by Sher Dillard
How was she supposed to know anything? The man was a dragon.
Seeing that he wasn’t going to wait for her, she scurried to catch up.
“What about them?” she said, indicating the bodies lying in the dirt.
Thad glanced their way, then shrugged his shoulders. “To hell with them,” he said. “It’s a long walk, and I want a bath.”
Rachel balked. They couldn’t leave them there. Not exposed like that. Granted, they had wanted to steal and rape. But, still, they were human. They deserved a decent burial.
Maybe a dragon couldn’t understand that?
She began to get mad and slid to halt. “We have to bury them,” she demanded.
Thad stopped and looked back at her. “Go ahead,” he said, as he continued walking.
Rachel stared after him. He’s angry, she realized. No. He is royally angry. She had never seen Thad like this. A wounded bear stomping off. No, she reminded herself. A wounded dragon.
He was hurt, not physically. It was the first thing she had looked for when he had returned. No, he was upset with her because she had kept a secret from him. Well, that was ridiculous. He’d kept the whole dragon thing from her.
The thought flashed through her mind of how angry she was with him. How dare he keep that from her? How dare he take her to his bed? Seduce her, charm her, without exposing that critical fact.
Her heart pounded as the anger raced through her body. The bastard. How dare he?
She looked once more at the bodies and at Thad continuing to walk away. He wasn’t going to stop. Rachel gulped when she thought about being left alone with these dead men. Swallowing hard, she slipped the necklace over her head and hurried after him.
Best to forget about the men back there. If it wasn’t Thad’s problem, then it wasn’t hers.
“Can we catch one of the horses,” she asked as she fell into stride next to him.
He laughed sardonically. “None of those horses are going to let me within a mile of them.”
Rachel nodded in agreement. That was out.
“How far to Quaster?” she asked. She didn’t want to be talking to this man. But, she needed information. Maybe she could hire a guide when they got to Quaster. Someone who could lead her to the Kingdom.
“About ten miles,” he said without looking at her.
The firm set of his jaw let her know that he was still furious with her. Yes, a guide. Most definitely. Then the memory of her situation flooded back into her. She had no money. Everything she owned was in that pack that he gripped in his left hand.
And, he’d purchased most of it. Her heart fell. What was she going to do? Her hand reached up to grab the coin around her neck. The one thing she had left that was truly hers.
Thad glanced over and saw her movement. He rolled his eyes and began walking faster.
Rachel’s insides tightened up into a ball. It was going to be a long walk. An agonizingly long walk.
Chapter Thirteen
A wall of strange smells hit Rachel like a brick wall as they stepped through the city gates. Horses, spoiled garbage, and a sweet spice she had never smelled before. It focused the fact of how far from home she really was.
Her stomach growled, reminding her they hadn’t eaten since that morning. Her feet hurt, and her arm throbbed. It had throbbed with every step on the walk.
It had turned out to be a long, quiet walk, as she had feared. Neither of them willing to break the awkward silence between them.
“There’s an Inn on the next corner,” Thad said, indicating she should turn down the side street.
Rachel’s stomach clenched up. What now? she wondered. Did he drop her off at the inn then walk away forever? Was he that mad at her? The thought of him walking out of her life sent a shiver down her spine.
What if he didn’t walk away? What then? Would he expect her to share his bed tonight? How could she? The man wasn’t really a man. He was half dragon.
The thought saddened her. Everything was ruined. He hated her. He wasn’t what she had thought he was. Nothing was right. Nothing would ever be right again.
“Two rooms,” Thad said to the innkeeper as he dropped their packs.
The man standing behind the desk looked at them, raising an eyebrow. Rachel was positive the man was thinking that if he had been traveling with such a woman, he wouldn’t be asking for two rooms.
Her skin crawled. All she wanted to do was get to her room and curl up into a ball. Somewhere dark and private so that she could cry without being seen.
“And we’ll need a bath each, then a meal sent to our rooms,” Thad added. He paid for the rooms, retrieved the keys, and then stepped aside to let her go up the stairs first.
Rachel could feel him walking up the steps behind her. She knew perfectly well that he was probably looking at her rear end. But, not like he used to, she realized. There would be no longing, no passion burning in his eyes.
Her heart hurt at the loss of what used to be.
Arriving in front of her door, she bit her lip and waited for Thad to open it.
He unlocked the door, then stepped aside to let her in.
She held her breath as she scooted by him, being careful to make sure that no part of her body touched his.
This is ridiculous she thought. We need to talk this out.
“We need to talk,” Thad said, as he followed her into the room, dropping her pack beside the bed.
She gritted her teeth and nodded her head. Here it comes, she thought. He tells her how much he hates her and that he never wants to see her again. She wondered if the innkeeper needed a barmaid.
“You first,” he said with a scowl, as he stared down at her.
“Me?” she asked. “Why do I have to go first? You’re the one who is a dragon, remember?”
His jaw became very firm, and she knew he was gritting his teeth. She sighed in resignation. This was Thad, he deserved to know the truth.
Hanging her head, she stared at the worn rug on the floor. “I couldn’t tell you,” she said. “It’s all I have.”
