Stanvis, brother to Reighn, reached to help her up, but she pushed his hand away as she sneered. "Leave me, barbarian."

Stan laughed at her slur, then moved back toward his brother Lars. "My Lord..." was all he said before a shout made him and Lars spin around, as the windows blew outwards and words vibrated throughout the castle. If they had not been dragons, the very pitch from the words would have burst their eardrums.

WHERE IS MY DAUGHTER?

The great doors, made from the hardest iron wood known to dragonkind and bespelled hundreds of years ago, forcefully shook.

Then those same doors that had withheld marauding armies... blew apart like kindling. Lars and Stan both flicked up magical shields protecting themselves and the people in the room from large and small shards of timber.

With another flick of Lars' hand, the dust and debris disappeared. Allowing everyone to see the small curvy female standing where the doors had been.

As Lars took in the appearance of the female, he found it hard to believe this small blonde female in a plain black tee-shirt and blue jeans could harness the power that was emanating from her. Her power radiated with waves of anger, sucking the very air from the room.

WHERE IS MY DAUGHTER?

Castle guards lay behind her, slumped against the walls and spread out on the floors of the hallway. Lars' heart thumped hard when he saw the nearest guard's chest rise and fall. He drew in a sharp breath as he thanked the Ancients they were not dead.

The female then pointed to Ismathe and her voice thundered against the stones as she demanded. "WHAT DID YOU DO WITH MY DAUGHTER?"

All heads turned toward the dragon, who stood like everyone else in shock with her mouth open. Lars stepped forward in a voice he had used to subdue the most aggressive of dragons and commanded. "Cease this immediately!"

The floor rolled as people once more screamed and fell or stumbled into each other. Stan reached for his nest brother, grinning as they shuffled on their feet riding the wave, and asked. "What now, oh great leader?"

Lars snarled and blew out a breath, his eyes laughing at his brother. "Ass!"

Reighn clutched the small girl to his chest as the floor rolled once more. He threw out his hand, snatching his Dam to his side when she tried walking to him. "Thank the Ancients you found her." She said, while clutching his hand, "Is she well?"

"I think so. She wants her Mama." Molly looked at his Dam and cried, "Mama." "Soon." Reighn crooned to her.

Verity Kingsley, mother to the Dragon Lord, smoothed her hand over the head of the sweet baby girl and said to her. "No wonder your Mama is making so much fuss."

Reighn stated. "Fuss? If that is fuss. I would hate to see what happens when she is really annoyed?" Reighn told her.

Verity grinned. "As would I." Molly sobbed and Reighn's dragon crooned to her while they walked into the short hidden alcove and his Dam pressed the trigger releasing the hidden door just as they heard.

BRING. ME. MY. DAUGHTER. NOW!

Reighn watched the floor resettle, and the people pick themselves up. Only then did he and his Dam advance into the room.

Motioning his mother to go to Lars and Stan, he carried on walking towards the obviously furious female. She was so small and yet she commanded so much power, he hesitated in his step as he saw her. Something told him she had used very little of what was available to her. As soon as Molly saw her mother, she screamed. "MAMA, MAMAAA!"

Sage's head whipped around and she reached for her daughter, who disappeared from Reighn's arms and appeared in hers.

Impressive! His dragon said as he sat up and made a noise that Reighn had never heard before. It was half purr, half growl.

Reighn was so shocked by the display of his dragon that he came to an abrupt halt. He let his eyes travel over the female and came to rest on her face. She was not dragon beautiful, but she was lovely in the way of shifters and her eyes. He had never seen that shade of blue before and as he watched they seemed to glimmer back to a light pale blue.

Reighn shook his head in amazement after all this time and to his and his dragons' surprise they had found, after a thousand years of searching, their 'Soul Shadow'. The one person in the universe that completed him and his dragon, the other half of their soul. Their Mate! 'MINE!' Roared his dragon, almost dropping Reighn to his knees.

Sage hugged Molly as her daughter cried her distress out on her shoulder. Power coated her body, and Sage's anger resurfaced. Vocal chords strained by channeling power turned her voice husky as she asked Reighn. "Who are you? Why did you have my daughter?"

Reighn bowed his head slightly, never taking his eyes from hers. "My name is Reighn Kingsley. I am the Dragon Lord. I found your hatchling in a room under the castle." He changed the word cell to room at the last second, reasoning as he saw her power spark that it would be safer for all if he did not call it what it was.

Wise choice! His dragon counseled.

Reighn took a step back in the room and asked. "Who do I have the honor of addressing?" Sage grinned, the first glimmer of humor she had felt since Grace had told her Molly, her baby girl, had been taken. The phrasing of his request amused her, and she was no fool. Her baby girl had been in a cell. This dragon was wise. She almost laughed outright when she thought of his words. Honor indeed!

She had nearly shaken the castle to pieces and would have torn it down stone by stone to retrieve her daughter. Looking him over, she had a feeling he understood that. "I am Sage Harris and this is my daughter, Molly. Thank you for bringing her to me."

Reighn turned a little as he asked. It was my pleasure, but the question remains. How and why was she here? Does it not?"

Sage raised an eyebrow, an expression he took to say. Duh!

He asked her. Why do you think Ismathe is responsible for your daughter being taken?