“Why are you here?” Owen suspected his father wanted to learn just how well the castle was built to see if Sigrid could work such miracles, and what they intended to do. Storm Raymore Castle? Not now.
“Your father said you will be permitted to return to the castle. The woman can ask for whatever she wants, except for you to rule with her as your queen by your side in your father’s place.”
“Those were not the terms we agreed upon,” Owen said.
“Then we will all perish.” The guard sounded resigned to their fate, not angry.
“I need the people to back me in this. If we succeed in taking down our enemies, I need to know that we’ll be replacing my father at the head table. He will be free to go wherever he pleases, but he’ll be banished from our kingdom.”
“So, she’ll help to vanquish our enemies, even though they’re not her own?”
“Yes.”
“And even though the king has backed out of the agreement?” the guard asked.
“Yes.”
“We saw the woman putting out the fires that Malcolm’s soldiers set in the fields. She is admired much by some, feared by others.”
“Our people have nothing to fear where she is concerned.”
“Unless they side with your father,” the one man said.
The two guards bowed low. “We’ll spread the word. Not everyone will agree, but mayhap we can sway the majority. We’ll have to do it in secrecy though, or the king is liable to have us all eliminated for being traitors.”
“True. Be careful who you speak with.”
“Hey, Owen, I see seven dragons flying toward your father’s castle,” Connelly warned. “Two purple, two green, a red, a silver green, and one gold dragon.”
As if Owen had a clue who was who. “Warn them, now! They’re not to go near the castle. My father hasn’t made friends with them. He’s liable to believe they’re there to attack, when, instead, they’re looking to meet with us,” Owen said.
Connelly shifted into a falcon and flew through the window and into the rain to reach the dragons. He let out shrill cries, trying to get their attention. He was so much smaller than they were, that they had a harder time seeing him in the heavy, gray downpour. To Owen’s relief, the dragons turned toward the falcon. Connelly circled around them, then headed back to the butte castle, turning his head to look over his shoulder to ensure they were still following him.
They were. Owen couldn’t imagine what the dragons would think when they learned Sigrid and the rest of them had been refused entry into Owen’s own home. Even though his father had changed his mind and said they’d be allowed to return, he didn’t trust him now.
“You have dragon shifters helping you?” the guard asked, sounding astonished.
“Yes. It’s a shame King Yarrow is not agreeable enough to allow them a hospitable place to stay while they’re here helping to save our people, when they have no reason to do so other than they’re friends of Princess Sigrid.”
“Aye. We’ll leave now, my lord, and get the word out to as many as we can. The king will want to know what your plans are, if you agree for me to share them.”
“We are here to do as I’ve said. To stop our enemies. Beyond that, it’s up to my father to honor his commitment.”
The guards bowed, and then took their leave, heading back into the rain, and then flying back to the guard force waiting for them at the bottom of the butte. At the same time, the dragons landed on the top of the butte. Before they entered through the open doorway, Connelly flew in through one of the windows.
The dragons shifted, armed with swords in their fae form, and entered the butte castle.
“I’m Ena. We came as soon as Alton and Kayla said they were headed here. This is Brett, not only my mate and a dragon shifter, but he’s a phantom fae and mage. Kiernan, Amerand, and my brother Halloran wanted to fight too.”
Kayla went over to the bed and said, “What is wrong with Sigrid?”
Tanya stirred, and rubbed her eyes, then yawned. “Sigrid used her magic to create this castle. It wore her out. We were up late last night also, and up very early this morning. Not to mention we had a long way to go to get here.”
All the dragons looked at the castle Sigrid built.
“Remarkable,” Brett said, touching the stone walls. “I’m sure I couldn’t have built anything like it using my magic.”
Kayla frowned. “Why are you out here in a castle she had to build when there’s a perfectly good one over there?” She motioned in the direction of Owen’s castle.
Owen explained about his father.
Ena folded her arms. “I understand your need to protect your people, but a deal is a deal.”
“And we’ll have it.” Owen had every intention of forcing his father to honor it. The problem was if they saved his people this time, then what would happen the next time? If Sigrid and he were in power, hopefully anyone considering fighting them would believe it would be too risky.
“Who are we to fight? I guess we should have asked that first,” Ena said.
“Falcon fae.”
Sigrid sat up in bed. “What?” Then she saw the dragon shifter fae and hurried to climb out of bed. In sock-covered feet, she ran to give Kayla a hug.
“You’ve been busy,” Kayla said.
“What are you doing here? I didn’t believe you’d come without us sending word first.”
“It appears you might just need our aid. Either in helping you fight against Owen’s enemies, or his own father. Besides, once I told Alton what you were up against, he told Halloran and the word spread from there. Well, here we all are.”
Sigrid gave her another hug. “Thanks for doing this. I’m so sorry about the accommodations.”
“As dragons, we’ll be fine. We can help keep a lookout, do some reconnaissance, whatever you need,” Kayla said.
“Thank you,” Owen said, appreciating everyone’s help.
“What did you mean when you said we’re fighting more falcon fae?” Sigrid looked crossly at Owen as if she’d suddenly realized what he’d said, and she wasn’t happy about it at all.
