Just thinking about exhaustion made Gwennore yawn. Her rump was aching something fierce now, along with her back. And the sight of General Dravenko in front of her wasn’t helping. Why was he affecting her so much? Was he the tall and handsome stranger promised by the Telling Stones?
She shook her head. She shouldn’t give any credit to a silly game. It was no more real than the so-called curse she was going to investigate.
Eventually they came around a bend, leaving the canyon behind and emerging into bright sunshine. Gwennore’s breath caught at the beautiful sight before her. The path headed downhill, weaving its way back and forth until it reached a wide valley. The river beside them spilled over a cliff in a spectacular waterfall, then grew wider and tamer as it meandered through the valley.
From their lookout point, Gwennore could see a village nestled close to the river, along with several boats and barges tied off at the long pier.
Soon they were approaching the village, and people wandered into the main street to gawk at the visitors. They seemed to recognize the general, Gwennore thought, for many of the older men saluted him and older women bobbed small curtsies. He called out to some of them by name.
She looked curiously about. The homes were small but tidy. The kitchen gardens green and well tended. Longhaired cattle and fluffy white sheep grazed in nearby fields. Freshly baked bread scented the air and reminded her that she’d missed breakfast and hardly eaten any dinner the night before.
As they passed through the village, she saw more of the people. Odd, but it seemed like everyone was elderly. Only a few were middle-aged. She glanced around again. No young adults or children? Perhaps they preferred to live in the bigger towns like Vorushka.
With her thoughts elsewhere, she was slow to hear the hushed whispers emanating from the villagers.
Is that an elfin woman? Why is General Dravenko traveling with her?
Is the little girl his? Is she his love child?
Has he been sleeping with an elf?
Oh, no! The general would never do anything that horrible!
When they reached the pier, the general stopped his horse and turned in his saddle to address the crowd. “Good people, I would like to introduce you to Lady Gwennore, whom I regard as a trusted ally and friend. I expect you to honor her with the same trust and respect that you hold for me as your Lord Protector.”
“Yes, my lord.” The words rumbled reluctantly through the small crowd.
They were still eyeing her with suspicion, but Gwennore couldn’t blame them for that. Some of them might have lost family members in the war against Woodwyn.
“Lady Gwennore has been visiting us with the young Eberoni princess here,” General Dravenko continued. “We’re returning the little girl to her parents today in Eberon. I would appreciate any blankets you could spare to make the princess more comfortable.”
The villagers scurried off to their homes, and soon they had made a comfortable pallet on the floor of the barge. On a table close by, they left several baskets full of food.
After making sure Eviana was sleeping soundly on the pallet, Gwennore sat at the table with Aleksi to enjoy a late breakfast. Meanwhile, the general was overseeing the crewmen as they readied the barge for departure.
Thanks to the river’s steady current, the barge began to move smoothly downriver. Gwennore leaned back in her chair, enjoying a thick slice of buttered bread while watching the lovely scenery.
Once again, she thought she heard the murmur of whispered voices coming to her on a breeze. The sound seemed to be coming from the forests, though, and not the sky.
“Do you hear anything?” she asked Aleksi.
With his mouth full of food, he nodded and motioned to the general and crewmen talking at the back of the barge.
“No, it’s coming from—” A shadow fell over the table, and she glanced up and spotted a dragon far overhead. “Look!” She pointed at it. Perhaps it was a dragon voice she’d been hearing, after all. Puff, is that you?
Aleksi snorted, then refilled his cup with cider.
She frowned. Why wasn’t the dragon answering her? “Isn’t that Puff?”
Aleksi shook his head. “It’s another one.”
Hello? Gwennore attempted to contact him, but still no reply. She sighed. “He’s not as friendly as Puff.”
Aleksi’s eyes twinkled with humor. “You seem to like the one you call Puff.”
“Of course. He saved my life.” She motioned to the new dragon. “Why is he circling overhead like that?”
