from killing you after you mouthed off at him, then I won’t kill you either as long as you never come within a mile of my future wife ever again. Understood?”

“Yes, Maistir.” Allyn became the epitome of humility.

Power whipped into the clearing. “What the devil are you doing here, you miserable dragon?”

Macha had arrived.

Chapter 38

Evalle stepped close to Storm and whispered, “Whatever you do, don’t attack Macha here. She is all powerful in Treoir.”

Storm whispered, “I don’t plan to lift a finger.”

His easy acceptance surprised Evalle, especially combined with the oddly calm outlook he had regarding Macha’s arrival.

But Macha was ready to wave her hand and destroy everyone in the clearing.

Starting with Daegan.

Daegan crossed his arms. “Hello, Macha. Long time no see, but then you knew where I was and chose to let me rot in Tŵr Medb.”

Evalle exchanged glances with Tzader, who seemed as blown away as she was.

Macha finally took note of Brina’s presence and the way Tzader had her in his protective embrace. She cut her gaze back to Daegan. “What are you up to, dragon? Leave Brina alone and get off my island.”

“
Your
island?” Daegan’s deep voice bellowed with such intensity he blew leaves off the trees. “You’ve had two thousand years to lie and manipulate, but your reign of abuse and mishandling Treoir descendants is over. This is
my
island,
my
castle, and
my
family.”

Silence slammed the air. Everyone stood tense, watching as a deadly goddess faced off with a furious dragon shifter.

Brina turned to Daegan. “What would you be talkin’ about?”

For her, Daegan’s voice softened. “You are a direct descendant of my sister, Breanna, one of two sisters I had before Macha and Maeve started warring for control of this island
and
the Beladors. She’s had thousands of years to convince generation after generation that her distorted version of Treoir history is the truth.”

He wheeled his furious gaze back to Macha. “Haven’t you? You had Brina under your thumb, and convinced everyone she had to stay in the castle, didn’t you?” He never gave Macha a chance to answer. “Treoir women are
never
told that their place is inside, waiting to be treated as brood mares. Treoir women are warriors who lead their armies into battle and live life as they choose. When they have a child, it’s born of love, and not to be a power source for anyone. You have taken advantage of Treoir women for the last time.”

Macha’s hair blazed bright red. It literally looked to be on fire. Her eyes went from human to immortal, pissed-off-goddess red in seconds, burning brighter than anything Evalle had ever witnessed on that woman.

The goddess snarled at Evalle and Tristan. “You expect me to go to bat in a Tribunal to free you after this? If you side with him, gryphons will never be free.”

Daegan laughed, but the sound rocked dark humor. “They don’t need you or some spineless Tribunal to grant them the freedom that was theirs upon birth. Every gryphon here is under my protection, and anyone who dares to touch one will not like the consequences.”

Tristan stepped up. “What he said.”

Macha’s voice turned shrill. Energy shot from her balled fists. “You can’t take control of this island. You’ve been gone too long. I’ve infused power into this continually, protecting every generation of Treoirs. This island lives and dies by me. The Beladors belong to
me
.” She lifted off the ground in a blaze of righteous anger. Lightning bolts sparked and shot through the clearing, barely missing bodies.

Daegan roared and opened his arms.

Oops. Never wake the bear, or, in this instance ... the dragon.

A red cloud of flame flashed in the air above him, and in the next moment he stood in all his dragon glory. His voice deepened and his eyes turned a deadly silver. “I am the son of King Gruffyn of Treoir. By his word, I am the last of my kind, and by your blood oath given, you may rule this island in agreement with his descendants and take possession
only
if his three children no longer live. As his last living child and sole son, I rule this island and you must obey
me
!
The Beladors swore fealty to
my
father and
our
family. Not to any pantheon. They are under my protection. Get off my island, Macha.”

Tristan quipped, “Nothing like new management.”

Evalle watched in amazement at the horror filling Macha’s face. There was someone above her in the food chain?

Macha opened her mouth to speak, but her body started turning translucent before their eyes, and not a word came out during her silent, panicked yelling.

When she vanished, Evalle let out her breath. She looked at Storm. “You suspected this, didn’t you?”

“Sort of. Everything I sensed from Daegan said he could back up his words. More than that, he spoke not one lie in all that he just said.”

Allyn’s face drooped. He probably needed new underwear about now. “May, um, I apologize for ...”

Daegan made a dragon noise that Evalle translated as a sigh then he waved a massive claw tipped with talons. “Accepted. Go back to your duties and take the castle guards with you. We’ll speak later, but if I were you, I’d keep my distance from Tzader. I’ve fought him when he thought I was a threat to Brina, and he’s not one to cross.”

Once Allyn and the troops hurried back to the castle, Tzader turned to Daegan. “I may owe you an apology as well.”

“No, you don’t. You were protecting Brina, and I would give up a hundred Treoir Islands to protect her, but this is her birthright. And now it will belong to both of you.”

