Dragon Lord (Winged Beasts Book 4) Page 10

  “New mothers are also individuals. They handle and see things differently.” Cretia observed.

  “Exactly. Davy is more peppy and she will go back to work part time. Betty will too, but not as quickly.” Tomi explained.

  “And when you have a dragonlet? What will you do?” Erak asked.

  “I have a business to run, but I will spend what time I can with my children. When they are older, they will come with me.” Tomi observed.

  “You plan to have many?” Erak asked.

  “However many the goddess will gift me with.” She admitted.

  “That will be a beautiful thing.” Erak responded. It was obvious he hoped to be the father of her children.

  “Indeed it will.” Tomi said giving him a long look.

  “It’s been a pleasure, but Cretia is tired.” Toreen admitted. “I’d best get her home.”

  “I’ve not seen your guests here.” Erak commented.

  “They said they would be here. It makes no sense that they wouldn’t be. The only reason they came here was for the ball.” Toreen observed.

  “Maybe, but if they’re not here, they must have another reason.” Erak said.

  Toreen had looked for them, but he hadn’t seen them here anywhere. “Maybe they are well disguised.”

  Chapter 7

  The Truth

  Toreen was happy to finally be headed home with his mate. Regardless of what happened now, Mabest would be leaving soon. He wished he’d unraveled the secrets of what had happened with his father all those years ago, but his life would settle now since he had a mate and a dragonlet on the way. What he’d done had been all there was to do. No other actions were left for him to pursue and he could feel he’d done everything open to him.

  Cretia clung to him and he realized the excitement had worn her out. Now that the ball was nearly over, his time would be spent taking care of his mate. No other was nearly as important nor would they ever be. Together, they would care for and love their offspring, but they would take time to care for each other too. He’d learned the importance of that from his parents.

  The wind was cool this night as it whirled around them while he flew his mate home. There were no stars to be seen in the sky and he scented rain. Most rains on Draconis, except for around a jungle area they had, were gentle rains that often came at night. The weather here was a gift from the goddess. No earthquakes or volcanos affected the planet because their technology drained the power from those planet wrecking natural and potential cataclysms storing the energy for the needs of the people.

  It was true, much of the planet’s climate was regulated at least in a small way. That was the benefit of their technology. Aided by better weather and less dangers than the average planet, theirs thrived. The moons were also regulated as was the mining meteor where living spaces were built as the valuable ore was removed. Someday, the meteor would be an agricultural one. Not the first one they’d created or the last.

  Just as he set down in his yard, it began to mist a cold rain. Most rains were warm giving him a chilly sense of foreboding. As they entered the manor house, they were greeted by Gavos. “Did you see them at the ball?” He asked.

  “No, I guess they are not here either?” Toreen asked. For them to disappear couldn’t be easy and it made him wonder what Mabest was up to. Now that he’d been away from her for a while, he didn’t think her so harmless anymore.

  “They left shortly after you and your lady did and they never returned.” The butler confirmed.

  “Thank you for keeping up with them. They’ll return or not I suppose. Did they leave their possessions?” Toreen wondered.

  “That is surprising. Your father’s stuff still sits in the guest suite, Mabest took all her items.” He observed.

  “That is strange, to say the least. I wonder what her intentions are.” Toreen questioned.

  “That’s what we would all like to know.” Gavos agreed. “I will go to bed now so you can turn in as well.”

  “Thank you, Gavos. I’ll see you on the morning and then maybe we will know what happened last night.” Toreen said. He turned to his lady who leaned on him. Clearly she was exhausted. “Come, my love.” He whispered.

  While he’d hoped make sweet love to his mate, it was more important to see to her other needs. Helping her undress and put away the costume carefully then remove the heavy makeup, now he put her to bed tucking her in. She was asleep in seconds. He undressed and removed his makeup before he settled in next to her and once his mind calmed, he was asleep too.

  Daylight hit his eyelids making him come awake. His mate was no longer next to him. Jumping out of bed he hurriedly dressed before making his way to the kitchen. Cretia was there helping with the cooking. “Your father came back at dawn, but Mabest is nowhere to be found.” She whispered quietly.

  Toreen didn’t know what to make of the news. As far as he knew, Mabest and his father had been inseparable. Was he wrong? Did they do their own thing part of the time? That was almost unheard of among the mated of his planet. Cretia had two plates fixed and two steaming hot drinks on a tray for them. He took the tray from her carefully and led the way to the dining room.

  Picking the seat at the head of the table for himself, Cretia sat next to him on his right. The plates were full, but one had more than the other. He knew that one was his. She handed him one cup and he sipped it, coffee. Toreen had come to enjoy a cup or two in the mornings. His lady limited herself to one because of something called caffeen. Unsure what it was, he was glad she was being careful.

  The food smelled delightful and his stomach growled. He ate quickly, but still enjoyed every bite. When he was done, Cretia was finishing her food too. Toreen knew they would have to go back to the castle to find out what had occurred last night. Because the king was so busy, lords almost always went to him. Hopefully, something had been resolved even if he couldn’t imagine what.

  “What will happen now that the ball is over?” Cretia asked.

