Dragon Wish (13 page)

holding her steady. Largin stuck his head out the door. He

glanced left then right for a moment before ordering the

dragoons to their beds. With a nod, he slammed the door

shut.

The wizard’s dark breeches and navy shirt hung on his

thin frame. He had declined since the last time Paladin had

visited. Concerned for the elderly man, Paladin frowned.

“What has happened to you?”

Largin opened his mouth to speak but stopped. He stared

at Seren’s veiled face for a moment then shifted lower to her

abdomen. “So it’s true, the rumors I have heard in the last

few days.”

Paladin stiffened. Seren glanced at him, questions evident

in her eyes. He shifted his arm to her shoulder, giving it a

squeeze in hope of relieving her worry. “This is Seren. She is

from the place Leo comes from—Earth.”

“I am aware. The scrying stone revealed this to me three

days ago.” Largin nodded. He waited until they had removed

82

Dragon Wish

their cloaks, and then he waved for them to move ahead of

him. “Come. You know the way, Paladin. Warm yourselves

before the fire. I will summon Leo before I bring food and

drink for all of us.”

Paladin took Seren’s arm and led her down the dimly lit

hallway. His thoughts grim, he realized the time had come

for answers, for him and for her.

* * * *

hearth. Cozy, even homey, the room where Paladin had led

her set her mind at ease. The four leather armchairs, seats

worn and glossy in places, faced each other like they waited

for someone to sit and enjoy the warmth coming from the

fireplace. Bookcases, lining all the walls, overflowed onto the

faded fabric of the area rug. Several large glass covered

lamps gave the room a snug atmosphere, not too bright, but

not dark either. Seren smiled. Just right.

Huge, colored stones sat on the hearth, the mantel, the

bookcases, even the floor. Strange lights flickered in each

one. Reds, yellows, blues, greens, purples, and blacks, the

invisible auras expelled by them sent many different

reactions through her when she gazed at them. The clear

crystal ones attracted her the most. Her smile widened at the

feeling of peace which flowed through her mind at the sight

of this particular color.

She rubbed her warmed hands together and looked over

at Paladin. He stood next to her, staring into the flames,

hands braced on the mantel.

When he didn’t react to her look, she moved to the

nearest armchair to take a seat. She rested her head against

the padded back and shut her eyes, savoring the gentle lull of

the crackling fire. She inhaled the scent of wood smoke

tingeing the air. Warmth coasted over the front of her body.

Paladin shifted. She opened her eyes to see him facing

83

Dragon Wish

her. Deep and soft, his voice imbedded into the deepest

reaches of her mind. “I asked if our child appeared to you.

You said no. I am asking again. Did he? If so, you must tell

me what he told you.”

She met his gaze for a moment before she nodded. “This

place is like a fairy tale only it’s not. It’s real, isn’t it?”

He nodded. His expression was unreadable. “I do not

know what a fairy tale is, but this is very real. It is no jest.”

She looked away from him to the dancing flames in the

hearth. Within the fire, she envisioned his reaction to her

telling him the truth. He wouldn’t believe her. He’d probably

say she was crazy and he’d be half right. She was lost on this

new world, not even sure it was reality. If he left her, she’d be

an outcast on this planet where everything was so different

from what she considered normal. He was the only person

she felt safe with in this place. On the other hand, she feared

not telling him. He could help her. If he chose to believe in

her abilities, in what she’d seen, he could help her

understand what was happening to her. There wasn’t a

choice, she had to trust him. “He said the seven dragons

opened the door for me to come here so he could be created.”

She placed a trembling hand over her stomach prior to

meeting his steady stare again. “He said you were

expendable, but he hoped that wouldn’t happen.”

A flicker of pain crossed his face before he asked, “Did he

say why the dragons did this?”

“For him to be the one King over them.”

His jaw clenched. The muscle ticked in his cheek. He

nodded in response. She counted the seconds by the twitch

until he spoke again—
one, two, three, four, five, six…
“I had

hoped you could stay here while I traveled to return my

wife’s body—you would be more at ease with someone from

your world, but it cannot be. I have to take you with me. It is

the single way to keep you safe.”

“Safe? From what?” She leaned forward, needing to know

what he meant. “Explain to me why anyone would want to

84

Dragon Wish

harm me or this child?”

He stepped to her, going down on one knee. He lifted her

hand, holding it tight between his. A frown creased his brow.

“There are those who would feel threatened by such an event

as one King over the dragons. They may try to harm you, and

through you, the child.

“In their guts, dragons produce valuable stones with their

magic. All of Avaris revolves around these dragonstones. To

preserve peace in the lands, the dragon clan leaders formed a

blood pact with humans. The stones are given free of any

obligation by the dragons. They are a token of their trust in

the human clans,” he explained. “Many more adult dragons

live on Avaris besides those leaders. They are exiled to the

rogue lands because their magic is not strong enough to

defeat a clan leader. This also keeps them away from the

lands occupied by humans.”

“Wait, you’re confusing me. What do the other dragons

have to do with any of this if they are exiled?”

“Each rogue is related to a clan dragon. The dragonseed

king of each clan can call the rogues to come forth to assist

their clan in battle. Right now, even the dracs are gathering,

which is a definite sign of pending war.”

