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CHAPTER 4

MORE MAGIC, THE ELDEST DRAGON,

AND THE ENDING OF A SEPARATION

Janet was gently shaken awake. Her sleep had been free of nightmares, for once full of pleasant dreams. She looked towards the balcony doors, seeing that the curtains had been drawn open. It seemed to be nearly two hours 'til midnight, or so her internal time sense told her, a sense that had also sharpened with her Awakening. Ellis gently lowered a tray before her, as she sat up against the headboards. This time, the tray held what seemed to be some kind of fish, with vegetables, and a mildly spiced wine. It also held some strange fruit, which tasted somehow both sweet and tart, and seemed to melt in her mouth.

* * * * *

When they were done, she went to the next room, to see her friends. As soon as she walked in the door, Guardian ran over to her, tail wagging with eagerness. She gave him a tight hug, and then went over to the she-bear. The wounds on the leg that had been caught in the bear trap were nearly healed over. The bear didn't complain when she gently touched the cuts, although it clearly felt the pressure of the touch, so Janet thought it would likely be ready to return to the mainland within a few days at most.

Of the rest of the animals, mainly consisting of the Mynkathi pack, Kimber was the worst of them. Janet gently felt along the wolf-bitch's sides, and nearly jerked away when a very soft touch to the ribs caused Kimber to whimper in pain. She turned to Ellis, to ask him to put the she-wolf to sleep, but Ellis said that she could do it herself. His explanations were concise and to the point. Then she tried it. She reached, deep inside herself, for the core of her being, the magic spark called the soul or spirit, and felt, somehow knew, what to do. She wove the Sleep spell deftly, a spell that Ellis noticed was definitely stronger than anything he could do for non-Immortals. Janet also modified the spell, so that the wolf would be oblivious to any pain Janet might accidentally cause through her inspection.

Janet reached for the magic again, and wove a spell to discover what injuries the wolf was suffering. When this was done, she saw that the shattered ribs were the worst there was, except for a strange taint she realized was similar to, if weaker than, the one which had nearly killed Guardian. She gently laid her hands over the area of the shattered ribs, and slowly let her will pass through the injury, letting it heal at a faster pace, not directly healing it as she had done for the cub. Then she removed the taint, ignorantly drawing it into herself.

When Ellis saw what she was doing, he held out a strange crystal, which he instructed her to use as receptacle for the taint. She transferred the taint again, this time into the crystal, which darkened for a moment, then began to glow. She stared into the crystal a moment, then saw the spells woven into it; spells of reversal and, if the latter did not work, spells of negation. She realized she could now draw on the energy in the crystal as an additional bolster to her own strength.

Doing so, she accelerated the healing process for the rest of the animals in the makeshift infirmary cum menagerie, and felt she had barely expended any of her energy in the process. She noticed that the crystal still glowed.

Realizing she was still naked, she thought of the clothes her locket had provided the day before, envisioned herself so clothed again, and then imagination became fact. She started to hand the crystal back to Ellis, but he shook his head. "Once used by someone, it cannot be used by another, until that one passes on, or willingly gives it up. It's a Focus Stone. It can be used as an energy source and storehouse, as an amplifier of your spell-weavings and as a talisman against enemy spells. Here, put it on this." He held out what seemed to be a broach, to hold a cloak in place, but then she saw the indentation for the crystal. As she brought the crystal nearer, the broach glowed slightly, then, with a slight flash of light and a quiet click, the Stone was part of it. She wondered where she should where it, and suddenly she was wearing a cloak. Shrugging, she pinned it in place with the amulet.

"We should go. It will be time to meet the High Council soon," Ellis said, and then led the way back to the other room, where he opened the balcony doors. As Janet followed him, she realized that she, in turn, was being trailed by Guardian. It seemed he did not want to leave her again. Ellis, seeing this predicament, transformed into a Dragon again. The cub stalked over to him, hackles bristling, as he sniffed at the dragon. Then he went over to the Dragon's foreleg and started rubbing up against it.

Ellis gave a shrug, then said, in the Dragon's tongue, wondering if Janet would understand him, "Bring him along, won't hurt him, or us. And it might prove to them that you are what we believe you are, if they see Moon Wolves following you." Janet understood him perfectly. She went over, picked up Guardian, then climbed aboard Ellis' shoulders again, settling between the same two neck ridges as before, this time holding a slightly quivering wolf cub in her arms. The Dragon walked out onto the balcony, and then leapt, and, with great wing strokes, flew off into the night, heading for a tall crystal tower in the center of the city of Eyrie Draconis.

