Kastali Dun

Bedelth found his mate exactly where he'd expected to. It was quiet this morning, with dawn not quite upon them, a muted light casting everything in shades of blue and gray. For a moment, he stood back, watching as Saffra fired arrows toward the distant target. Her form was perfect. Not for the first time, he thought of what an excellent Rider she would make him.

It was too dangerous a hope, and yet, he indulged it in repeatedly.

They hadn't gotten so far as to discuss it, to discuss what came next. They'd kissed, yes—much to his shock and delight. She'd launched herself at him, catching him completely off guard; he'd been too shocked to do much else beyond following the drive of his body. When she'd left him that day, after the luncheon with his parents, he'd chalked it up to a one-off thing. Argued that she was simply reacting to the tension with his parents.

But then she'd kissed him again, when they'd been alone after Claire and Talon's intimate party, after her vision. Or rather, he'd kissed her. It had been softer that time, because of what had happened with her vision. He'd let the kiss stretch onward, trying to reassure her with his mouth that despite what she'd seen, they would be all right.

But, would they? There was no guarantee of it. He certainly couldn't promise it. Not now.

He strode towards her. "I see this is how you've chosen to spend your final hours before battle."

She hesitated, mid-draw, then let an arrow fly. "I'm clearing my mind."

"Aye. I gathered as much." The knots of tension in his chest loosened as he came to a stop beside her. Simply being in her presence relaxed him. He fell quiet, letting her nock and fire several arrows in peace.

A ball of nerves unfurled in his belly. It was rare for him to fear, to worry, but he did now, even if he couldn't quite reason as to why. He had an idea, though, which drove him to say, "You should be flying with me today."

She sighed. "We went over this yesterday, and my answer remains the same."

Went over it, was one way to put it. He'd asked her and she said no. There hadn't been a discussion. There hadn't been time for one. He'd been called away almost immediately. Over the past three days, they'd seen nothing but bare glimpses of each other.

Since the news of the impending attack, a million thoughts had churned in his mind. The idea of flying together. The desire to seal their bond so that they might be connected in case anything happened. He hated knowing they would be separated. So much could go wrong. She wasn't like Claire, couldn't reach out to him if something went amiss, and vice versa. They could only speak when they flew together, skin touching scale.

Perhaps that was the reason for his worry. For the first time in his life, he had someone who meant something to him. Something so deep he ached at the thought of losing her.

She wasn't even his—not technically.

He suppressed a snort. "Is there a reason you refuse?" he couldn't help but ask.

"Yes. The same reason you should know better than to ask me. We are untrained, Bedelth. I cannot have you distracted while you fly with the king. Who, mind you, almost refused to allow his mate to fly with him for the same reason I am now rejecting your offer. We. Are. Untrained." At these last words, she whirled to face him, accentuating each one.

He sighed. "But I will be distracted. I'll worry more knowing that you are off somewhere I cannot protect you."

"I don't need protecting." Her jaw twitched, clenched, then relaxed.

"No...I suppose you do not." His eyes darted towards her bow. It killed him to say those words. It was in his nature, a desire as strong as an instinct, to want to spread his wings and cocoon her within them. To hide her away for himself, the way dragons hoard and hide treasure.

Something in her expression softened. She lifted a hand to cup his cheek. His eyes fluttered closed, his cheek leaning into her touch. "I will not go off in search of danger, Bedelth. I promise."

His eyes opened to regard her. She was so small beside him. Sometimes he forgot just how small. But a small stature didn't mean small everything else.

She could fill a room with her larger than life presence. It was the way of a king's prophetess, he supposed, to exude power and regality, with a fierce presence of mind and strength to go with it. Yet, when he let those things slip away and saw only her body, he was reminded of the fact that her head came only to his chest, that he was nearly twice as broad as she, all muscle to her soft, feminine curves.

She'd been a skinny little thing as a child, and yet, she'd grown into a woman's body, especially over the past couple of years. He'd all but blinked and here she was, a goddess incarnate, with beautiful brown skin and lush lips, eyes he could lose himself in, dainty hands that still held enough strength to draw a bow. Hands he wanted all over his body.

