frozen figure of the mage.
"Since he's fully-trained, he might be able to," Brett said. At least he was hopeful.
"Maybe he could teach you a thing or two." Ena turned to Alton. "Watch them. I'll be right back."
Then she vanished.
Alton glowered at Brett, who glowered right back at him. Brett was surprised to see the damage he had done to Alton's face fade so fast, courtesy of their fae genes.
Then to Brett's astonishment, Alton folded his arms and said, "Can you teach me how to fight with my fists like you do?"
Brett smiled. Could he ever.
***
As soon as Ena reached the royal castle doors, guards quickly opened them for her. "Lady Ena," one said.
She didn't think she'd ever get used to the fact that the dark fae queen had conferred on her the title of duchess for having saved her daughter-in-law. "Is Queen Ritasia here?"
"In the Great Hall."
"Thank you." She hurried off to the Great Hall where more hawk fae were preparing to go into battle, the first wave of soldiers having already left with the king. Ritasia was to follow, leading the second force. They were headed for the dragon fae castle, whereas Ena and her dragon shifters had been tasked to hit the supply wagons. They had also been accompanied by foot soldiers who had fought some of the phantom fae soldiers guarding the supply train.
As soon as she saw Ritasia, Ena realized that none of Ena's own staff had come out to greet her at her own castle, or to greet Brett, even. Which meant? They better not have left to follow her into battle after all! She would fire the lot of them.
"Queen Ritasia," Ena said, hurrying to catch her attention. "We have need of your mage's services. Can Elorian assist us?"
Ritasia's hair was nearly raven-colored. She was beautiful with skin as fair as Ena's. But like most fae women, her hair was long and pulled up in extravagant twists. "Aye, of course. What is he needed for? And why have you returned so quickly from your mission to destroy the phantom fae supply trains? Do you have good news or bad?"
"We found Brett and brought him home with us."
Ritasia smiled. "That is good news." Her smile faded. "And something is terribly wrong?"
Ena gave her an abbreviated version of what they had to do.
"Ah, Elorian is all yours. I'm so glad Brett's home."
"My lady," the blond-haired, blue-eyed mage said, suddenly appearing in the Great Hall next to her. "You wish some service of me?"
Ritasia nodded. "Go with Ena. She needs your help. Then let me know how it all turns out."
"Aye." Elorian bowed his head, then he and Ena went straight to her courtyard where she couldn't believe her eyes.
Brett and Alton were at it again, fighting with their fists. And Alton was getting the majority of the abuse, again! When he was finally looking more like himself.
"Enough!" Ena shouted, irritated to high heaven.
Both men swung around and grinned at her! Alton was already sporting a freshly swelling blackened eye, the other nearly back to normal.
"He is teaching me to fight." Alton sounded so excited she couldn't believe it.
"And he's still getting the best of you." Ena shook her head. She was not happy with him, or Brett.
"Practice makes perfect." Alton didn't seem in the least bit perturbed that it was taking him some time to catch onto this.
"Has anyone from my staff come out and greeted you?" Ena didn't have time for this. She wanted to deal with the curse, then get on their way. They had heard ten supply trains with supplies from the phantom fae kingdom were on their way to the dragon fae lands, and she and Alton needed to get back on the job. At least the other dragons must still be taking care of it.
"No. Did you want me to run in and check?" Brett asked.
"No. You need to see what Elorian can do about this." But she was totally ticked off at her staff. She knew they wouldn't be ignoring them. They had to be gone—going against her strict orders.
"What about my friends, Brian and Mark?" Brett asked.
"I'll run inside and see why no one
"Since he's fully-trained, he might be able to," Brett said. At least he was hopeful.
"Maybe he could teach you a thing or two." Ena turned to Alton. "Watch them. I'll be right back."
Then she vanished.
Alton glowered at Brett, who glowered right back at him. Brett was surprised to see the damage he had done to Alton's face fade so fast, courtesy of their fae genes.
Then to Brett's astonishment, Alton folded his arms and said, "Can you teach me how to fight with my fists like you do?"
Brett smiled. Could he ever.
***
As soon as Ena reached the royal castle doors, guards quickly opened them for her. "Lady Ena," one said.
She didn't think she'd ever get used to the fact that the dark fae queen had conferred on her the title of duchess for having saved her daughter-in-law. "Is Queen Ritasia here?"
"In the Great Hall."
"Thank you." She hurried off to the Great Hall where more hawk fae were preparing to go into battle, the first wave of soldiers having already left with the king. Ritasia was to follow, leading the second force. They were headed for the dragon fae castle, whereas Ena and her dragon shifters had been tasked to hit the supply wagons. They had also been accompanied by foot soldiers who had fought some of the phantom fae soldiers guarding the supply train.
As soon as she saw Ritasia, Ena realized that none of Ena's own staff had come out to greet her at her own castle, or to greet Brett, even. Which meant? They better not have left to follow her into battle after all! She would fire the lot of them.
"Queen Ritasia," Ena said, hurrying to catch her attention. "We have need of your mage's services. Can Elorian assist us?"
Ritasia's hair was nearly raven-colored. She was beautiful with skin as fair as Ena's. But like most fae women, her hair was long and pulled up in extravagant twists. "Aye, of course. What is he needed for? And why have you returned so quickly from your mission to destroy the phantom fae supply trains? Do you have good news or bad?"
"We found Brett and brought him home with us."
Ritasia smiled. "That is good news." Her smile faded. "And something is terribly wrong?"
Ena gave her an abbreviated version of what they had to do.
"Ah, Elorian is all yours. I'm so glad Brett's home."
"My lady," the blond-haired, blue-eyed mage said, suddenly appearing in the Great Hall next to her. "You wish some service of me?"
Ritasia nodded. "Go with Ena. She needs your help. Then let me know how it all turns out."
"Aye." Elorian bowed his head, then he and Ena went straight to her courtyard where she couldn't believe her eyes.
Brett and Alton were at it again, fighting with their fists. And Alton was getting the majority of the abuse, again! When he was finally looking more like himself.
"Enough!" Ena shouted, irritated to high heaven.
Both men swung around and grinned at her! Alton was already sporting a freshly swelling blackened eye, the other nearly back to normal.
"He is teaching me to fight." Alton sounded so excited she couldn't believe it.
"And he's still getting the best of you." Ena shook her head. She was not happy with him, or Brett.
"Practice makes perfect." Alton didn't seem in the least bit perturbed that it was taking him some time to catch onto this.
"Has anyone from my staff come out and greeted you?" Ena didn't have time for this. She wanted to deal with the curse, then get on their way. They had heard ten supply trains with supplies from the phantom fae kingdom were on their way to the dragon fae lands, and she and Alton needed to get back on the job. At least the other dragons must still be taking care of it.
"No. Did you want me to run in and check?" Brett asked.
"No. You need to see what Elorian can do about this." But she was totally ticked off at her staff. She knew they wouldn't be ignoring them. They had to be gone—going against her strict orders.
"What about my friends, Brian and Mark?" Brett asked.
"I'll run inside and see why no one
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