That first moment my eyes met my Bondmate’s, it wasn’t what you would think.

I was frankly annoyed by her attitude.

From the personal journal of Ozora

Dean of Magics

The Bestiary

****

“But apparently, we need to deal with this invasion first.” Taenya continued before Cleobah could interrupt. “Would’ve thought a creature that could peer through time might’ve given me a heads up about that too.” She sounded bitter, and like she might have a reason.

“I said it wouldn’t be easy.” The sphinx blinked, as if shocked Taenya had to ask. “I said to keep your eyes to the west. If I remember right, and I always do, my exact words were ‘watch for the setting sun to rise again.’”

“I got that. I just thought we’d have more time.” Taenya grumbled. We were all on edge. No one wanted to be here. “Before we had to deal with the Emperor.” She added, to show she’d understood the sphinx.

“It’s like you didn’t listen to me all those other times.” The sphinx rolled her eyes so far her neck circled along. “I can only tell you about the future if I say it so that you don’t understand. It only makes sense after you’ve passed through it.” Cleobah’s wide-eyed stare was pure innocence, but then her narrow lips quirked in a tiny smirk. “Unless you’re very, very clever.”

Taenya’s mouth opened to protest, but Cleobah finished before she could speak.

“I don’t even know what I’m going to say before I say it. You asked, I answered. I helped you as much as I could. More than any other seeker. It’s not my fault you didn’t recognize it.”

Taenya sputtered. “You didn’t even try to give me any extra help.”

“Did.” Cleobah countered, sounding smug. “When I told you to get her first.” She jerked her narrow chin at me. “That wasn’t even part of your question. I gave you that out of the goodness of my heart.” Here she grimaced and added. “It hurt too.” Her golden expression crumpled, lids screwed tight as she remembered some past pain, but from what I couldn’t tell.

Taenya gritted her teeth. “You said, ‘You won’t sway the one in Hastrior without the one from Emberglen.’ How in the goddess's name am I supposed to glean ‘invasion’ from that?”

The sphinx drooped her head between her shoulders and front legs. A heavy sigh lifted her wings.

“After that. What did I say after that?”

“You didn’t—” She cut herself off, eyes narrowing and lips pursing. “That I should hurry or I might be late.” Taenya admitted. “Still doesn’t tell me about the Emperor invading.”

“Best I could do.” Cleobah’s shrug and continued snarky responses seemed to annoy Taenya. So said the hard glint in her eyes and the extra tightness to her jaw. “It got you to the spot where you’d see their first landing.” I staggered as the horse-sized sphinx nudged my shoulder with her wing. “This one is lucky. You almost were too late. That elf had her. The concussion from the ship exploding was a lucky break. For her.” Her chuckle had a wicked chime to it. “Not so much, the elf.”

“But they are coming back?”

“Most assuredly.”

“How soon?” Taenya emphasized.

Cleobah laughed again. I’d never have guessed a sphinx would be so … merry. She had the air of one genuinely enjoying herself. None of the texts ever hinted a sphinx had a sense of humor.

“Soon enough that you’ll need more than just these two. If they can mend their differences.”

“You can’t pick anyone else?” The words burst from Fraser, as if the pressure in him built to the point it was uncontainable. I wasn’t sure if he meant me or him.

“Nooooo.” The sphinx assured him. “It’s all of you, or none of you.”

Cassyrra rumbled. Taenya nodded. Fraser scrubbed his face with his hands, as if to wipe away what the sphinx implied. When he dropped them, he’d regained his distant demeanor, now with extra skepticism in his icy expression.

“The words of another magical beastie?” Fraser’s chuckle was bitter. “Is that the best you’ve got?”

“Oh no, pirate.” Cleobah was definitely purring. “It’s not my best.”

“Privateer.” Fraser growled through a locked jaw.

“Whatever.” Cleobah dismissed his correction. “Since you need to hear something convincing.”

Golden lids slipped over golden eyes. The lioness woman lifted her chin and half sang, half spoke.

