Chapter One

Hawke walked briskly towards the room where his dragon brethren were gathered. His pace wasn’t because of his long strides but to keep up with his tiny wife, Daisye. While she had to take two steps to his one, she was like a dragonfly moving with a quick pace to her destination. He worried for her; their last pregnancy was rough and ended with the loss of a child that devastated them both. They’d just found out she was with child again. He’d scented it, and they had decided to keep it a secret until they knew it was safe. The concern of those who loved them was a blessing, but it almost became too much to bear.

Together they healed, and their love was stronger, but that didn’t mean he wanted to nestle her between blankets and not allow her to lift a finger. He smiled as she pushed the heavy doors and stepped inside.Daisye turned to look at him and asked with her southern sweet twang that never left, “Are you being purposely slow? Come on sugar, put some pep in those steps.”

That would never happen, not with her, he thought before answering. “Coming, my love.”

We might need a bigger meeting room. Inside were his brothers, their wives, and extended families. Orin and the Queen were at the head of the table as well as their newest member of the Paladin Court, Joy. To Erik she was Bliss, and he’d never seen the big galoot so happy. The chimera dragon who was Joy would be the biggest asset when the final battle came with Toshen, leader of the Shen dragon. That was one worry but Daisye had one other more important.

“So Hawke, you convened the court, what is the emergency?” Orin asked.

While younger than he, Orin’s succession to the throne had made them stronger after the death of his father. He ruled fairly and thought not only about his people but those of the earth realm. Any one of them would lay their lives down for their king, and even as Hawke advised Orin to stay within the safety of the castle walls. Orin was one and always would be a warrior of the court and fight alongside them.

“It wasn’t me who asked for the meeting, Sire.” Hawke bowed at the waist, and Orin frowned. He hated the bowing and the formality, but Hawke was from the old ways and showed respect for his king. “Daisye has information we need to hear.”

All eyes turned to his wife. How I love her, he thought as she stepped forward. Her dark hair was in soft curls on her shoulder, and she wore a tunic dress the color of the lavender grass of Paladin.

“You’re with child,” Gaerar said simply. “That’s the announcement.”

“What? No—no it’s not,” Daisye stammered and then sighed. “Well fuck, I am, but that’s not it.”

“We were trying to keep it a secret,” Hawke commented. “I should have known it would not be the case with dragons. They sensed it just as I do.”

“I know, but after the last time...” Daisye looked around sadly. “Y’all are sweet and your concern and love was amazing. But something like what we faced, the loss of a child we wanted so badly... I’m scared of it happening again and having to put on a brave face.”

Queen Valencia stood and walked around the table to embrace her. “You don’t have to be brave for us. Human or dragon alike, the loss of a pregnancy is hard. Scream, rage, cry, or tell us to get the fuck out, we’ll still be here.”

“And this time you’ll have your blessing,” Ginna announced firmly. “Hopefully it’s not like birthing Kalv’s large headed children. I’m still walking funny.”

“She’s kidding, aren’t you, love?” Kalv said as they laughed. “Aren’t you?”

“Maybe so, maybe no,” Ginna murmured and kissed his check.

“In any case, back to the matter at hand,” Daisye cut in. “We have a problem and a big one. Since I chronicle our lives and the Shen movements, blah, blah, y’all know what I do. I got information that an archeologist found a set of bones in Sierra Nevada—dragon bones.”

“That’s not possible,” Orin said. “When we die, our souls go to Valhalla, there is nothing left. The fires send us to the afterlife. That is the magic of Paladin.”

“Unless this dragon ever came home through the portal and stayed on earth,” Daisye added. “If you recall Michelle was weak and losing her magic before coming home, and Kalv could feel the pull but couldn’t find the portal. What if there was a dragon who was lost and died on earth?”

“It’s possible,” Erik murmured as he idly played with Joy’s hand. “My father used to tell us stories about dragons on the earth realm, in their dying they reverted to dragon from.”

“It’s more than possible.” Daisye paced while she spoke. “I have been through all the archives, and I mean all of them. I found one dragon that went missing in the earth realm. In the time we would call the gold rush on earth, the Wild West era.”

“The most awesome time in earth history.” Raul rubbed his hands in glee.

“If you start up on those damn movies again,” Raven sighed. “Please go on before he starts quoting John Wayne. There may be a dragon murder on your hands.”

