I cocked my head to the side, “Three weeks? That’s all we get? Seriously?”
He smirked, “Yep. Three weeks.”
Daniel walked out with me cursing him the whole way. Fox put his hands on my shoulders and turned me to him. “What is glocka?”
I laughed harder than I had in a while before calming down enough to answer him, “Glacadh is a storm dragon tradition. Glacadh means acceptance in Irish. Traditionally anyone coming into the clan has to fight the clan leader’s choice before whoever is coming into the clan can be marked. I thought maybe you would get a pass, being human and all, but of course not.”
He crossed his arms over his chest, “I’ve got training, and not just SEALs training, Jax has taught me a lot too.”
“The problem with that is I can still beat Jax. Your training makes for a good base, especially if we had time, but we don’t have time or at least we don’t have a lot of it. Not to mention he’ll probably make you fight him or Jace.”
“That doesn’t sound too bad,” he said, putting his hands on his hips.
“Who do you think taught me? And Jace? Every time you’ve watched me fight I’ve been holding back. Even what I did to the hunters in Venezuela wasn’t all that I could do. That was just how well I know how to inflict pain.” I wrapped my arms around his midsection, “I was planning on training you anyway because I need to know you’re safe when I’m not around.”
His arms went around me, pulling me tightly against him. “So when do we start?”
“Today. We have to make the most of every day. Let me check in on everyone, and then we can go for a run.”
“Can I come with you to check on everyone?”
I pulled back slightly to look up at him with a smile. “I would love it if you came with me.” I kissed him quickly on the lips before pulling away completely, “Just let me get changed and we can go.” While I was changing I linked Daniel, “I need to speak with you in private after I see everyone. It’s about some information I got from the hunter.”
“I’ll be in my office,” he linked back.
Fox and I headed to the infirmary first. I followed Jace’s scent to Finley’s room first. At my knock, Jace opened the door, and pulled me into a hug. “Glad you made it back okay,” he said before releasing me.
“Me too. How’s Finley?” I asked, stepping around Jace.
“She’s healing well, but her voice still hasn’t come back,” Jace said from the doorway.
I sat down next to the bed, “Hey Finley.”
She reached for my hand, giving it a squeeze. I leaned forward, pressing my forehead to hers. When we pulled apart, Niamh instantly felt the loss of her dragon. I’m glad you made it back okay, she wrote on a notepad.
I smiled, “Me too. How has Jace been? Not too overbearing I hope.”
She laughed soundlessly, He’s been great. No need to kick his ass. Yet.
I laughed when I finished reading what she wrote, “Just say the word Finley. Just say the word.”
She laughed soundlessly again, Oh I will.
We talked for what seemed like forever until Lavi came in and attempted to shoo everyone out of the room. “I’ll be back tomorrow, Fin,” we touched foreheads before Fox and I left the room.
Fox slung an arm around my shoulder as we walked to Ian’s dad, Edward’s, room. I knocked on the door, and didn’t have to wait long for Mona to open the door. “Amaya!” Mona shouted excitedly. She pulled me in for a hug before embracing Fox as well. “Come in please!”
We walked past her as she ushered us into the room. “How are you feeling, Head Warrior Black?”
“Please Amaya call me Edward. I’m not the head warrior any more,” he said in a sullen tone.
I grabbed his hand and touched my forehead to his. Niamh reached out to his dragon attempting to comfort him. “Once you’re healed, I’m sure you’ll be in top fighting shape.”
We pulled apart, “I’m not sure your dad would want me as his head warrior after all that’s happened.”
“The only reason he wouldn’t give you your post back would be because he believes you should live the rest of your life in retirement, and that Ian has it handled.” Tears that had been in his eyes started to fall, but I wiped them away as they did. I pulled his face up so that he was looking me in the eye, “You are still more than worthy. We aren’t defined by our past. There was nothing you could’ve done to prepare for Joseph betraying us. All of us.”
He nodded and took a moment to collect himself. “Who’s this strapping young man you have with you?”
“My mate, Nicholas,” I gestured Fox over and grabbed his hand.
Fox held out his other hand for Edward’s, “Head Warrior Black.”
Edward grabbed his hand and gave it a firm shake, “Prince Consort Nicholas.”
I laughed when Fox made a face at his title, “Please just call me Fox.”
Edward chuckled, “Only if you promise to call me Edward.” Fox nodded in agreement, “So is Daniel making you do glacadh?”
“In three weeks,” Fox said with a nod.
Edward smiled, “Good. It’s good he’s keeping the tradition going. I hope he does the same for Leandra.”
“I’m sure he will,” Mona said.
Edward looked over at her, “I don’t know who will fight her though.” He gestured to me, “Amaya can’t do it.”
“Why can’t Amaya?” Fox asked.
“For the same reason her mother Ingrid couldn’t. The Queen bows to no one, and glacadh is about submitting to welcome a new clan member,” Edward explained.
“Wait. Does that mean I won’t fight Daniel?” Fox looked over at me hopeful.
We chuckled, “No. It means you’re more likely to fight Daniel. You’re the mate to the Queen of Dragons. You should command as much respect as she does. As the mate to the last Queen, Daniel has more of a chance of getting you to submit than anyone else. Her magic flows through you though, so that might give you a better chance at getting Daniel to submit,” Edward said.
“Her magic flows through me? What does that mean?”
“Jace told me about you calming him down when Amaya got shot full of oil. His dragon had mostly taken control before you stopped him and commanded him to focus on Amaya. He wouldn’t have done that if you hadn’t stopped him. That’s her magic, or at least part of it.”
I wrapped my arms around Fox’s midsection and he placed an arm around my shoulders, “You two didn’t tell me about that.”
“I didn’t think anything of it,” Fox said with a shrug.
Mona shook her head, “It’s a very big deal. To calm or control a dragon that has taken control, that power lies only with the Queen.”
We chatted a little while longer about little things. As we were on our way out the door, Ian and Leandra walked into the small room. I pressed my forehead against Edward and Mona’s before moving onto Ian and Leandra. “Thanks again Amaya,” Ian whispered.
“Any time,” I said before walking out with Fox.
“What’s with the forehead touches?” Fox asked.
“We touch foreheads to connect our dragons. Niamh in particular wants them because it’s our duty to comfort any dragons in pain. It’s a cultural thing, I guess you could say,” I told him before knocking on Johnny’s door.
We visited everyone from the clan who was in the infirmary before going to check on the rest of the clan. I left Fox with Georgie, Liza, and Mike while I went to Daniel’s office.
Author: Kailan Counahan 