Chapter Twenty-four
Daire’s entire body seemed to buzz with anticipation. For days, Sakaris and Zorah gathered together groups of forty to fifty dragons, sending them through to various safe places, where Sakaris’ trusted associates waited.
He’d seen the patterns for himself, Sakaris shifting portals to new locations as one became more advantageous than another.
Terror seized him. How could they so easily trust Sakaris, who, by his own admission, associated with Urien?
Father trusted Sakaris. It hadn’t spared his life. What if Sakaris played them?
Then again, the mage saved Daire’s life, and Jimryr’s, too. Said he’d spared Elouan and Anrai. Daire would have to trust the mage until he proved himself untrustworthy.
Word came at long last of Daire’s imminent departure.
Who knew if he’d ever see Terra again? He returned home and cleaned the cabin, giving thanks to Griff and Nate for the life they’d provided for him here, carefully stored their items, and enrolled in automatic payment for his bills, ensuring his taxes were current.
The little cabin would remain as-is until he either returned or no longer needed a remote haven. Keith at the bar had a key.
Copies of paperwork lay on the desk, turning the operation of Nate’s company over to a skilled manager to allow workers to keep their jobs.
She’d been basically running the whole operation anyway, with Daire as the face of the company.
Doc’s lawyers would see to transferring power.
A tug at his heart said Daire wasn’t as unfeeling about Terra as he’d like to pretend.
This place had sustained him. Humans like Doc, Sheila, and Keith had welcomed him. He’d made friends, a home….
Now, to return to his true home. Yet, as much as he longed for Adrakus, there were things about the human world he’d miss. Maybe he could come for visits.
He’d miss the leather jacket his manager gave him last Christmas, and the gentle reminders of Doc and Nate within the cabin. If he wanted to go home so badly, why did this cabin feel like home, and his heart ache to leave the log structure he’d enjoyed for three years?
He sat on the bed Doc had bought for Nate’s grandson, where Daire had slept for the last three years. He’d miss the firm mattress and soft pillows. Still, how nice it would be to lie curled in warm furs with Jimryr.
Daire once more luxuriated under the shower’s warm spray, using soaps and shampoos not available back home. Was it possible to establish trade with the humans? But no, nothing passed through a portal but a dragon.
Unless you were a mage.
Afterward, he wrapped himself in a warm robe and padded around the house, scrolling through a mental checklist of tasks.
The guitar stood propped against the wall, looking abandoned and forlorn. If he could only take one thing back with him, he’d take the guitar.
He unplugged all appliances but the refrigerator. Not a single spark remained in the fireplace. One last candy bar and cup of coffee wouldn’t hurt, enjoyed on the couch while listening to his favorite band sing about whiskey getting them through a breakup.
Daire would miss the local style of music, one of the many things he appreciated about the human realm. Still, his world, his brothers, needed him.
Jimryr did, too. Warmth flooded through Daire, thinking about the huge dragon who’d helped him fly again, if only for a little while. Maybe once the situation settled, they could continue practicing.
A Harley’s engine sounded outside, coming closer until the engine died.
The door swung open a few moments later. Jimryr leaned in the doorway, dressed in his usual denim and leather. “I think the Atlanta cops are going to wonder how an entire motorcycle club vanished.”
“Some will come back, won’t they?”
“Depends on what we find on the other side.” Jimryr stepped into the living room, kicking off his boots and removing his clothing, draping each piece over the chair arm. He hadn’t shaved, which gave him a rugged look. Fully naked, he smiled at Daire.
Daire couldn’t even look at Jimryr without wanting to haul him off to the furs. Or rather, bed.
“Ready?”
The one word broke Daire from his stupor. Watching his mate undress? Nothing else could enter his mind. Jimryr crossed the floor, pulled Daire up, and sealed their mouths together, his stubble brushing against Daire’s skin.
When Jimryr retreated, he murmured, “I couldn’t do this if I had to leave you behind.”
They hadn’t discussed what came later. Maybe Jimryr feared asking.
Daire broached the subject. “What are we going to do when all this is over?”
Jimryr’s grin appeared a bit strained. “Whatever the hell we want to.”
