there?” Aislinn asked. “And why didn’t you know about them?”
“We were hiding from Odin, so he wouldn’t kill us after Nidhogg was kidnapped,” Kra answered.
“Great! That clears things right up,” Aislinn muttered.
“We want to hear about our sister,” the black youngling spoke up.
“Yes, you must tell us of her ending,” a red youngster said. “She was brave, and we must sing of her courage so we will never forget her.”
Tears pricked behind Dewi’s eyes. So much to do, it was difficult to determine what needed to happen first. Aislinn clearly expected her to drop everything and go in search of Fionn. The four adult dragons needed to be brought up to speed, and she wouldn’t rest easy until Nidhogg returned. Goddess only knew how long he’d be closeted with Odin. On top of everything, her brood was well within their rights to want to hear about their sister’s final moments.
Bran, Gwydion, and Arawn marched out of the gloom.
“When did you get back?” Aislinn extended her arm toward Arawn.
“Just now.”
“All right.” Dewi blew a fiery breath and pointed at Bran. “You tell these dragons everything about the Lemurians and the dark gods.” She narrowed her eyes at the master enchanter and considered blasting him with flame for not treating more equitably with Aislinn earlier. “Sit with Aislinn,” she told Gwydion. “Tell her what you know about the Harpies, and work out a plan to get Fionn back.”
“Somehow I believe I know what ye have in store for me.” The god of the dead straightened and pushed his dark hair behind his shoulders. He’d exchanged his dark robes for battle leathers, which clung to his lithe frame.
You have no idea. “Get on my back,” Dewi commanded. “You and I need to talk.”
“I’m leaving,” Bella cawed. “I know when I’m not wanted.” The raven spread her wings and floated to Rune’s back.
Arawn pulled magic and vaulted across the space between them, landing neatly between Dewi’s shoulders. “Ready when ye are, madam dragon.”
“Humph. MacLochlainn!” Dewi focused her gaze on Aislinn. “Take care of my brood until I return. Berra and Vaughna will help you.”
Chapter Five
“What the hell?” Aislinn sputtered. “She sounded like an army general.”
“Ye havena seen that side of her afore. Or at least not much of it,” Gwydion noted dryly.
“I’ve seen her act like a high-handed bitch,” Aislinn countered, “but not like just now. This was different. She was cold as ice.”
“She’s angry because Arawn hid the other dragons from her,” Bran said.
“Do you know why?” Aislinn asked.
Bran made a sound midway between a snort and a grunt. “Aye, lassie. She canna keep secrets, that one.”
Aislinn rolled her eyes. It was true that Dewi was an irrepressible gossip. Secrets weren’t even a remote part of her makeup. Her thoughts boomeranged back to Fionn. “I don’t need to know why Odin was so angry that Arawn felt the need to hide the dragons. We have to get Fionn back.”
“The dragon’s orders make sense,” Bran said. “I’ll catch this group up.” He spun and trotted a few feet away. “Gather round,” he gestured at the four newly-arrived dragons with both hands, “this willna take all that long.”
“We’re dragons. We would hear what you have to say too,” the black youngling, clearly the brood’s alpha, announced in his clear, ringing voice.
“I dinna say ye couldna be a part of this.” Bran smiled, and it turned his solemn face into a thing of rare beauty.
Aislinn looked away, missing Fionn so much her insides cracked into a million jagged shards of misery.
She gazed into Gwydion’s clear, blue eyes, so like Fionn’s it was uncanny. “Help me get him back.”
“I will, lass. Ye were so overwrought earlier, ye wouldna listen to reason.”
Rune trotted close with Bella on his back, and Aislinn placed a hand atop his head. He felt good next to her, warm, solid, and comforting.
“We were hiding from Odin, so he wouldn’t kill us after Nidhogg was kidnapped,” Kra answered.
“Great! That clears things right up,” Aislinn muttered.
“We want to hear about our sister,” the black youngling spoke up.
“Yes, you must tell us of her ending,” a red youngster said. “She was brave, and we must sing of her courage so we will never forget her.”
Tears pricked behind Dewi’s eyes. So much to do, it was difficult to determine what needed to happen first. Aislinn clearly expected her to drop everything and go in search of Fionn. The four adult dragons needed to be brought up to speed, and she wouldn’t rest easy until Nidhogg returned. Goddess only knew how long he’d be closeted with Odin. On top of everything, her brood was well within their rights to want to hear about their sister’s final moments.
Bran, Gwydion, and Arawn marched out of the gloom.
“When did you get back?” Aislinn extended her arm toward Arawn.
“Just now.”
“All right.” Dewi blew a fiery breath and pointed at Bran. “You tell these dragons everything about the Lemurians and the dark gods.” She narrowed her eyes at the master enchanter and considered blasting him with flame for not treating more equitably with Aislinn earlier. “Sit with Aislinn,” she told Gwydion. “Tell her what you know about the Harpies, and work out a plan to get Fionn back.”
“Somehow I believe I know what ye have in store for me.” The god of the dead straightened and pushed his dark hair behind his shoulders. He’d exchanged his dark robes for battle leathers, which clung to his lithe frame.
You have no idea. “Get on my back,” Dewi commanded. “You and I need to talk.”
“I’m leaving,” Bella cawed. “I know when I’m not wanted.” The raven spread her wings and floated to Rune’s back.
Arawn pulled magic and vaulted across the space between them, landing neatly between Dewi’s shoulders. “Ready when ye are, madam dragon.”
“Humph. MacLochlainn!” Dewi focused her gaze on Aislinn. “Take care of my brood until I return. Berra and Vaughna will help you.”
Chapter Five
“What the hell?” Aislinn sputtered. “She sounded like an army general.”
“Ye havena seen that side of her afore. Or at least not much of it,” Gwydion noted dryly.
“I’ve seen her act like a high-handed bitch,” Aislinn countered, “but not like just now. This was different. She was cold as ice.”
“She’s angry because Arawn hid the other dragons from her,” Bran said.
“Do you know why?” Aislinn asked.
Bran made a sound midway between a snort and a grunt. “Aye, lassie. She canna keep secrets, that one.”
Aislinn rolled her eyes. It was true that Dewi was an irrepressible gossip. Secrets weren’t even a remote part of her makeup. Her thoughts boomeranged back to Fionn. “I don’t need to know why Odin was so angry that Arawn felt the need to hide the dragons. We have to get Fionn back.”
“The dragon’s orders make sense,” Bran said. “I’ll catch this group up.” He spun and trotted a few feet away. “Gather round,” he gestured at the four newly-arrived dragons with both hands, “this willna take all that long.”
“We’re dragons. We would hear what you have to say too,” the black youngling, clearly the brood’s alpha, announced in his clear, ringing voice.
“I dinna say ye couldna be a part of this.” Bran smiled, and it turned his solemn face into a thing of rare beauty.
Aislinn looked away, missing Fionn so much her insides cracked into a million jagged shards of misery.
She gazed into Gwydion’s clear, blue eyes, so like Fionn’s it was uncanny. “Help me get him back.”
“I will, lass. Ye were so overwrought earlier, ye wouldna listen to reason.”
Rune trotted close with Bella on his back, and Aislinn placed a hand atop his head. He felt good next to her, warm, solid, and comforting.
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