Dusk Before the Dawn - Lady Adellandra Dratianos (highly recommended books txt) 📗

continued to walk through the Province Wood at night, his empathy always searching for the female peregrine. Soon after the War for Peace ended, he found she no longer followed him in that form, or any form. His mind played through many scenarios, mostly the possibility of her death in the War.
It was a starry night when he walked to the river’s edge, ever searching and wishing for her return to him. Though it was a brief encounter, Braken Hawk could not stop thinking about the peregrine named Sibylline.
The only thing that interrupted his thoughts of her was the reflection he caught in the water. He studied his feline form.
He sat on the grass and looked up to the sky as he whispered. “The Fates should be shot for this.” His eyes caught a shining star. “You must think it is all some kind of joke. A Once-Draconian Emperor’s form reduced to that of a common housecat! Well, I am not laughing, ladies and gentlemen.”
The shining star seemed to blink at him.
He rose and washed his face in the river, spying the Immortal form of a black-haired woman in the water’s reflection. She was beautiful, with stars sparkling in both her hair and her silver eyes. He stood and turned to bow to her.
“Hello, Balinese.” The woman, whose name was Sibylline, called. “You may rise.”
He stood, golden-eyes delighted to see her. “Good evening, Sibylline.”
Sibylline smiled, nodding. “Good evening to you. How are you this fine night?”
“All is wonderful upon your arrival, Sibylline.” Braken took her hand and kissed it. “Ah, Sibylline. Truly, the most beautiful name I have ever heard.”
Sibylline blanched. “Why, thank you, sir.”
“The name is Braken Hawk, M’Lady.” He supplied, smiling into her silver eyes. Using his empathy, he smiled. “Do you not remember me? It may have been a few years ago.”
Sibylline stared back and blushed. “Aye, I do know. I led you to Lord Guardian’s Castle when you arrived.”
Braken smiled. “That you did, M’Lady. You were in the form of a gentle peregrine falcon.”
Sibylline laughed. “I have not shifted to that form for a few years.”
“Even if you do not remember me, I remember you.” Braken supplied. “I remember how you followed me through the forests in that form. You kept yourself hidden and never came to my mental calls.”
“That was you in my mind?” Sibylline asked in wonder.
Braken crooked his arm. “Aye, lady. That was I.”
Sibylline smiled at him and realized how golden his eyes were, how magical and secretive. With her own Empathy power, she felt something between them; a kind of spark that told both it was more than friendship. It was Destiny.
He took her hand and led her to places she’d never seen before. It was his private little Kingdom, and the couple became involved. It wasn’t long before Braken had fallen in love with the Ancient Mystic Sister.
Despite all the battles, wars and fights with Dominionite Warriors, Braken had to say his life was perfect.

