Dragonfae & The Soul Catcher (23 page)

“The bloodline my dragon detected in you would fit into this summation.” Pyro poured more tea. “If Nell was one of these females and produced a daughter, it would be conceivable to believe one coven of Magi traded the child to another for breeding because of the Elvin blood.” He grimaced. “This would be the only reason to keep a female child alive. The dark Magi believe their females should not possess any magyck whatsoever. The males rule absolutely and there is no mating or cherishing of females in any capacity.”

“Then why didn’t they trade me?” Thalia glanced over her shoulder at Lumos.

“Look straight ahead, Thalia. Keep your mind barrier strong.” Pyro cleared his throat. “If what I think is true, you have three-quarters dark magyck blood, one-quarter Elven blood. As a female, you are dangerous to the dark Magi clans. You would be a powerful threat on maturity. I would venture to say that as a male, you would have ruled.”

“Why must I stare at the wall?”

“Lumos explained your dreams to me.” Pyro sipped his tea. “I believe the Magus is scrying through your eyes, so we must avoid giving him any more information on our movements.” He tossed the remaining tea onto the sand. “Close your eyes and strengthen your barrier. Keep him out, Thalia… Good girl.” He waited, observing Thalia closely. “The Magus sends you horrific images of his debauchery because he believes he is making your dark magyck stronger. He believes he can control you, so we will feed him only the information we want him to know.” He sighed. “I’m afraid we won’t be able to discuss our plans of attack with you. You‘ll have to trust our judgement.”

“I’ll do anything to stop him using me like this.” Thalia pressed her head into her hands. “How can I stop him from entering my dreams?”

Lumos slid an arm around her shoulder. “When you sleep, invite my dragon to guard over your dreams. The Magus will not detect the Nightdragon’s protection.”

“Goddess, has he seen everything?” Thalia trembled. “I can’t bear to think he has witnessed our… Oh gods, Lumos.” She gulped a shuddering breath. “Tell me how I can stop him from doing this, please. I feel… Oh goddess! I feel dirty! It’s like Erik all over again.”

Lumos pulled Thalia’s stiff, trembling body against him. “No, don’t say that. I beg you. I’ll never be like Erik.” He took in Pyro’s questioning stare and shook his head slightly. “You only have to close your eyes, sweetness, and the Magus can’t see or hear a thing.” He nuzzled her neck. “Darkness, too, conceals anyone trying to scry.” He rubbed her back. “Do you believe the Nightdragon would allow anyone to scry our intimate moments? He loves you, Thalia, as I do. You have my word that the Magus witnessed nothing between us.”

“Lumos speaks the truth.” Pyro got to his feet. “I’ll feed the horses. The storm has passed and we must leave this place.” He inclined his head towards the saddlebags. “Can you find us something to eat, Lumos?”

“I’ll cook.” Thalia turned around. “Perhaps you both should feed the horses?” She glanced around the cavern. “Goddess, have you seen Brew?”

“Aye, I gave him the last of the stew.” Pyro grinned. “He is so fat he can hardly walk. He went outside over an hour ago.”

Lumos brushed a kiss on Thalia’s cheek and pushed to his feet. He took his sword from against the wall.

“I’ll tell Brew to come in to see you. I think he has found a friend in Argos.” He strapped on the thick leather sword belt.

“The poor cat probably thinks I don’t care about him anymore. After all, I do spend all my time with you now.” Thalia dragged the cooking pot over to the fire.

With a grin, Lumos turned towards the cavern entrance. “I know for certain that Brew is enjoying this trip immensely. However, don’t be surprised if he goes looking for a mate of his own when we arrive in Drakka. I told him about my cat, a sweet, little, pure white creature named Crystal.” He chuckled. “I promised to introduce them.”

“You have a cat?” Thalia poured water into the cooking pot.

“Yes and falcons, horses, and a large green lizard named Charlie.” Lumos rubbed his stomach. “I hope that’s porridge you’re cooking. I’m hungry enough to eat a horse.”

“Well then, I’d better hurry and fill your stomach. I don’t want the Nightdragon snacking on Albert.” Thalia threw Lumos a grin.

Strolling out into the steaming heat, Lumos surveyed the barren landscape. The storm had coated everything in a heavy layer of sand. The dark red soil rose in banks against the walls of the cavern. Pyro stood beside Argos, tightening the horse’s saddle with sure swift movements.

Lumos turned towards him. “Do you have doubts about Thalia?”

