Warrior Lover (Draconia Tales) (33 page)

Alviss turned at an arthritic pace to face Enar. “How do you know about this if they don’t?”

“I was told a group of Watchers planned to overthrow the Draconi’s rule and be free to do what they wanted.”

“And you learned this, how?”

“I ran into a lad who mentioned it and asked if I was of that mind-set.”

“A lad?” One of the Watchers asked. “How do you know he spoke the truth?”

“Even if he didn’t, shouldn’t the threat be assessed?”

“True words,” Alviss thumped around to look at the Council, his gaze fastening on one of the Watchers. “Perhaps you, Oren, should confirm this threat.”

“As you wish.” Oren nodded his head in acceptance.

“Now back to the other issue.” Alviss leaned on his cane as he glared at Viktor. “Speak in your defense, Viktor, as to why you claimed and abused a Draconi female.”

Viktor paled. “She didn’t have the dragon-shaped mark on her forearm. Plenty of people have black, blobbed birthmarks. How was I supposed to know she was Draconi without the usual mark?”

“So you save your abuse for those you claim as your mate?”

Viktor snarled. “My claims are my business, not yours.”

“Do you deny abusing them?”

“I refuse to answer that question. It has nothing to do with what you accuse me of.”

“It has everything to do with it. No woman should be abused, especially by her mate.”

“Thank you for the morality lecture.”

Steam wisped around Alviss’s head. “Don’t backtalk me!”

Viktor swallowed the snarl rolling his lip. “Our women are clothed and fed and keep sequestered for their own security. I assure you, they are well.”

“Ayla was not well. How do you explain that?”

“She fell and broke bones. Hardly my fault.”

“All your fault. You think I didn’t see what you did?”

Viktor pointed a finger at Alviss. “You lie! You could not see into her mind without her permission. She didn’t give you permission.”

“Think you my magic is as weak as my body?” The quiet, flat tone of Alviss’s voice had Enar taking a step back. The air warped around him, heating until Enar thought his skin might blister.

“No offense,” Oren offered, his words stopping the oncoming Draconi about to charcoal a Watcher session, “but Viktor has a point. Even those we question give permission for a mind search.”

“Permission is a courtesy, not a condition. How could you not realize how he abused his claim?”

“Surely you cannot expect us to know what goes on between every Watcher and his claim?” Oren crossed his arms. “Do you know what goes on between every Draconi male and his mate? No? Then how can you expect the same from us?”

“He claimed a Draconi!”

“He did not know. She did not have the common mark. How could he have known?”

“Just because he didn’t realize he was breaking the law, does not change the fact that he broke it. He should still be punished.”

“Then banish him from this Council. Replace him with another.”

The room grew silent as all waited for Alviss to speak.

“I wish for a stronger punishment. I say banish him from the land.”

“That is not fair!” Viktor spat. “I should not have that kind of punishment when it was an honest mistake.”

“True,” Oren said. “Banishment is too severe. Banish him from these chambers. Forbid him from another claim, but do not banish him from the land.”

Again, all waited for Alviss.

The elderly Draconi huffed. “Against my better judgment, I will do as you wish. Viktor, you are hereby banished from serving on the Council and will remain sequestered in your village, never allowed to replace Ayla with another claim. Do you still reject Enar as your son?”

Viktor spat and glared at Alviss.

“As you wish.” Alviss turned to the Watchers. “Return him to his home and ensure he stays there. And know this Viktor, you try to get Ayla back and I will kill you. You deserve to die for your despicable treatment of her. Go, depart from my sight.” He jerked his hand in a dismissive gesture.

Surrounded by Watchers, Viktor left the room, but not before he got in one final snarl at Enar.

Enar released the breath he’d been holding. He should want to see his father killed for abusing a Draconi female, or any female, but it was his father and he couldn’t help feeling a sigh of relief the man wasn’t sentenced to death. Although Enar still craved the chance to beat some sense into him. But even if he was given the chance, would the sense actually land in Viktor’s head?

