As it stood, Rian was still the Head Elder of the Blue Thunder Clan; something he was sure several hours ago he would no longer have. Even better, he had the full support of the other three Elders and the entire Dragon Council to enter hell, rescue Audrey and Kayne, and kill the Demon Lord known as Adramelech.
The five warriors walked along in silence until Rory said, “When you gonna talk to Maddox?”
Never one to miss an opportunity to mess with his little brother, no matter what was going on around them, Rian answered, “Well, since you couldn’t keep your mouth shut, I guess I’ll wait for Lance and talk to them both at the same time. And while I’m thinking about it, how did Madman Maddox know I was coming?”
“Who knows?” Rory was quick to answer. “I sure as hell didn’t tell him. I don’t talk to him unless it’s absolutely necessary.”
“When he was just about to fall asleep from the sedative, Maddox said something about hearing a voice from below, but the old man hears voices all the time so your guess is as good as mine,” Kellan added, never looking up.
Stopping, Rian shook his head. “Who knows? Who cares? He’s here and I have to deal with him. But first, I need to go see Drago. Unless, you saw fit to tell him, as well.” He punched Rory in the arm as they resumed their trek to the lair.
“No, I didn’t.” Rory’s petulant tone reminded Rian of all the times he and Royce had caught their youngest brother tattling to their parents when they were kids.
Rory went on explaining, “And telling Lance was well...kind of an accident. He hollered at me while we were corralling Maddox for Niall. Wanted to know something about Call of Duty, the game we play on Xbox Live…Anyway, it just popped out that the old fart was trying to kill you for stealing the Focus Stone and had to be sedated. I didn’t even think about it until Lance yelled. Then I kinda…well…I had to…”
“You had to spill your guts. Yeah, we know,” Royce finished his younger brother’s sentence.
“Yeah, well…”
“Shut up. Let’s go get something to eat. I’m starving. Then I’ll go see Drago,” Rian commanded with a smile on his face.
“Aye, aye, Captain,” Brannoc chuckled while bringing up the rear of the group.
Thank the Heavens Royce had called ahead to Kyra and she had every variety of breakfast imaginable cooked and waiting when they descended upon the couple’s cottage. Rian couldn’t remember how long it had been since he’d eaten, but the smell of food made his stomach growl and his mouth water. Brunch was his absolute favorite meal. They all ate like they hadn’t seen food in days, not stopping until every dish, platter, and plate was licked clean.
“Guess y’all were hungry, huh?” Kyra laughed as she set the second pitcher of iced tea on the table. “I’m gonna have to go to the grocery again if y’all are gonna be around for dinner.”
Rian laughed aloud as she asked a question without really asking and looked at her mate with raised eyebrows. Unable to resist the temptation to tease his brother’s mate, the Dragon Leader cleared his throat and teased, “You mean you cut off your mindspeak with your mate while we were with the Elders, Roy? Shame on you.”
Backhanding his brother across the shoulder, Royce quickly answered, “You know damn good and well the Cave of the Ancients is warded so we can’t use mindspeak in there. Stop stirring up trouble, dumbass!” Then to his mate, he said, “Rian’s just being a jerk. I was waiting to tell you what happened in person.”
“Well?” Kyra walked around the table and sat down in the chair next to Royce. “Spill.” She waved her hands in a hurry up motion, crossed her arms over her chest, and sat waiting, not so patiently from the tap of her foot on the tile floor that grew incessant with every beat.
Smiling sweetly to his mate, Royce laid his hand on her leg and told the abbreviated version of what had transpired during Rian’s questioning. It was bittersweet for the Dragon Leader to watch the closeness between Royce and Kyra. On one hand, Rian was happy his younger brother had found the one the Universe made for him and that together they made an amazing couple. But then there was the envy he felt, the longing to have Audrey with him every hour of every day and to build a life with her just as Royce had done with Kyra.
The tiny witch’s voice cut through his musings. “You want me to come with y’all, don’t you, Rian? You know you need as much powerful white magic with you in hell as you can get and there’s none compared to mine.”
Rian could’ve kicked his own ass for not paying attention to the couple’s conversation. He’d obviously missed something vital and was now being called into mediate. It didn’t take a brain surgeon to realize whatever answer he gave was going to piss someone off, so he did the only thing he could and took the coward’s way out.
“This is for y’all to decide.” He motioned with his index finger between the couple. “Whatever you decide I’m good with.” Standing up, pushing in his chair and taking his dishes to the sink, Rian turned and headed toward the front door, adding just before he stepped out onto the porch, “I’ve got to go see Drago. Be back later to see what you’ve decided.”
Rian heard Royce half yell, half chuckle, “Coward!” as the door opened and Rory, Brannoc, and Kellan appeared, looking as if they were running for their lives.
The group busted out laughing as Kyra yelled while giggling, “Now whatcha gonna do, big man? They’ve all deserted you.”
Still laughing as they crossed the white witch’s garden on their way to Alicia and Drago’s house, Rian was the first to regain enough composure to speak. He grinned and teased, “Y’all are afraid of that tiny little woman? She’s barely five-foot tall. I’m not sure you can handle the trip into hell with me after all.” He barely got the last words out of his mouth before he was laughing so hard he had to stop, bend at the waist, and brace his hands on the top of his thighs to catch his breath.
“You’re such a jerk, Ri,” Rory said, kicking him in the butt as he walked by.
Finally able to stand and speak, Rian jogged to catch up with the others. “Sorry, figured we needed a tension breaker. I don’t know about y’all, but I’m not looking forward to telling Drago what I’ve found out. Last time I talked to Alicia, she said he was doing better but wouldn’t stop talking about finding his men.”
“He’s gonna wanna go and who are you or any of us, for that matter, to tell him he can’t?” Kellan responded, as matter-of-factly as always.
“But he still can’t see in the daylight without his sunglasses,” Rory commented.
“It’s pretty effing dark in hell. It’s not called the Underworld for nothing.” Brannoc chuckled, clearly trying to lighten the mood.
Sighing, Rory quickly added, “I know, but…”
