“Beasts live in that forest,” she said.
“How do you know? Do you have such places in Magonia? I thought your land is parched and without extremes.”
She nodded, still staring at the trees. “Extreme desert and heat. Harsh. And beautiful.” She frowned and turned to look at him. He’d retreated across the room. “Have you been to Magonia?”
“I’ve studied Magonia.”
She shook her head. “We don’t study you. The scribes tell us everything we need to know.” Her chin tilted upward. “You are a cruel horde of barbarians.”
He laughed, but no humor laced the throaty sound. “We are. And proud of it.”
Real fear threatened to ease its way up inside her, to destroy the composure she held by a thread. For she had never intended to come here, never known the storm would throw her ship off course. Tears she couldn’t afford blurred her vision as she turned back to the window and stared out at the primordial jungle. What she didn’t know about this hostile continent streamed out ahead of her in a terrifying wave of possibility. “By the god, I shouldn’t be here.”
A great roar rumbled out of the forest and she started. She thought she heard screams below. “What was that?”
Dane rushed to a chest by the wall and dragged it open. He dropped his pants and his firm, naked buttocks caught her shocked attention.
She clenched her fists in frustration. “What’s happening?”
He didn’t answer but drew out a skirtlike garment and strapped it around his waist. He jammed his feet into boots and slammed on shin plates of shiny copper-colored metal. He yanked a sleeveless leather tunic out and dragged it over his head. On top of that he placed the metal breastplate she’d seen him wearing on the beach.
“Dane—”
Another roar echoed out of the forest. “No time to explain.” He grabbed a sword off a wall bracket and charged for the door. He pointed at her. “Stay here!”
She rushed forward as he opened the door. “What is it?”
“Dragon!”
He exited and slammed the door.
Astonished but excited at the same time, she ran back to the window and peered outside, straining to see through the slit. The very little she’d read about dragons in her father’s texts drove her curiosity.
Treetops swayed but not all of the forest that moved was propelled by a strong wind. Only one or two trees swayed.
Ketera saw the creature emerge from the forest, its wings spread and mouth open for another angry bellow. She had a fleeting impression of gray scales, a red stripe running down its back and fiery golden eyes.
Ketera made an impetuous decision. Her captor’s order for her to stay in the room warred with her curiosity. She would not stand here meekly. She found shoes by the bed, and although they were a bit large, she pushed her feet into them. She hastily rummaged around the room, looking for a bag, anything she could find that would carry supplies. When she located a knife with a long, serrated edge, she hesitated. She’d never resorted to violence, but what if many beasts lurked in the jungle? She must have some protection. Jamming food, a water skin and the vicious-looking knife into a large pack, she headed for the door.
Time to escape.
Chapter Two
Ketera ached as she hurried down the stone spiral staircase, her body reminding her she’d survived a shipwreck. She slowed her steps, well aware one slip on the unforgiving stones could mean disaster. She came to a dead stop outside the wooden doorway of Dane’s stone abode. Impressions rushed at her at the same time as her heart pumped with fear. Was the dragon dangerous? She’d heard conflicting stories from the texts her father had located in his archaeological dig.
More information rushed to the forefront of her memory. Where was her copy of the forbidden texts?
Oh my god Magon. What happened to it? She couldn’t believe she’d forgotten it.
She’d had her pack anchored to her when the storm came. She’d lost it. She halted for a moment and mourned the loss of the precious texts. She needed it to save her father. It proved he’d been correct about the Dragonians all along.
Fright mixed with overwhelming inquisitiveness as she watched people around her and marveled at strange differences. She wanted to run at the same time she longed to explore.
A horrendous roar from the beast outside the castle walls broke her reverie. Reality rushed back. People scampered about the enclosure outside the tower. Women shrieked, their voices piercing. Children cried out. Men shouted. Carts of goods overturned in the mayhem. Around her the massive castle rose into the sky on all sides, the curtain walls far above her head. Towers guarded at intervals. Through the chaos, she searched for Dane. Several men dressed just as Dane ran by, their muscles gleaming with sweat.
