Dragon Fire (Dragons of Perralt Book 1) (13 page)

She could not be his soul mate, Drake thought as he tromped up the trail. The gods would not be so cruel.

She is destined for another. There could be no other future for her.

Drake had been taught the importance of honor and duty at an early age. His father had shown him repeatedly how a man should live his life.

He could not expect her to do any less. She was a queen, her people needed her. Duty required her to do what was needed to see to their needs.

It could not be otherwise.

She would turn to this Julian and his brother’s army. She would sell herself into marriage and a union with this prince if it would save her people.

What could he offer her? A dragon, a man of the forest? What did he know of her world?

The thoughts pounded into his head. There could be no other result.

A sadness filled him. An awareness of what might have been.

Turning, he said over his shoulder, “How sure are you this prince of yours will be able to help?”

Elsbeth hesitated for a moment, then set her shoulders. “I am sure. He has to.”

Drake snorted and shook his head, then continued down the path. Even he could tell the woman wasn’t positive. Her plans were based on hopes and dreams.

His mind drifted to the previous night, the raging storm had seemed to increase the passion between them. His beast had screamed to be released. His soul had devoured and taken all that he could. But, it had not been enough. It would never be enough.

The pair continued down the path. Drake found himself slowing as they drew closer to Sinstra. They took short breaks more often. He paused to help her even when she didn’t need it.

But, no matter how he stalled. No matter how he tarried. Their destination would not be denied. At last, he broke through the forest trees and stood at the edge looking out over the rolling green hills of Sinstra.

Elsbeth stepped forward to join him. Both of them stared out at the tranquil world. Neither spoke, neither could break the moment with words.

At last, Elsbeth quietly said, “We made it.”

“I told you I’d get you here,” Drake scoffed.

She looked up at him and shook her head. “You will never change. Always grumpy.”

“Not grumpy, reserved,” he said.

Still, neither made a movement to the kingdom. Each hesitated. Resisting the next step in their journey.

Elsbeth sighed and started to remove the medallion.

Drake put out a hand to stop her. “Not yet, Elsbeth. I will escort you to the city gates. It is the least I can do.” The thought of her alone in this world sent a cold shiver down his spine. He would not be there to protect her.

She’s a big girl, he reminded himself. Yet, it didn’t seem right to leave her alone. Every fiber of his being yelled at him to stay with her. Even his beast wanted it. Maybe the beast most of all.

She paused, her brow narrowing. “That wasn’t the agreement. You have earned the medallion.”

“It can wait,” he said as he took her hand and stepped onto the road that led to the city.

Elsbeth squeezed his hand, then skipped to match his stride.

They walked in silence. Saying what needed to be said through the simple touch of each other’s hand.

The road wound through the hills. Pastures filled with fat cows gave way to fields of wheat and rye. The smells of the world had changed. The moist green of the forest had been replaced by the sweet smell of fresh cut grass.

Drake took a deep breath and tried to relax. This world always made him nervous. It was too open, too organized. A world with too many rules to follow. His beast naturally rebelled at rules. Rules were made to control people like him.

As they followed a curve in the road, the distant city came into view.

Elsbeth gasped, giving his hand a squeeze she squared her shoulders.

She’s not as happy as she should be, he realized. The thought eased some of the strain on his guts. The last thing he wanted to see was her beautiful smile at the thought of being rid of him.

They started to pass people leaving the city and returning to their homes. They joined others making their way to the market. A mounted soldier stationed at a crossroads eyed them as they approached.

The man’s eyes traveled over Drake, taking in his size and the weapon at his waist. The soldier let his gaze find Elsbeth. His eyes opened wide, and a sly smile creased his lips. Obviously, very appreciative of what he was seeing.

Drake’s shoulders twitched as his hand begged to grasp his sword.

Elsbeth squeezed his hand firmly and pulled him past the soldier.

They continued on. Drake glanced over at the soldier and let his beast rise into his eyes as he stared back at the soldier. A simple look let the man know how close he had come to a terrible death.

The man’s face blanched as he gulped.

Drake bit back a smile and concentrated on walking with Elsbeth. Savoring the feel of her hand in his. He heard the soft swish of her skirts making him think of the long, strong legs beneath those skirts and how they had wrapped themselves around him.

