the shape of the hills.
If these were his parents, how old was Alasdair?
There was a pasture behind the amorous couple where the cow was tethered. A man appeared behind the cow, startling it, his gaze fixed on the embracing couple. He had dark hair and dark eyes and there was an intensity about him that made Rania fear his intentions. He stalked the couple silently, unaware that yet another man followed him. She guessed that the second man was Notus, because he shared Hadrian’s auburn hair and there was a similarity between the two around the eyes. Behind the second man, clouds gathered in the distance and Rania could see the wind blowing in the trees. It was as if a storm followed him.
The south wind, Notus, brought storms. Did the dragon shifter named Notus have the same powers?
Alasdair continued. “In those days, our kind were divided, into true Pyr and Slayers. Slayers had chosen not to defend humans as treasures of the earth any longer, seeing mankind as a pestilence to be exterminated. This was the result of dragons being hunted as trophies. For example, Sigmund, one of the Council of Seven, was killed by human hunters intent on gathering his blood as a curative. One of his three sons turned Slayer as a result of his father’s death, a dragon shifter named Olaf. Slayers had blood that ran black instead of red, a sign that they had embraced the darkness over the light, but many of them were jealous of the firestorm. Slayers could not have a firestorm, and thus had no sons. Olaf was filled with bitterness and resentment, and believed he had been cheated in every way. When Boreus had his firestorm, Olaf was drawn to the spark and tried to steal Boreus’ mate.”
As Alasdair spoke, the dark-haired man bounded forward, shimmering blue and shifting shape in mid-air. He became a dragon of malachite and silver, a splendid creature of fierce power. He would have attacked the embracing couple, but the man following him moved like quicksilver. He also shimmered blue then changed to the amber and gold dragon with the feathers Rania had seen earlier.
He was Notus! Notus seized Olaf by the wings before the couple realized the threat and parted. Boreus pushed his mate behind himself and shimmered blue on the cusp of change as the green and amber dragons fought overhead. Boreus didn’t change shape and Rania wondered why not. Shouldn’t he be defending his mate? The maiden looked astonished as she watched the fight overhead and Boreus steadily backed her toward the hut.
Meanwhile, the pending storm arrived. The trees bent beneath the assault of the wind and dark clouds glowered overhead. Rain began to fall and she saw Boreus’ mate shiver as the raindrops changed to ice and fell tinkling on the ground. Boreus cast a cloak over the maiden’s shoulders and pulled her against his side, the firestorm glowing as she slipped an arm around his waist.
Would he truly defend her against the Slayer, or was he just sheltering her until the firestorm was satisfied? Rania instinctively distrusted the idea of romance.
“Olaf and Notus fought over Boreus’ mate,” Alasdair said. “While Boreus was compelled to stand and watch, because he had not yet confided the truth of his nature in her. Miranda was already so frightened that he feared his shift would overwhelm her with terror. There was a conviction amongst our kind that a mortal could look upon the change without descending into madness, and Boreus was protective of his mate in every way.”
The dragon battle, meanwhile, was ferocious. The pair grappled for supremacy, tumbling end over end through the air, breathing fire and slashing at each other. Olaf was bigger but Notus was more clever. Olaf struck Notus with his tail and Notus raked his claws across Olaf’s belly, ripping open his guts. Rania watched as the Slayer’s black blood flowed and saw steam rise where it hit the ground. The snow fell faster and thicker, and there was a thin coating of ice over everything. The dragons kept fighting, their fury melting the ice and filling the air with mist. Notus breathed fire at the wound and Olaf cried out in anguish, his bellow echoing over the hills. His eyes glinted and he dove after Notus, who soared high in the sky, drawing him away. He disappeared in the clouds that wreathed the summits of the hills, Olaf fast behind him.
Alasdair made a gesture with one claw and