“Others?” Jenny said. “There are others?”
“Jenny,” Richard said, “Max is right. Anna is probably safer here at Storbrook than anywhere else.”
“But she’s my little girl,” Jenny said. “She’s already stayed here too long. She should be at home with her parents.”
“Mother,” Keira said, “Anna is not a child any longer.”
“She’s only seventeen.”
“Anna is old enough to make her own decision in this regard,” Keira said firmly.
“No, she needs to come home with us when we leave after the Feast of Epiphany.”
“Madame Carver,” Max said, turning in his seat to face Jenny. “I understand that you would like Anna to return home with you, but as an outsider, let me say that I don’t see a child when I look at Anna. She is a young woman, a very beautiful young woman, just blooming into full maturity. I understand that she experienced some very distressing circumstances, and you wish to protect her, but Aaron can protect her better than anyone.”
“Distressing circumstances?” Jenny said.
“Max,” Aaron warned, but Max gave Aaron no heed.
“Yes,” he continued, “when that boy kidnapped Anna and threatened to kill her.”
“Threatened to kill Anna? What boy? What are you talking about?”
“Max. Enough!” Aaron said, but Max wasn’t paying attention to his Master.
“Wasn’t his name Edmund?” Max paused. “You do know about this, don’t you?” he said.
“Max!” Aaron pushed himself to his feet, his face furious. “I said enough!” As Max looked up and met Aaron’s gaze, Keira saw the blood drain from his face. He stared at Aaron for a long moment, before lifting his right hand and touching it briefly over his heart in a fist.
“Master,” he said, his voice very low. Aaron flicked his head towards the door, and Max turned towards it as Richard knelt down on the floor next to Jenny.
“It’s not true. Tell me it’s not true,” she whispered, as Richard took her hands within his own. “There must be some mistake. Max must be mistaken.” She turned to look at Aaron. “This is your fault. You never liked Edmund. You have been telling Max lies about him.”
“Jenny,” Richard said softly. “What Max said is true.”
“No, it can’t be. Edmund wouldn’t do that.” Her expression was pleading. “Would he?”
“Jenny, I’m sorry. I should have told you. Edmund kidnapped Anna with the intention to kill her.”
“But…why?”
“Who knows why anyone chooses a particular path.”
“Where is he now?”
“I’m sorry, Jenny,” Richard said gently.
“Where is he?”
“He’s … Jenny, Edmund is dead.”
“No.” Jenny dropped her head into her hands. “Oh Mary,” she moaned, “I’m so sorry.” She looked up at Aaron. “This is all your fault. If you hadn’t come to Storbrook –”
“I still wouldn’t have married Edmund, Mother,” Keira said. Dropping down to Jenny’s side, she took her hand. “Mother, Edmund was a terrible person long before Aaron came to our village. You just didn’t see it. It’s not your fault. I know you were trying to be loyal to your friend. But it is time you understood what Edmund was really like. He hurt me. He hurt Anna. And if it wasn’t for Aaron, one of us might now be dead because of him.”
“No,” she whispered again, but Keira could see that the denial was her last defense. Already the truth was in Jenny’s eyes as she looked at her daughter. Slowly she turned to Richard, her hands fumbling for his. “Please, take me home,” she said.
“Yes,” he said, gently pulling her to her feet. “Soon, my love. But first you need to rest.”His eyes fell on Keira for a moment, and then he turned to Aaron with a nod as he led his wife out of the room.
Chapter 10
Keira lay on the bed later that evening, watching as Aaron slowly stripped off his clothes before going over to the window and staring out at the night sky.
“Aaron?”
“There is something I need to do.” Aaron turned around to face her. “I’m sorry to leave you, but I will probably be gone all night.”
“Does this have something to do with Max?” she asked. Aaron turned to look out the window once more.
