Dragon 6 Chapter 13 (Patreon)

We ended up camping close to the river that night, waking up early so that we could push ahead.

Maeve pressed the device to my shoulder as I paused to sit on a fallen tree. Even with my dragon strength, picking through the jungle was exhausting mentally.

“It’s bright red.” I replied excitedly. The silver device pointed off to the right.

“We are so close.” Maeve wiped at her brow.

Her silver hair was askew, and she’d lost several layers of cloth.

She was down to a white shirt that was no longer crisp, and a blue skirt that she had torn up the side so she could take longer strides.

But even in her mussed state, she was stunning.

“Very close. Maybe we can finish this soon.” I stood up and offered her my hand as she put the device in her satchel again.

She took it with a grin. “Yes. Maybe we can.”

I lifted her up, grabbing her hips with my other hand to steady her before I placed her down on the ground.

I leaned forward, staring into her silver eyes intently. They were nearly reflective. “Then we can talk about other things.”

“Other things.” She repeated with a smile.

Evelyn was nearby, but rather than fight me on my actions, she just leaned against a tree and smiled when I looked her way.

I frowned, unsure what to make of the nymph’s actions.

“Something wrong with Evelyn?” Maeve asked in a low tone. She’d followed my line of sight.

“No, nothing is quite wrong. Just I don’t understand what exactly she does for you.” I knew she was Maeve’s assistant.

We trudged through the forest, trailing behind a few of the others.

Trina was up front, using a machete to hack through the underbrush in her hybrid form.

Poly had encouraged her to get some of her energy out that way, and so far it seemed to be working to keep my broody mate focused on a task.

“Everything really. She is a nymph.” Maeve replied as if that answered everything before she realized with a smirk that it didn’t. “Back during a normal life, she’s my buffer between the fae court and myself. People have to go through her for meetings. She also dotes on me, making sure a large number of minor tasks are taken care of. And then she fights away suitors. She’s sworn to me entirely. Nymphs have different priorities than us, you just need to know what bargains to strike.”

I frowned when she mentioned fighting away suitors, wondering if that was what she had been doing with me.

“She has been quite forward.” I tried to ease into another conversation.

Maeve covered her mouth and chuckled. “It isn’t uncommon for fae nobility to use their nymphs to… entertain males while they are busy. She would expect some freedom to pursue you physically… should something happen between the two of us. Part of my bargain with her.”

I smiled, glad that Maeve was even discussing something between us. She’d been so distant, but now that her mother was near, she seemed more relaxed.

“It seems you don’t mind?” She was eyeing the smile on my face.

“Oh.” My smile dropped, realizing she got the wrong idea. “No, err, I’m not sure. I was smiling because I was happy to see you laugh. You’ve been through a lot with your mother’s disappearance.”

Maeve shook her head. “You should not be so forthright with the fae. Most would take advantage of you.”

“Not the one who’s thrice my friend though.” I replied without an ounce of hesitance.

“No. I am finding it refreshing that we do not have to trade barbs and half truths. Though, if you were to spend any time in the winter court in the future, you must be more careful.” A small smile fought to find its way on her lips.

My heart soared.

She was thinking about how much time I’d spend in the winter court in the future. It seemed a future where we were together was back on the table.

This was a different Maeve than I’d expected to find and it made me happy.

A branch swung back towards us, and I shifted my hand to claws, tearing through it before it hit the two of us in the face.

I shot a glare at Helena’s back.

“So. The Winter Court. You haven’t talked much about it. Obviously, the rumors of it are pretty bad. Lots of evil, backstabbing and rather dark moods.” I wasn’t sure how to tee up the topic without offending her.

Maeve wrinkled her nose. “Yes, and no. I wouldn’t say it is any worse than the royal courts of humans. We are simply much older and more practiced. Plus, we have magic, which makes things a little more extreme.”

I nodded. The few stories I could recall of European monarchy weren’t exactly pretty. Between new monarchs killing their families, or old men getting paranoid and putting people's heads on pikes as warnings, it could be gruesome.

I wasn’t sure that made me feel better about the Winter Court.

“You seem pretty set to take over for your mother. At least, there seems to be some stability there.” I offered.

She nodded. “Based on many years of my mother’s labor. This isn’t the first time she’s gone into the wilds. When I was young, she brought me a few trinkets from here to help protect me amid the court. I once had two of her most loyal knights guarding me day and night.”

That surprised me. “She doesn’t sound like a bad mother.”

