~~Chapter Eight~~
…Alice…
I smiled as I watched the red and gold flames of the fire leap high into the night. A log broke and sparks flew up into the dark sky. Quiet conversations between Riders and my fellow Tenders filled the cool autumn night.
Rolling my shoulders first one way and then another I tried to get the tight muscles to loosen. Laughing quietly, I knew that I wouldn't trade the cause of the ache for anything in the world. ShayTan had grown so much recently and there was a lot more of her to wash on a daily basis, hence my sore shoulders.
Today had been amazing. Bella had ridden Shay for the first time. ShayTan had been flying under Volterra's eagle eye for two months now. She and Bella wouldn't actually soar high in the sky for a couple more months, but Edward had allowed Bella to sit astride Shay and they had tipped off the top of the Dragon Caverns and glided to a smooth landing outside the Castle.
Volterra and Cathair, with their Riders aboard, had glided beside them. I had heard about the ruckus that Tanyara had kicked up when the venture was mentioned a couple of days ago. She was still grumbling that she and Seamus should have the mentoring of the young dragon pair. Edward would just brush her aside when she'd try to state her position.
I snorted. Like Volterra would let anyone else near his mate…or Bella. He and Edward were very protective of the young dragon and her Rider. I had seen looks pass between Bella and Edward. It was only a matter of time before the two of them realized what everyone else could see, they were mates just as much as their dragons were.
The young team hadn't flown long, but the smile on Bella's face and the joyful bugling of her dragon had touched me deeply when they landed gracefully near me at the castle. The happiness that radiated off the pair was something to behold, I could feel it in my bones. In the deepest corners of my mind, I wished for the same feeling, the same bond with a dragon of my own. Glancing surreptitiously toward the Hatching Arena, I wondered for at least the hundredth time if there was any way that Brenith would choose me as her bond.
Shaking my head, I tried to push the thought away. I loved working with ShayTan and that should be enough for me.
During the past couple of weeks dragons had brought in a group of young women from the Northern site as it was nearing the time for Shosharra to lay her egg. The newcomers tended to look down their noses at me, which didn't bother me in the slightest. I knew my own magical strengths and as I compared it to theirs, I knew that I was more than capable. But their attitudes really seemed to tick off those around me. Bella had taken two of them to task when they had pushed me aside to approach Shay earlier this week. ShayTan had reared up and growled her disapproval and they had retreated rapidly after being told off by Bella. A disgruntled dragon was nothing to take lightly. I had been shocked when ShayTan had wrapped her wing around me as she glared over my shoulder toward the departing women.
Making a connection with my charge, I had assured her that her ire was appreciated, but not necessary.
"They shouldn't be so rude to you, Alice. I have chosen you as my Tender, you are worthy. I would never have chosen any such as them. If they think that Brenith is going to choose them…well, they had better find a new occupation…" ShayTan was still growling and grumbling as she fluttered her wings around me.
Bella and I had both calmed her and I had held her words close to my heart. Of course, even though she didn't think they were worthy to be around dragons, there was no way to know what Brenith would think of them. And this would come down to Brenith's choice. At this point there were twelve women, including me, hoping to become her bond. And the dragon's choice was always perfect. I had heard this more times than I could count:
The dragon knows, the dragon chooses, the dragon is always right.
A sharp crackle as another log broke brought my attention back to the fire before me. Shapes began to form in the flames and I felt my eyes widen at the gift that fire was giving me.
A dragon's egg rested on the sands. The striations were narrow as they travelled around the ovoid, the hatching was imminent. I felt mesmerized by the moving colors on the egg when suddenly I felt a rush of fear. Looking deeper into the scene I gasped when I saw a staff begin to arc down toward the egg; masculine hands were holding it in a two-handed grip.
I leaped to my feet and the scene dissolved, leaving only the flames before me. Gasping for air I turned to look at the Hatching Arena archway. I knew that Shosharra was in her own chambers, that she hadn't laid the egg yet, but fear was running through my body.
Feeling hands holding my shoulders I looked up to see Jasper's concerned face looking down at me. Glancing around, I saw Edward, Bella, Rosalie and Emmett all standing close to us. They had all been sitting and chatting before the vision had come over me. The rest of the Tenders were gone.
"Alice, what happened?" Jasper asked as he pulled my trembling form closer to his chest.
Seeking comfort I burrowed into his warmth and tried to collect my thoughts. Taking a deep breath when I was steady I stepped back away from him. He let me go but continued to hold my hand.
"I just had a vision and it scared me." I glanced at Bella and she stepped closer and put her hand on my back.
"Alice has seen things before they've happened. Esme says it's part of her magical powers. She's a seer on top of her other elemental skills." Bella continued to rub her hand slowly up and down my back, soothing me. "What did you see, Alice?"
Closing my eyes to focus my memory, I told them about seeing someone trying to destroy the egg on the sands. Gasps met my story and I could hear the rumble of several dragons from where they sat on the pinnacles of rock above us. They were disturbed by the thoughts of their Riders.
Edward silenced the dragons and Riders with a sharp command. "This can't go any further until we know what we are facing. Alice, we need to know exactly what you saw so that we know what we are dealing with. We don't need the entire Caverns up in arms just yet." A glazed look crossed his face as he spoke to his dragon, "Volterra, if you would…" Before Edward could finish his request, Cathair was landing quietly behind our small group.
