“The carriage waits outside,” he said. The door to the study opened, and Uncle emerged.
“Well, Agnes, you are depriving us of your presence,” he said.
“I think it’s for the best, Uncle,” she said, ignoring his sarcastic tone. “I have done my duty as a good parent and seen my daughter married.”
Uncle’s gaze flicked to Xavier. “Marriage at any cost is not something to be proud of, Agnes. The day will come when you mightily regret your interference.”
“I will bid you goodbye, Uncle,” Mother said. “Please do not kill the groom while he remains under your roof.”
Evelyn pulled in a surprised breath and darted a look at Xavier; his head was cocked as he smiled wryly, but he remained silent while Uncle scowled. Mother turned to Evelyn and placed her hands on her shoulders. “You may be annoyed with me now, but you will thank me soon enough.”
Without another word, she swept out the door and into the waiting carriage as Xavier handed her bag to the coachman. The horses were urged into motion, and the carriage rattled down the cobbled road.
Xavier returned to the house as Uncle gave him a baleful glare then disappeared into his study.
“I heard there’s a fair across the river,” Xavier said to Evelyn. “Would you like to go see?”
“A fair? Yes, that sounds wonderful!”
She was ready within minutes, and Xavier led her down the road, turning in the direction of the river. Apart from the time he had kissed her, which had only lasted a few minutes, it was the first time she had been alone with him. It was strange to think it was perfectly acceptable for her to be so; she hardly knew this man who walked at her side. She stole a quick glance at his face. She hoped that one day she would be able to read his countenance and know his mood, but for now he was a closed book, distant even when he smiled and held her hand.
As they neared the banks, she could see the brightly colored tents on the opposite side. People were teeming toward the ferries, and Evelyn had to cling to Xavier’s arm to keep from being separated. The ferrymen yelled as passengers shoved one another in an effort to board the vessels, but finally Evelyn and Xavier managed to climb aboard one of the craft. The fair was directly opposite the ferry landing, a few short minutes away, and Evelyn smiled with relief when they stepped onto solid ground once more.
“Let’s go this way,” Xavier said, leading her away from the crowds and to the far end of the fair, skirting around a group of boys crouched on the ground over a small pile of stones. A muffin man, his tray strung around his neck, ambled past, and Xavier stopped him to buy two of his treats. They were warm, and Evelyn bit into hers with pleasure.
A stand selling embroidered lace caught Evelyn’s eye and she paused to admire the fine work before continuing. An archery field had been set up at the far end of the field, and Evelyn headed towards it, turning to Xavier with a smile.
“Do you think you can beat me in a game of archery?”
He lifted his eyebrows slightly. “I wasn’t aware women enjoyed such sport.”
“And why not? I grew up with an older brother and quickly learned that to stop his teasing I had to be better than him.”
He smiled in amusement. “And you think you are better than me?”
She made a show of examining his biceps, before meeting his gaze. “Absolutely.”
“Very well,” he said. “I’m up for the challenge.” He nodded at the man standing at the edge of the field, guarding a pile of bows and arrows. “Two sets, please.”
“Two?” The man glanced around in confusion. “Who is the second one for?”
“For the lady, of course.” The man sputtered slightly, but when he caught Xavier’s gaze, he nodded reluctantly and handed over the sets. Xavier paid the fee, and Evelyn stepped to the first marking and weighed the bow in her hand. It was heavier than she was used to, but she wasn’t concerned. She lifted each of the arrows to her eye, discarding one that was not completely straight, then notched another and raised the bow. There was a breeze, and she made a slight adjustment before pulling the string taught and letting the arrow fly. It twirled as it raced through the air, and hit the board between the third and fourth rings.
She turned to Xavier with a grin, and he lifted his eyebrow appreciatively. “Not bad,” he said. He notched his arrow and raised his bow. There was a twang as it flew through the air to bury itself between the second and third rings. He turned to her with a little smirk and she frowned before moving back to the next mark.
