Dragon's Mercy
18.

"I can't believe I didn't see it. You've always hated me."

Agnes lies on the floor, clutching her bleeding stomach. As quietly as possible, Maria kneels down next to her and presses her hands on the wound. "Lie still. We're going to get you out of here."

"Don't worry about me, child. Just take care of my son."

"Oh, I'm going to make sure you both survive."

"I have faith in you, Maria." Agnes squeezes her hand, then pushes her toward Ryker.

She stands next to him as Mason steps next to Simone. "How dare you shoot her!"

"Agnes should've died for her betrayal against me a long time ago! She was a mere serving girl when she got pregnant with Ryker's father. I wanted her and the baby banished, but Ryker's father insisted she not be harmed."

"Why didn't you tell me?"

"I was having trouble getting pregnant and your father worried he wouldn't produce an heir. Then Mason came a few years later, but it was too late. The flight had already accepted you as our next probable dragon lord."

"When that position really should've gone to me! I am the rightful heir to our flight."

Aelon stands next to Ryker. "Our dragon lords fight for their position. It does not matter who they were born to. Mason could've challenged Ryker but didn't. Ryker is our rightful dragon lord."

"Which means Simone and Mason committed treason by having him kidnapped." Maria opens her mouth in horror.

"Ryker wasn't working with our enemy. You are."

Simone laughs cruelly as she keeps her gun pointed at Ryker's heart. Maria moves in front of him. "You'll have to kill me first."

"No, Maria." Ryker speaks in his deep dragon voice. "I am the dragon lord of the Demon flight. Maria has been crowned our dragoness. You will surrender yourselves, or you will die."

Aelon and the rest of the flight begin to chant Ryker's name. He lunges for Mason's legs, tackling him to the ground. "Get off!"

"No. You're going to be locked up for good."

Simone cocks her gun and shoots it at Ryker. He dodges it as Mason punches a guard and jumps out of a window. "Damn!"

"Mason, wait!" Simone starts to run toward the window and is about to run past Maria, when she's grabbed by the hair and slammed into the ground.

"Take her to the dungeon." Ryker orders.

"Mason will come back for me."

"He just left you to die. I don't think he cares what happens to you now." Ryker hands Simone to his guards and turns to Aelon. "Have every dragon available search for Mason. I want to catch him before he leaves our land."

"Yes, Lord Ryker."

Aelon runs off as Ryker lifts Agnes in his arms. "It's okay, Mom. I've got you."

Tears run down her face. "You called me Mom."

"You've always been my mother. Since I was a little boy, it was you who raised me. I'm actually relieved it's not Simone."

"We need to get her upstairs, Ryker. She's losing too much blood."

Ryker takes Agnes upstairs to her bedroom and lies her down. Maria looks down at the enormous amount of blood that has seeped onto her clothes. Aelon enters with surgical supplies. "Agnes is our healer. Here are her supplies."

Ryker looks at Maria with unshed tears. "Maria, you said your mother was a healer. Can you help Agnes?"

She runs inside the bathroom and grabs a handful of towels, rushing back to the bed. "Here, let me clean her up." She presses the towels to Agnes's blood-soaked stomach while Ryker goes to the kitchen for hot water.

A few minutes later, he returns. "I'm going to dig the bullet out, but I need your help."

"Do what you need to, Ryker. I'll be okay."

"Ryker, maybe I should get the bullet out? She's lost so much I'm worried about her losing more."

"What about your mate bond? It provides special powers. Maybe you can heal me without having to cut?"

Ryker looks at her with desperation in his eyes. "It's worth a try."

She takes his hand in hers, then they both place their free hand on the woman's wound. "I'm ready."

The three of them close their eyes. Their hearts soon beat as one. A rippling feeling begins in their gut, slowly moving down their legs and through their arms. "Keep going. I feel it." Ryker tightens his hand on hers as energy flows through them, drifting down to Agnes.

They keep the pressure on and the bullet pops out. "Ah! I feel it closing."

"Hold on, Agnes!"

A burst of energy moves into her and the duo falls back. When they stand, Agnes is sitting up in bed. "It worked. The pain is gone and the wound is closed."

Ryker hugs her with gratitude. "Thank you, Maria. Thank you for saving my mother."

