by Judith Leger
remembering how she felt beneath him—her body, small and
slender, cushioning his while her inner muscles clasped him.
He had not wanted to pull out of her. She had created an
unquenchable thirst in him for her which was now multiplied
by the fact that she carried his child.
He tried to understand what she was going through, but
he failed to comprehend the depth of her pain, her fear. He
had lost a child, yet he had no desire to isolate himself from
the world. No matter how he looked at her situation, he was
lost because she gave him no real reason behind her refusal
to have another child.
“Cap’an.” Calis spoke from behind him.
Paladin pivoted to his first mate. Calis stood with his
hands clasped behind his back. The barrel-chested man
nodded toward the door leading below deck. Paladin shifted
his glance and saw Seren, dressed in her boy’s clothes,
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leaning against the doorframe, looking around.
Unobserved, he studied her, watching for any signs of her
recent ordeal. Her eyes rounded with curiosity. The noise
and bustle picked up with several of the sailors calling
greetings to her. She had said there were none like the
Felerians in her world. Now, she surveyed the males with
intensity. Jealousy reared in him.
He took a step toward her before he realized what he’d
done. He stopped, hands balling into fists. She did not
belong to him. They had shared one night with no resulting
bond but their child between them. Seren was well within
her rights to look at other males if she so desired. He
clenched his jaw. She didn’t have to do so in front of him.
“Fetch two cloaks,” Paladin barked at Calis. He stiffened
in frustration over his reaction to the off-worlder. He turned
toward the shore, eyes focused on the wall of rain
approaching the ship.
“Aye, Cap’an” Calis replied, and then his gruff voice
softened. “Uh, should she be up so soon after her illness?”
Paladin refused to allow anyone, even his good friend, to
hear any concern from him about Seren. He responded in a
level tone, “She is fine, besides I do not believe she would
listen should I order her to remain abed. Go now, the storm
draws nearer.”
Thunder boomed, silencing the thud of Calis’ retreating
footsteps. Lightning flashed, illuminating the white-tipped
waves. Paladin waited, confident she would seek him out.
The wind gusted, shoving the loose strands of his hair away
from his face. He breathed deep, his eyelids drooping as the
weather’s power flowed around him.
“Is this the place where the man from Earth lives?”
The question caused him to close his eyes. She had raised
her voice so he would hear her above the storm. Desire to
turn and gather her into his arms threatened to overpower
him, but he managed to stamp the need down. He spurned
the thought of her knowing how much he craved her.
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“It is. Dene, City of Storms. The climate here is unstable,
but the land is rich. The ground fertile to crops. Those who
live here have learned to adapt.” He glanced over his
shoulder toward the doorway leading below. Where was
Calis? The rain wall, dark and thick with ascending moisture,
moved forward at a fast pace.
His first mate stepped from the passageway. He hurried
toward them. When Calis handed the dark cloaks to him,
Paladin nodded.
“Here ye go, Sire.” Calis bobbed his head. Without
another word, he spun on his heels and left them.
“Put this on. The rain here is thick enough to drown a
human,” Paladin said, ignoring Calis’ slip, handing her one of
the bell-sleeved, hooded coats. Silver threads woven into the
black fabrics glinted in the dimming light.
Her eyes rounded and her mouth formed a very enticing
little O, her surprise was extremely becoming. His body
stirred, the tingling beginning of need making him
uncomfortable not being able to touch her.
“Drown? Are you serious?” She slipped her arms into the
long sleeves, pulling the sides together in the front. He cast
an admiring gaze down her slender body. The material clung
to her every curve.
“It has been known to happen.” He slipped his own over
his shoulders, keeping a close eye on her. He watched,
transfixed by the graceful movements of her lifting the hood
over her head and pulling the thin protective veil down
across the opening.
Her hand brushed the material, a frown marring her
smooth brow. “What’s this made of? It’s not velvet.”
“Sea drac scales. The ones that do not survive to become
dragoons wash ashore. The clans of Bae harvest them. They
weave the scales together into a cloth. Their clothing is made
of this.”
Through the veil’s dark tint, her cheeks held a small
measure of dusky pink. He fisted his hands to keep from
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slipping one under the material and touching the satiny skin
there. With his jaw clenched, he faced the shore in time for
the rain.
The sharp sting of the water against his skin helped take
his mind off his raw desire for her. He hesitated to lift the
protective hood. Once certain he controlled his actions, he
flipped the hood forward.