Each of Evelyn’s arrows flew through the air, straight and true, to hit the board just outside of the bull’s-eye, and each time Xavier’s arrows hit slightly closer. After the third arrow she watched him closely. She had a sneaking suspicion that he was deliberately tormenting her, which would mean he was definitely the superior archer. Evelyn notched her final arrow. When it landed in the bull’s-eye she smiled and turned to Xavier, who raised his bow with a grin. With a sinking feeling she realized he was intending to split her arrow. He brought the bow to his shoulder as Evelyn watched closely, then pulled back the string. As his fingers opened, releasing the arrow, she yelled and he turned a fraction of an inch. The arrow leapt from his bow and headed down the field to pierce the ground just to the left of the board. Evelyn hid a grin as Xavier turned towards her with a playful scowl.
“You little minx,” he said, and she yelped as he grabbed her arm, bringing her face to his. “I should punish you for this,” he said, but she could hear the undercurrent of laughter, and she opened her eyes wide in mock horror. He stared down at her, his eyes on her lips, then suddenly released her and stepped away, putting his back to her as he gathered their bows and handed them to the attendant. She stared at him with a frown; she had been certain he was about to kiss her before he moved away. A mixture of confusion and disappointment wound through her; Xavier was her husband, so why had he not done so?
Xavier headed back to her and pulled out a few coins. “Why don’t you wander for a bit,” he said, pressing the coins into her palm. “I’ll catch up with you in a little while.”
“But,” she began, but he was already striding away, heading towards the line of trees that backed the field. She stood watching him for a long time, before finally turning and heading back into the mingling throng of fairgoers.
Chapter 23
Xavier strode away from Evelyn, heading towards the forest that lay beyond the fair. He had smelled Evelyn’s confusion, but it had only served to make him more frustrated. He had married Evelyn to get closer to Callaway and save her from her mother; he had no intention of allowing something more to develop between them. He thought back to the previous evening. More than once he had resisted the urge to join her as she danced, or when she sat at the table. He did not want to set up false expectations by being too much in her company. The fact that she had drunk too much should have disgusted him, but she had snuggled herself in his chest as he flew her home, and his only thought was to keep her safe. Indeed, it was her mother that he felt disgust for, when she railed against her daughter. And now, he had come close to kissing her. He had to admit he had been rather impressed with her tactic of distraction. It showed a fierceness of spirit that he admired. But allowing himself to get close to her would do neither of them any good, and would leave her grieving even more when he left her thinking he was dead.
He reached the forest and leaned against the trunk of a tree. He needed to get hold of himself. Fire snaked through his belly and he blew out a stream of flame, careful to avoid the trees. It did little to relieve his tension, however, and he strode deeper into the forest before lifting his head and allowing the flames to pour through him, spilling from his mouth, his eyes, and his ears, lifting his hair with the heat. He groaned as the pressure finally ebbed, and he dropped his hands to his knees. The flames calmed and after a moment he headed back through the forest to the fairgrounds. As soon as he stepped into the clearing he caught Evelyn’s scent. He found her a few minutes later watching a juggler throw ball
s into the air. She glanced at him, her expression wary as she stepped up to his side, and he gave her a smile.
“I heard someone say there’s a dancing bear,” he said. “Should we go find it?”
“All right.” They headed deeper into the crowds, Xavier leading her as he followed the scent of the wild animal, pushing his way between the throngs of people. A crowd had gathered around the bear, and Xavier found a spot where Evelyn could clearly see the scene. The creature was chained by the foot while a man holding a whip moved before it. The bear’s coat was dull, and Xavier felt a wave of pity for the animal.
“Let’s go,” Evelyn said, and he turned to her in surprise.
“You don’t want to watch?”
“No. It’s cruel. No animal should be caged up that way.”
He cocked his head, considering her words. “What about lions?”
“No.”
“Wolves?”
“No.”
“Dragons?”
“Dragons? No one can cage a dragon.”
“Perhaps they should be shot? They are monsters after all.”
She was silent for a moment, and Xavier felt his heart sinking. “I know Uncle believes that,” she finally said.