"Of course. Agnes has become like a mother to me too."

The dragon mates return to their bedroom.

"The good news is, we can now prepare for war with Nestor and the dragon hunters."

"Yeah, you're right. I'm going to get some fresh air. Why don't you shower first while I clear my head?"

"You don't want to join me?"

Ryker eyes her up and down with a smile. "Next time."

She leans up and kisses him softly on the lips. "Let me know if you need anything." Ryker walks onto the balcony as she heads toward the bathroom. Fifteen minutes later, he's still out there and she walks outside to join him. "Hey, I'm sorry you were lied to your whole life."

He grips the balcony railing as anger flows through him. "I don't know how I didn't see it. I thought my connection to Agnes was because she raised me. And I don't why I still felt connected to Simone if she wasn't even my real mother?"

"Mason is still your half-brother. It could have to do with that?"

"Maybe." Ryker shakes his head with a frown, then lifts his angry eyes up to the sky as if it holds all the answers he's looking for. As his mate, she can feel the intensity of his anger and his hurt. "Both of my 'mothers' lied to me. Both of them!" He slams his fist into the railing so hard it almost comes loose. "And I didn't know. For my entire life, I didn't know I was being used." She reaches for him, but he shrugs and moves away. "It's okay. You can go get dressed. I don't mind being alone."

She opens up her dragon senses and can feel his sadness. Leaving him to his thoughts, she walks back into the bedroom. Ten minutes later, Ryker walks in from the balcony. "Feeling better?"

Ryker shrugs as he approaches her. There's a knock at the door and Aelon enters. "Vanessa's father is on his way here. He wants to see his daughter. He doesn't know Maria killed her."

"We need his support to fight Nestor and take back Maria's dragon flight."

"And we'll need him to fight the dragon hunters too. They're planning to attack Nestor as well as us."

"I'll make sure to apologize for the marriage misunderstanding." Maria mentions.

"Just don't apologize too much. Otherwise, Lord Gregory will use it as ammunition to blame you further."

Aelon nods with renewed confidence in his eyes. "Then we will welcome him with open arms."

"Yes. Let's prepare a feast in honor of the alliance between our flights. Ryker and I will talk to Lord Gregory first. Then, we'll join the rest of you for dinner on our ceremonial grounds."

"Great idea, Maria."

"Agnes is alive and we've weeded out the traitors. Tonight will be a celebration."

"It will be fitting on the eve of battle." Aelon leaves and Ryker pulls her into his arms. "Vanessa's father can be..... aggressive. I don't want you to let him intimidate you."

"Oh, I know exactly how to deal with aggressive men. I just smile as I tell them off. They love it."

"Is that right?"

"Look how well it worked on you." Ryker walks to his dresser and pulls out a suit coat. "Oh, I love it when you dress up." She beams.

"I'd rather be naked with you." He raises a flirty brow.

She steps closer to him and puts her hand on his rock-hard chest. "Oh, is sex all you think about?"

"No, I think about killing Nestor a lot too." She laughs and he smirks. "But sex with you is always my preferred thought. And I don't like waiting, but this time, we have no choice." She stares at her closet and wants to wear something that will dazzle her mate, then pulls out a stunning dress. When she puts it on, his eyes widen as he lets out an exhale. "You look.....so beautiful. That's exactly what you should wear tonight."

She changes out of the dress and into her second outfit, jeans with a cute top. "I'm more comfortable in this than a dress, especially if I have to fight anyone."

"Sure. You can wear whatever you want." When they get to the dining room, Vanessa's father, is already there. "Lord Gregory, what a nice surprise. We've prepared a feast on our ceremonial grounds."

"Cut the bullshit, Ryker. Where's Vanessa?"

"Lord Gregory, I'm Maria, Ryker's dragoness. Unfortunately, I killed Vanessa."

"What the hell?" Lord Gregory takes a step toward her, but Ryker holds him back.

"She attacked me. I had no choice. Vanessa was a very troubled woman. I believe Mason took advantage of her upset emotions and fragile state of mind after Ryker broke off the engagement."

"Mason didn't even ask for her hand in marriage. I blame him more for her death than I blame you. Mason used Vanessa like a pawn."

"I truly am sorry for your loss."

