Page 84 of Dragon Keeper
Why not? I’m an alpha. It’s my job.
I suppose.He met Sloan’s gaze, giving his mate a warm smile.Actually, I think your job is to go get me breakfast. I’m starving. It’s been a busy morning.
Then I will make a plate as soon as it’s done. In fact, I will slice bread.Sloan moved to help in the kitchen, slicing bread and putting out a plate of that along with the honey. Riley joined him, and the two of them jostled each other, play wrestling.
Salano glared at them. “You children need to be careful. This is my kitchen, and I?—”
That was when Stella’s screech filled the air, the sound wild and furious, a cry of sheer alarm, and then another sound—equally as wild and ten times as loud—answered.
Tyr didn’t know what was wrong, but he knew something was, and he began to run, out calling for his bees, for help. The buzz that answered from the hives was vast.
They ran to the backyard where two cloaked dragons stalked toward Fredda. Stella stood between them, and so did the orblok, both of them using their voices to slow the dragons, as little Fredda tried to wriggle away from a third.
Tyr roared, his dragon coming forth in a surge. The bees followed him, and they wrapped around Fredda, buzzing and beating at the thief with their wings.
The sound of three big alpha male dragons echoed through the garden, almost deafening, as Riley, Abe, and Sloan raced to the rescue. Golden light surrounded Fredda and his bees, Tor’s magic battering at the dragons and pushing them back.
Inky black clouds issued from one of the cloaked figures, the smell like tar, the air going cold.
He opened his mouth and roared, gouts of nectar pouring from his muzzle, spraying the cloaked figures and enveloping them in molten honey. This was his home, these were his hives, this was his family, and he would not have this.
Their orblok screamed again, the sound shattering to the ears. And the honey began to solidify, crystallizing around them.
Once more, brother, and then I can hold them fast.Tor was glowing, sending so much light to combat the darkness the others had spread. It blinded him.
This is MY FAMILY!He screamed the thought out, making it as loud and strong as he possibly could, letting the world know that he would not allow his family to be harmed, and if they came, he would meet them.
If they came again, he would destroy them and salt the earth that they touched.
The dragons seemed to shatter into a million pieces, the combined strength of all their attacks too much for the magic to hold them together. The bees came to him then, bumping him, making sure he was well.
“My loves, are you well? My sweet loves, thank you. So good to me.” He slumped to the ground, unable to hold his weight up, so tired. But it wasn’t like before; this was a physical tiredness, not a mental tiredness.
“Tor, who were those things?” Aleana stared at them, arms wrapped tight around Fredda. “Where did they come from?”
Tor shook his head. “I don’t know. I don’t know.” Tor met his eyes, then Aleana’s. “But I will not leave you undefended.”
“Thank you. All of you.” Abe grabbed Stella up in his arms even as Aleana took Fredda into hers. “My brave little owl dragon. Daddy is so proud of you.”
Sloan came to him, grabbing him and holding him close, sitting with him right on the ground. “Are you okay?”
He blinked up at Sloan. “They were going to hurt my family. This is my hive.”
His voice sounded raw and rough and unfamiliar. Angry. He was never angry. He didn’t like being angry.
It’s right, love. This is your hive. You protected it. I’m very proud of you.Sloan glanced up at Tor. “Is he going to be all right?”
“He’s going to be fine. Let’s get him inside; let’s get everyone inside. He needs rest and food. He spent a lot of energy just then.”
“It wasn’t just me who spent the energy,” he croaked.
That was about the time that Tor began to sway.
A flutter of wings sounded, and he looked up in alarm, but it was Cadeyrn, his dearest friend, and Harden and Brayden.
“Zeke is coming. We heard the alarm raise. What happened?”
Sloan shook his head at Cade. “I’ll explain in a minute. We need to feed Tyr and Tor both. Get everyone inside.”
