“Lady Fern.” Kael’s blue eyes danced with barely suppressed amusement as he gestured to me. “This is my mother, Elsie. Mum?—”
“A lady?” The woman’s voice turned into a pained squeak. “Oh gods, and here was me, going on like…”
When she went to gather her skirts and curtsey, I stepped forward and took her hands.
“Just Fern, please, Elsie.” Up close, I could see the similarity between her and her son. The same dramatic bone structure wasa little softer in her face, but her long dark hair was just like his. “There’s no rank in the corp but that which you earn, and I am just a lowly cadet.”
“Lowly…” Elsie shook her head sharply, then turned back to her son. “She’s lovely. Lovely, Kael. Tell me you’ve been good to the lady. Not rude and presumptuous like you are around here.” Lorien let out a choked sound. “Oh gods…” She rubbed at her forehead. “They haven’t been awful, have they? My boys, they have good hearts, but?—”
“No brains to speak of.” We all looked up to see a tall man with iron grey hair had joined us. “Barry,” he said with a nod of his head.
“This is just Fern.” Kael’s eyes twinkled as he looked at me. “And this is the leader of our expedition. May I introduce Lieutenant Lance Axton.”
“A pleasure,” Lance said, shaking Elsie’s hand, then Barry’s. “Just Lance?—”
“Axton?” Barry frowned. “No relation to Brand Axton?”
“He’s my father, sir,” came Lance’s reply.
“Is he indeed?” Barry’s dour expression was lightening by the second. He came to stand by Elsie and by the way his arm wrapped around her shoulders, it was clear the nature of their relationship. “You teaching these young pups the sword? I’ve done my best with them, but they’re too full of themselves to listen. Think them dragons of theirs will win any fight they get into.”
The silver dragons grunted at that, drawing closer.
“I tried to show Kael how to use a proper grip,” Lance said.
“Gods, still gripping it like its his cock, is he?” Watching Kael blink as he copped a smack to the back of the head was most unexpected. “How many times have I told you?—?”
“Too many.” Kael straightened up. “So Mum, we’re only here overnight. We’ve got business at Blackreach?—”
That was the wrong thing to say. She went instantly pale, her blue eyes burning bright.
“Not that hellhole.” A hard shake of her head. “Kael, no?—”
I stepped forward.
“That would be my fault. We’re going to visit the Tomb of Terror.” With a nod, my dragon’s head rose high. “This is my dragon, Auren. She wishes to see the bones of Drathnor.”
“You’re going to take a lady and a queen dragon into a cave system used by smugglers and thieves?” Elsie rounded on Kael. “What were you thinking?”
“That the caves all but collapsed after the war,” he replied.
“All the more reason to avoid it.”
There are answers I need.Not everyone in Nevermere had the requisite psychic ability to communicate with dragons, but wild dragons seemed far more adept at reaching people’s minds than corp beasts.I understand that this might be perilous, but you needn’t fear. Your hatchlings…With a shake of her head, she corrected herself.Your sons will remain safe. I will make sure of that.
“Oh, well, of course.” Elsie sketched a quick curtsey without thinking. “Please be welcome, my queen. If you’re hungry, there’s deer in the forest around us and cattle in the back paddock.” She turned to the silver dragons. “Show our guests where the good hunting is.”
Watching the tiny woman boss around three huge dragons had me staring openly, but rather than turn on her, they clustered closer. Each one pressed his massive head into her sides until she burst out laughing, giving each one a hug and a scratch before dismissing them all.
I will return, Auren informed me.After I have found something to eat.
“Now, let’s go inside and I’ll put the kettle on,” Elsie said. “We’ll sit down and have a nice cup of tea and you can tell me everything that’s been going on.”
Linking arms with Kael and Lorien, she marched back up the hill towards the house. Lance and Barry were chatting earnestly as Viridian left to join the other dragons, leaving just Dain and me to bring up the rear.
“Milady.”
I thought he was joking when he held out his arm. It was theproper thing for a gentleman to do, escorting a lady into his home, but how did Dain know that? He frowned slightly as I paused, then went to draw back, when my hand landed on his forearm. The leather was cool to the touch, the size of his arm somewhat intimidating, and that kept me preoccupied right up until we walked into the house.