"Cathair wants to do this, Edward," Jasper stated as he pulled me by the hand close to his giant blue dragon. "Alice, if you will allow Cathair to make a connection he can see your vision and then share it with me and the rest of us through our dragons."
Taking a deep breath, I reached out a hand and touched Cathair's soft hide. We had made a connection on other occasions and I liked the timber of his mental voice. He usually had a hint of mischief in his tone. Tonight, though, he was somber as I shared my vision with him.
I heard several hisses as the vision played out through me to Cathair and then was relayed to the other dragons and their Riders.
Bella was clutching Edward's arm as she gasped, "Someone would hurt a dragon?"
Edward pulled her close to his side and then turned to look at me. "Alice, how accurate are the things that you see? How often do they come to pass?"
"I am pretty accurate on what the weather is going to be. Things that are natural, like the earthshake that happened just before Bella found ShayTan's egg, I'm accurate with those too. I woke minutes before that happened, knowing that it was coming. Things that depend upon choices are harder to pin down. If I see a vision and nothing happens to change a person's decision, then they do come to pass." I had kept my hand on Cathair and he was rumbling comfort to me. Jasper was also still standing close, my other hand held in his.
Everyone stepped closer together and I knew, through the connection with Cathair, that Edward wanted us to keep this quiet, just between our small group.
"Shosharra will probably lay her egg in the next couple of days and Brenith will claim her Bond four days after that. Brenith will then hatch four days later." Looking around at each of us, Edward was solemn as he continued, "We'll need to keep watch over the egg. I'm not sure if we should make our presence known. Obviously we want to keep Brenith safe, but I also want to see who is acting in this vision."
Edward began pacing back and forth, running his hand through his hair as he thought through the ramifications of acting…or not acting.
"We need to take this warning seriously. It may have been too much to hope that Caderyn's death ended the hatred against dragons." Edward stopped and looked at us, his decision made. "We'll keep watch—quietly-to try and catch whoever is behind this. I can't see any reason for Shosharra to leave Brenith's egg alone, and from the vision, it was alone. We won't let that happen, but we can keep our eyes open and maybe catch someone sneaking around. The problem is that we don't know everyone here yet. If we were at Northern, we'd recognize a stranger in a heartbeat, but here, we just don't know everybody. There are so many volunteers working shifts in the caverns, with new ones coming weekly."
"Alice and I don't recognize all of the Northern Riders, Tenders, Herders or Keepers either. Add in the new volunteers from around here, it's hard to keep track of everyone," Bella said. "It's going to be difficult to spot someone who doesn't belong near the Arena."
What I had said about decisions had me looking at the vision again. There was something wrong about it, besides the fact that someone was trying to harm a dragon. While the Riders were trying to come up with a plan to keep watch over the Hatching Arena, I tried to see what was real in the vision. I played it over and over again looking at it from a couple of different perspectives.
Emmett spoke up, "Should we tell Shosharra about the threat? What about anyone else?"
"No, we need to keep it between just us. Tanyara would not handle this well," Edward commanded.
"That's the truth," Rosalie exclaimed with an indelicate snort. "None of us want harm to come to a dragon, but we certainly don't need to endure the hysterics that she'd pitch over this."
Nodding, Emmett said, "She'd use this as an excuse to ban everyone but those that came with us from Northern." A laugh escaped him as he nodded at Bella and me. "She doesn't think that you natives give her enough, um, respect."
Bella chuckled and said, "You mean we don't kowtow to her enough." Bella rolled her eyes and looked at me. "My Tenders are doing exactly what Edward told them to do, no more no less. Some of the new volunteers here totally polish her brasses for her, but some of them don't let her walk all over them. Like Esme…"
Everyone laughed quietly as we remembered the showdown between Tanyara and our Lady Esme. I was lucky enough to have been there for that. Esme put the Rider in her place without harming her. It was a lesson in restraint that I held close, especially when Tanyara was ordering me about.
"I can't imagine someone deciding to harm a dragon…" Bella's voice was strained when she remembered the vision. I knew she was thinking about ShayTan. Her words caught my attention.
"A decision…wait…let me think about this for a moment," I exclaimed. Now I was the one that paced back and forth before the fire as all of them stood and watched me as I worked through my thoughts. "It really couldn't be someone from the North. You all know them, and they would know that no mother dragon would leave her egg for any reason. Shosharra's Tenders told us that they'd be bringing goats and sheep for her to eat while she waited on Brenith to hatch, right?" I paused and watched the Riders nod.
"Yes, a female dragon wouldn't leave the sands at all while her young was still in the shell," Jasper agreed. "She'd only need to eat once during that time and her Tenders would bring something in for her, just like they'll do for Brenith once she hatches, just like you did for ShayTan."
"So, in this vision I saw someone trying to smash the egg." A shudder rippled down my spine at the thought. "But Shosharra wouldn't let anyone get that close to her, would she?"
Again the Riders agreed with that line of thought. "So this vision couldn't happen…but what if this is a decision made by someone that doesn't know that?" I asked.
"A course of action based on faulty information is being planned," Edward stated in surprise. "Someone here, at the Dragon Caverns, has decided to destroy a dragon. Someone who doesn't know better thinks that he can just walk in and find the egg unattended. He's made a decision to do this, not knowing that it is impossible."
"You've seen this decision being made and now we've been given a warning." Edward came and stood in front of me, putting his hands on my shoulders. "Thank you, Alice. You've given us time to deal with this situation."
