Love, Life, Loyalty and Honor by Lady Adellandra Dratianos (best android ereader txt) 📕

her body and soul, wearing her out quicker than the rest of them.
He turned around again and headed to the Dweller kin-Clans’ headquarters.
I know you can sense me, Ramon. Dranus sent through the kin-Clans’ open mind-channel as he walked. I’ve brought my younger sister Dia with me. We’re here on orders to find you.
Lord Dranus? Sulheya and Kaetaa. Ramon’s voice was surprised. Bella and I are in the Courtyard, enjoying the setting sun together.
How many times do I have to tell you? I’m not a Lord, only a lowly vassal for my Bratton. Dranus grinned.
Lowly? You’re anything but! Ramon supplied with a joyous laugh.
The siblings reached the Courtyard just in time to see the Mortallan sun setting beneath the horizon.
Dranus looked to Dia, checking to see if she was ok.
She was staring at the horizon with awe. “True beauty to behold.” She whispered.
“That it is, my Lady.” Another female voice belonging to Bella Martiya supplied with a grin. “Pleasure to see you in our Realm again, Lord Dranus.”
Dranus ignored the playful tone. “If only it were, Bella.” He turned to his sister. “Bella, Ramon, this is my younger sister, Dia.”
Now Bella was in awe, bowing to her. “If not for the eyes, I would have mistaken her for the Queen!”
“Queen?” Dia managed to choke out, amazed and confused.
“Didn’t you tell her, Dranus?” Ramon came up to the trio and asked. He then looked at Dia. “Our Queen, Shylee, is his sister.”
“This would make her your duo.” Dranus supplied.
“Duo,” Ramon said. “That’s your word for twin, isn’t it?”
Bella clapped her hands. “Well, no wonder you look like her! Come, sit. Tell us what you’re here for.”
“Business or pleasure?” Ramon asked. “By the looks on your faces, I’d guess this wasn’t a pleasure visit. What’s going on, and how can we help our Inner-Realm kin?”
Dranus explained about MagDaliah and her female soldiers heading to Mal’estar and the Dragon Nations. He told the Dweller-kin leader all that transpired from the moment Dia was brought back to life and Alexia’s breaking their Granpere’s curse to the present.
“So what can we do to help?” Bella asked, looking from one sibling to the other.
“Adarramena told us in so many words that you were there when she Bound all Ancient Mystics to her and Adellandra.” Dranus explained. “Do you remember anything about her using the Dream Realms’ Sphere to do it?”
Bella gazed thoughtfully at the horizon. “It was many years ago, but I do remember.” She started. Ramon placed a loving hand on her leg, which gave her strength to continue. “The clans were all Resting for the day, weary from the previous night’s hunt. A jolt of intense pain and a feeling of being tied to something powerful woke me. The pain was so intense, I couldn’t wish it away. It pulsated within me for a moment, and then dissipated as it seemed to ‘settle’ in my soul.”
“I woke with her, also feeling the jolt.” Ramon continued once seeing Bella was in a trance, lost in memories. “I woke one of our Healers to see what could be done about relieving some of the pain and finding the cause.”
“We know now the cause of the pain was Grand Magus’ binding all Earthbound Ancient Mystics to herself and Lady Guardian using the Dream Realms’ Sphere.” Bella blinked and turned back to the siblings, who were patiently listening.
“How did you find out?” Dia asked.
“We were told by a Watcher-kin named Firestorm that he’d Blood-bound the Grand Magus to him and his mate Emerald.”
“Emmy is the one that told us of her fears.” Bella supplied. “She and Firestorm feared Grand Magus was taking her new Dweller-kin ties to its dangerous, darkest levels. Emerald believed Grand Magus was in danger of Turning Stalker.”
“Grand Magus is Lady Adarramena, right?” Dia asked. The other four nodded.
“It was and still is her official title in the Inner Realms.” Ramon supplied.
Dia nodded, slowly understanding. “I’m sorry, I still don’t understand.” She said. “Why didn’t you just follow the lines and find out for yourselves what was going on?”
“I’m sorry, Lady Dia, but ‘follow the lines’?” Ramon was confused. “What do you mean?”
Dia held her hand out for Dranus, who took it. She then looked to Ramon to do the same. Ramon grasped her free hand and one of Bella’s. On a whim, Dranus took Bella’s free hand and completed the circle.
“I’ll show you.” Dia supplied. “Close your eyes and find your magic’s center. Surely you know how to do that, right?”
They nodded and all four closed their eyes.
In their minds, Dia instructed. We are all connected by a psychic line that goes from one member of a family to another. Using your mind’s eye, you can literally See and Sense the lines webbing from you to another. Just as all Dweller-kin are connected to Draconians of the Inner Realms, so are members of a single family, and Blood-kin are connected. Look within, follow one of the lines and see where it leads. With practice, you’ll know which line belongs to whom.
How do you know how to do this? Ramon’s voice asked her.
It’s one of my many Gifts, and part of the Dratianos Curse. Dia replied seriously. She opened her eyes and severed the circle. She tried to walk, but ended sitting instead, suddenly dizzy.
“Careful, sister,” Dranus told her, steadying her. “Need I remind you that you use up more energy in this realm than you do in our own?”
Dia frowned at him, but playfully stuck her tongue out. “I think I finally figured out how we can do what we need to do with Ishanar.”
“That would be?” Dranus prodded, interested.
Instead of answering him, Dia turned to Ramon. “Are you able to send a telepathic message to all Dweller-kin in range?” Ramon nodded. “Bella, now that I told you how, do you think you can follow the lines to every Earthbound Ancient Mystic, telling them what’s going on and do what I’m going to tell you?”
Dia explained what had to be done, and even Dranus was surprised she thought of doing it that way. He was proud of her expertise at handling the pressing situation.
“On my mark, I want you to all link yourselves to whoever is in your psychic reach.” Dia supplied. “It’s not now, but it will happen soon.”
Ramon and Bella nodded.
Dranus told the Dweller leaders they had to return and inform the Lord and Lady Guardian of Dia’s plan.
 
