by Victoria Zak
Thomas gave him a stern sideways glance, never saying a word.
Woolsey was the eldest of the pack, well respected, a heavily decorated knight, and good friends with Thomas’s father. Every battle he led was victorious, and in war his mind was like no other. Behind that strategic genius, he carried himself with strength and poise, but above all it was the man’s words of wisdom that made him valuable to the pack, especially in times like this.
“A knight is defined by his duty, loyalty to his king. He’s identified by arms, sword, and mount. Acquired his status and position by his deeds on the battlefield.”
“Woolsey, don’t you think I know that?” Thomas said, irritated that Woolsey had the audacity to show him pity.
“But—a wolf is family. We stay together regardless of the situation. We are sly, cunning when it comes to defending our own. We hunt at the top of our food chain. And God help the fools who enter our den.”
Thomas paused and thought about what Woolsey was saying. He was a knight and expected to be loyal to his country, defend the weak. Hell, he was a de Wolfe—a legacy that prided themselves on their honor. But he was also a wolf with a strong sense of family. Both identities were woven into his blood as one.
Was Thomas going to keep his word to his father and leave JewelAna to the dragons to avoid war, or was he going to keep his word to Tacey and protect her daughter at all costs? Either way his honor was being tested and he would have to break an oath.
Thomas scrubbed his hands down his face. What was he going to do? He continued to stare across the sea in deep thought. “Woolsey.”
“Aye.”
“I thought I could let her go but I cannot,” Thomas whispered into the wind.
“I know,” he clapped the brooding knight on the back and headed back to the tower.
“Woolsey,” Thomas called out and turned to face the wise man. “I may have been conditioned as a de Wolfe knight—but my blood runs wolf. I’m going after Jewel to bring her home.”
Woolsey’s lips lifted in a half grin. “I’ll inform the pack.”
Woolsey strode through the sand, heading back to the trail that led to the tower. With his nose to the sky, he howled, alerting the pack that it was time for war.
Thomas smiled. The battle was going to be bloody, lives would be lost, but one thing was certain—for the first time in his life he was putting himself first. JewelAna was his life and she alone was worth breaking his oath to his father. He would fight for her, die for her.
Right there on that sandy shore, beneath the moon and stars, he vowed he would do whatever it took to fight for JewelAna—to fight for their future. At that moment, without hesitation, he shifted into wolf and joined his pack in the hunt for dragons.
Chapter Ten
She’s more beautiful than I could ever imagine, Fáfnir thought as he sat across the table from JewelAna in the great hall, watching her pick at the evening meal. Her blonde hair hung over her shoulders and drew his eye down to her tapered waist. Her cheekbones were high, her nose pert, and her lips—he wanted to kiss them again.
Although it was the sorrow in her blue eyes that tugged at his heart. He understood she missed her family and needed time to adapt to her new surroundings. In time she would grow to love her new home and grow fond of him. In truth he wanted to know everything about JewelAna, but in the past two days she had been withdrawn, distant. Indeed, it took some people days to recover from traveling by sea. Not everyone had a love for rough waters like the Norsemen.
Fáfnir had made sure his princess’s every need and want was fulfilled; that her bedchamber was suitable for a woman with plush bedding, candles, and beautiful gowns. This morning he found her taking in the sweet fragrance of the roses sitting on the great hall table, and made note to make sure JewelAna was greeted with fresh roses every day.
There was a strong desire to make his princess happy; he wanted to see her smile. The perfect idea crossed his mind—since she enjoyed roses, perhaps he would show her one of his prized possessions. It was personal, but he wanted to bring her into his world and show her that their union could be a pleasurable one.
Fáfnir wiped his mouth and adjusted his eye-patch. “My Lady JewelAna, would you accompany me to the garden?”
JewelAna looked up from her trencher. “Aye, if that would please you, my lord,” she said solemnly.
“Very much so, indeed.”
He stood, walked over to JewelAna, and offered his hand. Trembling a little, she accepted and they made their way to the garden.
The sun had set, leaving behind hues of orange and gray like a fire in the sky. Fáfnir led JewelAna into the garden on flat square stones in various colors, through a lush hedge maze. As he approached an iron bowl perched within the maze, he blew into the shallow pit and a fire kindled into a raging flame that lit the paved path.
They turned the corner and JewelAna froze.
“These are my creations,” he said, pointing at three stone sculptures that stood together slightly off-center from one another.
“You made these?” JewelAna walked over to the stone sculptures, admiring the craftsmanship. “Fáfnir, these are incredible.”
Adjusting his eye-patch, he joined JewelAna and ran his hand over his masterpiece. “This one here is a dragon.”
He watched her run her hands over the intricate carved-out scales, pausing when she reached the dragon’s head. A raised slit marred where an eye was supposed to be.
Fáfnir waited for her response to see if she noticed the resemblance.
