The Divine Unleashed (Book 3) (36 page)

Kade looked back and was not surprised to see the green close by.  He smiled to himself, eager to see the shocked look on his parents’ face when he landed with another dragon.  Rayden was impressive as it was, but this massive dragon was going to have their jaws on the ground.

They casually flew, enjoying the sun on their faces and the calm of the quietness.  Only the sound of the wind could be heard.  Occasionally one of the dragons would grunt or communicate back and forth but no other sound reached them. 

They stopped once to rest and stretch their legs.  They even enjoyed Kade’s fine cooking.  Doren would not admit how much he was impressed with the food, but Kade could see the pleasure on his face as he bit into the cheese, or when he chewed the freshly baked bread.  The Master Chosen was definitely a lover of good food and it showed in the size of his waist.  Kade even fed both dragons but made sure not to over feed Rayden as he was sure the dragon would eat until its stomach burst.  It was not long before they were in the air and chatting calmly.  They continued like this for the rest of the flight.  A short time later, they glided in to land in front of the cabin.

“This is my parents’ place,” Kade called back to Doren as he leapt to the ground. 

Darcienna swung her legs over and slid down on her belly while holding onto the rigging.  Ven changed into her birth form and stepped up close to Kade.  Darcienna glared at Ven as she moved to stand on Kade’s right side.

Garig came out holding a club in his hands, ready to bash in skulls until he saw the silver dragon.  He grinned hard as his eyes locked onto his son.  Judeen came out close behind with a crying child in her arms.  She was doing her best to console him, but the boy continued to wail.

Darcienna smiled broadly as she raced up to take Marcole in her arms.  She walked back down the steps to stand next to Kade as she bounced the boy and whispered to him, trying to get him to calm.  Marcole leaned toward Kade and put his arms out.  Darcienna looked at the boy in confusion and then handed him over.  The child quickly calmed down as he tightly wrapped his arms around Kade’s neck, refusing to let go anytime soon.  Kade glanced from Darcienna to the boy and then back again.  Instead of being upset, as Kade expected, she smiled and patted her child on the back.

“Are you going to introduce me, or do I need to instruct you on better manners?” Doren asked dryly.  Kade looked at Darcienna and rolled his eyes.

“Mother, Father, I would like to introduce the Master Chosen, Doren.  He was instrumental in our fight against Morg,” Kade said as he held a hand out to indicate the Chosen. Doren gave a slight bow with his head.  “And these are my parents, Judeen and Garig.  And this is Dran, the one with the knife.”  As if to make the introduction more dramatic, Dran whisked his knife out, flipped it around daftly and then slammed it back into the sheath.

“Master Doren, you are welcome in our home,” Judeen said as she stepped off the porch.

“Yes, welcome to our home,” Garig said with a slight bit of mistrust or possibly dislike, as he walked down the steps to stand with his wife.  “I am sure you have much to tell,” he said excitedly to Kade while cautiously looking at the only other Master Chosen he had ever met besides Zayle.  Kade was relieved beyond describing that his father showed none of the previous apprehension toward him.

“We do, Father.  Wait until you hear what I have to tell you,” Kade said, eager to expound on their adventures and happy his father was genuinely making him feel welcome.

Kade turned to face his mother and saw a flat, very displeased look on her face.  She locked eyes with him to make sure she had his attention and then shifted her gaze to the very beautiful girl standing close to him.  Kade realized what was going on and quickly whispered to Ven.

“Change form.”

She did as was instructed.  Judeen’s hand shot up to cover a gasp as Garig gripped the club tightly.  Dran froze for barely an instant before the knife sprang from its sheath, singing as the steel rang out with the promise of death.  Kade’s eyes went wide as he quickly glanced to his left and saw Vell.  He did a double take and then stepped in front of her, cringing, expecting to feel the thunk of Dran’s knife at any second.  The memory of Man-boy flashed through his mind.  Darcienna also screamed as her arms came up in a flash.  The shield came to life.

“No!” Kade yelled as he raised his hands.  “No.  She is with me!” he said frantically.  “Do not hurt her!” he said as their jaws hit the ground.