Chapter Three:
Royal Binding of Ishanar

Lady Adellandra awoke to see her mate lying next to her, his body over the covers that she was wrapped in. She smiled, turning her head when she sensed her oldest Draconian son, Kronin staring down at them.
She took a deep breath, though it hurt to do so. With Draconis’ and Kronin’s help, she sat up.
“How do you feel, Matéré?” Kronin asked, reaching for her mug. The potion had long since cooled, so he used some of his magic to warm it until it steamed once again.
She could only nod as she took the mug from him and sipped its contents down her scratchy throat.
Lady Adellandra sent to her mate’s and son’s minds. What happened? How’d I get from the sparring grounds to here with no memory?
“Do you not remember being A’isha again?” Draconis asked. She stared at him, still trying to clear her head. He kissed her, smiled, and explained. “We were hoping you would remember how ‘Darra bound the two of you together to all Ancient Mystics.”
I was in a Healing Coma; I don’t know how she did it, only that she did, and every Earthbound Ancient Mystic Felt the pain through the ties. Adellandra supplied, drinking more. She shook her head. “I know she used the Dream Realms’ Sphere to do it. It made every Earthbound Ancient Mystic scream from the pain they felt.”
“Then we must get the Sphere back and use it again.” Kronin supplied.
“Not a chance, Kano.” Adellandra supplied. “The four of us returned the Sphere to Lord O’Dell, minus the Amethyst Spirit Crystal I wore around my neck. The only way we’d be able to do so would be to find all the darker pieces of it, and that’s not an easy task.”
“Hadn’t we already found the Dark Sapphire in the Frozen Northern lands?” Draconis asked. “How many more are there and where would they be?”
“I don’t suggest using the Sphere again.” Adellandra supplied. “We’re already tied to every Earthbound Ancient Mystic, so we don’t need to repeat the ritual.”
“How are we going to use the Power of Ishanar then?” Kronin asked. “Don’t we need the Sphere?”
Adellandra shook her head. “Not in this case, we don’t. Before my purist form snuck in again, I was trying to think of a way to use all Draconians, Earth- and Realmbound, to manipulate Ishanar’s power.”
“The only question is how.” Draconis spoke up.
“I do believe we know how.” They heard a female voice supply. “And I’ve already sent word to the kin-Clans to do it, on my mark.”
“Question is: are you up to the magical challenge?” Dranus asked after his sister.
They also noticed Alexia there.
“I will be soon enough.” Adellandra rose from the bed and stretched. “Would you care to explain what you’re thinking, Dia?”
Dia explained to them what had transpired in the Outer Realm. “The kin-Clans have their orders to link when I tell them.”
“Sounds good to me,” Adellandra supplied. “Only one thing you’re forgetting.”
“What’s that?” Dia asked.
“How to maintain our strength after the spell is cast.” Adellandra replied. “Both ‘Darra and myself were considerably drained after she cast it. The only reason we weren’t sick for too long is because somehow, we’d taken a little of each Mystic’s healing power to regain our strength.”
“Can’t we do the same this time?” Dranus asked.
Adellandra shook her head. “Think about that for a moment. Taking one’s energy without their permission, using it for your own, is akin to theft. We only figured out what we were doing after the fact, and it was over.”
“I don’t mean to interrupt, Lady, but there’s someone waiting for you in the Hall.” Alexia finally spoke up.
Adellandra closed her eyes for a moment and sighed. “Destria. All right, have her meet us in the Throne Room.”
“Very well.” Alexia mock-saluted and left.
“What would Destria want?” Draconis frowned.
Adellandra shrugged, leaving for the adjoining bathroom to wash up and dress. When she came out, she was in her Fighter’s Gear and refreshed. “Didn’t Demarian tell you?”
Draconis shook his head. “Nope, and I’m wondering why.”
“We’ll figure it out in a moment, Branno.” Dranus supplied. Dia nodded beside him.
The four of them exited the room and headed to the Throne Room.
They took their places at their Thrones, Draconis on the left and Adellandra on the right, with their Branno and Branna behind them. Kronin had