“Doubts?” Pyro raised an eyebrow. “I don’t doubt she worships the ground you walk on. She loves you, that’s plain enough to see—or are you blind?” He threw a saddlebag over Argos’ back. “You must know the Magus used Thalia to lure you to the Singing Forest…but how he found your true mate baffles me.” He shrugged. “No magyck can outwit a dragon—Thalia is your mate.”

Lumos shrugged. “This is not a revelation to me. I’m fully aware the Magus used her to lure me but I don’t believe he knew she carried dark magyck blood at the time. In my opinion, her true self only became apparent when she released her magyck.”

“What gives you that impression?”

Taking a deep breath, Lumos considered the implications of revealing Thalia’s rape. “The Magus’ initial plan was to lure me to the Singing Forest. He merely wanted to capture me to prevent me from returning to Drakka in time for the contest.” He sighed. “I’m sure he engineered Thalia’s banishment so that her song would lure me into his trap. The Singing Forest is a powerful conduit for sound between all realms. I’d guess he had obtained the knowledge Thalia was my mate before he sent the potion to the Dragonfae, and had arranged for Kird to challenge me.

“I do recall finding a silk scarf on the palace steps at Drakka. There had been many such scarves abandoned around the palace. On this day, there were five or six scattered around. One attracted me, so I picked it up and it had a most alluring scent—Thalia’s scent—I know this now.” He sighed. “At that time, the Magus had access to the city, he and his brother, Boris, both seeking salvation. They must have collected scarves from all those females with flames in their eyes and waited until I picked one up.” He rubbed his chin. “But, if the Magus knew Thalia had dark magyck, why would he allow her to be raped? He wanted to destroy me by making sure the king’s men damaged my mate beyond repair.” Lumos met Pyro’s gaze. “This would have been the opposite if the Magus had known Thalia had dark magyck. What she endured on her journey to the Singing Forest would have made her stronger because she would have fed on the pain.”

Lumos ran a hand through his hair. “In my opinion, the Magus only discovered Thalia’s birthright recently, and I’d say he has no idea her mother sacrificed her life to protect her.” He stared at the red mountain range in the distance. “This fact alone would have me believe the Magus himself is not Thalia’s father.” He took a long breath. “The Magus has a brother, Boris, but he is too slow-witted to contrive a plan like this.” He grimaced. “But not too stupid to be her sire.”

Pyro nodded. “Aye, this begins to make a great deal of sense. I would say, when Thalia used her magyck against the Hag, the Magus would have investigated her bloodline.” Pyro rubbed his chin thoughtfully. “He would have realised the dark magyck couldn’t have come from the Nomags that raised Thalia. The revelation that she carried Magus blood would have come as a shock to him.” He bunched his fists on his hips. “I’d say the first thought would have been that one of the other dark Magi covens had deceived him in some way, because if Boris had fathered Thalia, he’d have followed the dark Magi custom and left her in the woods to die.” His lips turned down in the corners. “I would bet a purse of gold that Boris was Thalia’s sire and that Nell followed him into the forest.

“For all we know, Nell could have been privy to the plans of her daughter’s sacrifice to save Thalia. She had to get the child to a safe haven, knowing her grandchild would have some measure of Cymbeline’s protection.”

Lumos turned slowly and met Pyro’s steady gaze. “What better place to hide a child of the forest but in a family of Nomags?”

“I agree. One more thing. You mentioned that the men who escorted Thalia to the Singing Forest raped her.” Pyro scowled. “I gather this the reason she is afraid of males? Poor child, they must have been brutal.”

Pain radiated through Lumos’ heart. His dragon gave a long howl of distress. “Aye, my friend, more brutal than you could ever imagine.” He removed the sword from the sheath at his waist and ran pure white magyck down the blade, sharpening the steel to a razor’s edge. “When this is over, I’ll hunt them down and cut every ounce of flesh from their sorry bones.” Lumos let out a long growl. “If this had happened to your mate, I’m sure, you would do the same.”

“Aye…and you’ll not hunt alone for the beasts lower than hyenas. As Nomags they will be easy to capture. A wise man would allow Thalia to decide their punishment—she is the one that must live with this memory.” Pyro frowned. “For now, put this thought out of your mind and save your energy. We have more urgent matters to contend with.” He ran a hand down Argos’ silken neck. “The moment we enter Trill, if Thalia is awake, we must use our dragon’s mindspeak to communicate any change of plans.” He glanced towards the cavern opening. “Thalia, too. Don’t speak to her of our destination, but use your dragon to explain things to her.” He smiled grimly. “Now, let’s eat and leave this dreadful place.”