Bella came and pulled me into a hug, whispering into my ear, "ShayTan was right, you are a worthy dragon friend. As much as she and I would hate losing you as our Tender, I sure hope that Brenith can see how wonderful you are."
Tears welled up in my eyes and I worked hard to hold them back. I tried not to let that spark of hope burn too bright. Being Shay's Tender was amazing, and that should be enough. But that little glimmer of optimism was being fanned into a flame.
Between the six of us, and their dragons, we came up with a schedule to keep an eye on the sands once Shosharra released her egg. There would always be one of us inside the cavern and a dragon would be sunning him or herself outside. We'd keep track of the people from here that came and went, because it had to be someone from here.
Cathair insisted that I join him in the watching. He enjoyed our connection and that warmed my heart too. We paired up with someone from here and someone from the North. Edward also decided to tell the Duke and Lady Esme about the plot. But that was it, no one else.
~!~!~!~
I spent the next couple of days tending to ShayTan and helping to ready the Hatching Arena. Tanyara was adamant that the entire thing, from floor to ceiling, should be scrubbed. It was not good enough that ShayTan had been hatched - safely I might add - there. The Rider specified that it needed to be sparkling. She also wanted the sands to be refreshed with pristine sand from the quarry on the other side of the Ruthin Castle. It was a long walk there and back and I was grateful that several dragons helped with the hauling of the sand.
We Tenders did as we were bid, not for Tanyara but for Shosharra. She was a wonderful dragon and all of us were willing to help her. But when Tanyara directed us to wash the rock walls for the third time, we rebelled. It was clean and when I stood up to her and said that if she wanted them washed again, she could do it herself or use her magic to do it, the look on her face was worth the slap I took on my cheek.
That's when Jasper and Edward strode into the middle of the sands and put themselves between me and the livid Rider.
Everyone else was dismissed and I didn't hear what they told her, but the red flags flying in Tanyara's cheeks spoke loudly of the dressing down she received. A terse apology to me and then she stomped from the arena, muttering about insolent Southerners.
Jasper turned to me, cupping my stinging cheek in his hand. The cool breeze that he brought forth from the surrounding air helped heal the hurt. Although I think the touch of his hand would have been enough.
I awoke before dawn on the third day after my vision. With certainty I knew that today would bring Brenith's egg to the sands. Energy filled the corridors outside my room and a shiver of anticipation filled me. I couldn't see anything in the future right now, but I had hope that this would be a new beginning for me too.
We were at breakfast when the energies erupted around me. The call of "it's time" filled the air and Tanyara, Seamus and Jasper rushed toward the arena. Their dragons would be meeting them there. Edward had told us that very few would be allowed in the arena during the actual laying of the egg, but then we would all be invited to take a quick peek. Shosharra would want to show off her creation.
It was so odd. Cathair had been chatting with Brenith for months already and she seemed to be so present, without actually being here. To actually see her egg would be an interesting experience.
ShayTan was intrigued by the egg laying process and Kathea filled her in while we gave her a bath and groomed her to fill the time until we could see the egg. Bella's cheeks glowed as she realized that her young dragon would lay an egg at some point in the future. Preening herself, Shay rose up on her haunches and coyly called to Volterra. His answering rumble caused my own cheeks to flush. It was a decidedly intimate moment between them.
Bella and I both laughed as she leaned in to whisper that she was glad that she had a few years before that would be happening. A look that I now recognized as one that meant that Shay was talking to Bella crossed her face and she blushed more deeply.
"What did she say?" I asked.
Shaking her head as she gazed at her preening dragon, Bella said, "She says that she will know when the time is right and Volterra will guide her in the dance." We both chuckled as ShayTan snapped her wings closed over her back and walked the short distance to her mate. They touched muzzles and settled in to wait for the egg's arrival.
"Let's get cleaned up so that Rider Tanyara has no cause to keep us out of her very clean Hatching Arena." Bella rolled her eyes as she hurried us to the bathing chambers.
Later, in Shay's chambers, I was braiding Bella's hair in an intricate plait when she paused, her face going tense for just a moment. "She's here!" Her words were quickly echoed from the caverns and the woods where everyone had been waiting. ShayTan poked her head into the open door, urging us to hurry with a curious little chirrup sound.
"We're coming!" Bella exclaimed as we ducked under the dragon's neck. I noticed that we didn't actually have to bend over; it was only habit that made us to do. ShayTan was getting very tall indeed.
People were pouring into the Arena in a constant stream and we joined the queue. The dragons had to be content to see the egg through their Riders' eyes. Bella told me that the Arena wasn't big enough to allow them all in, but they'd all take turns later on to pay their respects. A lottery was set up to see who would be allowed to enter when the actual hatching took place. Fifteen lucky dragons would be present then.
Once we finally made it through the Arena's doorway I could see Cathair sitting on his haunches, his focus totally on the mottled egg in the middle of the sands. Benatath was beside him, an aura of pride oozing from each scale on his body. Shosharra was curled around the egg, her tongue flicking out as if to the taste the emotions of those that filed past her.
At a word from Tanyara the golden dragon sat up, still hovering over the egg, but now letting all of us get a better view of it. It surprised me. I clearly remembered ShayTan's egg being mostly shades of blue and purple, with subtle shades of green and teal along with metallic gold and silver blending and changing. Brenith's egg was predominantly teal and green, with the other shades more understated.