* * * * *

Anikathlianra was waiting for them when they landed. "The Elders are all inside, Brother. Although you're a little early, their getting impatient." Then she noticed the broach Janet was wearing. "You gave her that Focus Stone? The Elders won't be pleased. Although, I think, Killian will laugh it off."

Ellis, having returned to his humanoid form once more, stopped dead in his tracks as he heard that last name. "The Eldest is here? You almost let me walk in there without knowing? An oversight, I hope. Don't let it happen again, if you please, Sister." He turned to Janet, holding out his hand. "Shall we go impress the living daylights out of these old Dragons, my love?"

Nodding, she put Guardian down, as he was starting to squirm, then took Ellis' offered hand and walked in with him, wondering why he was suddenly so tense.

When they entered the Council Chamber, she saw. Sitting in a large semicircle were thirteen of the oldest men and women she had ever seen, although their age was more apparent in their proud and wise bearing than in their actual appearance, it was more sensed than seen. And, off to one side, was a huge dragon the color of pure gold, lying curled around a large egg, whose shell was also gold tinted.

"As thou hath summoned us, Elders, so do we attend thee," Ellis said, with a respectful bow towards the group of men and women. He turned to the Dragon at the side of the room, and went down on one knee. "Lady Killian, it is an honor to be in thy presence once more. How doth thine egg's hardening?"

"It is a slow process, my Son. This one will be the last Dragon born of the egg. The stasis spell on it was strangely altered, making it impossible to remove, so I had thy spell-weavers alter it again so that it would only slow time, not stop it completely. I fear it to be months yet from hatching, even after these last three years of guarding and warming it. And this is thy companion from before your Awakening?" At his quiet nod, the Dragon's head turned toward Janet. "Come forward, child. Let me look at you. Do not fear. It has been many millennia since I have bitten, eaten, or even harmed anyone, and then it was always in self-defense, or in defense of the Light, against the Dark."

Janet nodded, and slowly walked toward Killian. The ancient Dragon looked her over, asking her to turn around slowly, saying nothing about the amulet at Janet's shoulder, then to move nearer, so Killian could have a closer look at her face. When the Eldest saw her eyes, thou, her own widened in surprise. "By the Light! I believed Anikathlianra to be pulling my tail, but she spoke true. The stars shine from her eyes." Killian turned back to Ellis. "You did well to bring her here before her Awakening. We all felt the Power released as it happened. You also did very well in giving her my mother's Focus Stone, though I wish you had informed me of why you wanted it, and not some story about wanting to study it. But, knowing you, Ellisanavriel, you probably did study it as well, just to cover your bets, hmm?" Killian chuckled, a deep, low rumble in her throat. "She will have to learn her abilities quickly, for I fear the Dark will not let her go unchallenged for long. Good thing we are always on the alert for such an attack.

"And, I believe I will leave this hatchling's raising up to you, child," she said, turning back to Janet, "once you have gone through Chrysalis, especially as I've heard it said that the Mynkathi actually follow you. And the cub there only proves it," Killian said, looking at Guardian, who suddenly bristled at all the attention Janet and he were getting. He started growling, almost inaudible, but stopped when Killian told him to quit behaving like an ingrate. "We mean neither of you any harm, little one. You have done well," she said, to which his only reply was to lie down and start licking his paws clean. "She has already used the Stone, I see," Killian said, pointing a claw at Janet.

Janet looked at Ellis to see if she should reply, then did, at his slight nod. "I didn't have it this morning when I healed Guardian, here, but I used it to remove the blood-magic taint from the rest of Kimber's pack."

Killian's head suddenly shot up to the limit of her neck, looking down at Anika, behind Ellis and Janet. Anger was clearly visible in the way she held herself rigid. "Thou didst not inform me that someone had attacked the Moon Wolves with blood magic, Daughter. Didst thou forget to mention this, or didst thou not truly know?"

