Chapter Nineteen
Daire eased down a rough driveway, the spirit bell hanging from his rearview mirror swinging back and forth. He’d never asked about the gift, and Jimryr never mentioned the bell either. Could it have been a part of his hoard?
Several “Posted: No Trespassing” signs hung on trees. Disuse left the track nearly impassable—and the signs barely legible. Guilt hit him. He owed Doc and Nate to keep the place pristine, even if he rarely visited the old homesite. One hundred acres left plenty of other locations for shifting.
He killed the engine when a group of pine saplings scraped against the sides of the truck. Yep, bring on the chainsaws, or at least the brush cutter.
He imagined Doc and Nate, seeing the place for the first time, possibly from this very location, making plans for the home they never got to build. They’d be smiling, happy, and maybe even sharing a kiss.
“We’re here,” Daire announced, voice a bit choked. “One hundred acres, mostly timber.” He’d driven past the area several times in the past few days, unable to face a closer encounter.
Jimryr craned his neck, peering upward through the dusty windshield. “Who owns it?”
Daire blinked past the shimmering in his eyes. “I do. Doc left everything to me. This is where I come to shift.”
“What? All this is yours?”
“He had no kin. I’m the sole heir of Nate and Doc.” Now wasn’t the time to discuss the couple Daire owed so much to, not with his spirit so raw.
He climbed out of the truck, giving the door enough of a slam to close. Doc left him a nice car. Daire preferred the fifteen-year-old truck with faded blue paint. An answering slam came from the other side. Jimryr crunched through undergrowth to reach Daire’s side.
Few from the dragon realm believed in ghosts.
The departed all went to the afterlife, either to the Goddess’s glory, or to a shadowland few talked about.
Still, somehow the presence of Doc seemed to hover ahead, just out of view.
Daire took Jimryr’s offered hand—the left one—skin to skin. His mate hadn’t even worn his glove.
Jimryr freely showed Daire what he considered a weakness, trusting Daire not to point out the infirmity. Made Daire feel trusted and less self-conscious of his own imperfections.
Trust, the second-most important emotion besides love.
They occasionally broke apart to navigate a treacherous path but always came together again. The brush thinned shortly before Daire stepped into the familiar clearing. A concrete foundation marked where the house would’ve stood, with a pallet of two-by-fours moldering nearby.
Daire clutched Jimryr’s hand tighter, a ball of tears stuck in his throat. Nate and Doc’s dream, a place where they could grow old together, never fulfilled. Nate had planned to build the house with his own hands.
This would’ve been a beautiful spot, especially in spring. Doc mentioned planting those magnolia trees himself. They’d be gorgeous in full bloom.
When Daire could speak, he said, “Doc and Nate once planned to build here, enjoy their retirement together.”
Jimryr pulled his hand away to place his arm around Daire’s shoulders. “I hate I didn’t know them. From what you’ve said, they were both good men.”
“The shame is, I don’t know Nate’s dragon name or his court. Even if we return home, I can’t tell any remaining family of his fate.”
Jimryr gave Daire a comforting squeeze. “We’ll find a way. Who knows, maybe the mage who brought us also brought Nate and will remember him. I don’t think Sakaris bringing you here is a coincidence.”
“I never thought of that. You’re right. Too much lined up.” Oh, Goddess! “You don’t think he caused Griffin’s accident, do you?”
“More than likely, he merely took the opportunity fate presented. You know him better than I. What do you think?”
Would Sakaris be so cruel? No, no, he wouldn’t, not someone who risked himself to save others. “No. He would never.”
“I’m glad you showed me this place. If Sakaris never comes back, would you want to live here?”
Daire shook his head. Sakaris was coming back.
He had to. “No. But you mentioned needing a place to practice ground maneuvers. There’s an old farmhouse on the property, along with a barn.
They’re not in livable condition, but I thought they’d come in handy for practice.
We can use RVs for those who live too far away to go home. ”
Jimryr grabbed Daire by the shoulders and kissed him, pulling back with a grin. “You are amazing. This is perfect.”
Heat rose to Daire’s cheeks at the compliment. “Doc told me about a special place. I want to see if we can find it.”
Jimryr lifted an eyebrow. “Lead on.” He reclaimed Daire’s hand.
Daire studied the clearing, finally locating what could have once been a path.
A breeze rustled the upper tree branches, while dried leaves crunched underfoot. The sun shone brightly, chasing back the fall chill, or as chilly as October got in Alabama. No, wait. Not October—November.
