Maiden Flight by Bianca D'Arc Read Free Book Online Page A

would not have put them in my son’s path.
    I will, of course, help in whatever way I can, Kelzy, but you should know I’m not looking for a wife.
    Did I say anything about you marrying her? Honestly, Jared. What makes you think I’d even think you were good enough for her? I won’t let my girl consort with just any knight. So you’d better warn off your lusty friends.
    Methinks you protest a bit too much, Kelz. Jared had to stifle a chuckle as he walked away from the odd pair snuggled in the warm sand.

    * * * *
    Belora watched with interest as Kelvan strode into the large chamber, heading straight for the pit of warm sand at its center. With obvious relish, he kicked up a little cloud of sand as he settled in for a good roll and made dragonish purrs of contentment as the warm, dry sand rubbed against his scales, polishing them to a brilliant shine.
    The set up of the knight’s quarters intrigued Belora. Everything was built around Kelvan’s slightly oval wallow. A small room for eating and preparing small, private meals sat off to one side with sealed ewers of what looked like beer keeping cold in the trickle of water down the side of the stone wall. She went over to investigate and realized that by moving a small trap, the flow of water could be increased or decreased to nothing at all. A large stone basin lay beneath with a drain that led off somewhere below, presumably down further into the mountain from which this Lair was carved.
    “Magic,” she breathed, moving the trap to watch the flow of icy clear water.
    “And a good dose of science as well.” Gareth chuckled as he leaned back against the doorframe, watching her. “His Majesty sent a mage to help us redirect the energies of the earth so we could heat our baths and the dragons’
    wallows, but he also sent a skilled architect who could direct the flow of water for washing and drinking. The two worked hand in hand to design this place for both humans and dragons to live comfortably.”

    “It’s a marvel.”
    “You haven’t seen all of it yet.” Gareth held out his hand to her. She took it and moved through the rooms with him. “Let me give you the tour of our quarters at least. You already saw Kelvan’s wallow. The dragons’ wallows are the centerpiece of each set of rooms though they vary in size according to location in the mountain, how many dragons need to live there and other factors. Since I am still unmated, Kelvan’s wallow is sized for one dragon only.”
    And a great hardship it is. I barely have room to spin around. A great flick of his tail sent a shower of sand over the chuckling humans.
    “I keep brooms on hand to sweep the sand back in the wallow each day, else I’d soon feel like I was living on a beach.” He took one of the brooms leaning up against the circular wall and began sweeping the warm sand back into the pit.
    Better a beach than a hermitage.
    “What does he mean?” Belora looked from Kelvan’s smoky snort of disgust to Gareth’s shaking head.
    “My partner thinks I spend too much time alone.” He pulled her close into his arms. “But I won’t be alone tonight, will I?”
    Belora giggled. She actually giggled. She was shocked such a flirty, feminine sound came out of her body, but there it was. Something about this knight brought out the floozy in her, but it felt good. Freeing.
    “No, you won’t be alone tonight, Gareth.” Blushing, she reached for his hand. “Why don’t you show me your room? And your bed.”
    “All in good time.” He patted her hand. “But I bet you’re still too sore to test the bed yet. Not to worry, I have a solution.” He pulled aside a screen that hid the entrance to a small bathing chamber. It had a stone tub sunk partially into the floor and another of those trap devices that Gareth pulled to allow water to trickle into the tub in a steady rhythm.
    “This water is from the mineral springs. By the time it makes its way here from there it’s little more than lukewarm but