Page 3 of Singing the Dragon’s Heart

Chapter

Three

K ami personally just thought that dying should be one: faster, and two: one hell of a lot less painful.

Really, if it were, more people would be into it. That would take care of the population problem.

The whole thing, as it was, took for fucking ever.

And it hurt.

He didn’t really mind the hurting part; it was the boredom part.

“It’s your own fault, you know,” Talon said to him. “If you hadn’t been an asshole, then you wouldn’t be dying.”

“If I hadn’t been an asshole, you’d already be dead. Why are you bitching? Don’t you have a brother to make up with or something?” Seriously, they’d talked about this already.

“No. I’m going to hang out with you until you die, and then I’ll go make up with my brother some more. He has three babies—three—and I think that his mate is pregnant again. It’s like they don’t know what causes that.”

“You’re just irritated because you haven’t found a mate yet. Once you find a mate, you’re going to have like twenty thousand babies. And you have to promise to name them after me. Like start with a K and then go through every letter of my entire name as you have babies.” That was a fabulous idea, in fact.

Talon shook his head. “No, I don’t want to name a baby anything that starts with an I.”

“Too fucking bad. I sacrificed my whole self for you, so you have to do it. Ichabod is a great name. Isabelle. Imogen. Isaac. Uh. Imhotep.”

Talon stared at him. “You are a sick, sad little dragon, and I don’t like you.”

Liar. “That’s okay, I don’t like you either, but still, since I sacrificed myself for you and everything, you have to do it. Kevin, Andy, Murgatroyd, and Imhotep.”

“Oh, that’s great. That’s fabulous. Kevin and Murgatroyd.”

He grinned. “Don’t forget Imhotep and Andy.”

“Is Andy an Andrew?” Talon asked.

“Possibly an Andrea?”

“Why aren’t you dead yet?”

He stuck his tongue out at Talon. “I’m sure it’s because you keep bothering me, and you’re not seeing your brother.”

They stared at each other, and to his utter horror, Talon’s eyes began to shimmer with tears.

He shook his head and said, “Nope, no, no, no. Don’t you even dare.” He reached out and took Talon’s hand. “It was worth it. I did it willingly. Don’t dishonor my gift.” Don’t cry. I knew what it meant. I knew.

“You’re an asshole, and I kind of hate you.” Talon’s big head drooped forward in defeat.

“Good. Have I told you what my middle name is yet?”

“Shut up.”

“So tell me, did they get the omegas?” He remembered, he thought, telling someone, some big amazing someone, where the omegas were. But he wasn’t sure now.

Time had passed and things were fuzzy, and it hadn’t happened again, so maybe he was dreaming it. He just wasn’t sure.

“The seer wants to come see you,” Talon told him. “Cain. The one who started this place.”

“Why?” He blinked. He was just an omega who was on his way off the mortal dragon coil. “And did they get the omegas?”

“Yes, they did. Their transport took the money and ran rather than going to get them.”

“Oh, there’s a special level of hell for that.” His muscles cramped up, and he panted, trying to ride the pain.

“There is. Those dragons deserve a safe space. And the seer wants to talk to you about a heartstone.”

“Talon! What did you tell him?”

“About what?”

“About us switching stones!” That was no one’s business but theirs.

“I didn’t tell him. The alpha you dreamtalked with when you first got here told him.”

“I told him that?”

“Looks like it.”

“Well, damn.” What had he been thinking? He didn’t need that kind of “what was he thinking”, pitying kind of BS. Right? “So, uh, where is he? The alpha?”

“He went to get our omegas. His name is Reno. He was banished years ago. With his heartstone.”

“Wow. Well, good for him. Everyone deserves to have their stone. Is the seer going to let you stay with your brother?”

“I haven’t asked.”

“Talon…”

“What? We’ve been apart for years. He doesn’t know me anymore.”

“And you don’t know what he went through. Go to sibling therapy.”

“No.” That stubborn jaw went rock hard. “Not now. I have time to make nice with Triton.”

“When? What if you hiding from him pisses him off?”

“Kami, stop. I told him what was going on, and he said we would be fine.”

Kami groaned. “So the whole keep knows.”

Talon blew out a sigh. “I suppose by now. Yes. So will you talk to the seer?”

“For a few minutes, yeah. After I rest.” His bones hurt, and his eyelids felt like lead weights sat on them suddenly.

“Okay.” Talon took his hand. “Sleep. I’ll wait right here.”

“Don’t be an…ass.” He couldn’t breathe.

“Kami—”

He closed his eyes and fell into something like sleep.

You need to stay with us, bud.

What? Why? It hurts.

Tough shit. I told you, hailee. You’ve got to wait for me.

