by Bianca D’Arc
“You’re my knight, not my nursemaid,” Hrardorr snapped. All their tempers were frayed with weariness. Seth understood, but it still hurt to have his new dragon partner speak to him so tersely.
“My apologies,” Seth said, not wanting to set the dragon off any further. “I’ll assume you’re good with Lady Genlitha for company, and retire. If you need me, I’ll be in the suite, sleeping.”
Without another word, Seth turned and walked briskly—or as briskly as he could manage considering he’d been up all night—into the keep.
“I wonder what that was about?” Livia said quietly, standing next to Gowan as they watched some kind of interaction between Seth and Hrardorr that ended with Seth turning and walking away, clearly hurt by something.
“Something’s changed between them,” Gowan said, watching Seth go. He didn’t dare speculate on what might have transpired between the moody dragon and his human counterpart, but Gowan was concerned. He wanted them both to be happy.
Hells, they should all be jumping for joy after retrieving the book. Instead, Hrardorr looked pained as he allowed Genlitha to guide him around the courtyard, and Seth just looked upset. Not good.
Gowan would do what he could to ease Seth’s mind, though he wasn’t sure what words of wisdom he could offer. Still, he would try. He was Seth’s friend, and he wanted the best for him.
“Gen, would you watch over Hrardorr today? I think he and Seth have had a disagreement of some kind,” Gowan sent to his dragon partner even as he took Livia’s hand as they walked toward the keep.
“You can count on me. You and Livia take care of Seth, and I’ll see to Sir Grumpsalot.”
If he wasn’t so tired, Gowan would have laughed aloud at the jibe. Instead, he just walked into the keep and headed for the nearest bed.
When they arrived at the suite of rooms the servant indicated, Gowan was pleased to note some efficient soul had thought to provide a tray of breakfast foods for them. When he saw it, he realized he was hungry. Seth, too, was sitting at the small table, waiting for them to join him.
He was silent through most of the meal, but he ate heartily and Gowan couldn’t really work up the energy to try to start a conversation anyway. Likely, they were all feeling as drained as he was after their exciting night and long journey. Perhaps they’d be better after some well-earned rest. Surely, whatever had upset Seth would look less dire after a few solid hours of sleep.
They ate, cleaned up a bit, then piled into the large bed, falling asleep almost immediately.
CHAPTER EIGHTEEN
A discreet knock on the door signaled the arrival of a luncheon tray. It was a bit late for lunch, but the fey probably had some way of telling that the trio was stirring behind their closed door and were probably hungry. Gryffid’s servants were like that—always anticipating every little need well in advance.
Gowan went to the door and fetched the tray, thanking the man who had brought it. Sure enough, it was laden with all sorts of finger foods that could be eaten at room temperature. A giant snack plate for those who had missed the midday meal.
Gowan set it down at the small table in the suite, and Livia joined him, attacking the slices of fruits and vegetables while Gowan went for the individual meat pies. Seth lay back against the pillows, watching them, thinking deep thoughts.
This was the life. Lounging around with Livia. Gowan, too. Seth had grown used to the knight over the past weeks and counted him like a brother. If only they could formalize this relationship into something more permanent… But that was up to the dragons. If Hrardorr could get over his blindness enough to claim Genlitha as his mate—and if Genlitha chose to accept him—then Seth and Gowan could try to convince Livia to form a family with them all.
Of course, the other two were operating under mistaken information. They still didn’t know that Hrardorr had chosen Seth. Somehow, he had to break the news and see where they all went from there. Maybe the others weren’t thinking along the same lines. Seth had to find his courage and tell them, then see what consequences his announcement brought.
“Uh…” Seth began, not wanting to ruin the satisfied aura of the day, but unwilling to go any further until they knew the truth. “Something happened last night. Something you two need to know about.”
Both looked up at him. Livia paused in her nibbling, but Gowan merely kept chewing, apparently too hungry to let Seth’s announcement interfere with his meal. Seth almost laughed, but the moment was too serious.
