Dragon Blood 5: Mage (4 page)

Amber felt like closing her eyes and hitting her head against the table in the planning room. Why had she thought involving Flinn would be a good idea? All it was doing was ruining her morning. Instead of closing her eyes, she glared at him across the table. “I believe him.” Out of everyone she’d given the book to, he’d been the only one who’d doubted the truth of what he’d read.

“You can’t trust a single thing Ronan says.” Flinn gestured towards the spiral bound pages in front of him. “This could all be part of a larger plan for him to become an Elder now he’s on the Council. Look how he hid that he was Gold.”

Explaining Ronan had only hidden that he was Gold until he finished making himself one wouldn’t help. It’d only have others wanting to learn his secret. “He doesn’t need to tell us all his business. Just like I’m sure you don’t tell us all of yours.”

“Can we return to the question no one has answered yet? Does anyone have suggestions of where we can recruit humans for Dragon Mages?” Rian asked.

“Humans are weak, useless creatures,” Flinn said.

“We are not.” Crystal glared at Flinn, then turned to Rian to nod slightly.

Amber fleetingly wondered what Rian said to Crystal. “Since no one seems to have any other ideas, I’m thinking of talking to a couple of Knights about it.”

“You can’t trust Knights,” Flinn said.

“I’ve been told I can’t trust you either.”

“Who said that?” Flinn demanded.

Amber grinned “Ronan.”

“You’d be an idiot to trust a Knight. I can’t think of a single Knight that doesn’t want to kill you, including your grandparents,” Flinn said.

She refused to let his words bother her. “I guess I just tend to have that effect on people.” She smiled, mimicking Ronan’s predatory one. “How about you? Feeling murderous?”

“Don’t torment him, Amber,”
Kade said directly to her.

“You’re going to end up getting us all killed. I’m not about to let you involve my mage in a suicide mission,” Flinn said.

“I’ll do what I want,” Crystal snapped.

Flinn glared at Crystal. “Shut up.”

Crystal started to rise to her feet, but Rian, who was beside her, put a hand on her arm and she remained seated.

Flinn leapt to his feet. “Get your hand off my mage. I’ve already told you to stay away from her.”

Amber rose to her feet, slamming her hands against the table. “You do not own Crystal. We told you that at the start.”

“Then get me a mage I can own. One who’ll do as they’re told. One who knows their place,” Flinn said.

As her frustration and anger increased, Amber had to force the panther from escaping. “You don’t want a mage like that. You want someone who can fight with you. A mage who’ll have your back and won’t need to be told what to do all the time.”

“A mage willing to be owned would be a weak human and you’d end up despising them,” Jasper said.

“Better than one that’d get you killed by not following orders.” Flinn remained standing.

Amber stayed on her feet too. “I’ve got other things to do today. Did you have any actual questions, or did you only want to argue?”

“I’ve got a question. How long have we got before all hell breaks loose?” Jasper grinned.

Amber reluctantly smiled, shaking her head. “I can’t believe you went there.”

Jasper continued to grin. “Someone had to.”

Crystal giggled.

Amber’s smile faded. “I have no idea. But I don’t think we’re going to have very long to get ready.”

“That’s what I thought.” Jasper spoke directly to Amber,
“Do you want me to work with Flinn? I don’t have a Gold.”

“No. Not for now anyway.”
Amber glanced around the table. “Any other questions?” She shot a look at her brother. “Real questions.” When everyone shook their head, she straightened. “I’ll let you all know when I have any news. I’ve got to organise a meeting with some Knights.”

“You are not going on your own,” Rian said.

“Of course not. I’ll take Kade with me.”

“And Daray.”

Amber shook her head. “Only Kade. They’ll be wary enough without me taking a heap of people with me.”

Flinn pointed at her. “Don’t forget, if you get yourself killed the deal with Ronan is over and you’re putting Crystal in danger from him.”

“I’m not planning to get myself killed. I’ve also got better things to do than sit around here listening to you complain. I need to ring a couple of people.” She strode from the room, feeling Kade follow her. She’d ring Roy first and then Angela and Shylah. After that, she should probably have a talk to her mother. She had no idea how that conversation was going to go and guessed she should probably make sure Jasper was there too. And maybe her grandparents. She’d have to let them know about the Hell Hounds. Although she should probably keep the fact she was going to help Ronan break the binding, to herself. Some of the rest she’d tell them.

It wasn’t until that afternoon Amber, Crystal, Kade and Flinn were able to see Angela. They met her at her house, which they had all to themselves since her mother was still at work.

Telling Angela hadn’t been as difficult as Amber had thought, but she’d been full of questions, including one in particular that Amber hadn’t expected.

“And Flinn’s not your boyfriend?” Angela asked Crystal again.

Crystal rolled her eyes. “I’ve already told you, it’s Rian.”

“I haven’t agreed to that,” Flinn said.

“But Flinn’s never been your boyfriend. That’s just something you made up to explain why you were hanging out with him so much and moved in with him,” Angela said.

