Page 81 of Ale Storm

Jixana-grozanarav has been our ally, Loxvonla said. She has wanted her son to mate with us. She desires powerful offspring as much as we do.

Then pray to her great winged ancestors that her opinion of you does not change after this.

Leave now! Jildarin roared again. He sounded understandably cranky. Perhaps some magic laced his words, because the command convinced the three females to take flight. Soon, they disappeared over the trees.

Jildarin and Killaynia turned to Rylana.

Come, my partner, Jildarin said. We will return to Tranquility. I’ve been away too long. I must begin preparations for the dwarven king’s visit.

That’s what’s foremost on your mind right now? Killaynia asked him.

It is a thing on my mind. Jildarin’s emerald gaze remained on Rylana as he spoke, and she felt great warmth and gratitude toward him. Even when he was in his dragon form, he cared about her. On the return trip, you will ride on my back.

Jildarin shot a quick look toward his sister, as if to make it clear he was the only dragon Rylana was meant to ride upon.

Killaynia snorted. Of course she will. It is not as if I would have allowed a lowly human female on my back if not for a belief that you were in danger.

This female is worthy to ride on a dragon.

Warmed by his praise, Rylana hurried to collect her arrows, more than ready to leave.

That is perhaps so, Killaynia surprised her by saying. I will inform our mother that she fearlessly faced and almost killed Markotisin and that she worried for you when you did not return. She is loyal to you.

Yes. Jildarin lowered his belly to the ground so that Rylana could more easily climb on. She appreciated that. With the lance as well as her bow and quiver, her hands were full. That didn’t keep her from pausing to hug Jildarin’s foreleg and lean her face against his shoulder first.

He shifted to touch his jaw to the top of her head, a warm breath of air stirring her hair.

I won’t mention the nuzzling to Mother, Killaynia said dryly before springing into the air.

Jildarin lifted his head to glower at his sister—hopefully not too harshly—as she flew above the trees. Rylana climbed onto his back, relieved to head back to town. Judging by how tender her cheeks felt, she might need to find a large tub of burn ointment before returning to a normal workday.

22

It wasn’t until they were flying back, Jildarin’s wingbeats slow and measured, that Rylana realized how many gouges had split open his scales, places all over his body where talons and fangs had sunk deeply. That he’d defeated so many foes was impressive, but it had come at a cost, and he had to be pained and weary.

She felt bad about being an extra burden that he had to carry. She should have suggested riding back with his sister, but Killaynia had flown off in another direction, hopefully to promptly tell Jildarin’s mother what bitches those females had been. Rylana didn’t know if his sister would truly say anything flattering about her, but at least she’d stood with them in the end. It was nice to know that one of Jildarin’s relatives probably wouldn’t prefer her to be dead.

Killaynia said you believed I was in danger and insisted she bring you to search for me, Jildarin said telepathically as they flew.

“Yeah. I know you’re powerful and can take care of yourself—as I was reminded of today—but I was worried when you weren’t in the kitchen preparing breakfast. You’re always there. Since the last I saw you, you’d gone off to speak with Loxvonla, I thought those sisters might have planned a trap to make you, you know.”

Several silent wingbeats passed, and Rylana hoped Jildarin wasn’t upset or embarrassed. She didn’t know exactly what had happened, but that talk of a powder…

A trap was what they sprang, he finally said, sounding reluctant to admit it. I suspected as much when Loxvonla tried to lure me into the mountains for a hunt, but she also promised that she would forever leave you alone if I spent one night with her. Though I did not desire to mate with her, I thought it might be worth it to put an end to her harassment of you.

“Her harassment of you is just as inappropriate and appalling,” Rylana said.

She only wanted me to mate with her; she wanted to slay you.

“All right, almost as inappropriate and appalling.”

Female dragons are powerful and accustomed to getting their way. And she almost did. What I did not expect was that she’d invited males who were eager to mate with her and her sister—as well as another of their female allies. The males flew up to that ancient valley to prove themselves. I do not blame them. They were also manipulated. Further, I gathered they believed they were there to fight each other, not me. I proved myself during the war, and even though the mating urgency made them more libidinous than usual, they did not wish to fight me. That is when Foxvonla sprang her part of the trap, hurling a magical powder that created a cloud of vapors that I wasn’t quick enough to avoid inhaling. The concoction is known to amplify the urges that occur during this period.

Jildarin flew in silence for a time, and Rylana didn’t try to extract more information from him. For a dragon speaking of his power and standing among other males of his kind, he sounded contrite. Embarrassed was the word that came to her mind again. She hoped he could find a way to end the sisters’ pestering of him and rested a hand on his scales, silently offering her support.

The other males inhaled the vapors as well. We grew half-mad and barely aware of each other’s names. Over the ancient battlefield, we fought and fought as those females watched and were entertained. Jildarin growled, the sound reverberating through his torso. I am relieved that you found a way to convince Killaynia to bring you here. Had you not arrived… I might have defeated them all, then leaped eagerly to serve the females. They would have gotten the best of me, and any offspring that came about from the mating… I might have resented them. I do not desire offspring that I resent. Nor do I want to mate with females whom I would feel loathing for in the future.

“I feel loathing for them right now,” Rylana said.