Her brow puckered. “So, we’re not married.”
“Not according to our dragon laws.” He chose his words with care. “I make jewelry in my spare time. A hobby for the chilly winters. I wanted to design and make your ring, which is why you do not have one now.”
Truth.
“Where did we marry?”
Leo avoided her question. “If we produce a certificate from the human church, there will be no doubts.”
“Do you love me?”
These lies became deeper and murkier. Leo loathed this, but he was committed to keeping Gwenyth safe. His dragon wanted her—had claimed her in truth. She intrigued Leo, and he found her attractive—easy to topple into love with her, despite their short acquaintance.
“I didn’t want you to face this pressure while your memories remain absent. This emotional stress won’t help. I’m sorry, my lodestone. My parents are ambitious, and they expect me to follow their orders. This time I refuse to obey them. You’re in my life, and no other woman can or will take your place. We’ll spend one night before returning here. You need clothes anyway. I’m serious about marriage. What do you say?”
“You’re not telling me the truth.”
“Do you refuse to marry me?” he asked, maintaining her gaze, his heart aching. He was fighting for something—someone—he and his dragon wanted. Unfortunately, their lack of history made this situation tricky. “If you don’t wish to go through with the ceremony, I’ll find somewhere else for you to stay. Perhaps on one of the other Dragon Isles. I must visit my friends to consult on a security matter, anyway.”
“You’d palm me off on someone else?” Her voice was sharp, the flash in her eyes echoing her pain.
“Not willingly. Let me be clear. My dragon and I want you. Your spirit calls us, and we think of you even if we’re apart. We wish to marry and strengthen the bonds between us.”
“But you’re not telling me everything,” she said, this time with a trace of frustration.
“You’ve lost your memory,” he countered. Please let her surrender. Every instinct told him the moment they joined their bodies, the mate bonds would snap into place.
She was theirs.
They belonged to her too.
Gwenyth held his gaze, and sensual heat exploded in his chest. It started from a spark near his big dragon heart and grew until he ached to hold her.
“Gwenyth?” he whispered.
Her gaze pierced him, searching, but reading her mind was impossible.
After a soul-destroying pause that had fear and panic roaring to life in him, she spoke. “You truly want to marry me?”
His breath stuttered before he formed words.
“Tell her yes. Yes. Yes. Yes!”
“Quit the racket! I can’t think.” Leo took Gwenyth’s hands in his.
“This is important. Don’t mess up,” his dragon ordered.
“Marriage to you will make me happy. My dragon happy and fulfilled. I’d intended to ask you, had hinted at it, but I wanted to craft a ring worthy of you, my lodestone.”
The hint part was an embellishment since they’d met the day before, but from the moment he’d lifted her from the tin box, he’d wanted her. That was the truth. Another truth—marriage would protect them both, and he could claim her body with a clear conscience.
A mostly clear conscience.
“Do you love me?”
“My dragon and I believe you are our true mate. We both believe the mating bonds will snap into place between us.”
“Numbskull,” his dragon spat. “Won’t she ask if we’ve mated before?”
“How long have we known each other?” she asked.
“I told you so,” his dragon said, his brawny tattooed arms rising up Leo’s chest in a display of disgust.
By Lodar! His dragon was right. He’d stuck his foot-claws in his mouth this time. Leo frantically sought to escape this mire.
“Truth,” his dragon stated. “Give her truth and pray she forgives us.”
Leo tightened his grip. “We’ve known each other for two days. I rescued you from the sea and brought you here.”
“You let me think we were married.” Accusation shimmered in her voice. Irritation. Gwenyth lifted her chin as she blasted him with her outrage.
“She has courage,” his dragon stated with pride. “We could snap her like a twig.”
“You couldn’t remember anything, and when you mentioned our marriage, I decided not to disabuse you of the situation. The knowledge comforted you.”
“And the betrothal?”