“Good answer.” Yeah. Whatever the hell they wanted. Worked for Daire.
They held hands and strode naked to the river, Daire trying not to wince at sharp sticks against his feet, or the dropping temperature as night fell. Sakaris and Zorah stood by a fire on the riverbank near the resting place of Nate and Doc’s ashes. Sakaris wore robes; Zorah did not.
“You are the last two, so I arranged a portal here.” Sakaris waved a hand to indicate a shimmering disturbance in the air.
“Once you step through, you will sever all your affiliations, past and present. Before entering the portal, you must swear fealty to Elouan Thorne, rightful king of High Reaches.”
“But—” Jimryr blurted, squeezing Daire’s fingers in a near-painful grasp.
Zorah lifted a staying hand. “The fealty is to complete a common goal. Once we have retaken our world, you can ask to be released. King Elouan Thorne will grant your petition, but there is an advantage to belonging to his court, at least in the short term.”
“It’s for communication,” Jimryr said, a sense of wonder in his words. “Kin and court can sometimes communicate in dragon form or at least recognize each other. It’s how we tell friend from foe.”
“But what of the dragons who swore allegiance to Urien? They’re all High Reaches Court, right? Can they hear us too?” No leaving anything to chance. Not with so much at stake. Daire had come too far to make critical mistakes now.
Sakaris calmly explained, “We’re not swearing to the court, we’re swearing to Elouan.”
We’re, not you.
Sakaris stepped forward with a benevolent smile on his weathered face.
“This may well be the largest battle ever fought in our world, with thousands of dragons. My spies tell me Urien hired mercenaries. They are not a court. They fight blind. We are strong together with a force of four thousand, roughly two thousand from each realm, more powerful together than the enemy could ever hope to be, though they have us vastly outnumbered. You’ve trained together, and each knows your role.
To steal a phrase from Zorah, who’s been in this human realm long enough to speak like them, ‘we fight like a well-oiled machine.’”
Jimryr voiced a fear Daire dared not give words to: “What if they kill the king?”
Sakaris winked. “We’ll have to make sure no one can. Now, are you ready?”
Daire went down on one knee, releasing Jimryr’s hand to fold his arms over his chest. “I, Daire Thorne, pledge my life and my loyalty to Elouan Thorne, the rightful king of High Reaches Court. I’ll do everything in my power to support my king.”
Jimryr sank down beside him. “I, Jimryr with no court or kin save for my mate, pledge my life and loyalty to Elouan Thorne, the rightful king of High Reaches Court. My fate is now entwined with the Thornes. I’ll do everything in my power to support my king.”
“Very good.” Sakaris’s gentle smile remained, though his eyes held sadness.
“Daire, Jimryr, I must warn you. What you are about to see is far different from the world you knew. There, the fighting has continued since the day you left. Much beauty now lies in ruins. But do not fear. We’ll defeat our enemies and rebuild, honoring the name of our ancestors.
” The mage held out an age-spotted hand to each, helping them to their feet. “Are you ready to rejoin your world?”
“I am,” they each said.
Sakaris focused his intense gaze on Daire, keeping a grip on his hand. "Daire Thorne, you have performed your task better than I ever dreamed."
"What task? Jimryr formed the Terran dragons into an army. You never provided details about a task for me."
A half-smile tugged at Sakaris’s mouth. “Telling you would have affected your actions and jeopardized the outcome. This was something you needed to accomplish on your own.”
“What was this task?” All Daire had done was heal, feel sorry for himself, and miss his family.
“You have achieved something so many other dragons have failed to do. You have learned to work with, respect, trust, and even love humans. Too many of our kind view them with suspicion. We'll need your ability to treat them as equals during the coming battle. They have much to offer."
All his life Daire had been told about humans brought to Adrakus as servants who later rebelled. They were objects of pity or distrust. Yet in his need, Doc, Griffin, and others had helped him, no questions asked, no expectations of repayment.
And yes, they were equals. How fitting to take the lessons learned from Doc, Nate, Griffin, his friends, and even his work crew with him. He'd do his best to make them all proud.
Daire released Sakaris to take Jimryr’s hand again. “Let our fates entwine.” Together, he and his mate stepped into the portal.