Page 26 of Dragon Blood (Dragon Island #3)

I n the new council chambers embedded in Katoa Koro’s peak, Odson Blackridge stared out of the vast windows overlooking the rolling emerald slopes below

His nephew, King Jori Mountainside, stood next to him, rubbing the back of his neck.

Several paces away, Stenlen Flintail straightened, waiting.

Jori finally turned away from the vista. “This is bad.”

Odson nodded.

“Marli?” Stenlen’s voice was very low.

“Doing her job. Quietly.”

The tall, black oak council room doors bounced against the wall with reverberating thumps.

“What do you mean the queen is ill?” Kymri Steelscale’s voice whipped across the length of the council room. Despite the rounded belly dominating her slight frame, she stalked forward, eyes pinned on Odson, swinging to Jori and back.

Odson’s gaze flicked to his sister, Elora, who trailed several steps behind Kymri. He stiffened to his full height as Kymri lifted a finger.

“Just because I’m pregnant does not mean I cannot handle the truth of what happens in my home realm, Odson. I never pegged you for the type of male to hide things from me.” She scowled up at him, her long, brightly painted fingernail dangerously close to the tip of his nose.

It took everything the old dragon had not to chuckle at the highly irate diminutive dragon woman, who was now a queen in her own right.

No, the former Commander of the Aeleftherian Guard would not be too pleased about being left out of the conversation.

“Five minutes, Elora,” he growled at his sister. “I asked for just five minutes.”

Elora shrugged her delicate shoulders, brow raised.

He turned back to Kymri. “Your Majesty—,”

“Cut the shit, Odson. You know we don’t do that here. You’ve never placated me before. Don’t start now.”

He couldn’t stop his gaze from dropping to her belly. “No, ma’am.”

The bigger her belly grew, the crankier she got.

She growled through her teeth, then inhaled deeply through her nose as she lowered her hands to her sides and straightened her spine. Calm returned, she opened her eyes. “The queen is ill, and my mother is in the traitor’s dungeon for helping my brother escape. Astred is on a secret mission—with Kai, of all people, and my grandmother is in charge? Is that right?”

“That’s what I’m told.”

She was silent for a long moment. “Who else knows?”

“Heidi and Charmaine.”

“Char—? Okay, this is serious.” She blew out her breath, pacing toward the windows, turning her gaze up to Jori, then back to Odson. “Why go to Charmaine?”

“Astred went to the Nexus because she had a vision.”

Kymri blanched. “You were there?”

Odson nodded. “I was a witness to the ritual. Afterwards, she and Kai went to Bayn’s place.”

Kymri pinched the bridge of her nose with one hand while she rubbed the top of her extended belly with the other. “Why go to Bayn?”

“So that Aaron Connor could meet them there to set up a secured meeting with Kane. They both live in Toronto.”

“That still doesn’t explain why they would pull Bayn into this? Aside from recent events, as an air dragon, their mandate is neutrality. This just pulls him deeper into the mess.”

Jori remained silent beside her, Stenlen, ever his shadow, maintained his post nearby.

Elora’s soft voice hung in the vast room. “For the star stone.”

Fear streaked down Odson’s back. He flexed his suddenly clammy hands as he studied Elora’s face. “That…” his gaze darted back to Kymri, dropped to her belly before bouncing back up to her face. “Holy shit.” He raked a hand through his greying hair.

“What? What is the star stone?” Jori demanded, turning to Elora.

“Do you remember the story about the Dragon Star, Jori?”

He shook his head, “Not clearly, I was very young when you told it to me.”

“It’s just a myth.” Kymri said. “That story is just a myth.”

Odson’s head shook. “It’s not.”

“The Dragon Star was our greatest hero in the wars following the divide. She was the strongest of us, aside from the queen,” Elora said. “She saved so many of our guardians when the males overran us outside our boundaries.”

“What happened?”

“She couldn’t be everywhere all the time. Despite her efforts, we still lost many dragonesses.” Elora’s gaze landed on Stenlen. “Your previous king was relentless in those days, as was his father before him. First, Queen Rayna fell. It was unthinkable, but she did, and the Dragon Star bore the responsibility like a lead weight. Regina ascended in Rayna’s place.” Elora fell silent.

Odson took it from there. “But then Zalina fell too, after a raid, and the Dragon Star lost her way. Her endless raiding and assassination attempts on the mountain males brought them out again and again, making matters worse for Aeleftheria. She nearly died in a narrow escape. I found her in really bad shape and brought her back to Regina.”

“She wasn’t the same after that.” the sadness in Elora’s tone mirrored the memory of Odson’s experiences during those days so long ago.

“Zalina?” Kymri said, eyes wide. “My aunt Zalina? Zayli’s mother? She died shortly before I was born.”

“Regina forced the Dragon Star to give up her power.”

“The star stone?” Jori said.

“It’s the Steelscale legacy,” Elora said to Kymri. “Your grandmother was the Dragon Star until she grew too power hungry. She didn’t like the direction things were going, so she decided she’d press her own will on the queen.”