Daisye grinned. “In any case, the Shen were living among the Chinese immigrants who were building the railroads, and the serpents worked in the mines alongside the humans. It was said that they were digging under the earth to make a place for the previous Shen king, when your father, Orin, sent this dragon to hunt them down.”

“There is not a lot of swamp water in these places, are there?” Joy asked. “They like the filth and mud.”

“In the California mountains there are beautiful rivers and lakes,” Orin answered.

Daisye added, “In those days, water was sluiced through mining operations to find gold. The waste water was mostly filled with mud. In a mine where they found water pockets or caves, the water and the mud would be a perfect place for the king to be hidden underground. And from what I read, he was much smaller then.”

“Yes, this king.” Joy shuddered. “Who knows how he was bred to be so massive.”

“Was there a name to this dragon?” Hawke asked his wife.

“Torbin,” Daisye answered and looked at Gaerar. “I found him in your family’s archive.”

“I have heard stories of our lost one,” Gaerar murmured. “But they were told as fairy tales.”

“Needless to say if this archeologist reveals dragon bones, and they did or do exist, it can add to the claims on the internet about seeing dragons in the sky,” Daisye said. “Y’all gotta be more careful, even though the videos are grainy, you may get the one guy with a good camera and poof—secret revealed.”

“Orin, we have to retrieve the bones of my ancestor,” Gaerar said. “Here on Paladin the magic is still strong enough to send his spirit to Valhalla.”

“Agreed,” Orin answered.

“There’s more,” Daisye spoke up. “The archeologist, Dr. Daphne Jordan, has had three break in’s at her home and office and one attempted mugging. She described one of her attackers as a taller than average male with Asian and African American features. She said he smelled like flighty swamp water when he tried to grab her.”

“The Shen,” Iarl and Skard said in unison.

It always amazed Hawke how the twins lived. From birth it was said they would not be without one another and would have their own language if they spoke at all. Many thought they spoke mind to mind and could sense each other’s impressions and pain. They fought how they lived, together as one entity, and it was a marvel to watch.

“I think they know she has the bones and assumes she’s knows about Paladin,” Daisye explained. “Or they want the bones, and her, to learn your weaknesses.”

“If she has those bones, they’ll be carbon dated, and they’ll try to find a DNA sequence,” Raven spoke up. “I’ve read Dr. Jordan’s papers. Her mind is... well, she is the best in her field for a reason. I was going to intern with her for my final but got beat out by some guy. That’s how I ended up in Wisconsin and met Raul.”

“And my life was changed forever by your love.” Raul pulled her onto his lap.

“It always amazes me that he is less of an asshole around her,” Joy murmured.

“Don’t worry, it amazes me too, and he’s still making up for how he treated you,” Raven said and kissed him affectionately. “But he’s my asshole, and I love him.”

Orin stood. “Gaerar, you shall retrieve the bones and bring them back to Paladin, and we will give the lost one Torbin his final rest. He will travel finally to be with your forefathers. Iarl, Skard, you two are to watch over this doctor and also retrieve any data she may have uncovered. Question any Shen you find. Since the battle when he had Joy, Toshen has gone too silent for my liking.”

“The earth realm,” Iarl said.

“Time for fun,” Skard added.

“We’ve been bored,” Iarl finished.

“It constantly amazes me how they start and finish each other’s sentences.” Raven shook her head. “I’d like to go too. I can speak her language and help the guys figure out what she has from her notes.”

“Good idea,” Orin spoke up. “Raul, you go with her, and Hawke, can you find them accommodations when you leave for London?”

“Yes sire, I can. We’ll be back in a few days, after Daisye’s check-up with the doctor,” Hawke replied.

“The rest of us will be on alert in case we get wind of Toshen,” Orin explained and turned to the twins. “I expect you both to behave.”

They grinned. “Don’t we always?”

“Word has gotten back to me about your courting of Mira who serves the ale,” Orin pointed out.

They looked at each other before Iarl spoke. “She misunderstood our intentions, Sire, we will make amends.”

“After this mission,” Orin replied. “Now let us have a meal together before we part.”

As the food was brought in, they talked and laughed, laying the issues they faced to rest for now. Hawke studied the twins, who sat together at the far end of the table. They spoke occasionally and were gentle as lambs with the children as they ran around and clambered on top of them. They worked as one, and Hawke wondered when they found love if it would be together as they were or as separate men. If Mira’s interpretation of their advances was accurate, they might have a harder time finding someone to love.