Dragon Unity Read online

  DRAGON UNITY

  by Calliope Parrish

  Part One

  The path of anam cara are never smooth, new or established, storms will come.

  From the Journal of Rowan, the High Priestess of the Morrigan

  Cain

  Adam and Great-grandfather Nicodemus’s arguments echoed off the walls of the cave. Their volume was steadily escalating and echoing. I briefly wondered if they might actually come to blows like a couple of young males. Maybe Isaiah and I should separate them before they did, well I knew I could, but I shouldn’t, or we could just let them beat the crap out of each other after kicking them out of the cave. Unfortunately, they were needed to splint the wing. Though centuries younger, I was losing my temper with them. Maybe it was the headache building. I ignored the older male dragons and continued to study the drawings Adam had made of where he thought the break in Great Grandmother’s wing was. I traced a finger along the location of the break, imagining a dragon in flight. If the break had healed badly, this wouldn't affect the wing's movement. Then traced the back of one hand, feeling the bones. Compared to a human hand, it would be the bone in the middle of the hand right before the wrist. I was no expert at dragon anatomy, but I’d ridden Grandpa Luke many times as a child and when I was very young, he’d let me slide down his wings. I was certain that where Adam had the break in his diagram was wrong. “This is wrong,” I muttered.

  The female dragoness who had met us at this cave moved closer. Her golden hair brushed my arm as she leaned over to look. “Why do you think that?”

  There was something familiar about her features, but I didn’t have the time or energy to figure it out right now. All my attention was on the upcoming re-break of Grandmother Demaris’s old injury. We were all confident that if we could set the bone properly and allow it to heal in the correct position, she should be able to fly again.

  “Nothing I can put my finger on. It just feels wrong. Here, look.” I handed over the drawing.

  I watched her as she studied the drawing, a frown pulling at her lips. She placed one hand over where Adam had indicated the break was, then moved her arm a little, her brows furrowed. I could see her thinking and after a minute, she met my eyes. “You’re right. This break wouldn’t prevent Gran . . . Demaris flying. Even if it had healed wrong.”

  I cut my eyes over at Isaiah, who gave me a slight nod. He had caught her slip as well. So, she was a granddaughter too? But who were her parents? Perhaps Grandpa Luke had a sister? It wasn’t out of the realm of possibility, as we had learned when Nova and Delilah introduced themselves. I pushed the thought aside again. It was not the time to focus on unimportant things. Fixing Grandmother’s wing was the priority. “The original break had to be here.” I pointed to a spot on the wing, below what I could consider the wrist and the long bone of the arm was in the drawing.

  “We have no way of confirming it,” the female muttered. “But, if you’re right and Adam breaks it where he is planning, it would not fix the problem and could make it worse. She would go through all that pain for nothing.”

  “Exactly. I have a way of confirming if the break is where I think it is.” My hand went to my pendant as I weighed the options. Isaiah wouldn't like what I was thinking about doing.

  Isaiah leaned on my shoulder. “What are you thinking about doing, leannán?”

  With effort, I let go of my pendant. Damn my habit of fiddling with it. Because of it, he knew I had something I was contemplating, no matter how hard I tried to keep it from him. I looked at my anam cara. It was going to take a lot of power to do what I’d need to do if my suspicions were correct, and I made certain to keep my full plan hidden from Isaiah. He would not approve. “I need to take a better look at it.”

  “How?” The cautious tone in his mental voice told me more than anything he was confused and worried I’d do something stupid.

  I arched an eyebrow at him, shooting him a memory that both excited and worried him at the same time. I squeezed his arm in reassurance. “It’ll be okay, Cop,” I said, moving to stand in front of my grandmother.

  She was enormous in dragon form. Her pearly white scales danced with rainbows in the firelight from the torches. Grandfather Luke was huge, and Great grandfather Nicodemus was larger still, but my great grandmother dwarfed both of them. The sight of my great grandparents in flight might be enough to make Aurumden soldiers run home to momma screaming. Yet despite her size, I saw the fear in her eyes when she turned to look at me. I flicked a quick glance to Adam and Grandfather, who had stopped arguing and were now glaring at one another with Keziah, Grandfather’s anam cara, in the middle.

