“Edna, welcome to Valdier,” Zoran had greeted, giving Christoff a puzzled look.
“I’m so glad you are here,” Abby murmured, smiling as she reached out and moved the plate of cookies a little further away from the edge, and the greedy fingers trying to steal even more. “I know Shelly, Jack, and Crystal must miss you.”
Edna blinked back the tears when she thought of her family back on Earth. She was discovering it was harder than she expected to leave them behind. Drawing in a deep breath, she gave Abby a weak smile.
“I promised myself I wouldn’t dwell on what I can’t change. My life is with Christoff now,” Edna replied in a soft voice.
Abby bit her lip and bent to pick up Zohar when he peered over the side of the table. He had shifted into his dragon form in the hopes that he would be tall enough to reach the platter. Abby chuckled when he gave her a pitiful look.
“One more,” she said in a stern voice. “Otherwise, you won’t eat your dinner tonight.”
“Cookie,” Zohar grinned, shifting again and clapping his hands.
“I could talk to Zoran, Edna. They have ships that travel back and forth to Earth frequently now. Maybe they would be willing to come here,” Abby suggested.
Edna’s eyes lit up. She had never really thought of it as a possibility. Deep down, she had been afraid to ask Abby for fear of her saying that it was impossible.
“Oh, Abby, yes, please. I miss Shelly, Crystal, and Jack so much. If there is a chance for them to come here, life would be perfect,” Edna replied with tears in her eyes.
Abby laughed. “I’ll let Zoran know. He never says no to me,” she retorted with a twinkle in her eye. “If he does, I have ways of making him change his mind,” she added with a slight blush.
Edna laughed and reached over to squeeze Abby’s hand. “I know exactly how you do it, too,” she said with a wink. “It works with Christoff, as well.”
Abby grinned and stood with a sigh. Zohar was getting sleepy and they needed to return to the palace. Holding her sleepy son in her arms, she watched as Edna stood up and wrapped her arms around Abby and Zohar.
“Thank you, Abby,” Edna whispered in a husky voice. “Thank you for being such a wonderful friend.”
Stepping back, they both turned when Zoran and Christoff came inside. A few minutes later, they watched as the trio took off, heading back over the mountains toward the ocean. She released a sigh of contentment and leaned against Christoff, their arms wrapped around each other.
“She’s going to see if Zoran will bring Shelly, Jack, and Crystal to Valdier,” Edna whispered.
“I know,” Christoff replied, turning her toward him so he could gaze down at her with a small smile. “I asked Zoran if he would and he said yes. It should not be too long, there is already a ship headed toward Earth.”
Edna shook her head and chuckled. “I should have known you were up to something when you asked Zoran to step outside to look at the new barn you are working on. Thank you,” she said, her expression softening with love.
Christoff reached up and brushed a strand of silver hair back from her face. His expression was serious as he looked down at her. Tilting her chin, he paused a breath away from her lips.
“You never have to thank me for trying to make you happy, Edna. You are a treasure to me. I will do everything I can to make your life here good,” he promised before capturing her lips.
Later that afternoon, Christoff released a groan when he heard his name being called. For half a second, he considered acting like he hadn’t heard his brother. He wanted to retreat into the cottage where he would bar the doors in the hopes Lemar would get the message that he didn’t want to deal with him. He would have if he thought it would work. Unfortunately, Edna would just make him unlock it.
“Christoff!” Lemar called out in greeting again when he didn’t immediately answer.
Releasing a sigh of resignation, he slowly turned and scowled. His older brother was really beginning to become a pain in his backside. Ever since their return, Lemar had been trying to make up for all the centuries of rift between them. He hoped it didn’t take that long for his brother to finally understand that he honestly didn’t care. There was no changing the past and life was too full, and he was too happy, to care to dredge up hurt and hatred. Besides, he didn’t think his parents would want him to.
He had to admit that Lemar had changed from the selfish, immature boy that he remembered. So had many of the villagers. The new village was still in the process of being built in the valley over from where the mountain had erupted. It would take time, but his skills and understanding of the rock foundations along with the history of it were helping to know where it was best to build their new homes and where to plant the crops needed to support the needs of the village.
“Lemar,” Christoff replied bluntly.
“Be nice,” Edna murmured, stepping out of the cottage he had built. “Hello, Lemar.”
“Greetings, Edna,” Lemar said with a grin. “I’ve found some new rocks. I wanted you to look at them.”