  “I’m not sure. Now that we’ve eaten, we’ll go see Erak. He’ll need to know that father is here, but Mabest is not. I wonder what he’ll make of it.” Toreen explained.

  “Are you sure he doesn’t already know?” His lady wondered.

  “I’m not sure of anything at this point.”

  “Perhaps things will be resolved. All we can do is hope.”

  That was certainly true at this point. He knew little and had found out nothing. Hopefully the king would be understanding. Toreen had given it his best shot. “Are you ready?” He asked.

  Cretia nodded and they took their dishes to the kitchen as they exited the house. Changing and sitting down next to a table, Toreen waited for his lady to climb on board. She did quickly and grabbed on before he took to the skies.

  The flight was fast and with the sun beaming down on them, warm. He landed on the rooftop area set aside for such uses. The guards recognized him and his lady immediately and waved them in. That meant the king was expecting him. That was surprising especially since Erak hadn’t contacted him. They went to the king’s office area and they were waved through there too.

  Erak sat behind his desk while the emperor reclined in a seat in the far corner. “Sit, please.” The king motioned to two chairs across from his desk. “You are aware your father is at your house?” Toreen nodded. “Do you know about Mabest?”

  “No, I hoped you would have some news.” Toreen admitted.

  “I’ll be honest, had we not been watching, we would have been caught unaware.” The king explained.

  “You have her?”

  “I do. The whole situation came as a shock. Let me start by telling you a little about her. She is related to Dannia, but not Cretia. Her tribe, as you know, has many powers, at least the females of some bloodlines do. Mabest isn’t as powerful as Dannia. She can influence a male and her influence grows for a while, but at some point, the male begins to pull away.”

  “This is what happened to my father? He seemed different around her.” To
reen observed.

  “Yes, she was losing him and then the money dried up. Mabest was getting desperate. She saw your invitation as a golden opportunity to set herself up for life. She would leave your father, Niru behind to take the blame. Her plan was to disappear and never be found again.”

  “How would she get all this wealth?”

  “She had a plan to steal the riches. Mabest had an idea about what she would need to buy a house somewhere far away and live a good life for the rest of hers. Once she calculated what she needed, she had to find some place that amount of coin or items of value were. Those places are few and far between.”

  “Where did she target?”

  “She decided since she was invited to the ball and the ball was held at the castle, that the king’s treasury would support her.” Erak explained.

  “That’s insane. The treasury is fully secure. Only a fool would attempt that.”

  “I wish your faith was well placed. She made it to the inner courtyard and was among the beautiful art, jewels, and coins when she was caught. Your father was her undoing. She left him outside at the door guarding it. Her power over him had weakened to the point he wasn’t sure why he was standing there. Davy noticed and became concerned. She notified Romo and so it went up the chain of command until I was told. I dispatched guards who took your father into custody and checked to be sure the treasury was safe.”

  “It wasn’t.”

  “No, Mabest was inside drooling over the treasures. She tried to use her powers on the guards, but two were mated and she had no effect on them. The other two slowed and considered what she said, but shook off her control and did their duty.”

  “So what did you do with her?”

  “She’s in the dungeon for now. I’m considering sending her to the mining meteor. They can use females in the kitchen or the laundry. I’ll contact the manager there and see what he’ll pay. If she is acceptable, she can pay you some remuneration. Your father, he seems lost. I don’t know what to make of it.”

  “You think he struggles to remember?” Toreen asked.

  "I’m not sure he remembers much once he met her. Maybe that’s for the best?”

  “Did you find her possessions? None were left in my house.”

  “Yes, she liquidated most of her belongings and sold her house. She never planned to go back. She had only a trunk of clothing and a few treasured items. Mabest owned a small spaceship and it was waiting for her ready to take off. The pilot knew nothing of her plans. He was simply an employee.”

  “She knew how to hide her behavior and her plans from anyone around her.” Toreen admitted.

  “You’ll need to look out for your father. I truly believe he was a victim here. Perhaps Betty would take a look at him? She has experience with many things as an herbalist.”

  “You feel he’s unwell?”

  “Yes, he’s not right. I can’t explain it, but once you talk to him, you’ll understand.” Erak explained.

  That made Toreen worry about his father. He may have disappointed him, but he would always be his parent. Whatever he needed would be seen to. Toreen’s immediate family was small and he would see to all of them if need be. Nothing had more value than those closest to you.

  “I will see to him. I’m sure Betty will come to see him with Niku.”

  “She’s a good female.” Erak said.

  “You’ve all been lucky to find fated mates.” The emperor pointed out. “If Dori has more female relatives, we should encourage them to come here.”

  “My mate isn’t one of Dori’s.” Toreen pointed out.

  “Dori claims she is.” The emperor observed.

  It was true Dori had taken Cretia under her wing so to speak. Finally his mate had felt like she had a family that cared about her. “You have a point.”

  “You should go to check on your father. If anything else develops, I’ll send you a message. I think Mabest is finally dealt with. We have two other females like her in custody and other kings are investigating females like them in their kingdoms. The attempt to arrest Dannia is ongoing, but she’s not in our territory. It looks like at this point, we’ve done all we can.” The emperor said.

