Dragon Bound
Chapter Twenty-Two

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Chapter Twenty-Two

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The three knights had barely clattered down into the courtyard before they were surrounded. The panic on his squire’s face was enough to have Jason out of the saddle before the boy could stutter out a word.

‘Something has happened, what is it? Is Lune alright?’ Jason barked, Damon’s head whipping around to watch. Fredrick was shouting for a medic even as his own squire was trying to make his way over. Kyril landed as far away as he could get from Vulkan. He had flown behind them the entire way. It was an insult, to assume that Vulkan would be disloyal to Fredrick and attack another rider, but Kyril had never trusted any dragon, even his own.

‘Lune is with the king,’ George stuttered. The words turned Jason’s blood to ice. He stared down at his squire in horror. Behind him, Damon starting to growl.

‘What?’

‘The king has called a meeting. You as well as Sir Fredrick and Sir Kyril must bring your dragons and-’

‘Hang on a bloody minute! My dragon needs medical attention! I’m not leaving him,’ Fredrick boomed. The two squires were white in the face and shaking, plainly terrified. To Jason’s surprise, Kyril seemed to be looking paler himself.

‘Surely a moment to change-’ Kyril stammered, sounding nothing like his usual arrogant self. Jason heard the sound of heavy boots and looked left to see Gabe striding towards them, his face grim and his arms full of robes for Damon, Vulkan and Nibui.

‘No changing. The king was specific, he wants the three of you to go to the hall, now,’ Gabe rumbled.

‘Gabe, what is this about?’ Jason asked. Gabe shook his head.

‘No idea lad. I saw him walking Lune from the stables. He had the boy transform.’ This was more unwelcome news.

Each knight was magically bound to their dragon. A dragon could only be forced to shift under the permission or instruction of their particular knight. The only exception to that rule was the king himself who was old enough and powerful to force the old magics to his will and command another’s dragon. Jason could only pray Lune was alright.

Damon was already making the shift to human form, but Fredrick was shaking his head.

‘I can’t have Vulkan shift, he’s exhausted and injured,’ the man growled. Gabe nodded.

‘We’ll have the healers take him back to his stall,’ Gabe agreed. Vulkan moved about restlessly. His wings were sagging all the way to the ground, but the beast’s eyes were wide and concerned. The massive reptile didn’t want to leave his human with the king. Fredrick snorted and gave the reptile’s muzzle a pat.

‘I’ll be alright you big lump. Just go rest up,’ Fredrick grunted.

‘What happened to his collar?’ one of the squires asked. Several of the crowd drew back at this, perhaps only realising for the first time that Vulkan was untethered.

‘No time. Tell us later,’ Gabe snapped, and marched towards the massive doors. Damon was pulling on the robe Gabe had handed to him. Jason waited for him and then followed the old knight inside.

--

Jason breathed a deep aching sigh of relief at the sight of Lune. The Kagame was gorgeous, pale skinned and silver haired with his bright lilac doe eyes and the long robe hanging off his small frame. He had been standing next to the king looking very nervous. He seemed unharmed and at the sight of Jason and Damon, he sprinted over on bare feet. Damon wrapped both arms around his mate and hugged him tight, snuffing at his soft hair.

‘Are you alright?’ Jason murmured. Lune nodded, cheeks turning a bit pink from the stares of the other knights and dragons. Jason honestly couldn’t have given a fuck about any of them though he was surprised to see Amara and Dane. Both knights looked weather-beaten and tired.

They all stood there, shifting, and muttering to each other quietly. No one knew why they had all been called together. The Sun King sat in his chair, his expression closed and his posture stiff. The air was almost electrified.

‘Are we all here?’ the king asked in a lazy voice. There was something about the intensity of the man’s gold eyes that stiffened Jason’s spine. There was something deadly in that gaze. Jason wasn’t the only one to sense it. Those golden eyes fell on Fredrick.

‘Tell me, Sir Fredrick, where is your dragon? Were you attacked?’ He asked the question as a man who already knew the answer but wanted it projected. Fredrick shifted uncomfortably but didn’t drop his gaze.

‘We were sire. Four rogue riders and their dragons. We eliminated two of them before we were forced to land as Vulkan’s wings was injured and his collar severed.’ Murmurs stopped with barely a twitch of the king’s hand.

‘And what did your beast do once his collar was destroyed?’ the king asked.

Fredrick drew himself up, chin jutting with a sought of pride that only a rider held. ‘He did as he always does, sire, as I asked of him.’

