Siobhan?”
“No. Merely pointing out facts.”
Dearg stormed past Fallon as he dressed.
He shook his head. “Put some clothes on, Dearg. We have a search to make.”
Skin flashing a deep red, Dearg refused to stop. “I’ll take to the skies. You take the ground. Bring to swords.”
Fallon rushed to shove his feet into his thin-soled shoes. He darted out of the house, as Dearg was amidst the shift. A dragon trice the size of cottage took his place, golden claws slashing at the air. His lemon yellow chest puffed, as fire burst from his razor-filled mouth. A roar that deafened anyone in a mile radius shook the trees. Black barbed tail swiped the ground, tossing dirt and grass in a small tornado. His hind legs tensed as he pushed off, forty-foot wingspan lifting him into the air, tearing off treetops in his wake.
In all haste, Fallon dragged a bow from the holder, and threw a stocked quiver over his shoulder. He looped a scabbard over his right arm, and grabbed two swords. He jumped the wall, studying the grounds. Footsteps marred the wild grasses that dominated the landscape. A broken branch ahead.
He had direction.
* * * *
Discretion was the better part of valor.
Except, perhaps when a man was in a rage over the woman he cared for, and not really a man at all. Dearg made no move to hide his presence. Besides, he was dragon in this form. Anyone who looked to the skyline could see him. So he made his existence known, lighting the clouds an angry orange as he burst fire that would melt even a Sidhe Knight on contact.
His bellows covered square miles in every direction. His keen eyes quartered the area. His heightened sense of smell, his natural ability to sense prey was put through their paces. His body made the forest beneath darker than night.
The sight of a glaring white figure amongst all of the greens and browns chilled his blood. Not just the Knights had taken their woman, but the Queen herself. Fallon would be forced to act, if he saw her. Indecision flashed.
But only for a second.
He swooped down, the end of his tail ripping trees clear from the roots, aimed at the fleeing Knights. Two toppled under the weight, pinned until he swerved his attention to them. Five to go.
He roasted a ring of foliage, cutting off the Queen and the Captain, who pulled a half-conscious Siobhan behind him. They reared at crackling flame as Dearg landed.
In his anger, he hadn’t noticed a Knight dart under his wings. The blade cut into his hide like butter, though the pain stayed distant. His long neck craned, jaws snapped, breaking the Knight in two.
The Queen twisted in midair, throwing a spell at him that rebounded off his scales. How stupid! He had discovered a few tidbits that put him far ahead of his assailants. He chuckled, though the sound from his mouth was nothing a human could utter. All the same, her eyes widened, and her milky skin paled to grey.
He cast a communication charm, so his voice resonated through their heads, a shrill screech.
Stupid woman. You cursed me to this form, but you know nothing of dragons. Your magick doesn’t work on us. We are elemental.
“How do you know any better than I?”
Like most Sidhe, you ignore the lesser fae. Fallon and I never had that crippling view. We preferred to know thy friend or foe.
“Arrogant bastard!”
She shifted. He released another stream of fire to her left, anticipating her move before she made it. When he went to blow a killing strike, she hid behind Siobhan.
Oh, sweet Goddess, she was a coward.
“You’re here for her, aren’t you? That is why my Knights couldn’t find you. She kept you safe from me,” the Queen said. “Another crime to add to the list she will be punished for.”
You have to escape me first.
A war cry behind them told him well enough Fallon had indeed arrived. Hard not to track a dragon on the tail of an enemy. Siobhan shook her head, narrowing her eyes as she gazed at them. Whatever spell had been cast on her wore off with
“No. Merely pointing out facts.”
Dearg stormed past Fallon as he dressed.
He shook his head. “Put some clothes on, Dearg. We have a search to make.”
Skin flashing a deep red, Dearg refused to stop. “I’ll take to the skies. You take the ground. Bring to swords.”
Fallon rushed to shove his feet into his thin-soled shoes. He darted out of the house, as Dearg was amidst the shift. A dragon trice the size of cottage took his place, golden claws slashing at the air. His lemon yellow chest puffed, as fire burst from his razor-filled mouth. A roar that deafened anyone in a mile radius shook the trees. Black barbed tail swiped the ground, tossing dirt and grass in a small tornado. His hind legs tensed as he pushed off, forty-foot wingspan lifting him into the air, tearing off treetops in his wake.
In all haste, Fallon dragged a bow from the holder, and threw a stocked quiver over his shoulder. He looped a scabbard over his right arm, and grabbed two swords. He jumped the wall, studying the grounds. Footsteps marred the wild grasses that dominated the landscape. A broken branch ahead.
He had direction.
* * * *
Discretion was the better part of valor.
Except, perhaps when a man was in a rage over the woman he cared for, and not really a man at all. Dearg made no move to hide his presence. Besides, he was dragon in this form. Anyone who looked to the skyline could see him. So he made his existence known, lighting the clouds an angry orange as he burst fire that would melt even a Sidhe Knight on contact.
His bellows covered square miles in every direction. His keen eyes quartered the area. His heightened sense of smell, his natural ability to sense prey was put through their paces. His body made the forest beneath darker than night.
The sight of a glaring white figure amongst all of the greens and browns chilled his blood. Not just the Knights had taken their woman, but the Queen herself. Fallon would be forced to act, if he saw her. Indecision flashed.
But only for a second.
He swooped down, the end of his tail ripping trees clear from the roots, aimed at the fleeing Knights. Two toppled under the weight, pinned until he swerved his attention to them. Five to go.
He roasted a ring of foliage, cutting off the Queen and the Captain, who pulled a half-conscious Siobhan behind him. They reared at crackling flame as Dearg landed.
In his anger, he hadn’t noticed a Knight dart under his wings. The blade cut into his hide like butter, though the pain stayed distant. His long neck craned, jaws snapped, breaking the Knight in two.
The Queen twisted in midair, throwing a spell at him that rebounded off his scales. How stupid! He had discovered a few tidbits that put him far ahead of his assailants. He chuckled, though the sound from his mouth was nothing a human could utter. All the same, her eyes widened, and her milky skin paled to grey.
He cast a communication charm, so his voice resonated through their heads, a shrill screech.
Stupid woman. You cursed me to this form, but you know nothing of dragons. Your magick doesn’t work on us. We are elemental.
“How do you know any better than I?”
Like most Sidhe, you ignore the lesser fae. Fallon and I never had that crippling view. We preferred to know thy friend or foe.
“Arrogant bastard!”
She shifted. He released another stream of fire to her left, anticipating her move before she made it. When he went to blow a killing strike, she hid behind Siobhan.
Oh, sweet Goddess, she was a coward.
“You’re here for her, aren’t you? That is why my Knights couldn’t find you. She kept you safe from me,” the Queen said. “Another crime to add to the list she will be punished for.”
You have to escape me first.
A war cry behind them told him well enough Fallon had indeed arrived. Hard not to track a dragon on the tail of an enemy. Siobhan shook her head, narrowing her eyes as she gazed at them. Whatever spell had been cast on her wore off with
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