“Is this you?”
“Aye.”
JewelAna swallowed hard. “It was you…in the marsh…you kissed me?”
“Aye, even with one good eye I knew it was you. My princess.” Fáfnir took her hand and kissed it.
“Is that how you found me?”
“It is. De Wolfe hid you well. If it weren’t for that day, I would still be searching to bring you back home. JewelAna, this is your rightful place, here in Wales with the Wend Drakis.”
Quickly, JewelAna changed the subject back to the sculptures. “And this one over here? It looks to be a wolf.” Again admiring the details, she examined the sharpness of the wolf’s teeth and noticed the fire in its eyes.
Fáfnir followed her and nodded, agreeing. He stood quietly and marveled at JewelAna’s curiosity about his creations. It warmed his heart to see her indulging in his world.
“How do you craft such beauty? There’s so much life in your creations.”
“They come to me in visions. Unfortunately with one eye it’s hard to portray the vision accurately sometimes.” He turned and looked at the middle sculpture. “For instance, this one.” He pointed. “It’s complete, but the vision was very hazy.” Fáfnir took in the stone staring back at him.
JewelAna stood next to him, inquisitively studying the stone. “Are there such creatures with two heads?”
Fáfnir gave her a sideways glance as if she had grown two heads. “I do not take well to jesting about my work,” he warned.
“Oh, my lord, I mean no disrespect. I see two faces. Look.” JewelAna stood in front of the center sculpture and ran her hand down one side. “If you look closely you can see the bridge of a nose and over here,” she moved to the other side. “I see what looks to me like high cheek bones.” She stepped back as she took in more of the design.
Fáfnir laughed out loud. “I love your ability to see beauty even in a cluster of mess.”
She turned and smiled. “I beg you not to laugh at me. I think your talent is beyond compare. Besides who am I to judge your visions.”
Suddenly his laughter turned into a serious tone. He cupped her face and stared into her blue eyes. “I would never laugh at you, my princess.” He bent his head down, his lips barely brushing hers. His thumbs caressed her cheeks.
“Fáfnir,” she whispered.
“Aye.”
“I think it would be best for me to retire for the night.”
With much disappointment,
he released his princess. “As you wish.”
~~~~~
JewelAna couldn’t make it to her bedchamber fast enough. Panting hard, she rested her back against the door and closed her eyes, attempting to calm her frazzled nerves. Fáfnir had treated her with much respect since her arrival, allowing her time to grow accustomed to her new home, but the time was approaching fast when he would expect more from her, especially after the wedding. She felt it in his touch.
She couldn’t bear the thought of being with another man. It didn’t feel right. “God help me,” she sighed and slid down the door.
The courage that had once bolstered her was fading fast, slipping through her fingertips like sand. She was trying hard to be brave in her new world, but without Thomas and her family she was felt lost. How was she going to marry Fáfnir when her heart belonged to Thomas?
“Oh God.” What was going to happen when Fáfnir found out she wasn’t a virgin and had bedded another man when she had been promised to him? Surely there would be repercussions. Hopefully her actions hadn’t kindled a war between the families. Tears ran down her face as she pulled her legs into a tight embrace. What was she going to do?
Slipping a hand down the front of her dress, she pulled out a wooden goose playing piece from between her breasts. It was one of the items from the box Thomas had given her with her mother’s treasures in it. Rubbing the goose’s head, she wondered what her mother would have done in this situation. Pride told her she was fulfilling her duty and making her family proud, although her heart told her a different story. Her heart told her it wasn’t too late to run back to Thomas.
Exhaustion set in and before she knew it she’d cried herself to sleep right there on the cold stone floor.
~~~~~
“He sees, but he doesn’t.” Blinking back sleep, JewelAna didn’t know if she was dreaming or if the voice was real. Over and over again she heard the words as if someone was trying to wake her. She rolled over onto her back and fell back to sleep.
The pitter-patter of small footsteps running across the bedchamber floor echoed throughout her throbbing head and this time she awoke, startled. Surprised, she sat up and frantically searched the room with who was making that noise.
A loud clunk brought her attention to the foot of the bed where the top of her chest had been flung open. Odd, she thought. She didn’t remember leaving it open. Then all of a sudden her possessions were being tossed from the top as if it had burst open. Expensive velvet dresses that her aunt had packed, were thrown up into the air and landed in piles all over the floor. JewelAna ducked just in time before being assaulted by a flying leather slipper headed straight for her face. What was going on?
Standing slowly, she made her way to the chest. As she looked inside something burrowed through her belongings. She caught a dress in midair that had been dismissed, and gasped as a tiny wing surfaced. “Who are you?” she demanded. “And why are you ruining my things?”
A small green dragon with a horn on his nose popped up from the chest covered in a red silk dress. “He sees, but he doesn’t.” The small dragon said, then hopped out of the chest.
