Captured by the Dragons, page 6
"Surely we can't all be her True Mates," Rhys said, his voice heavy, expression torn. My whiskers twitched again.
"Says who?" I replied, blinking at the three of them as they frowned, and gazed at each other. I chuckled, pulling my tail around my hindlegs. "Young ones, we all know that it is the female who decides who gets the privilege to mate with her. She may choose one or three or none at all. Yet, a True Mate is not a one-sided attraction. If you feel this way for her, there is a chance she can accept and love all of you, together."
They each shared a look, rumbling in confusion.
I let them speak to themselves, sharing the bond that these three uniquely had. They were as close as any brethren I had seen, as close as mates themselves. The filigree of ore inside a mountain, they were, all entwined together. It seemed obvious that they would share a mate as well, for their fires burned so close together.
My whiskers twitched, as I felt my fire rise up in me. Lyra was near. My tail curled in excitement, at seeing her.
And yet, I did not. My cave was wide at the entrance, melting from the plateau beyond right into the heart of it, with nowhere to hide except a small section of rock at the edge of the plateau. I should have seen Lyra immediately, if she were coming.
Before I could call out to her, I heard her consciousness brush against my own, as all True Mates do. Her presence felt like a kiss to my forehead, and I felt her gentle hands cup my face, even though she was not there to physically do it.
Secrecy, my love, she whispered. I have the human with me. I wanted to show her what you looked like.
The young ones are speaking of True Mates, I responded in the recesses of my own mind, outwardly unmoving. I should like to meet this woman, when they are gone.
Lyra's laughter was like warm water on my scales, and I felt her hum of approval. We will wait.
Mishael cleared his throat, calling my attention back. "What does it feel like?" he asked, and I was glad then that we were speaking in dragon tongue. What I had said was not untrue – the female decides the mating rights. Anything else is barbaric. But she should do so of her own free will, and not because she overheard us speaking in her language and felt compelled to act.
"Imagine that you have found the perfect gem," I told them. "It is your family, your hearth, your very fire. Imagine that gem loving you back." Rhys was nodding, rubbing at his chest again. Poor thing, he must have felt the pulse very strongly. "This woman is human. She might not understand what she is feeling, if she is feeling it at all. Do not think that just because you share fire, that she will act upon it."
I nodded, once. "You must court her, as you would any female. How can a gem shine if it does not see the sunlight?"
Galen was quiet, as Mishael and Rhys nodded. "Thank you as always, old friend," Mishael said with a smile. "I'd be lost without your wisdom."
I bowed my head and smiled, watching them leave. Lyra was very good at hiding, and I knew they would not see her, nor this woman whom I was suddenly very curious about.
CHAPTER NINE
ALICE
Lyra led me further up the mountain, until I was almost knee-deep in snow, and it was soaking through my boots and dragging down the wolfskin. It felt like I was hauling the entire animal up the mountain, and I was flushed and sweaty when we finally reached a small landing.
Lyra paused, and I tilted my head. I could see the tip of Galen's tail, and knew that they were still speaking. Her expression went blank, and then she turned and smiled at me. "We will wait for a while," she said.
I looked down with dismay at the cold ground, shivering, my breath misting in heavy clouds in the cold air. Lyra smiled at me, eyes soft with understanding, and beckoned me to sit with her behind a small rocky crag.
"Here," she said, and nudged her way under my wolfskin, wrapping both arms tight around me. I gasped, feeling how warm she was, and immediately curled up tighter. I could hear the dragons rumbling to each other inside, and closed my eyes, even though I knew hearing them better wouldn't help me understand.
"What are they talking about?" I whispered, as I felt heat slowly return to my arms and feet.
Lyra was quiet, listening. She frowned, and then bit her lower lip, a strangely guilty look coming to her face. "I don't know if I should say," she replied after a while. Despite the fact that she was warm, and wasn't shivering, her breath misted too. "It's…a private conversation."
I frowned. "Oh." I shivered again, and Lyra's arms tightened around me. "They must be very close, then, if all three of them are in there."