I felt a distinct urge to get closer to the egg, and the dragon that was growing inside it. The feeling caught me by surprise and I had to force myself to stay near Bella and not rush forward. A quick look at Shosharra's darting eyes and the way she was flexing her talons was helpful in keeping me still. She looked like she was ready for lunch and any one of would suit her as a snack.
I shook my head at my fanciful thoughts. Her Tenders would be bringing her a meal shortly and maybe that would calm her maternal worries. Seeing her so stressed I realized that Edward had made a good decision to not let her know that someone here was plotting to destroy her offspring.
As that thought crossed my mind I grasped Bella's hand and pulled her out of the line of people offering their congratulations to Shosharra and her Rider. Bella looked into my face and noticed my distraction. Shielding me from the stream of people, she waited until the vision passed.
Keeping her voice low, she asked, "What did you see, Alice? Do we need to tell Edward and the others?"
"Yes, we do. I just saw that the person was informed of the egg's arrival." I had seen several other things and knew that we needed to get to Edward. Bella's face was intense for a moment and I knew she was talking with ShayTan. She grabbed my arm and we quickly pushed through the dawdling, laughing crowd and back out to the tree line where Shay and Volterra were waiting.
I could tell that the older dragon was trying to keep her under control, trying to keep the information between just us. Bella rushed to her dragon's side and caressed her face, pulling her head down to press her forehead to the glowing topaz gem between her eyes. ShayTan immediately calmed and her vocalizations ended. The other dragons would probably assume she was just excited about the laying of the egg.
Cathair left the arena with Jasper right by his side. "Edward will be here shortly. He's been cornered by some well-wishers in the cavern. Rosalie and Emmett are picking up the Duke and Duchess. We are going to meet them away from here, at a meadow that Volterra knows. We need to talk about what Alice has seen."
Edward finally came out of the Arena and hurried to us. "Alice, you ride with Jasper, Bella's with me." He vaulted to the top of his dragon and swung Bella up behind him in a practiced move. They had done this many times before as Bella always accompanied them on the Shay's training flights.
A soft nudge of my shoulder made me look up. Jasper was already astride the big blue dragon and was reaching down to help me. I had flown several times and it was still a thrill. I only scrambled a little before grasping Jasper's hand and settling in behind him.
With a strong leap Cathair was in the air and we were winging after the mated pair ahead of us. I had one hand wrapped tightly around Jasper and pressed my free hand to Cathair's hide and asked for a connection.
"Cathair, is it safe to leave Brenith right now?" I felt a rumble through my knees as I heard his voice in my head.
There will be many around her for the next couple of hours. Those welcoming her are still filling the arena. Shosharra's Tenders will bring her a meal shortly. Tanyara and Seamus, along with Benatath, won't be far.
Jasper had heard my question and he placed his hand on mine around his chest, holding me tight. I tried not to think about how nice it felt. If Brenith chose anyone but me, there was a very good chance that her Rider would also become Jasper's love and lover. That thought filled me with anguish. I had come to care a great deal about this pair.
I had also forgotten that I was still connected with Cathair and was surprised when he said, Not to worry, before he released our connection. The heat in my cheeks wasn't cooled by the breeze that blew past us. I hoped that Jasper hadn't heard my worries but he hadn't released my hand or even moved, so maybe he hadn't.
A movement out of the corner of my eye caught my attention. Turning I saw a grim faced Emmett with Carlisle behind him astride Arthmael. Rosalie, with Esme behind her, was just behind and above on her Cassea. The sun shone on their black and gold hides and I marveled at the grace that they exhibited.
We circled a medium sized meadow before landing. Dismounting, we all gathered at an outcropping of rocks. They made an informal setting for our meeting. Cathair walked with us while the other dragons gathered with their heads together and I knew that they were discussing the situation too.
Greetings were quickly offered and then Edward asked me to make a connection with Cathair and to show them what I had seen. Volterra stepped forward and Carlisle and Esme made their connection through him. Everyone else was already looking through their dragons' eyes as I let the vision play out in my mind once again.
I now noticed that the image was set in one of the upper halls of the Castle, just outside of the Duke's office. A woman's voice was whispering intensely, "It's happened! The spawn's egg has been laid. Everyone is congratulating the dam and there's to be a party this evening to celebrate. Surely everyone will leave the egg alone and you can act then. I've already prepared the punch and set it to cooling. It's heavy with wine and herbs that should leave everyone sleepy."
My vision pulled back and I saw that the woman talking was someone I recognized as one who had been around the castle for the past couple of months and had been at the Caverns for the last week. Her hair was red streaked with gray and pulled back from her high forehead. A look of deep hatred marred what would have been pretty features.
The vision ended with a man's hand coming to rest on the woman's shoulder. I wanted desperately to see his face and wondered if I could use magic to make it so. An idea came to me and I called to Esme.
"Esme, would you make a connection with me? Maybe I can get a more complete vision if you support me." I already had my hand on Cathair's shoulder and Esme left Volterra and took my hand in hers, with Duke Carlisle on the other side of her.
Feeling Esme's power pour into me, I tried to see who the woman was talking to. I pushed our combined magic to try and skew the vision toward who the woman was talking to. I had a quick glimpse of masculine shoulders clad in gray and blonde hair before it began to fade away. The last thing that I saw was a ring on one of his fingers, a ring with a red stone winking like a malevolent eye and then the vision was gone.
Both Esme and the Duke gasped at that last image. Their eyes locked as they broke the connection with me and the dragons.