His mind flashed to how proud she had been when she started her first fire. How her entire body had quivered with pleasure and how much she wanted him to be proud of her.

He drank in the scent of her lavender. For the rest of his life, he would be unable to pass a lavender bush without thinking of her.

His soul recalled every word she had ever said and thought of each smile and laugh. His loins ached when he thought about being buried inside of her and the fact that it would never happen again.

Damn, this is ridiculous Drake. You aren’t a whipped dog. She’s just a woman. One of many.

Yet, he knew full well that she was so much more. More than he would ever find again.

His heart ached, but it must be this way.

Sighing, he pulled her to a stop before the city gates.

Two more soldiers, both armed with long pikes, stood at attention. Scanning each person who entered the city.

Most people simply ignored them, passing into the city without another thought. Others smiled and nodded to the soldiers as they passed. A young maid even fluttered her lashes at the younger of the two.

Drake shuddered. City walls, rules, laws, expectations. No, thank you.

“I think this is about as far as I go, Elsbeth.”

She turned to stare up at him. Her eyes glistened with tears as she bit her lip and slowly nodded her head. Accepting the inevitable.

“I want to thank you, Drake, more than you will ever know. You have taught me so much.”

Drake smirked and raised an eyebrow.

Her face burst into a pretty pink.

He laughed and shook his head. “Elsbeth, you … Are you sure this is what you want?”

“I don’t have a choice,” she said with a heavy sigh.

He nodded with acceptance. He expected no less from her.

“I believe this is yours, now,” she said as she removed the medallion from around her neck and passed it to him, dropping the gold coin and silver chain into his hand.

So much for such a silly little thing.

He looked at it for a moment. A simple coin. A treasure that had paired him with this woman. He would be ever grateful.

He rubbed the double dragon head, then placed the coin and chain into his pocket. Patting it twice to make sure it was safe and sound.

He looked down at her with a sad smile. “I want you to know,” he said, “that if you ever need my help. No matter what, no matter where I am, I will come to you. Get word to the tavern keeper. He will be able to find me.”

She stared up into his eyes, searching his. “Thank you,” she said. “I will never forget you, Drake.”

He chuckled. “Oh Princess, you have a kingdom to rule. I will be but a brief memory of your youth. Something to pull out on cold winter nights.”

She wiped away a quick tear and reached up to kiss him on the cheek.

He swallowed hard as he stared into her eyes. He shouldn’t let her go. Every part of him demanded that he take her away from this world.

But he couldn’t. She deserved her fate. She deserved to be queen, and her people deserved to have her as their ruler. They could ask for no better.

Stepping back, he bowed his head and said, “I wish you all the best, Your Highness. You will do well. I am confident in you.”

She gulped, then turned and fled into the city.

She didn’t look back, didn’t turn and blow him a last kiss.

He stood there, planted in place and watched her disappear into the crowd. He had lost a piece of himself.

Still, he stood and watched. The two soldiers glanced at him, nervously gripping their pikes. Looking back and forth, trying to decide if he was a threat or not.

But he continued to watch. Hoping for one last sight of the woman. Maybe she might change her mind.

No, she wouldn’t. Not Elsbeth. She had her duty. And now, he had his. He would return the medallion to his mother, and then he would observe and watch.

Little Miss Elsbeth, Princess of Lushcany, wasn’t aware, but she had just obtained a guarding angel. Or, at least a guarding dragon.

Elsbeth raced into the city. Her world was falling apart, and she was running away from the one thing she could rely on.

Her rock, her strength.

She loved him. The realization hit her with a bolt of energy and shock. She would always love him.

Her heart broke. Tearing itself into a dozen pieces. Everything inside of her screamed to go back to him. To throw herself into his arms and let him hold her.

Yet, it wasn’t enough. It was obvious that the feelings of two individuals didn’t mean much when compared to the pain and suffering her people were experiencing.

This was the only answer.

Wiping the tears away, she tried to compose herself. It wouldn’t do for Julian to see her crying. He would want to know why. And, there was one thing she was positive of, Julian must never know about Drake. It would hurt him. What’s more, it might impact his willingness to help.

She wondered if his older brother would demand a marriage for the use of his army. If she had ruled Sinstra, she would have made such a demand. It was the perfect solution. It created an alliance with Lushcany, it gave Julian a land to jointly rule with her. And, it got Julian out from under his roof.

