Page 27 of Drakken Star
“Let’s head to the garden,” Sekvyn said, pointing toward the door. Orm took the lead, followed by the Usan and Ardes. Sekvyn accompanied Brandt in the middle of the pack, with Onnar and Akron bringing up the rear. Brandt wasn’t a bit surprised by being put in the center, though it did chafe. He’d been a good soldier and a great bodyguard for Captain Manning, but compared to the males—and Seraphina—around him, he was the weak link.
“Gods,” he breathed, “I just realized it's been forever since I did any training.”
Sekvyn bumped his arm with a fist. “You’ve been busy.”
Brandt shook his head sadly. “Yes, but the training center and I need to get reacquainted after this. Any chance you’d be willing to help keep me on the straight and narrow?”
Sekvyn threw his head back and laughed. He squeezed Brandt’s shoulder. “All you had to do was ask, my Vidar. I will see it done.”
“Good.” Brandt gazed around the gardens as they exited the castle. Guards’ heads swiveled left and right as they passed, heading right for the shed where over a dozen Drakken and Royal Guardsmen clustered.
“Stop,” Sekvyn whisper-hissed, his arm barring Brandt’s forward motion.
Brandt jolted to a standstill and reached for his phaser. “What’s wrong?”
Sekyvn huffed. “Did he think I wouldn’t recognize him?”
Brandt’s brow furrowed as he stared at Sekvyn in confusion. Sekvyn curled two fingers forward and Onnar and Akron sidled up beside him. When he pointed to a guard slightly removed from the rest, Brandt realized Sekvyn had recognized a guard loyal to Dagr and Tore, and who’d probably been removed from the castle months ago. The traitor glanced their way then conveniently turned his back on them as he raised a communicator to his mouth. Ardes nodded and, with his sobroke, they hastened to grab the imposter.
The man shouted foul when they tackled him to the ground. Onnar pinned the ex-guard’s arms while Akron cut the communicator from the man’s wrist, without a care for the knife’s edge slicing into the man’s skin. A long line of blood welled along the man’s forearm as he screamed. Akron tossed the device to Sekvyn, who grinned as he held up the tiny piece of tech that would aid them in rescuing Kayluth and Tyr. Meanwhile, several Drakken aided Onnar in tying the man up before hauling him to his feet.
“Have him join Dagr in the dungeon,” Brandt ordered, disgusted with the lack of security. Once they left, he turned to Sekvyn. “Add overhauling the entire security staff to your list.”
“Yes, my Vidar.” Sekvyn patted his heart. “Top of the list.”
They heard Orm’s growl before he pushed through the gathered soldiers and guards to join them, Seraphina right behind him. “They have at leasst a half-arn lead on uss. Two Drakken are already following them. A dim light will ssuffice for uss Drakken, but you will need ssomething brighter.” He gave them each a small light attached to a band.
Brandt fit the band around his head, snorting when he saw Sekvyn. “Such a fashion statement we make.”
Sekvyn rolled his eyes as he slipped an extra light into his pocket. “I’m surprised you’re not more worried.”
Brandt opened his mouth to reply that he was when it dawned on him that Sekvyn was right. He reached across the bond he had with his sobroke and felt surprise and hope. There was muted worry but no fear. Kayluth’s faith in them felt strong.
“Vidar…? What is it?” Sekvyn asked.
Brandt frowned and shook his head. “It’s odd, but I don’t think Kayluth is scared. The fact that he isn’t, well…” He shrugged.
“It iz good you can sstill accesss hiss feelingss through your bond. Not many ssobroke can do thiss,” Orm admitted.
That was news to Brandt. He’d assumed all mated sobroke had the same abilities. Then again, he always knew his mates were special. “I’ll try to keep our bond open, but it's usually feelings unless we’re really close. Kay has spoken to me when we’ve been in the same room, but when we tried it, unable to see each other, we weren’t able to communicate with words.”
“Better than nothing,” Sekvyn commented dryly. They muttered agreement as they headed toward the small shed. “Orm, where’s our men now?”
“They caught up to the traitorss in the rear, then retreated to report. They are moving sslower than expected. Reasson unknown.”
“All the better for us. Who’s first?”
Chapter 8
Kayluth
Kayluth settled his thoughts as they proceeded through the tunnel then reached through his bonds to his mates. From Moondrake, he detected a loving warmth; from Sundrake, determination. Any fear they felt seemed muted, and for that, he was thankful. Their triad had been through a bizarre series of ups and downs over the last sun-cycle.
Before Orm had shown him the tiny ship from Volé, finding a compatibledaragoyto become his sobroke had been his prominent wish. How many had he met over the cycles of his life…? Too many, and not one lasted more than a single moon-cycle. He’d been so envious of Orm and Seraphina. They’d met and mated his first year as Skeppare of the DrakkenshipReykr. But he had something they did not: children. Kayluth knew Orm wanted them, though he wasn’t sure of Seraphina’s desires. Once Orm and Brandt rescued him, he’d make it a priority to visit the orphanages with his second-in-command. Seraphina would, of course, insist on coming as protection, and then, maybe, the sweet eyes of a child in need might sway them.
He tried to picture Seraphina with an infant in her arms and almost laughed aloud. An older fosterling would probably be a better choice, someone she could take under her wing and train.Oh. A whole school…Kayluth pursed his lips. Volé already had their military training and flight schools, but perhaps one more like the Drakken loosely had onboard, teaching their young how to fight with hand and foot, in addition to claw and tail.
Excitement raced down the link from Sundrake, sending Kayluth’s heart leaping. He wished once again they could have held onto the ability to communicate as easily as they had after their babes had been born. They enjoyed the simple mind-speak they still retained, but only when they could see each other. His fathers had searched the archives high and low and reached out to other Drakken in an attempt to find out why they could speak one way and not the other. Then again, even the Drakken couldn’t mind-speak unless they were in their drakken forms.