Gods.

"I want you, Saffra, more than I can even put into words." The admission slipped free before he could stop himself. Her pupils expanded, darkening her eyes. "Why do we fight it? What is the point? An army arrives today, and I cannot promise what the future holds. What if...?"

He couldn't finish the sentence. Yet, she seemed to understand. "What if something happens to one of us, and we never took the time to truly know one another?" He could only nod. "There will be time enough after the battle for that."

He frowned. Would there be? How could she be certain?

She sighed, almost exasperated. "You will live, Bedelth. If for no other reason than because I command it of you—your mate commands it of you."

A pressure expanded within his chest, a beast that roared to life, all heat and flame and hunger, eager to devour.

"Then you will...you will accept me?" He could only gape and blink, not quite believing it to be true.

"Let us get through the next few days and we will...explore the idea."

His knees nearly buckled. The irony wasn't lost on him, that he was one of the most powerful Drengr in the world, and she'd reduced him to a nervous mess, a creature who could barely hold himself erect in her presence. Yet, for all the weakness he felt, there was still strength. Strength she gave him—a will to survive, if only to have her as his prize.

"You have just ensured that I will live through this thing."

Her lips twitched, satisfied. Because that had been her intent all along. "Good."

"And you? You will stay with Desaree and Jocelyn?"

"Yes. Miera and Selphie too. They are Sprites, Bedelth. There will be the keep's guards, too. I won't be unprotected."

Her words should have reassured him, but they failed. The unease in his gut remained. The thought of her in the keep, as if it would not be safe when, in reality, it would be far safer than the battle to take place in the skies. So...why? Why did he feel like this?

He swallowed.

It was just his mate bond talking, nothing more. She would be fine. She was the king's prophetess, after all. She had to be fine.

Before he could think better of it, he reached for Saffra's waist, pulling her to him. Her face was framed with stray tendrils of hair that had come free of her bun. He smoothed them back, relishing in the way her eyelids fluttered at his touch.

He hesitated, then lowered his head, brushing his lips against hers—

"We've got a problem." He reeled backwards as King Talon's voice filled his mind.

Saffra frowned up at him, at his sudden and unexpected retreat.

"The king," he quickly explained. "What problem?" he simultaneously asked.

"My tower. Bring Saffra."

Bedelth eyed his mate. "Something's happened. Gather your things—quickly."

To her credit, she acted without question, retrieving her arrows and gathering her things. She slung her bow over her shoulder and he took her hand, leading her through the keep. Servants were beginning to stir, some delivering breakfast, others getting an early start on the day. They stopped to curtsy or bow as he and Saffra rushed past.

"Did he say why we are needed?" Saffra asked after he'd relayed the king's words.

"No."

The tower's sitting room was already full, everyone in varying stages of dress, or rather, undress. He and Saffra were the last to arrive, understandable since they'd been out on the practice fields. Claire, he noticed, had nothing more than a robe wrapped about her. She didn't exhibit a shred of shyness over the fact that she was completely unclothed beneath, which might not have been telling, had her mate not been in the same state. Talon in a bathrobe. Now, that was a sight. The king either didn't realize how it appeared or didn't care that so much of his scared skin was on display.

"What is it?" Bedelth demanded, looking among them. Claire's guard, those on duty at this early hour, were lined along the far wall, standing motionless, while those not on duty were calmly sitting. "Is it the patrol we sent?"

"They did not return." King Talon's jaw was rigid, tense.

"Perhaps they got—"

"No. They are dead."

"What?!" He all but choked out. The others didn't react as he did, which meant they already knew. "How?" he managed in a choked whisper.

"Claire. She...her barrier was down. Their distress call, which was sent to the fort, was also intercepted by her—me—just before I called you all here."

"We knew it was a risk sending scouts," Verath mused. "We have only a vague idea what the Oshean navy is capable of, not to mention the bats."

Beside Bedelth, Saffra shivered. Her hand was still grasped in his. He didn't care. He squeezed, glancing towards her.

"They were spotted." This from Claire. "Killed. The bats. That was all they had time to relay before the bats were upon them."

