Dragonfyre by Donna Grant Read Free Book Online Page B

her leg so she could see it. “It hurt last night, but it’s fine this morn. We should get moving.”
    “Do you have any other wounds?”
    “I’m sure I have several, just as you do. Stop worrying about me, Aimery. I’ll let you know if something needs attention.”
    He watched her walk past him and smiled. He caught up with her but stayed a step behind her. His gaze frequently strayed to the sway of her hips as she walked. He had to fist his hands to keep from reaching out and touching the dark, thick strands of hair that curled at her waist.

    “Why did you choose the dragons?” He had wanted to know the answer to that since first laying eyes on her. Her beauty alone would have commanded any man in the realm, including the king.
    She shrugged and glanced at him over her shoulder. “Why did you choose to become a commander?”
    “I’m good at what I do. I worked my way up through the ranks and proved that I was trustworthy and able to make difficult decisions.”
    She chuckled. “It didn’t hurt that you were friends with the king.”
    “Theron doesn’t choose friends for positions unless they’ve proven their worth.” She stopped and faced him. “It wasn’t my intent to offend you.”
    “You didn’t. I’m merely making a point.” He wouldn’t let her know that she had offended him. He had worked bloody hard for position of Commander, and he’d be damned to see it made light of.
    “Ever since I was a little girl I’ve dreamed of the dragons. It was never enough to see them flying through the sky, their roars echoing through the night. I wanted to be near them, to know them.”
    Her face had relaxed into a smile at the mention of the dragons. “They are magnificent creatures.”
    “They are much more than that. Their beauty, their grace is breathtaking to behold. I’ve dedicated my life to learning all there is to know of the Blues. I’ve spent hours gaining their trust so I could venture through the Quay of Skulls and their lairs. No other priestess has ever accomplished that feat.”
    “And you should be proud of it.”
    She grinned, her gaze lowering in her embarrassment. “I am. Very much so.”
    “Because of that feat, you’re next in line to be High Priestess of the Dragon Order.”
    “I am. It’s what I’ve always wanted. Just as you’ve worked to become Commander of the army, I’ve worked to be the High Priestess. To be near all the dragons of our realm would be a dream come true.”
    Aimery started walking again. He couldn’t look into Kyndra’s swirling blue eyes and not understand about dreams. He’d had a dream for so long now, a dream that had begun to fade and wither…until he had seen Kyndra.

    He was tired of being alone, tired of eating and sleeping by himself. He might live in the palace with Theron, but he refused to intrude on their family time. He would be welcome, he knew that, but it wasn’t the same. He wanted his own family, to see his wife’s welcoming smile when he returned home, to have her arms wrap around him in the night, to see her belly swell with his child.
    It was a hard lesson to learn that not all dreams came true. Many got their dreams but, for warriors like him, he was destined to a life of solitude.
    “Aimery?”
    He glanced at her beside him. “Aye?”
    “Are you all right? You got quiet.”
    “I’m just thinking of Isran.”
    Kyndra knew he lied, but she let him. Something she had said had disturbed him. She had seen his eyes dim before he had turned away. He was such a mystery. His exploits were known across the realm, but few knew the real man. Kyndra realized then, she wanted to be one of the few who knew him.
    She licked her lips and tried to keep up with his long strides. “By your reaction at the Quay of Skulls after you touched the male dragon, I gather Isran was a friend.”
    “Was.”
    That one simple word was filled with loathing and retribution. Aimery wasn’t a Fae she wanted angry at her for any reason. He was nearly as