Origin (Scales 'n' Spells 1)

Lisette cleared her throat in a pointed manner. “And after we’re finished today, I think we should sit and properly plan a ceremony. Congratulations, both of you. I’m glad to see you didn’t let this nonsense stop you.”

Cameron couldn’t help the besotted smile on his face as he looked at Alric. “Rather the reverse. Made me realize I didn’t want to lose any more time with him.”

Lifting their joined hands together, Alric kissed the back of Cameron’s hand softly, his smile just as warm. “Indeed. And we’d like a proper ceremony, Lisette.”

“We’ll make sure it happens. And soon.”

Soon sounded perfectly wonderful to Cameron.

* * *

To Cameron’s surprise, the ceremony was not held in the great hall with its ancient banners and Alric’s obsidian throne. Instead, he found himself standing in the middle of a vast green field on top of a mountain. A field that could only be reached on the back of a dragon.

He and Alric rode together on Baldewin’s back as part of the great thunder of dragons flying up into the mountains. An honor guard circled Baldewin in his flight while more guards surrounded Sasha as she carried Cassie. Of course, Halmeoni had selected Ravi as her escort, which gave both him and Alric palpitations.

Alric helped Cameron down from his perch when they reached the field. Cameron paused to pat Baldewin on the side of the neck, thanking him for the ride before he stepped fully into the late-morning sunlight. The place was like something out of The Sound of Music with its vibrant green grass dotted with little white flowers and snow-capped mountain peaks. Well, this version would have been The Sound of Music meets Game of Thrones thanks to the dragons.

Looking up into the bright blue sky, he smiled to see dozens of dragons circling overhead. Their scales of various shades of red shone in the sun. Here and there someone would trumpet and roar. He could only guess that anyone hearing it in the valley would simply think it was thunder. It was a shame the humans had no idea that the dragons still existed.

Was that when things had gone so wrong in the world? When it had lost the dragons and magic?

Maybe it was time for that to change. Maybe when the dragons found their lost mages, they would reconsider coming out to the humans.

The world needed its dragons and a little bit of magic.

“Are you ready?” Alric’s voice had changed, become so much deeper. Cameron pulled his gaze from the sky where he’d been watching the dragons circle before landing in the field to find Alric was now in his dragon form.

Stepping up to his mate, Cameron lovingly ran a hand over his long snout, smiling into his deep blue eyes ringed with gold. He was so handsome for a dragon. Not a concept he ever thought would cross his mind, but it was true. When he looked at Alric, he thought his dragon was the most handsome of all. That couldn’t possibly be love talking. Cameron definitely wasn’t biased.

“You are so beautiful,” Cameron said. He stroked Alric’s face and down his deep rosewood skin. It was blissfully warm to the touch and silky smooth. While the sun was warm overhead, the wind whipping across the field was more than a little chilly with the faint smell of snow.

A familiar rumble like thunder moved up Alric’s throat and Cameron laughed. His happy dragon was not-purring. He lifted his head proudly and spread his good wing, stretching it. Cameron’s eyes darted to the damaged wing, his mechanical engineer mind turning over the shape and size. He could fix it. He was sure he could create a mechanical solution that would allow his beloved mate to fly again with his clan.

But he didn’t want to mention it to Alric yet. He didn’t want to give his love false hope. Not until he’d at least turned the idea over with Gunter. And maybe Lisette. Combining magic and mechanics had worked to free him from the Jaeggi. Why couldn’t it help Alric fly?

Cameron kissed Alric’s cheek. “I’m ready.”

And he was. Standing on this mountaintop with Alric, surrounded by dragons and mages, Cameron would never have thought he’d be here. His parents had tried to convince him his place was in a good-paying job that got him a nice house, a husband, and a couple of kids, but that reality had never fit him. His soul had been crying out for something more, something so much bigger than he could understand.

It had been crying out for his dragon.

Last night, he’d lain awake beside Alric, listening to his lover’s steady breathing in his sleep, thinking about the path he was on. There was no denying he was scared. The role he was stepping into was a big one with a great deal of responsibility. He didn’t know how to lead a clan of dragons and mages, particularly one likely heading back into a war with the Jaeggi.