“Not at all. When I was young, I was her darling. She nurtured me into a powerful mage and a strong woman. It is only more recently as her power has declined, and even recently with the sharper decline, that she’s become wary.”

Maeve’s eyes grew somber. “It would not be abnormal at all in the court for me to use this weakness to backstab her. Though, in a weird way, she’d almost be proud of that. The worst outcome for her is that in her weakness we both die.” Maeve mused aloud as we walked.

I nodded, following the logic. But the thought now stood out to me. What would happen if they both died? “Could someone in the court kill both of you?”

“There are several of the older fae within the court that hide their strength deep. I do not think they could have killed my mother before the bloodlord, but at her strength after the battle, there was a reason for concern. Half the reason she entered the wilds was to protect herself, and me through extension.” Maeve started to unravel the twisting plots of the fae court.

I understood what she meant.

If her mother was at large, then there was always the chance that anyone who made a move against Maeve would reap a very brutal reward upon the queen’s return.

But Maeve had said that people were growing concerned for her return.

“Did you also enter the wilds to protect yourself?” I realized the trip we were on could have multiple reasons..

She sighed. “Yes. Her absence was wearing away the protection of her power. I was forced to send some of the stronger fae to lead forces at the front of the battle line to remove them from court. While it is a temporary measure, it comes with a risk that out of my sight they may plot freely.”

I nodded along. “Then, how can I help?”

She scowled at me. “I will not ask for your help in this regard. As my friend, to use you in these machinations would be drawing you into fae politics. I do not wish to use you like that.”

A low growl of approval rumbled in my chest.

Maeve eyed me, a smile in her eyes that turned into a full giggle. “You are like a giant kitten sometimes.” She teased me, and it eased a tension in my heart.

I shrugged. “It’s the dragon part of me. Very growly. Still, you’ve seen me with my mates. I am quite possessive of them.” I veered back to the conversation we’d been having, deciding to ignore the kitten comment.

“Yes, I’ve seen you with your mates plenty.”

Smiling, I stared at her. “Yes. And you’ve seen the way I protect them. Imagine if Jadelyn had political pressure. I would stand behind her, offering her my full protection and support. I might not threaten anyone directly, but my presence would be without question. If anybody ever grievously harms my mates, they will suffer. I would not hesitate to rip them limb from limb.”

“Dragons.” Maeve scoffed.

“We are what we are. I am done denying that I am a giant greedy lizard who wants dozens of beautiful mates to keep in my hoard filled to the brim with gold. I lived much of my life trying to suppress my urges, and now I’m going to pursue them.” My hand slipped around Maeve’s waist and pulled her closer to me.

She looked up at me as our hips touched. “Some would say you are being a fool, or that I’ve tricked you.”

“If you’d like to trick me like some nymph, I wouldn’t entirely mind.” I winked.

Maeve’s eyes went wide for a second before she burst into laughter.

“Are you two having fun?” Helena grumbled ahead of us. “You’d think we were taking a stroll in the park with how casual you two are being.”

“Wait, this isn’t your flower garden?” I turned to Maeve, my best shocked expression on my face.

Helena let out a groan of pure exasperation while Maeve laughed again.

It was a lovely laugh. I hadn’t realized just how much I’d missed her laugh.

Trina paused and stepped back with her machete over her shoulder. “We have a problem.”

I became serious in an instant. “What is it?” I stepped up to where she’d stopped.

The jungle ended and about ten feet later. There was a huge crack in the land. It was pitch black and about three yards wide.

Helena could fly it, and us dragons could probably make it across, but the two fae would need help to get across.

I was a little wary of taking to the air though. As we’d been walking around, far less danger had found us.

“Let’s knock down a tree and make a bridge.” I stated, looking at the surrounding trees.

Curious, I walked out of the jungle and up to the crack, trying to peer down.

It seemed to go on for as far as I could see. There was also nothing lingering at the edge of the jungle besides small critters.

And I was actually soothed a bit by the birds and other creatures. Silence usually indicated larger predators were around.

Rather than wait for Trina to get to work, my hands became claws, and I walked up to a suitably large tree. I tore into the bark and made pulp from its trunk until it started to lean heavily.

As it leaned, I grabbed the trunk and froze the base.

It stopped bending, the pressure from the top snapping it where I’d frozen it.

Angling the tree, I let it fall over the chasm and let go.

The tree fell to the ground with a boom that reverberated down the break in the jungle.

“Subtle,” Poly chuckled. “Let’s get across people before anything comes to investigate.”

