Child of the Loch (Child of the Loch Series) (10 page)

My fellowship and I stood aghast. My father sputtered, choking on the wine. We were in the presence of family. The High Mistress appeared beside us.

“Flame Mage, I am sorry that you had to be tested. The gift you bear is costly. Many do not possess the control to live among people. You have done well. Tell me now of your life, Grandson.” She took my father by the hand and she smiled as she absorbed his memories. Then she hugged him and drew him down to kiss his cheek.

“As for you, Youngling, you have caused quite a stir. Give me your hand.”

Cautiously I gave her my hand and she spoke to me. Deep in my head I heard, “As High Mistress of the Consortium, my people and I may bestow upon you one wish and one gift. The gift we shall give you
is “knowing
.” You will know how to use your gifts and your dragon will share them. Now for your wish, you do not have to take it now, but hold it close to you. It contains all the power of the good magic throughout the land of the Loch. We have cultivated it for generations while we waited for the arrival of the one who would bring peace to our lands.” She stroked my hand and on the back of it appeared a rosebud.

“When you are ready the rose will bloom and your wish will be granted.”

The white rose was a symbol of the High Mistress of the
Elven
Consortium. It felt hot and cold all at once.
Sanandra
rubbed her hand feeling my discomfort. I was marked now as a dragon rider and an elf.

I was bonded to every ally by blood or by affection. How could I use them in war? There had to be a solution that did not cost the lives of my kindred in heart and blood.

The banquet continued but I was consumed by my next move in the battle of wills and swords. It occurred to me that I had yet to know what I was up against.

“Father, tell me of the lands to the East. We have not gone there.” The room erupted again but again the High Mistress silenced them all.

She told the tale of the
Turlinds
, “The land to the east is called the
Turlinds
. It is home to the
Vorlonics
,
Erdona
and
Nedrigs
. Now, I must tell you the sad tale that the
Vorlonics
were once members of the
Elven
Consortium. Many a year ago the
Vorlonics
tried to over throw us using the dark and forbidden blood arts that cause destruction upon anyone who uses them. We were able to chase them from our caves. However, when they found themselves alone and unwelcome in other lands, they migrated to the
Turlinds
, where they built lives among the
Erdona
and
Nedrigs
.”

“
Erdona
and
Nedrigs
?”
I repeated.

“
Erdona
are the giants of the East. There are few that rival them in magic and warrior abilities. Though they are fierce it is the
Nedrig
that will bring your downfall if you are not careful.

You have not seen the others but it was the
Nedrigs
lead by James who attacked you in the Orange Plains. They are a dangerous lot whose very magic is rooted in deceit. They are conjurers and can force you to see what is not there or they can take your will from you.

You must know that every inhabitant of the
Turlinds
is not inherently evil, but they possess a great need for wealth and power that is fueled by the
Nedrigs
’ jealousy and hatred of the
Lochoan
people and her allies. Be warned, there is
no magic off-limits nor
means too vile to obtain their cruel desires.”

7

As I listened to the tales of the
Turlinds
, James was there celebrating, amassing his armies and plotting his revenge. The
Turlind
lands were alive with preparations for the coming war. The feasts would bring them all together. On that night, James sat in his throne room looking tenderly at his
Erodonan
lover,
Tinsa
. He would marry the
Erodonan
as soon as he took the
Lochoan
throne and made the half-breed McDonnell wench pay for her betrayal. He could have taken the throne easily by marrying the princess but the son of
Chian
, he thought that like a curse, ruined it all. Now, he must take the throne by force.

The hard way was a bit more fun for James and he licked his lips. The wench would bare him an heir or his position would not be set in the eyes of the
Lochoan
people. The princess would then die quietly in childbirth and the child shortly thereafter but not before he took the wench’s land, body and magic. His revenge would be exacted long before she knew what hit her.

James’s thoughts were interrupted and his eyes were drawn to the ladies of the courts. They danced fluidly moving to and fro stirring the heated desires of every male within eyeshot. The entertainment ended and his belly rumbled answering the sweet smell of burnt dragon flesh.

He remembered its capture and he was filled with amusement and hunger. The stupid lizard had died fighting for its mate and her clutch. They were able to take some of the dragons’ eggs with some difficulty. The female flew off with the rest. It was no matter. The eggs would be a tasty dessert for the celebration of the coming war.

James smiled nastily at the dragon heart served on his plate. He shared it with his lover so they would have strength for the nights ahead.

The following day all of James’s armies awoke early to make weapons and train. They wanted to savagely take what was theirs. They wanted the land, the women, the wealth and above all, the magic. First they would take the Dragon Hoards, then the Ogres and Elves, but they would savor the last prize of Josephina and the Loch.

The second night of the festival brought a new dragon to be consumed. It seemed that the female and her clutch were apprehended. One untouched egg was placed before James.
Tinsa
took it in her clawed hands. After some scrutiny, she addressed the armies.

“This is a male ice dragon. It is good that you did not destroy him with the others. He is the last of his kind but will be the beginning of a new breed. We will raise him to be our champion and lead us against the Dragon Hoards.”