The king nodded slowly. He looked over Jason and Damon before landing on Kyril. ‘I told my knight to expect an attack. Did you know that, Kyril?’ The room went very still. The king had dropped off his title. Kyril shot Jason and Fredrick a panicked look.

‘No sire…’ he stuttered.

The king gave another slow nod before casting his gaze around the room. ‘I believed they would recognise Kyril if he flew too close to the mountains that he had once patrolled for me,’ the king said, his tone icy. The room had become very quiet. Lune tucked himself a little closer to Jason and Damon. Kyril was the colour of fresh parchment. His throat bobbed as he swallowed.

‘My king-’

‘I had ruled for so many decades, protected you all for so many years that I had become foolish and complacent. I admit that. I didn’t imagine a knight of mine would lie to my face. Not until the kagame was brought into my stables.’ Everyone was looking between the Sun King and Kyril. The tension and confusion were visible on nearly every face. Imperceptibly, people were starting to back away from the condemned man. Kyril didn’t seem able to move.

‘Recognise?’ Logan growled, one of the few who looked more angry than puzzled. He seemed to be cluing into the king’s words, though Jason had still not quite grasped the full picture.

‘Yes, the rogues would want Kyril dead because he was the only one who knew the truth. Would you like to share that truth, Kyril?’ the king growled. The knight began to stutter, his eyes to wide around the edges.

‘Sire, please, I, I did not mean to deceive you, but my dragon was injured, and I could not make the full flight so -’

‘Silence!’ The word was a hiss, but it rang with the finality and purity of a falling axe. The room went as still as a winter graveyard.

The king unfurled a large sheaf of parchment and tossed it onto the table. They all stared at it. It was a map of the Sun Kingdom and its bordering lands. The king pointed, his blazing eyes piercing through the onlookers to Lune. Jason felt the kagame stiffen. He placed a hand on the dragon’s shoulder, squeezing gently.

‘Tell us what is wrong with this map,’ the king rumbled. Lune hesitated a moment and then moved timidly closer to the massive table and squinted at the map.

‘It’s very outdated,’ Lune said finally. Eyes turned to him, Estevan’s eyes narrowing.

‘Why do you say that?’

‘Those caves haven’t looked like that in a long time. That big storm that took me from my nesting grounds also caused many rockslides and avalanches. When I last went past, this entire wall was gone,’ Lune said, pointing to the solid cave wall sketched on the parchments. Amara’s lips parted in awe.

’Cave systems... do you think they could have collapsed enough to allow a path right through the Kaempe Stor Mountains?’ she breathed. Lune tilted his head off to one side.

‘I know it does. I’ve seen dragons use that passage to get from one side of the mountain to the other. I was aiming for those caves when... when Damon first chased me down.’

There was absolute silence in response to this revelation.

‘All this time we have ruled out the Kingdom of the Storm because of their location,’ Logan murmured. Jason’s eyes fell on the king who had become still. He reminded Jason of an eagle about to strike. Kyril was shaking. He tried to say something, but the words seemed to get stuck.

‘For months you have known about this, and you said nothing out of cowardice,’ the king hissed.

Jason’s mouth twisted in a thin disgusted line as Kyril edged himself behind Nibui as though the small dragon would be able to protect him from the wrath of the king. Nibui looked sallow faced and expressionless. He didn’t move to protect his rider nor defend him. Kyril tried to open his mouth and speak but the king cut him off before he could even get started.

’Do you think I don’t know that your animal was injured due to your own handling, making it unable to perform its duties to me? Do you think I don’t know what goes on inside these walls?’ he boomed so loudly that dust was shaken from the tapestries. Kyril looked around but not a single other creature in the room met his eyes.

‘Sire, please, mercy. I only-’

It was like the implosion of a small sun. The king’s aura unfurled, filling every square inch of the room. It crashed down on them all like a thick suffocating blanket of eternal fire and rage. Jason cried out in pain, and he wasn’t the only one. Lune and Damon collapsed under the magic; their bodies unable to fight it off.

The loudest cry of all came from Kyril.

The man was screaming, blood pouring from his ears and eyes. His limbs were contorting into grotesque angles. There were several thick wet snapping sounds as his arms dislocated and his spine was wrenched backwards. The man gave one more heaving scream before there was a sharp cracking noise and he went limp, blood still oozing from his open mouth.