“Yes.” Jumping onto the window ledge he launched himself out the window, his transformation sending shards of light in all directions before it disappeared, swallowed by the darkness. A moment later Keira saw a second flash of light, and a large form followed in the direction taken by Aaron. She curled herself into a ball beneath the quilts and pulled them up around her ears. She shivered, cold despite the fire blazing in the hearth near the window.
It was a long night. Keira dozed fitfully, waking repeatedly through the night. At one point she heard a roaring that rolled through the night sky from some point far away, and when she turned towards the large open window, she could see fire blazing in the distance.
Aaron returned shortly before the encroaching dawn touched the night sky, when the night is at its darkest and coldest. He landed on the floor of the chamber on feet as light as feathers, and quietly moved towards the bed. Keira rolled towards him as he sank into the down mattress, her eyes watching him blearily.
“Why are you awake?” Aaron asked softly.
“I couldn’t sleep,” Keira said, snuggling herself against his warm body as he lay down. He wrapped his arms around her and pulled her closer against his bare skin. “I heard roaring,” she said. “Was that you?”
“Mmm,” he said, kissing her forehead.
“What were you doing? What was happening?”
“Nothing much,” he said, running his lips over her cheeks.
“Aaron,” she said, pushing him away. “Tell me.”
Aaron pulled away and looked down at her, before rolling onto his back and staring at the ceiling.
“Max needed a reminder in submission,” he said. “He had forgotten that he has sworn me an oath of fealty, and owes me his obedience.”
“What did you do?”
“I drank his blood.”
“Drank his blood? Why?” Keira was fully awake now as Aaron rolled onto his side and looked at her.
“When a dragon gives an oath of submission, he offers his blood to his Master in a symbolic gesture that shows that his life belongs to his Master. And Max also drank my blood, renewing the bond that ties him to me.”
“But how does a dragon drink another dragon’s blood? Did you cut him like you did me?”
“No. Apart from the oath ceremony, the only way a dragon can draw another dragon’s blood is to fight him.”
“So you had to fight Max?”
“No, Max had to fight me.”
“I don’t understand.”
“Just as humans have certain rites and traditions, so do dragons. By not obeying me, Max was challenging me as his Master. Only a weak Master would ignore such a challenge. And once it is made, a challenge cannot be withdrawn, even if it was given unintentionally. Max knew when he left the room last night that he would have to fight me, but his heart was not in it, so it was quickly over. I drank his blood as soon as it was drawn, and in allowing me to do so, Max resubmitted himself to me. He then drank some of mine, renewing the bond.”
“He allowed you to drink his blood? Hadn’t you just beaten him in a fight?”
“Yes, but if Max did not want me to drink his blood, he would have fought to the death – either his or mine.”
“Oh.” Keira looked at the lightening sky out of the window for a moment, then turned to look at Aaron again.
“So when I offered you my blood, was I taking an oath of submission?”
“You were submitting to me as a wife submits to her husband. But I offered you my blood, so in the same way, I submitted myself to you.”
“But drinking your blood means I’m bonded to you.”
“It does. And when I drank yours, I chose to bond with you as well.”
/> “So Max can choose to bond with you?”
“No. He can choose to submit or fight to the death, but when a less powerful dragon drinks the blood of a more powerful dragon, a bond is always created, binding the weaker dragon to the stronger. But if the more powerful dragon drinks the blood of a weaker dragon, or a human, the bond becomes a choice. It is not a choice usually made by a stronger dragon, unless he is choosing a bond with his mate, as I did with you.” Aaron lifted his hand and ran his fingers down her cheek. His eyes were turning to flames and Keira drew in her breath before dragging her gaze away.
“What about my father? He’s had your blood, although he didn’t drink it.”
“The tie is stronger with humans, and even though your father didn’t drink my blood, enough was spilt that it now runs through his veins.”
“So my father has to submit to you now?” Keira lifted her eyes back to Aaron’s.
“He does not have to submit. I demand no fealty from him. But he chooses to. He feels a bond with me that was not there before, and he welcomes it. It is why he feels such a deep debt of gratitude, and why he offers me his allegiance.”