  Toreen felt for him. He watched all those around him find fated mates while he still searched unsuccessfully. Females pursued him, but none were right for him. He nodded to him and to Erak. It was time to return home and continue to put his life back together.

  He led his mate out of the office after the usual goodbyes. Mabest was under arrest which should mean she was finally out of their life for good. They headed to the roof where he changed and the guards helped his mate up on his back. He took off as soon as she was secure. It was time to begin the rest of their life.

  His father would be reclaimed into his life and now with money finally building back up, his lordship would become successful once again. With hard work and determination, his efforts would finally get results. From the air, he surveyed his personal lands and a portion of what he ruled. He’d even caught a glimpse of the hut his lady had once stayed in before he landed. It was good to be home.

  Once his lady slid off his back, he changed and it occurred to him he’d not checked his lady’s change to see how far it had proceeded. “Cretia, I would like to see how much of a dragon you’ve become.”

  “There’s no way I’m a dragon, but I’ll admit my senses are better and I’m stronger, maybe even faster.” She said.

  “Just try to make a change. Think about your dragon, even if it’s not a complete change. Think about her scales, her colors, and how much she wants to be freed, even if just for a few minutes.” Toreen explained and he felt the start of a change.

  No one could have ever been more surprised as he when she changed into a smaller dragon, gray and blue. Her colors were lighter than his. She was gorgeous and she took to flight right away. He changed and he took off after her, the thrill of the chase and the wonder of flying with his mate. Perhaps the change was reserved for fated mates. After an hour they landed and changed back.

  “Let’s keep this to ourselves for now.” Toreen suggested and Cretia agreed. They didn’t need to draw unnecessary attention right now.

  He led them into the house where his father was in the kitchen when they entered. He sat at the table Cretia preferred to use. “Toreen, where have you been? Who is this lovely female with you?” He asked.

  “Father, don’t you remember Cretia, my mate?”

  “Cretia? That sounds familiar.” He looked confused.

  “Have you had lunch?” Cretia asked his father.

  “I haven’t.”

  “Why don’t I get us something to eat?” Cretia said as she left them alone. Toreen saw dealing with this might be harder than he’d anticipated.

  “Why don’t we sit, Father?”

  “Why are you calling me father instead of Pa?"

  What should he tell him? He hadn’t called him Pa since he’d taken up with Mabest and what was worse, his father hadn’t seemed to notice at the time. Now it seemed he had. It was like they’d traveled back in time at least as far as their relationship with each other went. Could he go back and put aside all that had happened? Would it be right or fair to hold it against his father if he’d been victimized?

  To be honest, it was still so hard to wrap his head around a female taking control of a male’s mind. Even with the things he’d seen and been told it was so hard to process. He’d missed his father for years now. Would he turn away from the opportunity to have him back?

  “I was just trying it out.” Toreen explained.

  “I don’t like it. Just call me Pa as always.”

  Cretia came back with a tray and began to set drinks down. Someone handed her another tray and she set plates down. “Are we ready to eat now?” She asked.

  “I believe we are.” Toreen said and they began to eat. He had a lot to think about and his father was at the center of much of it. Dannia was a problem too, but one he could do nothing about.

  The day
went well with his father seeming to settle in and he and Cretia got on well. The next few days fell into a routine as his father learned the changes that had occurred on their lands and with their people while he’d been gone. It was decided he would stay at the manor house and take a job as a foreman.

  That was a good position and paid well. Having Pa in the position took some of the responsibility off Toreen and Pa had always done an exceptional job in any position he’d filled on Toreen’s lands. The gap in his memory bothered Pa and they decided to lie to him. Maybe it wasn’t the best solution, but it eased his mind.

  Once the decision was made, they immediately put it in effect. Betty and Niku came over for lunch the very next day. The dragonlets and Selia stayed with Dori. There was a knock on the door and Toreen rushed to answer it.

  “I’m pleased you could both come for lunch.” Toreen said and glanced behind him to see Pa standing there.

  “Niku! I’ve not seen you in a while.” Pa exclaimed seeming thrilled to see his youngest son. “Who is the lovely lady with you?”

  “Pa, it has not been that long. This is Betty, my mate and a healer. She is here to look at you and see if all is well. You had an accident and your memory has concerned Toreen and Cretia.”

  “I have had some headaches. I thought they would go away.” Pa admitted.

  “Why don’t we sit and have lunch? We can talk while we eat.” Cretia suggested.

  The food smelled terrific. “I don’t remember eating this well.” Pa said his forehead creased as he tried to remember.

  “That’s been a recent change.“ Niku admitted. “Do you remember Laurelia Proper getting hit by a meteor and exploding?”

  “Goddess, no! Did they all die?”

  “No, the planet was evacuated. As far as we know all made it off before it was hit.” Toreen explained.

  “So now there are no mates or did they all come here?” Pa asked.

  “A few came here, but many left to the other side of the galaxy. We found a new planet with compatible females.” Toreen observed.

  “This is where your mates are from?” Pa questioned.