The knights around the room dropped to one knee, their heads bowed. Jason was panting hard, his own aura barely preventing his own suffocation under the enormous burning storm cloud that was his king. The Sun King stood, looking down at them all and not a single creature dared lift their head to oppose him. When he spoke, it was with a barely contained energy. Those blazing eyes fell on Jason, and he felt his heart miss several beats.

‘Have your kagame fitted. He will be our eyes.’ Jason mouth was completely dry. Dread and worry pushed bile up his throat. He couldn’t form words so instead he nodded.

‘Take the next two days to prepare. Sharpen your weapons, ready your armour. We are going to war.’

--

Lune was in tears by the time they reached Jason’s chambers. He had been violently rattled by the smothering power of the king’s magic. Barely able to move and terrified out of his wits, Jason had to nearly carry him from the hall. Back in their chambers, Lune clung to Jason, his small frame shaking with sobs. Jason rocked with him; arms wrapped tight around his small waist. Jason didn’t know what to say. He was grateful when Damon came to join them.

The yoru was just as badly rattled but was handling it. He was older than Lune. This was not the first time he had seen the king angry, though never like this. Damon reached for Lune and his rider, needing the skin-to-skin contact. All three of them were contact starved and unbalanced. The fire in the grate had died right down but Jason didn’t move to relight it. They stayed in an awkward fierce embrace, coiled around each with Lune in the centre.

Lune’s sobs slowed though he still trembled like a leaf. His nails were biting into Jason’s shoulders. Damon was taking deep, slightly laboured, breaths. When Jason moved back on the large bed, his two dragons came with him.

He ran his fingers through their hair. Damon was not normally one for cuddling. The man was all brawn and teeth but when Jason tugged the yoru closer, Damon shifted without argument.

‘We’re leaving?’ Lune rasped, breaking the silence of a long time.

‘Yes,’ Jason replied dully.

‘We’ll have to fight other dragons?’ Lune asked.

Jason winced but didn’t try to lessen the truth. ‘Yes. I’m not going to pretend this isn’t serious. Damon and I are knights, bound to our king. We will need to defend our home. We will try and keep you as far away from the fight as we can.’ Lune sat up and shook his head.

‘I can’t have you both put yourselves at risk for me,’ Lune protested.

‘And I can’t have you injured because of me,’ Jason responded miserably. The three stared at each other.

‘Well, this is a mess,’ Lune said in a weak attempt at humour. Damon snorted.

‘And that is the biggest understatement I’ve ever heard,’ the black dragon said drily.

‘Is this… my fault?’ Lune asked. Jason grabbed hold of his chin and turned his face to meet his eyes.

‘No. If anything, you probably saved us all. If we hadn’t found out about the caves through the mountains, the Storm King’s army would probably have been on our doorstep before we could rally any defence.’ Lune nodded but he didn’t look entirely convinced so Jason leant forward and kissed him. It was a gentle, coaxing sought of touch. When Lune drew back to tuck himself more thoroughly into Jason’s chest, the rider let him.

Lune wanted to be small and still for a while. He wanted to be held in the arms of a larger, stronger male. He remembered the smell of snowstorms, the feel of ice against his scales and opened the thought up to the two males beside him. He shared the memory of flying through snow and was surprised when another thought emerged. It took him a long moment to realise that Damon was sharing a memory of his own.

Lune breathed in deep, tasting woodchips and sawdust. It was pitch black outside and he and Jason were sneaking out for a midnight flight. He felt Damon’s excitement, heard Jason’s hushed whispers to be quiet. It was odd, to hear a teenage Jason and to smell the stables and identify them as home instead of as a prison.

This time it was Damon’s lips that pressed against Lune’s. Lune found himself tumbling backward, pinned down by the larger dragon’s weight. Jason shifted back to give them room, eyes darkening with interest.

‘Are you tired?’ Damon asked in a rough voice. Lune stared up at him.

‘After that? No,’ he replied. Damon smirked and the look suited him.

‘Good.’ A large hand fisted into Lune’s white hair. The grip was self-assured. His stomach clenched in anticipation. Damon was leaning over him, his eyes blazing with an expression that was half hunger, half anticipation. It sent a jolt of lust and anticipation through Lune. Jason reached out a hand and gripped Lune’s wrist and that small bud of fear ebbed away. Jason would never let Damon hurt him, not that he truly believed Damon would on purpose.

Lune licked his dry lips and shyly pressed up, asking wordlessly for another kiss. Damon dove, chest rumbling with a growl. A moan escaped them both as hands started to wander. The flimsy robe Lune had been wearing was pulled up. Damon broke their kiss to stare down at the creamy unblemished skin.