"As am I, Lord Gregory. But I still think we should unite our dragon flights."

"I don't know. The trust has been broken." Lord Gregory is hesitant.

"Not completely broken. We both need this alliance for protection."

He folds his arms over his chest. "You need it more than me. You've made a lot of enemies, Ryker."

"You have a lot of enemies too. And you know Maria and I are the best fighters in the territory."

"Lord Gregory, merging is still the best thing for both flights. The reasons you made the alliance in the first place still stand."

"And since you went back on your word to me about the marriage to Vanessa, how do I know you'll keep your word now?"

"I didn't go back on my word. Aelon agreed without my permission."

Tensions rise as Lord Gregory steps toward Ryker. "It's still messy as hell. And with the stunt Mason pulled, I'm not sure you're strong enough to lead us all."

Ryker locks eyes with her and she knows he's asking for help. "This is ridiculous! It was your daughter who caused all of this drama. Don't come here and waste our time."

Lord Gregory tenses with anger. "I thought you'd be more receptive, Ryker. This is not how an alliance is formed."

"Maria, let me do the talking." She rolls her eyes as he takes Lord Gregory a few feet away to calm his anger. A few minutes later, they walk back over to her. "We've agreed to a temporary alliance. We'll discuss a more permanent one in three months." The three of them walk to the ceremonial grounds where Lord Gregory's flight members and the rest of their people are waiting. They take a seat at a table with the flight leader and Aelon. "Let's talk about tomorrow's strategy. Maria is going to lead us-"

"Hell no. There's no way I'm following Maria. Her loyalty is questionable. She married into her enemy's dragon flight and is not going to fight her own people."

"It's ignorant for you to speak when you know very little about the facts. Because the fact is, I'm going to save my dragon flight from those who wish to destroy it." Lord Gregory opens his mouth to rebuttal, but she cuts him off. "I'm going to unite my dragon flight with Ryker's. It'll make us the strongest alliance this territory has ever seen. And if you don't start respecting me, you aren't going to get any of the rewards that come when I lead us to victory."

"I need to see your skills."

"Are you serious? I've won many battles."

"Maria's a warrior. She could beat you in any battle you face her in."

Lord Gregory scoffs as the rest of the room watches, wondering who's going to win this argument.

"Lord Gregory, Dragoness Maria is the second-best fighter we've ever seen. The only one who's better is Lord Ryker." Aelon confirms and the rest of the flight nods, agreeing.

Lord Gregory rolls his eyes with a huff. "You have to say that. She's your dragoness. But I'm not following any woman anywhere until she shows me there's a reason to follow her." All of his flight members nod in unison.

"Oh, so you're challenging me just because I'm a woman? If I were a man, would you be asking me to prove my skill?"

"Here, Maria can challenge my personal guard."

She scoffs as his members laugh.

"Gregory, you know that even suggesting Maria fight someone of a lower station is an insult." Ryker acknowledges.

He looks between the mated pair. Anger bubbles up inside of her when he gives an arrogant shrug. "I mean no insult, but my dragons need to trust her completely if she's going to be successful in leading us. Right now, we have no reason to trust her skill."

Ryker takes her hand and stares into her eyes, then leans in and whispers to her. "I say you make him eat his words. Otherwise, I'll have to lead everyone into battle."

Before anyone can move, she stands and takes her knife from behind her back. Quicker than lightning, she throws the knife at Lord Gregory. But it slips at the last second and hits Aelon in the leg. "Ah! What the hell?"

"I'm sorry, the knife slipped." Aelon gets up from the table to clean his wound, ignoring her sad eyes.

"Maybe it's best if I lead us tomorrow." Ryker volunteers.

"I agree."

As everyone walks back to the flight house, Ryker takes her hand and leads her a different way, landing them at the ancient dragon ruins. "These are the ancient dragon tombs. This land houses centuries of our ancestors." She closes her eyes and feels the power of the ancient energy here. "Tomorrow, we go into battle. A war we cannot lose."

"Oh, we won't lose, Ryker. I'm sure of it."

Ryker looks away with a grimace. "I...... have a bad feeling. Which is why I need you to know how I really feel incase something happens to me." He takes her hands and she feels the intensity of his love shining through his eyes. "I'm completely in love with you, Maria."