by Sarra Cannon
Clearing her throat, she pushed the plate aside. “I can’t eat anymore.”
Satisfied she’d eaten at least two thirds of her breakfast, he smiled. “Finish your orange juice, and then you can sleep.”
“I guess I was hungrier than I thought.” Gasping, her gaze shot up to his as he handed her the glass. “I’m so sorry, I didn’t even offer you any.” He hadn’t seen her blush often, but her cheeks turned the prettiest shade of pink.
Bringing his hand up to brush a stray lock of her hair from her face, he smiled. “It’s okay. I’ve eaten already. I’m glad you ate.” He hadn’t. Truthfully, he’d lost his appetite almost a week ago. He’d forced food down most days, but this morning, he just hadn’t mustered up the will.
Drinking the last sip of juice, she set the glass on her bedside table before turning to him again, eyes pleading. “You’ll stay, right? I mean, you said you would.” She fidgeted with the hem of her shirt, uncertainty shining in her eyes.
“I’ll stay.” He’d do anything she asked if it meant the haunted look in her eyes would disappear. Holding his hand out to help her stand, Drake turned down the blankets and patted the mattress. “Come, in you go.”
When she scooted to the other side, leaving plenty of room for him to climb in next to her, he did. He’d hold her for a while, at least until she’d fallen asleep, and then he’d pull up a chair and watch over her.
Knowing it couldn’t last, didn’t change the fact he needed this just as much as she did. Just being near her made it a little easier to breathe. His dragon had been in a pissy mood for a week, snarling and spitting at everything and everyone. It had quieted once he’d arrived at the castle this morning, sensing Rhia’s presence and had gone to sleep.
She snuggled into his warmth with a soft sigh, resting her head on his shoulder, making him wish things could be different. He’d give anything to be able to hold her in his arms every night and wake with her each morning, but that wasn’t how it worked.
“I need this more than you can imagine.” Her warm breath caressed his neck as she slid her delicate hand across his chest to rest over his heart.
“Sleep, Rhiannon. I’ll be here when you wake.” Stroking her soft hair until her breathing deepened and her body relaxed against his, he drifted off to sleep.
Chapter 23
Rhia’s heart pounded. Black storm clouds roiled in the sky, obliterating the sun as a wicked storm rushed in. Her fingers tightened in Drake’s cold hand as they danced in the howling wind.
Blood red tears dripped down onto the black suits and dresses of the Avalorian people. This was supposed to be her special day. Why was everyone so sad? Swallowing hard, and blinking back her own tears, she tried to speak to Drake, but his mind was closed off to her.
When she looked up, her father had taken his place. Intense grief poured into her, stabbing at her heart as she reached up and touched the silent red tears rolling down his cheeks.
Only the woman with the black hair didn’t cry. Her arms were outstretched as though drawing power from the storm itself, like a witch of old, casting spells, creating misery. Her black hair flew in the increasing wind. Her green-yellow eyes glittered with hatred.
Looking straight at her, the woman sneered before she turned and walked into the forest.
“Rhia,” Drake’s insistent voice woke her. “Wake up, you’re having a nightmare.”
Taking a deep breath, her lungs filled with Drake’s fresh, spicy scent, making her smile even before her eyes opened. He’d stayed, just like he said he would. The last time she’d opened her eyes, the room had been pitch dark and she’d gone back to sleep to the soft sound of Drake’s snoring rumbling beneath her cheek.
“Good morning.” Stretching, she smiled up at him. “It is morning, right? How long have we been sleeping?”
“If I had to venture a guess, I’d say we slept almost a full day. We both needed it.” Gazing into her eyes, he asked. “Are you all right? You were having a nightmare when I woke you.”
She bolted from the bed, remembering the dream she’d just had. “I have to talk to my father.” She didn’t want to wait and chance forgetting anything. Laughing at his confused look, she leaned down and planted a quick kiss on his parted lips.