Leo couldn’t read her expression, although her mood still screamed irked. His dragon remained silent, so Leo gave Gwenyth more truth. “I’d met with my parents. They issued their orders and left before I could refuse. Telus, The Organized, who was also present at the meeting, never gave me a chance to speak either. As the youngest and the runt, my brothers bullied me while my parents ignored my presence. Now that I’m useful, my parents issue commands and expect me to jump. I left the castle in a mood, intending to go home. But I was agitated, furious with my parents, and I flew over the sea to settle my mind with exercise. That’s when we found you. You almost died.”
“So that part is true.” Gwenyth frowned. “You saved me.”
“Yes.”
“But you’d never met me before?”
“No. It is my belief you came from the mainland.”
Her eyes flashed, and eagerness lifted her expression. “So we can go to the mainland and discover where I came from. My name.”
Leo shook his head. “You don’t understand. Once dragons played in the skies over the mainland, but the humans feared us. Whenever the opportunity arose, they’d kill our kind. To save our species, we withdrew to the Dragon Isles. The remaining dragons cut a deal with the druids who live on Smoking Isle. The magic-men conjured a spell to keep humans from seeing our territory. An invisible barrier separates the isles from the mainland, so we cannot trespass either.”
Gwenyth blinked. She frowned. “If that’s the case, then how did I get here?”
He shrugged. “Most days, we can sense the mainland, but it is invisible. Yesterday, the protective barrier was absent, and I flew along the mainland coast. You were in a tin box. You spotted me before the tin box jumped over the cliff and toppled into the sea. I plucked you out and brought you to my home. While I was cutting you from the box, the barrier reformed. We almost didn’t make it back.”
Gwenyth nodded. “You’ve told me everything?”
“I swear, my lodestone. That is the absolute truth.”
“Thank you.” Gwenyth tugged her hands free of his and marched off.
“Where are you going?”
“I must think.”
“Don’t let her leave,” his dragon ordered.
Gwenyth halted. “Is it safe for me to walk in the meadow?”
“If you stay within sight of my home.”
“No! She mustn’t leave.”
“I wish to walk.”
The wolf-pup jumped at Gwenyth.
“Can I take Jenny with me?”
“Jenny?”
“The pup.”
Leo gestured at the door. “You will find steps at the end of the path. If you require me, shout. Do not overexert yourself.”
“I won’t.” Gwenyth ushered Jenny outside and left.
“You shouldn’t have let her leave,” his dragon snapped and stomped his foot hard against Leo’s ribs. Leo grunted and pressed his fingers against the throbbing spot.
“She is not our prisoner. That is not the way to win her.”
The tension bled from his dragon. “You have a plan?”
“The same one we came up with before. We woo her. At least there is honesty between us now. Lies aren’t a solid foundation for a relationship.”
His dragon released a derisive hoot. “You’ve been listening to humans. We require quality dragon time. Immediately!”
“Soon,” Leo muttered, offended by his inner beast
. “You experience the magnetic pull toward her. When we make love, magic will fill the air. I wish to savor every moment. We will not force ourselves on Gwenyth. We will—”
“If you continue this chatter, you’ll scare her away,” his dragon snapped. “I’ll never forgive you.”
Leo refrained from comment, but Gwenyth enticed his dragon and seduced his human side. They’d work together to win the fair maiden, which was as it should be. The two parts desiring the same outcome.
“How will we court her?”
“We will begin by cooking her a tasty meal,” Leo said.
“I could eat,” his dragon said. “What of the parental summons?”
“We must go.” Leo scowled. “This is my fault. Instead of seeking my family’s respect, I should’ve made my independence clear. They never see me as anything other than a tool.”
“You were wise not to tell them you’re the creator of the Marquess brand.”
“My family has no inkling of our wealth or our network of friends. To them, I am still a weakling. A child.”
“You have a plan.”
Leo snatched one last lingering glance at the woman who’d given him the impetus and the reason for the coming family confrontation. Gwenyth’s musical laughter floated on the air as she played with the pup.