Never again to question.

Never again to doubt.

Your heart’s desire.

Achieved.

A wave of numin rolled outward, following the rising and falling of the beast’s singing. It tingled as it passed me. With my magesight, I saw it wrap around Fraser like a glowing golden cloud before sinking into his form. The magical energy seemed to have dissipated, leaving a faint glitter that lingered on his skin and clothes.

The last notes rolled over us before fading as the sphinx blinked, opening her eyes. Slitted pupils widened, making her eyes seem black for a moment before they refocused on Fraser. Her slim lips twitched upward at their corners.

“You’re welcome.” She seemed quite pleased with herself.

Fraser snorted. “For what?”

“I answered your question.” Cleobah told him, as if it were obvious.

“I didn’t ask you anything.” His eyes went from hard to confused.

“No, but your soul did.” She answered. “It’s been screaming since I got here.”

“What was the numin?” I asked.

“You saw that?” The sphinx’s dark amber brows arched. “Of course you did.” Her golden eyes warmed.

My brows peaked too, wondering what she meant.

“You cast on me?” Fraser demanded.

“No.” Cleobah retorted. “Your question called to my numin. I cast nothing.”

Taenya and I traded looks. Cleobah chortled, as if this were all just too amusing.

“Okay, okay.” She slid her gaze over to Taenya and asked. “You really didn’t tell them anything.” The dragonrider pursed her lips and shook her head.

“Guess I better back up.” Cleobah seemed like she was talking to herself, muttering under her breath. “They know nothing of sphinx’s prognostication. Or it’s costs.” Her face appeared to age, in a flicker becoming a mature, then elderly woman. In the next breath, she was again youthful, wrinkles melting away like an illusion. I shot a quick, questioning look at Taenya, wondering if she’d seen the transformation. She gave a brief bob of her head but seemed unconcerned.

The story has been illicitly taken; should you find it on Amazon, report the infringement.

“Here’s the thing.” Cleobah tapped her paw in emphasis, causing little puffs of dust to burst upward. “If you ask me a question that has to do with the future, I’ll always answer honestly, but I don’t have control over what I say. I also don’t always answer what you ask me directly, but what your soul needs to know. Since I don’t have control over what I say, and most folks don’t ask what their soul needs but what their ego demands, well, is it any wonder you have trouble understanding it?”

Fraser now looked puzzled, as if he was struggling to decipher Cleobah’s answer. I couldn’t blame him. I hadn’t been able to quite follow the sphinx’s contorted response of magical and spiritual concepts.

Cleobah didn’t seem to notice. “That’s why most don’t get it till they’ve already gone through it, and it’s in their past.” She added, as if that clarified things.

Now I understood why the passages I’d read about sphinx called them “capricious” and “nigh incomprehensible.”

“Lucky for you, I can tell you anything about the past or the immediate present. So let me give you something easy…” She rose and paced for a moment, fluffing her wings as she strode back and forth. “Give me a moment. There’s so much to choose from.”

I had to agree with her.

“Ozora saw the holding pens in the Skirmisher.” Did not expect her to say that. Or the rest.

“She had every reason to believe you were transporting and selling hippocamps because she saw that’s exactly what you were set up to do.” I nodded in agreement. This creature was right, but how was she right? There was more. “She never would have torched your ship if you had shared your plans with her sooner. That sunset sailing you dreamed of would’ve been your fate.”

That last bit was wrong. There was no scenario where I would forgive him, let alone sail away with him. Fraser’s coppery face went slack, but he recovered fast, stiffening his features and voice with scorn. “So?”

Cleobah nudged me again as she paced past, sending me a couple steps toward Fraser. “Tell her.” Resuming her seat facing all three of us, she slid her glance between him and me, as if waiting to see our reaction.

I was confused. How would telling me his plans change my mind? What sunset sailing? What was the sphinx talking about? Then the memory rose from our past and slapped me.

