He didn’t see the punch coming because no son of his would dare clobber him one. Roster staggered backwards spitting out blood and two of his front teeth. Fire shot from his mouth as he opened it to threaten me or perhaps question my audacity. Only he had said it all. It was his world and he’d do what he wanted as long as he drew breath. That included threatening the only person in the universe who I knew loved me without a doubt and perhaps the only person in all the worlds that I would lay down my life so that he may draw one more single breath. Roster might not have been moved by Ferrick’s wants and needs but when it came to Medwin, I was more like Ferrick or at least I thought I was. I’d do anything to keep him by my side – anything to keep him safe and whole.
So my heart knew what had to be done and my body knew the choreography. I’d felt the technique over and over every time Volex took a head. It was like he said. We shared a family link after all. My sire was still stuttering over his words when my fingers found his jawline. He tried to jerk back, but my leg swept his out from under him and I twisted the head I held with all my might. I twisted him as if he were a stuck corkscrew lodged in a bottle of an ancient vintage I was desperate for. I twisted and yanked while he beat at my sides and breathed fire that scorched my clothes. He roared for my carrier, but he was preoccupied with Charden. An eternity passed but when my sire’s blood covered the library only two minutes had passed from the moment he sauntered into my sanctuary.
Inside my head, my dragon roared in victory as Roster’s body crashed to the floor, twitching like some macabre water feature. My fingers were still dug into his jawline. His eyes had rolled back even before the ancient looking door appeared not feet from where I stood. I almost didn’t see his spirit. I might’ve missed it altogether if not for the massive claw that pulled him through the door.
“What have you done to my baby?!” Ferrick charged into the room, dragging Charden behind him by the wrist. The wolf man barely kept up with his long legs. “What did you do, Roster Moonscale? What did you do to my baby?”
“He threatened to cheat on you again, father,” I said, the words rolled off my tongue as if I had planted them there myself. I was the son of my fathers. Their silver tongues and lies they might’ve believed themselves swam in my veins and made up my cells.
“Put that dirty thing down!” Ferrick batted Roster’s head, still dripping with his blood, out of my hands. “Come here. Oh, my sweet boy. You always did want to protect me. You’re such a good boy!” Ferrick let go of his wolf and pulled me into a tight hug. “It’s okay. I tried to ignore his unfaithful ways, but he kept going at it. I guess I just wasn’t enough for him.”
For a second, my dragon considered how quickly we could end Ferrick. He was obviously distracted and wanted to stay on my good side, but Charden looked mortified and lightning played through his hair. The wolf would fight me too and I wasn’t sure I could handle both of them. So, I hugged my carrier and played the part of disgusted son. It wasn’t that difficult because I had spent the last months disgusted with what I knew about both of my parents.
“One down. One to go,”Volex’s voice played through my thoughts.
“Halfway there,”a strange man’s voice played into my thoughts.
“It’s okay. We can all relax now. Moonscale London is all mine now.”
“What have we done?”my dragon whispered into my thoughts.
Notes from Medwin: Clarence mentioned hearing this strange voice a lot in the weeks and months that followed Roster’s death. It is my personal theory that perhaps it was Frost, Juda, or even Cyrus, their firstborn son since he was Volex’s sire. Volex would never tell us who it was but always laughed and smirked every time the strange voice was brought up.
Notes from Clarence: I did eventually burn that side table out in the garden.
Chapter 10
Medwin Smokescale
Moonscale London Under the Reign of Ferrick Moonscale
Moonscale London erupted into chaos. One second, I was making bangers and mash and the next the flight link sounded off like an asteroid hitting my brain. I might’ve fallen face first into the stove if not for Pras grabbing me. He had only returned recently from his successful recruiting efforts. He’d hidden away Haen, leaving me to suspect that his mate was possibly with eggs.
“He bloody did it! He bloody killed fucking Roster Moonscale!” Pras whispered and his voice echoed around my kitchen.
“We’ve got to go! Ferrick is probably in a bloody rage!” I said, turning off the stove. Food would have to wait.
“You can’t go! We don’t know if your cover is blown!” Pras said, hands on my shoulders. “I have to go. It’s suspicious enough that no one can find Delin! That’s where I’d logically be.”
“I’m going with you! I’m not leaving him to fight alone!”
A buzzing cut through the flight link, rattling our brains and we hit the floor. Later, we’d find out that most dragons hit their knees when the buzzing morphed into the sound of nails scraping down a chalk board. Then his voice came over it loud and clear. Too bloody cheerful for what had just happened.
“It is my honor to inform you that Roster Moonscale has passed through the doorway of life and death. My mate lived a long life but his time came for him. I am now the leader of Moonscale London,” Ferrick said.
Every word was crystal clear. What the actual fuck? Why had he been so hell bent on making Clarence the Moonscale heir if he wasn’t going to let him lead?
“I’m going!” Pras said as the door swung open and Volex walked in.
“No, you’re not. Stay here. It’s chaos out there. No one knows what to expect and dragons are losing their shit!” Volex announced. “Hunker down.”
“What about Clarence?” I roared, starting toward the door.
Volex scooped me up by the waist and I kicked him in the kneecap, bruising my heel and making him swear under his breath.
“Stop it!” Volex growled. “Pay attention to the flight link. He’s there. He’s fine! You should’ve seen him snatch Roster’s head from his body! No swords, no claws. Not even any fire. Roster ran his bloody mouth, got his teeth knocked out, and then his head taken. Ferrick was fucking his little wolf wizard in the garden while it happened.”
It took a long moment to quiet my breathing enough to hear Clarence over the flight link. He was there. He was a bit in shock, but he was there, calm and taking it all in. Roster was gone. What had his sire done to finally send my alpha over the edge?
