Chapter 30

CHAPTER THIRTY

T he dramatic notes of the vysarris lyra soothed Jaxxon’s soul as he pulled the bow vigorously over the strings, each note jolting his heartbeat to new heights. His body shook with each movement as he strolled around as if on the grand palace stage. He was the maestro of a celestial concert just before the war of all wars would begin.

He swiveled his head with each movement, clenching his jaw at the feeling of the notes vibrating against his naked body. Air filtered into his quarters from the open terrace, surrounding him in the slight chill of the pre-dawn darkness. As the last note hit, his shadows wrapped around him, sending the sharp note into a cyclone so energetic it burst forth with resounding echoes of anger, determination, and hope. His shadows fell around him after a final thunderous beat.

“Damn, Jaxx! Turn that down or you’ll scare the hell out of everyone before the mission even starts!” Zade entered from their shared terrace. “And put on some goddamn clothes!”

Jaxxon knew his intense music frightened his men because they never knew what his mood was when he played. This time, the music settled him after another sleepless night of bad dreams.

The vysarris lyra was his most precious possession, given to him by his mother, Light Queen of the South. Whenever he heard its notes, he felt her embracing him with grace and fierceness. She had been a legendary queen known for her remarkable musical talents—one, she taught Jaxxon. He missed the many lessons he had with her. She blended music into lessons about strategy, war, and trading—things she knew would be needed of him when he became the king one day.

While not yet a king, my reign as a warlord has been legendary, nevertheless. The Vralgari will never defeat my will. I’ll take back Crelentia. And my trusted vysarris lyra will play once more in the City of Spice, where my mother ruled.

Placing his trusted friend back in its wooden case, he put it in the corner of his room. Tapping the coms on his wrist, he uploaded his latest recording into his musical collection. His music served him well on long journeys. No matter where he was, listening to his music put him at ease, letting him focus and plan.

After putting on his black cargo pants and muscle shirt, donning his hooded black jacket, and wearing combat boots, he joined Zade on the terrace. Zade’s leather flight jacket was slung over his arm, and his black hair hung loosely around his shoulders. They looked like two warlords ready to take on the world.

They watched the sun rise high in the Crelentian sky. It was beautiful watching the sunlight twinkle in the misty Villagio mountains.

“Just imagine these mountains filled with baby dragons—” He looked up to the dragon’s lair. “Children running through the valley, and our trading coffers filled with intergalactic treasures.” He smiled. “It’s that vision that pushes me each day.”

He breathed in the crisp air, thinking about the dangerous mission they were about to begin and prayed they’d see the beautiful misty mountains again.

Every mission had its risks, and they were used to danger. But this felt different.

“Tiara has the power to restore our bloodline—and an amulet that can restore the dragon breeding grounds. If we are successful, Crelentians will rise from the ashes as Protectors of the Celestial Realms once more.” He looked at Zade. “But she’s not telling us everything. And I don’t trust any descendant of the Goddesses of War.”

“She will need to earn our trust,” said Zade thoughtfully. “And we will need to earn hers.”

“She’s so goddamn stubborn! She saw what the Vralgari and horde did on Mineva. But she has no idea about the other predators who are on Crelentia.”

“Crelentia and her inhabitants pose many dangers. That’s true,” said Zade. “But Crelentia also has much beauty.”

“Well, I’ve got my hands full with the beauty who will probably get a spanking on this trip!” Jaxxon chuckled, looking down at the terrace doors protecting her from danger. Doors he wanted to open each night and take her back to his quarters.

“Now that’s the spirit!” Zade punched him on the arm.

“How do we retrain these women? They grew up in the Mineva mining colony, learning to control the men there! Using them for money and glamour.” He shook his head.

“We’ll break them of their bad habits,” said Zade. “Either with kindness—or a good—” Zade acted out his punishment.

Jaxxon laughed. “So says the man who loves giving them trinkets and whatever else they demand !” He would show her. Or she would break him, which wasn’t an option. He was used to being alone. And he didn’t need the drama. Or the headache of loving a woman he couldn’t trust or control.