“You knew that would happen when you gave him your blood?”
“Yes, I knew. Should I have let him die instead?”
Keira looked away again, her face troubled. “No, you should not have allowed him to die.”
Aaron watched her closely for a moment, before turning her face and looking her in the eye. “Keira, I would never demand anything from your father. But is it so dreadful that he surrenders himself to me? By taking you as my wife, I have also taken your family under my protection, which means that he too is part of the clan of which I am Master.” Keira stared at him for a long moment.
“No,” she said, “it is not a dreadful thing. And I am glad that my father loves you.” She paused. “What about Max? Where is he now?”
“Max will spend the rest of the day recovering from his wounds and reflecting on his lesson,” Aaron said. “However, Max is the least of my concerns. And I am done talking.” He lowered his head, and kissed her, his mouth unyielding as he demanded her submission once again. It was capitulation she was quite willing to make, and she pulled him closer.
Chapter 11
It was a gray and miserable day, the air icy fingers that reached into every crevice. Standing at the open window, Anna pulled her cloak tighter around her shoulders, trying to create a barrier to the frigid air. Far in the distance she saw a figure gliding through the clouds, oblivious to the cold. She knew it was Max, and she watched as he soared through the clouds, sometimes disappearing in the mass of gray. Occasionally a flame would light the air around him, a glimmer that dispersed the gloominess for a second before it descended once more.
Her parents had left Storbrook a few days earlier, and Anna found herself once again thinking about their departure, going over her mother’s strange behavior. Never a woman of affection, she had held her daughter close as she wrapped her arms around Anna. Tears had spilled down her cheeks as she stroked her hair. When she finally pulled away, she stared into Anna’s eyes for a long time.
“I am so sorry for failing you,” she had said before turning away and quickly mounting her horse, urging it into motion without a backwards glance.
Anna returned her attention to the clouds that hung over the mountains, obscuring the peaks. The gloomy weather seemed to match the atmosphere that hung around Storbrook, making it seem even more dismal. The mummers had left the castle the same day as Anna’s parents, taking the laughter and gaiety with them. As the cold had grown more intense, the residents became withdrawn and sullen. Max and Aaron were the only ones unaffected by the cold, a fact which Anna found incredibly annoying. She trained her eyes on the figure moving through the clouds once more. It didn’t matter how cold it was, he took to the skies every morning. And if he knew she was there, watching, he never acknowledged her. Ever since that day in the snow, they had ignored each other, as if by some tacit agreement. He had even ignored her when she danced night after night with Garrick. It was as if he had completely forgotten her existence. She turned away from the window, suddenly restless. She needed to get away from the confines of the castle.
A few minutes later Anna opened the heavy wooden door that led into the courtyard. It was much colder outside the castle than it had been within the stone walls, and Anna had added a second cloak over the first. The courtyard was empty as she crossed over the cobblestones to the other side, looking for the path that had disappeared under a blanket of white. Giving up, she lifted her skirts and placed a booted foot in the snow. It came just above her ankles, and dropping her skirts slightly, she continued walking towards the portcullis that hung over the entrance to the castle. She had not ventured beyond Storbrook since that fateful day when Edmund had captured her, but there seemed little chance of anyone being out there in the cold. Besides, she reasoned, she would not go far – just to the edge of the woods. The sound of her voice being called made her spin around in surprise, but she smiled at the caller.
“Garrick, what are you doing out in the cold?”
“I’m just fetching more wood from the shed,” he replied. “But you should be inside keeping warm beside a fire.”
“I was going crazy, cooped up within those walls,” Anna said with a laugh. “I shan’t go far, just far enough to clear my thoughts.”
“Then I’ll come with you,” Garrick said.
“No! I just need to be alone for a while.”
“But you could catch your death of cold. At least stay in the gardens.”