Brina sounded breathless when she said, “I don’t know what to believe anymore, but I’m hearin’ the ring of truth in what you say. Four years ago, after Da an’ my brothers were killed in battle, Macha first told me I had to stay inside the castle for my safety. After I returned from vanishing durin’ the Noirre spell, things became far more tense between us, and I threatened to teleport away. She said until the Treoir dynasty was rebuilt, my stayin’ inside offered the strongest power for the Beladors.”

“Have you ever read your family’s history?”

“Yes, there’s a tome I’ve been spendin’ a lot of time goin’ back through when I was tryin’ to regain my memories.”

Daegan grumbled. “There should be a
wall
of books. Not just one. I will tell you more when we have time. At the moment, I think Tzader would like you to himself.”

“I would.”

“Oh, and Brina?”

“Yes ... uh, what do I call you?”

“Daegan or Uncle or Uncle Daegan is acceptable. I meant what I said about Treoir women being warriors, but you are with your first child. I would prefer you didn’t lead any armies into battle in the near future.”

She smiled. “I’ll be takin’ good care of our bairn.” The tears spilled down her face and she hugged Tzader. “We’re goin’ to have a baby, Tzader.”

“I know,
muirnin
. I can’t wait.”

Daegan cleared his voice. “You’re getting married right away.”

Tzader kissed her, paying no attention to the dragon other than to say, “Absolutely. But I’d like a little time with just her. Something I haven’t had in four years. I want to celebrate my new family.” He took a breath and asked Brina, “Want to find our favorite place on the island in
this
realm?”

Brina’s face lit up, then she paused and asked Daegan, “Do you have a notion if teleportin’ will harm the child?”

“Not for a Treoir and not here. You’re strong.”

Grinning, she wrapped her arms around Tzader and they blinked out of sight just that quickly.

Evalle walked over to Daegan and had to step back to look up at him without straining her neck. “You might have noticed that we have a mess going on with the Medb in Atlanta.”

“It’s not going to be a mess for long.”

Whew. She was glad to hear that.

Daegan added, “It’s going to be a war that has been building for many years.”

Ah, crap.

Swinging his huge head toward Tristan, he said, “I understand we have a gryphon pack on the island. Are you up to shifting and giving me a tour?”

“Absofuckinglutely.” Tristan grinned, looking truly happy for the first time since Evalle had known him.

As Tristan stripped and started shifting, Evalle brought up one last thing with Daegan. “Thank you for what you said about the gryphons. We’ve lived according to the whims of every power that’s wanted to use us. What’s your plan for us?”

Tristan had shifted and stood to the side. He sent her a telepathic message.
Don’t piss off Daegan. He may be our only hope.

I’m not trying to piss him off. You’re always on my ass about giving the gryphons a chance to go home and live the lives they want. I’m not stopping until we’re all able to come and go as we please.

Daegan’s voice boomed in her head.
Our gryphons are all free to do as they please. I hope they choose to spend some time to shore up the defenses here once I retrain our forces, but that will be their choice.

Evalle said nothing, surprised at how easily Daegan had picked up their conversation.

Tristan answered in the same telepathic way,
I’ll do that
.
If I can teleport to the human world for breaks, I’ll come here as often as you need me to develop a strong defense.

Evalle couldn’t believe what she was hearing. Tristan volunteering to do anything on his own was monumental.

Daegan spoke out loud. “Good. Tristan and I are going to tour the island. It’s been a long time since I’ve been able to stretch my wings, and even longer since I was last here.”

“Wait.” Evalle held up her hand. “I’ll come back whenever you need help, too, but I’d like to go home now with Storm. And we need to send Adrianna back.”

Daegan cocked his head at Adrianna, “I’m not much on witches—”

“I’m not much on dragons,” Adrianna said, cutting him off with a smirk.

“Insolent witch,” he muttered. “I find myself in your debt. You may call in that favor when you need it.”

Eyes gleaming with humor, she said, “I’ll keep that tucked away for a rainy day.”

Smoke puffed from his nostrils, forming a cloud around Adrianna.

She swatted it away. “Irritating dragon.”

Daegan chuckled then asked, “Are the three of you ready to return?”

Storm wrapped his arms around Evalle, pulling her back to his front. She leaned into him then asked Daegan, “Do we need to touch?”

“No, that’s only for deficient teleportation abilities.”

Tristan snorted loudly. He was going to be just fine here.

Since gryphons couldn’t talk in that form, she sent Tristan a message mind to mind, not caring if Daegan picked up on it.
Thank you for staying here for now, but I meant it when I said I’d come back. I’ll take my turn and help Daegan any way I can, plus allow you a chance, finally, for a life. There’s no telling what this is going to mean to our future, but we’ll all face it together.

Yep. A damn paradigm shift if I ever saw one.

Look at you using big words.

Storm hugged her close just as Treoir disappeared from her vision.

The End.