Furee Born: The Dragon Mage Series Book IV (4 page)

Riva studied the mages
and dragons surrounding her.  Clare and Rhune were watching the proceedings
from the back wall, Clare leaning casually against it.  The balcony doors were at
her side for easy flight if need be.  Riva did not sense fear in the girl, more
a stubborn determination and a careful watchfulness.  Rhune stood beside her
right outside the doors, making himself as small as possible in the hopes that no
one would notice and send him away from the action.

Balin she had met before,
of course; he was the courier for the council before they were disbanded and he
joined the dragon knights in their “rebellion.”  As dark as most of the dragons
were bright, he was usually lost in the more flamboyant shuffle; this was not
to say there was anything lacking, but his was a quiet power that was easy to
overlook in the presence of the other dragons here.

But then when Eben
Kinkaid was angry and pacing the room, you would be a fool to look at anyone,
or anything, else.  While also being a black dragon with dark coloring, that
was where the similarities between The Executioner and every other dragon ended. 
Power leaked from his permanent dragon gold eyes; like an ancient coin, they
shown the thousands of years the rest of him did not.  His hair, a shimmering
iridescent black that reflected the light, was the same color as his dragon
scales when he shifted.  Whatever color eyes his warrior form had been born
with, they were now unchanging dragon gold in both forms.

Eben Kinkaid was the
oldest dragon in existence, and even wearing the form of a warrior, he was more
dragon than any other she had met in either form.  Taller than most of the dragons
save Lux and built for strength, he exuded vitality and suppressed violence. 
He was, in a word, breathtaking, and that was when he wasn’t angry.  Right now,
he was pacing the room with an inhuman grace and leaking power over everyone. 
So much so that it was difficult to move in his presence.

All the dragons Riva had
seen had been physically beautiful and exuded power.  Eben Kinkaid was power. 
Furee was the most terrifyingly beautiful dragon she had ever seen, but Eben
Kinkaid was the nightmare of dragon-kind.  The dragon Executioner.  For her
part, she had found him and Morgan’s other mate, Prince Ladon, to be polar
opposites.

Ladon was of House of
Fire and all about flamboyance and snazzy dress. With metallic bronze hair the
same color as his dragon scales, he was shorter than Eben Kinkaid’s seven feet
but not by much.  Broad shoulders, slim hips, and a smile as wicked as it was
playful.

Eben Kinkaid rarely smiled
and was of House of Water.  His bronze medallion showed a dragon swimming under
a sea of stars, the only ornament she had ever seen him wear.

Prince Ladon smiled often
and tended toward shiny in his dress.  It was strange to think of them both
mated to Morgan, who was an elemental mage, the most powerful Riva had ever
seen, and as grounded as any human Riva had met.  Like Kinkaid, she tended to
favor simpler garments without the dragon flash, and while her hair had an
unusual bronze shimmer, it was at heart a pretty brown color she tended to wear
simply.  Her grass green eyes she shared with all her siblings, though the
Ladies Melisande and Clare had striking red hair that set them apart.  Morgan
was a lovely woman, not much older than Riva herself, and like every other
human in the presence of dragons, utterly eclipsed.

On the surface, the three
of them did not fit – Eben Kinkaid, Prince Ladon, and Morgan.  But even belly-swelled
huge with child and tired a good deal of the time, Morgan had a way about her. 
And no one who had even once seen her use her powers would doubt she could
stand equal to dragon mates, even these two.

“Please stop leaking
power over everyone, Eben,” Morgan spoke with obvious exasperation.  Her hands
on her belly, she was oblivious to the promise of death that had even the
staunch dragon knights standing perfectly still, there eyes on the most
dangerous predator in the room.  “It’s making the babies fussy.”

