Wings of Change (2 page)

“Yes, my queen. Perfectly.”

“All right then.”

They rounded the last corner and came out into a wide courtyard. A giant, sparkling silver dragon waited for them.

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“Tor will carry us down to Castleton. Flying is faster than going by land and we haven’t a moment to lose.”

Another dragon waited, pacing at Tor’s side. Linea didn’t conceal her impatience well, but her knight partner’s eyes were compassionate when they met his. He and Marcus had always been good friends.

“Linea and I will take Lucia,” Kaden noticed the small woman hovering in the background for the first time, “and lead the way to the tavern.” Kaden was glad Marcus was there to take charge. Just at the moment, Kaden couldn’t think beyond the fact that Reynor might die because of his stupidity.

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Wings of Change

Chapter Two

Lucia had never ridden on a dragon’s back before. Today was indeed a day of firsts. Linea flew beautifully and if not for the dire situation, Lucia would have enjoyed her first flight immensely. The dragon was poetry in motion beneath her, and the strong man holding her by the waist made her feel warm and cared for in a way she hadn’t experienced since losing her family all those years ago. They set down in the tavern yard, the pale green dragon followed closely by the stunning silver beast named Tor. Everyone had heard tales about the royal Ice Dragon who’d been raised by the queen. Lucia strongly suspected the lovely woman riding on the silver dragon was the queen herself.

Jumping down from the dragon’s back into Marcus’s strong arms, Lucia tried to suppress the little thrill of attraction she felt for the handsome knight. This was no time to start dreaming impossible dreams. Reynor had to come first. His life was at stake here. She led the way into the large tavern—empty now, so early in the day. Part of the old city, the main room had been built on a scale to hold two or three dragons, if they wished to hear some music and join in the merriment of an evening with their knights. But for the past few days, Reynor had become a full-time resident. Nobody questioned it at first, though they saw to it he had plenty of water. Dragons could go a few days without eating, but everyone knew they enjoyed sweets like melons and bushels of apples, so he had all he could want within easy reach. Only Lucia would dare go close enough to serve the dragons. She liked them a great deal and had no fear of them, so whenever a dragon deigned to visit the tavern, Lucia was elected to serve them. She didn’t mind it at all. In fact, she looked forward to such occasions.

“Lucy, what have you done?”
Rey’s deep voice shivered through her mind.

“I did what I had to do. I brought help.” She stood before the shimmering blue dragon, unafraid, with her hands perched on her hips, as if daring him to argue. When he

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only sighed in defeat and lowered his head to the ground, she walked forward and crouched beside him. “I don’t want to see you crippled…or dead, Rey. You’re too special for me to allow it. Please forgive me.”

“There is nothing to forgive. You have a good heart, Lucy.”

The queen went immediately to the dragon’s left wing. The area near the joint had swollen to three times its normal size and the wound was badly inflamed. Reynor spread his wing at the queen’s gentle urging, though not without a great deal of pain. Lucia stayed by his head, stroking his scales soothingly while the other woman worked. A man she’d seen only a few times before crouched down next to the dragon on the other side, touching the scaled head and looking deep into Reynor’s jeweled eyes. Remorse shone clearly on the knight’s face. Remorse, fear…and love. Lucia backed off, seeing the two reunited as they should be.

As she moved back, she faltered, but strong arms caught her against a hard chest. Sir Marcus held her waist, tucking her under his chin, her back to his warm, hard front. He gentled her when she would have struggled out of his hold.

“Be at ease, little dragon tamer.” His words whispered over her hair. “You’ve done a beautiful thing by bringing us here. It is a debt we can never repay.”

She settled back against him. Sir Kaden lay on the floor, hugging the dragon’s neck hard as the queen set about her work. The glow of magic in the air was undeniable. Lucia hadn’t seen it since she was a child, but she recognized the subtle scent of ozone and the tingle of strong magic.

When she’d realized how badly Rey was hurt, Lucia had been tempted to try to use the magic talisman given to her when she escaped her homeland all those years ago, but she was too afraid. For one thing, the precious gift was only to be used in the most dire of circumstances, when all other hopes had failed. Such was the credo of her line. For another, Lucia had never used magic before, though she knew some of her family had once been potent healers. They’d been killed before she could learn or even discover if she had the ability.