  “Grandmother, I’d like to try something. It would allow us to know where the break is. Will you let me?” I used my most comforting tone, the one that soothed Morgan and Rowan when they awoke from nightmares.

  She studied me with her pale blue eyes, but dipped her head. Behind me, Isaiah’s warmth blazed into me. Even without the bond, I knew he was there. If I fell, he would always be there to catch me. He’d proved that. Sending out tendrils of psionic energy, I used the hands I created with them to probe along the bone, feeling for where it had broken and how the bone had healed crooked. Grandmother shifted slightly. The feeling of hands moving through muscles and over bone couldn’t be comfortable. Within a couple minutes, I’d confirmed what I suspected. Adam was wrong. It was below the wrist, not above it, exactly where I thought it should be. I couldn’t let Adam break her wing where he planned. He was so firm in his conviction that he had the correct location of the break, he wouldn’t listen to any argument I made. I had no other choice. I had to carry out my plan. “Isaiah?”

  “Yeah?” His tone was suspicious, and he had good reason to be. Rarely did I call him Isaiah when it was just the two of us talking.

  “Tell Adam and Grandfather to get ready and don’t be mad. This is the only way.”

  Before he could say anything, I directed a blast of power at the break. Grandmother let out a roar that shook the ground and I wrapped her as tightly as I could in a psionic shield, centering it on the fresh break. No one around me moved to set the bone. As minutes passed, darkness began to creep into the edges of my vision. Isaiah’s arm wrapped around my waist and pulled me tightly against him. Good thing too, I was losing strength fast. She was damn strong and holding her was taking more energy than I expected.

  “Damn it, Cain, you’re using too much power.” His concern washed over me, and I momentarily felt bad for causing him to worry. This was better, though. Grandmother would fly again, and I would recover after a couple of days’ rest. Isaiah would be furious because I had exposed my power level, but it was for the best cause.

  “Someone better splint this before I pass out,” I tried to say, but my words were so slurred I wasn’t sure anyone could understand me. Isaiah barked out something and then I vaguely registered two forms scaling my grandmother’s sides. I held her in place as long as I could until blackness claimed me.

  Isaiah

  I took the rest of Cain’s weight as he slipped into unconsciousness and slowly sank to the ground, pulling him into my lap. Even though I knew from our bond that he was only out cold, I still checked his heartbeat and breathing. Both strong. If this hadn’t happened after the surge, I wouldn’t be as calm as I was. Although this differed from the surge. He hadn’t passed out right away then, but neither had he completely drained his psionics that day. Adam and Nicodemus finished splinting Demaris’ wing. The old dragoness had lain down, her neck stretched out, looking exhausted and watching us intently. Her worry for Cain was almost palpable. There was also something else in her gaze. A tinge of fear? “I didn’t know he was going to do that. He didn’t give me a chance to stop him and I would have if I’d known. Please don’t l
et anyone know how strong he truly is. Not even him,” I begged her.

  She let out a sigh, and she sagged onto the stone more, relaxing. “My grandson was foolish, but he has Vashti’s generous heart. Isaiah, Extract a vow from everyone. No one can ever be told the immense amount of power he holds, or what he could still grow to wield.”

  “Do you know something I need to know?” Fear gripped me at her words. Did she mean Cain would only get stronger? Yes, most psions continued to get stronger as they aged but I knew of none that had ever reached Cain’s level or didn’t constantly bleed off an aura like he did. As his anam cara, protecting Cain was my job, and I’d already planned to get a promise from the other four before she’d said anything. Even if I had to beat it out of them. It didn’t matter that they were older and stronger than I was. Protecting Cain was my only priority, even if it was protecting him from his own foolishness.

  “I only know what the Morrigan has shown me,” she answered, and I really couldn’t vent my anger at her. Whatever had injured her happened long before I was hatched.

