Read Online Doppelganger Blood by Bonnie Lamer - Free Book Online

blurt out.  Might as well bring out the big guns.  Right on cue, Mom and Dad slip out from behind Kegan and Alita.  The clan of Dragons shuffles back until they hit walls and each other in their desire to be as far from the ghosts as possible.
    King Myles’ eyes widen in fear and even he backs away from the table.  “What trickery is this?”
    “No trickery, these are my parents,” I say calmly.
    “Greetings,” Dad says somewhat stiffly.  I’m surprised he is able to say that much.  He and Mom are in awe of the Dragons.  I told them they were real, but seeing them in person is much more powerful than words.  Mom is terrified.
    “I’m not ready for them to move on to the next plane yet, so I’m keeping them here with me,” I say, trying to give off a ‘loving daughter’ air.
    “Ryu, rid us of these…these hideous creatures,” the King demands.
    “Hey, they’re not hideous!” I say, insulted he would say such a thing.  “They’re beautiful.”
    “Perhaps this is not the time to worry about their beauty,” Kallen says softly.
    With a huff, I say, “Fine.”  To King Myles, I say, “Ryu can do his worst, he will not affect the hold I have on my parents.”
    Speaking for the first time since we arrived, Ryu begins the exorcism spell as he timidly moves closer to us.  Mom and Dad try not to look scared.  “ Spirit in unrest, soul in pain, come to me, find peace again.  Leave this world of longing and woe, sorrow filled days no longer you’ll know.  Your soul I release and you shall rest in peace. ”  Good to know the spell is universal.  A clutching of my stomach muscles is the only sign of my fear, afraid this time it might actually work.
    As Kallen fully expected, it doesn’t.  Mom and Dad are still here.  “I’m sorry, but you can’t break my hold on them with an exorcism spell.  But nice try,” I say.  I’m glad Ryu didn’t dare come too close to us, otherwise we’d all have third degree burns about now.  He displays his anger over my mocking with an impressive breath of fire.
    “Why have you brought these atrocities with you?” King Myles demands.  Hmm, why did we bring them?   I’m not really clear on that yet, either.  Just for the fear factor, I guess.
    “We brought them to show you the repercussions of war with the Fae,” Dagda says in his best King voice.  It’s velvety smooth with a healthy amount of steel laced through it.  “Though there would be causalities on both sides, only those of the Fae would be allowed to move on.”
    Whoa, I’m not sure I can back up that threat.  I don’t know how or why I am able to anchor Mom and Dad.  Meaning, I wouldn’t have the first clue how to tether Dragon spirits.  I try really hard not to let it show on my face.  To be on the safe side, I turn my back to the High Court and pretend to discuss something important with Alita.  It takes her a second to figure out I desperately need a distraction to save face.  When she does, she surprises all of us by speaking to the Dragons.  “Xandra’s is not the only useful skill in war.  I am able to sense black magic and warn others of its use before it is used against them.”  Meaning, no dirty spells in this war.  Even Dagda looks back at her with pride over her courage of saying this aloud to the Dragons.  Kegan wraps a loving arm around his beautiful, waif-like wife.
    When I feel my face is properly schooled, I turn back to the stunned Dragon King.  We didn’t share any of these abilities the last time we were here.  “Look, we could stand here all day and threaten this and that without accomplishing anything.  Will you please just let me explain what is happening and then maybe we can all work together to stop it.  Yours isn’t the only realm being affected and the only chance we have is to stick together.”
    There is a really long silence following my words.  Every Dragon head is turned toward the King as he weighs my words and makes a decision.