Chapter Five
Bréagha and Aiden followed Killian and his team out of the Record Keepers building, Aiden grinning at Bréagha’s excitement. The team seemed oddly quiet, but Bréagha made up for it with her rambling.
“What animal do you think you’ll be, Aiden?” She asked as she grabbed his arm then jumped up and down.
“We don’t turn into animals, Bréagha,” corrected Killian, turning to glare at her antics.
“Wait. You three are Sentinels. What animal soul-bonded with you? I can’t believe anything would’ve chosen a sour puss like you, Killian.” Bréagha stuck her tongue out at Killian then grinned as his scowl darkened. She knew she was being childish, but he was so much fun to pick on.
“My familiar is a leopard, Cathal’s is a lion, and Killian here bonded with a dragon,” Liam interjected, trying to head off Killian losing his temper.
Bréagha was a sweet girl; he didn’t want Killian to hurt her feelings.
He had no clue Bréagha wasn’t as sweet or as innocent as he thought, she had grown up in the foster care world. No one came out of there unscathed.
“A dragon? Like an actual dragon? Or one of those cute little guys from Wings of Fire?” Killian growled under his breath, then stepped back, closed his eyes and whispered a word.
“Ah crap, you two step back a bit,” warned Cathal as he moved Aiden and Bréagha back a few feet.
Above their heads they heard the faint sound of beating wings.
Everyone looked up to see a transparent, black shimmering form coming in to land.
The dragon came to stand behind Killian, his eyes watching the group in front of him.
He was a good 20 feet tall and at least three times that in length with a wingspan of about 80 feet.
Bréagha’s mouth dropped open, and she just gazed up at the dragon.
“That’s a whole ass dragon, dude,” Aiden whispered to Bréagha as he stared up at the animal soul in front of them.
“Dude. Not a dragonet,” she whispered back, making Cathal and Liam bust out laughing. She winked at them then turned back to the dragon. “Can I touch him?”
“No. Let’s go.” Killian went to turn and head back to the treehouse Bréagha and Aiden had stayed in last night.
He was hoping to dump them for a few hours so he could get other work done without having to babysit.
But before he took more than a step, his dragon had skirted around him and just like a puppy dog, crouched down so his snout was right in front of Bréagha.
He rolled his eyes then crossed his arms over his chest, ready for this insanity to end.
“Oh, look at you adorable puppy. You are a good boy, aren’t you?” Bréagha reached her hand out and stroked the dragon’s nose. He rumbled and moved even closer. Bréagha felt an unexpected warmth, like she was suddenly the safest person in all the realms.
“Was that a purr? Did Kaedryn just purr?” Liam asked Cathal.
“I think so, yeah.” Cathal stepped closer to Bréagha and the dragon but hastily stepped back when the dragon puffed hot air in his direction.
“Be nice, sweet boy. Don’t want to roast Cathal. He wouldn’t taste very good.” Bréagha laughed up at Kaedryn who rolled his eyes before pushing his snout against her again. She wrapped her arms around him and sighed, closing her eyes. A real-life dragon.
While her eyes were closed, Kaedryn closed his, just enjoying the closeness of this tiny person.
Neither of them noticed when Kaedryn went from transparent to his physical form.
A form he hadn’t held for thousands of years.
His scales were no longer transparent shimmery black but solid titanium aura.
He was black and all the colors all at the same time, like an oil slick.
He was gorgeous, and all four men gasped.
“Um, Bréagha?” Aiden whispered to her and reached out to touch her shoulder. He got a shot of heated air like Cathal, so he hurriedly stepped back. “That’s not normal, right?”
Cathal and Liam both shook their heads. “Never seen it happen before. Familiars can usually only interact with their Soul-Bonded Sentinel,” Liam answered. Not taking his eyes off the dragon and girl in front of them.
Bréagha stepped back and as soon as she stopped touching the dragon he went transparent again.
He huffed once, nudged her with his snout again, then took off into the air.
They should’ve been buffeted by the wind caused by his wings, but they only felt a small gentle gust before he blinked out of existence.
Bréagha turned to Liam and Cathal and put her hands on her hips. “Well, what about yours?”
They exchanged a glance, still in shock and unsure whether bringing their cats out would be a good idea.
They had no idea what was happening with Bréagha and the soul animals.
They glanced over at Killian for some help, but he was staring intently at Bréagha, trying to figure her out.
Their attention shifted to her best friend instead.