She laughed. "They're closer than any group of young males I've seen," she replied, absently rubbing up and down my bare arm to help warm me up. "It's kind of amazing, in my opinion."
"Human men are the same," I said.
Lyra giggled quietly.
It was so cold up here. Objectively I knew dragons didn't feel it the way humans did, but even still I marveled at the fact that Lyra could sit naked in the snow, completely unbothered, while I was trembling and relying on her for warmth.
I couldn't help but wonder what all three of them would be discussing with the roost elder. If what Mishael had told me was true, as the leader it made sense for him to seek counsel from the older, wiser dragon. And Galen, as Mishael's second in command, would attend as well. But why Rhys? Unless Mishael was starting to groom him for leadership as well, and he was expected to accompany Mishael to meetings.
But that rang false in my own head. Mishael was still young, for a dragon, and didn't seem to be in any hurry to step down. Besides, they had all just rescued me, and fed me, and now were speaking to the village elder? Unless it was a standing meeting, I saw no reason to keep things private. There was no reason I could think of that Lyra wouldn't tell me what they were saying.
I bit my lower lip, jaw clenching as I tried to rein in my thoughts.
"Smoke is going to come out of your ears," Lyra teased after a moment.
I huffed. "I'm just trying to figure out what they might be talking about that you think I shouldn't hear."
Lyra pressed her lips together, meeting my eyes. Her head tilted and she smiled. "You're very clever, aren't you?" she asked, and I rolled my eyes. "Are all humans this smart?"
"I'm smart enough to know when someone's deflecting," I replied.
She laughed, tucking my hair behind my ear. "I'm glad you came here," she said. She sighed, and shook her head, looking away. "I really don't think I should say, though, Alice. Please forgive me." Her eyes were wide and earnest as she peered over the top of the crag, to be sure the dragons inside hadn't heard us.
"Lyra, I'm not mad, I promise. I'm sorry, I was only teasing." Mostly. But she looked so worried and earnest. I put a hand on her shoulder and squeezed, forcing my chattering teeth to calm enough to form a smile. "I get it. It's your brother and your leaders, and your mate. I don't want to put you in a difficult position."
Lyra considered this, and then she sighed. "But you're my friend," she replied, putting her hand over mine. It was insane how warm she was. "I'll just say that it's…about you. So maybe you should ask them when you're with them again."
My eyes widened. They were talking about…me? Why? I hoped it wasn't because I was in trouble, or because Frost disapproved of me being here. I didn't want to leave, and I didn't want to cause any upset. I got enough of that at home.
Something must have shown on my face, because Lyra shook her head and cupped my cheek. "It's nothing bad," she promised. "It's just not something I should get involved in."
I sighed, and nodded.
Lyra looked up, and I joined her in peering over, watching Mishael, Rhys, and Galen emerge from the cave. The three dragons rumbled to each other, exchanging soft clicks and growls. It reminded me of watching excited cats when they chittered at a bird they wanted to hunt. They didn't look upset, although with Galen's reptile features it was difficult to tell what he was feeling. But his tail was calm and his wings were settled.
I watched as Galen bowed down so Rhys and Mishael could climb onto his back, and Galen took wing, heading down the mountain. They hadn't seen us. I laughed to myself, thinking of dragons riding other dragons. It had never occurred to me, and again I found myself thinking of puppies piled together in a bed, or birds nestled together in the same nest. It was endearing.
Lyra took my hand once they were out of sight, and led me towards the cave. It was all white, made of ice and stone, and for a minute I didn't even see Frost's face, white as he was against the backdrop.
Then, my eyes adjusted, and widened. Frost was large, closer in size to Galen than Rhys. His head was shaped like a dog, and he had thick whiskers dropping down on either side of his mouth like vines. His scales were a glittering white, pale pink in places like beneath his throat and in the membranes of his wings.
He laid out in his nest, which was a vibrant mesh of pink and blue silks atop a large hoard of gold. His eyes were the brilliant blue of stained-glass windows, and felt deep and transparent. An air of regality surrounded him, to the point where I felt the absurd urge to fall to my knees and bow.
