And that succeeded in driving the dragons toward the shadows and Lombrey into a fit.
“No! No! No! You’re not to hide in my domain! Get out, mangy beasts!”
Brandor cleared his throat to disguise his laughter. “You know, with all this noise, Morgen is bound to realize what’s happened. We might want to think about getting out of here before she sends something or someone to investigate.”
Falcyn nodded to his sister. “Granted, she should be a little preoccupied with the Crom after her, you still should take them to my island. Just to be safe.”
She arched a brow at his order. “Allof them? You really plan to tolerate us in your personal space?”
He tried not to be agitated at the thought of that many encroaching on his territory, but… “It’ll be the safest place for them.”
Xyn kissed his cheek. “Love you.”
Falcyn tried not to let those words weaken him. But they always did. Only his sister had ever said that to him, and meant it. “You, too.”
She scoffed at his response. “I live for the day,Veles, when you can say that word without choking on it.” And with that, she gathered the dragons and left.
All except Maddor.
“Aren’t you joining them?”
“How can I?” His tone was as bitter as the light in his eyes. “I’m bound to Morgen. As are all mandrakes. Thanks to you. Bastard.”
Falcyn cursed himself for not remembering that. “I should have left you in the Crom’s body.”
“I didn’t want to be there.” There was no missing the fury in his voice.
“Maddor—”
He brushed past Falcyn. “Don’t say anything. There’s nothing left between us.” His eyes betrayed his torment as he neared Blaise. “I should never have tried to kill you. That was wrong of me. Had I known you were mine then, I would have protected you.” With those whispered words, he vanished.
“What kind of apology was that?” Falcyn wanted to beat his son. Yet he couldn’t blame him. Not really. It was his own ass, and Max’s, he wanted to thrash most.
Blaise sighed. “For Maddor, it was major. Believe me. That’s as close to an apology as I’ve ever heard him come.” He swallowed hard. “I can’t believe you’ve kept this secret for so long. Damn.”
“It was never easy.” Falcyn braced himself as he asked the question he couldn’t avoid. “On a scale of one to ten, how mad are you?”
“I don’t know.… Eighty.”
Falcyn winced.
“But strangely, not at you.”
That shocked him. “How can you not be mad at me?”
“Don’t know. I want to be. I feel that I should be, but then I remember all the times you’ve been there, and… I still want to kick your ass.”
Falcyn snorted. “I am sorry.”
Simi pursed her lips. “Don’t be so sad, dragon people.” Her wings rippled, then feathered as she walked over to Blaise to hug him.
Needing comfort, Falcyn slid his hand into his pocket where he kept his dragonstone.
His heart stopped as he realized that Maddor hadn’t left empty-handed.
“What is it?” Medea asked.
“That bastard.… Maddor stole my dragonstone!”
