Free Bonds of Fire by Sophie Duncan Page B

impressed," Drekken decided Yakov needed a little ego brushing. "Ma Margren does not let just anyone work with her kids. You do know you'll have to deal with humans as well as dragons, though?"
    Yakov nodded and beamed at him, which made the warm feeling he was getting used to whenever Yakov was around run down through him.
    "She asked if we'd join her team at the group home looking after the little ones, and she says there's space for our hatchlings," Yakov was almost bouncing when he spoke.
    Malachi walked up behind him and put his hands on Yakov's shoulders, at which Yakov settled instantly back against the other youth. The move gave them all a chance to pause and Drekken could still see the ghost of their experience on the two young men.
    "Are you both alright?"
    Yakov nodded, although his eyes were a little damp and he reached for Malachi's hand.
    "We will be," Malachi was more precise. "Everyone has been so kind."
    There was a dissatisfaction behind Malachi's gaze and Drekken thought he knew what it was.
    "Don't let my mothers bully you, they can be intimidating en masse," he warned, although he said it with a smile.
    "Said like a true survivor," Malachi smiled and Drekken knew he'd been understood.
    "When Miri joined in this time, I had no chance," Drekken shook his head and scratched D and vented some light-hearted frustration with, "I woke up and found my life had been organised for the next six months."
    'Did I hear my name?' Miri's voice slipped into his head and Drekken relaxed a tension in his shoulders he hadn't really known had been there.
    'You did,' he replied in kind, which would probably get him a telling off from him doctors, but it felt too good to not share his thoughts with his dragon and he was smiling at the doorway when she came in.
    Yakov shot to his feet and greeted, "Yeni Miri."
    'Now what did I say about formalities, Yakov?' Miri teased lightly as she walked up the other side of the bed.
    "Sorry, Miri," Yakov looked sheepish.
    'That's better,' Miri approved and then dropped her snout to D, who squealed and bounced her egg-horn against her mother's.
    Drekken didn't really have much hope of containing the burst of love and joy that generated and he reached out to his dragons, laying a shaking hand on either one. His magic naturally swirled with his emotions and he realised quickly why the doctor's had told him not to use it, since his senses began to spin.
    'Gently, Dre,' Miri responded, carefully pushing him back onto the pillows and lowering her brow to him.
    "I'm alright," he protested, but not very strongly, and sunk into the intimate contact as he pressed his own forehead against hers.
    It took a few moments for him to settle and, while he struggled, Miri's influence wrapped around him, offering stability and comfort. Gradually, his shaking stopped and Miri pulled away.
    'Thanks,' he hung on to the intimacy for a little longer with his thought-speaking, but then let his magic go and relaxed.
    "Who knew - the big bad warrior is a hopeless romantic," Malachi ribbed lightly and reminded Drekken he was in the presence of empaths.
    Drekken tried to fix Malachi with a look for that, but it was difficult when the attractive young man's dark eyes were even darker than usual with dilated pupils from Drekken's emotional rush.
    'Age, it gets to all of us eventually,' Miri joined in and drew a laugh from Yakov.
    "Remember you're two years older than me," Drekken quipped back.
    However Miri lifted her chin and raised her crest in disdain, snorted and replied, 'Dragons carry the years far better than humans.'
    Since their aging had gradually slowed down and stopped altogether hundreds of years ago, the argument was not exactly logical, but Drekken had learnt nearly as long ago that trying to win a debate with Miri was not worth the effort, so he decided on a new tack. Much to D's delight, he picked her up and held her against his breast bone so that as she raised her head, he could just see her bright