Dragon Wish (37 page)

sound? She didn’t want to find out.

Frigid air plastered Seren’s thin gown to her body. Chills,

more from fear than the cold, shook her body to the core.

The drac holding her stretched its body over the length of

hers and wrapped its clawed hind feet over the sides of her

thighs. Lifted, held secure by the beast, she blinked away the

tears clouding her vision. Not far from the huge stones at the

base of the castle wall, the drac veered. It traveled horizontal

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with the ground.

She glanced ahead, making out Paladin’s form, carried by

another drac in a similar way. Unaccustomed to the cyclone

type speed, the little bit of juice she’d consumed earlier

gurgled to the rear of her throat. She grimaced and shook her

head, determined not to be sick in front of him ever again.

Dragon fire blasted the trees next to them. Fir limbs toppled

on the right. The dracs veered to the left, away from the

falling timber.

Many minutes raced by. The deep silence of the forest

enveloped them. Arcane’s raging screams could no longer be

heard. The dracs slowed and came to a stop. They lowered

their human cargo to their feet and released their hold.

Seren slumped to a sitting position on the frozen ground,

her legs still weak from the lightening fast ride. Her stomach

rolled once. She swallowed, closing her eyes, striving to settle

it back to normal. The young white dragons moved to the

side. They stood up on their back legs. Their blue, slit-pupil

eyes watched the sky.

A couple of feet away, Paladin knelt on one knee. He

looked at the sky, his head cocked to one side as he listened.

Seren waited, hearing tuned to the slightest sign of Arcane’s

location. He would follow them.

Paladin’ gaze captured hers. “Hold hands. We have to

stay in contact for this to work. Hold tight.”

With a nod, she touched the gloved palm and his fingers

curled over hers. For a brief moment, their gazes met and

held, more secure than their grip. New warmth, a softer glint

appeared in his eyes and her heart responded. She loved

him. Dearly, irrevocably.

“Search the sky. Shout out when you spy a shooting star,”

he said. His gaze left hers, his head tilted to the deep purple

ceiling above the tree tops.

She focused on the sky. A few moments later, the figure of

a lone dragon glided across. Just behind it, a shooting star

curved toward the planet. She pointed at the spot. The soft

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pad of footsteps came from behind them. The two identical

men who had helped them escape arrived.

Paladin glanced at them. “Take hold. We leave now.”

With those words, he closed his eyes. Blinding light burst

in the forest. In the center, a dark paneled door formed.

Paladin twisted the handle, and fell through the opening,

tugging her with him. The others followed close behind. The

door slammed shut after them.

Silence and warmth welcomed them in the darkened

room. A snap of fingers coming together rang out in the

room. The entire area lit with many dragonstones in metal

brackets situated on the walls. A dark-haired man, nude with

a frown drawing his brows down over his eyes, stood next to

a rumpled bed.

Seren stared wide-eyed, shocked at the sight. So much

bare skin, gleaming in the bright light, and him, unashamed,

made no move to hide his nudity. Tall, slender, his muscles

tense, and his fingers still positioned from where he snapped

them. The lines bracketing his mouth deepened. He glared at

the human jumble on his floor, “Tell me I’m dreaming.”

Heat rose to Seren’s cheeks. She glanced away. Her gaze

landed on Paladin. A grin spread across his face. He shook

his head at the stranger.

“No dream, my friend. We’ve come for a little visit.”

“You could have knocked first.”

“True, but we were in a hurry. I needed a refuge. You

were the first one I thought of.” Paladin stood and held a

hand to help her up. Warm, his palm and fingers, solid under

hers verified she lived. Legs trembling, she managed to

stand, smoothing the silky dress down.

Calis along with the two older men, legs and arms

tangled, lay sprawled closer to the room’s entrance. Seren

eyed the door, afraid Arcane was on the other side. Grunts

and a couple of moans later, Calis came to his feet. He helped

one of other men to stand.

The naked man, unashamed of his lack of clothes, moved

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to a nearby chair and picked up a pair of navy pants. He

pulled them on.

“Seren, this is Ren Murdock, my old friend whose home

you stayed at in Durfalin.” Paladin motioned to the stranger.

Dark hair shining, lean, chiseled features expressionless,

Ren met her eyes. He nodded and pulled a white shirt over

his head. “Now, what are you doing here? I can see you

rescued her, but why here?”

“Where can I take Seren so she can be safe from Arcane

and my brother? A place where she can give birth without

worry over the ones trying to hurt her.”

“What did Lior say?”

Paladin stiffened at Ren’s question. “The seven would

open the door for us to escape.”

Dark eyes locked on blue ones. Seren sensed the silent

battle between the two men. Why, she didn’t understand.

Neither one spoke for several moments, and then Paladin

asked, “Is there a place we can go?”

With a deep sigh, Ren turned away, shoulders slumped.

“The caverns, I suppose. They were the safe keeping place

during the wars.”

“Safe keeping?” Seren glanced from one to the other.

“No dragon ever penetrated the magical shield erected

over the caverns. Even now it is difficult for dragonseeds to

enter if an opening hasn’t been prepared.” Ren glared at

Paladin. “This might endanger your lady.”

“But you can open it? For us? There is a way.” Paladin

stepped to his friend.

Ren nodded curtly. “It is possible. Dangerous, but it can

be done.”