“Orders from the general. The dragon is watching over us to make sure the princess remains safe.”
“Are you expecting some sort of danger?”
“No, no.” Aleksi offered her the jug of apple cider. “It’s just a precaution.”
She refilled her cup. “Then where is Puff? He told me he wouldn’t be far away.”
“Well, he isn’t too far away.” Aleksi glanced over at the general, who was talking to the helmsman. “General Dravenko told me you’re going to return with us.”
Gwennore scoffed. “I didn’t have any choice, since I was desperate to get Eviana back home as soon as possible.”
Aleksi tilted his head. “You didn’t have a choice?”
“No. I agreed, so the general would agree to return Eviana today.”
“But he was already planning—” Aleksi bit his lip. “Want some more bread?” He passed her the basket.
Gwennore narrowed her eyes. “What were you saying?”
“Nothing.” Aleksi jumped to his feet. “I should see if the general is hungry.”
“Wait.” Gwennore rose to her feet. “Was he already planning to return Eviana?”
“I—I don’t know everything he’s up to.” Aleksi winced. “Obviously.”
“When did you rent this barge?” Gwennore demanded. “Before or after he made the bargain with me?”
Aleksi grimaced. “I’ve already said too much.”
She drew in a sharp breath. Had the general tricked her into agreeing to the bargain? She’d already seen how easily he had lied to the queen. Had he deceived her, too? Had he used her own desperation against her?
With her heart pounding, she clenched her fists. How dare he manipulate her like this! She turned toward him, ready to unleash her anger, then stopped with a jerk.
Somehow he already knew. He must have overheard their conversation, for he was watching her with a stricken look.
She scoffed. He might as well admit his guilt, for it was written clearly on his face.
Chapter Eight
Dammit. She was so damned quick at figuring things out, Silas thought. Hearing Gwennore’s thoughts over the last few seconds had been like witnessing a shipwreck. And now she was pissed.
But once again, she’d proven how clever and discerning she was. He strode toward her. “We need to talk.”
Her lovely lavender-blue eyes flared hot with anger. “I have nothing to say to you.”
“Then you will keep your end of the bargain?”
She gritted her teeth. “It was not a bargain. It was an act of coercion and deception. You should be ashamed.”
Silas shot Aleksi an annoyed look for not keeping his mouth shut, then turned back to Gwennore. “We still need to talk.”
“Mayhap you need to talk, but I have nothing to say.” She crossed her arms and looked away.
Her odd manner of speech threw him for a second, but he ignored it. “Look. We’re going to be stuck together on this barge for the next three hours. Are you going to pretend that I don’t exist?”
She studied her fingernails without responding.
“I’ll take that as a yes,” he muttered. “But wouldn’t you like to vent your anger? I do deserve it, after all.”
She snorted.
At least she was listening. “So for the next two and a half hours, I will allow you to berate me.”
“Allow me? As if I need your permission. I’ll yell at you whenever I please. And for as long
as I want.”
His mouth twitched. This was more like it.
“Don’t you dare smirk at me.” She glowered at him. “I am not entertaining.”
She was delightful. He bit his lip to keep from smiling. “How about I let you throw me overboard?”
“Can you swim?”
“Yes.”
She shrugged. “Then it’s hardly worth my trouble.”
He stifled another grin. “I’ll promise to be wet and miserable for the rest of the trip. If I dry out too much, I’ll jump back in.”
With a huff, she planted her hands on her hips. “This is all a jest to you, isn’t it? You tricked me!”
“Come.” He took her by the arm to lead her toward the side railing where they could be alone. When she jerked her arm free, he added, “I’m just trying to put some distance between us and the child, so you don’t wake her up when you start screeching at me.”
“Screeching?” Her voice rose, then she winced and gave him an annoyed look. “For your information, I don’t screech. I am not the sort to lose control.”