“She’s trying to wrap her painted nails around my dick. And I must admit it feels really fucking good watching her chase me.”

“Your love could restore a powerful bloodline in the universe,” Zade quipped.

“One fate tried to stamp out long ago,” Jaxxon reminded him.

“Well, she is either your downfall or the beginning of a new destiny,” joked Zade. “Perhaps you’ll find a pleasurable use for ‘Destiny’s Hammer!’”

Jaxxon acted out using his ‘hammer’ as Zade roared with laughter.

But as the sun finally rose, Jaxxon knew the time for joking had passed. A dangerous mission was about to begin. Seeing Zade stiffen, he knew he felt the same.

“Your father, Shadow King of the South, declared you Destiny’s Hammer on that fateful day,” said Zade, holding him in a powerful stare. “You’ll make him proud.”

Jaxxon swallowed. Since his first encounter with Tiara, she had changed his destiny. Together, they could restore their kind and their dragons. But first, he had to keep her alive long enough to find the dragon breeding grounds and unhatched eggs. They needed more dragons to protect their world and travel through portals for better trading. Trading had been the Crelentians’ primary business. And it had been their rightful legacy. A legacy the Vralgari had stolen from them.

“I wasn’t the only one given a destiny that day,” said Jaxxon, looking sternly at Zade. “Your father, Shadow King of the North, gave you a destiny too.”

Zade’s shadows rippled as he looked to the north. While they couldn’t see the far-off lands of the northern kingdom, they knew one day they would return. And while Zade lacked the confidence to believe in his destiny, Jaxxon knew Zade would accomplish it.

“I’ll help you, cuz,” he said, punching Zade on the arm to bring him back.

Zade’s shadows receded, replaced by a devilish smile. “Let’s go raid!”

“And hatch some dragons!” rumbled Kylo as he landed on the terrace.

Jaxxon and Zade laughed, ducking quickly as Galan landed on the right, swinging his tail to push Kylo over.

“Remind me to make my terrace smaller in my next fortress so I’m not assaulted by bickering dragons every goddamn morning!” said Jaxxon as Kylo shoved him with his wing.

He put on his hardened face and encased his heart in shadows—it was time to do what Crelentian males did best. Make shit happen! Jaxxon straddled his dragon, launching him into the air, flying over the men and women as they journeyed to the valley with their packs filled for the long mission.

Jaxxon checked their supplies and weapons list for the final time with everyone assembled. They were used to traveling light, knowing they had to be agile. But the women weren’t pleased as he and Zade emptied their bags, removing unnecessary things. Tiara quickly argued about why each thing was needed, leading to their first argument. One he won easily.

No sooner had the girls repacked than Maya came running down the hill. Judging from the backpack and duffel bag in her hand, they would also need to sort through her stuff.

“Maya? I thought you weren’t coming!” shouted Tiara, grabbing her into a hug.

“Are you kidding me? I overheard the men say you were looking for buried jewels and power stones! It’s a damn shame I heard it from the men and not from you!” She glared at Tiara, pushing her away before turning to hug the other women accompanying them.

Jaxxon didn’t miss the look of hurt on Tiara’s face as Maya talked with the other women, murmuring about the chance to find treasure and wealth on Crelentia.

Turning to Zade, Jaxxon said, “This is going to be a long trip. All they care about is treasure hunting! So unlike our Crelentian women.”

“And those two are always at each other’s throats. Two drama queens are going to be a real treat!” Zade raised a brow.

Jaxxon brought everyone’s attention back to him and Zade. Both men would not tolerate disobedience once the mission began, and as far as he was concerned, the mission started as soon as they entered the valley. There was no better time to tell them what being on the mission meant. And who was in charge .

“Tiara, Maya—bring the women forward and kneel.” He saw them shiver at the command in his voice and they quickly came forward. Kneeling before him, they stretched their necks to see his face. His shadows sailed around them, enveloping them in darkness.

Zade handed each woman a shirt, instructing them to put it on. Like Jaxxon’s, his voice was cold and commanding. “We cannot let anyone know you are Crelentian females. Your tattoos must be concealed at all times.”