“Very well, we’ll need supplies. I have messages I need to

send. Lior and the others will know where we are, but I need

to discover their intentions.”

“I will inform my staff.” Slipping on a pair of scuffed

black boots, Ren departed. Calis motioned for the two older

men to follow him.

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Alone, Seren stared at Paladin. She took a step closer,

lifted a hand and brushed a finger over his bottom lip. “You

changed my vision. I thought you were going to die on that

wall tonight.”

“I did not.”

A gentle smile tugged at her mouth. “No. I’m glad.”

He wrapped his arms around her and pulled her against

his chest. He buried his face into the side of her neck,

whispering, “I have yearned for you.”

She nodded and snuggled against him. “Me too. I was so

worried about you. Rylen wants you dead. He’s crazy.”

“No, he’s controlled by Arcane. The beast must die. Avaris

will never be at peace if he lives.”

She nodded. The mystic dragon threatened everything.

All living creatures Avaris held dear. Still, the determined

glint in Paladin’s eye worried her. She wasn’t sure she

wanted him to put his life in danger.

“You can’t defeat him alone.”

He grinned. “I have no intention of fighting him by

myself. I will send messages requesting the aid of some

powerful warriors and wizards. They will come.” He sounded

so sure, but Seren worried about his intentions. A small

group of humans would never defeat Arcane and all the

rogue dragons following him. She didn’t hide her concern

quickly enough. Paladin’s gaze softened. He pulled her

closer, kissing her, a gentle brushing of skin.

“You need not worry so. Concentrate on our child. Keep

him safe inside you. This danger will pass. I swear we will

live in peace.”

She agreed, hoping to push the negative feelings aside,

but a sense of dread stayed with her.

Someone knocked on the door.

“Cap’an? That wizard requests your presence below. He

opened his scrying stone.”

Her hand grasped in his warm palm, Seren followed

Paladin to the door and out into the hall. Calis stood waiting.

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“He wanted to contact Durfalin to prepare for a possible

assault. Before he could though, images appeared. He

insisted I come for ye.”

Uneasy with the summons, they trailed behind Calis. He

led them downstairs to a room with bookcases lining the

walls. On the far side, Ren stood at a small oval table. A black

basin rested in the center of the shining, dark wooden

surface. He bent at the waist, his focus centered on the glassy

surface of the liquid in the basin.

They moved to stand on either side of him.

He glanced at Paladin, and then shifted his gaze to Seren.

“The rogue dragons are on the move. They are flying into the

human lands, attacking villages and towns, heading north to

Arcane.”

Paladin responded with a slow nod. “I expected this

would happen. Arcane is determined to destroy what he can

before he focuses his attention on us.”

The wizard returned his attention to the smooth surface

of the liquid in the basin. “Perhaps. Their movements are

erratic. I can only assume the White Dragon clan’s wizards

are helping Rylen discover your lady’s location. Once it’s

learned, the dragons will converge here.”

“So what do we do when that happens? Will this barrier

you talked about hold?” Seren looked from the wizard to

Paladin and back. Lines of worry creased between their

brows while they stared into the basin.

Curious, she glanced down, her hands gripping the edges

of the table. The surface remained smooth and flat. The

longer she stared, images started to flow within the dark

water, shapes of long, slender dragons, flying, entangling

with each other. Teeth gnashed and unholy cries echoed in

her mind. Her world narrowed to the center of the bowl and

the swirling mass within.

Her legs weakened. She started to fall forward, but strong

hands wrapped around her upper arms, holding her up.

Dazed, she lifted her gaze and met dark eyes. Ren Murdock’s

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midnight blue eyes met hers. They were so dark they

appeared black. His dark hair framed a handsome, tanned

face that was marred with a concerned frown.

Darkness clouded her sight. A vision flared inside her.

Shiny golden scales glinted in a thick mist. Sorrowful and

fearful slit-pupil golden eyes searched. From Seren’s left

came the strong beat of footsteps moving across a stone

floor, splashing through a thin layer of water she couldn’t

see. She turned to the sound. Ren, a cape flapping about his

shoulders and long staff with an amber dragon stone on the

tip, appeared.

The vision ended. She once more stared into Ren’s eyes.

“You search. So does the dragon. You are surrounded by fog.

You can’t find each other. You must find each other. And

soon or all will be lost for you and her.”

The wizard released her with a little shove. She stumbled

away, but Paladin grasped her, keeping her from falling. The

shocked and foreboding scowl on the wizard’s face kept her

from speaking. She looked up at Paladin. He glared at his

friend, but his features softened when he too took in the

expression on the wizard’s face.

Seren pressed Paladin’s hand, catching his attention. She

shook her head. He seemed to understand her silent message

to leave the other man alone.

“Perhaps, you should rest for a little while. I will prepare

the necessary supplies and items needed during your stay in

the caverns.” Ren motioned at the door.

At first Seren considered arguing, but her body decided

otherwise. Fatigue set into her muscles. She tried to stifle a

yawn, but failed. She needed the rest. With what she’d seen

in the bowl, and the vision afterward, fatigue dictated she

retire. The baby grew more every day. This added to her

exhaustion, too, wearing on her. She squeezed Paladin’s

hand again. “Come for me if there’s any change. Oh, can you

find me something else to wear. I hate red.”

Curiosity gleamed in his eyes. “Then why are you wearing

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it? Did Rylen force you?”