FireDrake

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Samhain Publishing, Ltd.

577 Mulberry Street, Suite 1520

Macon GA 31201

FireDrake

Copyright © 2008 by Bianca D’Arc

ISBN: 1-59998-940-9

Edited by Angela James

Cover by Anne Cain

All Rights Are Reserved. No part of this book may be used or reproduced in any manner whatsoever without written permission, except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles and reviews.

First
Samhain Publishing, Ltd.
electronic publication: May 2008

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FireDrake

Bianca D’Arc

To Jennifer Ray, who gave Drake his power.

And as always, to my family, who inspire me in so many ways.

FireDrake

Prince Nico, Spymaster of Draconia, and now King-Consort of the Jinn Brotherhood walked the battlements. The high towers of the Draconian royal castle were his home, and among his most favored places. His keen eyes searched the wide expanse, built so high in the clouds, until he found the creature he’d come to see.

She was a juvenile dragon, only about twenty-five winters old, in an absolutely stunning gold, pink and soft orange color. That’s what happened, Nico thought as he approached her, when a red and a golden dragon mated and were very, very lucky.

Jenet was one of the prettiest dragons Nico had ever seen, though she was often melancholy and refused to train with the knights and other dragons, since she had no knight. Nor would she choose a knight. She’d made her choice, she would reply when asked, and until the stubborn man died of old age without her, she would choose no other.

So Jenet served as a sort of royal babysitter, watching the younger princes when they flew as black dragons—something only a precious few males of the royal line, who could trace their lineage back to Draneth the Wise, could do. At the moment, Jenet was watching Nico’s younger brother Wil and the younger set of twins making lazy loops in the sky. They were playing tag, but the activity also served to heighten their fledgling flying skills.

Nico walked over and sat next to Jenet, his human legs dangling over the sides of the high parapet. He had no fear of falling, for if he did, he would simply transform into the dragon that shared his soul and soar away on tar-colored wings.

“How goes it today?” Nico had known Lady Jenet all his life, so there was little need for formality between them.

“Passing fair, my liege
.
”

“Please, Jen, just use my name. I’m sick to death of all this formality. It’s even worse
now that my new wife has been crowned Queen of the Jinn. Thank heaven it’s mostly a
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ceremonial title.”
Nico spoke mind to mind with the dragon, as only a few people could do.

A dragonish chuckle, complete with a smoky, cinnamon-scented cloud, answered him as Jenet moved her large golden head to study him. Her jewel-like eyes blinked once, fixing her gaze on him.

“You never coveted your brother’s throne, did you? Perhaps that’s the reason the
Mother of All saw fit to grant you one of your own, King Nico.”

Nico groaned and clutched one hand to his chest in mock agony. “
You wound me,
mistress, to remind me of my woes.”

Jenet laughed outright at that, filling the air with smoky dragonish laughter. “
To what
do I owe the pleasure of your company this morn? As you can see, your little brothers are
playing on the air currents above and all is secure.”

“I came to see you, actually. I have some news I thought you’d like to hear.”

The fire opal eyes blinked once as she regarded him. “
And what is your news, Prince
Tease?”

Nico chuckled, relishing the moment. His news could change her life and would definitely brighten her mood, if he knew Jenet at all. He drew out the moment as long as he could, heightening the anticipation, but in the end there was just no way to say it but straight out.

“Drake’s coming home.”

“Drake!”
Jenet jumped to her feet faster than Nico would have credited. She was a nimble little thing for all that she was as large as any healthy juvenile dragon. She crouched on all fours, her wings outstretched and trembling in a show of excited eagerness. Her large head crowded him as he stood. “
Is it true?”

Nico smiled at her soft, almost frightened tone. “It’s true. I had a special messenger from the Jinn arrive just this morning. Drake sent him ahead to make sure my brother Roland would stay put. Drake’s coming to personally deliver a message from the Doge of Helios.”

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“Drake! Coming home!”
Jenet rose up to stand on her hind legs and trumpeted her delight to the sky. Her magnificent pearl-like wings flapped happily, stirring up a joyful breeze as Nico watched, gratified and amused. It had been too long since Jenet had been this happy. It was good to see her so alive again.

And it was all because of Drake.

Drake had taken the eager light from her eyes when he’d left home fifteen years ago and she’d pined for him ever since. Now he was coming home, but for how long? Would he spurn her again? Or would he finally accept what was so obvious to everyone else who knew them?

Only time would tell.

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Bianca D’Arc

Drake felt the weight of responsibility settling around his shoulders as he made his way to the throne room of the royal castle of Draconia. He’d sent the messenger at the last possible moment, but he knew the king would be expecting him. Drake wanted to make this visit as brief as possible. He didn’t want to see anyone other than the king, if he could avoid it.