“I keep seeing the same woman over and over in those weird dreams I’ve been having. I need to ask him about her. She’s the key to all of this. She has to be.” As though just now realizing what state she’d allowed herself to get to, she headed straight for the bathroom. “I need a shower. I’ll be out in just a few minutes.”
What a difference a day made. She’d only eaten one meal, but she’d gotten some much needed rest, and true to his word, Drake never left her side. It didn’t fix anything, but at least she could breathe now without feeling like each breath would be her last.
Showering in record time, she made her way to her sitting room. She had some apologies to make. Her refusal to see her family hadn’t just worried them, it had hurt them. When she emerged from her room, William was waiting along with Evan and Drake, none of them speaking. Not out loud anyway.
“Thanks for coming.” She bent down to kiss her father’s cheek. “I’m sorry for making you worry so much over the last few days. I don’t know what came over me.” She couldn’t meet their eyes. She knew exactly what had come over her and they knew it too. She took a seat near Drake. “I’m feeling a lot better now.”
“We’re happy to hear it, sweetheart.” William spoke in quiet tones, as though trying to gauge her emotional stability.
“I need to talk to you about my dreams. I think if we both try to work through them, we might get somewhere. I had another one last night, or this morning rather, and it felt more real in an absurd kind of way.”
“Okay, let’s see what we can figure out.” Her father sat forward in his chair.
She couldn’t believe the change in him in the weeks since her arrival. He’d gone from being weak and feeble to strong and intimidating. There was no question where Evan got his intense personality.
“In my dreams, we’re at a party in a meadow, all of Avalore is there, and there’s music playing. The day is beautiful and sunny. I always wear the same beautiful dress, and I’m dancing… with Drake.” Maybe she should have left that part out, but it was part of the dream, and she wasn’t going to shy away from it.
Drake’s eyebrows rose as he listened but he didn’t interrupt.
She went on to explain each dream, leaving nothing out. “I don’t know how I know this, but when you take Drake’s place and look at me, it’s not me you’re seeing, but my mother.” Her father gasped, stopping her in her tracks. “I’m sorry. I don’t mean to upset you.”
“I’m fine, sweetheart. Your mother and I held a get together in the meadow after our joining ceremony to let everyone celebrate with us. Please continue.”
“At first I couldn’t pinpoint it, but now I know the woman with the black hair is the problem. She’s watching you dance, and she’s so angry. She’s chanting like she’s casting some kind of spell.”
“What else can you tell us about her?” Evan, who’d remained silent up until now, piped in.
“Not much, but I saw her more clearly this time. Her eyes stood out. They were bright green with yellow in them—almost reptilian.”
“Gryphon.” Both Drake and Evan spoke at once.
Evan leaned forward, resting his elbows on his knees. “Descendants of gryphon ancestry have green and yellow eyes.”
“The day of our joining, a woman I’d been friends with, Bethania, came to me and begged me not to join with your mother.” Her father’s voice trembled. “We’d gone on a few picnics, as friends, nothing more. Of course, when the time came, I didn’t think twice. I gave my heart and soul.” He hung his head, shaking it. “I should have guessed. Bethania had long black hair. She was gryphon. I never, not for a single second, regretted joining with your mother. It was the best thing to ever happen to me. I felt it each time my eyes set upon her.” His
head hung low. “How could I have not seen it back then? She might still be alive today.”
Rhia went to her father and wrapped her arms around him. “You couldn’t have prevented it from happening then, any more than you can change fate now.”
“I don’t recall ever seeing her again. I know of one family in Avalore of the gryphon blood, though I suppose it’s possible others left to live up in the mountains after your mother was killed.” His voice broke.
Drake stood to leave. “I’ll go question them.” He held her gaze for a moment before heading for the door.
Rhia took a deep breath and sighed. As much as she wanted him to stay, she’d known he wouldn’t. Shortly after, William made his excuses, saying he had things to do, but he looked so shaken up that she knew needed some time to come to grips with what he’d learned.
Evan’s pulsating energy inundated the sitting room, making her head throb. When he wasn’t pacing, he was glaring at her. She knew he was still pissed, but she’d already apologized for locking herself in her room—twice. He’d just have to get over it. A soft knock on the door broke the unbearable silence. Thank God for small mercies.