Doubtful.

And what about him? Losing Lily, being banished from his village, what would he do?

As if Alviss read his mind, the elderly Draconi spoke. “Enar. We have a seat open on the Council. As Thoren is now on the Council and you are his Watcher, you have first dibs for the seat. What say you?”

Shock froze his tongue. Him? On the Council? The one thing he despised? His world had taken a metaphorical trip to the land of the wild beasts, so why not join the Council? Add to all the oddness called life? If he took Alviss up on the offer, he would be able to stay here, with Lily. Provided she would still have him.

She would. He had to remain positive.

If he took the position, he could change things, starting with the way claims were treated. Then move on to stomping out the Watcher rebellion.

Not in his wildest imaginings would he have seen himself accepting this offer, deciding to sit on a Council he’d always hated.

The Fates were twisted bitches.

The whole thought of agreeing to the proposal, of embarking on a new life course...he’d rather face off against a rabid dragon.

In this case he would be facing six dragons, who although not rabid, still managed to scare his balls into his intestines.

Warriors did not allow hiding balls to keep them from doing things that needed done.

“I accept.” Goddess help him.

Wrinkles convulsed Alviss’s face as his lips turned. “Wonderful! Is there anything you’d like to see accomplished?”

Where should he begin?

For starters, once he left this chamber, he was getting his woman back. Not that he was going to mention that plan to the Council.

For now, he was going to see if anything could be done about the women in the Claims’ House. Something he should have done many years ago, instead of hiding the abuse, enabling the abusers.

“I don’t know if you can do anything about it, but Viktor’s treatment of my mother is commonplace.”

“What?” Balthor spoke, eyes wide.

“Watchers are not known for their kind treatment of their claims.”

“Are you saying they abuse their women?” Alviss asked.

“Yessir. And the women can’t leave either. Their necklaces keep them confined to the village.”

“We need to do something. We cannot have abuse happening on our land.” Steam trickled from Balthor’s ears.

“Why did you never say anything?”

“I never realized anything could be done. I’ve never seen a necklace come off before a Watcher died.”

“We still haven’t caught that bloody rogue Draconi and until we do, this situation will have to remain open. But we will do something about it. We can’t have that type of thing going on under our noses and let it lie there like rotten trash.”

Enar nodded. “Thank you.”

“Keep on the lookout for that Draconi. I want him captured. We have all our spies out looking for him, but he’s escaping us. Would you like to join them?”

As Enar hesitated, Balthor spoke. “Let the male go home to his woman.”

“Ah.” A grin split Alviss’s face. “I see. Go on now. But be on the lookout. We can’t have a male like Fasolt on the loose.”

“Will do. Thank you. For my mother.”

Alviss waved a hand. “It wasn’t enough, but it’s done. Get on with you.” He pointed to the door.

“Yessir.” Enar nodded to the males and marched out the door. Grabbing the handles, he yanked the doors closed with a satisfying bang.

Now he could focus on Lily. Specifically on winning her back. If only he knew how to convince her he belonged to her. What did he say to erase the memories of her time in his village? To convince her she was his?

Hey, Lily, you’re mine, necklace or not. Come here now.

That would go over like a dragon falling down a set of stairs.

He could do this. Despite Viktor’s words, he was a Watcher, a warrior, and warriors didn’t give up without a fight. She was his.

Each stride made to the Temple Courtyard reverberated with those words:
Lily is mine, Lily is mine.

By the time he pushed open the back gate, the mantra stuck in his head. She was his.

And nothing would keep him from her.

Chapter 24

Lily paced around the foyer for the...what round was it now? Twenty, thirty? She’d lost count. After ascertaining she was physically unhurt, Aryana had marched out the door to confront Enar about making Lily cry. Several minutes later, twin beauties glided into the foyer, introduced themselves as Sofie and Vendela, took Lily to a room and gave her a change of clothing and a hankie for her eyes.