The Duke's face was like stone as he said one word, "James."
Esme moved close to her husband and I wrapped my arms around my stomach wishing I had someone to hold me too. I hadn't recognized the ring, but it must have meant something to them both.
Edward stepped to face him and he asked for confirmation, "James, your Sheriff?"
"Yes, my Sheriff. I gave him that ring when he took over the position seven years ago. His father, my previous Sheriff, had died after training him. James was always very good at the jobs I set him to. I never even looked for another to fill the spot." Carlisle pulled Esme closer.
"Do any of you know who the woman is?" Edward asked.
"She's his sister, his older sister, Victoria," Esme answered quietly, tears running down her cheeks. "She's worked at the Castle. She used to come with her father for a season or two each year. Our cook was always impressed with her seasoning skills, said it was her gift of magic. I sent her myself to the Caverns to share her talent with Belayna. We must destroy that wine!" Esme looked around wildly, and I had a wild thought that she'd like to commandeer a dragon and fly back to the Caverns immediately.
Edward placed his hand on Esme's shoulder and squeezed it gently. "Esme, I assure you that we will deal with the wine. First we have to go to the Castle and catch them before either one of them can get close to Brenith."
Cathair couldn't bear to be away from Brenith any longer so Jasper and I flew back to the Caverns, leaving the rest of them to search the Castle for James and Victoria.
Even without making a connection with the dragon that I rode, I could feel his anxiety as we circled to land. Jasper spoke aloud for my benefit, "Cathair, you have to keep control here, we don't want anyone else to know what's going on."
I felt a rumble through my thighs as Cathair grumbled but acquiesced to his Rider's command. I leaped to the ground as we landed and Jasper was right beside me. Cathair barely gave us time to move away before he was striding into the Arena. Jasper's face was intent as he surveyed the sands through his dragon's eyes. A smile lit his face as he realized that it was still somewhat crowded with people and that there were five dragons sitting around the edges of the sand.
"There's no way anyone could get close to Brenith right now," he chuckled. "Shosharra is back to hovering over her like she's the most precious thing in the world." Another glazed look crossed his face and he burst out into laughter. "Cathair has reminded me that she is the most precious thing in the world!"
I laughed with him as we entered the arched opening. Glancing around, I could see that he was right. There were still a lot of people and dragons in attendance. Keeping my voice low as I tried to ignore the pull I felt toward the blue green egg, I asked, "Will you tell me when they catch James and Victoria? I have chores to do in ShayTan's chambers."
Jasper agreed and I stepped back outside to attend to my chores.
Later that evening, before dinner, Bella asked me to walk with her to the tree line. She had just returned with the others and her face was a stormy mask.
When we were far away from prying eyes and listening ears, she began to rant. "We couldn't find them anywhere!" Bella was pacing back and forth in front of me. "When we got to the Castle, Carlisle sent for James. When he couldn't be found immediately, he and Esme sent several people to search for him and for Victoria. The dragons were stationed outside each of the gates as the search went on. We all helped but they were gone."
She paused to assure Shay vocally so that I could hear. "I'm okay, sweetness; I'm just letting off steam." Shaking her head, Bella turned back to me. "After asking around, it appears that they were both last seen just after Brenith's egg was laid. They must have left the Castle right after the vision that you saw."
Rosalie joined us, her arms crossed across her chest and an angry look on her face. "We'll be keeping a close watch on the area around the Caverns. Shosharra, even without a warning from us won't let anyone that she doesn't know close to her daughter."
I walked back to the dining cavern with the Riders and tried not to let dwell on the fact that Alida had been with Kathea in these same Caverns when they had been struck down by a Mage with Dark Magic flowing through a staff.
~!~!~!~
It was three days after Brenith's egg first sat on the sands when I was startled awake just hours after I had been relieved by Jasper from my night watch. We had been taking turns keeping an eye on the Arena and the outside entrance. Now that we knew who to look for, it was somewhat easier, although Edward was worried that James and Victoria may have other minions working with them. We, and the dragons, were on high alert.
Straining my ears, I didn't hear anything out of the ordinary. ShayTan's other Tenders were still deeply asleep in the chamber that we shared. I pushed with my other senses, trying to find what had awakened me. No vision came and I wondered whether it was just my own worries that had brought me from sleep. I hadn't been resting well for the last several nights. Tomorrow Brenith would choose her Bond and I, for minutes at a time, I hoped that her choice would be me. Then I would feel guilty that I was even thinking about leaving Shay. To say I was confused would be an understatement.
Rising, I slipped my feet into my boots and grabbed my jacket. I glanced through the door into Shay's chamber. There was a tangle of dragons and humans lying in the sands of her bed. With a practiced eye, I sorted out the body parts. ShayTan was surrounded by Volterra while their Riders were cradled in each dragon's front legs.
Shay had been so thrilled when she grew large enough to do that with Bella. They both slept much better when they could be touching. I don't think that Bella had ever slept in the bed that sat in the corner of the room.
Even as quiet as I was, Volterra heard me and opened his eyes as I tiptoed through the chamber to the outside door. I raised my finger to my lips to shush him. He relaxed back into sleep after settling his wing over his Rider once more.
The false dawn was just a hint in the sky as I made my way to the outside hearth. There was a pot of tea warming and I filled a mug with the sweet brew as I chatted quietly with the cook as she prepared a couple of small deer for roasting in the adjacent pit. Marie was Belayna's second in command and she was getting a jump on the cooking that would be necessary for the Bonding feast set for the next day.