I can’t. Suddenly Kami wanted to cry . I’m sorry. I gave Talon my heartstone. I can’t ? —

You can wait for me. I’ll be there tomorrow morning. Let Cain help you. He can make you feel better. Even more than the healers. I know.

You promise?

I do. Stay with me, stay here for me. I’m almost home. You did so well. Everyone is safe. All the omegas, all the babies.

He began to cry. “Send the seer.”

Such a good hailee. Thank you.

You better make this worth it, braaken.

I will. I promise.

Talon called out to someone nearby. “He said to get Cain!”

“Excellent,” another voice rejoined. The healer, he thought. One of them, anyway. There seemed to be an endless parade.

Are you okay? You have the omegas?

We do. Easy peasy. Which is good, because I feel like I have the human flu. I blame you.

Me! I didn’t do anything.

Yes, you did. You showed up all pale and tragic and mine, buddy. And then I had to leave.

A giggle actually burst from him, drying up the tears, and making Talon squeeze his hand.

“Kami?”

He opened his eyes with a hard effort. “The braaken…he’s talking to me. He told me to see Cain.”

“I’m glad.” Talon smiled. “I want him to help ease your pain, if nothing else.”

Kami licked his lips. “Dry.”

Talon got him water immediately.

“Thank you. Did you talk to Cain? Tell him about what we did?”

“No. Just Triton.”

He knows, though. I mean, what I could tell him.

I can’t remember your—what is your name?

Reno.

Reno. He tested the name, finding it odd but appealing. Where is that from? What keep?

It’s not. That’s the city I landed in when they magically banished me.

So you have another name?

There was a long, long pause. Yeah. I’ll tell you in person when I see you.

“Oh, that dick.”

“What?” Talon stared at him.

“Reno. He won’t tell me his real name until he sees me. Which means now I do have to wait for him. I want to know.”

“Well, then, that gives you something to look forward to.”

He nodded, breathing in and out. Just talking to Reno did make it better, though, so maybe it was partly the same “flu” Reno was talking about. How sad, to have found his mate just when he was going to die.

You’re not going to die, you jerk.

You don’t know. I gave up my heartstone. I deserve to, but Talon needed it more than me. He’ll mate and make strong dragon babies.

Well, you’re my mate, so where does that leave me?

Tears stung his eyes again, but there was a commotion at the door before he could answer. “Kami. Thank you for letting me come to see you. And you, Talon.” Cain came right to him, a bright, aqua shimmer of a dragon. He put his hands on Kami, and energy hummed around them.

It didn’t stop the pain, but it eased it, making him relax down into the surprisingly comfortable bed in the infirmary.

“Better?” Cain asked him, and he nodded.

“So much better.” He could breathe, and the pain was down to a dull roar.

Cain smiled at him, settling on the corner of his bed. “Excellent. Now can one of you two please tell me what happened?”

“I didn’t ask him to do it,” Talon said. “I didn’t even know he could do it.” The big dragon’s expression was devastated. “I swear to you I didn’t ask.”

“Of course you didn’t. Dipshit.” Kami rolled his eyes. Naturally Talon hadn’t asked. “He was captured. We were running a rescue mission, and he got caught, and I didn’t get to him in time. Not before the fuckers crushed his stone. And my stone was the same; we both had emeralds. So fuck it.”

Simple as that.

“You both had emeralds?” Cain seemed confused. “That’s still hardly interchangeable.”

“You don’t understand. Talon is amazing. Talon is a hero. He’s this fucking legendary dragon.” And Kami wasn’t. He was one omega, who didn’t have babies. Who didn’t want to be knotted by some random Joe. He wasn’t interested in doing what he was told and staying in his lane. “I couldn’t let him just die. I couldn’t. He’s my best friend.”

“Exactly.” Talon took his hand and held on. “Do you see? He gave me everything. He gave me my life back.”

“You’re going to have a mate and babies and an amazing life. Yeah?” Kami knew that was what was important.

Talon shook his head. “Yeah.”

“Listen.” Cain’s voice brooked no argument. “You both will have mates and babies. We will find you a new stone. It’s just… How did you do it?”

Kami shrugged. “I did it. I guess I told the stone that this was what was going to happen. That’s all.”

“You just told your stone?” Cain looked absolutely, utterly stymied. “How does that even happen? Do you hear it?”

“Can I hear what?” Of course he could. Talon’s stone had been his. It was happy, settled, proud. Kami tilted his head.

“Your stone.”

“You mean Talon’s stone.” He wasn’t going to confuse the poor thing.

“All right. You can hear Talon’s stone?” Cain bit the words out.

“What? You don’t hear yours? You’re a seer.” Kami was confused and his head hurt. Something weird is going on here.

What? Reno’s answer was immediate. What’s wrong?

I don’t know, but your seer is looking more and more worried.

“Can I see your back please?” Cain asked, standing in a sudden rush.