“Gryffid’s spell failed, and Hrardorr was blind at the worst possible moment,” Seth admitted. “Right when Fisk was getting away. We wasted precious time dealing with that when we could’ve been—should’ve been—chasing Fisk. I’m sorry.” He looked down, unable to meet Livia’s gaze. Catching Fisk meant a lot to her, he knew.
“It’s all right, Seth,” Livia said gently. She got up and came over to him, sitting down beside him and snuggling into his arms. “I don’t think anyone or anything was going to catch Fisk last night. He had his getaway planned much too cleverly. The magic fouling his flight and all those pirates wandering all over the city made it next to impossible to follow him. I don’t blame you or Hrardorr in the slightest.”
“You’re very forgiving,” Seth told her, squeezing her shoulders. “But I still wish things had turned out differently.”
“But Hrardorr can still see through your eyes,” Gowan said, his gaze narrowing. “What happened to renew the spell?”
Seth took a deep breath for courage, then just said it. “Hrardorr spoke the words of Claim over me last night. The bond powered the spell and brought it back to life.”
Livia sat up and faced him. “He chose you?” she asked, her voice filled with barely suppressed excitement. “You’re a knight?”
Seth shook his head, feeling a bit embarrassed. He wasn’t a real knight, after all, was he? For heavens sake, the dragon had to be coerced into choosing him.
But Hrardorr had chosen him, so by all outward signs, Seth supposed he really was a knight. Only his dragon would realize the claim had been forced, and Seth vowed to spend the rest of his life making up for that. He’d be the best knight any dragon had ever had, and never allow Hrardorr to regret the choice that hadn’t really been a real choice, after all.
“Yeah, I guess so. Though it’s not exactly a regular situation.” Seth felt his face grow hot with embarrassment when Livia leapt at him, throwing her arms around his neck and hugging him tight.
“That’s amazing!” she cried, kissing his cheeks, his lips, wherever she could reach in her excitement.
When she finally moved back a little, Gowan was standing over them, a genuine grin on his face. He held out his hand, and Seth took it. Gowan yanked him up to a standing position so he could give him a back-pounding hug, then moved back, still shaking Seth’s hand.
“However it happened, I’m glad it finally has. For both of you. Congratulations, my friend,” Gowan said, and Seth felt the true warmth in Gowan’s words.
“Thanks. I’m just not sure Hrardorr feels the same. He was really cranky with me last night, and the way he was forced into the claiming doesn’t sit well with me, though I wouldn’t trade the bond with him for anything,” Seth admitted.
“I know what you mean about the bond,” Gowan agreed. “But it’s not all sunshine and fair skies. Genlitha and I have been known to have our disagreements from time to time. I’m sure your issue with Hrardorr last night was probably due to the long day and night flight we’d all been through. Despite our successes yesterday, we also had a very big failure, and that doesn’t sit well with any of us, I know.” Gowan looked at Livia, who stood and walked between them, placing one of her arms around each of their waists.
“Fisk won’t get away for long,” she said, confidence in her voice that Seth didn’t really feel at the moment. Still, he wouldn’t naysay her conviction.
“You know, Gen will probably be kicking herself for not noticing sooner. She knew there was something different about you two
last night, but we were all so focused on the mission…” Gowan trailed off, heading back to the table to continue his repast. “I think Hrardorr is going to be subject to an interrogation as soon as he gets back.”
“You’re not going to tell her?” Livia asked Gowan.
“Do I look like a crazy man to you?” He shook his head and grinned. “This is something the big guy needs to tell her himself, when he returns. The sooner, the better, because it’s damned hard to keep secrets from Genlitha.”
“Where did he go?” Seth asked, unaware the dragon had gone anywhere. Shouldn’t he be more aware of Hrardorr’s comings and goings now that they were bonded?