He had two wings and four legs, his front legs crossed before him, his wings stretching out wide on either side. He sat like a lion, neck arching in a graceful curve. His wings were spiked all along the front edge, and had savage-looking hooks at the arch, making me think that he was a species meant for climbing and digging. His teeth, claws, and the hooks were all the color of steel.
He blinked at me and Lyra as we entered, his smooth white tail quivering with excitement when he saw his mate. She smiled at him and came forward, leaving me a few paces away, and he bowed his head. She cupped his muzzle and kissed between his eyes, letting out a rumble of her own.
It was so strangely intimate, I wanted to look away, but I couldn't. The dragon's eyes closed, his nostrils flaring as he breathed her in, and I thought of how she had said I smelled like rubies. What did Lyra smell like, to him, I wondered? What did he smell like to her?
Lyra turned and smiled at me. "He can't change shape easily anymore," she told me. "I'll translate. He says 'Hello'."
"Hello, Frost," I replied, bowing my head. "It's an honor to meet you."
The dragon opened his eyes and raised his head. Lyra stepped into the cross of his forelegs, embracing his neck tightly. His large wings twitched and curled around her, cradling her close. It was the unconscious movement of it, I thought, that hit me the hardest. The simple act of reaching for something he loved, and protecting her in his strong wings. Even though I knew Frost was old, and couldn't fly or shift, I had no doubt that he would tear me to shreds if I threatened Lyra. He would do it with ease, without hesitation.
I tried to recall if any of the stories I'd heard mentioned how protective dragons were, and found that I could not. They were written off, as greedy, lustful creatures, better left to their own devices, even in my village where we considered ourselves friendly but separate neighbors.
Frost chittered at me, and I met his eyes.
"He says it's good to have you here, Alice," Lyra repeated. She had settled along one of his forelegs, and was absently petting his smooth whiskers and under his jaw where the pink scales were. His tail continued to vibrate and twitch like an excited cat. "He's happy to meet you." She paused, and purred to her mate, smiling when he did. "I told him you were from the Pass."
"Eventide, by birth," I replied. Then, I couldn't help myself; "Is it really like language, this dragon tongue?"
Lyra nodded. "Each click, each rumble, is like a word," she replied. She made a few more sounds, as though I was supposed to know what they meant. I stepped forward, feeling heat emanating off the two of them, my own mammalian body still quivering from the cold.
Frost blinked at me, and lifted a wing. I stared. "Come," Lyra said, gesturing me forward. "It's alright."
I climbed over the lip of his nest, careful not to dislodge any coins. It wasn't as comfortable as the nest I had woken up in, since the surface was so hard, but it was much warmer under the arch of Frost's pale wing.
"Thank you," I said.
Lyra smiled. "True Mates can communicate in our minds, as well," she told me, still petting her mate's whiskers and neck. "There is a certain level of awareness, with the other person. I can speak to him over great distances when I try hard enough."
I nodded, understanding a little better that their long-distance relationship would be tempered much more easily by being able to talk to each other while apart.
Frost made another series of sounds. Lyra tilted her head, and translated: "What do you know of dragons?"
"Not nearly as much as I thought, and even less than I want to know," I replied honestly, and Frost grinned at me, baring his metallic, sharp teeth. Despite his age, they were as fierce as Galen's, and looked strong as iron. "Every time one question is answered, three more spring in their place."
"A curious nature is a valuable one," Lyra said for Frost. She spoke differently, when she was speaking for him; her voice became lower and smoother, taking on the cadence of her mate's accent and speech pattern. It reflected, I couldn't help but notice, some of the drawl of Lakeside. Perhaps Frost, too, had not always called this mountain his home.
Frost turned his head, resting it on the floor by my feet. It was large enough that I thought I could quite comfortably curl up in his mouth. His giant blue eye was unblinking, and my own reflection stared back at me from the inky well of his slitted iris. His head was completely smooth except for the whiskers, and he had no membranes or spikes like the others did. He looked closer to a snake, except for his wings and legs.
