There Be Dragons by Heather Graham Read Free Book Online Page A

felt …
    Nothing.
    And she, in return, had appeared to make the proper moves, to be courteous and attentive when he spoke. And yet, she had looked at him with as much enthusiasm as …
    A piece of wilted lettuce.
    “Whoa!” he murmured suddenly, startled into awareness as Alexander stumbled on the path. Just then, clouds slipped over the moon, and darkness fell like an encompassing blanket over the land. At the same time, almost exactly, so it seemed, a fog swept in from the sea.
    Alexander snorted and whinnied.
    Michelo patted his horse’s neck. “It’s all right, old boy. We’ll go just ahead, there are caves down the path to the sea. We’ll stop there, and make it home by tomorrow.”
    Alexander tossed his head, as if understanding perfectly. Then suddenly, in the darkness, he reared up, snorting with panic.
    Michelo was nearly unhorsed, but held his ground. Out of the swirling darkness, he saw cloaked men had used the cover of darkness to move stealthily upon them. He drew his sword from the sheath in his saddle, then cried out to Alexander. The horse reared up again, then plunged forward. As the first of the men came forward, a flicker in the darkness showed the length of his sword. Michelo swung against his enemy, catching the figure with the impetus of Alexander’s forward motion.
    One hung on his left, and one on his right. One had a knife, and planned to use it against the horse to slow him down. He struck that figure with his sword hilt; in silence it fell away. The other clung to his saddle and leg, tearing at him with superhuman strength. Michelo brought the blade of his sword down twice … three times …
    At last the figure fell away.
    They raced onward, Michelo trying to slow his horse’s gait, for they raced into a stygian darkness. He and Alexander were rising again, climbing to the cliffs.
    “Whoa, boy, it’s over! We’re safe!” he cried, and a smile slipped onto his lips as he congratulated himself with great relief upon escaping the danger. “Safe!”
    But even as he spoke, Alexander walked beneath an unseen tree.
    A large, low branch caught Michelo squarely in the forehead.
    With a slight groan, he fell from the horse, and the darkness of the night was complete.

    Even with the great Duke Fiorelli, his lovely wife, Lucia, and their pretty young Adriana in attendance, Geovana took her seat at the side of Pietro d’Artois, Count of Lendo, for the evening’s festivities.
    “One would think she was countess here,” Armand murmured to Marina, passing her on his way to the rear of the room, a far table, where falconers were allowed to sit. Marina grimaced, for it was true. The chair Geovana took had been her mother’s seat, a place of honor. But then again, she was a countess in her own right, and it was her son’s marriage that would be announced that night to the stepdaughter of the house, just as the marriage of Michelo, son of the great Fiorelli, would be announced, to Count d’Artois’s beloved child of his blood, Daphne.
    Marina didn’t particularly care where anyone sat. All she wanted was for the night to be over.
    At Geovana’s departure from her bedroom, she had bathed and dressed correctly, or, at least, as correctly as she could, for the clothing that came her way tended to be the hand-me-downs from Daphne. She wondered that night if she lied to herself; if she didn’t resent the fact that Daphne had come into her home, and been the one to receive the lessons, the love, the clothing, the doting of the older generation. Watching Daphne, she felt no real anger. Daphne was a beautiful young woman with a sweet disposition. She seemed a bit distracted, despite the fact she was tutored and adored—while Marina was given the chores. She didn’t seem to be a terrible person, to ever cause ill to others. Since Marina did not want the dictatorial attention of her stepfather, she was glad to take a step behind Daphne, she realized.
    Unfortunately, tonight, they were about to share