His dragon issued a lengthy sigh, echoing his awe and admiration. “She’s beautiful.”
“After dinner, we will ask Gwenyth if she’d enjoy a walk.”
“We start our wooing?”
“We’ll make her a special ring. The one I started a few days ago will be perfect.”
“For our marriage,” his dragon said with such eagerness, Leo’s lips twitched.
“Gwenyth may say no.”
“We must point out marriage to us will offer her protection.”
“As long as none of my family nor those in their circle get close enough to hurt Gwenyth.”
“Let them try,” his dragon snapped.
“They will,” Leo said, certainty in his gut. The sudden betrothal arrangements raised his suspicions. He was missing facts of which his family was aware. “Our castle network might yield results. We should’ve consulted our contacts before leaving the castle.”
“We wouldn’t have met Gwenyth,” his dragon pointed out.
Leo strode indoors, his mind full of the tasks he needed to complete. Unfortunately, he’d have to delay his trip to Perfume Isle. Once he reached the castle, he’d send a message via a trusted friend. That would have to suffice until he could speak to his friends in person.
“We’re not going to have sex with her.”
His dragon’s accusation focused Leo on the present. “That bit about wooing Gwenyth instead of forcing her—that applies until Gwenyth signals us otherwise.”
“But—”
“Gwenyth’s wishes are paramount. We are not my parents, my selfish brothers, nor the sly courtiers. Gwenyth will signal if she wants us as much as we desire her. That is my last word on the matter.”
“Are we certain of our parentage?” his dragon asked.
Leo barked out a rich laugh, full of understanding and amusement. “No, but everyone accepts us as the youngest in the family. We are stuck with our lot.”
“Which begs the question—why are the parents pushing Nan, The Strongminded, at us? Why not one of our older brothers? All of them remain single. They would make better matches than us.”
“An excellent point. I should’ve asked questions, demanded answers.”
“Our parents carry arrogance as an extra layer of clothing. They never gave us a chance to object.”
“Which is why our disobedience will shock them,” Leo said in a dry voice.
“Are you talking to yourself again?” Gwenyth said.
“My dragon and I are discussing the betrothal our parents are attempting to force on us. We wondered why Nan, The Strongminded, would accept the youngest son.”
“You’re not inferior,” Gwenyth snapped.
“She likes us. I knew it. I can’t wait for the sex part.”
Leo grinned. “Thank you.”
“Do you have a plan?” Gwenyth asked.
“Your best protection is to wed us at the human church. Then, we’ll drop by my parents and tell them a betrothal is impossible.”
“If the snooty butler is indicative, your parents won’t believe you.”
“I won’t lie. The benefits of marriage are greater for me. I’m uncertain why they are pushing this betrothal, but their actions speak of determination. Our marriage will both protect and endanger you.”
“I could remain here,” Gwenyth suggested.
“Two reasons that is a terrible idea. After Telus’s visit, my parents are aware of your presence. If they consider you an obstacle, they might send an assassin to destroy you.”
Gwenyth winced, then arched a brow. “The second reason?”
“Someone butchered one of my cows and also killed the pup’s mother and littermate. This concerns me.”
Gwenyth bit her lip, silent as she considered his words. “Do you have friends, ones you trust whom I could stay with while you’re busy with your parents?”
“I have trusted friends amongst the commoners,” Leo said.
Gwenyth nodded. “That’s what we’ll do then.”
“And the marriage?”
“Are you certain marriage is necessary?”
“Yes.”
Gwenyth held out her left hand. “It looks as if I’m already married or have been. What if my ring came off in the sea?”
“No,” his dragon snapped.
Leo ignored his other half. “We will have a marriage certificate to present to my parents, which will save me from the betrothal.”
“And place me in danger,” Gwenyth pointed out.
“You were at risk the moment I brought you to Hissing Isle,” Leo countered. “If anyone learns you’re from the mainland, pandemonium will follow. The humans live here in safety, as did their ancestors. They’re useful since they produce clothing and food. They trade with dragons and are a known entity. Most dragons will assume mainlanders mean to butcher them as they did in the past.”