"I have not seen a human in quite some time," Lyra said for him. His iris shifted, looking me up and down. "You are a young one. And strong. How came you here?"
"Rhys and Galen rescued me," I told him. "I was kidnapped by wolves, while on my way home."
Frost snorted, muzzle wrinkling in aggravation. "Wolves," Lyra repeated, her own voice colored with disgust. "Animals. Did they bite you?"
"No," I replied, shivering at the implication. "I was meant to be sold into slavery, up North."
Frost considered this, and then Lyra said, "It is likely you were not their only target, nor will you be the last. They are a persistent kind of creature. We shall have to remain vigilant." I nodded, shivering again at the idea that wolves would continue coming to my village, terrorizing the place I had called home.
Frost blinked at me, and then nudged me with his wing. "Do not fret, young one. Mishael will not let them harm you, or anyone you hold dear."
I smiled.
Frost hummed, and then lifted his head, and Lyra climbed down from where she had been curled up beneath his long, arching neck. "Come," Lyra said, holding her hand out to me. She was speaking as herself, now. "It will only get colder, and I'm sure they are wondering where you are."
I nodded, taking her hand and letting her pull me from the nest. I turned and looked at Frost. "Thank you for meeting with me," I told him, bowing my head again in respect.
He smiled at me. "Though we cannot share a language, we share fire, young one," Lyra said for him. She paused, and looked as shocked as I felt to hear him say so. "You have a dragon's heart. Perhaps one day your -."
Lyra stopped, and turned to look at her mate. She devolved back to dragon tongue, rumbling at him. She sounded confused, and excited, and her eyes brightened when Frost rumbled back.
"What is it?" I asked.
Lyra grinned at me. "I will take you back to the caves," she said.
"What did he say?" I asked, as she led me out of Frost's cave.
"You just need to speak to them, is all," Lyra said. My eyes narrowed, knowing she was lying.
"I think I need to learn this language of yours," I muttered. "Even if I can never speak it myself. You dragons are a secretive bunch."
Lyra laughed, and wrapped her arms around me, keeping me warm as we headed back down the mountain.
CHAPTER TEN
ALICE
Lyra left me at the mouth of the dragons' cave. I went inside, immediately shedding the wolfskin when I was enveloped in warmth. Rhys and Mishael were inside, in their human forms, and they both immediately rushed to me as I entered the cave.
"Where were you?" Rhys asked, touching my hair and my face. He looked like he had been on the verge of panic for hours.
"You're freezing," Mishael added, and immediately wrapped his arms around me. I huffed, surprised, and hugged him back, resting my cheek on his bare shoulder as I felt warmth radiate through my dress.
I couldn't see Galen, either as a human or dragon. I pulled back and smiled sheepishly. "I was with Lyra," I told them, and Rhys sighed in relief, settling at the knowledge that I hadn't been in danger, or on my own. "Where's Galen?"
"He…." Rhys swallowed, and looked down. "He left."
I frowned. "Is he alright?" I asked, unable to hide my worry.
"He's fine," Mishael assured me. But he looked upset too. It made my chest ache to think of these two sweet men worrying for their nestmate.
"Where did he go?"
"…He went to track down more of the wolves," Rhys admitted, like it pained him to say the words out loud. I frowned, worrying my lower lip in concern. Alone? I wanted to ask, although I knew Galen was large and fierce, and could handle himself.
"Are you hungry? Mishael asked. "Cold? Do you need anything?"
I shook my head, pushing myself away from their embraces. I stared at Galen's nest, and it looked so large and empty. When I turned around again, they were both watching me with dark eyes and creased brows.
"I'm alright," I said. "Really. I'm not hungry and it's more than warm enough in here."
Mishael smiled.
"I'm just concerned for Galen," I continued. "And…." I sighed, running my hands through my hair, absently twisting it over my shoulder. "I'm good at reading people. And I can tell there's something you're not telling me. So I'd appreciate it if you could just…be honest."