Wishing her good day, I continued into the dining hall entrance to the Caverns and grabbed one of the sweet rolls that were already set out for breaking our fast. I sat at one of the tables and nibbled the roll. I felt antsy, my shoulders tense. Once again I reached out to see if I could focus on what was wrong. There was still nothing that I could put my finger on.
A few more people came into the hall, nodding their good mornings to me as they filled bowls with cereal and plates with rolls. Unable to sit any longer I decided to go and peek into the Arena and check with Jasper as he was the last one on duty.
The closer I got to the Arena's door, the more anxious I became. Something was definitely wrong.
Just before I reached the doorway Tanyara stepped through, her face soft with sleep as she ran her hand through her tangled hair. I could see Jasper just inside the archway. Suddenly his head snapped to look toward the outside entrance as a blast of magic washed over me.
He and Tanyara were thrown against the opposite wall of the corridor I was standing in, falling into a heap there. I threw myself toward the inside wall, holding onto an outcropping in the rough rock beneath me. The magic blast poured over me and I fought to wrap myself in a safety net of my own magic. Just as suddenly as it began, the magic stopped.
Gasping I ran toward the arched door. It was gone.
I turned to look at Jasper and Tanyara. They were striving to get back on their feet, stunned looks on both of their faces. With my head turned I could see the arch out of the corner of my eye, like it had been before we had cleared the Dark Magic from the area.
Taking a deep breath I slipped sideways through the archway, just like I had done while ShayTan was still in her shell. The scene inside shocked me. Victoria was about ten feet inside the Arena's outside door, one hand raised and the palm pointing toward the door and the other pointing at Shosharra. Her red hair was loose from the braid she normally wore it in and was weaving about her shoulders and head like she was standing in a stiff wind. I realized that it was a wind of Dark Magic. I recognized the feel of it from when we had cleared the Caverns. Every hair on my body was standing up as the malevolence spread from her hands.
A thick rope of it coiled and surrounded James where he was standing just at the edge of the sands on the opposite side of the chamber from me. He was holding the staff from my vision in both hands, pointing it at Shosharra. Dark magic covered it in swirling designs that made me dizzy to see.
Neither one of them had noticed me yet. They probably thought that their blast of magic had sealed everyone outside of the room. Their attention was fully on Shosharra as she tried to pull Brenith's egg closer to her body. A roar escaped Shosharra's throat as she was pulled upwards and away from her daughter. It was as if she were a puppet on strings.
I realized that there was no time to waste, if Shosharra was no longer covering Brenith's egg, James would be able to smash the shell. Brenith still needed another five days in her shell to survive.
Without a thought for my own safety I threw myself down the sandy path and took up a defensive stance between Shosharra's rising front legs. The net of magic that I had pulled close at the first blast of Dark Magic remained with me and raising my hands I pushed it up and between James and those I sought to protect.
I could feel a brief stutter in the magic that was forcing Shosharra backwards as James and Victoria realized that I was fighting them.
James' eyes narrowed as he came a couple of steps closer to us. I backed up until I felt Brenith's shell on the back of my legs. The small pause in the magic they were pushing toward us gave Shosharra enough of a break that she could lower her head and rest her muzzle on my shoulder. I'm sure to the two in front of me she looked like she was exhausted.
We three were in a bubble of protection afforded by my magic but I could feel the strength of the Dark Magic as it tested the boundaries around us.
James, still holding the staff that I now recognized as a twin to the one that Caderyn has used on Kathea, stalked down onto the sands of the arena. His mouth was set in a sneer as he approached us.
"Alice, the little orphan raised up to Dragon Tender, you think you can stop us?" James' voice was harsh as he addressed me. "You think that you can stop us from destroying this vermin? My sister and I have been working toward this day for our entire lives. Just as my forebears did. My great-great grandfather was Caderyn's son. He learned to use Dark Magic from the strongest Mage to ever live and each generation has prepared for this day." Spittle dripped from his lips like venom. His eyes were wild as he yelled at me.
I felt a bit of relief as Shosharra opened a connection between us as James continued to rant and rave about his own importance. I only gave him a portion of my attention as I listened to the dragon resting her muzzle lightly on my shoulder. I could feel her strength returning now that we were both holding the bubble around us. With the lack of attention that Victoria and James were giving to her, I think they must have thought that she was completely broken by their magic.
Alice, the others are working to break through the Dark Magic, we just need to keep James talking until they can find a way in.
I'm so sorry, Shosharra, I should have done more to keep you and Brenith safe.
Before I could say anything more my mind was filled with a new voice, a new love, a new purpose for being.
Alice! You are the strongest Rider ever, you are mine and I am yours.
Power flowed through my body, rising from where I touched Brenith's shell. The shock at finding my mind filled with Brenith's thoughts nearly caused my magic to falter. She immediately felt me slipping and bolstered my magic. I could feel the combined strength of Brenith and Shosharra creating a thick wall of protection around us.
Brenith, are you sure? It's me you choose? How can you choose now? The Bonding ceremony was to be tomorrow!
Yes, Alice, it's been you since I felt you when we arrived from the North. You were always here, near my heart, just waiting for me to find you.
I wanted to continue getting to know my Bond, but James had stepped closer as he waved the staff before my outstretched hands. All of my attention needed to be focused on him. Brenith and Shosharra concentrated on his words, as did I.