“He’s swimming with the sea dragons at the moment, according to Genlitha.” Gowan took a big bite out of another meat pie before speaking again. “Don’t feel bad. You’ll soon discover that our dragon friends keep their own council on certain matters when they feel like it. The bond doesn’t necessarily mean that you’re in each other’s minds all the time. Right now, for example, Gen isn’t monitoring my thoughts because she knows where I am and who I’m with. It’s her way of giving me my illusion of privacy, which is something we bickered over at first. I was a solitary soldier for too long to easily get used to having a female voice in my head all the time.” He chuckled a bit. “The older knights tell me that over time the connection deepens. I’m still relatively new to it all, so I know a bit of what you’re experiencing right now, Seth.”
“Thanks, Gowan. I confess, even though I grew up with dragons, I never realized what the bond was truly like.” Seth escorted Livia back to the table, and they sat, sharing the light meal.
They spent the rest of the afternoon chatting about Seth’s change in circumstances and making vague plans for the next hours. They expected to be summoned by the wizard once he had a chance to look over the book, so they took a bit of time to make themselves presentable, bathing and changing into the spare clothing in their packs before venturing downstairs.
They ran into friends and acquaintances in the great hall, spending a companionable hour with Lothar and some of his friends, discussing their recent travels. In the midst of their visit, Leo and Lizbet arrived, greeting them with happy smiles. Livia told Leo what had happened at his family’s dock when they’d gone back and passed on messages from his parents. Leo looked a bit troubled at the news that his family had been in danger, but he thanked them all for intervening.
Before too much longer, the expected message came from Gryffid, and the trio followed a quiet servant to meet with the wizard elsewhere in the great keep. When they arrived, it was to find Gryffid ensconced in an easy chair by a broad fireplace in a room Seth hadn’t seen before. This was to be a more relaxed sort of meeting than he’d expected, but Seth was content to do whatever the wizard wished.
A weight had been lifted off his shoulders with the book safely back in Gryffid’s capable hands. While it was true that, as long as Fisk remained at large, Seth wouldn’t rest easy, having accomplished the retrieval of the book did set his mind more at ease.
“Come in, my friends, and fill me in on what’s transpired since you left. Leave nothing out. I want to hear it all.” Gryffid appeared to be in good humor and motioned for the servant to provide drinks before he exited.
What followed was an hour or more of detailing the events since they’d left Gryphon Isle. Gryffid stopped them along the way to ask pointed questions, but essentially, they gave him the gritty details of the story in its entirety.
Seth was talking about the moment when Hrardorr admitted that the spell had failed completely and the tense conversation they’d had about claiming when Gryffid sat forward in his chair. He had listened attentively throughout their recounting of events, but seemed especially interested when Seth started talking about the spell. Gryffid even went so far as to interject.
“The spell failed far sooner than I’d expected,” he said, cutting into Seth’s words. “Do you mean to tell me that Hrardorr can no longer see? If so, I am deeply sorry. I never meant for him to deny your bond this long. It was clear to me from the moment I first saw you two together that you were meant to be thus, always.”
“It was?” Seth was astounded by the wizard’s words. Livia reached out and covered Seth’s hand with hers, offering her silent support.
“As clear as day, my young friend. You two share a destiny. Just like every other knight-dragon pair I’ve ever seen. To me, the signs are obvious. Now then, what happened? I know you lost Fisk, but please don’t tell me it was due to the failure of the spell.”
“Not exactly, milord. Hrardorr and I had a rather tense conversation about the spell and what you’d told me about it springing back into life should he ever choose me as his knight, and then… Well, then, he did. He spoke the words of Claim, and the bonding happened. It was like…like nothing I can truly describe…” Seth’s words trailed off as he tried and failed to capture the rapture of that moment. Words couldn’t really do it justice.
But Gryffid smiled and nodded. “So you did bond. And it’s about time, I say. Congratulations, Sir Seth.”
It hit him, then, the use of the honorific reserved for knights. Gryffid was the first to address Seth rightfully by his new title, and he felt a pang in his heart for the wonder of the moment.
“Thank you, milord. The only thing is…Hrardorr and I don’t seem to be getting along at the moment. I fear he resents being forced into the position where he had to choose me if he wanted to be able to see.” Seth finally admitted the thing that had worried him most and kept him mostly silent on the long flight here last night.