No surprise they didn’t want her wearing the white transparent dress of a claim. Or ruining her borrowed dress with tears.

But they’d left her alone and alone was not a state she wished to be in. Too many thoughts. Too many wishes. Too many plots for Enar’s destruction.

Her new white linen dress with green and gold trim cinched around her waist and fell in waves to her feet. Her usual outfits consisted of trousers and a tunic, and the feel of the material floating around her legs felt odd. And the room constricted her movement. And did she mention the being alone issue?

Since no one was around to stop her, she drifted down the hall until she came to the foyer and started pacing. Which was where she still remained. Pacing. It beat crying.

Twenty steps to the wall of windows. Why had she allowed love to overrule her aloofness decree? If only she’d stuck with the plan, she wouldn’t be in this pacing predicament.

Ten strides to the chairs clustered around the lit fireplace. Why hadn’t the High Priestess returned?

Thirty steps to the opposite side. Why was she still here? To be fair, she knew the answer to that one: where else would she go?

Most importantly, what did Aryana want her for? Was her dream where the High Priestess asked her to serve as the Temple Seer to come true?

Lily shook her head and resumed pacing. At least she had been taken in by people who appeared to want her. So the High Priestess probably had an ulterior motive for giving Lily a place to stay. So what? She’d been Enar’s pawn too.

No longer. She belonged to no one but herself. From now on she made her own decisions.

Good idea. So why was she still pacing? Back to the fireplace, where the fire burned a cheerful crackling. Could a Draconi breathe a fire to life when they weren’t in dragon form? Did their hands smoke like Ayla’s? The next time she saw someone, she’d ask.

She did an about face and marched to the opposite wall. Where was everyone? Shouldn’t priestesses be running around? Were they fawning over Enar? Again?

Her growl bounced off the wall in front of her and slapped her in the face. She might have entertained thoughts of Enar’s destruction, but she’d be a goat’s mother before she let another female flirt with him.

He was hers.

Wait a minute. What was she thinking? He wasn’t hers. After his lies and deceptions, did she still want him?

It shocked her to realize the answer to that question was a resounding yes.

Evening sunlight drifted through the open window bathing the foyer with the smell of cut grass and the sound of birdsong. Even the stone walls breathed peace.

The foyer might bring peace, but Lily couldn’t bring herself to stop pacing long enough to see if her spirit could attain the condition.

“Lily?”

Lily turned, her skirt flaring around her ankles. “Keara?”

“Lily!” With a squeal, Keara launched herself at Lily, grasping her in a bone-crushing hug. “I thought I’d never see you again. What are you doing here?”

“Enar and I went our separate ways and I came back here. Why are you not with Thoren?”

Keara held Lily at arm’s length, her eyes narrowed. “Thoren went to get Jamie. We’re adopting him today.”

“Congratulations. I think.”

“He’s not so bad. What happened with Enar? Come sit and tell me.”

Once Lily started talking, she couldn’t stop, the words tumbling from her mouth like a flood. Keara held her hand the entire time, the little squeezes a silent show of support.

“So here I am. I’m hoping Aryana meant what she said about teaching me to be their new Seer.”

“Oh, Lily, I—”

Pop!
Whatever Keara planned on saying vanished at the appearance of two figures.

Lily’s mouth fell open. What was Ayla doing here? And why did Aryana have smoke steaming from her ears, her face a message of vengeful anger? Lily stared at Enar’s mother as the woman looked around the high-ceilinged room with wide eyes and trembling lips. Color drained from Ayla’s already pale face and she swayed, stumbling into Aryana.

Aryana grabbed the Ayla around the waist, while Lily and Keara surged toward the two. Ayla might be bitter—and who could blame her—but Lily knew she needed a friend at the moment, someone she didn’t fear. It wasn’t until she drew closer to the older woman, that Lily realized what was different in Ayla’s appearance.