The women exchanged a look of confusion as he continued, “I’m sure you have enough makeup in those bags of yours to conceal the tattoos on your necks. Be swift about it. We must leave as soon as you finish.”

Tiara raised her hand. Jaxxon nodded, allowing her to speak.

“Our tattoos are beautiful! Why can’t we show them off? We want to walk proudly as Crelentians! As equals beside the men!”

“You know what the Vralgari would do to you if they find you. And the Vralgari have many spies who’d happily turn you in for treasure!” He looked at Maya, who boldly held his stare. She’s going to be a real draking problem! He glanced at Zade, who shook his head as Jaxxon continued.

“And there are others on Crelentia with powerful magic. They won’t hesitate to enslave, eat, or simply kill you for sport!” The women paled, and Maya shivered.

“Our job is to keep you alive. Your job is to follow our orders.”

The women were wide-eyed as they nodded. The men turned their backs, giving them privacy to dress. Finally, they stood, taking their places among the men.

“You’ll be bathed in our shadows as we embark on this journey. But most of the time, you’ll be in plain view,” said Jaxxon. “Stay by our side at all times. And don’t interfere with the customs of the people you encounter.”

Jaxxon went over more rules.

Do not shine your light. Do not reveal your magic. Do not draw the Fae’s attention.

And never, ever, run from my dragon.

He looked pointedly at a few women who seemed frightened being so close to the dragons. “The dragons are still getting used to you and don’t mean you any harm,” he said.

Zade walked over, handed the women coms to wear around their wrists, and explained how to operate them. The short-range communication devices weren’t as sophisticated as the rest of the team’s and were intended to be used solely if they got separated.

“Oh my god! We can send messages and take pictures!” Tiara and her friends began murmuring and trying out the system as Jaxxon shook his head.

“Do I get a hologram too?” she shouted.

“Drak! No, you don’t. You’re lucky Zade talked me into giving you coms!” He gave them a minute to settle down.

Jaxxon looked at the men, women, and dragons assembled for the mission.

“The Vralgari are not after your blood. They’re after your magic!” His elemental tattoos rippled as his shadows flared in beautiful symbols.

“A mere touch isn’t enough. They must latch onto you with the feeding receptors in the palms of their hands or their fangs!” He looked at the women, the young dragon riders, and the adolescent dragons accompanying them. “And don’t let them thrall you! Letting those fuckers into your head won’t end well.”

“And don’t let them into your dreams!” said Hassan, loud enough for Jaxxon to hear. He had a snide smile on his face. Jaxxon wanted to kick in his teeth. But Hassan was strong, and despite everything else, he knew Hassan would always have his back in a fight. It was the only reason he carried the loudmouth asshole on every raid.

Now twenty-three years old, the two men had been fighting their entire lives. They didn’t like each other even before the Vralgari arrived on their planet. And Jaxxon was sure they’d fight well into old age. Jaxxon and Hassan were simply two men who hated each other but needed each other to survive. Hassan wanted a command of his own. Yet, circumstances forced them always to live together. But there were only two rulers of Crelentia—Jaxxon and Zade. And Hassan knew he could never unseat them.

A dragon roared overhead, landing on the ground. A young rider hopped down. “I wanted to see you off, Warlord Jaxxon.”

It was the rider who’d been injured—he was almost fully healed, as was his dragon. “I’ll defend the fortress with the others while you go on this important mission,” he said.

“I wouldn’t expect anything less,” said Jaxxon as he shook the rider’s hand. Everyone cheered, reminding them what was at stake.

Lakoda was with the young dragon rider. Tiara and Lori rubbed the whiskers on his chin and the spikes on his head as he bent down. Tiara reached into her bag, giving him a Velen pear.

But Kylo and Galan made it clear Lakoda couldn’t accompany them. “You are a brave baby dragon, but your wings can’t carry you the distance we will travel,” they said. “Stay here and defend the fortress. And don’t get into any trouble!”