“What?” he demanded. “Did you think I would take it from you? Did you really think I was that kind of man?”
“No, no,” she said, “it’s not that.”
There was a long pause between them. “What then?” he said, his voice softer, not so accusatory.
She took a deep breath and held it. “You will think it stupid. That, or that I am crazy.”
He waited. She let out a long breath and said, “The coin came down through our family. It was a gift. A promise. If I present it to the King of the Forbidden Forest. He has to take me in. Protect me.”
His eyes narrowed. “What about this uncle to the south?”
“There is no uncle,” she said, as her cheeks grew warm with embarrassment. Another lie. Just what he needed to now hear from her.
Her heart raced as she continued to stare at the floor while she waited for him to say something.
“So, you are telling me that you have to present this coin to the Queen of Perralt and she will grant you protection. Give you a home, a living, etc.”
Rachel’s brow creased with a frown. “A King,” she said. “And, I don’t know about this Perralt you mentioned.”
He sighed heavily. “The ruler of Perralt is a Queen. It is always a Queen. And, the mountains of the Forbidden Forest are known as the land of Perralt.
She looked up at him in disbelief. “You’ve been there?” she asked.
“I’ve been everywhere,” he answered, as he turned and began to pace back and forth.
“As a dragon or as a man?” she asked. There was no way she was the only one answering questions tonight.
He stopped pacing and looked at her. Stared into her eyes for a long moment.
“I couldn’t tell you,” he said. “I hoped that you would never find out. I know how you feel about violence. I knew perfectly well that the monster inside of me would disgust you. That you would never be able to see that it is a part of me. T
he part that keeps me alive in difficult situations in strange lands and faraway places.”
She looked up into his eyes and saw the pain there. He really did think she despised him.
“It’s not disgust,” she said. “I don’t despise you. I don’t understand you, but I don’t despise you.”
She reached out and gently touched his arm. He looked down at her, a flicker of fire began to burn behind his eyes. A fire fed by hope.
He really is remarkable, she thought. That tough beast inside, controlled by the intelligent, kind, caring man. A man she need never fear, she realized.
“Thad,” she said, as she stepped closer, “I really am ...”
A knock at the door interrupted her. A maid stuck her head in and informed them that the bath was ready.
Thad thanked the maid, then looked down at Rachel. “You take the bath first,” he said, “then let me look at that arm.”
She swallowed as her heart hurt. He had stepped away from her. He no longer wanted her, she realized, as her insides curled up and a shaft of pain shot through her. He was gone to her. She had lost him. All over a stupid gold coin.
They could be traveling companions, maybe someday friends. But, no longer lovers.
“What happens next?” she asked. She desperately needed to know how to proceed from this point forward.
He smiled slightly, giving her a resigned shrug. “I’ll take you to Perralt.”
“You don’t have to,” she said, as her mind raced to figure out what she would do if he didn’t.
He laughed. “If I don’t, you’ll never get there,” he said, as he turned to leave.
Her heart fell with the click of the door closing behind him. She fought to hold off on crying. Gathering her things, she made her way to the small room at the end of the hall.
A bath. That was what she needed. Her world would look better after a bath.
.o0o.
Rachel quietly tapped at Thad’s door.
“Yes?” he called out from inside.
“You wanted to look at my arm,” she said. “And, the bath should be ready in a few minutes. The maids are bringing up fresh water.”
The door opened. Thad stared down at her for a long moment. He’s still mad, she thought. That’s all right, I’m still furious with him. But, her arm needed to be treated. Even now, the burning, stingy pain radiated from her neck to her wrist.
“Come in,” he said, as he stepped aside for her. “You’ll have to unlace your dress if I’m to see to the wound.”
Rachel blanched for a moment, swallowing hard, she said, “You will have to do it. My arm won’t let me reach behind my back. I had one of the maids help me get dressed.”
His eyes sharpened for a moment. What? Does he think I’m trying to seduce him? she wondered. How dare he? The anger inside of her threatened to bubble over, but she pushed it back down. Not now, she thought. They had a long way to go.
Nodding in acceptance, he stepped behind her and slowly unlaced the back of her dress. A warm shiver traveled throughout her body every time his strong fingers brushed against her skin.
Biting her lip, she reached up across her chest to hold the dress in place while he slowly pushed the fabric off her shoulder to expose her injured arm.
The wound was high up, a few inches just below the shoulder. Thad slowly unwrapped the bandage and examined the wound. His eyes narrowed, and her heart jumped as she tried to twist her head to see the injury.
She glanced over her shoulder. There was no fire in his eyes. Not a hint of any desire or longing. The absence of passion in his eyes was soul crushing. How was it possible that one little secret could upset him so much?
Besides. Did he think she would sleep with him now? The man was a dragon. A monster. She would never be able to erase the sight of him killing those men. The way he abandoned the bodies.
He was a beast.
His gentle fingers probed at the wound. He accidentally probed a little too hard, making her wince. “Is it bad?” she asked.
He grimaced. “It will heal, no infection. But, I’m afraid it will leave a scar.”