She brushed her fingers over the cloth. Her voice rose
above the rain and wind. “It’s not even absorbing the water.
I’ve never seen anything like this, except maybe plastic.”
“Plastic?”
She grinned at him. “That’s a man-made material. We
don’t have dragons on earth.”
Surprised, he brought his focus to her shielded face. “No
dragons? I could not begin to imagine a place without
dragons. They are so much a part of Avaris, I do not see how
we could survive without them.”
“There are myths about them on Earth, but no one has
ever seen one. There are large lizards scientists...” She
stopped when he lifted a brow in question. “Learned men
called biologists who analyze animals among other things.
They call the reptile a dragon, but it doesn’t have magic. It
can’t fly.”
Paladin stared at her while he mulled over this strange
information. Dragons which never flew. Amazing.
The ship coasted closer to the water. The waves slapped
at the hull, forcing the vessel to tilt to the left. With the
sudden movement, Seren stumbled. He caught her around
the waist, steadying her against his side. Her body pressed
against his sent a streak of need coursing through his blood.
He gritted his teeth and muttered, “We will soon dock.
Perhaps you should go below. I will come for you when we
are more secure.”
She shook her head. “No, I’m fine. I came to ask you
something.”
Unable to relax, he waited for her to continue
.
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Her usual confidence fled when she spoke. “Can you...I
mean...do people with dragon blood...can they appear in
visions. I mean appear in a physical manner?”
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Chapter Seven
Paladin’s mouth dropped open. Of all the questions she
had asked, this was not one he expected. “Appear in visions?”
She looked at him, her eyes pleading for the truth.
“Yes...can they have an out of body experience, but it would
be real. Can the ones with sight touch things in their visions,
not just see them?”
Her answer surprised him so much he released her. “No.
Nor have I heard of anyone who could. Why?”
“No one? Not even pregnant women?”
A fearful thrill speared through him. The idea that his
child communicated with her pleased him, but what she
spoke of was impossible. Even on Avaris. He had never heard
of such, even with females of dragon blood. He shook his
head.
“Oh.” Her shoulders slumped. “I didn’t think so, but I had
to ask.”
“Did our son appear to you?”
She turned away. “No.”
He didn’t press her. Although he possessed no ability to
read her mind, he sensed that she lied.
Through the dense downpour, several ship hands, each
cloaked for protection, scurried around them, throwing lines.
They shouted greetings to the men on the dock.
His thoughts raced through what she had revealed. The
babe had appeared to her. He spoke to her. Why had she
lied? Was she afraid he would not believe her? He decided to
bide his time. When she was ready to tell him, she would.
“We will go straight to Largin’s home. Leo, the other off-
worlder lives near him,” he said, hoping to put her at ease.
“Who is Largin?” She stepped to the rail, her movements
careful and slow on the rain-slicked deck. He had to strain to
hear her question.
Paladin moved to her side. “A wizard of renowned
powers. Perhaps he can explain why the door opened.
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Perhaps he can even help us open a way for you to return to
your home.”
Before she responded, Calis appeared behind them. “The
plank’s going down. If ye ready to disembark, I’ll send a
couple of men to find dragoons for ye.”
She glanced at Calis, a frown on her face.
“That would be fine. Let me know when they arrive.”
Paladin motioned for his second in command to leave them.
After Calis moved away, Paladin answered the question in
her eyes. “Dragoons are older than the dracs. They have
survived to the age where they lose the ability to fly until they
mature into adult dragons. Many clans use them to travel
across the land.”
“How?”
“By riding them. How do you travel on Earth?”
“We have mechanical vehicles. Automobiles, airplanes—
years ago people traveled by horses, a large four legged
animal.” She rubbed her temple. “This is so strange. I don’t
know what to think.”
“Come, we will wait on the dock. You will see there is
nothing to worry over in this place.” He hoped to alleviate
some of her stress. Each time she learned a piece of
information uncommon to her, she seemed to have a difficult
time understanding.
He tried to think of a way to help her adjust, but had not
by the time they reached the wide wooden dock. Two
Felerian males stood holding the reins of a couple of
iridescent blue-green dragoons. High-backed saddles sat on
the sloping backs of the beasts. The adolescent dragons
lowered their heads to the ground. They emitted low,
scratchy caws.
Stopping several feet from the dragoons, Paladin stared
in amazement. Never had he witnessed any dragon, young or
old, show signs of reverence for one of another dragon clan.