“Katie and Chantelle have come for a visit, are you up for it?” His look almost dared her to say no.
“Yes, please.” Anything to be away from his intense scrutiny was a welcome break. “I think I owe them an apology, too.”
Katie came in first, her smile tentative, followed by Chantelle who carried several garment bags. Her heart raced when she saw them. They wanted to look at dresses. Now?
“Feeling better?” Katie braved the question, while Chantelle put the dresses down on the sofa.
“Yeah, I’m better. I’m sorry if I worried you both. It was just too much for me, you know?” She blinked back her tears as a lump formed in her throat again. Before she knew it, she was at the center of their three-person hug, being flooded with warm feminine energy.
Arms still wrapped around her and Chantelle, Katie turned her head and cleared her throat. “Evan, do you think perhaps we could have some girl time—alone? I think it would do us all some good.”
Turning to Rhia, he pierced her with his gaze, the muscles in his jaw ticking as he ground his teeth. “You won’t lock yourself in your room again?”
“I won’t, and we’ll stay in the suite the whole time you’re gone.” She strained to keep from rolling her eyes at him. “You could join Drake out there looking for the gryphon woman.” She knew he was itching to join his men, and didn’t have any qualms using it in her favor.
His gaze held hers for a moment, and then sighing, he capitulated. “I’ll have Sebastian posted just outside. If there are any problems at all, yell for him.” He nodded to the two other women before he left. He was probably giving both Katie and Chantelle instructions not to let her out of their sight, but she didn’t care. She was just happy to be getting a bit of testosterone-free time with the girls.
Once he was gone, Katie’s mischievous grin had her taking a step back with her hands up in front of her. Shaking her head, she laughed. “I can’t leave.” They were going to get her into trouble if she wasn’t careful, and she was already in deep enough as it was. “I just promised I wouldn’t.”
“We wouldn’t dream of taking you from your suite and facing the wrath of Evan or Drake. But we did smuggle a little something in to you.” Katie clapped her hands as she bounced on the balls of her feet.
“We know why you’ve been so sad. We see the way you look at Drake, and the way he looks at you. Everyone can see it.” Chantelle started rifling through the garment bags as she spoke.
Rhia swallowed hard. She thought she’d kept her feelings pretty well hidden. Guess not.
“We want to help you. This won’t fix things, but it might relieve the emotions dragging your colors down, if only for a little while.” Katie pulled an iPod from her front jeans pocket and plugged it into a small speaker Chantelle handed her.
“Where on earth did you get an iPod?” She hadn’t heard any familiar music since she’d left New York. She liked the music here. She just didn’t know any of the songs.
“Drake brought it from the lands of men and gave it to me as a gift when he returned from his last mission. Isn’t it wonderful? I’ve listened to the same songs countless times, but I love it.” Katie took three glasses from the tray on the table and came to sit on one of the chairs.
Chantelle pulled a small bottle filled with bright green liquid from one of the garment bags, smiling as though she’d just found a treasure.
“What’s that?” It looked like the antifreeze she’d had to use to fill radiators at a service station where she’d worked a few years back.
Pouring a small amount into each glass and handing her one, Chantelle raised her glass. “This is wister juice.” She smiled as she sniffed its contents. “It’s a mixture of fruit juices found on Olau Mountain. The juice from the wister fruit is bitter, but mixed with the other juices, it’s very tasty.”
“Wister juice, huh? It looks interesting.”
“It’s divine.” Katie grinned. “Just take a tiny sip though. It’ll help you relax and make you less… sad.”
Raising her glass a little higher, Chantelle spoke up. “Here’s to you, Rhia. May you find true happiness in whatever fate has in store for you.”
Pushing her sadness aside, she brought her glass up to clink with her friends’ before swirling the liquid, and bringing it to her lips. Fruity sweetness, smooth as velvet slid over her tongue in a burst of flavor. It was unlike anything she’d ever had before, but Katie was right, it was delicious. It was sweet enough to make it easy to swallow but tart enough to make her crave another taste. “Mmm, it really is good, I have to admit, I’m a little surprised.”