Eager to escape, she darted and dodged through the sea of people, running alongside one wall until she reached an opening. Daryk Ones stood across the opening. Of all the hells. What to do now?
When another roar, this one loud and throaty, burst through the air, she scampered along the wall toward another opening not far away. Her legs trembled, her heart pounding. Her heart leapt in excitement when she saw a small opening unguarded. She could just fit.
As she squeezed through and stood outside the curtain wall, she came to a stop.
Trees swayed as the dragon stood at the edge of the jungle, its wings flapping and creating a great wind. Then it folded its wings back along its lengthy body. Its form didn’t look quite like the texts described. A flash of blue rippled down the ridge along the creature’s back. As it lumbered in an ungainly fashion over the red earth, its clawed feet took up huge swaths of ground. She noted the massive head, a strange, sharp reptilian skull more in keeping with one of the lizards that gave a savage bite in Magonia. As it lowered his head and uttered a high-pitched noise closer to a huge bird crying out, it exposed razor-sharp teeth lining its jaw.
Movement below caught her eye. Several warriors exited the castle and raced toward the dragon. They looked like insignificant specks against the hulking monster bellowing its anger. She watched, entranced, as one of the men led the pack running toward peril. Dozens of other people scampered toward the castle, caught out in the open with the rampaging creature.
Her hands clutched at the wall as she recognized one man running toward the dragon rather than away. “Dane.”
Dane charged the beast, and Ketera held her breath. Before she could turn tail and escape in the other direction, the dragon ran toward Dane. Would she see Dane killed before her eyes? A curious panic constricted her breath.
As the dragon and Dane came within feet of each other, Dane lifted his sword and threw it with tremendous force. It tumbled over and over as it flew through the air. Stunned into immobility, she watched and wondered how on Croan the sword could make a mark in the huge beast.
Everything seemed to slow down.
An ear-splitting growl erupted from the dragon and it took to the air. She watched, paralyzed as the dragon flew straight toward her.
Dane saw the blue stripe dragon fly toward the small figure standing near the castle wall.
Ketera.
Alarm screamed through him. His sword had hit the mark right above the dragon’s belly in the most vulnerable section between the thick plates of armor that protected the creature. Yet it hadn’t done enough damage to prevent the creature from heading right toward Ketera.
He ran toward the castle and shouted at the top of his lungs. “Ketera! Get down!” He waved his arms at her, hoping she could see him. “Get down!”
He saw her duck as the dragon’s tail smacked the wall near where she stood. Pieces of the wall flew in all directions.
Ketera darted back into the castle, and he took a breath of relief. At least in the castle she might be safe. He prayed his sword throw would slow the creature. A spear would have pierced the animal more efficiently, but neither he nor the other men had expected a dragon to approach the castle so blatantly. It was a female dragon, significantly larger than a
male.
Other Daryk Ones followed him in his mad rush to the drawbridge over the huge moat.
His heart pounded with the rush, the excitement. Battle lust erupted through his veins.
The dragon flapped its huge wings as it landed in the courtyard, scattering people as they tumbled over and over.
Dane cursed as he came to a skidding halt inside the castle.
A young Daryk One near the commotion launched a sword at the dragon, and it sailed across the wide expanse and missed the creature.
Metal clanked against the ground near to—
Ketera.
She pressed against the wall near the bottom of the steps. Her eyes widened as the dragon turned her way. Blood trickled down the side of her face. Fierce protectiveness reared inside Dane. The sprite looked defiant, much as she had with him—but he also saw the dawning fear and her lips drawn into a tight line. The dragon pinpointed on her despite the incessant din of screaming people running to escape.
The dragon turned, wings sweeping out with a tremendous whooshing noise. Ketera froze, apparently unable to act.