“He is a proud dragon. Too proud for his own good, I fear.” Gryffid’s expression spoke of sympathy. “I talked with him about you before, you know. For all the good it did.”
Seth was astounded the great wizard had taken such a personal interest, yet again, in Hrardorr. “It was good of you to try, milord,” Seth said, feeling truly grateful for the wizard’s care of his friend.
“We’ve all tried to talk to him at one time or another, but he’s very stubborn,” Livia spoke up. Gryffid smiled at her.
“He is that,” Gryffid agreed. “But a lesser dragon would have given up and faded away. His stubbornness is what has allowed him to excel even though blind. He is incomparable, in my experience. A dragon among dragons.” He paused for a moment, then encouraged Seth to tell the rest of the story about what had happened on their mad chase through the city of Ouray the night before.
Gowan told his part, and Livia talked about the minstrel. Gryffid seemed particularly interested in the Jinn and asked Livia to relay the same information to some of his folk after dinner. Seth realized the crafty old wizard probably wanted to get some of his musical spies in touch with their Jinn counterparts, and it seemed a wise course.
When they had finished telling their tale, it was the wizard’s turn.
“Well, you’ve all had quite an adventure. I can tell you that my preliminary examination indicates that the book came off no worse for its journey to the mainland and back. All appears to be in order, though it will take me some days to go through and examine the book in its entirety.”
“That’s good news,” Gowan said in his steady way.
“It’s a relief,” Livia added, more demonstrative than the taciturn knight. “I’m glad we accomplished that much at least.”
“Fisk will not elude us for long,” Gryffid promised her. “And your father is hot on his trail, if I’m any judge.”
“We didn’t see any sign of Father during our travels,” Livia said, her brow furrowed with worry. Seth took her hand in his and squeezed gently, offering reassurance.
“That means little. When the time is right, I believe the two captains will have their showdown. It has been a long time coming, and Captain O’Dare struck me as the kind who would not rest until he’s brought Fisk to justice.”
“He won’t,” Livia replied at once. “But I still worry for him. Fisk proved he’s very resourceful and thinks several
steps ahead of those pursuing him. At least he did so with us. Maybe Father will have better luck.”
“If you’ll allow me to give you all a word of advice, don’t let Fisk’s escape ruin what should be a joyous time,” Gryffid told them kindly. “Seth is now a knight. That means that Hrardorr is coming around, and bigger changes might yet be afoot. You’ve retrieved a book that could have meant disaster for all the lands. This should be a happy time. Focus on all that you’ve achieved, not just the one task that remains to be completed.”
Livia nodded. “It’s good advice. Thank you, milord.”
“Thank you, Mistress Livia. You have all done me a great service. More than that, you’ve done your homeland, and all the lands, a great service by retrieving my book. I count you five as friends and folk I know can be counted on in a time of crisis. I am in your debt.” Gryffid bowed his head in formal acknowledgment of his words.
Seth felt the import of the moment. He got the feeling that it wasn’t often the last of the great wizards said such things.
Gryffid escorted them all down to the great hall when they were done with their meeting. He’d told his staff to prepare a celebration in their honor, and Gryffid sat with them at the high table. Genlitha and Hrardorr were already there when they arrived, seated in the spot reserved for gryphons—and now dragons—by the great hearth. Gryffid went right up to Hrardorr and congratulated him loudly on choosing Seth as his knight.
Genlitha jumped to her feet and stared hard at Hrardorr. Seth knew Hrardorr could see the angry and shocked tableau she made because the male dragon’s eyes were open, and the spell was in full force. There was no doubt in his mind that Hrardorr could see what Seth was seeing.
“I’m glad you came to your senses, Sir Hrardorr,” Gryffid said for all to hear. “Seth is a fine companion for you. A good man and an honorable knight. He will be with you for many years if my powers of prophecy hold true. I’ve seen glimpses of your future, and it is bright indeed with Seth by your side.”