She was about to take another sip when Chantelle stopped her. “Not so fast.” She giggled. “This is potent. You drink it too fast and you’ll lose your senses.”
Already Rhia could feel herself begin to loosen up. “Is this going to give me a headache in the morning?” She’d never been much of a drinker, but she’d drunk an entire bottle of wine one night after Mariella had been killed and had been sick for two days after. She hadn’t touched the stuff since.
“Not that I’m aware of. I mean, I’ve never gone crazy drinking a whole lot of it at once, but I’ve never heard of it doing anything other than making you a little silly.” Katie grinned as she plopped down onto one of the chairs.
Smiling bright, Chantelle set her glass down on the table, standing as though to make an announcement. “Now, I know you haven’t been very receptive to looking at dresses yet, and I know you’ve been dreading The Elders’ return, but Katie and I found this dress.” She held her hand up, stopping Rhia’s protest before she could voice it. “It’s so perfect for you. We knew the moment we saw it we had to bring it to you.”
Their excitement oozed off them in waves. She’d known there was a dress in one of the garment bags and she didn’t have it in her heart to say no. Not thinking, Rhia took a big gulp of her fluorescent drink. Too late, she realized what she’d done and burst out laughing. “Oops, maybe you should keep this stuff away from me.”
Katie, whose eyes had grown wide when she’d seen what Rhia had done, laughed right along with her, leaving Chantelle looking confused.
“It’s okay, Chantie, get the dress.” Giggling, she started to lift the glass to her mouth again.
Chantelle burst out laughing. “Chantie? Okay, I like that.”
Lunging to keep Rhia from taking another sip, Katie nearly fell off her chair, making them all laugh even harder.
“Oh, my cheeks hurt.” Holding her sides, Rhia tried to catch her breath. “Go ahead and get the dress.” Another giggle bubbled out of her as she set the glass down away from her.
Grabbing her hands, Katie pulled her to her feet. “Close your eyes. I want to see your face when you see this gown. It’s just gorgeous.”
The rustling of the garment bag and its zipper coming down told her she
’d soon be expected to look at a dress for what would no doubt be one of the most agonizing days of her life, but she couldn’t bring herself to be upset. Whatever the wister juice was supposed to do, it was working.
“You can open your eyes now.”
Taking a deep breath, she opened them. Both of her friends stood with huge smiles on their faces as they held the dress up for her to see. All the air rushed out of her lungs leaving her breathless and gasping. This was her dress. Heart pounding, she took a step closer before her eyes misted, making everything blurry. “Oh my God, it’s my dress.” Her whispered words were barely loud enough for her friends to hear.
“You mean it, you like this one?” Excitement along with relief sounded in Katie’s hopeful voice.
“You don’t understand, Katie. This is my dress.” Taking another step, she reached a trembling hand towards the delicate fabric. “I wore this exact dress while I was dancing with Drake in my dreams.”
Delicate flowers embroidered in the silky tulle matched her eyes. She knew how this dress would look on her, how it would feel. The elegant form-fitted, sleeveless bodice would hug her curves, while the flowing skirt would sway with her every movement. The gown was perfect.
“Are you sure?” Katie’s eyes widened. “You’ve dreamt of wearing this dress while dreaming of Drake?” When Rhia nodded, Katie squealed and ran to her, wrapping her in her arms and squeezing so hard Rhia had to struggle to breathe.
When Katie let her go, Chantelle took over, hugging her just as fiercely. Both had wide smiles and tears sliding down their cheeks.
Heart pounding, she finally grasped what they were so excited about. “It’s Drake. Oh my God, it is, isn’t it?”
Chapter 24
Rhia woke slowly, as though coming out of a fog. Sunlight flooded the room, warming her bare skin where she’d kicked her covers off. Stretching, she opened her eyes and took a deep breath, filling her lungs with clean fresh air. Had she left the window open?