JewelAna took a frightened step back and silenced a scream with her hand.
“Dragon with one eye cannot see all,” the dragon stood in front of her, stepping from side to side as if he was nervous or very excited.
Madness, she thought. A talking dragon? The more she observed the creature frolicking through the bedchamber, exploring her possessions, the less intimidating it became. It had a child-like friendly demeanor and was extremely curious about her. And the way it would rock back and forth on its feet was indeed unthreatening.
The cherub-like dragon flopped and jumped on the bed as if it was testing its softness.
“Are you going to answer my questions or will I have to call Lord Fáfnir?” JewelAna stood next to the bed with her hands on her hips.
As if she had said the devil was coming, the dragon halted and flew off the bed. It bowed its head then rocked back and forth from one foot to the other. “Ollie is my name, my lady princess. No harm, I mean you no harm.”
“Pleasure to meet you Ollie. Now tell me your purpose for being in my bedchamber.”
JewelAna noticed Ollie eyeing a plate of figs on her dresser. “Would you like one?” She nodded toward the figs.
Ollie licked his lips and with much excitement and nodded his head.
“Then tell me why you are here.”
“It lies in the garden. Princess, follow me.”
Ollie hopped to the door then waited for JewelAna while she donned her cloak. Before quitting the chamber, she grabbed a fig, then followed Ollie down the corridor to the garden.
Chapter Eleven
It had taken them every bit of the two days to arrive in Wales. With their noses to the wind, the pack followed the dragonhead on Wend Draki’s ship along the coast until it disappeared into nothingness. As soon the cog fell out of sight, Thomas picked up JewelAna’s scent and pushed forward. If he had to sell his soul to the devil, he would to bring her home.
Perched high on top of a cliff, Thomas looked down into the marshland surrounding Orengglas Keep. This part of journey through Anglesey was going to be a daunting task. Pendraeth Forest was thick with vegetation and heavily guarded by dragons.
Woolsey trotted next to Thomas and said through mind speak, “The odds are against us, my lord.”
“It seems to be true, but if I can outrun the desert devil, I can surely outwit a dragon.”
And like raging wildfire, Thomas took off toward the forest, keeping off the well-traveled trails. JewelAna’s scent became stronger and stronger, driving Thomas past the fatigue setting into his muscles. He could not fail.
In de Wolfe strategic battle fashion, the wolf pack spread out in hopes of drawing the enemy away from Thomas. But to their surprise the forest was eerily quiet. If rumors held true, the pack should be deep into battle as the dragons defended their territory, but not this day.
Crunching leaves from ahead alerted Thomas and his pack that they weren’t alone. This is why he never let his guard down when dealing with dragons. They’d been here all along, waiting to strike; he knew it.
Thomas laid low and slowly approached a knight relieving himself by a nearby bush. He shifted back to human like it was second nature and took the knight from behind with a choke-hold as if he was going to break his neck.
“Thomas.” A voice boomed from behind him. He threw the knight to the ground then spun around.
“Father?”
“Aye, son.” William de Wolfe sat perched on his massive warhorse, in full armor.
Thomas helped the fellow knight up from the ground. “Father you’re not going to stop me from bringing JewelAna home. I cannot let her go.”
William cleared his throat. “Son, I’m not here to halt your attempt. I’m here to assist your efforts.”
The pack reached Thomas and shifted into human form.
“I have armor, weapons, and horses at your service. You cannot go demanding the princess back naked.” William shook his head and led the pack back to where the de Wolfe contingent had set up camp.
Back at camp Thomas donned chainmail and his pack’s standard black and gold surcoat and began to sheathe his sword when William entered the tent.
“Father,” Thomas greeted him.
“Son, I understand how hard this has been on you. I have trained you well as a knight and taught you the value of honor, mayhap too well.” William rubbed the back of his neck. “What I’m trying to say is that I’m proud of you. Nothing comes between family.” William cleared his throat, clasped his son on the shoulder, and made to quit the tent before his emotions got the best of him and he ended up shedding a tear in front of his son.
“Father,” Thomas called over his shoulder. “Thank you.”
William gave his son a fatherly smile then left the tent.
Thomas gave pause and reflected back on his life. Whatever happened back in that cave in the d
esert had been a blessing; it had only taken him a while to sort through the muddled mess in his head. Bringing out his wolf brought out his strong desire for JewelAna. He smiled. Perhaps Tacey knew what she was doing all along, because fighting for her daughter felt right.
Because he had claimed JewelAna back in the tower and she was in fact his mate, he would have a lot of explaining to do. They would live a long life together, longer than normal. He had no idea how she would accept that, since she had no choice in the matter.
Well, he would never find out pondering time away here in this tent. Grabbing one more dagger, he quit the tent and met his pack ready for battle. Thomas mounted his warhorse, kicking him into a full on run toward Orengglas Keep.