  Really wasn’t an answer, but with Demaris you took what you got.

  “Is he alright?” Adam asked, crouching next to us.

  “This wouldn’t have happened if you two old fools weren’t arguing like hatchlings,” I snapped, directing the anger caused by my worry at them. Good thing too, it was building in a terrifying, even to me, way. I wouldn’t want Cain to bear the brunt of that.

  Adam had the decency to bow his head in shame, but Nicodemus just met my gaze steadily, unblinking, which just pissed me off more. The young dragoness took a step toward us, her gaze alternating between my anam cara and Demaris. Demaris said this female had healing ability, and she was obviously deciding which needed her attention more. I waved a hand at her. “I know how to take care of him,” I told her. “He just completely drained himself. Heal grandmother.”

  The dragoness nodded and stepped back, then transformed into her dragon form. I had always thought that a female dragon had one color, but she was a honey gold and deep emerald green. Cain’s uncle Jordan had the single color of females, though the last time I saw him his top scales looked a shade darker, so why was I surprised there might be a female with two colors? She opened her mouth, and a soft golden glow came from her mouth toward Grandmother’s wing. Her breath weapon was not something that damaged, but something that healed? I brushed the hair off Cain’s face and sighed. It was a good thing he was unconscious. He would definitely think I was angry with him. His earlier admonishment not to be mad confirmed that. I was only worried, but after a few days of rest, he would be fine. Then we were going to have a very long talk about him revealing how strong his psionics were in front of others.

  “How did he do that?” Keziah asked, as she looped an arm around Nicodemus’ waist. “I didn’t even feel his aura . . . it’s like it came out of nowhere.”

  I shrugged. “That’s how his psionics work.” Then I fixed all of them with a pointed glare. “And if you breathe a word of this to anyone—”

  Grandmother let out a soft growl, interrupting me. “You will have to get in line behind me, hatchling, to take their heads. No one outside of this cave is to know how his psionics work or the amount of power he has.”

  I wanted to growl back at her for taking protecting my anam cara from me. But I was younger than any other dragon in this cave, and still considered a child among dragons. They wouldn’t have taken me seriously, even if I resorted to trying to beat the promise out of them, especially Grandpa Grumpy Nicodemus. Demaris? Even Nicodemus wouldn’t cross her.

  The younger dragoness immediately dipped her head in agreement, as did the two male dragons. Nicodemus must have relayed the message to his anam cara. Keziah’s lips drew into a thin line as she shook her head. Nicodemus ducked down a little to look her in the eye, putting his hands on her shoulders, and finally, she nodded. I relaxed a little. Cain didn’t want anyone knowing how strong he was, and after Demaris’ warning, I couldn’t allow anyone to talk about it. But what wasn’t she telling me? I felt it was more than just the Morrigan asking him to keep it a secret, but even the goddess hadn’t seen fit to tell Cain why. Fortunately, the way his power worked, no one could tell until he used it and he had taught himself to make his power mimic other psions whenever he needed to do it in front of others. Unfortunately, what he did here today was not what any other psion could do, and he’d completely drained himself by doing it. His well of power, though stronger, was more shallow than other psions and when he drained his ability, needed longer to recharge. I needed to get him home and into bed. “We’re going to need a ride back to the Stronghold. Cain is going to be out for a while, so he cannot ride solo.”

  Adam rose from where he crouched near grandmother’s head, stroking her cheek scales and moved to my side, patting my shoulder. “Consider it done.”

  Nicodemus’s gaze went from Demaris to Adam and back. “I’ll take him. Stay with Demaris until I return.”

  It was hard to miss the way Adam went rigid and looked like he was going to take a swing at Nicodemus again. Then I saw the glow, milky white with the palest pinks shooting through it. Exactly what I saw with every anam cara bond, the pink would change over time to match the bonded. Adam and Grandmother? I shook my head. Not my business. Cain was my concern, and I needed to get him home and in bed.

