Morgan felt the dragon magic as it shimmered around her. She held Melly protectively close, not quite trusting the beautiful healer. Though she could feel through the bond that while Eben and Ladon were angry at her attitude they didn't worry she would do aught else but what she'd been commanded.
The bruises and cuts disappeared even as Morgan watched. She had always been able to heal herself with her own fire but this was something greater. To be able to heal others in such a way was a truly wondrous gift. One her mother had carried, but none of the children had inherited.
Too bad it was in the hands of such a self-righteous bitch. Ladon snorted at her thoughts, part in agreement and part in amusement.
Shehar is one of the oldest of us and set in her ways. Eben’s voice whispered through her head to join Ladons even as the healer faltered, her eyes flashed sorrow as the magic intensified around Melisande. Finally, with a sad huff she stepped away just as Melly opened her eyes. She didn’t have a scratch on her.
“Are you all right?” Morgan asked pushing Mellys hair back from her face.
“I feel...Fine.” Melly said, then smiled. Morgan laughed in relief. Rhune barreled into his sister’s arms with a happy whoop as Clare followed. Soon they were all laughing. Morgan among them until she looked up and caught the pitying eyes of the healer. She pulled out from beneath the others and left them laughing behind her.
She went to the healer who stood a whole foot taller. “What is it?” She whispered so the children would not hear. It was not until Eben stepped behind her in obvious support that she was answered.
“There was much to be healed and not all of it physical.” She said her haughty voice dropping to a low octave. “I have blocked the memories but she has much power that is still growing. Eventually she will remember...and she has been marked.” The dragon looked to Eben when she said that.
“Impossible.” Eben said immediately as Morgan felt her blood turn cold. “Mages cannot mark as dragons do.”
“He used dragon’s blood and magic to do it.”
There was a great silence; even the healer’s mate looked shell-shocked. Morgan tried to get through the block that was erected in Ebens head but he was too determined to keep her out. When that didn’t work, she turned to Ladon.
His thoughts were full of both horror and anger. But the problem was suddenly crystal clear. The dark mage had been drinking dragon blood and he had fed his dragon-fuelled blood to Melisande to bind her, sexually. Morgan lost the feeling in her legs and would have fallen if Eben had not picked her up into his arms. “Was she raped?” She whispered the abomination so that only the dragons would hear.
“No. I believe his intent was to breed her.”
“And you can’t force a mage to bear children.” She buried her face in Ebens neck and held on tight. Whatever the blood mage had intended to do to Melly it was more than physical if he needed her consent to breed.
“Do you know whose blood was used?” Eben asked, his voice a cold northern wind.
“Not the specific dragon but the house. Yes.” She looked pointedly at Ladon. “It was blood from the royal house of fire.”
Ladon choked on his shock, even as he prepared to roar his innocence.
Easy young one. You forget that we are bound. You could not keep such from me.
But someone from my house? I can’t believe any would do this thing.
We already know you were betrayed to the humans. Perhaps that is not the end of the traitor’s crimes.
Then the rest of my family could be in danger.
“Ryall.” Eben said finally. “You will call the Council together. There is much to be disclosed and they must hear it first.”
Ryall saluted a fist against his chest and then the ever-silent warrior dragon was pulling his mate behind him as they departed in a hurry.
“What is it?” Melly said in an unsure voice behind them, Clare and Rhune both looking at Morgan who was holding onto Eben like a child scared of the dark. “What’s happening?”
Pulling herself together Morgan stepped from Ebens arms and took a deep breath. She turned to her brother and sisters. “This is Eben Kinkaid and Prince Ladon. They have offered us sanctuary in Dracon away from the blood mages and the nullmags.” She drew another deep breath. “They are my mates.”
It was Rhune with awe in his young voice that finally broke the shocked silence. “You have two dragons?”
Chapter 9
After spending their whole lives in a place where magic was seen as an abomination, to suddenly be in a place where the very air they breathed sparkled with it, was heady stuff. Within half an hour, everyone was enchanted clean, with a new wardrobe and their own rooms in a dragons Forsaken castle.
Finally, Morgan felt like she could breathe. Her family was as safe as they could be. If not for the blood mage mark on Melly, the upcoming dragon council meeting to decide the fate of mage kind and the still undiscovered traitor in Ladons family, it would be perfect.
Both Clare and Rhune had decided to sleep in Melly’s room for the night so they were all cuddled up in a giant bed that was softer than anything they had ever slept on before. Morgan sat beside them her arm around Clares shoulder.
“Can we really stay here?” Clare asked, her eyes going around the vast room in awe. Everywhere she looked her eyes hit on something beautiful from the lush rugs to the silk drapes blowing at the open terrace. Even the walls cut directly from the mountain glowed with embedded jewels and precious metals.
“Yes. We really can.” Morgan said, pulling her tightly against her side. “I have to leave for a little while, but I’ll be back before you wake up in the morning.”
“You’re going to talk to the dragon council.” Rhune said jumping up excitedly. “Can I come?” It made Morgan laugh and Melly had to grab him and pull him back down to the bed.
“No.” Morgan said leaning over Clare to buss him on the cheek. “And don’t even think about changing shape and flying out of this castle unless one of us is with you.”
He huffed, wiping off her kiss and looking belligerent.
“I mean it.” She stated firmly. “It’s magical here, better, but we need to be careful until we know what to expect. For now, you have a whole enchanted castle to explore. How about you stick with that for now?” At the reminder that they were now living in an enchanted castle Rhune perked right up. “Do you think there’s a real dragon treasure here? Like in the stories.”
“You’ll have to find out won’t you?”
He smiled happily, snuggling back down between Clare and Melly.
Morgan would have said more but something was happening on the mountain that distracted all of them. Outside the sun was setting, bathing the mist that surrounded the mountain in golds and reds as if the sky itself was on fire. All around them, the walls started to glow with it. When it was over Clare said what they were all afraid of.
“What if they won’t let us stay?”
Morgan was still forming an answer when Eben spoke from the doorway. “You are family to my mate. That makes you mine as well, I guard my treasures well.” He said his voice a harsh growl that reassured even as it warned. “And hatchling.” He said directing his words to Rhune of the wide eyes. “No one ever takes a dragons treasure.”
Come Morgan, the Council awaits.
Will they be safe here?