Daire’s heightened senses guided him toward the sound of running water.
The sound grew louder the closer they got until they stepped through the trees onto the banks of a stream.
Flat stones formed steps of a sort in the water, creating a waterfall.
A wooden picnic table sat under a canopy of oak branches in the perfect spot.
He couldn’t contain his wonder. “This is beautiful. No wonder they wanted to live here. This is a tributary of the river that flows by the cabin.”
Jimryr gently tugged Daire's hand, leading him to the picnic table. He tested the wood with his boot before sitting, pulling Daire down to sit with him. “This reminds me of a place my parents used to take my brother and me to when I was small.”
“You don’t talk much about your brother, except for saying you thought your cousin killed him. I didn’t want to pry by asking for details.”
“Wynn was older than me, an alpha, his dragon silver to my gold. He slipped on some rocks one day from a ledge he had no reason to be on and fell.” Jimryr shook his head.
“It wasn’t until later that I wondered if my jealous cousin had engineered the fall.
When I saw Cousin Gael smirking, I knew, though I couldn’t prove anything. ”
“I’m so sorry.” Here Daire was, mourning not seeing his brothers, but at least they still survived, letting him hope to see them again one day. Jimryr didn’t have the option with his own brother.
Jimryr looked up, gorgeous blue eyes filled with grief.
“I used to be so angry with the world, then at my cousin, knowing he was the cause. After a while, I came to appreciate the time Wynn and I shared, the same as with my parents. I’m alone now, sort of, but they’ll always be with me, Goddess willing. ”
Daire rested his head on his mate’s shoulder. His mate! Still so much to get used to. Like Jimryr, he’d adjusted to being alone. He’d never learned to like solitude, but he’d adjusted. “You’ve got me. And your new court.”
While Daire leaned into Jimryr, his dragon likewise offered comfort to Jimryr’s dragon.
“They’re not really a court, not like the one my family belonged to.
We don’t swear fealty to form the bond. When I was younger and flying with my family, we shared thoughts.
It’s lonely in my head without them. Did you notice we communicated mind-to-mind when you were a dragon and I was human?
I’ve never heard of mated pairs communicating in such a manner, but you never know.
They might’ve kept the information to themselves.
But yes, I do have you.” Jimryr planted a kiss on Daire’s forehead.
Warmth seemed to radiate from the spot to fill Daire’s entire body.
“Anyway, Wynn was an alpha, fourteen years older than me, making him twenty-four to my ten when he died, at least as humans count time. He could be bossy. I think all alphas share the trait, but he could also be patient and understanding with a younger brother’s million questions.
The court liked him, respected him even at such a young age.
Gael might’ve had reasons to be jealous.
Being crown prince didn’t get Gael the attention Wynn received, and Gael attracted the worst friends. ”
“How old were you when your cousin’s friends maimed you?”
Jimryr’s throat bobbed with a hard swallow. “Thirteen.”
“Just thirteen? What did your parents do?”
“They approached the king, but he refused to believe his precious son took part in my maiming.” Bitterness filled Jimryr’s words.
“In fact, he accused me of murdering Gael’s friends.
The mage who'd helped them vouched for me; how I’d only defended myself.
Probably to get himself out of charges for putting a charm on me meant to keep me from shifting.
” He shook his head slowly. “In the end, Gael got away with having me maimed. I still remember the smug look on his face as he stood behind his father.”
“How horrible!” Never would Father have allowed such atrocities.
“The king even tried to banish me for being unable to fight as a ploy to keep my family quiet. Father sent me to train instead. My trainer saw the advantages in my size.”
“Jimryr, I’m so, so sorry. I hope you kicked Gael’s ass.”
Jimryr shrugged, a hint of a smirk on his face. “Oh, yes. After I beat Gael a few times, the king backed off.” His smirk fell. “It doesn’t matter now. I’ve outlived them all.”
“But…but in order to defend yourself, you killed two other betas at thirteen.”
“Alphas,” Jimryr murmured.
“What? They could have flamed you!”
Jimryr shook his head. “They were too shocked when I came at them. The first one stood by with his mouth hanging open, holding the bloody knife, while I killed the one who’d held me down. Neither was quick enough to shift. My cousin deserted them to save his own hide.”
An ache began in Daire’s heart. How could anyone do such a cruel thing? Daire would love to bring them back and kill them again—horribly. “That was awful.”