Not that he’d wanted to mention that part of the situation to her before he had to, fearing she’d have said no to fighting in this war.
12
Sigrid couldn’t believe her dragon fae friends had come to help. To learn this was where they’d have to stay, instead of in the real castle, really irked her. They seemed to be even gladder they had come to aid them though.
She could understand Owen’s feelings about not returning to the castle, even if his father now agreed to allow them in. She didn’t trust him either.
She eyed Owen again as she waited for him to explain about who they really were fighting.
“Years ago, we had a civil war and after many years of fighting, we had a truce that lasted all this time. We don’t know who he is, but a newcomer to their ranks is a magic user. We don’t believe he’s a falcon fae. He was hiding his aura. He’s a mage, and I went up against him, believing we could settle it magic user to magic user and leave our people out of it. I truly believed since my magic is inherent to me, I would succeed in taking him down—quickly. He bested me, disabled my ability to use magic, and I had to return home, unable to do anything. My father wanted me to find you, since you are like me, and hoped you could succeed when I was too arrogant for my own good.”
“You want me to save ‘my’ people who are fighting against ‘my’ people?” Sigrid asked, incensed. “What if these people are the ones I should be fighting for? Ones who supported my grandfather’s cause?”
“From her perspective, she has a valid argument,” Connelly said.
Owen cast his cousin an annoyed look. “Okay, here’s the point: we’re certain the magic user isn’t one of our kind or he wouldn’t hide his aura. What if his purpose is to change the balance so that he can rule all of the falcon fae?”
“We’re magic users and we can change the balance,” Sigrid said.
?
??He’s not one of us.”
“All right. So, who’s to say we should be victorious instead of the other falcon faction?”
“If we can stop hostilities between our people, that’s all that matters to me. Not that we need to take them over, or that they will us. Ideally, if we can unite the two kingdoms, that would be even better.”
“One unified falcon fae kingdom, like it was in the beginning,” Connelly said.
“Whose fault truly is it that the kingdom divided? My grandfather’s? Or yours?” Sigrid arched an eyebrow, her arms folded across her waist.
“As far as I know, your grandfather tried to take over the kingdom from my grandfather. Your grandfather died in the ensuing battle.”
“That’s not what the dark fae queen said.” Sigrid explained the queen’s version.
Owen said, “The problem is everyone who lived during that time seems to have their own version of what happened.”
“Who rules the other falcon fae kingdom?” Sigrid asked.
“King Malcolm. He’s a warrior at heart. He doesn’t like magic users. At least he didn’t, until this mage turned up,” Owen said.
“Do you think the mage has influenced the king? Made him choose to start a war? What has changed that caused the rift between your kingdoms? Did he solicit his help, or did the mage just show up?”
“His father died, and he was all for keeping the peace after dividing the kingdom into two. When Malcolm took over, he wanted to take over our kingdom. We don’t know how come he has a mage working for him suddenly. We’ve tried to infiltrate Malcolm’s castle with spies to learn more of what’s going on, but we’ve never heard back from them. Either they’ve ended up in the dungeon, or they’re dead. We don’t really know anything more about him than that.”
“Or maybe those you sent over to spy on him switched sides. You know, there are always two sides to every story. Are you certain your father didn’t start the whole threat of war in the first place?” Sigrid could just imagine what a mess she’d be getting herself into when the other falcon fae kingdom wasn’t at fault, or maybe less at fault.
“I didn’t think so before, but there may be some truth to it.”
“What if Brett and I go there and pretend to be just passing through the territory? Maybe we can learn something as dragon fae when your kind cannot,” Ena said.
“If he believes you are helping us, he could eliminate the two of you,” Owen said, sounding like he didn’t care for the idea.
Sigrid agreed. “I don’t like the idea. Would the mage recognize Brett is one also? If he did, he could feel threatened by another magic user in his midst. Especially, if he hopes to prove how powerful he is to King Malcolm. Now that Brett is here, maybe between the three of us, we can defeat this man, but only if the king and his mage are in the wrong. I want to know the truth of the matter before I kill the mage or harm any of the king’s people.”
“Spoken like a true queen, and one that I could follow,” Tarrant said.
She was surprised he’d appeared to warm up to her so quickly after their first meeting when he seemed so wary of her. She was still wary of him. What if he believed the king would put him on the throne instead of Owen?
“What if Kayla and I go?” Alton said. “We’re dragon fae, and she’s part golden fae. No magic between us.”
Kayla smiled up at him. “So you say.”
Everyone laughed.
“I’ll go with you,” Tanya said.
“You’re a dream-weaver fae,” Alton said.
“Like weaving dreams would make me appear all powerful. I’m also from the golden fae kingdom, Kayla’s best friend, and it would seem natural that I came with her on her travels.”
“All right, it’s decided then,” Owen said, “though I wish I was the one going.”
“He’d take you hostage in an instant so he could get King Yarrow to give up the fight,” Alton said. “Are you ready?”
“I am,” Kayla said.
“Me too,” Tanya said.
“At least the storm outside our castle walls has passed through,” Owen said.