Gwenyth’s brow furrowed. “Your words resonate with me. The part about killing dragons. It’s as if my brain contains this knowledge. Do you think my memory is returning?”
“Does she have a man?” his dragon demanded.
“Shush. Let me communicate with Gwenyth.”
Leo studied her familiar face: her straight brown hair, her solemn dark brown eyes, and the lush mouth that drew his gaze whenever she tipped her lips into a smile. He fought his sudden rapid breathing, the trace of panic his dragon had communicated. He—they’d known her for such a brief time, but she’d become important to them. Each physical touch soothed his typical restlessness while she fascinated his dragon half. Every instinct told Leo this woman—whatever her actual name—was essential to their wellbeing. Despite the arranged marriages prevalent in the dragon world, he had no wish to follow traditions, nor did he covet the riches a marriage to another wealthy dragon might bring.
Since the day long ago, when his older brothers had beaten him bloody and laughed before they’d run off to play with their friends, he’d embraced his desires. Leo, Champion of the Skies, marched to his personal drummer. Even so, since Gwenyth’s appearance, his drummer had developed a stutter in his beat.
“Have you remembered other parts of your past?” He and his dragon waited in trepidation for her reply.
Her brow wrinkled as she shook her head. “Not a thing. I get flashes, but the second I tug at them, the memory fades. What happens if I never—”
“Worrying won’t fix the problem,” Leo interrupted, not wanting her to complete her sentence. “We travel to the human village and marry. Then we go to the castle. Once I’ve spoken with my parents and canceled the betrothal, we’ll journey to Perfume Isle to visit my friends and investigate the mystery of our meeting. Are you agreeable?”
“A
fair plan,” she said, decisive in her agreement. “The truth is you are my sole option. I have no means of support, I’m an unknown quantity, and my memory of my former life is nil. Without you, my chances of survival are low.”
“Did you have to give us a hearty dose of truth?” his dragon grumbled.
An equal amount of irritation, apprehension, and despondency thumped Leo in the chest. They wanted Gwenyth to stay with them, but not for the reasons she’d spelled out with harsh reality. He forced a smile and focused on projecting a calm exterior.
“We will keep you safe,” Leo promised. “Although you are not an obligation. My dragon and I like you, and while our marriage might be fake, we want more. We would court you with a view to a genuine relationship.”
“You’ve known me for two days,” Gwenyth whispered, her eyes big rounds of surprise.
“We are decisive.”
“I can see that.” Gwenyth raised her chin and straightened her shoulders. She stuck out her hand. “I agree with your plan. Let’s do this.”
8 – Flying Attracts Bugs
It was a relief to arrive at the human village. Flying clutched in a dragon’s claws did not lend one dignity. Nope, it was plain scary. Leo had informed her he carried items inside woven bags or sacks, and that was how they transported Jenny since the wolf-pup wasn’t old enough to fend for herself.
Gwenyth vetoed the bag transportation for herself, and Leo had clutched her in his right talon, which was how, according to him, he’d carried her after her rescue. Every bug they passed leaped at her mouth, and her hair flew into her face while terror kept her eyes squeezed shut. Somehow, an airplane seemed safer. Her frantic panic slowed enough for her to recognize she’d remembered something from her past. The instant she tugged the snippet, it dispersed like a puff of Leo’s smoke.
Leo settled onto the ground, and she scrambled from his hold, relieved to have her feet on a solid surface. She swiped the back of her hand over her mouth and pulled a bug free. Eek!
“Not a favored way to travel?” Leo asked, amusement lighting his handsome features once he’d shifted. He pulled on black trews, a shirt, and footwear.
Her head jerked up, and she glowered at him. “Is there an alternative? I think you hit every squadron of flying bugs between your house and the village.”
Liza (Dragon Isles Book 1) Page 7