‘Gods, you’re beautiful,’ Damon groaned. He dove, licking a line down Lune’s chest to one pebbled nipple. Lune mewled as sharp teeth took it, gently biting until it was red and throbbing. He wiggled, feeling Damon’s clothed cock against his leg. His next cry was swallowed down as Jason kissed him. The man cradled Lune’s face as Damon worked his way down Lune’s belly and hips with gentle teeth and an urgent tongue. He seemed to be determined to mark the pale skin, sucking up bruises that had Lune breathless with sensation.

Lune’s hips lifted and Damon responded by grinding against him, the friction making them both tense and hiss. Jason bent forward and tapped Damon on the shoulder. Damon drew back with a feral look at his master. Jason had removed his armour and was leaning back against the pillows, apparently thoroughly enjoying the show. He handed Damon a familiar vial and Lune couldn’t help but pant at the sight of it.

‘Watch me,’ Jason purred, distracting Lune as Damon settled himself between Lune’s legs. Lune stared up at the human with dilated pupils. A sound got stuck in his throat at the first feeling of oiled fingers against his entrance. They teased at his opening, moving with gentle insistence until the first one slipped inside. Jason caught Lune’s whine in another kiss. Legs trembling, fingers caught in Damon’s hair, Lune begged with whimpers and gasped as both men worked his body over.

When the fingers slipped out, Lune felt strangely empty. His hole twitched. Jason drew back to watch, leaving Lune panting for air. Damon shook his head, carefully detangled Lune’s fingers from the black tresses.

‘Do you remember what I told you?’ Damon growled, sitting up and manoeuvring Lune’s legs to be either side of his hips. Lune stared up at them both in a needy daze. He shook his head, gasping sharply as the head of Damon’s cock pressed against his entrance. Damon gave him a wicked smirk. The slickened head popped inside with a slight sting of pain. Lune let out a strangled cry as the yoru pressed forward, easing inside. It wasn’t until he made to pull back that Lune choked on his own air.

Damon was barbed. He felt them.

They were like tiny little hairs or hooks, dragging gently along his passage walls, tickling, and gripping his sore sensitive walls. Lune wiggled. Damon gave an excited growled and pumped back in sharply. Each drag out made Lune’s back arch, each thrust in forced the air from his lungs. He scrabbled, his fingernails scratching them until Jason pinned his hands to the bed above his head. The rider bent down to litter his face and neck with kisses. Lune felt drunk on them both.

‘Do you like them?’ Damon purred, rocking his hips. His grip on Lune’s hips was almost bruising but Lune didn’t care. In response to the question, he ground back against Damon, making the man snarl.

Damon built up a rhythm, his thrusts rocking Lune into the bed. The slick slide across his prostate and the ever-present barbs had Lune writhing in pleasure. The sting of entrance was long faded, and his hair was a wild tangle of white from his tossing. He could feel the pressure coiling tight in his belly. Damon thrust in and ground his hips, the sensation hot and dirty.

Jason retreated a little and Damon watched hungrily as his rider divested his trousers and wrapped a hand around his own cock. His other hand stayed to bind Lune’s wrists. Jason could feel everything his dragons were feeling along the bond. Though diluted, the sensations caused Jason to tremble as he watched them, hand stroking his aching cock. Damon chuckled darkly, shoving his hips forward.

‘One day I’ll take the time to really work you over. I’ll breed you in our stall and find out just how many times I can mount you before your legs give out,’ Damon hissed into Lune’s ear. Lune moaned, his eyes squeezing shut and his hips pushing up into the thrusts. He was openly whining, his body taut. He could feel his orgasm, his muscles taut and ready.

It didn’t take much. Another long glide of the barbs against his walls and Damon’s teeth in his shoulder and Lune was thrown over the edge with a shout. Damon wasn’t far behind, the sensations flooding their bond driving them to cum together. Lights winked behind Lune’s closed eyes. He was clenching down hard on the twitching length inside him. He gave a small whimper of discomfort as Damon withdrew.

The room was momentarily quiet with their heavy breathing and the occasional pop from the dying fire. Lune looked over. Jason was lounging besides them. His hand slick with his own release and his cock laying soft against his thigh. Damon rocked unsteadily to his feet and went to get a washcloth to help clean them off. Lune was too tired to do more than wiggle over to Jason and go limp.

Damon made a half-hearted attempt to clean them up before coiling around Lune and Jason and tugging the rumpled blankets over them. Jason closed his eyes, trying hard not to think about the battle to come.

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END

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