“This is probably why we stopped making Dragon Mages. You humans are irrational. They,” Flinn gestured towards Amber and Crystal, “showed you what they can do. Kade turned into a dragon and all you can worry about is who Crystal’s lover is.”

“Slow down,” Crystal said. “We’ve barely gotten together and at the speed you’re moving our relationship along we’ll be married with kids by the end of the month.”

Flinn growled, sending a glare in Kade’s direction when he chuckled.

Amber thought she better interrupt before a real argument started. “If you need some time to think-”

“Are you kidding me?” Angela grinned. “I so want to be able to do that.” She gestured towards Amber’s hands. “Show me again?”

When Flinn growled, Amber struggled to hold back a smile as she brought fire to her hands. “You might not be able to call fire.”

“That’s okay. Ice and lightning are pretty cool too.”

“You do understand you’ll be involved in life and death fights,” Kade said.

Angela met his gaze. “From what you’ve said, pretty much everyone will be in danger once the Hell Hounds can come into our world again. No way am I going to sit back and let them get me.” She grinned. “After years of arguing with my mum about doing martial arts instead of ballet it’ll be good to know I picked the right activity. Sign me up.”

“It won’t be straight away. It might even take a week or two. We need to find other humans to recruit,” Amber said. Last night when she’d rung her, Shylah had asked to have several humans, her father had brought into the clan, turned into mages. She still wasn’t certain that was a good idea, but Shylah’s clan would free Roger from his promise and let him see his human family if they could have extra mages.

“Yeah, we need ones that won’t go to the dark side.” Crystal grinned.

“You know, I might be able to help there. I can think of four people I train with who’d be perfect. I’ve also got a cousin who wouldn’t freak and run for the hills at the first sign of trouble.” Angela hesitated. “What about our families? When all this happens, how will we keep them safe?”

“I don’t know. I guess we make sure we get to the hounds first,” Amber said.

“Do I get to pick what bird I’ll turn into?” Angela asked.

“What were you thinking of?” Amber asked.

“I love eagles.”

“No way,” Crystal said. “You want a bird that can manoeuvre really good in battle. Stick with a goshawk. We got lucky with them. They’re like the fighter pilots of the bird world.”

The rest of the visit was taken up discussing various birds, and their abilities until Angela’s mother returned from work. They left, promising to check out the people she suggested when she could get them all together. As soon as they were in a sheltered location, not far from Angela’s home, they used the Void to return to Temolae Keep.

“What next?” Crystal asked.

Amber thought of her mother. Eventually she’d have to talk to her, but there were other people she needed to see first. “Kade and I will visit Roy and his family tomorrow.”

“Why not tonight?”

“Roy’s uncles wanted to be there.”

“I hope you can trust them. I don’t really know them,” Crystal glanced towards Flinn, “But Knights are meant to be one of our enemies.”

“It wasn’t always like that,” Amber said.

“It’s been that way for centuries,” Flinn said.

“Sometimes things change,” Kade said.

Flinn met his gaze. “And sometimes the only change is that you die.”

Crystal stepped between them, looking past Kade to Amber. “Let me know how it goes.”

Amber nodded and watched as Crystal followed Flinn, leaving her and Kade alone. After a moment, she turned to Kade, reaching for him. “Am I doing the right thing talking to Roy and his family?” Only Amos had promised not to kill her. She was pretty certain Roy wouldn’t and Isaac was fairly level headed, but Eliza… she wasn’t certain about Eliza. Particularly since she was about to tell the woman that more danger was coming. Danger that could harm her son.

“Only time will tell.”

That was what she was afraid of.

Kade brought Amber as close as possible to Roy’s house. They came out at the park where they’d met last time and walked the short distance to his house. The front door opened before they reached it and Roy stood waiting for them. At his side hung his sword. Amber eyed the weapon. She hoped the fact he was armed wasn’t an indication of anything. Like their intentions. Again she though of how only Amos couldn’t attack her. The others had made no such promise. Maybe she should have made all of them promise before she’d healed Isaac. Then she would have only had to worry about Eliza.

Roy silently stepped back so they could enter, glancing up and down the road before he closed the door. “They’re in the kitchen.” He led the way.

Eliza and Isaac were sitting at a round kitchen table while Amos paced the floor. All were armed and Amber began to wonder if talking to the Knights was a good idea.

Amos stilled when they entered. “Just remember I’m the only one who can’t kill you.”

Amber grinned, trying not to think about how that fact had already occurred to her. Again. “Does that still bother you, Amos?”

“You’re seriously not planning to stir him, are you Amber?”
Kade directly asked her.

It wasn’t stirring. She just wasn’t about to let him think his words bothered her. She sat at the table placing several pieces of paper in front of her. They were photocopies of some of the hand drawn pictures of Hell Hounds from the journal Ronan had given her. “I’ve been told that an old enemy of the Knights and dragons will be returning to our world.”