“Why don’t we take a break from viewing animals? Don’t want to get overloaded on magic. Who’s hungry? I’m starving.” Aiden came to the rescue, turning Bréagha’s attention as he took her arm and started leading her across the stone bridge and rushing water.
“What’s happening, Killian?” Liam whispered as the three Sentinels fell in step behind the duo.
“I have no idea; I don’t think the elders did either,” answered Killian.
“Yeah, did you see the shocked look on Marcus’s face? He’s the oldest person alive in the Garden, and if he hasn’t seen it, has it ever happened?” Cathal whispered.
They were all saved from having to try to explain anything when Rozengwyn popped out of thin air in front of Aiden and Bréagha. Bréagha gasped and instinctively swung. Aiden snatched her arm at the last second and Roz gave him a nervous smile.
“Nice reflexes,” she said.
“With this one, it’s imperative.” Aiden side-stepped as Bréagha swung at him, causing her to miss. “See?” Roz grinned at him and nodded.
“Sorry to startle you. I was just coming to see if you wanted to get some lunch. I was also told to get measurements super-fast for the tailors. They want to make you something nice for tonight.”
“Do they have time? That’s just a few hours from now,” stated Aiden.
“Lunch sounds amazing,” said Bréagha at the same time. “And I don’t need anything special; my jeans and t-shirt are fine.” Roz gaped at her, horrified.
“What? I don’t want anyone put out and frantic trying to throw something together in such a short amount of time,” Bréagha tried to clarify.
“They’re Magic Keepers. They’ll have it done in minutes,” stated Roz proudly. “Once I give them your measurements that is. And describe your coloring.”
“How is that possible?” questioned Aiden.
“Magic, Aiden. It’s magic. When will you two get that through your heads? Magic,” answered Killian as he passed the group. “I’m leaving them in your capable hands Roz. Yell if you need us.”
Roz waved an absent-minded goodbye as she zoomed around Aiden taking his measurements with a small measuring tape she had pulled out of nowhere. She was done within seconds and moved on to Bréagha.
“Okay, be right back to take you to lunch.” She popped out of sight leaving Bréagha and Aiden alone in front of the Record Keepers building, with no idea where to go. Just as they were thinking they should pick a direction and go, Roz popped back in front of them.
“Okay! They’ll be ready after lunch. We’ll try them on just in case.
They never make mistakes, but I do sometimes since I’m not a tailor.
Let’s go to my friend Stephen’s deli. He makes the best sandwiches and little cakes.
” Before they could agree or not, Roz grabbed their hands and pulled them through her instant portal.
One second, they were standing in a clearing surrounded by forest and mountains with a crashing river behind them, the next they were sitting at a corner table in an adorable little café.
Bréagha looked around, appreciating the cute aesthetic.
The floor was black and white checked tile; the tables were mismatched vintage thrift finds as were the chairs but somehow it all worked together.
The walls were painted a soothing ocean teal with different seascapes, some of crashing waves against tall cliffs, some of clear sunny days on white sand beaches, and even a few turbulent stormy sea paintings.
Aiden glanced around the café. “Does Stephen like the ocean or something?”
“Almost as much as I love a handsome muscly man just popping into my shop out of nowhere.” They all turned to a small, tanned male who was just a few inches taller than Rozengwyn. She grinned and flapped over to him for a big bear hug.
“Stephen! These are my new friends, Bréagha and Aiden. They are the new Sentinels that Killian and his team just brought to us.” Stephen’s eyebrow went up in surprise.
“Now Killian is a man worth swooning over. Those muscles? And those eyes?” He fluttered his hands in front of his face as if he was overheating.
Bréagha grinned, she liked Stephen. “Now, what would you two new Sentinels like? Name it and it’s yours.
Especially you, handsome.” He winked at Aiden who blushed, causing Bréagha to grin even wider.
“Two BLT’s? Extra B? With a side of fries?” Bréagha requested then turned to Aiden. “What do you want?”
“A girl after my own heart. Maybe you can turn me straight.” Bréagha laughed, yep, she liked this one. Aiden just shook his head and sighed.
“Maybe a turkey club for me?” Aiden asked.
“Oh honey, you can get any type of club you want.” Stephen winked again before heading back to the kitchen.
“Why doesn’t he just pop back there like you do, Roz?” Bréagha asked as she turned back to her companions.
“Not everyone can instant portal like I can. I think the only other one that can, is Mary. I’m not what you would call a normal Magic Keeper.” She smiled at another woman when she brought over some water for everyone. Bréagha tilted her head at the hesitant note in Roz's voice.