Free Harmonia's Kiss by Deborah Cooke Page B

Dragon’s Teeth Warriors were rigorously disciplined. It was as if a single mind drove their actions. Erik knew it was their military training, but still, he was impressed.
    He wanted them pledged to the cause of the Pyr .
    They approached in perfect formation, a single dark dragon at the fore of the company, then a pair immediately behind him. Two pair followed those two, leading several rows of their ranks. They numbered less than twenty, of all the hundred who had once been, but were still a fearsome force. Erik knew they were powerful fighting machines, partly because of their discipline, partly because of their devotion to the whole of the company.
    That in itself spoke of a different era, when the individual was of less import than the survival of the collective.
    Even the beat of their wings was synchronized. They were virtually indistinguishable from each other. That didn’t change with proximity. Whenever he stood amongst them, Erik was struck that they were all dark, as dark as obsidian, and only different in subtle ways. Even in human form, they were markedly similar in appearance.
    Their commander had taken the name of Drake, although Erik had no doubt it was not the name he had once been called. Erik knew that whatever Drake promised him was a vow from the entire company. His word was his bond, and whatsoever he commanded would be done. That said, Erik found Drake particularly hard to read and he watched the commander’s approach with some trepidation.
    Not for the first time, he wondered what Drake wanted of him.
    This time, though, Erik wondered whether he could deliver it.
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    Drake did not imagine that this would be an easy victory. He knew only that he had no choice but to lead his men in a confrontation of their past.
    And to do so, it was imperative that he ask the permission of the leader of the Pyr . The risks were not small, especially given the mood of his men, and further, Erik Sorensson was the closest thing to an oracle in these times.
    Drake wanted not just permission but an augury of success. His own powers of foresight were minimal, but he felt dread at what might await his men if they returned home. At the same time, he sensed they had to go.
    He needed advice.
    He landed before Erik with precision. As soon as his feet touched the ground, he folded his wings neatly behind his back and inclined his head in deference. He held the pose while the rest of the company landed silently behind him, keeping their formation.
    Only when they had all landed and all bowed their heads did Drake speak. “We thank you for your time, Leader of the Pyr .” Drake’s voice had always been deep, his words formal. He was a Pyr of few words, always had been, but on this night, he had need of eloquence. “We appreciate the gift of your counsel.”
    Erik nodded slightly, his eyes glittering. Drake sensed Erik’s power and was reassured that this leader was not so different from those he had served in the past. “And I thank you for this courtesy of consultation.”
    â€œWill you sit with me and tell me of your concern?” Erik gestured to the circle of stones and Drake surveyed the unfamiliar site. He immediately liked the resonance of the stones and felt relief. This place murmured of timelessness.
    Like Delphi.
    Perhaps Erik already knew of his request.
    Erik shifted shape first, taking his human form in a shimmer of blue. Drake summoned his own change, and saw that same blue light dance over his hide. His men took their cue from that, a blue glimmer slipping over the entire company of Dragon’s Teeth Warriors. It was evidence that they were all of the same kind, regardless of the differences between them.
    Drake saw it as a portent of agreement.
    In the blink of an eye, nineteen men stood behind Drake, each one olive-skinned, dark haired and dark eyed. Erik chose a stone and leaned his hips against it, then Drake faced his leader. He did not lean, but remained at