She studied him, glad he paused for a minute. “Won’t the

kings be able to stop war from happening?”

“Which king?” He raised a brow at her. When he

continued, his voice hardened. “The ones our child will usurp

after he is an adult? Or do you believe an unborn babe has

the power to stop this war?”

Seren drew back. His words frightened her. “Why me? I

asked him. He didn’t answer me. He talked about you and

the dragons. Nothing else.”

“This is not just about you.”

Frustrated, she glared at him. “I know that.”

He stared hard at her. “Do you want my child?”

Seren returned his look for several seconds while she

collected her thoughts and tried to calm her nerves. “Since

85

Dragon Wish

you brought me here, I’ve felt lost. Even with you near me,

I’ve still felt alone.”

After a gentle squeeze, she tugged her hand free of his

and stood. She moved around the room, studying one stone

after another. “At first, when I had the vision of our son, I

thought I’d lost it, but then he started asking me questions I

didn’t want to answer. About things I refused to even think

of before.”

A clear crystal sat in the center of an ornately carved

square table. The stone, larger than any of the others,

radiated a sparkling light within its center. The rays drew her

closer. She ran a finger along the sharp edges, marveling at

the beauty of it before she continued. “I thought I wanted my

life to go back to normal, but in reality, I didn’t know what

normal was anymore. There wasn’t anything left from my life

before Mandy’s death. After talking with him, I realized that

just because I lost my child doesn’t mean I have to live in

vacuum.”

Paladin, steps muffled by the rug, moved behind her. She

closed her eyes, waiting. Anticipation amplified her slow,

steady heartbeat. The weight of his warm hands on her

shoulders comforted her. She shuddered. When his lips

brushed against the side of her neck, need for what he

offered forced her to turn toward him.

She smiled a little and whispered, “Yes. I want this baby.

I’ll be damned if I’ll allow anyone to hurt him.”

86

Dragon Wish

Raw desire burst to life in Paladin’s eyes and Seren’s

desire increased in answer to his silent call. Heart racing, its

beat matched the rhythm of the vein in his neck. Lowering

her gaze, she focused on the smooth curve of his mouth. She

passed her tongue over her lower lip, wanting to do the same

to his.

Never had a man affected her the way he did. The

junction between her legs ached, flooding with need. Her

breasts tingled, insisting she brush them against his chest’s

solid strength. She fought the gnawing passion inside her,

but when he shifted his head down, she rose to meet him.

One gentle sweep, skin brushing against skin, he tugged

her closer, molding her against him. The second pass of his

mouth sealed their lips. Fire, so unlike the kind Seren had

suffered through before, licked over her skin. She opened her

mouth to allow his tongue to slide in. She moaned.

The door swung wide with a groan. She pulled her lips

free to see Largin enter, his back to them, gripping a tray

with carved wooden handles in his hands. “Here you are. Hot

telee. Will warm you to your bones.”

She lowered her head, resting her brow on Paladin’s

shoulder. She tried to catch her breath. He gave her a light

squeeze then released her, letting his hand glide down her

arm. They laced their fingers together.

Paladin appeared to have trouble controlling his

breathing also. She smiled, glad she wasn’t alone with the

torment of the smoldering chemistry between them.

By the time she glanced back at the older man, he had

placed the tray on an empty table in the far corner. He filled

four small cups, and then carried two to them. She nodded

her thanks, inhaling the spicy aroma rising from the white

porcelain looking dish.

Her mouth watered. A second later, her stomach rumbled

in response. She thought back, realizing she hadn’t eaten in

87

Dragon Wish

days. One sip sent warmth through her. The hot drink

reminded her of tea, so she took another small drink until

she emptied the cup. When she finished, she met Paladin’s

gaze. The kindness and worry she saw there brought a wave

of stinging tears to her eyes.

“I sent word to Leo. He should arrive at any moment,”

Largin commented, retrieving a cup for himself.

Gaining control over her unsteady emotions, she lifted

her cup. “May I? It’s good.”

“Have as much as you like. I brought some food also. Eat,

my dear, to regain your vitality.” Largin stepped to the side.

Moving to the table, Seren studied the platters of meats,

bread, and round slabs of what looked like cheese. In those

few seconds, she realized Largin had avoided looking at her

since he’d returned. Curious, she lifted an empty saucer,

mulling over the wizard’s strange behavior toward her while

she filled it.

When she had made her choices, she turned, directing

her question to the older man. “Do I bother you?”

Largin stared at the floor a little to the right of where she

stood. “You as a human woman, no—but you are not just a

human. You are the bearer of the Dragon King...well, that is a

different matter indeed.”

Seren’s heart rose to her throat. The man’s comment

verified the unease she had seen in Paladin earlier. How had

Largin known about the baby? Was he alone in his

knowledge or were others also aware?

“We came here to find out if there’s another way I could

go home. One without the help of the dragons.” Now, she

had to know, especially after finding out her child might be

in danger.

“Nothing is done on Avaris without the dragons’ consent.

I am sorry, but they brought you here, and here you will stay

until they allow you to return to your home.” The old man

stepped to the mantle. He set his tea on the wooden beam