Still, Reynor was a special being and she’d felt desperate as she watched him grow weaker. Unable to stand by and watch him die, she’d done what was necessary to get help for him. The queen was reputed to be a strong dragon healer, though Lucia could see Reynor’s eyes cloud with agony as the woman worked. He twitched with pain, but his knight held him and comforted him as best he could.

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“I only wish I’d gone to the castle sooner.” Her words whispered out on a tragic sigh. She became aware of the green dragon’s head looming next to them. Linea, it seemed, refused to be left outside.

“Will he be all right? Marcus, do you know?”
In her agitation, the female dragon was broadcasting her worries to Lucia as well.

“The queen has said nothing yet, but she doesn’t look too worried to me,”
Marcus replied. “
Judging from her expression I’d say he’ll live, though whether he’ll ever fly
properly again is in the hands of the Mother, I’ll wager.”

“It always was,”
Linea answered. “
The injury was bad enough in the first place, but
now those two fools have let it get out of hand!”
The dragon seemed infuriated if the twitching of her tail was any indication.

“May I ask…” Lucia’s words were a hesitant whisper. “How did it happen?”

“It was stupid, really.” Marcus’s hands tightened on her waist, fingers digging into her hips before he seemed to realize what he was doing and released her. “Have you heard about the fighting on the border?” When she nodded, he continued, “We were involved in a skirmish the last time out. Sometimes with these kinds of engagements, you get caught low, within range of ground weapons. It happens.” He shrugged. “I saw Rey dodge an arrow. He lost altitude and came within sword distance of a group of cavalry. In such instances, the knight can engage with his own weapons, which Kaden did—and very well too—until one got past his guard and a wild swing took a chunk out of Reynor’s wing, down near the joint. It’s one of the few places not well protected by scale—it needs to be flexible, you see. A freak of luck for the adversary, though Rey’s blast of flame took care of him and his horse soon enough. Still, Rey barely stayed aloft and we had to practically tow him back here. The queen saw to him that night, but the kind of healing he needs is tricky. It’s not simply a matter of sewing together something that was torn. A wedge of his wing was actually cut out.”

Tears flowed down Lucia’s face as she heard the tale, watching the beautiful young queen try to banish the raging infection. Turning in Marcus’s loose embrace, Lucia sobbed against the man’s chest. She knew she was overreacting, but she couldn’t help herself. Rey was so special. He was such a good and kind dragon. She couldn’t imagine him crippled for life. It was too painful to contemplate.

“I’m sorry.” She sniffled as strong arms settled around her. She wasn’t above accepting comfort from Sir Marcus. Men of his station never looked twice at her now that she was a serving wench, though once upon a time…

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But fairy tales wouldn’t put food in her belly. She’d learned that the hard way when all she’d ever known was cruelly ripped from her grasp. She didn’t have much faith in people, but the knights she’d seen in Draconia had begun to make her think maybe⎯just maybe⎯there were a few good men left in the world. It was her friendship with the dragons that started her thinking about the men they chose as partners. Surely such noble, magical creatures could see into the hearts of the men they chose to fight alongside. Lucia dried her tears and cautioned herself to restrain her emotions. Coming apart at the seams did nobody any good. She straightened away from the knight, averting her eyes in embarrassment.

“I’m sorry, Sir Marcus. Please excuse my behavior.”

He tipped her chin up until her eyes met his. She was mortified. She just knew her face was blotchy and her eyes were probably red. Oh, why did she have to look like a watery hag when faced with masculine perfection given life?

“You are a puzzle, madam. You look like a tavern girl, but you speak like a lady.”

She read curiosity in his lovely eyes. Curiosity and a flicker of interest? Surely not.

“The riddle is easily solved, sir. I am a tavern girl now, but I was once a lady.”

A deep, whining moan from the dragon ended their ever-so-slightly flirtatious conversation. Lucia whipped her head around to see what was wrong as Linea shot past, her large green head hovering over her mate. Her long tongue licked out to smooth his ruffled scales with loving attention.

