and
when the time came for the Fae to leave, the dragons left with us
and intermingled with the Fae dragons.”
“And the Draconians?”
“During the great battle, both sides used
dragons, and just like with our people, both sides suffered heavily
with the death of the dragons. As far as I know, the Draconia took
their dragons with them, the ones alive…and dead.”
“Would a Draconia have dared to return to
this realm?”
Ahryn asked the question Lugus hadn’t been
able to. “Anything is possible, but I would doubt a Draconia would
enter this realm without Theron knowing about it.”
“What do they look like?”
His gaze went to her face
even though he couldn’t make out her features in the dark. There
was something in her tone, and it was more than curiosity. “Not
much different than you or I.”
“Could you spot one in a crowd?”
“I doubt it. It is no secret they can blend
in with humans.”
He heard her sigh. “So, I could very well
have walked by him at Marcus’ castle and not known it.”
“We don’t even know for sure if a Draconian
is here, and we won’t know that until you return to your realm.
Until then, we can only speculate.”
She leaned up and moved
closer to him. “But it makes sense, Lugus. No one should have known
I was a Fae. No one.”
“Unless another Fae betrayed you.” As soon as
the words were out of his mouth he regretted them. “It’s my turn to
apologize,” he said.
She held up a hand. “Nay. You only spoke the
truth.”
“So it is a possibility?”
Ahryn got to her feet and dusted off her
gown. She wished now she hadn’t brought up the subject.
“Ahryn?”
“Aye,” she replied softly. “It’s a
possibility.”
She felt more than saw Lugus rise. The clouds
completely concealed all light, leaving her with nothing but a
silhouette to see.
“Tell me,” he said as he moved past her and
began to walk.
Ahryn was more than happy to be moving again.
This way she wouldn’t have to worry about Lugus trying to read her
expression. Not to mention, she wouldn’t have to see his when she
finished her telling.
“Remember when I said my father tried to make
me marry?”
Lugus grunted ahead of her.
“The man my father chose was a very high
ranking member of the powerful royalty guard.”
“Aimery?” Lugus asked.
Ahryn chuckled. “Nay, not Aimery. He is too
involved commanding the entire Fae army to think about a wife or
family.”
“I take it this man wasn’t happy about being
rejected?”
Ahryn still recalled his rage and harsh
words. “Nay, he wasn’t happy. In fact, he was part of the reason
that I ventured here.”
“He wouldn’t leave you alone?”
She shook her head as she tried to keep up
with Lugus’ long strides. “My parents assumed I would change my
mind toward him if he continued to try and win my suite.”
“Didn’t you tell them how you felt?” Lugus
asked.
“More than once.”
“Would this suitor of yours resort to
something like this to get revenge?”
Ahryn opened her mouth to answer him when
Lugus suddenly swung around and yanked her behind a tree. He
pressed her against the tree and put a hand over her mouth. She
heard a stick break beneath someone’s foot. Her gaze jerked to
Lugus’, and she wished she could see into his eyes.
He lowered his head until his mouth was near
her ear and whispered, “No sound.”
She couldn’t have spoken had she wanted to.
Every fiber of her being was on fire from his touch. It was the
second time that day he had been pressed against her, and her body
had responded instantly both times.
His breath rushed between his lips, grazing
her skin as he shielded her body with his. His large hands held her
arms still, as if she might run when what she really wanted to do
was sink her fingers in his long locks. She closed her eyes and
forgot about the threat that had made Lugus press her against the
tree and instead let her body feel since her eyes couldn’t see
him.
She