Dragon Wish (20 page)

look at the peaceful valley. She wanted to remember this

wonderful day. The drac, sitting on her dragoon’s rump

mewled at her. She patted the soft white head, faced forward,

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and nudged her mount behind Paladin’s.

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On the morning of the third day during their visit with

Largin, the drac flew away. The white wings spread out

against the blue sky as the drac caught an air draft. The

winds carried the small creature out of sight. Seren looked

on, trying to catch even a glimpse of the drac. The strange

beast had captured Seren’s heart and with its departure,

sadness came over her, making the day less bright and

cheery. A short time later, Paladin informed her that they

were to leave the next morning. The winds had increased,

and he needed to continue their journey. Concern with where

their trip ended sent worry streaming through her mind, but

she was eager to see and learn more about Avaris. Leo

decided to travel with them. Early the next morning, they

said their goodbyes to Largin and departed. Several hours

later, far from Bae, she listened to Paladin inform Leo of

their destination.

Hands on his hips, Leo stood on the ship’s bow, a frown

marking deep lines in his forehead. “Did your momma drop

you on your head when you were born?”

Seren, standing at the rail listening, bit down on her

bottom lip to keep from laughing out loud. Leo continued,

his expression incredulous. “You have to be crazy if you think

you can just sail into Velhaven and stay in one piece. They’ll

shoot you down with all those magical fireballs you people

use.”

The wind gusted over the deck. Blond strands fluttered

away from Paladin’s face. He stood at the rail, looking at the

horizon with his arms crossed over his chest and his feet

braced apart. A smile tugged at the corner of his mouth.

“Damn it, this isn’t funny.” The anger and fear in Leo’s

tone caused Seren’s back to stiffen.

No longer amused, Seren chewed on her bottom lip while

she watched the two men.

Paladin shook his head. “I am not laughing.”

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“But you find humor in it?”

With a slow and steady motion, Paladin faced Leo and

placed a hand on the older man’s shoulder. “No, but I can do

nothing else. My duty to my wife requires I return her body

to her family. I cannot pass this duty to someone else.”

Tucking his chin, Leo shook his head, his lips forming a

tight line. “If you have to, fine, but drop Seren in a neutral

port. You don’t want her hurt ’cause you want to act noble.”

“I had already decided to do so. We go to Durfalin first. If

you will, stay and watch over her until my return,” Paladin

said. He lowered his hand and met Leo’s eyes. “She will be

closer to me there than if I had left her with Master Largin.”

She had to stop from opening her mouth to argue with

him. When had he decided this and without talking it over

with her? Her heart beat faster. What was she suppose to do

with him gone? Clenching her fist, she glared at him. Why

hadn’t he said something? She wasn’t sure she wanted him to

leave her. Her entire life revolved around him. This

realization stopped her. When had he become so important

to her? A smile pulled at her lips. From the moment he

brought her to this world, that’s when. She ignored the

prickling of aggravation brought on by his neglecting to tell

her and focused on their conversation again.

Leo agreed with Paladin. The conversation drifted to the

running of the ship. Seren only half-listened. Her thoughts

were on what would happen during her time away from

Paladin. Even though it probably wouldn’t be for long, the

implied separation frightened her. She wasn’t secure enough

in this strange new place, yet at the same time, she

understood the reasoning behind his decision.

The wind passed over her face, cooling her. She closed

her eyes and drew in a deep breath, savoring the fresh sea

breeze. The heaviness she experienced upon her arrival on

Avaris seemed less. She found that if she lifted her hand, she

didn’t have to struggle to do so.

Sails clapped in the windy gusts. Dracs that mingled with

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a flock of birds passing nearby cawed. She glanced over the

rail at the white tipped water below. Bluish-silver wings

flashed in the sunlight as the birds dove into the sea for a

minute or so. They erupted from the water in little geysers

with small glistening fish wiggling in their beaks.

She turned and leaned back against the railing, her head

tilted to see the sky. Clouds floated by while the sun kissed

her face. The peace she experienced in that moment relaxed

her. Deep in her heart, did she want to return to her old life?

There wasn’t anything tempting her to go home except for

Mandy’s grave. Paladin stood a few feet away, and she

watched him unobtrusively.

After several minutes, Calis appeared. He challenged Leo

to a board game. When they moved to another spot on the

deck, Paladin’s gaze met hers. She refused to lower hers first.

Her reaction to the way he looked always struck her the

same. She had difficulty catching her breath even as her

pulse danced through her veins.

He walked to her side, the corner of his mouth lifted in a

teasing fashion. “You look fetching today.”

She raised her brows. “Fetching?”

His smile widened. He leaned closer to whisper.

“Beautiful.”

Speechless, she studied him. Sincerity echoed in his

words and the open, honest look he leveled at her.

“I’m not sure I believe you.” She waved a hand in front of

her body, indicating her worn boy’s clothes. “This doesn’t

flatter me.”

“It’s not the clothes I see, but the woman in them.”

“Why do I have the feeling you’re trying to seduce me?”

“Because I am.”