Alton shifted, his scales the prettiest shade of lavender, and he crouched down so Tanya could ride on his back. She’d done it a couple of times once Kayla learned she was a dragon shifter too. With Sigrid able to fly also, Tanya had felt left out.
Tanya wasn’t sure this was the best plan, but she agreed with Sigrid. They had to know who was at fault, and then take it from there. She always sided with the good guys, though in a situation like this, there may be no genuine good guys. Everyone could be equally to blame. Like Sigrid, she was shocked to learn the falcon fae were going up against their own kind.
She wrapped her arms around Alton’s neck and held on with her legs as he walked out of the castle, and then flew off. Kayla was flying right next to them, matching her dragon mate, scale for scale in the same pretty lavender color, smiling at her with her wickedly long teeth. If Tanya hadn’t known Kayla, she’d say that grin meant she was hungry and Tanya was on the menu. But Kayla had showed her how expressive dragons could be, just like the fae. Raising their eyebrows in puzzlement, widening their lips in a smile, if the observer didn’t look at the menacing teeth for long, eyes widening in surprise, or narrowed when the dragon was angry. All expressions just like anyone else might wear.
They flew over the forest of pine trees, mixed with hard oaks, and beyond a crystal clear, blue lake that appeared to be an inland sea it was so big. Then she saw the spires of a castle off in the distance, and she assumed that was King Malcolm’s castle. Surely, the two kings had enough space and enough physical barriers to allow them to rule their own kingdoms without fighting each other.
Though she knew that men—and some women who ruled—always fought, as if they had a gene that made them that way, always wanting more power, more land, more people to rule. Fighting because of old grievances. Fighting because of new ones. By dividing themselves, they made themselves easier targets for any other kingdom to come in and try to take them over. If that happened, would they realize they had a common heritage and let go of the hate?
She wished they would do so, without the threat of imminent conflicts from outside of their realm.
“Archers on the wall walk,” she called out. She realized it was a good thing she was with them because she could talk to the guards when the dragons couldn’t. “Hello!” she called out to the guards. “We come in peace on a journey home. We’ve never met the king of this realm. Would it be possible to do so?” she asked as Alton hovered high above the guards’ heads.
Kayla remained flying far enough away that no one could shoot her full of bolts.
One of the men spoke to another, and the other man hurried down the stairs to the courtyard and raced across it. “I’m sending word to the king’s advisor,” the guard said, who remained on the wall walk. “You’re free to settle here until word is returned.”
“We’ll wait in the woods over there,” Tanya said as their spokeswoman, hoping that was agreeable to the dragons. They should have discussed this more before they left Butte Castle. “Just signal if we may enjoy your hospitality. If not, after a short respite, we’ll be on our way.”
Then Alton soared off toward the woods and Kayla continued to keep her distance from the castle and swooped down to join Alton and Tanya in a tree where they could still see the wall walk from a quarter of a mile away.
The dragons shifted on top of a sturdy oak branch so they could discuss this business.
“Do you trust them?” Kayla asked.
“No,” Alton said. “No more than they do us. It’s a standoff. They take us in to learn why we’re really here; we try to learn what their grievances are against Owen’s father. If we mention anything about the other kingdom, we’ll sound like we side with them and are spying on this king.”
“Yet none of us are falcon fae,” Tanya said.
“Still, with the tensions ongoing between the two kingdoms, they probably don’t trust many newc
omers to the area.” Alton took hold of Kayla’s hand and squeezed it. “Tanya and I will go in alone. If we don’t return in a few hours, you tell Owen and Sigrid, we’re not returning and do what they will.”
“Do you think we won’t be returning?” Tanya asked, wondering how she was going to use her own magic to help them out.
“We have to plan for any contingencies.” Alton leaned over and kissed Kayla. “If you suspect they’re coming for you as falcons or in their winged fae form, leave. I don’t want them to take you prisoner also, if they arrest us. We would need you to warn Owen and the others that we didn’t return.”
“I will, Alton. I’ll go for help.”
“Actually, that might be their plan. To take us prisoner and force Owen’s hand,” Tanya said.
“True. I have to agree with Sigrid though. We need to know if we’re fighting for a worthy cause,” Alton said.
“Someone’s raising a white flag and waving it from the top of the wall walk,” Tanya said.
“Showtime. Are you ready?” Alton asked.
“Yes.” Tanya took a deep breath and expelled it. She wasn’t used to being carried anywhere in such a manner. She felt it was both awe-inspiring and terrifying to be flying so high above the ground, but especially if the guards resorted to shooting them down.
Kayla stood. “I’ll move away from this location so they won’t know where I am while I’m waiting for you to return.”
“Good idea.” He pulled Kayla tight and kissed her soundly.
Tanya smiled, then looked away and watched the man still waving the white flag. She sure hoped they weren’t making a mistake about this.
Then Alton and Kayla shifted. Kayla flew off deeper into the woods and Alton waited until Tanya was holding tightly to his back and neck, and then he carried her to the courtyard, watching for any signs of hostility. The people in the courtyard hurried to take cover, looking afraid of the dragon that was casting a large shadow over the stone paving. He landed, Tanya dismounted, and he quickly shifted. He smiled, looking much less lethal.