She muttered an incantation and the egg began to rumble and shake. The small dragon broke through and began to grow. It took the shape of a large red dragon with spikes running up and down its scales. The dragon filled the courtyard.

Tinsa
smiled and took a lock of James’s blond hair. She performed the same ritual that had bonded the
Dragonriders
and the dragons. This dragon would decimate the Hoards with its dark magic and volcanic fire.

On the other side of the Loch,
Sanandra
stopped in her tracks feeling the shiver of darkness. She trumpeted in pain and fainted. I felt her dizziness and fought against it with all my strength. The Ogres brought water for us and we sipped slowly.
Sanandra’s
vision bled into me.

“We have had a vision.
Sanandra
was Queen of all the Ice Dragons and mother to her first clutch. She is connected to each one by her two beating hearts. When she left the North she believed that her mate and all her young were dead. A male child named,
Simin
, has lived and was being incubated by another Hoard. He was captured by the
Turlind
armies and spelled. We are in agony because we know
Simin
cannot be saved. He is bonded with James and his life will be the only way to end the destruction that the dark magic desires.”

In our grief
Sanandra
and I flew into the skies, hoping above hope that the cool clean air would give us a moment of reprieve from the pain inside. I was not a mother to
Simin
but I felt my dragon’s pain and the rekindled connection to her last living child. She held no hope in her. 

We could not break the bonds that held him and nor would we be able to see him as our child again. She mourned him a second time. It was worse than his first death. The agony cut through us shredding our collective hearts. We would have to kill him for in
Simin
beat the life-force of James. Our tears molded sticky rivers to our cheeks.

We landed a few miles from our group, not wanting to be too far from them but also wanting to be as far away from them as possible. The stream was like all the water in the Loch clear and sweet. We heard a rustle of leaves as we washed our faces and our bodies. Naked I grabbed my sword, not happy with being so naked but ready to defend myself. A voice cut through the night.

“We were trying to be loud to warn you of our approach,” yelled Sean.

“We wanted to be alone.” I hissed while I dressed.

“My Queens you do not have that luxury. We are sworn to protect you and protect you we shall.”

“We do not need protection except from nosey ogres and their dragons.” I was feeling angry and sad, another reason for them to go away.

“No Queen, you cannot push me away I am sworn to protect you, even from yourself. I am also your equal you cannot order me around,” he shot back.

“Fine stay but we are on our way.”
Sanandra
and I started to leave but he grabbed and folded me into his arms.

I had started to cry earlier, but with his gentle hug I really started sobbing. I looked away to see,
Gai
was comforting
Sanandra
in the dragon way with gentle tones and rubbing his nose to hers. By the time, we were done both of us had cried until there were no more tears in us. My face was puffy and my eyes were red and swollen. I was sure that I looked terrible and snotty.

I was surprised by the look in Sean’s eyes. I knew then that he loved me and felt a little chuckle because apparently even with a red nose, I was attractive to him. He smiled at me gently, wiped my eyes with the corner of a kerchief and then he kissed my lips. It wasn’t a demanding kiss, but it was a gentle pressure and promise of passion letting me know he loved me, cared for me and was there to comfort me in any situation. I kissed him back telling him the words we had yet to speak.

When I saw his full intent to make me his mate radiated from his every pore, I was more scared than when we were attacked by the
Nedrigs
. Overwhelmed by the prospects of lifelong love, the coming death of
Simin
, and the brewing war,
Sanandra
and I flew off without a word.

We stayed just under the tree line, carefully flying so that we weren’t followed. I sent waves of discord to the animals so that their movements and scents covered our tracks. We wanted to be alone and away from everyone else, even our lovers. When we landed, we spent time together mulling over all the issues at hand. There was a noise behind us and everything went black.

I’m not sure how long we slept or what happened in that time but we awoke surround by
Turlind
troops.
Sanandra
was chained in a horrific fashion. Her arms, legs and wings were plastered to her body and horns staked to the ground.
Sanandra’s
jaws were also chained making it hard for her to breathe. Every time she strained against her bindings, I felt her astonishment of pain. I was bound and gagged, but the excess of
Sanandra’s
pain affected me more.

We were in a large cave-like structure that I had never seen. I smelled this horrible, awful stench of burnt meat. I never wanted to smell that stench like burnt hair and paper mixed into a nasty pungent ball again. I choked as the men in the encampment seemed to enjoy the bits of flesh. I heard their deep inhales and snorting as I pretended to still be out. They ate like pigs.

I spoke to
Sanandra
calming her and we discussed our options. We knew the others would be coming for us. It was only a matter of time.

A short
Vorlonic
came close to
Sanandra
and stroked her scales. I thought he meant to comfort her but I was so very wrong. He painfully stuck his hand in the place that no scales covered, digging his long nails into tender untouched skin. I normally kept it covered with a blanket so that no harm would come to my beloved dragon soul sharer. We both cringed under the cruelty and burn of pain.

As the first
Vorlonic
continued his torture an
Erdonan
man grabbed me forcefully. I read his evil intent in eyes and mind. I fought wiggling, kicking and head butting him hard. He delivered a blow to my head that had me seeing stars but I still fought.
Sanandra
strained against her chains, as he lapped at the blood from the healed wound.