“Pardon me?”

“Your back. Can I see it?”

“You’re the seer. Talon, can you help me?” He leaned forward, and Cain moved his shirt, staring.

“You’re a stone singer,” Cain said.

“What?” He didn’t follow.

“A stone singer.” Cain stepped away, and Talon eased him back on the bed. “Where did you come from? What keep did you come from?”

“I didn’t.”

“I’m sorry?”

“I didn’t grow up on a coast. I grew up in the desert. My parents had left the keep system, and then when I was a young adult, I was curious. I went looking for a keep, and I visited some, but none of them were for me. Problem was that since I didn’t belong there, they didn’t try to keep me, but there were lots of omegas they were trying to restrain, and that was a problem for me. I couldn’t just let them.” Freedom was a basic dragon right.

“You don’t understand. We’ve got a problem.”

“Okay.” Reno. I’m not going to be able to stay. I’m sorry, braaken, but I can’t stay. There’s something wrong.

No, you promised. Just until I get there. Then if you can’t stay, I’ll go with you. I won’t make you go alone.

“What do you mean problem? What kind of problem?” Talon was beginning to growl now.

“He’s a stone singer. He should have been sent to the mines as a child for training.”

Talon arched one eyebrow. “Well, he escaped that too. Good for him.”

“That’s not a bad thing, Talon,” Cain said through his teeth. “It’s quite an honor.”

“Well, whoop-dee-doo,” Kami snipped. “It’s a bit late now.”

“Not really. If you’re a stone singer, that makes the problem of finding you a new stone far easier.” Cain spread his hands. “But it makes things more complicated for me.”

Kami wasn’t sure he was supposed to care. “So, I’m sorry.”

“Don’t apologize. There’s no reason for you to be sorry. It is literally not your fault. It is absolutely my problem in that I may have started something that I was totally and woefully unprepared to sustain.”

“Okay.” Talon stared at Cain. “What do you mean exactly? Does this have to do with my brother?”

“Yes. Yes, it has to do with your brother. It has to do with incredibly precious stones and a dozen seers and stealing twenty-some-odd warriors from your old keep. And that the gods have sort of quite literally blessed this keep. And now? Now we have a stone singer. Did I mention the nobles? Have I mentioned that?” Cain ran his hand through his white hair.

Talon tilted his head. “Which ones?”

“Lady Arden and her sons, Lake and Skye.”

Wow.

Kami looked at Talon and whispered, “Am I supposed to be impressed?”

“Well, you don’t have to be, but you ought to pretend to be, probably.”

“Cool. Wow,” he echoed.

Nice job , Reno thought.

Are you supposed to be eavesdropping or aren’t you supposed to be rescuing omegas?

I’m not driving. Boone is. I’m on break, so I’m just sort of sitting here in the back of the truck.

“You’ve got quite a problem here.” Talon sounded partially worried, partially incredibly impressed. “Good thing for you that my brother and I are incredibly equipped to handle immense problems. You really took the second-in-command of the keep.”

Talon stopped. Blinked. “Triton blew up the keep?” The image came to him clear as day.

“It was less blowing up than just, um, well, it was a diversion.” Cain kind of chuckled.

Talon shook his head, expression stunned. Triton blew up the keep.

Did you blow up the keep? Kami asked Reno.

Reno snorted. I was in the keep. Or next to the keep in the jail when they blew it up. I was not involved in the actual explosions. The taking of the stone was totally me. Durango too.

Oh.

And I was involved in the taking of the seers and the lady. That was me. But that was before the explosion, like way before.

“Fabulous. I’ve just inserted myself into a goddamn war. Somebody better get me a stone so I can fight.”

“That’s the idea,” Cain put in. “Not the fighting. The stone.”

“My head hurts.” Kami might have whimpered. But then Cain touched him and made it all pretty decent again. Thank the gods.

Tell them you need to rest. We can have a conference when I get back.

“Reno says to leave me alone.”

Cain’s eyebrows rose almost to his hairline. “Did he indeed?”

“Yes. He says we can all meet when he gets home. I’m sorry. I’m just so tired.”

Cain sighed softly. “I know you are. I’m sorry. But if you need me, call for me. I can help. In the meantime, I shall be gathering stones.” He rose, patting Kami’s shoulder, then smiled at Talon. “He’ll be all right.”

“Sure.” Talon waited until Cain was out of sight. “Are you okay?”

“Huh? Yeah. I mean, I’m better than I was. He’s like the Energizer bunny.”

“Well, good. You needed some energy.” Talon winked. “Want me to read to you?”

“You can read?” He opened his eyes very wide.

“I think I’m going to beat you to death,” Talon said.

Kami snorted, closing his eyes and grinning. “Well, at least then it will be over and done with.”