No one moved for several long seconds.  Dran still held the blade over his head, his muscles twitching, eager to let the deadly blade fly.  Judeen had climbed the steps to stand on the porch.  Garig glared hard at the shapeshifter, his shoulders hunched, ready for battle.

“She will not hurt you,” Kade said, and with that, all eyes looked at him in confusion.  Dran slowly lowered his arm and Garig glanced back and forth between Vell and Kade.  Judeen continued to stare in horror.

“She?” Dran asked.

“Yes.  Her name is Ven,” Kade said as he whispered for her to change back into her birth form.  “This is who she really is,” he said as he moved just slightly over so they could get a better look at her.  Kade reached for Darcienna’s arms and pulled them down, causing the shield to fade.  He saw the disapproving look on his mother’s face and glanced over to see Ven in one of her form fitting outfits.  He cringed, wanting to hit himself in the forehead with his palm. 

I just can’t win,
Kade thought to himself as he wilted under his mother glare.  He was thinking it might have been better to leave her as Vell.  “Mother,” Kade said firmly, a slight edge to his voice.  He reached over and took Darcienna’s hand to make his point.  Regardless, he knew he needed to have a talk with Ven about her choice of outfits.

“Yes.  Very well then,” Judeen said as she relaxed ever so slightly.

“I am ok with her,” Dran said as he started to grin.  “I mean…if Kade says she is ok, then, who am I to disagree?” he asked, not taking his eyes off the ever so beautiful, Ven.  Kade glared hard and moved to stand back in front of her again.

“Dran, I really don’t care for the arrangement you have with your wife,” Judeen scolded.  The knife wielding man casually shrugged his shoulders.

Kade recalled how quickly Darcienna had rushed to protect Ven and gave her a sly grin.  Darcienna continued to stare straight ahead for several seconds until she could no longer pretend not to see his smile.  She glared at him.

“I was only returning the favor,” Darcienna said.  “She did save my life,” she said with a huff.

“Oh, just admit that you are okay with her.”

“She has been useful,” Darcienna said.  Kade grinned once more and left it at that.

Before Kade could say another word, there was a loud groan from behind him as Rayden dropped to the ground.  The dragon moaned pitifully as its eyes half closed.  Kade could sense misery through the connection. 

“What is wrong?” Kade asked as he walked up and looked Rayden in the eye.  The dragon lay there, waiting for the misery to pass.  Before he could say another word, Darcienna groaned and leaned into a bush.  Kade looked back and forth between Darcienna and Rayden and then at Doren.  “What is going on?” he asked, concern in his voice.  “A calling?”

“Oh no.  Nothing like that.  It is only that of nature,” Doren said as he studied the dragon.

Kade looked at the Master Chosen and then back to the dragon.  Doren noticed Kade’s confusion and took on the air of a teacher who calls on his infinite patience to teach a student who is slow on the uptake.  As he spoke, he put just a bit of a pause between each word as if to make sure what he said was understood.  Kade felt the temptation to fill with the Divine. 

It would serve him right,
Kade thought and then cut off his connection to the power.

“Your dragon is going to have a pup,” Doren said as he ran his hands over the dragon’s belly.

“How can Rayden have a pup.  It’s not possible for him to do that,” Kade argued.  Doren stopped rubbing the dragon’s belly and turned to study Kade, uncertain if the Adept Chosen was serious or if he really did not understand.  Kade felt exasperation as Doren continued to force himself to be patient.  The condescending attitude was almost too much to bear.

“Yes SHE can,” Doren said as he grinned.  Kade just stared with his mouth gaping like a fish.  “Rayden is a female,” Doren said, enjoying Kade’s surprise just a little too much.

Kade’s mind raced and then everything made sense.  When Rayden realized that Ven was a female, she was not as angry.  He had felt her relax, but it just did not stand out enough to get his attention at the time.  It was when he thought back on Rayden’s interaction with the green that it became obvious.  The dragons were not fighting when they first met.  Rayden was giving the green a thorough dressing down.  The green and Rayden were not circling each other.  It was Rayden who was circling the green as she gave him the tongue lashing of his life.  And, when the green tried to back down, she stalked him as he struggled to find escape.  It all made sense why a dragon that large would cringe in the presence of one considerably smaller.  He glanced at Darcienna for just a moment and fully understood the green’s plight.