Christoff shot Edna a pained glance before he grunted and held his hand out. Lemar dropped a pile of ugly rocks into his palm. Holding one of them up, he looked at it with a critical eye.
“Diamonds, they will work well for cutting,” he grunted.
“Excellent,” Lemar replied with a grin. “My mate wanted to know if you would honor us by coming to dinner tonight.”
“No,” Christoff started to reply before he grunted when Edna elbowed him.
“We would be delighted. I know the children are wanting to show Christoff their new rock collection and they wanted to see how his wings work,” Edna interjected.
“I know,” Lemar replied with a pleading look. “As you know, my youngest son, Anson, was injured during the eruption. One of his wings was crushed. His symbiot tried to heal it, but the damage was too great. By the time I found him, it could not be fixed and part of it had to be removed. Anson and his dragon have been very depressed since that happened. I would be forever in your debt if you would talk with him, Christoff. He will not listen to his mother or me. I… I understand now, just how grievous I was to you as a boy. I will understand if you say no, but please, I beg you to not blame my son for his father’s behavior.”
Christoff released a breath of resignation and ran his hand over his nape. He and Edna had been inundated by the older villagers that had been mean to him when he was young. The women cast looks of envy at Edna while the men tried to earn his forgiveness by helping him or bringing him tools. All he really wanted was for them to leave him alone.
“I will talk with Anson,” he muttered, shooting Edna a look that promised he would take his revenge on her later. The slight, knowing smile on her lips showed him that she wasn’t in the least bit intimidated by his threatening glare. “I will show him how he can use his symbiot to help him.”
“I can talk with him as well,” Edna said with a smile. “I wish my granddaughter, Crystal, was here. She would know what to say.”
“Thank you,” Lemar whispered in gratitude. “Thank you.”
“I have work to do. Can you leave now?” Christoff asked in a blunt tone, grimacing when Edna snorted.
“Yes, yes, we will see you later this evening,” Lemar replied, backing up and turning. “Until this evening, brother!”
Christoff watched as his older brother hurried down the path. Shaking his head, he glanced down at Edna when she wrapped her arm around his waist. A reluctant smile curved his lips when he saw her pleased expression.
“You know, we’ll never be able to get rid of him now,” he reflected accusingly.
“I know,” she laughed. “He really isn’t so bad.”
“He is annoying,” Christoff grumbled, turning her in his arms and pressing a kiss to her lips. “I have a present for you. I didn’t get a chance to give you one on Christmas.”
Edna raised an eyebrow and smiled up at him. “I think you gave me a beautiful Christmas gift,” sh
e teased. “If I remember correctly, I was pleasantly exhausted.”
“This one is different,” he said, reaching for her hand and lifting it so he could slide a ring onto it. “I saw the rings on your daughter and Jack’s fingers. I asked them about it. They said it is a symbol of their commitment to each other. I wanted to give you a ring to show my love and commitment to you, Edna. I will never forget what you have given up to be with me here.”
Edna stared at the ring he was slipping on her finger. It was big. It was made of gold with diamonds wrapping around it in a simple, yet elegant arrangement. She tilted her head when he gently touched her chin.
“I love you, my mate, forever,” Christoff whispered. “Merry Christmas.”
“Oh, Christoff,” Edna murmured, reaching up to press a light kiss against his lips. “Didn’t you know? You are my present. The only one I will ever need. I love you, my mate.”
Neither one of them noticed the pale gold figure standing in the doorway of their cottage staring at them. Her expression was pleased, yet curious. Her fingers moved to the twin dragon necklaces around her neck. They had fallen off of Christoff in the cave. She had discovered them when she returned to make sure he had his satchel. Deciding that she would keep them as a gift to herself, she wondered what it would be like… to just once hold someone in her arms like Christoff was holding Edna.
Shaking her head at her fanciful thoughts, Aikaterina released a sigh and faded. She needed to check on the Hive. There was no telling what Arosa and Arilla had been up to in her absence. They were almost as bad as Amber and Jade, she thought as she opened the doorway back to her home.
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The Old Dragon of the Mountain’s Christmas (Book 9)
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About the Author
S.E. Smith is a New York Times, USA TODAY, International, and Award-Winning Bestselling author of science fiction, romance, fantasy, paranormal, and contemporary works for adults, young adults, and children. She enjoys writing a wide variety of genres that pull her readers into worlds that take them away.
S. E. Smith, The Old Dragon of the Mountain's Christmas
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