He gave her a wry look, since he could recall her losing it the day before. Her hair had been loose and wild, unlike today’s neat and tidy braid. She’d looked magnificent—so much so, that a wicked part of him wanted to push her until she lost control again.
“Come on.” He stepped toward the railing while he smiled at her. “Aren’t you curious why I’m so desperate to have you return with me?”
She glanced away, her cheeks turning pink. Blast him. I am curious, and the scoundrel knows it. I should slap the smile off his handsome face.
Silas took a deep breath. Her reactions to him were affecting him too strongly, making his heart race and his groin tighten. If he didn’t teach her soon to close off her mind, he might lose control, himself, and take her to bed. Fool, he berated himself. He would need to seduce her more slowly than that. First, he would kiss her. A gentle kiss, then a more passionate one. Dammit, what are you thinking?
Thank the Light she couldn’t hear his thoughts. But hell, she was going to be livid once she learned that Aleksi, Dimitri, and he could hear her.
He bowed his head. “Please accept my apology. I am truly sorry.”
She scoffed. “Am I supposed to believe that? You’ve spent the last few minutes joking about the situation.”
“That was my attempt to be so charming that you would forget about being angry.” When she gave him an incredulous look, he winced. “Apparently, you are immune to my charms.”
I wish. She eyed him warily. “You lied to the queen, telling her that you’d captured me in battle months ago.”
“I needed to vouch for your character in order to save you from a night in the dungeon. I could have never convinced Freya that you were harmless if I’d admitted that I had just met you yesterday.”
That actually makes sense. She frowned. “But you still lied, and because of that, everyone thinks that we’re…”
He waited, but she seemed unable to finish the sentence. “Lovers,” he said gently and felt his pulse speed up when her cheeks blushed a pretty pink.
She waved a dismissive hand. “The truth remains that on more than one occasion, you have proven yourself a deceitful scoundrel—”
“Now I object. Scoundrel is a bit much.”
“Then you admit to being deceitful?”
“Yes.” He nodded. “And I apologize for it. If I were truly a scoundrel, I would feel no remorse.” He motioned for her to join him by the railing.
She wandered slowly toward him. “I’m not sure you truly are remorseful. But it hardly matters, since I have decided to remain with my sisters.”
“You’re reneging on our agreement?”
“Why shouldn’t I when I was coerced?” With a frown, she watched the shoreline as they floated down the river. “Besides, the problems here are not really my concern.”
“Shouldn’t you feel some sort of moral obligation to help me? After all, you’re a healer—”
“I have no medicine with me.”
“The physician at Draven Castle should have some.”
She winced. “Given the condition of your queen, I don’t think you should trust that physician or any of his concoctions.”
Silas nodded. “An excellent point. I have an army physician who is trustworthy. I’ll send for her.”
Gwennore looked away as she gripped the railing. “Then you don’t need me. That other woman can help you.”
Was she jealous? “Annika doesn’t have the gift that you have. And I don’t think she’s as discerning as you are. You were very quick to figure out my deception.”
She snorted. “You’re complimenting me on that?”
“I’ll do whatever it takes to get you to stay. I need you.”
Scoundrel. “You could probably figure out who’s poisoning the queen without me.”
He sighed. “We’re dealing with more than the queen’s madness. She’s had no surviving children.”
“Is there no heir to the throne?”
He shrugged. “There is one. But you’re not understanding how devastating our problems are.” He lowered his voice. “Unfortunately, those problems are state secrets that I dare not reveal. That is why I resorted to trickery. I can’t tell you how bad it really is unless you agree to stay so we can fix everything.”
A glint of alarm flickered in her eyes. “Then don’t tell me. There’s no guarantee I can fix anything.”
“I know that, but the problems are health-related, so your gift could be exactly what I need.” He leaned closer. “I will tell you this much. I did plan to return Eviana today, no matter what. The last thing I want is war with Eberon or Tourin. I don’t want war with Woodwyn, either, but I haven’t convinced the king to end it yet.”
