The Dragon’s Mage

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.

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?”