At the simple reminder
from his mate, the most dangerous predator in the room rushed to his mate’s
side and helped her into the seat she was attempting to awkwardly sit in.  His
eyes going soft, the power in the room just suddenly winked away.  At the quick
change of pressure and sudden freedom of movement, Riva teetered and would have
fallen if Furee in his usual way had not taken hold of her arm and pulled her a
step back and into his body to steady her. It was the first time he had touched
her since she understood what they were to each other, and the warmth of his
hand had her gasping as much as the lick of power that brushed over her back
wherever they touched.  It occurred to her that Morgan was not the only one who
did not look like a fit for her dragon mates, or in her case mate.

Before she could thank
him, move away, or find enough courage to stay right where she was with the
flames of her mate beginning to lick power up her nape and down her arms,
Prince Ladon laughed from the doorway.  His eyes on his two mates as shiny
happy as Morgan looked to be miserable.

From above Eben’s
assisting arm, Morgan glared at her second mate across the room.  “The fact
that you find anything about my condition funny, Ladon, makes me want to rip
your . . .” she did not get to finish her threat because Eben had his hand over
her mouth, muffling the rest before she could finish.

Morgan turned her hot
glare on her other mate, glaring at Eben Kinkaid in the eye.

The ground beneath their
feet bucked a few times causing Riva to fall more fully into Furee, who wrapped
her up tight with his arms across her chest.  Her back wedged along then in front
of his body.  Riva didn’t protest.  They were in the war room.  All the
furniture was oversized and sturdy, and had been known on occasion to fly about
when emotions were strong along with the decades’ worth of weapons that lined
the gem-studded and gold-veined marble.  Truthfully, the feel of Furee’s fire
wrapping her up in warmth made her feel safe, as long as she did not look down
to see it.

This was where Kinkaid
generally met with visitors.  Along with the weapons, there were detailed maps
of the known world and some places Riva had only heard discussed in mythology. 
One long and wide table made of solid oak took up much of the room

“Perhaps we can discuss
Ladon’s joy at the sight of you and how it makes you angry when we are alone, shameaa,”
The Executioner said with careful emphasis that had his mate glaring all the
hotter at him. 

Ladon joined them looking
slightly apologetic and no less happy a tense few minutes later.  Riva could
tell they were conversing telepathically in the way of mates, and Morgan
finally relented enough to nod her head in agreement to whatever had been
discussed.  Ladon must have said something good, because she went all soft and
finally smiled at him, blushing.

Riva looked away from
what was clearly a private moment between mates when she caught the other
dragons in the room with their eyes on her wrapped up in Furee’s fire.

Adair looked yearning.
She was surprised to see him at all in this place.  He had been House of Earth,
and not just of that house, but one of Lord Rendal’s personal army.  And as she
had found out after he went against his own house to protect her and Clare, he
was also Lord Rendal’s son.  What it must have taken for him to go against not
only his house, and brothers in arms, but his own father, she could not
imagine, but it had not gone well for him at home.  Now the golden warrior was
here dressed as a dragon knight.  Clearly, the break had been monumental.  She
smiled at him and his smoke grey eyes softened before he looked away.

Balin she could not
read.  His usual stoic face was blank for a long moment until he finally bowed
deeply her way.  Then, his eyes went above her and he smiled clearly, letting
Furee know he could see the significance of this and was happy for him.  It
made a handsome warrior into something breathtaking, that smile, and Riva
understood the look for Furee.  But the bow of dragon respect was unexpected
and it had been clearly meant for her.

Furee spoke into her ear
quietly somehow reading her confusion.  His deep voice danced nerves along the
shell of her ear.  “He is showing respect for your courage.”

“Courage?”

“Many dragons know your
story.”

Riva stiffened, unable to
keep the shame at her cowardice from her voice.  “They know I fear fire?”

Furee squeezed her tightly,
the flames pulsing with his reaction to her tone.  “Everyone fears something; that
is nothing to be ashamed of.  You have more cause then most.”

Her eyes were still on
Balin and she knew he could hear every word they spoke; she dropped her eyes
from the compassion in the dragon knight’s eyes.  She turned into Furee’s chest,
her eyes raising to meet the smoldering flames in his.  “But it is not a story
about courage.”