Bedelth's blood turned cold.

"Lady Saffra," King Talon turned towards her. "Have you discovered anything new?"

"Nothing beyond...beyond what I have already relayed." She appeared dazed. While they'd spent day after day preparing, she'd organized the library staff into a massive search of the royal stacks, to weed out whatever information possible about bats, in general, as well as the massive abominations she'd seen in her mind.

The king eyed her a moment longer, then nodded, turning back to the rest of them. "The army isn't but half a day out. When they reach our shores, it will be chaos. The projections Claire and I received, just before—" Talon's hand balled into a fist. He shook it out, flexed it, then continued. "The sight of their navy...I have never seen such a vast fleet of ships. Captain Bennett was correct in the numbers, it seems. The number of soldiers on those ships, and the bats they are housing."

"You caught a glimpse of the bats?" Bedelth stepped forward.

Claire winced. "In the projections, yes."

"And?" Bedelth kept a firm hold on Saffra's hand.

"They moved like...like a swarm of...well...bats. A swarm of anything, really. But it was the way they hunted our Drengr. A whole wing, decimated in a manner of minutes."

"How?!" Dallin croaked. The rest of them seemed too stunned to speak.

"I...I don't know," Claire admitted. "They sort of swarmed about the wing of Drengr and...and everyone caught in the swarm, Drengr and Rider alike, just...just...froze up. The noise—the sound almost hurt my ears. Their minds were sending projections but their bodies stopped working and they plummeted, caught up in the swarm the whole time. Giant wings, bats half their size but twice as many, three times as many."

"Cave Screamers..." Saffra whispered.

Bedelth whipped around to stare at her. "Cave...what?"

"I saw the mention once. Just once. But it wasn't...it was so brief that I disregarded it. It didn't even say it was a bat. Just a winged creature that..." Saffra's throat bobbed. "I'm sorry, Your Majesty. It was nothing, just an aside, a brief mention that my eyes glided right over because it only spoke of paralyzing, high pitched scream of cave creatures in the north that capture their pray in such a way. I had no idea it could—would be bats."

"It's all right," Bedelth said, moving close enough that her shoulder was pressed to his chest. "You are not at fault. Was that all you found?"

She nodded.

"The other information," Verath said, standing up to pace back and forth, "how does this fit in?"

"Bats use echo-location," Claire reminded them. She'd pointed it out previously, and they'd been completely befuddled by such an idea. She'd explained that it was something scientists in her world had discovered. "They can emit signals, essentially, to determine where they are with regards to what's around them. What if this screaming ability is similar to that. A sound they admit that create paralysis?"

"Then we're all dead," Koldis muttered. Taylynn was beside him on the sofa, sitting erect, as if the chair back might burn her.

She'd been quiet, up until now. She turned to Koldis, placed her hand on his leg. "Not dead. No. You must shield your ears—"

"But then how will we—"

"You all speak to each other in your minds. What use have you for ears?" Claire tsked, looking at Koldis as if it should have been obvious.

"It cannot be that simple," Talon mused.

"Maybe it is," Claire said. "Earplugs for the Drengr and their Riders."

Jovari snorted. "Yes, right. Plugging up a Drengr's ear holes. So simple."

"Lots of people use wax ear plugs," Claire countered.

"Except that wax will melt when exposed to a Drengr's internal temperature," Verath countered, deep in thought.

"Right, I hadn't considered that," Claire said.

Taylynn stood. Instinctively, everyone fell quiet. "If you're all quite done now." Several mouths dropped open. "Truly, you all forget who you have in your company—and I am not simply referring to myself." Koldis snorted, rolling his eyes. She motioned towards the Queen's Guard, all of whom were Spriten, save Jeanine.

Claire's eyes widened before she smacked her forehead. "I feel so dumb," she muttered. Whatever her realization, it was obvious to Bedelth that they'd all gotten so wrapped up in worry and shock that they weren't thinking clearly, a bad situation when lives were on the line. Talon's head swiveled in Claire's direction, a look of understanding passing between them. They held each other's gazes for one moment, then two, then three, a silent conversation passing between them.