"All that I didst remember, Mother, I hath told thee. I had no idea that blood magic had been used against them. Only that they had been injured defending Janet against five men who sought to take her to their home for, as Ellis claims they said, entertainment. All I knew was that she had been tending injured creatures of the woods surrounding her cove for some years, the Mynkathi helping her with food gathering and locating those in need of her care. And protecting her from harm. Such as that little cub there is trying to do now," Anika declared, indicating Guardian with a slight gesture, as he had suddenly leapt to his feet again, growling louder this time. Killian stared down at him, and then suddenly drew her head back from him, as he suddenly started to glow, and then Janet and Ellis were suddenly surrounded by all the able-bodied Mynkathi, who were literally appearing out of the shadows cast by Guardian's glow, forming a defensive ring around them. All the wolves were glowing and growling, and most were looking at Killian, feeling her anger to be the most immediate threat to their charge. "Well, well, well. Powerful allies thou doth have, here, child." The anger drained out of Killian as suddenly as it had appeared. "And it seems you do take good care of them." She turned to the Elders. "Doth thou need anymore proof? The Mynkathi are willing to give their lives to protect her, as is she to protect them, as evidenced by her healing them when she was barely out of her Awakening. And she cannot be left in danger outside, where the Dark could so easily get at her. As it did her family." Janet flinched at the last. "She should be protected until she reaches Chrysalis. Should she come to harm, it would be a severe loss for the entire world... and could mean the end of all life should she be turned.

"And I will disallow any punishment against Ellisanavriel for bringing her here before she was Awakened. Had she been outside, she would have been destroyed or turned while at her weakest, during or right after her Awakening. Tell me, my Son, did she request to sleep through it?" As he shook his head no, she nodded. "I thought not. She will be a Power to contend with once she has taken her true form. I think they may go. What doth thou think, my friends?" she asked the Elders.

"As you say, Eldest. I would like to get to know the young woman, myself," said the man in the middle.

"Sir, I would request that you wait until she is completely comfortable in the Eyrie. At the moment, I am her only means of getting around such a large city in a timely manner, and I do have other duties to perform... Duties which, I fear, I have held in abeyance for the past two weeks as I searched for her, then stayed by her." Ellis said. He seemed uncomfortable at arguing with one of his superior officers.

"I think we can help with that, lad. Until further notice, you are on leave of absence, retroactive to the time you left on your search. Indefinitely, until such time as your companion no longer requires your constant attention," the elder said, in pleasant tone.

"Thank you, Elder Garoliam. It is much appreciated." He saw Janet was still staring at Killian, a dazed expression on her face. Then, realizing what had shocked her so, Killian's revelation about the death of their family, he swore. "I could wish you had kept silent about the deaths of our relatives, My Lady," he said quietly to her, pitching his voice in such a way as only Killian could hear him. "Janet is still plagued by nightmares of the day she found us in that situation, thinking us all dead. Only my Awakening the night before saved me. But Janet did not know I still lived. I would request you not mention it again in her presence until those wounds have scarred over."

"Yes, I realize my mistake. Take her back to her quarters, and tender my sincerest apologies once she recovers," the ancient Dragon answered.

With a nod to everyone, Ellis guided Janet back outside, where, instead of resuming Dragon form, he teleported them back to the bedroom, using a spell. Once there, he undressed her and put her to bed. Guardian jumped up onto the foot of the bed, where he lay down, watching Ellis, as he quietly undressed as well and climbed into bed beside Janet, whom he held in his arms, after casting a Sleep spell on her once more, then fell asleep himself.

* * * * *

As Janet slowly came awake, she realized where she was, and decided to take advantage of the situation. Turning in Ellis' arms, she began kissing him, on the mouth, the eyes, his neck, nibbling his earlobes. She felt him wake, aroused and filled with desire.

He began repaying her in kind, kiss for kiss. He slowly slid his hands down her back, then up her sides, his fingers trailing ticklishly against her skin. He passed his hands lightly over her breasts, down her stomach, and then held her gently by the waist as he turned onto his back, pulling her into a kneeling position on his lap, their legs meeting at the knees. He raised his head, licking and lightly nibbling her nipples, while he rubbed her back, buttocks, and the sides of her thighs just as lightly, bringing goosebumps of pleasure and a flush of arousal to her skin.

He trailed kisses down her front, slowly raising himself from the bed and lowering her down, until he reached her vulva. He started gently kissing her around her labia, kissing and licking the insides of her thighs, then nibbling, kissing, licking, and sucking her clitoris.

When she was on the edge of climax, they reversed direction. Now she kissed him down his front, finally reaching his erection. She started sucking on his penis, licking around the glans, on his scrotum, up and down his shaft. When he neared ejaculation, she straddled him, taking him into her. She rode him a few, pleasurable moments, and then they again switched positions, turning over so he was on top. As they enjoyed each other's bodies, pleasuring each other to the point of ecstasy and beyond, they finally consummated the end of a long, extremely painful separation. They proclaimed their love for one another as they climaxed simultaneously, powerfully.