“And what do you think?”
“I think it would be foolish to provoke such a powerful beast.”
“There’s a man here giving people advice on how to fight a dragon in exchange for a penny. I believe people are waiting a long time to see him.”
Evelyn grimaced. “I doubt he would last against a dragon for more than a few minutes. Besides, I’ve been in Civitas for months now, and I haven’t seen a single one.”
Xavier smiled inwardly. “Have you ever seen a dragon?”
“Once, a few years ago. I was walking the moors, and one flew overhead. I’m not sure it even saw me, but if it did it paid me no attention. And it certainly didn’t eat me,” she added wryly.
“Most dragons are not a threat to humans.”
“Oh? How do you know?”
“There are many dragons where I come from.”
“Tell me about your home.”
“It’s deep in the mountains, thirty miles from the closest village.”
“Don’t you get lonely?”
“Lonely?” He laughed. “No, there are plenty of people at Storbrook. It is so large we often have family staying there, and plenty of servants to keep the place running.”
“How big is it?”
“It’s a castle, built on top of a mountain.”
Her eyes widened slightly. “A castle? I would like to see that one day.”
They paused to watch the silly antics of a group of mummers, before continuing on their way. A fortune teller called out to them and Xavier looked at Evelyn questioningly, but she shook her head.
“I prefer not to know what fate lies before me,” she said with a smile.
Dusk was beginning to descend when they finally left the market, skirting the long line of people waiting for advice on killing dragons. Xavier carried a basket that Evelyn had fancied, within which lay some jams made from exotic-sounding fruit. There were fewer people crowding around the ferries now, and they were soon across the water and heading back to Callaway’s house. The moon was up when they reached the door. Evelyn glanced at Xavier shyly.
“Should we go to your chamber?” Xavier asked. “Or we could warm ourselves in the parlor?”
She blushed, but met his gaze. “There’s a fire in my chamber,” she said. He followed her as she led the way up the stairs and into the passage. Nervousness trailed behind her, filling the air with its bitter scent.
She stepped into the room and turned to face him, but he moved past her to the bed, sitting on the edge. He pulled off his boots and lined them up neatly, then stretched himself out and leaned against the headboard. A fire was burning brightly in the hearth, heating the room, and he patted the bed beside him.
“Come sit here next to me.” She looked confused, but did as he said, remaining uncomfortably stiff. “Lean back,” he said. She glanced at him, but again did as told. Her hands lay in her lap, and he reached out and took one of hers into his, and after a moment she began to relax.
“I’ve learned today that you have a brother who taught you how to shoot with a bow and arrow. What else did he teach you?”
She was quiet for a moment. “Well,” she began, “he taught me to fish.”
“What’s his name?”
“Francis.” She smiled. “He also taught me to climb trees and skin a rabbit. When we were little we would escape the house from morning till night, with Juliana tagging along.”
“And you also learned to read and write at some point.”
“I suppose I can thank my mother for that. Father did not see why his daughters should learn such skills, but Mother was insistent.”
The hour grew late as she told him of her childhood, growing up in her small town. She was close to her sister, he discovered, and missed her terribly. Sometime during the evening she removed her gown leaving just her chemise, and darted beneath the quilt, pulling it to her chin, while he removed his tunic, leaving his chest bare. As the evening progressed, he wrapped his arm around her shoulder and pulled her against his chest. Around midnight she ran out of stories, or perhaps had just grown tired, and she lay down on her pillow and closed her eyes.
“Xavier?” she mumbled sleepily.
“Hmm?”
“Are you going to stay here?”
He closed his eyes. “Do you want me to?”
“I don’t mind.”
He took a deep breath. She smelled of fresh air and flowers.
“Then I’ll stay,” he whispered. She smiled and he listened as her breathing slowed.