Drakkar Dratianos

The war Brakkon started still raged on without him. Draconis, the new Emperor of the Dragon Nations before he turned Chaotic, had led his troops further into battle.
In another part of the Dragon Nations, his twin Drakkar and mate, Adarra fought side by side, with Adarra’s younger brother Anton. They were in full Royal battle armor against demons from the Demon Realms. In the heat of battle between Draconis and Brakkon, they had taken advantage and attacked the Empire city of Mal’estar. Adarra, Drakkar and Anton couldn’t bear to see that happen, so they suited up and fled out to the other soldiers, taking on as many demons as they could. They used magic and might, power and strength, but each were wavering.
Adarra shot as much of her magic to destroy the attacking demons but she was getting weaker by the moment. She looked to her mate of Drakkar for help, but he wasn’t any better.
If you must, draw on her magic. Drakkar sent.
“Her” was Adarra’s twin sister Adellandra, the one the Draconians were calling the “Runaway Empress,” as she ran away from her mate of Draconis, taking her three children only-she-knows-where. Being they were twins, Adarra and Adella could draw on one-another’s energies and magic should each of them need it.
Well, Adarra needed it, and knew very well that her twin didn’t. That didn’t mean she was going to do so without permission. Adarra shook her head.
Drakkar frowned. I will not have you die on me, Adarramena! Draw on her magic – NOW!
Adarra couldn’t refuse. She quickly nodded and sent an apology to her twin’s mind. I’m sorry, ‘Della…
Using the twin-link between them, Adarra pulled on her twin’s magic. She put as much of her own magic into the attack on the oncoming demon as she could muster.
After firing the shot, she fainted.
Drakkar noticed her right away and stopped to scoop her up and disappear.
He reappeared in a place he never knew he would. He looked around the room and spotted a couch in the far corner. He set his mate’s unconscious body on it and felt her forehead. “Dare not die on me now, Adarramena.” He croaked.
A voice broke his thoughts.
“What are you doing here, Bratton?” It was female and familiar.
Drakkar turned to see his sister Dracora standing beside another female and a male. The other female’s name was Enchantra, and she was an Ancient Mystic Sister in the Realm of Dreams. The male was Lord Guardian O’Dell of the Realms himself.
Drakkar bowed to the two Mystics. “I do not know, Brattona. I just grabbed her when she fell and disappeared from the battleground.” He rose. “My apologies, Sister Enchantra and Lord Guardian.”
“No apologies needed, Prince Drakkar Dratianos.” Enchantra smiled. “How did you know which Sister I was?”
Drakkar smiled. “The same as how you knew which Dratianos I was. A twin always knows the differences between other pairs.”
“What can we do for you, Prince?”
“It’s my mate, Lord Guardian.” Drakkar supplied.
Enchantra went to examine Adarra. “She overexerted both herself and her duo.” She supplied, than looked to Drakkar. “Where is her twin now?”
Drakkar shrugged his shoulders. “Ask her.” His head nodded to Dracora, who was silent.
“I know nothing of it, and you know it.” Dracora supplied. “The last I knew of my Empress-sita, she was planning on taking the children and herself away.”
Drakkar frowned. “The two of you are virtually inseparable. Are you sure you are not hiding anything?”
“If I were, you would know of it already.” Dracora responded. She shook her head. “Now you know why I took some of our people to the Mortal Realm. Your duo has gone chaotic, and there is no end to his destruction.”
“There has to be a way to save Adarra from him.” Drakkar agreed.
“I believe we can help with that.” Enchantra looked to O’Dell. “My love?”
O’Dell took a moment to stare at Adarramena’s silent form before responding. “Bring her in and set her beside her sister.”
Dracora blinked. “You knew! All this time?”
O’Dell shook his head. “I could sense her, aye. One of our soldiers found her unconscious in the old hutch-cave that used to belong to their parents. I asked them to bring her here until we could figure anything more.”
“What are you going to do with her?”
“Them?” Drakkar echoed after his sister.
They watched as a Dragonwolf identical to Adarramena was brought in and laid down beside her.
“There is something about those girls, O’Dell.” Enchantra stared at the twins. “Something that screams magic.”
“They are Draconian.” Drakkar said, hoping it would explain it. “They have great power.”
“Nay, something else.” Enchantra supplied. “They are worth saving. They must live, but not here. Not now. Not while many wars are being fought.”
“For once, I agree.” Dracora supplied. “But what are you going to do with them?”
Enchantra smiled. “Give them another destiny.” She looked up to O’Dell. “Find Susan and bring her here.”
O’Dell nodded, and smiled once knowing what she was thinking.
“Who is Susan?” Drakkar and Dracora asked at the same time.
“My Granddaughter.” Enchantra smiled. “She has five children already and enough room in her house and heart for three more.”
“Three?” Dracora asked.
“Do you mean Anton?” Drakkar inquired.
Enchantra nodded. “He is resting in the other room. I had to put him under a spell in order for him to stay that way.”
“He is a fighter.” Dracora said. “What are you going to do with them? They are not dead, just weakened. How are you going to give them another destiny?”
“They will be reborn as Earthbound Ancient Mystics.” Enchantra said simply. She turned her attention to the silver-glowing Empress. “This one is different; even from her twin and brother. I cannot place it.”
“Adellandra has always been different.” Dracora supplied, smiling. “Kind, loving, gentle, and good, yet a fierce fighter and honorable Empress.”
“Only she knows why she left our bratton.” Drakkar said.
“It was to save the children from destruction.” Dracora now stared at her Empress-Sita.
“Gramere?” A female voice asked from the doorway. “What’s going on? Why did you send Granpere for me?”
“Fetch the Dragonwolf male for me, Susan, and set him down beside his sisters.” Enchantra stood when she obeyed.
Susan stared at her Gramere. “I know who they are now!” She whispered. “The Empress of Mal’estar, Lady Adellandra, her twin Princess Adarramena and younger brother Sir Anton Dranna.”
Enchantra only nodded, confirming. “Do you know what I wish you to do with them?”
Susan stared, her silver-blue eyes shifting from one silent sibling to the other. “I don’t know.” She looked to Enchantra.
“Raise them.”
Susan was confused. “I’m sorry, ‘raise them?’” She shook her head. “They are already fully-grown. How?”
“The time rift between the Mortal Realm and this Realm is different.” Enchantra began. “We wish for you to keep them safe and raise them as your own children. They will be significantly younger when I blood them.”
“’Blood’ them?” Drakkar asked, speaking up. “I mean no interruptions, but, surely there must be another way?”
Enchantra shook her head. “Not if you want them alive to see Mal’estar once again.”
“But blooding them as Ancient Mystics will –” Dracora began but was cut off.
“I know what it will do, Countess.” Enchantra supplied. “I assure you, there is no other way around it. They must be blooded as Ancient Mystics in order to survive your brother’s chaos.”
Drakkar growled. “If you hurt her, I will know of it!”
O’Dell shook his head. “No, you will not. Once the ritual is done, the three of them will have no memory of who they once were.”
“They will have their powers.” Dracora supplied. “And their forms. The Mortal Realm is not ready