Chapter Seventeen

Trill

Thalia straddled Lumo’s lap and gripped Argos’ mane to avoid pitching forward. The pathway down the cliff face to the sandy beach below dropped away unnervingly. The narrow chalk trail beneath the horse’s feet crumbled at every step. Lumos curled his large hand around her waist, pulling her against the solid strength of him. Under her bottom, his coiled thigh muscles gripped the horse’s sides. She lifted her chin and drew in the clean delight of the salty breeze. Below, a stretch of white sand snaked away into the distance. An expanse of aqua ocean surrounded the island of Trill beside dense rainforests and untouched beaches with swaying palm trees. Trill bathed in the warmth of a tropical paradise. Under a cloudless sky, white-capped surf pounded the beach, crashing in a spill of foam. The shore breaks rushed over the sand and turned to liquid silver in the blaze of the late afternoon sun. As the waves retreated, the wet sand glittered as if turned to the finest gold dust. Thalia absorbed the beauty around her, and gazed at the gulls hovering on the thermal updrafts. How would it feel like to hover like that?

The steep pathway curled down to the sand. She covered Lumos’ hand. “I’m a little afraid of heights. Do you believe I‘ll be able to fly?”

“First, you must have wings.” Lumos nuzzled her neck. “Today, your ears have become most delightfully pointed, so the wings will come soon.”

Thalia growled. “Oh, Lumos, of course I know I must grow wings before I can fly.”

“I’m teasing you, butterfly.” Lumos ran his tongue up Thalia’s ear. “We’re all a little frightened of flying at first…but I’ll be with you, so you need not worry.”

“I’m more worried about your challenge in Drakka.”

“I could fight two dragons of Kird’s age easily. In truth, he’s no threat to the Nightdragon.” Lumos shrugged. “The Shadow Walkers are another matter.”

In Thalia’s mind came the gentle voice of the Nightdragon.

“The Magus believes we are heading for the city of Tuntoch, so you must convince him that is our destination. Pyro knows of a small village named Talltrees an hour or so from here. A tavern there will supply food and shelter for the night. Do not speak of this to Lumos. He is aware of our conversation.”

“How big is Tuntoch?”

“It is the main trading city of Trill. The people here are known as ‘the Boars’, a tribe that deals in suffering.” Lumos gave Thalia a squeeze. “They run slave ships along the coast to the port of Tuntoch. There are slave auctions every day.”

Thalia leant back against Lumos and inhaled the Fae’s delicious scent. Her stomach quivered. Goddess, she wanted to be alone with him. Her mouth watered at the thought of tasting him and sliding his cock against her tongue. Her swollen nipples dragged unmercifully against the rough material of her shirt. She forced herself to concentrate.

“And the Boars, what are they like?”

“They are pigs.” Lumos moaned. He bent his head close to Thalia’s ear. “I can smell your arousal. Gods, I’m so hard for you, little one.” He lifted her shirt. “I’m dying to suck these hard little buds.” He caressed Thalia’s breasts. “I want to bury myself deep inside that tight little ass of yours.”

Heat flooded Thalia’s folds. Her tight breeches rubbed against her hard clit and sent flames of arousal shooting up her spine. He skilfully tormented her nipples and she squirmed against him, aware of his erection riding between the cleft of her bottom.

“I ache for you.”

“I know. I’ll find a place for us tonight… I promise.”

* * * *

Lumos rode in silence beside Pyro. To avoid the Magus scrying them, he had cast a sleeping spell over Thalia a few minutes before they had left the busy road to Tuntoch and taken an uneven cart track to the small village of Talltrees. The amount of people travelling to Tuntoch had surprised him. Not only Boars herded groups of slaves along the road—he recognised many of the races from the neighbouring realms. Both he and Pyro had pulled the hood of their cloaks over their heads to conceal their Fae features. He had completely covered Thalia’s sleeping form under his cloak, holding her against his shoulder. He noticed beads of sweat forming on her forehead and bent his head to press a kiss on her salty flesh.
Not much longer, little one
.

Lumos urged Argos by another slave trader. He cast his gaze over the row of exhausted slaves. Covered in dust with open sores from the chains tying them together, the slaves followed the Boars’ horses in silence. Most were women, but some were young, slim men. He ground his teeth. Many of the Boars’ customers preferred the stamina of a young male and paid a good price for a pretty male sex slave.