  When we returned to the Stronghold, I tried to sneak into our rooms without Cain’s mother seeing him, but my luck didn’t hold out. Ruel was reaching for the door when she came down the hallway, headed toward her and Gabriel’s suite. As soon as she saw Cain in my arms, she hurried down the hall. “What happened?”

  “He’s fine, Mom,” I said, waiting for either of them to open the door. Ruel won out, and I went inside, carrying Cain directly to the bedroom.

  Jael raced around me, had that door open and was at the bed pulling back the covers. She went to the other side and climbed onto the bed, gently stroking his forehead as I removed his boots. I then pulled the covers over him and sat on the edge of the bed, holding his hand.

  Ten minutes later, his eyes fluttered open, and he caught sight of his mother. “Ohhimomma.” he said, his words all running together. If he was conscious this soon, he would be fine.

  She looked sharply at me, her amethyst gaze demanding an explanation. I stayed where I was and reached to stroke Cain’s cheek. He nuzzled my hand before he sighed and fell back to sleep. “The fool used his psionics to help hold Grandmother while they re-broke her wing. He used too much energy, but all he needs is to rest for a couple days.”

  Jael folded her arms and glared at me for a moment. “You will make sure he rests.”

  I dipped my head to her. “Of course.” Like I was going to let him move from this bed until the day after tomorrow? Did she really believe she had to tell me how to care for my anam cara? Her son or not, caring for Cain was now my job. I did envy him his mother’s love and care. Always had. Always would.

  She stroked my hair in the way only she could do, other than Cain. “Good hatchling,” she murmured. The motherly attention warmed me but while yes, I was very young to have found my anam cara, I wasn’t an idiot. Cain had kept his promise. He was my everything too. Thank the gods for connecting a bonded pair’s lives. I would never know a day without him in my life.

  Once she left, I kicked off my own shoes and pulled my shirt over my head. Then I snuggled into bed next to Cain. Once he woke up, he’d get an earful and in two days a spanking. For now, he’d rest.

  Demaris

  The two weeks in the cave waiting for my wing to heal had not been as unpleasant as I imagined it would be. Nicodemus and Keziah were very doting, and Adam visited every few days. Nicodemus and his psion disappearing as soon as they knew Adam was coming got to be a little tiresome. As did the knowing looks the two would give me. I was not some foolish youngling. The exhilaration of flying again was well worth enduring the pain of the break and the memories it recalled. I had taken my time on the return tr
ip to the Stronghold. Partly because though I stretched and exercised that wing daily to keep it strong, it still tired easily but also so I could enjoy the feel of the wind flowing past my wings, riding the thermals up. Too soon I had reached it. No sooner than I landed intending to seek Cain to caution him about his abilities when I heard Rhiannon’s call. She must have flown with the wind at her back. I was not expecting her for another few hours.

  As I waited, I contemplated Nova’s latest report. Aurumden’s troops were moving away from their southern border, and they were also sending many delegations to Seladon. I didn’t think King Darcy was foolish enough not to heed my warning, but his son was another matter entirely. The Seladon king was old by human standards and, according to reports, his health was failing. Would his son throw in his lot with the larger nation? I chuckled at myself. If it meant more blonds for that brat to take to his bed, of course he would. It was only a matter of time before Aurumden renewed their efforts against Kaldona. It had been the same pattern for centuries. A flash of purple and blue on a lower terrace and then the transformation light drew my attention. Adam paused and looked through a satchel, pleased with whatever was in there, likely plants for his garden.

  The male was looking healthier these days. At least he had put on the weight he needed and his scales no longer looked dry and cracked, but his loneliness still hung about him like a cloud. He looked up and met my gaze, letting that little hum build in my mind, then bowed his head in greeting. The action was one I was used to, but a brief flash of a hatchling’s glee filled me. I scolded myself. I was too old for such foolishness and merely nodded my head in acknowledgment and turned my gaze back to the sky. The disappointment that followed when he disappeared into the Stronghold made me snort. Then I caught sight of the gold and emerald form of Rhiannon approaching. None of the males circling the castle tried to stop her. I’d already informed Solomon of her arrival.