Lucia saw the queen sway on her feet as her power dimmed. Rushing over, Lucia brought a chair for the woman, realizing only then that the owner of the tavern and a few of the other staff were watching the scene from behind the bar. Lucia left the chair ready for the queen and went to the bar.

“Is that lady—?” one of the other girls ventured.

“The queen.” Lucia nodded, bustling about as she poured a stiff, restorative ale.

“Imagine that. The queen in our bar.” The same girl stared as if star struck. A commotion near the large door meant for dragons caught Lucia’s attention. The silver dragon was trying to fit through the doorway, but he was larger than the others and the place was built to house only two or three regular-sized dragons at any one time. With Rey and Linea already inside, their third, larger friend would be a tight fit. Lucia went over to him on her way back to the queen. She bowed low, holding her laden tray steady with the impeccable balance that had been trained into her as a child. 14

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“Welcome, Sir Tor. I’m Lucia. I’m sorry, but I don’t think you’ll fit inside right now. Perhaps you could sit in the yard and crane your neck through the doorway?”

The silver dragon cocked his head toward her. “
Can you hear me?”

“Yes, milord.”

“Great! I’m Tor.”
Lucia couldn’t help but smile at the young dragon’s enthusiasm.

“
Could you help Lana for me? She’ll be awfully weak after healing Rey.”

“I guessed as much. This drink is for her. I will aid her in any way I can.”

“You’re nice. Thanks.”

“It’s my pleasure to be of service.” With another bow, she left the giant dragonet in the doorway and moved back to the queen. She was sitting in the chair now, looking exceptionally tired. Lucia approached in a respectful way. “For you, milady. It’s the best ale we have. I hope it’s to your liking. Or I could get you something else.”

Queen Lana reached out with shaking fingers and lifted the glass, drinking deeply. She smiled, her every move dripping with fatigue, as she placed the half-finished drink back on the tray Lucia still held. “Thank you. It’s delicious.”

“Can I ask? Will Sir Reynor be all right?”

The queen tilted her head, quizzing Lucia with her gaze. “He’ll live. Whether he flies again or not is in the hands of the Mother.”

“All is in Her hands.” Marcus’s deep voice came from just over her shoulder. The man could move silently when he wished, it seemed. He swept to one knee before the queen. “Thank you, milady. Lucia told me Reynor and Linea are mates.”

With what Marcus had told her about how dragons and knights mated, if Reynor died, Linea might never find another mate. And if she didn’t, in all likelihood, neither would her knight. So more than one being’s future depended on Reynor’s recovery. Queen Lana reached out and stroked Marcus’s hair in a familiar way that annoyed Lucia. Jealousy blasted through her. She’d never felt such immediate, violent possessiveness about anyone before. And certainly not a man she’d only just met. Sure, she’d cried on his shoulder, but that didn’t mean she owned him. Lucia backed away, needing to put some space between herself and the unreasonable reaction. She stopped, though, at the sight of the other knight, sitting now at Reynor’s side. He held onto the dragon’s neck with one arm, embracing him, offering comfort. Rey’s jeweled gaze had more fire now and had lost that worrisome, unhealthy dimness.

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Kaden stopped her, catching her hand in his. She looked down at him, surprised by his warm touch.

“Rey told me what a good friend you are, Lucy. I can’t—” He broke off, looking away as he blinked rapidly. “I can’t tell you how much what you’ve done means. I can never thank you enough.”

Seeing the depth of this man’s feelings for the dragon touched something deep inside. She had to get a hold of her own emotions before she started crying again. She stiffened her spine, fighting back the empathy this man evoked with his sad blue eyes.

“Just you take care of each other,” she said in a harsher tone than she’d intended.

“No more of these misunderstandings.”

“Yes, ma’am.” Kaden let her go and stood, towering over her, much as Marcus had done. Impulsively, she reached up to move a lock of golden blond hair back from his face. She gasped when his arms came around her. He hugged her close, crushing her against his muscular chest.