“A beautiful mage healer
determined to help those that would turn on her as soon as her power is
discovered. Healed of the physical burns of the bonfire, but dealing daily with
the memories.  Mated to a dragon that resembles everything she fears, and
still, here you stand wrapped in my arms, fighting your own fears because you
have felt my need.  How can that be seen as anything but a story of courage?”

Riva took a deep breath
and dropped her eyes from the pride in his.  Pride for her.  A pride she was not
sure she could live up to.

“What if I can’t give you
what you need?” she whispered finally, her eyes on his shoulder, her cheek
pressed to his chest.  Her words were filled with both shame and worry – for
him.

She felt his hand lift
and trail down her hair before he grasped her chin and raised her eyes back to
the fire in his.  “You already have,” he said just as quietly.

At the absolute surety in
his eyes, Riva felt her own gaze soften, taking in the planes of that beautiful
face.  “Furee,” she whispered and had no idea what to say beyond his name.

“Melly will be coming
this way soon,” Morgan suddenly said loudly, bringing everyone back to the
matter at hand, and all eyes turned her way to find the wind dancing about her
and her mates playfully.  She looked at Furee and Riva, her eyes smiling, and
Riva tried not to think about what she must be thinking of them.  “General
Solan comes with her to join the Lady Riva’s escort.”

“Your pardon, my Lady,
but we do not have time to wait.  Aarion was in great need and we have tallied
here too long already.”  It was the most she had ever heard Balin speak, but he
was not wrong.  His eyes were on Kinkaid though, who was looking less than
happy, his power starting to swell again.  Whatever Balin said, they all knew
no one was taking Riva into danger without Kinkaid allowing it.  He had both
the call to protect a female in his care, which as she lived in his home he
would definitely see her as, and the added wish to keep the healer with his
very pregnant mate.  Not to mention he was furious that he could not go after
Graedon himself without leaving his pregnant mate behind, something he would
not do.

She was surprised that
Furee was not also speaking up as Balin did, but she got the feeling he was
just as against her leaving as Kinkaid was, if not more.  Even if they had already
had this discussion, he must be hoping Kinkaid would make the call to keep her here. 
Despite what the dragons thought though, it was not truly up to her mate or
Kinkaid.

“I am ready,” Riva said
into the tense room.  She stepped forward out of Furee’s comforting heat.  With
only the barest hesitation, he allowed it.  She smiled at Morgan and motioned
to Rhune who had been doing his best to keep silent so as not to be removed
from the room.  The forced good behavior must have been killing him.  “Your
brother is here in case of need, but I have delivered many babies; I will have
time to return should something change while I am gone.”  She looked at Kinkaid
and raised her chin stubbornly, knowing her eyes were flashing mage-green fire
at him.  “I thank you for your concern for my welfare, Lord Kinkaid, but I am a
healer. I go where I am needed.  To do otherwise would dishonor both the gifts
that I have been given and the Light that bestowed them.”  She turned and
looked at Furee.  “Are you coming?”  As if she could fly herself off the side
of Forsaken Mountain and to the other side of Dracon without him if she chose
to.  She heard more than one choked laugh and thought it was Morgan and
possibly Clare from the sounds, but she didn’t look to verify that they thought
she was funny.  She had bigger things to handle just then.

Furee looked a cross
between being frustrated and proud at the same time.  But lucky for her, he did
not hesitate to step forward, even with the loud grumbling they could both hear
behind them.  Nor did he ask her how she planned to get there if he wasn’t
coming.  He just shifted in a hot breeze of power that blew her hair back and
had her eyes snapping closed automatically against the pressure.  When she
opened them a second later, Furee stood waiting for her in his dragon form of
fire and smoldering coals.  She would like to say she was brave enough that she
boldly stepped forward and climbed that beast of fire until she sat in the open
flames of his back, but her newfound courage did not quite extend that far. 
She did, however, stand still with her eyes snapping closed while the great
fire beast took hold of her in his dragon talons and cuddled her to his
powerful scaled chest.  She knew the fire was wrapping around her because she
could feel the heat, but she did not burn, and she kept repeating that for most
of the ride with her eyes squeezed carefully shut.