Page 61 of The War is Coming

He read through several council ones, saying a garrison of council guards would be arriving in a few days, and attaching all their names. More people he would have to house.

He had heard rumours that the council guards were basically lazy and undertrained. Well, if that was true, they would soon be the most well-trained garrison the council had.

Blake shot off an email to the council ministers requesting a meeting with them all here at the pack house, palace? Nope, pack house, Blake wrote.

His thoughts drifted to Maggon and the magic user that helped him. He remembered Lord Woodcott saying his home was an island, so how did the magic user get there? How had Maggon contacted him?

Blake searched his emails for his email address and found it in a message Puff had sent the dragon lord and copied him in on. He wrote the email, copying Ashton, Puff and Paris into it. Asking the relevant questions and demanding answers.

Blake read the email back, and it sounded terse and angry. Well, he was and hit send.

His phone chose that moment to ping. He looked at the message. It was from Ash, saying Brook was awake. Blake gave a sigh of relief, stood up and walked out of his office. He gave a grateful thank you to whoever was watching over them; all the dragons and their counterparts were awake.

Blake walked into the dragon’s ward, and everyone was still there, standing around Brook’s bed. Brook was sitting up, cross-legged, with the children sitting next to him.

“Welcome back, Brook. How are you and Silver?” Blake asked.

“I was just telling everyone that we are both now fine, fully rested and out of pain.”

“Thank goodness, you had us all worried,” Blake told him.

“It had me worried, worried about what would happen to Silver. Thankfully, we never have to find out. I understand I have Ares to thank for stopping the magic user.”

“And Maggon,” Forrest said. “Ares used his sword and literally chopped Maggon right down the middle,” Forrest made a chopping action. “He fell to the ground in two halves, and his insides fell out. I thought I was gonna hurl.”

Willow and Tobin shuddered and agreed.

“Sorry about that,” Ares said, appearing next to Blake. He looked at Puff. “I know Bob wanted him back alive, sorry.”

“That was only so Bob could kill him himself. He doesn’t mind that you did it,” Puff replied. He looked at Peyton. “You okay?”

His brother nodded. “Yeah. I’m glad I didn’t see him cut down the middle, but I’m glad he’s dead.”

“I should probably let the parents know,” Puff said softly, leaning against Atticus.

Atticus slipped his arm around him, and Mateo took his hand.

“I’ll tell them,” Paris said. “I’d rather they send me hate mail than either of you.”

Ash slipped his arm around Paris’ waist and kissed the side of his head.

“I can tell him if you want. I have no issues with him sending me hate mail,” Blake offered.

Paris shook his head. “Thanks for the offer, but I can do it.”

“Well, the offer is there. Puff, I should probably tell you, I sent a rather terse email to Lord Woodcott, so expect him to either turn up at some point, or phone you.”

“Thanks. I was going to send him one once we left here.”

“Now that Brook’s awake, we can go and do some work,” Atticus said. He looked at Demi and Brook. “I bet the two of you are wanting to see Eggleston.”

Demi and Brook nodded.

“We really are,” Brook replied.

“In that case, you are all free to go,” Gary said to them.

“Thanks, Doc,” Demi said, whisking Brook and the children away.