Coming back to Draconia after all these years was quite possibly the hardest thing he’d ever done, but it was necessary. Nothing less than the safety of the land, its people and dragons could have made him break his vow never to set foot in his homeland again, but it had come down to that, at the last.

Drake had a message to deliver that was too urgent to wait. It had to be him, much as he could have wished otherwise. He’d been closest to the borders of Draconia and there was no time to find another trusted operative to deliver the warning. This had to be done as quickly and covertly as possible so as not to alert their enemies.

The giant doors to the throne room were open and he could hear the soft murmur of voices from within. He’d hoped to catch the king alone, but it was not to be. Drake took a deep breath for courage and resigned himself before stepping through the dragon-sized portal.

Nico was there, closest to the doorway in the huge room. Drake sketched him a saucy bow as he caught the new king of the Jinn’s eye. Nico smiled and started toward him. They met in the center of the large chamber, exchanging a firm handclasp and a short, pounding hug of true welcome.

“Drake! You’re here sooner than I expected. Your messenger only arrived yesterday.”

Drake stepped back, his grin genuine, if a bit sheepish. “That was by design.”

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“Ah. Just enough time to recall Roland if he was elsewhere and not enough time for word to spread too far. You’re a cagey one, Drake. Always were.”

“
Has
word spread? I mean, does my family know I’m here?” He felt like a fool for asking, but he had to know, and Nico was as close as a brother to him, though he was in fact his liege lord twice over—once as Prince and Spymaster of Draconia, and again as King-Consort of the Jinn.

“You mean, does your blood-father know?” Nico cut to the heart of the matter. “If he does, he didn’t hear it from me.”

That should have set his mind at ease, but Drake knew Nico too well. His careful words were too vague for Drake’s comfort, but he didn’t have time to wrangle with the Prince of Spies about it. Roland had spotted them.

Few had the nerve to keep King Roland of Draconia waiting. Nico, of course, did but he was his brother. Drake, while having grown up alongside the royal princes, still couldn’t claim that kind of kinship. And Roland was king now, after all.

Drake walked toward Roland, Nico beside him. When Drake would have fallen to one knee in respect for his king, Roland stopped him, grasping his hand and giving him a back-thumping hug, much as Nico had done.

“It’s good to see you back home, Drake. We’ve missed you.” Roland stepped back and nodded. That simple gesture of approval said more than mere words to Drake, who’d known Roland and his understated ways since they were both youngsters. “Your work on our land’s behalf has not gone unnoticed and I thank you.”

Drake stood back, amazed by the welcome. He hadn’t left under the best of circumstances, but all he’d done in the years he’d been away had been for the safety and security of the dragons and people of Draconia. Apparently Nico had told his older brother a bit about Drake’s work as head of the Jinn Brotherhood’s network of informants and spies. He didn’t know quite what to do with praise of this kind. He’d heard so little of it in his life.

Drake bowed to the king. Roland’s opinion mattered more to him than that of almost any man alive. Roland had been forced to assume the throne at a young age after the www.samhainpublishing.com 9

Bianca D’Arc

murder of his parents, and had always been a steady, solid influence on Drake while growing up. Later, after Roland had become king, Drake had been there, part of the royal court, younger than Roland, but not by much. He’d admired the young king as a friend and a leader even back then. Drake suddenly realized he’d missed Roland’s strong personality and the influence of his presence in the years he’d been gone.

“It’s good to be home, my liege.”

Drake knew he had never spoken truer words.

A scuffle from behind caught all their attention as heavy, hurried, dragonish footsteps sounded through the large throne room. Drake’s back was to the doorway, but he knew the sound of those particular dragon feet. He’d grown up hearing them and would never forget the rhythmic click of this dragon’s claws on stone. A feeling of mixed dread and delight stirred in the pit of his stomach and he steeled himself before turning to face his destiny.

“Drake!”

The feel of her voice in his mind caused Drake’s knees to weaken. It felt so good, so right. Drake had denied himself this feeling for far too long.

The peach colored dragon approached him at full speed, her wings outstretched as she landed with a bounce in front of him. Without pause, she swept him into her wings and pulled him in against her smooth, scaled neck.

Jenet had grown since the last time he’d seen her. She was almost full size now, and so beautiful it made his heart ache.

“Sweetheart.”
Drake hugged her close, allowing himself the luxury of burying his head against her sinuous neck for a short moment. Jenet had been born when Drake was about five years old and they’d grown up together. They were closer than brother and sister. They loved each other deeply though they were of different species. “
It’s good to
see you again.”

Drake felt the tightness behind his eyes that he refused to humor. He had to keep firm control of his emotions here. He’d learned the hard way over the years he’d been gone, to temper his feelings—for good or ill. His hot temper had cost him his family and 10

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home once before. He had learned a hard lesson then, and had never let his emotions get the better of him again.