“Ketera, get out of there!”
Courage reflected in the depths of her eyes. Admiration surged inside him, but she had no experience with dragons.
One false step and she’d die.
Then he saw why she stayed where she was.
A screaming child not older than three sat next to a fallen woman not far from one of the dragon’s feet. Before he could react, Ketera ran toward the beast rather than away. As she careened toward the child, Dane’s heart froze in his chest.
Ketera snatched the child from the ground and barreled away from the dragon. The creature roared and turned toward Ketera, its foot miraculously missing the woman lying on the ground. A Daryk One darted between the dragon’s legs and retrieved the woman, lifting her in his arms and running away.
Ketera was trapped against another wall as the dragon leaned toward her.
“Over here, you scurvy bastard! Here!” Dane flapped his arms.
The dragon looked his way, and when it did, Ketera moved to an alcove along the wall and stuffed herself and the wailing child inside it. No way the dragon could reach them in there. Thank the god this type of dragon didn’t breathe fire. Bellowing its displeasure, the dragon turned on Dane and charged.
Dane ran for all he was worth toward the gatehouse. As he left the castle, he hoped the dragon would fly back over the walls. He grabbed an abandoned sword off the ground. The dragon took flight and came after him over the wall. Roaring its displeasure, the gargantuan female sailed downward toward the drawbridge with incredible speed. Dane knew he had one more chance.
Now or never.
Battle lust surged inside him again, as primitive as the feral desires that pumped inside his ancestors. He growled and hurled the sword with all his strength toward the beast’s vulnerable stomach. Howling with pain, the beast crumpled, weight coming down square on the drawbridge.
Incredibly, the drawbridge held.
The creature started to tumble into the water. As the dragon’s tail sailed by Dane’s head, the force of the wind blew him off the drawbridge into the water.
* * * * *
Ketera heard the horrible commotion outside the castle walls and people yelled in surprise. The woman, who’d almost been crushed underfoot by the dragon, ran toward Ketera and yanked the child from Ketera’s arms. She dashed away without even acknowledging that Ketera had saved the young one. Panting for breath, Ketera didn’t care. Satisfaction and relief at having rescued the tiny girl made everything else fade to the background.
As a tremendous rumbling came from outside the castle, people streamed toward the drawbridge.
Ketera rushed forward, eager to see how Dane fared. Her heart pounded so heatedly in her ears she could barely catch her breath and her hands shook. She muscled through the crowd, beseeching people to let her through.
“He must be dead,” a man whispered as she came to the drawbridge opening.
No.
The dragon floated in the moat, but only for a few moments before it started to sink. Near the massive body, a man swam toward the shoreline, his movements sure and strong. Ketera smiled as she recognized Dane sluicing through the water. Two other Daryk Ones tossed a rope over the edge of the moat and hauled him to the surface. As he crawled up and stood, water cascaded down his face, his hair and over his entire body. A great cheer went up from the crowd as they saluted his bravery and the kill. People chanted his name and pumped their fists in the air.
Ketera wanted to feel revulsion at the violence she’d seen, but when she couldn’t, she realized she felt relief that he’d made it out of the battle alive.
He smiled, his eyes bright with triumph as his friends pounded him on the back. Attraction swirled low inside her at his smile. Instantly the smile faded, and he searched the crowd. She knew, somehow, that he looked for her. She started forward, her legs still shaky. When his gaze caught hers, his nostrils flared. His eyes smoldered a startling red, filled by the pure hunger she gauged in his steady attention. He stalked toward her, steps assured, his powerful body enhanced by the water that dripped over each muscular angle. As his strides brought him close, alarm broke loose inside her. Trapped. She turned, careful not to venture too close to the drawbridge edge. She ran for the jungle.
Idiot. Idiot! She’d waited too long to escape.
She didn’t make it far before his hand clamped on her upper arm and swung her about. She slammed into his chest with a gasp. His arms bracketed around her with a strength that could be crushing but only steadied her. She looked up, way up into his face.