"Victoria and I have trained in Dark Magic. All dragons will be destroyed as Caderyn mandated so long ago. We will start with the destruction of you two, and you, Tender, will be killed too." James took another step forward pointing the sharpened tip of the staff toward the scale that was weakest on Shosharra's chest. She still couldn't move, but I could and I stepped slightly to the side, staying between James and the golden dragon behind me.
"I don't mind if you die first, Alice. No great loss," James taunted me and I felt Brenith's ire rise to even greater heights. Her egg rocked into the back of my legs as she struggled against the shell holding her. Trying to soothe her, I assured her that we would all be safe shortly. Shosharra was also encouraging her daughter to calm down, that the two of us would keep her safe.
Victoria's voice rang out. "James, you must use the staff now. I can feel them surrounding us. Do it now…kill Alice first. Once her magic fails, the dam will be easy to kill with a stab from the staff. Then you can smash the egg."
I was shocked to feel even more Dark Magic fill the Arena. These two were very strong. The runes on the staff in James' hands began to crawl faster and I felt rather than saw the magic begin to flow toward me. A brief moment of fear caused my entire body to shudder. That fear was swept away by power flooding me from Brenith and her mother. We were standing on the magical lines that created the dragons, there was no place better suited to stand against Dark Magic. Together the three of us were formidable.
A dragon's magic was defensive, as opposed to offensive. I couldn't use it to throw Victoria and James as they had thrown Jasper and Tanyara, but I could use it to create an impenetrable wall between us. Our combined power stood firm as James thrust the Dark Magic through the staff and toward us.
It hit and found no chink in the bubble surrounding us. But it had to discharge somewhere so it sought out another target, one close by.
Victoria was pushing more power toward us and her brother was caught in the middle. I saw the blackness bounce back along the staff and James' eyes widened as he tried to stop the backlash. There was no way out for him as he was caught between our shield and the thrust of Dark Magic being thrown by his sister.
He tried to drop the staff but his hands were melded to the handle. The staff began to shake and then it shattered, sending splinters of tainted wood back toward James. He screamed as hundreds of shards pierced his body. His back arched and he violently exploded in a red mist before me. I watched as the wall of Dark Magic continued to seek a place to settle. The last thing I saw was Victoria bring her hands up to protect her face as a dark cloud pushed her off her feet and away through the Arena's outside door.
As the echo of James' scream faded from my ears a moment of silence filled the arena. I took a deep breath and dropped my defensive stance to spin and wrap my arms around Brenith's shell.
You were wonderful, Alice, my Bond! Such a brave Rider! So very strong and so worthy of me.
Brenith's praise filled my mind and my heart as tears spilled from my eyes and dripped down onto the precious egg in my arms.
The moment of silence was broken as dragons, Riders and Tenders forced themselves into the Arena. I recognized Cathair's roar as his shadow covered Shosharra, Brenith and I. Benatath was fast on his heels and reached over us to touch his muzzle to his mate's.
I couldn't even lift my head from where it rested on Brenith's shell. Relief and exhaustion filled me as the young dragon continued to croon and offer me comfort. Jumping just a little as warm arms overlay mine on her egg, I calmed immediately. I knew his touch before he spoke.
"Alice, I was terrified that they were going to kill you both." Jasper's words were shaky as he pressed his face to my cheek. Shosharra had already broadcast what had happened so I didn't need to tell them, for which I was grateful. I would probably never get the image of James' body exploding out of my mind.
Beloved, I'll just have to fill your mind with happy images and wipe him out of both of our minds.
I chuckled at her tone and the pictures that she began to share with me, pictures of our future together. I was finally feeling like I could relax when Jasper's hold tightened on my shoulders and I heard the grumbling from some of those in crowd that surrounded us.
A feminine voice rose in complaint, "The Bonding Ceremony was supposed to be tomorrow. Why is she touching Brenith's egg now?" I recognized the whiny voice as one of the women that ShayTan had been annoyed with earlier in the week. Jessa I think her name was.
Once again, Brenith's ire was roused and her voice was sharp as she snapped her answer in my mind.
I'd choose none rather than choose that one!
Feeling my body tense as I tried to stand, Jasper helped me to my feet and turned me to face the crowd. I was shocked at the amount of people that filled the Arena. People and dragons packed the entire area. Standing before me were my friends alongside Tanyara and Seamus. They were a buffer between the crowd, Brenith and I.
For a brief moment I wondered if the Bonding Ceremony would go forward as scheduled, with all the young women presented to Brenith for her perusal.
Brenith laughed in my mind, a joyful sound that broke through my worries.
Alice, my love, I chose you and as the dragon, my choice is the only one that matters.
She had apparently broadcast her decision to the dragons in attendance because a draconic hum of approval filled the arena. It was a joyful sound and Brenith reveled in their support of her choice of me.
Several minutes later Edward raised his hands in the air, signaling for silence.
"Brenith has chosen Alice as her Bond. The Dragon chooses as she will and her choice is the right one. Traditionally the Bonding Ceremony would have played out tomorrow as was scheduled. But today evil tried to overcome good, today evil tried to kill dragons and humans alike." A growl rose from the crowd at Edward's words. Only the Riders and dragons had known exactly what had happened here. Those others present who knew magic had felt the wave of Dark power that had swept Jasper and Tanyara out of the Arena and had blocked the entries, but that's all they knew. From the muttering I heard, everyone else just seemed to think that I had forced myself on Brenith. Edward was setting the facts out for them.