These were of the sea dragon clan. No humans carried their
blood in their veins. He shot a glance at Seren. Was she the
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one they did this for or—his gaze dropped to where his child
rested. Unease grew in his mind.
Seren covered her abdomen with one hand and stepped
nearer to the dragoons. The closest one squatted lower to the
ground, its scales reflected the small amount of light within
the dense rain.
She looked at Paladin and an unsure smile flickered over
her lips. Understanding, he took her hand, holding her
steady while he lifted her by the waist and swung her onto
the saddle.
A low gasp escaped her, followed by laughter. “It’s just
like sitting on a horse.”
Surprised but pleased to hear her laugh for the first time
since he had found her, he relaxed, chuckling in response. “I
would not know.”
The dragoon straightened, standing on its hind legs.
Seren squealed, leaning forward, trying to wrap her arms
around the thick, long neck, but she failed to gain a secure
hold on the wet scales. Paladin laughed out loud at her
scrambling.
He slid an arm about her waist once more. “Sit straight,
you will not fall off.”
She eyed him through the veil. Doubt lines furrowed
between her brows. “Are you sure?”
“Indeed.”
He sensed that she was still tense, but she straightened
her back. Once upright, Paladin placed her hands on the
pommel, and then stepped back. He chuckled at her
delighted amazement before he leapt into the saddle on the
other dragoon. He leaned over and told the nearest Felerian
how to reach him in case the crew needed him. Once settled
in his seat, he glanced at Seren.
The rain increased, obscuring the solid lines of her body.
He switched to his dragon vision. A red outline formed on
her arms and head. Satisfied, he nodded, taking her reins in
his free hand. “Hold on. I will go slowly, but with the rain,
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the trail will be rough.”
The wind carried her affirmative answer to him then tore
it away just as swiftly. He reined his dragoon’s head to the
right, nudging its sides. The beast stepped forward, its
footing steady and sure on the slick stone slab streets.
Seren screamed. She scrambled to wrap her arms around
her dragoon’s neck. “Wait. Can we walk instead?”
“No. Sit straight. Hang on and you’ll become adjusted to
the gait. Or if you like, I can carry you before me.” Hope
budded in his chest and migrated to the area between his
legs. He would like her to agree. He wanted to feel her body
pressed against his.
Her answer came quick, without hesitation. “No.”
Paladin chuckled. They proceeded up the winding street
through the city, passing the white-walled buildings with the
palm leaf roofs, and into the dense jungle beyond Dene.
The wind howled through the cano
py. The rain thinned
out. The jungle’s dense foliage prevented the pounding
downpour from striking them as severely as when they were
in the open streets.
He leaned back in the saddle, shouting over his shoulder.
“It is not far ahead.”
Seren did not answer. He glanced in her direction. Her
grip on the sinewy neck had loosened and she sat a little
straighter.
Even with the protection of the trees, the rain struck
heavy blows on Paladin’s head and shoulders. After several
minutes, he looked back at her. She slumped in the saddle,
her head low and tilted to the right side. Worried, he leaned
over, shouting above the rain. “Are you all right?”
She nodded.
Concerned, he turned to the front. He should have stayed
on board his ship until the storm had passed, but he wanted
her to meet with the man from her Earth. With a hard thrust
of his foot, he urged the muscled beast forward. The
dragoon’s wide, webbed feet with three inch claws, clung to
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the slick clay silt on the path. Step after long step, they
moved faster.
A throbbing fire set up in Paladin’s shoulder. Holding
Seren’s reins, his arm was pulled back and bent at an odd
angle. He squeezed his fingers around the leather, tugging,
hoping the other mount would move closer to give him a
small amount of relief. He didn’t want his arm going numb,
causing him to lose his hold on her reins.
Seren’s dragoon obeyed. The greenish scaled beast placed
its tapered nose against Paladin’s knee and kept it there.
From this distance, he needed only to reach out to touch
Seren. A grim half-smile formed while he fought to suppress
sudden protective instinct rising within him. She was female
to his male. He quelled the urge to howl out his need for her.
The rain would prevent her from hearing, even at this close
range, anything lower than a booming shout.
The jungle path widened at the top of a high sloping
ridge. Three lunges and the two dragoons broke over the top.
Small, white twinkles appeared through the thick downpour.
He sighed in relief. Excitement raced in his veins at the light
up ahead. The dragoons sped up; Paladin frowned at the
change of pace. Both beasts moved without any guidance, as
if they knew this place. The only explanation was that Largin,
the wizard they were going to see, had sent them. No wonder
