“If he doesn’t, he loses his entire hoard.”
Logan whistled. “Whoa, bro, what a way to get a dragon’s attention. Is Cody or Dylon with you because Ian will want to get their permission to treat Fionn.”
“Yeah, just a minute. I’m putting you on speaker phone and recording this conversation.”
Logan motioned to Ian while pressing the speaker button on his phone.
“Logan, Ian? This is Cody. I’m appointing Logan to act in my stead as guardian for Fionn including giving all approvals needed for any medical treatment deemed necessary.”
“Thanks, Cody, sorry to be a stickler, but rules are rules,” said Ian.
“No problem. I think this is for the best considering what his father did to Fionn. Any questions, call or text. Oh, and keep us informed of his progress, please.”
“Will do,” said Logan. “Talk to you later.” After hanging up, he looked at Ian and asked, “Ian, what’s Fionn’s condition?”
“He’s severely dehydrated so the intravenous fluids will help with that. Other than the lack of water, he hasn’t suffered any bodily trauma and his vitals are good but why he isn’t awake yet, I don’t know. I think Rom might have the answer.”
“Okay, Rom, as Fionn’s appointed guardian, I’m giving you permission to speak about him,” said Logan. “I’m guessing the most important answer we need right now is why did his father do this to him…and you?”
“Artur MacDùghlas claimed his son was uncontrollable and he wanted my help in finding the reason why a supposedly well-behaved young man suddenly was rude, angry and refusing to talk to his father. After speaking with Artur MacDùghlas, I met with Fionn a number of times before I discovered why he was so angry. It started when he told his father he was gay.”
“Ahhh, I take it his father did not handle it very well,” said Logan.
Rom snorted. “Well, that’s putting it nicely. No, he didn’t. Artur MacDùghlas threatened to take Fionn’s horde away unless he swore he was straight and agreed to marry a female dragon his father had picked for him. When I became involved, and after speaking with Fionn, I tried to mediate the problem. I thought I was making progress with Artur when, one night at dinner, he indicated he understood that his son had not chosen to be gay and that he could not choose to be otherwise. I wentto sleep that night congratulating myself only to wake up the next day, chained and shackled with Fionn in the cave.”
“What happened after you woke up in the cave?” asked Ian.
“Artur MacDùghlas was standing there and told us we’d stay there until Fionn swore he wasn’t gay and agreed to marry the female dragon. He hung the keys on the wall, telling me that freedom was that close and all I had to do was to do my job.”
“How did Fionn react to his father’s edict?” asked Logan.
“I won’t betray his confidences, but I will say that, in my professional opinion, Fionn has lost the will to live. I believe that’s the reason he won’t wake up.”
Kieran listened to Rom speak; he had already sensed that in the young dragon but now knowing the cause of it, he called upon his spirit to help him as he began to tell Fionn his story. He wanted Fionn to know the journeys he and others had made. After he finished talking about his ordeal, Kieran then told him about Theo and Norman and how they had all came through the darkness to find light on the other side.
Continuing on, he talked about finding his Fated Mate and the love and happiness Logan had given him, wanting Fionn to know there was a good life waiting for him. Kieran did not give up. He told the young dragon everything including the gay club he was designing and the costume party he was planning. When he started in on the rest of the Blackwood Pack brothers and his impressions of them, he heard a voice that sounded like it hadn’t spoken for a long time.
“Water, please,” croaked Fionn.
Jumping up, Kieran held the straw to the young dragon’s lips and said, “Only a little bit at a time, Fionn.”
Sipping a little bit, he paused before drinking some more. The cool water felt so good in his parched mouth. Opening his eyes, he glanced around the room before stopping at the person holding a glass of water. “Are you Kieran?” Fionn asked.
Grinning, Kieran nodded.
“How did you do that?” asked Fionn.
“Do what?” asked Ian.
Looking at Kieran, Fionn said, “You were in my head, driving me nuts with your chatter.”
Ian turned to Colton, “We better check to see if Fionn has a head injury I might have missed the first time I examined him when he was unconscious.”
“No, my head is fine,” said Fionn, pointing his finger at Kieran. “You said you wouldn’t shut up until I woke up. Jeez, I never met anyone who could talk as much as you do.”
Logan rose and put his arms around his mate, and said, “My mate certainly has a gift. Hi, I’m Lo…”
“Yeah, I know, you’re Logan. Where’s Theo and Norman?”