"Caderyn had a son that none knew of. Once he was put to death, that son went to ground, hiding his hatred of dragons and honing his skill in Dark Magic. Today that man's great-great grandson, along with his sister, tried to kill Alice, Shosharra and Brenith."
Alarmed gasps and growls again filled the air of the arena. Edward let them vent their shock before he continued.
"Victoria was adept at using Dark Magic as was her brother, James, to a lesser degree. This morning in one of those brief moments where very few were in the Arena, Victoria caused an explosion of Dark Magic just outside the archway. When people rushed to help, she and James slipped inside and blocked the entrances with their power." Turning, Edward smiled at me. "Alice made it inside before the blockade was complete and stood between those wielding the Dark and those she strove to protect. Brenith hadn't even made her Bonding connection with her yet. Alice chose to protect the two dragons for no other reason than it was the right one."
Those assembled began cheering and I heard them chanting, Brenith and Alice, over and over. Jasper's arms were still supporting me and it was a good thing too, as I felt like my knees were going to give out.
Brenith's excitement was filling my head and my heart as she encouraged me to accept the accolades being offered.
When everyone realized that Edward was done speaking for now, the crowd surged forward. Bella reached me first and hugged me tightly, a smile on her face as she whispered in my ear, "ShayTan approves and says that you are a wonderful dragon friend. She's proud to have known you first."
I was passed on to the next Rider and was hugged and congratulated by each of those present. Jasper continued to stand by my side for the duration of the celebration. Finally Belayna encouraged everyone to partake of a celebratory breakfast in the dining hall and most of the people left the Arena. Only my friends, and Tanyara and Seamus remained. All of the dragons except Shosharra, Cathair and Benatath had left to soak up the sunshine that was now flooding through the open archway.
There were still a few questions that I wanted answers to.
"What happened to Victoria?" I asked the group before me.
Edward shook his head as he spoke, "We were seeing the battle through Shosharra's eyes. When the backlash took out James, the Dark Magic gathered around the source of its presence here in the Arena. The final blast surrounded her and swept her out and away from here. There was a flash of Dark Magic that blinded us. When we could see again, she was gone."
"That means she's still out there somewhere, isn't she?" Fear made my voice shake and Brenith soothed me.
"We can't be sure if the flash of magic destroyed her, or if it took her to a place of safety." Edward put his hands on my shoulders and squeezed gently. "But, we are now aware of the danger and we won't be caught off guard again."
Tanyara stepped up when Edward released me. For a moment all she could do was look into my eyes as her mouth tried to form words. She finally just shook her head and enfolded me in her arms as she held me tightly. A long moment passed before she stepped back.
"Alice, there aren't enough words in the world to thank you for what you did for Shosharra, for Brenith…for what you did for me. Shosharra was sharing the battle with me and her pride in you, well, it took my breath away." Tanyara stepped close and hugged me again before Seamus also thanked me. His voice was just as intense as he thanked me for saving his dragon's mate and daughter.
Emmett, Rosalie, Carlisle and Esme all offered me their congratulations on being the newest Rider too.
Bella had left with Belayna and she returned with her Tenders and plates of food. She must have known that there was no way that I could leave the sands, and Brenith, right now.
We shared our own celebration in the Arena while I sat with my back up against Brenith's shell. I could feel her as she shifted inside. Cathair was arguing with Shosharra over who should sit closer to us, while Benatath sat just inside the outside archway. He was guarding the door and had already stated that no one would enter that he didn't personally know.
I could hardly comprehend that I was now a Rider, Brenith's Rider. There was so much to do, choosing Tenders and a chamber for us to move into after she hatched.
Brenith was anxious to be out of her shell. We had to keep assuring her that she needed to grow a bit more before she made her appearance. She needed to let the magic continue to imbue her for a few more days. Cathair and I would be busy soothing her until she emerged.
That brought up another question, what would she look like? What color would her scales and hide be?
The Tenders that brought our food said that the bookmakers were already taking bets on what she would look like. My hair was black, my eyes gray with flecks of blue. It was going to be hard for me to wait to see her too.
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Hi everyone…I know you are shocked to see an update…finally…of DRAGON STONES. I hope you are also pleased with this Alice chapter. My only excuse on the lack of update was that I wrote a couple of one shots for contests in the last couple of months. I actually received SECOND place for my THE GIFT OF THE KNIFE in the Veil of Ages Contest. It was a companion story to LJ Summers' THE KNIFE and I wrote it in Rosalie's POV.
I also tied for SECOND in the ENCHANTMENT CONTEST for my FAIRIES IN FORKS story. That one is a fluffy little fic about our favorite characters as fairies…with wings and fairy dust. Go ahead and laugh, LJ Summers did.
The next chapter of DRAGON STONES will feature Bella's POV, but I have no ETA as to when that will be posted.
For those that can't wait to find out what Brenith looks like, she'll be BLACK with SILVER highlights on her scales. She's very happy to be Bonded with Alice and I would suggest that those two hopeful dragon Riders, that were mean to Alice, stay away from her. She's still very annoyed with them.
I'm already writing a one shot for the Pick a Pic contest, so please put me on AUTHOR ALERT if you'd like to see what I come up with.
Thank you so very much for reading my stories and putting me on your alert and favorite lists. I appreciate you all very much! Please let me know what you thought of this chapter, your reviews bring a smile to me every time.
Kathie