Talon frowned. "No. It is too much to ask of them, too much risk."

"It's all we've got, Talon."

Taylynn snorted—actually snorted—in a most undignified way. She turned to the rest of them. "While they argue in their heads. Claire has clearly put the pieces together. Spriten magic—and I tell you dragons this in confidence—falls into elemental categories. One of those elements is air. The best way to destroy sound is to eliminate the air through which it travels. We are masters of such manipulations. So, what she is very likely suggesting to her king—"

Gapting mouths and wide eyes filled faces around the room.

"—is that the Sprites in her guard, who were to be positioned on the tower's rooftop, will now focus on keeping your wings safe by shielding them from sound during confrontations with the bats."

Voices burst into speech all at once. Questions of how such a thing was possible, how the magic could be steadily maintained, how they would avoid slips and disasters, what the risk would be. Bedelth had questions of his own, but instead, he glanced down at Saffra, at their joined hands. She must have felt his gaze because she looked up at him offering a weak smile.

He leaned down, lowering his voice as he whispered against her ear. "Your revelation may have saved all of our lives." Her eyes widened. He allowed his lips to linger, allowed them to brush against the shell of her ear and felt her shiver.

Gods! When this was over, he planned to lock her in his room for a week, just to have her alone—

"Enough!" Talon's voice rang over the others and immediate silence fell. "I am in agreement with Reyr. Our Sprites will have far too much to focus on, keeping the inhabitants of the city safe, while maintaining magic to protect the Drengr."

A snort from across the room turned everyone's eyes towards Feowen.

"Have you something to say, Prince?" Talon's eyes narrowed in challenge. He was losing his patience. It was always obvious, when his temper began to rise.

"It couldn't possible be your Drengr bias speaking, could it, Your Majesty?" Feowen asked, crossing his arms. "Sprites protecting the Drengr? Unheard of!"

A muscle in Talon's jaw twitched.

"Talon..." Claire reached out, wrapping her fingers around his wrist. A flash of something crossed his features. The transformation was immediate. Bedelth watched in fascination as the queen calmed her king. "It's the only thing we've got."

Everyone remained quiet.

"I do not like it," the king said at last, holding her gaze.

"The bats hunt in swarms. Our Sprites need only keep track of each swarm. When they swarm a wing, Spriten magic will protect that wing by manipulating the air around them to ensure that the sound does not penetrate."

Talon stepped back, away from Claire's touch. He turned his back on everyone, paced away, across the room as he ran his hand through his hair. He stopped, then turned and walked back. Bedelth witnessed the sight, more amused than he had right to be. If circumstances had been any less dire, Koldis would have made some sort of joke that Talon was finally forced to share authority with an equal. That he could no longer boss them about.

The king sighed, then turned to his queen.

"I trust them with my life, Talon," she said.

He scrubbed a hand over his face, over his scars. "I am aware." His eyes darted over the Sprites in attendance, landing on Taylynn, who stood motionless. "You will be with them, Princess?"

"I will, Your Majesty."

"And you can guarantee the safety of my Drengr?"

"I cannot, Your Majesty. War is war. But I can promise to do everything in my power to protect them."

Talon held her gaze a beat longer, then turned back to Claire. "You are certain this is how you wish to proceed, mih cralla?"

"Neem."

Bedelth knew very little of the Spriten language, but enough to know she'd said yes.

"If that is settled, then we must not waste another moment," Reyr said, taking control of the situation. "We have hours to make our final preparations. The army is on our doorstep, and they will be here before nightfall."

They all knew what they needed to do. As a single unit, they broke apart, scattering to dress, collect themselves and make ready. Bedelth spared his friends and family a single, final look, then pulled on Saffra's hand and led her from the tower. 

⭐🌟 DON'T FORGET TO VOTE!!🌟⭐

Happy Friday, Bookdragons!

My goodness! Things are really heating up. I've already started writing the battle chapters and...phew. I'm struggling. Sometimes writing is such a challenge, and other times it comes effortlessly. 

I hope you all have a great week and I'll see you next Friday!

-Mel