He held her stare. For a brief moment, she suspected

there was more to his teasing remark than he wanted her to

know. Seren grinned, glancing away. “Won’t work. I won’t

give in. I want to discover all your secrets.”

“What secrets? I have none.”

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“We all have some in one way or another. I want to know

what makes you tick. What makes you the man you are?” She

spun on her heel and placed her forearms on the rail.

Fighting the smile tugging at her lips, she stared out across

the sky and sea. “Why didn’t you fight for the throne?”

He placed a hand next to her arm, his fingers a mere inch

away. A pang of desire danced across her stomach. The heat

of his body radiated to her. She wanted to fall into his arms

and devour him with her mouth. Instead, she waited for his

answer.

“I believed to do so was a better decision than for me to

rule. My younger brother was the better choice.”

“Why?”

“Why not? He was taught to rule our country.”

“So that makes him a better king?”

“You twist my words.”

“Tell me, what do you mean? You believed at the time you

made the right decision. You just said so—but the other day,

you told me you had to stop him. What will it do to your

relationship with each other? Destroy your kinship?”

He looked at the sky. An expression of doubt crossed his

face for the space of a second, just long enough for Seren to

see.

“I had hoped he would be a great king. Matters have

changed.”

“Me?”

“No. He’s invaded neighboring countries, laying them to

waste. I expect the downfall of my clan if I do not stop him.”

Seren had a sense of foreboding. “How are you going to

do it?”

“When I complete my duty to my late wife, I intend to

return home.”

“No.” The word came out before she thought. The images

of her vision flared to life. With them came the biting fear

she would lose something special if he returned to his

homeland. “I told you the other night. You can’t go back, not

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now.”

He nodded, slow, deliberate. “Yes, but you failed to say

why I must not.”

She wanted to open her mouth and admit what she’d

witnessed, but the words stuck in her throat. How could she

tell him she’d seen his death through a vision? She looked

away. Her mind went blank of anything to say.

He picked up her hand. Compelled to meet his eyes, she

tried to keep her face expressionless in hopes of hiding her

fear. A gentle smile graced his mouth. “You do not have to

say the words. I know. It was a vision. If I am meant to die,

there is nothing anyone can do to stop it. Do not carry the

burden of keeping this from me. I will not allow you to suffer

any guilt.”

A sailor called out to him, ending their conversation.

Paladin squeezed her hand and left. Somewhere along their

journey, her watching, all her worrying about him had

become a hobby. This gave her a focal point while she waited

for the baby’s birth. She smiled and patted the small bump in

her abdomen.

Paladin stood next to one of the thick masts, looking up

at the sails. He removed his coat, caught one of the ropes,

and climbed, hand over hand, until he reached the yardarm.

For a second, the world wobbled before her eyes. Her legs

weakened, refusing to hold her up any longer. She slumped

on the deck with her back against the solid wood below the

railing. She gasped for breath, fighting to drag each molecule

of oxygen into her lungs. She closed her eyes.

A man’s face appeared behind her lids. His head was

bald—round, smooth, and silvered in the surrounding light—

the stranger stared at her and smiled, his teeth flashing

white. Her eyes flew open. Terror gnawed at her. In an

instant, her vision righted. The sudden sickness passed.

Heart pounding, she sent a glance up. She met Paladin’s blue

eyes. She reached deep inside her, managing to find the

strength to smile so he wouldn’t wonder.

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Shaken, she stood. On unsteady feet, she walked to the

door leading below. She needed to lie down. No, she needed

to find out the man’s identity in hopes of discovering why

he’d appeared to her.

* * * *

human and Felerian, worked tying lines, mopping the deck,

and attending to other tasks. She searched the area for

Paladin, but he wasn’t there. Disappointment darkened her

morning. She had wanted to thank him for the use of her

room. She decided not to mention she’d spent a restless

night, tossing on the narrow cot. She had missed the warmth

of his body, but the continued temptation of having him so

near at night bothered her. She refused to give in to her

desires.

Leo, sitting on a small barrel on the other end of the deck,

called out for her to join him. She smiled, waving in return.

Shifting left and right around the sailors, she made her way

to his side. He patted the top of another cask next to him.

“Have a seat. Eilan just left to fetch some food. I thought it’d

be nice to eat out here this morning.”

They visited for a few minutes before the food arrived.

After they had finished eating, Eilan, one of the Felerian

sailors, approached her. Seren glanced up and saw him

staring at her.

He bowed with a shy grin pulling his lips up to reveal long

canines. “Your pardon, my lady, might I play a song for you?”

Surprised at the request, Seren nodded with a smile,

pleased he wanted to do such a nice gesture.

Long incisors appeared on the outer edges of his grin.

Seren waited until he returned with a long handled, four

string instrument. The strangeness of watching and speaking

with these amazing creatures no longer bothered her.

He captured her attention with the first strum. Her gaze

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met Leo’s. He grinned, nodded, and nudged her. The fast

tempo of the song affected even him. Soon, another sailor

produced a long flute, his music joined with Eilan’s. Before

long, deep male voices rang out across the ship, the tune was

cheerful. Listening to it brightened her morning.