I’d never forget his shattered expression when I set off the fireball spells planted in Skirmisher, but I’d buried it deep. Cleobah’s words dredged it back up in my memory.

He’d professed his love as the sun was slipping toward the sea. I’d laughed in his face as my explosions boomed and surging waves rushed outward from Skirmisher’s hull.

The betrayal on Fraser’s face when he realized what I’d done nearly destroyed me and, for half a moment, I’d wanted to beg his forgiveness.

But I didn’t. He just stood there and watched me run away as flames leapt from the hatches of his dying ship. I didn’t expect the hurt in his eyes would cut so deep.

I never should’ve looked back.

“Might help if you two had an actual conversation about what happened that night.” Cleobah’s dry comment jerked me back to the present. I avoided Fraser’s gaze. There was an uncomfortable jiggle in my belly that might have been regret.

“Can we at least talk this over?” Taenya sounded very much like an exhausted parent. “As we all just learned, we don’t have a whole lot of time.” She flipped a quick, stabbing glare at Cleobah. “So if you two can both kiss and make up? Shake hands, spit in the dirt, whatever it takes?” Her emerald gaze swept Fraser, a jumble of regret and rage. “Otherwise you’re going to lose a lot more than your hippocamps. They’ll only be the start.”

Silence followed Taenya’s dire pronouncement, rippling outward in large, heavy waves, like a boulder dropped into a lake. Fraser broke it, groaning and running his hands through his hair, then scrubbing at his scruff of a beard. “Will you release my men?” He asked.

Cassyrra growled, making the air vibrate. Her tongue dragged across teeth like short swords, making a wet, scraping sound I’ll not soon forget. Taenya glanced between the dragon and Cleobah, who gave a slight nod.

“She’s faster than you think.” Taenya reminded him. “Don’t get any funny ideas.”

His aquamarine gaze was sharp enough to slice, but he nodded agreement.

The numinous netting dissolved around everyone.

“Steady men. Set the bolt down.” Fraser commanded as the crew jumped, seeing that the dragon was on the ground and we’d added a sphinx. He dismissed them and they scampered off.

Listen, no one is brave when a dragon is staring at you like you’re a snack and lets a few licks of bright blue flame play around her scaly lips.

Fraser didn’t budge. “Satisfied?”

“For now.” Cleobah said.

“I wasn’t expecting so many. There might not be enough.” He answered. “We’ll also need a bigger table. I’ll go arrange it.” He added, turning on his heel to stride to the largest, open-sided tent.

“You cocky bastard. You never intended to talk with us.” I shouted at his back.

“Nope. I thought the ballista would take care of my problems.” He yelled over his shoulder, giving Cassyrra a wide berth. I flashed him a rude gestured he didn’t see because he turned and disappeared behind the cook’s tent.

“Not helping, my dear. You should remember who gave you the information that led you to fireball his ship.” Cleobah murmured. She moved with surprising stealth for a creature her size and stood near my elbow now.

Ignoring the sphinx, I grabbed Taenya’s arm, holding her in place as she turned to follow.

“That man cannot be trusted.” I said. Urgently, quietly. “He just tried to kill Cassyrra and now you’re going to sit and eat with him?” Shock crept in, raising my voice.

“How is trust lost or gained?” Cleobah asked.

Her question startled me, and I half spun toward the sphinx. She angled her head to meet my eyes. “Do you know it so well?”

“She does that.” Taenya said, jerking her chin toward Cleobah. “Random non sequitur questions or statements. Sort of her thing. Kinda looks really old for a second at times, too.” Detaching my hand from her arm, she added. “Believe me, trust is the last thing Fraser Connell gets from me. But I trust Cassyrra.”

Just saying her name changed Taenya’s whole being, and she softened, gaze resting on the dragon.

Truly, seeing her in the bright light of day only drove home her magnificence.