“A female,” Kade said, stunned.  “I always thought…,”

“Well, you thought wrong,” Doren said, cutting him off. 

As if on cue, the green dropped in from out of the sky.  Judeen and Garig called out a warning to Kade and Dran had his knife back out, ready to throw once more.  Not that the green would have even noticed, but it was something Dran did out of instinct.

The green slowly moved closer to Rayden and inhaled her scent several times before settling in next to her.  It was beginning to accept people, but nothing was going to come between the beautiful, silver dragon and itself.  Kade looked at the green suspiciously as the pieces of the puzzle started to fall into place.  Doren saw the look and grinned.

“Yes.  Meet the father of the pup,” Doren said.

Kade recalled when they had first come to the cabin. 
The roar off in the distance,
Kade thought. 
You did not want to run off and play,
he thought as he looked deep into the golden eye. 
You wanted to run off and…

“So, you are going to have a pup, eh?”  Kade asked, as he scratched Rayden’s jaw.  “This is definitely going to be interesting,” he said as he cast a glance at the green.  “And you better take good care of her,” he said, scolding the larger dragon.  The green watched him wearily but did not show any signs of understanding a word.

“You are going to have your hands full,” Doren said as he chuckled.  This was another first for Kade.  He was starting to believe that Doren did not have the ability to laugh, until now.  “A pup and two kids to raise is going to be quite a lot of work,” the Chosen said as he walked up and patted Marcole on the head.  The child seemed to scowl slightly.  “Your boy does have your likeness,” he said as he turned to walk toward the house.

“Oh, he is Darcienna’s,” Kade said, correcting the Master Chosen.  Doren stopped and slowly turned as he narrowed his eyes and studied the boy.  He tilted his head as if listening to something and then slowly approached the child.  He closed his eyes and Kade could sense the Divine being drawn in.  He then opened his eyes and went to place his hands over the boy.  Kade turned away slightly, unsure of what the Chosen was doing.

“Hold still,” Doren commanded. 

Kade hesitated momentarily but then held.  Doren placed his hand over the boys head without touching him.  He then raised his hand to hold it over Kade’s head.  After a moment he turned and did the same thing over Darcienna’s head.  He grinned as he looked at Kade.  Next, he looked at the boy one more time and then back at Kade, nodding.  The Adept Chosen looked over at Darcienna and noticed she was fidgeting as she suddenly seemed very interested with something in the dirt.

“But…I don’t have any children,” Kade protested weakly.

“Hmmmmm.  Well, according to my calling, both the born and unborn child are yours,” Doren said as he studied Darcienna.

Kade gasped loudly at that one.  The world was spinning wildly out of control.  He put his hand on Rayden to steady himself, certain his knees were going to give out. 

“Unborn child?” Kade choked. 

He felt as if the wind had been knocked out of him.  He turned to look at Darcienna, again, and froze as he watched as the red in her cheeks intensified.  He struggled to find words, but his mind was reeling.  He looked at his parents, but there was to be no help found there.  They were standing, arm in arm as they grinned at him and gave each other knowing looks.

Kade felt as if he were caught in the middle of an avalanche.  He gaped as he struggled to make sense of it all.  After regaining just a bit of composure, he moved over to stand next to Darcienna.

“But how?” Kade asked quietly, even though all could still hear.

“Do you need that clarified for you, also?” Doren asked dryly.

“I will explain,” Darcienna said, her cheeks glowing just a little more.

“I can’t wait to hear this one,” Kade said as he looked at Marcole again, as if he were seeing the boy for the first time.  “How long have you known?” he asked as he craned his neck, trying to make eye contact with her.

“Since the day you first came to my cabin.  I didn’t recognize you until after you got cleaned up,” Darcienna said as she cast a quick glance at his parents and then back to the ground.  Kade recalled seeing that look of recognition in her eyes.  It made sense.  She HAD known all this time.