I definitely see the resemblance, and I’m not talking about the eyes and hair.
They are unhurt?
No one would dare hurt these two.
Bring them to me. Please, Ladon. He could feel her worry and relief and he sent her a wave of reassurance.
“Morgan is waiting beyond the walls for you both. If we keep her waiting much longer she will probably storm the gates herself.”
Clare stepped in front of the boy, her eyes hopeful but suspicious.
“Morgan is here? Where is she? We thought she was taken. Who are you? Where’s Morgan?”
“Yes. She’s waiting for you outside the valley. It’s a long story, but once I get you to Morgan all will be explained.”
“How do we know this isn’t a trick?” This from the suspicious eight year old.
“Would you rather stay here?”
Then Clare raised that stubborn chin. “We aren’t leaving without Melly.”
“Melly is being extracted, even as we speak.” He hoped.
Eben had been strangely cut off for the last bit of time. He shook that off; if anyone could take care of himself, it was Eben Kinkaid.
Before he could say anything else, a great dragon roar trumpeted above them. Eben in a rage could not be a good thing.
“Time to go.” He said all humor gone.
He expanded out with his power until the walls bulged outward and he shimmered into his dragon form, whipping the kids up into his clawed arms and wrapping his tail around them. He didn't give them a chance to do anything but squeak and he was flying, hunched low to protect them from the debris.
He met blue sky and saw Eben exploding forth from the highest tower. The sight of the fiery red tresses shining from within his arms had Ladon breathing a sigh of relief. But Eben was still mad about something because he turned mid air and blasted the falling towers with a wave of dragon fire. If anyone had survived his exit, they were dead now.
Ladon, Eben is closed to me. What is happening?
He’s fine, little Falcon and I have your hatchlings. Eben is in a rage but we are clear and heading your way.
Melisande?
Eben has her.
By then Ladon was clear of the city. Eben took a few more flybys spitting fire at any soldiers he could find. Whatever had set off his temper was still riding him. Ladon was careful to keep Morgan out of his thoughts. He was sure that whatever was making Eben kill as many as he could, it had to do with the fiery haired wind talker he was cradling in his scaled arms. He hoped he was wrong.
Ladon reached the cliff where Morgan waited first. He placed his small wiggling burdens at her feet and watched as they squealed and threw themselves into Morgans waiting arms. This, come to think of it, was what Ladon wanted to do too.
They all started talking at once.
“Did they hurt you? Are you well?”
“We thought you were taken.”
“We came to rescue you.” That from Rhune.
“You did what?! “
He looked from her to the Dragon. “Well, we didn’t know you had a dragon did we?”
Before they could get into that Eben landed. He didn't set his burden down, but changed back to his man shape with her still in his arms. His face was as blank as Morgan had ever seen it. She swallowed hard, leaving her suddenly quiet siblings behind her she reached Eben, her hand brushing back a fall of titanium hair to show a bruised and beaten face.
“Melly.” She said her voice a whisper of pain. As quiet as she was the girl heard it and opened the eye not swollen shut.
“Morgan?” The voice was a whimper of hope. Ladon wanted to break something. Go back and level the fortress to the ground and burn the ashes. The little face that looked so much like his mate smiled, her abused lips broke open and bled at the movement. Morgan took the hand she reached out to her.
“It’s me Melly.” Then her voice broke. “I came for you.”
“Knew you would. Told him you would.” She coughed and the sound was like glass breaking. “I kept them safe, hid their powers. I made sure he couldn’t touch them. He...” She started crying, great sobs of pain that had Morgan wrapping herself around her in Ebens arms.
Rhune buried his face in Clare’s stomach. They were both crying.
“Shh, Melly,” Morgan was crying so hard herself she could barely get the words out. Eben looked up at Ladon, and the rage firing behind dragon gold eyes matched his own. There would be a reckoning for this, but for now…
“We must fly little heart. We have healers among our people who are unparalleled. In the meantime,” Morgan felt his dragon magic wrap around them, and then Melly slipped away, unconscious. “She will feel no pain.”
Morgan shuddered one more time, wiping her eyes and stepping back. “All right.”
She turned to Clare and Rhune. Her chin rising as she found her inner strength. “You think you can become a dragon for the flight?”
Clare was shaking her head. “We can’t change; we haven’t been able to since we were caught.”
“Then you shall ride a dragon and we will leave this dead valley behind.” Ladon said switching back and reaching for the little ones, proving beyond a doubt that the argument about having to carry too much was ridiculous. Morgan waited for Eben to change and then stepped up, taking the unconscious Melisande in her arms and feeling Ebens dragon tail wrap around them both. Even the feel of the wind in dragon flight was not enough to distract her from her sister’s battered face.
Chapter 8
The Dragons spared no time in play. Eventually they passed the North Gate as a blur and were swooping into the majestic fortress growing out of the Forsaken Mountain.
The dragons placed their passengers down gently. Eben had put out the call for the healer as soon as they passed into dragon territory and she was fast on their heels, her protective mate by her side. Both flashed into their human bodies as soon as they landed. Both were incredibly beautiful in both forms, and clearly surprised at the human/dragon gathering. Then they caught sight of Ladon.
“Prince Ladon.” The healer squawked, before continuing in more disapproving tones. “Your family has been frantic since you disappeared.”
Morgan narrowed her eyes at the dragon healers tone and just managed to bite back a heated response at her obvious judgment when she saw how Ladon stiffened at the censure, his eyes flashing an angry dragon gold. But it was Eben who spoke.
“Prince Ladon does not answer to you Shehar.” He said with bite, his voice a powerful boom that had the healer cringing and her mate bristling. “Here is your patient.” Eben gestured to the woman still held in his mates caring arms.
Despite the obvious fear Eben inspired in the other dragons one look at Morgan kneeling on the floor with her sister across her lap had the dragon healer sneering. “I do not waste my talent on humans.”
“They are mage.” Eben snapped, “And mine to protect. Refuse them and you refuse me.”
The healer paled, no small thing since she was already so pale, if her eyes had not been silver Morgan would have thought she was an Albino. Without more than a brief worried look at her mate, she stepped up and placed her hands above where Melly and Morgan waited.