“Wait, back up. What?” Kymri rubbed her temples, looking at Jori, who was at just as much of a loss as she was. “Why does no one know this? Why don’t I know this?”

“Regina compromised. Zadora handed over the star stone and formed the Council, which would ‘guide’ Regina’s rein. The Dragon Star was left to the legends after that.” Odson shot Elora a glance. “Regina told me what happened when I saw her next.”

Elora nodded, a smile tugging at her lips. “I remember. You came to pay homage to the new princess. Astred.”

Odson averted his gaze and changed the subject. “The Star Stone. If Astred is retrieving it, something is very wrong.”

“But she can’t use it. She isn’t a Steelscale. She doesn’t have the starmetal in her blood.” Elora frowned.

“I do, my mother—who’s in prison—does, and Zayli,” Kymri said, “and my grandmother.”

“And Kai,” Odson added as his phone vibrated in his pocket.

Kymri looked up at him. “Yes, Kai too. But she wouldn’t—he’s male. My grandmother? But still, why?”

“I gotta take this. It’s Kane.” He punched the button to accept the incoming call.

“Odson? Where are you?”

“Katoa’s council room.”

“Good, you’ve caught them up?”

“Yes, I—,”

“Put me on Speaker.”

“Done.”

“You need to prepare. We hit the menagerie, but the Consortium had already cleared out. We rescued a few survivors that are all in really bad shape from their failed experiments.”

“Prepare for what?” Jori demanded.

“The Consortium. The spy that Marli apprehended and we took custody of was tagged with a spelled tracking crystal. Her sister was nearly dead, but she’s regained consciousness.”

“And?”

“She says the Consortium recruited the male dragons that left the mountain.”

“Fuck,” Jori spat, raking a hand through his hair. “Fuck!”

“What else, Joey?” Elora approached Odson’s phone.

“Zadora Steelscale.”

Odson never heard such regret in Jolena Kane’s voice.

Elora reached for the phone. “Has something happened to the matron?”

Joey was quiet for so long, Odson wasn’t sure she was still on the line.

“No, Elora. It looks as though Matron Steelscale is the traitor that evaded Marli that day.”

“Impossible,” Kymri surged forward. “There is no way that she’s a traitor.”

“Sam Egan identified her.”

Odson gaped. Elora’s expression mirrored his own disbelief as they listened.

“She’s lying. There’s no way my grandmother would betray Aeleftheria like that. She would never work with the Consortium.”

“That may be, but Egan’s ability allowed her to shape shift into Matron Steelscale’s likeness. Unfortunately, I witnessed it myself—a thing I never want to see again if it can be helped. Egan needs direct DNA access to do that. And according to Marli’s report, they fought, injuring one another. It’s plausible.”

“She could have gotten that DNA some other way. From someone else, to frame her.”

“It’s possible.” Joey allowed. “But you all still need to prepare for what the Consortium may do next. Egan’s sister said they left with the stolen seal, intending to finish what Egan failed to do.”

“Do they have someone that’s blood bound to it?” Jori’s complexion had paled by several shades.

“From what the survivors relayed, part of the experimentation was geared toward creating some sort of blood fusion that would allow any of them to act in that capacity. But it’s impossible to know if it worked.”

“Goddess,” Kymri whispered, fingertips to her lips, turning wide eyes to Jori as her other hand fell again to her belly. “If they really have a seal and they’re headed for Aeleftheria, then the islanders need to evacuate.”

“I’ve already sent word to the Crimson Claw to get the message through. I just hope they get there in time to save as many as they can.”

“We don’t know if Regina has gained consciousness yet to defend the island and subdue the invaders, like she did the last time.” Odson said.

“I can’t stay on the line. I’m still trying to get through to Astred and the Eastern Dragons. Prepare,” Joey urged. “The mountain seal has to be safeguarded.”

Odson’s screen went black. He rubbed a hand over his face, heart pounding.

Safeguard the mountain.

Fly to Aeleftheria’s aid. Protect the queen, the island, and the Dragon Mother. Odson remembered the day he learned about the Dragon Mother. Regina had told him, with tears in her eyes. The reason she could never abandon the island. Not even for him.

The need to act tore through him.

Regina and her people were more than capable of defending themselves. Every Aeleftherian spent their lives preparing for what was coming—shifter and human alike. As much as they might resent his interference, Odson couldn’t stand by and not do anything.

Stalwart, Regina would rely on the wisdom of her council and the talent of her guardians.

His chest constricted at the thought of those that were stopped from taking their posts, for one reason or another. Kymri, guardian commander, heavily pregnant, couldn’t even shift into her dragon form due to the pregnancy.

Kolina was locked up.

And Astred. Wayward Astred, spitfire princess and fearless explorer. Odson couldn’t leave her to handle this chaos on her own. I hope she leans into the network of allies her mother wove for her through Elora and Kolina’s efforts.

No, she wasn’t alone, but she might not know that right now. And Odson would do everything he could to ensure that she had as much support in this dire time as he had the power to muster.

He caught Elora’s eye.

It was time.