Last night, Cassyrra was deep and velvety, blending into the darkness. Today, when the sunlight struck her scaled and armored hide, I saw she was in fact a purplish blue, but so dark it bordered on black. Golden rays slid over her massive form, sparking iridescent rainbows and more. The bright light revealed a subtle pattern flowing over her flanks and shoulders in muted sapphire and violet. Whorls and lines, slashes, and splashes of color painted a lovely but barely visible tapestry across the vast mural of her frame. Across the translucent sky-blue expanse of her wings, this pattern flipped to inky indigo.

Nothing I’d ever read about dragons came close to reality. Were they all incredible beauty and vast intelligence in a massive, deadly form?

“And Cassyrra trusts Cleobah.” Taenya interrupted my musing. There was a softness in her gaze that seemed to say she understood how I felt being this close to such a powerful creature..

“And Cleobah says, let’s go.” The sphinx swished her tail and walked away, breaking the moment, and reminding me we were here to convince Fraser to help us.

“Listen, I honestly do not want to do that.” It seemed like my feet were sealed to the ground, unable to take another step. I wanted to argue more, to stop us from allying with the man I’d broken my heart over. There had to be some way to convey how bad this idea was. “I’m not sure what you meant by calling me your apprentice, but I’m interested. Yes. I just don’t think I can stand being around that man.”

Taenya rubbed her eyes, as if trying to wipe away things she’d seen. “It’s not like this is easy for me, either.” Her words struggled to reach my ear. She dropped her hands, her emerald eyes hard as stone. “I absolutely wanted to kill that man, but I have Cassyrra in my head telling me I need to look past his dubious history.” Cassyrra uttered a sharp chirrup. Taenya snorted and wrinkled her nose. “That I still need to hear his side, she says. As if knowing why he killed my Prince matters.” She shook her head, and her expression stilled.

“The Bond is not always a joy. Remember, I told you first.” She bent her head toward mine and I still had to strain to catch the words. Her breath hissed to silence as she jerked her shoulders upright and spun in the direction Fraser had disappeared, as if she regretted those quiet words. Tilting her head and gesturing with one hand, Taenya indicated we should join him.

“What Bond?” I asked as I fell into step with her. She’d made it sound like more than just a simple joining.

“That’s what we all need to talk about,” was her unhelpful reply.

Cassyrra had reclined on the grass near the biggest tent. Her accompanying sigh pushed the long blades outward in a ripple. I noticed she’d placed her head close to where Fraser had settled in a carved and padded chair at a table.

Set for one.

That asshole. I fumed, washing away any regret with the heat. He’d actually not expected us to survive. I was right about him no matter what Taenya said. Vile, untrustworthy piece of filth. There’s a reason mercenaries are hated and feared, and Fraser Connell evidently relished living up to the dire reputation.

The sharp words that rose to my lips to complain about the seating died as several folks came scurrying into the tent, carrying a bigger table and more chairs. Cleobah reclined on a double layer of thick rugs, her hips to one side and forelegs stretched out. I half expected her to purr like a cat in front of a fire. She slow-blinked as I ducked under the rolled up side and strode across the rugs that covered the ground under the tent to the table. The thought of spending time around Fraser churned my stomach, but I wanted what Taenya and Cassyrra were offering, so I pulled out a chair and sat.

“None of you expected to be here.” Cleobah said. “You also don’t believe me. It’s okay.”

She crossed her forepaws and looked at each of us before focusing on Fraser. “Let’s get this out of the way.” A grin spread across her golden lips from ear to ear. “No mages you have can overcome that thousand-year-old dragon mage.” She lifted one plate-sized paw and waved it at the dragon, who - I swear this by all my Qarrai ancestors - grinned back. “You have no weapon that can cross the forcewall shielding she’s cast. Don’t even bother.”

Fraser’s copper skin paled to a faded tan and his tapping finger stilled.

With those short sentences, Cleobah brightened my whole day by ruining Fraser Connell’s.

“We’re all going to have a cozy chat.” The smile on her gleaming face outshone the sun. “Without any untoward interruptions.”