Lakoda bellowed in protest, but Kylo swept him backward with his tail. Lakoda was defiant, trying to step forward again with the group, but Kylo nipped him on the leg, sending him flying into the air. He landed next to Tiara, brushing his whiskers along her hands once more before finally flying back toward the fortress.

“I’ll bring you back a present,” she yelled at Lakoda as he blew a puff of shadows. “He’s so cute!”

Jaxxon called the meeting back to order, knowing they needed to depart just after dawn to stay on schedule. “We must follow the amulet’s map to the first symbol. First, we’ll head to the Port of Genihe. And then we’ll cross the Sea of Cadence.” He rubbed his jaw as he looked toward the horizon.

“We don’t have enough dragons to fly everyone over the Sea of Cadence. So, we’ll ride our motorbikes on land as far as possible. The dragons will keep watch over us as we ride. While some dragon riders will mount their dragons, others will ride together on motorbikes.” The dragons nodded at Jaxxon as he explained the route.

“What about your spaceships?” asked Tiara. “How are we going to cross the Sea of Cadence?”

Some of the men laughed. Jaxxon chuckled. “Why didn’t I think of that?” She blushed.

“The Vralgari destroyed our space program. We have a few spaceships that are only used for space raids. The smaller shuttles our parents used to travel around Crelentia are now lost to us.” But he smiled. “Perhaps we will find more along the way. Like dragons, Crelentians are secretive. Who knows what we’ll find as we cross our great lands.”

Zade slapped him on the shoulder. “Jaxx is being modest. I’m sure he intends to find more ships during this mission. He’s our master instructor. He found and figured out how to operate the few spaceships we have. When he’s not commanding the deck, he’s studying the space program to try and rebuild it from the ground up.”

He smiled at Jaxxon with pride. Jaxxon nodded back, thankful for the kind words of recognition. But he knew Zade was being modest.

“Zade’s talents with science and technology are just as good,” said Jaxxon. “He helped me build and sustain what we have. I couldn’t have done it without him.” He slapped Zade on the shoulder.

Jaxxon and Zade rode with the others, letting Kylo and Galan lead the dragons. As their procession got on their way, men and young boys shouted cheers from the mountain terraces and the surrounding forest. Women and young girls who stayed behind yelled prayers to Tiara and her friends. And dragon riders soared overhead, vowing not to let anyone invade the Villagio mountains in their absence.

The thick forested lands had many paths from their years of riding their motorbikes through the area. Their motorbikes were built for any terrain. Sophisticated technologically, with computers that synced to their coms, they had radar and night vision capabilities. They were easy to assemble and break down with just the touch of a few buttons. Solar–and lunar-powered, the bikes were fast and lightweight.

Jaxxon wasn’t surprised when Tiara chose to drive a motorbike while others rode with the men.

“Sleek design,” she had commented when she first set eyes on the bike, walking around and checking it out. As she rode, the women shouted and cheered. Tiara kicked up a wheelie, spinning it around as she headed out.

Drak! She’s a handful . Her ponytail with flying ribbons was a sure giveaway that she was a female if the curvy hips didn’t already stand out. The women’s figures were on full display, even in long-sleeved shirts up to their necks. His men watched them with newfound hunger, as would every inhabitant on Crelentia seeking pleasure.

But Jaxxon and Zade had prepared well, already informing the men to be ready to cast shadows around the women in an instant if danger arose. Each man was trained to create dampening fields—a complex magic that shrouded the women in a blurry mist, making it harder for people to see their faces clearly unless they got very close to them. Crelentian women could conceal themselves in light, but he wasn’t about to rely on the women’s ability to do it with such limited practice.

And so, their journey began that morning. A journey that would take them to many lands, some of which they had never ventured to before. While worried, the excitement grabbed his attention, as did glancing at Tiara occasionally. She was always looking at him, blushing when he caught her staring.

They stopped periodically to rest and eat. That first night, they kept going until they were so tired they could barely keep their eyes open. The next night, they set up camp and rose early in the morning to get on their way. They made it to the border of the Port of Genihe in record time.