Her eyes narrowed as she studied him closely. “You’re a general who doesn’t want war?”
“I want peace and prosperity. Gwennore, I’m trying to save my people. Please help me.”
She shook her head. “I belong with my family.”
“Then consider me family.”
She scoffed.
“I’m serious.” This was his last card to play, so he had to hope it worked. “Sorcha is my sister.”
Gwennore’s mouth dropped open. “What?”
“I have a brother eight years older than me. There was another brother and a sister between us, but they both died, and my mother thought it was because of the curse. When Sorcha was born, Mother feared for her life, so she sent her to the Isle of Moon, where she would be safe. I haven’t seen her since she was about six weeks old.”
Gwennore bit her lip. He doesn’t look like Sorcha.
“She took after our mother, while I look more like my father. She had the biggest green eyes and the softest red hair. Could scream loud enough that the whole castle could hear her.” Silas smiled. “I’m hoping to see her today.”
“You probably will.”
“Gwennore—”
She lifted a hand to stop him. “I believe you’re sincere, but I want to go back to my sisters. I’m sorry.” She bowed her head, then strode toward the pallet where Eviana was sleeping.
Dammit. Silas gripped the railing. He wouldn’t give up on Gwennore. And even if he was forced to work without her, he wouldn’t give up. His brother was in trouble. And his country was dying.
* * *
Gwennore settled on the pallet next to Eviana. Exhausted both physically and emotionally, she stretched out beside the little girl and closed her eyes against the bright sun overhead. But the image of General Dravenko still appeared in her mind, and his expression of despair and disappointment needled her already frazzled nerves.
Why should she care if she had disappointed him? He was the one who had deceived her.
But he was desperate. It was obvious just by looking at his eyes. Something was terribly wrong in Norveshka, and his secrecy made her even more curious. Blast him.
It’s not your problem, she argued with herself.
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Or was it? Growing up at the convent, she’d heard over and over that there had to be a reason why she and her sisters were Embraced. According to Mother Ginessa, whenever the two moon goddesses, Luna and Lessa, aligned in the night sky, it was so they could bless certain children with special powers, and those gifts were supposed to be used to make the world a better place. This was a chance for her to do that.
But Brody was right that it could be dangerous. And she hadn’t forgotten Nissa’s warning about people disappearing. The most sensible thing for her to do was to return to the safety of her sisters.
Or was that the cowardly thing to do? With a sigh, she sat up. Beside her, Eviana stirred and opened her eyes.
“Gwennie?” She blinked sleepily at her, then looked around. “Where are we?”
“On a boat, headed for Eberon and yer parents.”
“Weally?” Eviana sat up and reached for the pillowcase filled with her three new dolls. “I can’t wait to show Mama my new babies.”
Gwennore brushed back the little girl’s curls. “She’s going to be so happy to see you. Are ye hungry?”
“Yes!” Eviana jumped to her feet, the dolls forgotten.
Gwennore sat her down at the table and poured a cup of apple cider. “Here.”
While the little girl drank, Gwennore prepared a plate of buttered bread, cold ham, cheese, and sliced apples.
“So you’re not staying with us, after all?” Aleksi asked in Norveshki as he poured himself a drink.
Gwennore glanced over at General Dravenko, who was standing alone at the bow of the barge. “No,” she whispered. “I can’t work with a dishonest man.”
Aleksi grimaced. “I wouldn’t call him dishonest. He said he would return the girl and he’s kept his word.”
“He deceived me.” Gwennore set the plate of food in front of Eviana.
“I’ve known Silas since I was two years old. He’s an honorable man.”
With a snort, Gwennore looked away.
“I’m serious.” Aleksi lowered his voice. “Silas risked his neck, arguing with His Majesty for an hour before he finally got permission to return the girl.”
Eight Simple Rules for Dating a Dragon Page 11