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He didn’t understand, and none of it mattered because he was charged to defend the herd.
In his soul, his son was a windrider, and his son understood. They served the herd.
“All right, children, I’ve had quite enough.” His mother snapped her fingers, and suddenly the sound of the wasps intensified, solidified, and there were a dozen black dragons popping into the air from nowhere, mists swirling around them.
They moved as one, and the dragons fell, one after the other, as if they had been wrapped in huge blankets and smothered or turned to stone.
The one that was holding him had stilled, as if frozen, petrified, and his mother simply took the blade from his hand and eased Harden out of the way and into Brayden’s protective wings, which closed around him like a trap.
Mother. We have to protect her.
I think she’s doing fine on her own.
He glanced back and she was examining the tip of the blade with his blood on it. Then she pressed it against the soldier’s chest in a motion that was a blur. “Send a message to your boss. This place is protected by the Obsidian Ones, and I will not have any more attacks. Is that perfectly clear?”
The soldier didn’t say a word.
Harden didn’t think he could, he seemed to be still as a statue. Harden watched in horror as Mother pushed the blade straight through the dragon’s chest up to the hilt, and then she smiled and snapped her fingers again, and he was gone.
They all looked around. Everyone was still, everyone but Brayden, him, these black dragons, and Mother.
One of them swirled into being in front of him, and Brayden stiffened in recognition.
That’s him. That’s the one. That’s the one from before. The man I saw.
He opened his mouth to warn his mother to be careful, when the black dragon smiled. “It’s been a while since I’ve seen you, Alina.”
Mother smiled back, her face peaceful. “Yes, I’ve been quite happy and very, very busy. I do appreciate you taking care of things for me, though. Honestly, we can’t be allowing this sort of thing to take over. He can do as he pleases in the cities. But when he begins to challenge outside the gates, it’s a problem.”
The black dragon came to Mother and embraced her. “I do miss you.”
“You’re always welcome at the farm, dear ones, all of you. Honestly, you’ve been away too long.”
He nodded, then kissed her cheek. “Goodbye, sister. I’m sure I’ll see you soon.”
Sister.
Harden reeled in shock, his eyes bugging out of his head.
“Brother, you’re going to be a great uncle.”
The dragon smiled at him. “How exciting. He has our blessing.”
“I—Thank you.” Harden gulped another huge breath, and Brayden seemed to finally breathe with him, wings allowing him a little space.
The big dragon grinned at him, nodded once. “You’ve earned your title of bwostfal-meist. Protect the herd at all costs. You honor your name.”
Harden bowed his head because that was quite the compliment. “Thank you. I must protect them and my son knows exactly what that means too.”
“So does your mate.” Brayden kissed the side of his neck, hand over the place where his belly had been poked with the knife.
“You are a fine protector, Brayden. You all would have done perfectly well on your own, but I’m glad Sister called to us.”
“I’m stunned that she was able. Are you going to be staying for our gathering?”
Harden would let them all stay if they wanted to, even though many of the Obsidian Dragons were already swirling out of sight in clouds of black shadow now that the other dragons had been defeated.
The outsider dragons had disappeared, almost as if they’d never been there.