Yes, they would demand a marriage, and she must accept.

What would she tell Julian on their wedding night? Could she fool him? Would it be necessary? Would Julian even want her that way?

Surely, he will want an heir.

The thought sent a bolt of shock through her. What if she were already pregnant with Drake’s child? The thought had tickled at the back of her mind for days, but she had always put it aside, afraid if she examined it too closely she might not be able to be with Drake.

She looked up at the distant castle. Julian and his brother must help her. It was her only choice. She had already sacrificed so much. They could not deny her.

Feeling determined, she started once again across the cobble stones towards the distant castle.

As she walked, she observed the people around her. It took her a moment to realize that things were different than at home. They didn’t cringe around the King’s Guard. They smiled, and talked freely. Laughing, and enjoying life.

This was what she would have for her people. Her mind was resolved.

As she approached the castle, two finely armored knights crossed their pikes, forbidding her entry.

They both looked down their noses at her.

She halted, she knew well what they saw. A young woman, dirty, unkempt. Trying to gain entry to the castle. This was exactly why they were there. To keep people such as her away from those in power.

Drawing herself to her full height, she tilted her head in her most haughty angle and said, “Please inform Prince Julian that Princess Elsbeth of Lushcany is here to see him.

Both soldiers glanced over her head, searching for this fictitious princess.

She froze in place, staring each of them in the eye, letting them know that she was perfectly serious.

The younger of the two glanced at his companion, then back at the young woman before them.

At last, he broke away and ducked his head inside the large oak door.

Almost instantly, he stepped back to his assigned position, his long pike once again in place, barring her passage.

Elsbeth stepped back and waited. It took every bit of self-control not to tap her foot in frustration. It wasn’t these men’s fault. She could well understand their hesitation. Princesses did not show up at the castle doors unannounced and unescorted. Especially, not dressed in plain, dusty dress, sans jewelry, and pomp and circumstances.

Sighing, she waited.

At last, the door opened, an officious little man stepped outside. His eyes traveled over her, cataloging and categorizing every fault and failure.

“Excuse me miss. You are?” he said with a high pitched voice that made her shoulders cringe. She had become used to Drake’s deep manly voice. This bureaucrat sounded like a rusty wheel.

“I am Princess Elsbeth Beaumont of Lushcany, here to see Prince Julian. Please inform him I am here.”

The man studied her for a long moment. Elsbeth was sure he was going to deny her entry. What then? Surely, there was something she could do.

“When he visited me two years ago, he assured me I would always be welcome here in Sinstra,” she said with her best Princess voice.

The man continued to hesitate but at last, he seemed to come to some kind of acceptance. Saying something to the guards, he stepped back and opened the door.

Both guards came to attention and raised their weapons. Clearing a path for her.

She sighed internally and followed the man into the castle.

“Please come with me,” he said.

Elsbeth noticed that the man refused to use her title when addressing her. He still wasn’t too sure and being careful.

She didn’t really care. Not as long as she got to see Julian, once she was with the Prince everything would be cleared up and set straight.

The man led her around bends and up stairs. She felt her shoulders begin to relax as she was overwhelmed with the familiar smells of home. Candle wax, fireplace soot, and people.

As they walked, they passed others. Each and every time, the person would stop what they were doing and watch her. Obviously, trying to understand what this woman was doing up here on the upper floors.

At last, they came to a solid wooden door at the end of a long hall. The man stopped and examined her once again. He shook his head in disbelief of what he was about to do.

Elsbeth once again felt that nervous, sick feeling in the bottom of her stomach. She was so close, would he change his mind and stop her?

His hand rested on the door handle, he paused, took a deep breath and opened the door. Stopping at the entry way he blocked her view of the room.

“Excuse me, Your Grace,” he said, “a young woman claiming to be Princess Elsbeth is here, and requests to meet with you.

“Elsbeth?” a voice said from deep inside the room. “Send her in.”

The man nodded, then stepped back and held the door for her.

Elsbeth held her breath as she stepped into the room. Oh, how she wished she was properly attired in her best gown and finest jewels. This seemed wrong, as if she were coming, hat in hand, to beg.

Swallowing hard, she glanced around the room. It appeared to be a study, the walls lined with books. A desk at the far end. Julian sat behind the desk, his eyes scanning her, trying to determine if it was really her.