“I promise I won’t go far. If I’m not back in half an hour, let Master Drake know.” Garrick stared at her for a moment before nodding reluctantly.
“Half an hour then.”
With a sigh, Anna turned towards the gate. She knew Garrick was right about the dangers of the cold, but his concern had felt confining, chafing at her, and she was even more eager to get away.
Anna paused as she passed under the portcullis and past the castle walls. The mountains stretched out in every direction, a sea of snow-covered peaks as far as the eye could see. She drew in a deep breath, letting the crisp air fill her lungs as she held it for a moment before slowly exhaling. The lonely cry of an eagle could be heard in the distance, while the wind whistled softly around the stone walls, making the few sparse trees creak and groan. She hunched her shoulders against the cold and carefully placed her feet on the path.
Ice clung to the ground in patches, while loose stones bounced and tumbled down the steep slope of the mountain as she walked. There was very little vegetation at this high elevation, but one or two stunted pines stubbornly held to the rocky slopes of the mountain, and she clung to these as she cautiously placed one foot in front of another. A single tiny bird flew around the trees, foraging between the needles, and Anna watched it for a moment as it hopped from branch to branch before finally flying away, oblivious to the chill.
As she moved further down the path, all was silent except for the crunch of her feet against the loose gravel. Away from the castle walls the air seemed colder, and she raised mitted hands to her stinging cheeks, trying to rub some warmth into them. Her eyes watered, too, and she squeezed them shut.
A stone slipped beneath her foot and she gasped, throwing out her hands to break her fall as she tumbled to the ground. The earth was freezing beneath her skirts, and she pushed herself back to her feet with a shiver. Turning around, she looked back up the slope she had just come down. From below it looked more treacherous, and for a brief moment she regretted not taking Garrick’s advice to stay in the gardens. But she had come this far, and wasn’t quite ready to return. She was almost at the edge of the forest, and already the trees were beginning to grow thicker. Once she was between the trees the wind would not be as cutting, nor the air as cold.
She turned and continued along the path, carefully testing the ground as she walked. The cold made the pine smell sharper, and she breathed it in deeply. As sh
e neared the trees, the snow thinned out, until it barely covered the ground. But the needles, which lay thick on the ground, made the path slippery, and she reached out a hand to steady herself. A breeze stirred the boughs above her, and the needles rustled together as the branches creaked. Apart from that, it was silent. Even the little bird she saw earlier had disappeared. She closed her eyes for a moment, enjoying the peace and serenity, before turning back towards Storbrook and looking up the steep slope. She hadn’t realized how far down the mountain she had come.
Reaching from tree to tree, she started retracing her steps. Her leather boots slipped slightly on the needles, and she turned her feet sideways to get a better grip. She gained the edge of the forest and paused to look up the slope. She certainly would not make it back within the half hour she had given Garrick. In fact, the time had probably already passed, and Garrick might even now be sounding an alarm. She glanced up at the sky, wondering if Aaron was already looking for her, and high overhead she saw the familiar shape of a dragon. As it grew closer, however, she ground her teeth in annoyance. It was not the dragon she was hoping to see.
“Max,” she ground out as he dropped towards her, “What are you doing here?”
“I think the question is, what are you doing here?” he said. “I may be mistaken, but it seems you are in need of assistance.”
“I’m surprised you even noticed.”
Max laughed. “Are you upset at my lack of attention, darling? It hasn’t escaped my notice that you have been ignoring me too.”
“Urgh, you are so … so …”
“Insolent?” he supplied. “Rude? Impudent?”
“Yes, all those things. Now just help me get back to Storbrook, then you can go back to ignoring me.”
“I may ignore you, Anna, but I always notice you. And dancing with that boy was like waving a red flag.”
“I happen to like Garrick,” she said. “Not that it has anything to do with you.”
“Really? Well, I am sure he has his uses, doesn’t he?” Anna blushed, but he continued relentlessly. “And it has everything to do with me, since you were only dancing with him to get my attention.”
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