Amos picked up a picture. “Is this them?”

Kade sat beside Amber at the table. “Yes.”

“Who gave you this information?”

Amber met Amos’ gaze. “Ronan.”

“What makes you think he’s telling the truth?” Isaac took the picture from his brother, looking at it.

“Anyone could have drawn that.” Amos gestured towards the page his brother held.

“It was drawn centuries ago by someone who’d seen them.” When Amber finished telling them about the Hell Hounds, avoiding the parts where her and Ronan would destroy the binding, silence filled the kitchen.

It was Isaac who broke the silence. “How do you know when they’ll come, and how do you know they are even coming?”

“We’re going to have to tell them,”
Kade said directly to Amber.

She didn’t agree. They were just as likely to side with the ones maintaining the binding. “Because the binding is failing. It hardly lasts at all now. It won’t be long until it no longer works.”

“Why should we trust Ronan?” Amos asked.

“He’s one of the oldest dragons still living.” She thought it best not to say he was the oldest dragon. No one knew that. “I trust his instincts of survival more than I trust his words.”

“You said only mages can see these Hell Hounds when they’re wearing someone else’s skin,” Eliza said.

Amber nodded.

“Then how are we meant to see them?” Eliza asked.

“You can’t.”

“Not without the help of mages,” Kade said.

“Are you expecting us to become your allies?” Amos asked.

Amber shook her head. “Not exactly.”

“Is it only humans that can become mages?” Eliza asked.

“You can’t become mages, if that’s what you’re asking. Although have you thought about using your dragon abilities? Are any of you Gold? What about capturing a Pliethin?” Amber asked.

“We are Knights,” Eliza stated.

“Think about it.” Amber’s eyes travelled from Eliza to Isaac. “What about the humans that you know.”

“I can’t expect any of my Knights to give up their humanity,” Isaac said.

“How human are they when they consume dragon bone?” Kade asked

“That’s different.” Amos still remained on his feet, regularly pacing the kitchen floor.

Amber couldn’t see how it was, but guessed arguing the point wasn’t about to help the situation. “Didn’t you hear me, when I explained about Knight Mages? They have more strength, but most important of all, they’ll be able to see Hell Hounds. They aren’t mages, just stronger humans.”

“I heard. I just don’t know that we trust you enough to believe you,” Isaac said.

Amber rose abruptly from the table, taking a step away, about to tell them if they didn’t believe her she was wasting her time. Before she could speak there was a popping sound a bit like glass breaking and almost immediately a thud in the wall behind her. Her gaze was first drawn to the kitchen window she faced, focusing on the hole in the glass, before darting to the wall behind her. Directly behind where she’d been sitting a bullet was embedded in the wall. She mentally searched the area as her eyes darted around the room looking for safety.

Before anyone else could move, Kade grabbed hold of Amber, taking her through the Void, bringing them out in their bedroom at Temolae keep. Her phone began to ring. She ignored it. “Take me back. That was Wayne. I’m sure it was Wayne.”

“Are you crazy?”

“No. We can’t leave them there.”

“They’re nothing to us. They don’t even believe what we told them. I’m not letting you risk your life for them.”

“Then bring them here. To the planning room.” Amber’s phone finished ringing, starting up again immediately.

Kade stared at her for a moment. “If they’ll come.”

“Try.” She pulled out her phone and saw it was Roy. “Kade’s coming to get you.”

“Amos thinks you planned this.”

Of course he would. “I think it’s Wayne. I didn’t have a chance to be certain before Kade took me out of there.” She left the bedroom, running towards the planning room.

“Kade’s here but they’re arguing with him. We don’t trust him.”

“Go with him, Roy. I’m not about to get you killed after saving you twice.”

“Is that what this is about? Because I owe you?”

“No it’s about surviving. We’re not going to manage this if only a handful are willing to fight against the Hell Hounds. Go with Kade. If you go with him, your family will too.”

“You better not get my family killed.” Roy hung up and a moment later he appeared in front of her with Kade, who immediately disappeared back into the Void.

“Is everyone okay? Are you?” Amber eyed him up and down, not seeing any wounds and unable to smell blood.

“No one’s hurt, but someone’s still shooting at our house. The window broke before Amos dragged me out of the kitchen.”

Kade stepped out of the Void with Eliza, his eyes meeting Amber’s for a second before he disappeared again.

Eliza pointed a finger at Amber stepping close to her. “This is your fault. You brought this on us.”

Amber pushed Eliza’s hand away from her face. “No, this is the Knights’ problem. That was Wayne out there.”

Kade brought Amos out of the Void and left again.

“We didn’t want to be brought here.” Amos gestured towards his nephew. “You forced us to come here by kidnapping Roy.”

Roy spoke before Amber had a chance to. “It was my choice to go with Kade. If we’d stayed there one of us would’ve ended up getting killed.”

“Don’t start sticking up for them, Roy. We’re Knights. I won’t have you siding with them,” Amos said.