He squinted, the smiled, then jumped up.

“Elsbeth,” he exclaimed as he held out his arms in welcome and stepped from behind the desk. “I did not expect this. I had heard that you had gone into the Forbidden Forest. I really never expected you to make it here, though. However did you do it?”

She studied the man for a moment. He had known she had left her home. Had it ever occurred to him to come find her? Had he really left her alone like that?

He was a tall, rather thin man, with blond, almost white hair. With less than impressive shoulders and a slight bend to his back. The kind that would create a sever stoop later in life.

Her insides rebelled at the thought of marrying this man. She would spend the rest of her life with him. Would share her bed with him. It wasn’t fair. It wasn’t right. Her soul cried.

“Are you all right?” he asked as he pulled her into an embrace that left her cold. “We were worried about you.”

“Yes, I am all right,” she answered. Afraid to go into details.

“I need your help, Julian,” she continued. The words seemed to burn her mouth as she said them. But there was no choice.

“Yes, I know,” he said with a sly smile. “You need my brother’s army. Something silly about wanting to supplant your uncle and reclaim your legacy.”

Her heart lurched. “It’s not silly,” she said, fighting herself to not stomp her foot. How could he think it was silly? And, how did he know what she wanted? Was she that transparent?

“You know?” she said. “How?”

Julian smiled and looked over her shoulder.

“Because I told him,” a voice said from behind her. Elsbeth’s stomach fell to the floor as her heart jumped in fear.

Her uncle stood just inside the door next to Julian’s brother. The evil glint in his eyes spoke of his joy at her misery. He so loved hurting people. Especially, his niece.

Every hope she ever had. Every dream died at that moment. She could see it in their faces. They had been waiting for her. If she had died in the Forbidden Forest, then so much the better. But, if she lived, then they had a plan for that eventuality as well.

Oh, Drake, she thought. What have I done? What have I thrown away for no good reason? Her world threatened to crumble. The cost, the effort. All for nothing.

“Welcome to Sinstra,” Julian’s brother Rupert said with a slight nod of his head. “We have expected you.”

She could see it now. See how it would play out. She would marry Julian, he would be called king, but, her uncle would continue to be the true power behind the throne. It would be her uncle who controlled the kingdom. Who pushed and tore at the people. Who ruined her lands for his own enjoyment.

If she refused? What then?

“I thought I could trust you,” she said to Julian, unable to hide the ache and pain in her voice.

He shrugged his shoulders, as if to say, sorry, but tough.

She couldn’t stay here, couldn’t allow these men to control her.

“I was going to give you everything,” she said to him. “I was going to give you my life. To share my kingdom with you. But you threw it away. For what? To be controlled by my uncle? Is that what you want?”

Julian laughed, “Oh you silly little girl. Your uncle has given me everything I want. Someone else to take care of the boring day-to-day problems. The title of King, the glory and riches, and you in my bed. All without having to fight for it.”

She thought of Drake, the man never would have accepted such an arrangement. He would have fought hell itself before being someone else’s servant.

Her heart ached with the awareness of what she had given up. For this, this … monster. That was what he was. Drake at least understood himself and held himself to a code of honor. This one wouldn’t know honor if it slapped him in the face.

She couldn’t stay here. Not like this. Turning, she started to march to the door.

Her uncle laughed as two towering men in full armor stepped into the room.

“Your jailers,” he said with that sickly smile of his. “At least until your wedding. After that, you will be Julian’s problem.”

“Oh, don’t worry,” Julian said with a look on his face that she had never seen before. “I will ensure she stays compliant.”

Elsbeth’s bones turned cold as the man stared at her with anticipation.

How had she never seen this before? How could she have been so obtuse?

Her uncle nodded his head slightly, and both knights took her by the arm. She looked down at the large male hands gripping her arms. If Drake knew about this, he’d kill you, she thought. No questions asked.

Oh, Drake, where are you when I need you?

No, he would not come. He had returned to his forest. She had left him. He owed her nothing. He had his medallion. That was all that he had ever wanted.

She would not be able to rely on Drake. This had been her mistake. It would be her responsibility to find a way out.

That thought didn’t stop her from wishing she could see a dragon crossing the horizon. A large green dragon. That was all she wanted at the moment.