The Dragon’s Mage

madder and madder.

He turned and swiped with his mutated talons.  He was going to connect.  Morgan knew it, knew too that Ladon would die, even as a black shadow appeared between them and Eben took the swipe into his own side.  His black talons dug into the abomination Bochus had become, and with six thousand years of dragon power behind him, he ripped off his head.

He dropped what was left of a twitching Bochus to the ground.  Turning first to look for Morgan and then seeing her standing he turned to check Ladon.  But Ladon was looking at the wound across Ebens flank.

Poison.  Ladon said meeting his eyes.  Eben felt the energy draining out.  He would have dropped to the ground if Ladon had not grabbed him and lead him down.

Morgan came running as they landed.  She gasped seeing the black stain spreading across his iridescent scales.

'No!'  She yelled falling to her knees beside him just as they both shifted to human.  'Eben no.'  But she knew.  She could feel the poison spreading.

'One or the other will die.'  Melly had said.  Morgan assumed she meant Ladon or Bochus but what if she meant this?

'Eben.'  She whispered, her hands going to either side of his face so she could look into his eyes.  'Don't you leave me.'

His pulled her hand to his lips and kissed her fingers.  'You worry about the silliest things Shameaa.  There is no poison that can harm a dragon.'  But his words were slurring and his eyes going unfocused.

'Arrogant dragon.'  She cursed through her tears.  'Always think you know everything.'

'I have called for a healer.'  The voice was too deep and had Morgan looking up through her tears.  She hadn't even noticed General Solan arrive until now.  She looked at him through sightless eyes.  Then beside her, she heard Rhune.

'He's dying, isn't he Morgan?'  Too serious and too knowing for such a young boy.  'I can see it spreading.'  Morgan looked from her brother to Eben who was now gasping for breath.

'The healer won't be in time.'  Ladon said from the other side of Eben.  She looked across and saw the same devastation on his face she knew she was wearing on hers.

Shameaa.  His voice in her head was weak.  You may have been right...this once.

'I don't want to be right!'  She cried.  'I want you to beat this, like you beat everything else.  Please Eben.  Fight!'  His hand found her cheek, pushing into her hair and wiping her tears with his thumb.

'I would not give up the light so soon after discovering its warmth.'  He said, and she grabbed his hand to hold it to her face as agony shook her.  He reached his other hand to find Ladon and they clasped hands.  'You will look after each other.  All that is mine is yours.”

'You don't have to ask.'

“Solan.'

'Here.'  Came the gruff voice.

'You will bear witness that all these here belong to me.  I claim them as dragon mage of the house of water.'

'I will so witness.'

'Then he looked at Morgan.  'Shameaa...'  Then he closed his eyes.

'No!  Where's the healer?'  She yelled, feeling him slipping away.  'Fight!  You arrogant dragon.  Fight!'  She shook him as hard as she could but there was nothing.

Then he jerked and Morgan looked up.  A white light was swirling around him, the black shadow wound started to shrink and she blinked not understanding until Clare screamed.

'Rhune!'

She looked down Ebens body and saw Rhune with his hands on the wound.  'What are you doing?”  But she knew.  She had seen her mother heal enough wounds to know when someone was healing with magic.  Only Rhune had never had that power.  Until now.

Even as she watched the shadow wound was leaching out of Eben...and into Rhune.

'Morgan stop him.  He's too young!'  This was what Melly had been warning her about!  This!

'No.'  Morgan yelled knocking Rhune away from the wounded dragon. 'Hold him away.  It'll kill him!'

General Solan Picked up Rhune and turned so that he was away from the body.  Rhune was struggling and yelling but he was no match for the Dragon General.

Morgan turned back to Eben.  The shadow was smaller but it wasn't enough.  Rhune could have saved him but he was too young, he would have died unable to fight off the poison.  He was a healer.

Like their mother.

‘Blood or sex, Morgan.  That's how you restore a fading dragon.  Blood or sex.  But only use it when the need is most dire.’

Morgan reached over to the sword Ladon had dropped and slashed her hand against it.

'Morgan!'  He yelled reaching for her, but she already had her hand pressed between Ebens lips.

'Fight Eben.'  She whispered pushing Ladon back when he would have taken her hand away.  'Fight!'  She yelled it directly into Ebens face.

Just when she though it wasn't going to work, Eben latched onto her hand with sharp teeth.  She cried out but it wasn't the pain.  She watched as the shadows shrank with each gulp of blood he downed.

'It’s working!”  She heard someone say right before she passed out from blood loss.

Chapter 14

When Morgan opened her eyes, she was in her bed in the Forsaken Mountain.  There was a naked man at her back.

Eben?

Here Shameaa.  The arm at her waist tightened, bringer her closer to his hard hot body.  Ladon?  Rhune?  Melly?  Was everyone safe?

Everyone is safe.  He said and she burst into tears.  Burying her head in the pillow while he cuddled against her back.  Shameaa...Eben said finally.  You break my heart.

I thought I lost you.

No, you saved me.  He said and there was something there that she didn't understand.

'What is it?'  She asked sniffling and rolling so that she faced him.

'Rhune could have died, you could have died.  I did not expect or want that sacrifice.'  He placed hands on either side of her face and studied what he saw there.  'I suppose I am not used to being the one rescued.'

'You were not the only one rescued.'  Ladon said from where he stood watch on the balcony.  His eyes lacked their usual twinkle.  'You should not have taken that hit for me.'  His voice broke.  'I almost lost you both.'

'Ladon.'  Morgan said with joy.  Sitting up and reaching out to him.  He came to the bed and to her hand, pressing it against his face.  'I almost lost you both.  Better to die than that.'

'No.  You are here in my hand.'  She said softly understanding exactly how he felt.  'We are all safe.  This is better.'

'I almost lost you both.'

'Come to bed my friend.'  Eben said quietly.  'Come and let us remember we live.'

Ladon crawled up on the bed beside the Morgan until they were both kneeling facing each other.  He pushed his hands into her hair and kissed her softly.  'Little Falcon.'  He said, running his lips over her cheeks and forehead.  Then he pulled hard on her hair, capturing her eyes with a new fierceness.  'I cannot lose you.'

'Ladon.'  She whispered.  'I'm right here.'  She leaned up and kissed his chest, running her soft lips over him wherever she could reach, wanting him to feel nothing but love.  'I'm not going anywhere.  Not without you.'  Then