His eyes burned, his lips parted. “Are you hurt?”
She blinked, surprised by his concern and even more startled by those red eyes. Why did his eyes glow like that? “No.” She squirmed. “Let me go!”
He cupped her chin and tilted it upward. “There’s blood.”
“I’m fine.”
“Umph.” His grunt came out rough as his gaze continued to roam her, as probing and searching as a physical touch.
He drew his hands away from her and clenched his fists. His chest moved up and down with the fury of emotion. Real fear catapulted upward inside her.
Before she could take another breath, he yanked her back into his arms.
He buried his face in her hair and whispered close to her ear, “Follow my lead and you’ll understand in time.”
She didn’t have time to ask what he meant.
His lips came down over hers. Surprised, she drew in a sharp breath. Firm and aggressive, his kiss wasn’t the sweet, light kisses she’d witnessed men and women sharing on Magonia. No. His mouth took, twisting over hers from side to side then sealing securely to taste. His tongue slipped inside immediately, and she jerked in amazement. Cheers went up around them as Dane devoured her mouth, each stroke of his tongue along hers sending incredible sparks dancing in her body like touches of embers from a fire. Liquid heat spilled through her middle, charging her body with a craving that abolished her fear in a wash of desire.
Her hands gripped his shoulders convulsively.
Yet as his fingers speared into her hair and his other arm tucked her tighter against his body, many of the things she’d learned started to dissolve like sleeping powder in water. Fire licked her body as a strange dizziness overtook her. Her limbs felt weaker, her mind fuzzy with a sensual daze. Her nipples tightened and tingled, and a treacherous ache built between her thighs. Strange, undulating calls came from the crowd and instinctively she recognized this was somehow expected. His kiss gentled, and as it did, she heard the cheers around them die down. He drew back, and she saw a strange red glow pulsate in his eyes, and when his lips parted, she sensed he still wanted more. Something deeper, more feral. More dangerous to her very being.
It frightened her in a way that didn’t have a name.
His arms fell away from her.
Ketera stared at him in amazement, her jaw slack. She quivered
, her body alive with every sensation she could remember having in her life. Rolls of heat cascaded through her. Tears rose to her eyes, but she didn’t feel sad so much as shocked.
Bewildered, she spoke through trembling lips. “How dare you?”
Now that the trauma had died down, new aches tortured her muscles. All around her, normalcy started to return. It surprised her how calm people now seemed, their smiles returning. The drama of the event pulsed with dull, painful thuds. He grabbed her arm. Before she could protest, he swept her up in his arms.
She gasped in indignation and kicked her legs. “Put me down. I can walk. I’ve been doing it since I was very young. My legs are fully functional.”
His arms around her felt secure and those wild feelings he’d aroused with the kiss continued to tremble within. She tried tamping down the feelings, but her body didn’t care what her mind thought. Her skin flushed upward into her neck and face as she thought about how she’d reacted. Angry with herself for allowing him to take liberties and responding to his impudent embrace, she pushed at his shoulders and continued to kick her legs. He was so strong it didn’t faze him. Frustrated, she almost screamed. Most of the men she knew couldn’t withstand blows like this without dumping the abuser on the ground.
“Women are not allowed to face down dragons.” He almost growled the words as he walked. “I told you to stay in the tower.”
His imperious tone, spoken in a clipped fashion, didn’t surprise her. But fury grew even higher regardless. “So this is how you treat women here? Putting women in their place? Not allowing them to flourish?”
“Wherever you got your information, it is flawed. Women on Dragonia have every freedom. You’ve seen in this castle how they walk around without escort. Do you see any of them led around by the nose by men? They sell goods at the carts and run their own households. There are few single women, but that is because there are so many more men than women and the competition for wives is furious. I find it strange that you come from a society as restrictive as yours and yet you condemn what you think is restrictive in ours.”
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