He stared down at her as she slept. Her thick unruly curls spilled over the pillow, fanning around her face; her eyelashes lay against her cheek, and her lips were slightly parted. She was curled towards him, but as he watched she sighed and rolled onto her back, and the quilt slipped down her chest. The tie of her chemise had loosened and it gaped around her neck, revealing a rosy-hued peak. He stared at it, then carefully pulled back the quilt till her whole body was revealed. The light of the fire danced against the white fabric, showing off her shapely curves. Her hips were well rounded, while her legs tapered to well-proportioned ankles. He swallowed hard and carefully replaced the quilt, draping it just below her breasts. They were the perfect size, and he wondered what they would feel like beneath his palm.
He dragged his gaze away and slid down onto his back. He had only ever been this near to a woman once. Molly was the village floozy, and it was rumored there wasn’t a man under thirty she hadn’t slept with, although Xavier had to wonder whether it was Molly herself who had started the rumor. One morning, when he was still just a teenager, she had pulled him into a barn and bared her breasts to him, fondling herself as he watched curiously. “Kiss me,” she’d demanded. He’d leaned for her lips and she smacked his head. “Not there, you daftie.” She grabbed her breast, shoving it in his face. Pushing away his shock, he brought his mouth to her nipple, which was standing taut. It tasted of dirt and stale sweat. His body immediately responded, but his mind was repulsed, and he thrust her away and strode from the barn as Molly’s taunting laughter followed him. He hadn’t even bothered to strip off his clothes before diving into the stream, gulping mouthfuls of cool fresh water. He had stayed away from Molly after that, but whenever he caught sight of her it was her breast, full and taut, that filled his mind.
He turned back to look at Evelyn. He was not so blind that he hadn’t admired the fine figure of a beautiful woman, but there were none he had truly desired, until now. Seeing Evelyn lying beside him, soft and supple, stirred something deep within. He was well aware of what took place in the marriage bed. With his dragon hearing, he had been unable to avoid the sounds of his parents and grandparents as they took pleasure in each other – his only escape had been to flee to the mountains. Hearing Aaron with Keira he kne
w that the act did not just bring pleasure to a man, but to the woman as well. But even overhearing their moments of ecstasy had not prompted him to seek out a woman. The fire had been his lover, and he had reveled in her heat. But now, looking at the woman who lay so softly at his side, he wondered what he had been missing out on, and whether it was time to make up for the delay.
Evelyn rolled again, this time turning onto her side, her back to him. Carefully, so as not to wake her, Xavier wrapped his arm around her and pulled her against his chest. She muttered something in her sleep, then settled into him. He lifted one of his legs over hers and closing his eyes, buried his nose in her hair.
Chapter 24
An owl hooted outside the window, and Xavier stirred. Evelyn was still lying in his arms, her form soft and gentle against his. He breathed in her sleepy scent, before carefully disentangling himself and moving off the bed. He listened for a moment, assuring himself that all the occupants of the house were asleep, then quietly let himself out of the room and made his way down the stairs. He paused outside the study door and listened once more, sniffing the air as he did so to assure himself that the room was empty. Certain that it was, he lifted the latch, but the door refused to budge. So Callaway thought to lock him out, he thought wryly. He was wearing only his pants, and stripping them off, he pushed them into a shadowed corner, then released his hold on his flames and dissolved into the air.
He slipped through the gap beneath the door and took shape on the other side. A window looked out on the street, and he glanced through, noting the dragon who stood in the shadows beyond the house. Turning, he studied the room. A large desk stood in the middle, with a drawer and a cupboard at either end. There was a chair opposite, and a small pile of books on a table in the corner, while shelves piled with more books ran the length of one wall. Turning back to the desk, he looked at the orderly piles of papers arranged along the surface. He did a cursory check, satisfying his belief that Callaway wouldn’t leave anything of import in the open. The drawers were locked, and stretching his fingers into long wisps of flame, he wound his way into the first lock and opened it from within. He withdrew the papers and sat down to study them. The first sheet was a receipt for weapons, purchased from a smith in the city. The purchase was recent and Xavier examined it more closely. He wondered why Callaway needed two dozen daggers. The rest of the pile revealed more purchases, many for weapons, but one for fifteen pounds of wolfsbane.
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