vacated, Kellan sighed. “Look, old man. I know you’re not gonna hit me and you know you’re not gonna hit me. So just spill. What the hell is going on?”
Indecision crossed the mad dragon’s face. Kellan could see that Maddox had something to say but wasn’t sure how to say it. To make things easier, Kellen added, “If punching me in the face will make you feel better then get on with it.”
His plan worked. Maddox dropped his fists and shook his head then snorted, “Damn you, kid. Why do you have to be so much like your dad? He was the only one who could make me laugh when I really wanted to kill something.”
Kellan took Maddox’s words just as they were meant—a compliment. The scarred dragon knew how close his father and Maddox had been and was honored to be compared to not just a great dad, but also a superior Guardsman. “Just lucky, I guess.”
Pacing, the mad dragon mumbled to himself before asking, “You sure you’re ready for this?”
Kellan was just about to answer but Maddox went on, “I mean I’m pleased as I can be that you’re back in command of the Force. I know how hard it was to give it up and what you’ve been through for all these years, but is now the time to go up against Tariq? I mean, you have your mate, your brethren, your clan, and your sanity. Why put all that at risk to settle an old score? Let us do it. Send Rian in with me and you take the sniper position.”
Listening to his friend, hearing not only his words but the true meaning of what he was saying and the thoughts running around in the mad dragon’s chaotic mind, Kellan picked his words very carefully before answering. “Would you take a back seat and leave the punishment of the man that killed innocents of all species and kin while you chased him all over the world to someone else? Remember, this is the man that ordered the assassination of three little girls in the desert simply because he thought they might be shifters. This is the monster who set up a prison, a hell hole , to torture the same people the dragons within each of us gave up their physical bodies to protect. Are you telling me you really think I should let someone else take on the burden and responsibility of ending his life?”
Kellan paused, trying to keep his temper under control and remember that Maddox really did have his best interests at heart. When the scarred dragon spoke again, it was little more than a whispered growl. “Do you think I should let the man who ordered his soldiers to load weapons with silver in order to kill each and every one of us, the same silver that made these marks,” he pointed to his cheek. “And these,” he pulled up his shirt, revealing the mangled skin that covered one side of his ribs. “You really believe I should take the chance that he would hurt anyone else. That I should feed someone I care about to the devil himself? Is that what you’re telling me?”
Maddox opened his mouth to speak then immediately snapped his mouth shut and paced. Kellan listened to the mad dragon’s inner debate while trying to calm himself and his dragon. He even wondered if maybe Maddox was right but knew with the conviction of a well-seasoned warrior that he was to be the one to take Tariq down.
When the mad dragon finally stopped pacing and spoke, Kellan was shocked by his words. “You’re right. I just want you to promise me that if you feel it getting away from you, if the darkness and nightmares threaten your good judgment, you’ll let me know. I’m not explaining to that feisty little lass of yours why you’re not with her. Deal?’
Still surprised that even the mad dragon could show good sense once in a while, Kellan could only nod. Maddox closed the distance between them, placed his hands on the scarred dragon’s shoulders, and with a tone that sounded so much like Kellan’s father it was scary, said, “Because there will be no self-sacrifice on this mission, my boy. I know I wasn’t with you in the desert
Indecision crossed the mad dragon’s face. Kellan could see that Maddox had something to say but wasn’t sure how to say it. To make things easier, Kellen added, “If punching me in the face will make you feel better then get on with it.”
His plan worked. Maddox dropped his fists and shook his head then snorted, “Damn you, kid. Why do you have to be so much like your dad? He was the only one who could make me laugh when I really wanted to kill something.”
Kellan took Maddox’s words just as they were meant—a compliment. The scarred dragon knew how close his father and Maddox had been and was honored to be compared to not just a great dad, but also a superior Guardsman. “Just lucky, I guess.”
Pacing, the mad dragon mumbled to himself before asking, “You sure you’re ready for this?”
Kellan was just about to answer but Maddox went on, “I mean I’m pleased as I can be that you’re back in command of the Force. I know how hard it was to give it up and what you’ve been through for all these years, but is now the time to go up against Tariq? I mean, you have your mate, your brethren, your clan, and your sanity. Why put all that at risk to settle an old score? Let us do it. Send Rian in with me and you take the sniper position.”
Listening to his friend, hearing not only his words but the true meaning of what he was saying and the thoughts running around in the mad dragon’s chaotic mind, Kellan picked his words very carefully before answering. “Would you take a back seat and leave the punishment of the man that killed innocents of all species and kin while you chased him all over the world to someone else? Remember, this is the man that ordered the assassination of three little girls in the desert simply because he thought they might be shifters. This is the monster who set up a prison, a hell hole , to torture the same people the dragons within each of us gave up their physical bodies to protect. Are you telling me you really think I should let someone else take on the burden and responsibility of ending his life?”
Kellan paused, trying to keep his temper under control and remember that Maddox really did have his best interests at heart. When the scarred dragon spoke again, it was little more than a whispered growl. “Do you think I should let the man who ordered his soldiers to load weapons with silver in order to kill each and every one of us, the same silver that made these marks,” he pointed to his cheek. “And these,” he pulled up his shirt, revealing the mangled skin that covered one side of his ribs. “You really believe I should take the chance that he would hurt anyone else. That I should feed someone I care about to the devil himself? Is that what you’re telling me?”
Maddox opened his mouth to speak then immediately snapped his mouth shut and paced. Kellan listened to the mad dragon’s inner debate while trying to calm himself and his dragon. He even wondered if maybe Maddox was right but knew with the conviction of a well-seasoned warrior that he was to be the one to take Tariq down.
When the mad dragon finally stopped pacing and spoke, Kellan was shocked by his words. “You’re right. I just want you to promise me that if you feel it getting away from you, if the darkness and nightmares threaten your good judgment, you’ll let me know. I’m not explaining to that feisty little lass of yours why you’re not with her. Deal?’
Still surprised that even the mad dragon could show good sense once in a while, Kellan could only nod. Maddox closed the distance between them, placed his hands on the scarred dragon’s shoulders, and with a tone that sounded so much like Kellan’s father it was scary, said, “Because there will be no self-sacrifice on this mission, my boy. I know I wasn’t with you in the desert
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