She nodded, really it was the best news she could expect. The fact that it was without infection could probably be laid at Thad’s quick action on the road. Adding the herbs and wrapping in a clean cloth might very well have saved her arm.
Of course, it had also exposed her secret. Not necessarily a good trade, she thought.
“I’m sorry,” he said. “I should have been faster.”
She glanced up at him as he applied more herbs and wrapped the wound in a new bandage.
“It wasn’t your fault,” she said. “You didn’t cut me.”
His lips tightened at her words as he tied a knot in the bandage, then pulled her dress up, covering her bare shoulder.
He gently turned her away so that he could re-lace her dress. Her mind flashed to the times he had undressed her. How sweet and passionate those times had been.
This was cold and impersonal. The hurt feelings sank deeper into her bones as she said, “Thank you,” before pulling away from him.
She couldn’t stay here any longer. Not in this room with Thad. The large fluffy bed called to her, while the cold anger in his eyes blocked any chance of her ever being happy again.
“No need to finish,” she said, as she hurried to the door. “I will be going to bed early.”
She pulled the door open and scurried through before he could say anything more to hurt her.
“We leave early tomorrow,” he said. “I want to get on the road as soon as possible. I’ve already made arrangement for a new wagon and new horses.”
He can’t be rid of me soon enough, she thought. The quicker he got to this Perralt, the quicker he can dump me and go on his way.
She nodded her head, her voice refused to work. She would not cry, not now, not in front of him.
Chapter Fourteen
Gritting his teeth, Thad flicked the reins, and they were off.
Rachel sat on the far side of the wagon seat. As far from him, as she could get without falling off the edge. She was obviously still upset with him. Either that, or afraid. Worried he was going to turn into the beast at a moment’s notice and devour her.
Thad shook his head and concentrated on the horses. The streets of Quaster were narrow and busy. The sooner they were free of this place, the better, he thought.
A movement to the left caught his eye. His senses came alert. Something out of place. Something not right.
There, by the livery stable. A man. The same man from the night of the fire. The last time Thad had seen him, he had been skulking around the corner. Running from the tragedy he had caused with Rachel’s library.
Thad’s heart kicked into overdrive as his eyes searched the street for any others. Was the man alone? Was it a trap? Were they being funneled into another fight?
He thought of the previous day’s events on the road. He had assumed it had been chance that those men had come upon them. But, what if it wasn’t. What if they had been led to them?
His mind raced as he continued to scan. Every part of him wanted to jump down from the wagon and confront the scum who had destroyed Rachel’s world. If he could get his hands around the man’s neck, he’d snap it like a chicken wing.
Rachel’s brow creased into a deep frown.
“What is it?” she asked as she quickly looked to where he was staring.
Thad was tempted to ignore her. No need to worry her. Not yet. But, they had hidden enough secrets from each other. Best if he tell her.
“The man, over by the livery stable. I saw him leaving your home, the night of the fire.”
Rachel gasped and twisted to stare at the man.
“What should we do?” she asked.
Thad grimaced and shook his head. “I want to go confront him. Learn who sent him.”
“Would he tell you?” she asked.
“Believe me, Rachel. I have ways of making a man talk.”
She whippe
d around to stare at him. There it was, that look of disgust in her eyes. He swallowed a burst of pain and scanned the crowd again. The man was gone. Disappeared like a puff of smoke in a strong wind.
“Why don’t you?” she asked sarcastically.
God, she really did think he was a monster.
Shaking his head he said, “Because it may be a trap. A way to get me away so they could attack you. Besides, he’s gone.”
She turned to look again, her shoulders slumped when she realized that he had been right and the man had vanished. She turned back to him and asked, “Why me? What is it about this damn coin that they want so badly? How many people have to die to get it?”
A guilty shame washed through him. He really should tell her, he thought. She’d hate him even more, but it might be better to get it out now. It would only be worse later.
Taking a deep breath he prepared to lay it all out. The fact that the coin gave her the right to ask anything of the Ruler of Perralt. Any favor, not just protection, not just some lowly cottage and a small farm. The coin was worth a fortune. Hell, the coin was worth all of Perralt.
No, he thought. He couldn’t tell her. Not now.
Biting his tongue, he flicked the reins again and kept the horses moving.
Rachel looked at him strangely for a long moment, her stare burning a hole in the side of his face. Finally, her shoulders slumped, then she turned in her seat and stared out at the town. Thad could have sworn she’d moved even farther away.
It took several hours to make their way through the city. Thad didn’t remember it being this big. But, then, the last time he was here he’d been afoot and hadn’t been trapped with an angry woman.
There was something about the set of her jaw and the way her eye bore into him that pushed at his soul. It made him angry at the world and want to hit something.
The beast inside laughed, let him free, he screamed, and the world would learn to fear again.
Thad pushed the thought away and clenched his fists. They’d be out of the damn place and on the road soon.
As they passed through the south gate, Rachel looked back over her shoulder at the city behind them.
“I never thought I’d get to visit Quaster,” she said. It had been the first words from her since the man at the livery stable.