Helena jumped into the air, flapping her wings and gliding just over the gap. “I’ll guard this side.”

“Hey, she’s being useful!” Trina joked, earning a glare from the nephilim.

Poly nodded to the other dragon, who jumped on the fallen tree and danced over the log to the other side. “Okay. Now for the fae.”

Evelyn got on the log, and after a few steps wobbled and landed on her hands and knees. The nymph let out a heavy sigh and rather ungracefully crawled to the other side.

True to her nature, she managed to do it in a way that kept her ass swaying rhythmically from side to side. The sheer material she was wearing parted, showing her underwear. I was mostly surprised the nymph wore underwear.

Once she got to the other side, Trina helped her off.

“Go ahead Maeve. Poly and I will bring up the rear.” I cast a glance back into the forest where we’d come from. So far, I wasn’t sensing any new beasts.

But it only took another moment before I noted the birds and critters had gone silent.

I watched as Maeve made her way across on all fours, trying to listen out further. It could be that they’d gone quiet at our presence and the enormous boom of the trees, but my instincts had me on edge.

I couldn’t sense anything behind us, so I focused forward at around the same moment that a bristly appendage brushed against the edge of the chasm, gripping the edge.

My thighs ripped out of my jeans as they shifted. I sank low, tension building up before I launched myself over the chasm, right for Maeve.

The fallen tree shot up into the air as I realized what was coming out of the chasm.

A fuzzy and absolutely giant spider was emerging.

Even then, the opening was too tight, and it had to flatten itself as its mandibles grabbed the tree, crushing it between them.

Its fangs struck into the log like it was prey having fallen into its trap.

Maeve toppled backwards as the log was suddenly tossed into the air.

My wings shot out in my hybrid form and I caught her, holding her to my chest as I breathed deeply.

I let my chest build with fire before I leaned around her and poured angry fire down onto the spider.

It made a high-pitched noise that shattered my eardrums as its fuzz caught fire, and it shot back down into its hidey hole.

I flapped my wings a few more times to finish reaching the other side. “Are you okay Maeve?”

“Startled is all.” She replied, her voice a little shaky. I didn’t blame her. The spider was crazy fast for its size.

Putting Maeve down, I looked over at Polydora, who was frowning at the chasm.

I realized she might need some help.

Waving my arms, I got her attention and stepped closer to the chasm in my hybrid form with my ripped clothes hanging off my body.

I didn’t want to yell and get the spider’s attention, so I pointed at my mouth and down at the chasm so she knew I’d buy her some time.

She nodded and backed up, readying to run across.

I gave her a countdown with my fingers before I leaned over the chasm and breathed fire down it.

The chasm lit up the darkness, and I couldn’t help but see what was down below.

As I stared down into the dark crack, I realized I couldn’t unsee what I was currently seeing.

What I had seen was the momma spider, and all around were its babies. They lurked at the edge of the chasm, waiting for their mother to feed them.

My fire made them all shrink back further. They seemed scared enough of the fire to stay back, but my entire body was on edge at the sheer number of them.

Polydora landed behind me and shooed everyone into the jungle on the other side.

I backed up even as the mamma spider’s leg reached up to the edge, patting for prey and peering over the edge at me like it was making sure I was gone.

“That wasn’t terrifying at all.” Helena looked over her shoulder. “How close are we?”

Maeve took the compass and placed it on my shoulder. It pointed us back towards the cliff we’d been walking along.

As I looked from the new angle, I was able to see part of a cliff that was worn away from where water used to run on the side. “Look, a way up.”

The group’s energy shifted as we all got hopeful. We were getting closer.

Even Helena was quiet as we hurried up the slope and back atop the plateau over the cliff, re-entering the jungle at the top.

Maeve kept placing the silver tool against me, and it kept glowing red hot.

I hoped her mother didn’t step through an arch and get portaled somewhere far away. Just the thought made me pick up speed.

We kept moving until we burst through into a clearing, and I immediately moved into a defensive stance as I tried to process what I was seeing.

There was a huge area, devoid of trees. A giant flower bud sat in the center of a clearing, with vines carpeting the floor.

Ikta was there waiting for us. Behind her, Winter was sealed in a block of ice.

Vines from the flower wrapped around the block of ice, and even some of them appeared to have been working their way through the ice.

“What have you done?” I charged at Ikta, my knuckles cracking as I made a tight fist.

AN - I have three more covers to order for dragon, 7, 8 and omnibus 2. Who deserves those cover spots?