There Be Dragons by Heather Graham Read Free Book Online

smiled. It had been miraculously funny while it had gone on. She couldn’t remember when she had laughed so, and she didn’t even mind when he thought he had forced her to apologize. He never realized he was being mocked for he assumed he was so fine a specimen that surely she meant her every word sincerely.
    Marina threw herself upon her bed and stared at the ceiling. If she wasn’t losing her mind, the falcon had been talking. And claiming to be a fairy …
    A fairy who had offered her three wishes at Christmastide!
    She had wanted Carlo to fall into a watering trough. She had made the wish, and perhaps, thus, she
had
been the one to make it happen.
    There was a tapping on her door. The caller did not wait for a reply to bid enter. The wooden door was pushed open.
    Geovana was there. Tall, with perfect posture, she seemed able to glide with squared and regal shoulders as she walked. Thin-faced, frightening, yet elegant, she had come to a point in life where she was always in perfect composure, where her voice was always even, where only the slight glint of golden evil in her eyes might give a clue to the fact her machinations were in any way to improve her own lot. She wore black most of the time, in memory, of course, of those departed. Yet her sleek gowns were edged with royal blues and silver, touches of color that spoke of her nobility. When Elisia had married Pietro, Geovana had actually worn white to the wedding. Ah, but now, Elisia was gone, and Geovana had all but taken over the castle at Lendo; Count d’Artois seemed to give the gravest attention to her every word, as if he were hypnotized by the very sound of her voice.
    “Good evening … my dear. The finest wine is being served below, in your honor. And that of my dearson, of course. He’ll be joining us shortly … as it seems you played a naughty little prank on him.”
    She might have been the most magnanimous woman in the world. She seemed so remote, and yet … such a touch of kindly doting!
    Marina rose quickly.
    “I will be right there, Countess Baristo. I need but a minute to myself.”
    “Dear child, of course.” The Countess walked on into the room, pausing before Marina. She set a hand upon her cheek, and kissed her forehead.
    Marina felt an arctic chill sweep over her.
    “What a lovely daughter-in-law you’ll be!” she said, and then turned, moving with an eerie silence. Geovanna departed, closing the door behind her.
    If only the falcon did really talk …
    And if only Marina did have three wishes. Three Christmas wishes.
    But then …
    It was true. Absolutely true that the Count Baristo
had
just fallen into a watering trough.
    Just exactly as she had
wished.
    If so, one wish used…
    Two were left.

Chapter 3
    M ichelo Fiorelli rode out by night.
    There was a full moon shining overhead, and Alexander knew the way as well as he did himself. This side of the border, peace had reigned for years, and so he rode with little thought given to distance or direction, nearly dozing at times.
    He was loathe to leave the battlefield, afraid there was a greater power behind the enemy attacks than had been shown thus far. He remained disturbed by the way the body of the warrior who had so viciously fought had simply vanished, not seen by either him or his men.
    Touched by moonlight, the landscape was beautiful. Sloping hills to the sea appeared to be blanketed in dark mauve. Here and there, cliffs caught a reflection of moonlight, and glowed in a softened beauty. He loved his homeland. Loved it intensely. He had been willing to fight and die for it now for many years, and had been ever vigilant.
    And it made sense …
    Though there was now the lovely young Adriana to fill his father’s days with happiness, Michelo was the great duke’s only son. It was natural his father wanted a continuation of his line.
    And still …
    If he recalled the last time he’d seen Daphne, she had been a lovely girl. They’d both been courteous and polite. And he’d