Absorbing such strong magic usually resulted in death. He smacked his fist against his chest in a futile effort to stop the erratic pounding of his heart. His mate was dying.
A roar slammed through his ears and it took him a second to realize it came from him.
“Thoren?” Enar stepped into view, hair rumpled from sleep.
Thoren snarled, crouched in front of Keara and flipped the blanket to cover her naked form. Enar froze, his nose the only part of him moving.
“You Changed. I smell the magic.”
Yet another odd thing about his best friend coming to light at a time he couldn’t dwell on it. How could a Watcher smell magic? Only Draconi smelled magic.
“Keara’s injured.”
“You hurt her?”
“Yes. No. She absorbed my magic.”
“And that’s bad?”
“She’s supposed to throw it away, not absorb it. It might kill her. I need to get her to the Temple so the priestesses can perform a healing. Where’s Fafnir? We need to leave now.”
“Um, about Fafnir. I don’t know where he is. He disappeared when you and Keara walked back here.”
Thoren cursed. “I can’t carry all of you and she needs help now.”
“You go. We’ll come later. It’ll take us awhile, but we’ll get there. Still have our feet.”
Thoren wrapped the blanket around Keara, covering her, before he lifted her. The trees bunched too close together for him to turn into a dragon so he strode to where Lily and Jamie slept in the clearing by the fire. He placed Keara down, took a couple of steps away from her and turned. Scales rippled as skin disappeared, muscles elongating, bones snapping in a fury of change until his dragon overwhelmed the small clearing.
Keara took shallow breaths, her face reflecting the glow of the flickering flames of fire. What if she died before he made it to the Temple?
Positive thoughts, Thoren, positive thoughts.
He would make it to the Temple and she would be all right. Everything would be all right.
If only he believed it.
See you soon, friend.
“May your journey be quick.” Enar raised a hand.
As carefully as possible, Thoren gathered Keara into his talons, grasping her and the blanket. Two hops later and the wind caught his outstretched wings, lifting him into the air. With powerful strokes, he headed toward the Temple.
Hopefully he wasn’t too late.
Chapter 12
Thoren landed with a thud in the courtyard of the Temple, scattering grass, white-robed acolytes and priestesses. He placed Keara on the ground, the late morning sun catching highlights in her hair. Breathing heavily, Thoren willed his body back into its human form. Red scales transformed into skin, bones popping and shortening, leaving him as naked as the day he hatched. With a snap of his fingers, clothes appeared on his body and he lifted Keara into his arms. Startled voices from the acolytes and priestesses gasped around him as he marched to the gilded doors of the Temple, clutching Keara against his chest.
Aryana, his aunt and High Priestess, came barreling out the doors, trailed by an equally tall woman, Annaliese, her second in command and star healer. Perhaps they saw him coming. More likely, they heard the shouts in the Courtyard as he landed.
“Greetings, Ari.” He tried to smile at his aunt, but it came out as more of a grimace.
“What happened, Thoren?” Aryana asked, touching Keara’s face. “Who is she?”
He didn’t bother speaking for it took too long. Instead, he opened his mind and showed them how he found Keara and the rituals they underwent, leaving out the likelihood of her being his mate and their two joinings. Not that they didn’t know how rituals ended, but they didn’t need to be voyeurs.
“She absorbed your magic?” Annaliese’s eyes popped wide.
“Well, don’t stand around talking. Take her to the healing rooms.” Aryana hurried into the Temple with Annaliese and Thoren close behind.
The room Ari led them to was sparsely decorated, a bed and nightstand the only furniture. Religious paintings of dragons frolicking in fields dotted the walls. Thoren laid Keara on the bed and took a step back, leaving space for the priestesses to perform their healing magics. He watched Keara’s pale face, her only movement a chest barely rising as she struggled for breath.
Aryana and Annaliese placed crystal globes around the bed, chanting words in an ancient tongue as they touched each one, causing it to glow. Magic pulsed in the air, encircling the globes, the bed, whispering against his skin. When they completed the circle, light surrounded the bed, shimmering softly.
“We have placed the healing stones around her and can only wait now. If her magic is strong she will overcome this.” Ari placed a hand on Thoren’s shoulder. “Annaliese will stay with her. She has healing powers far beyond mine. Come and we’ll talk.” She held her arm out toward the door.
Thoren looked at Keara, her red hair in stark contrast to the pristine white sheets. He grabbed the invisibility blanket, wadded it up and tucked it under his arm. Chances were good she wouldn’t need it inside the Temple.
What if she died? What would he do without her?
Go about his business as he had before she dropped into his life.
Somehow, the thought no longer pleased him.
“Thoren?” Aryana’s arm had to be tired held out like that.
“I would like to stay.”
“The crystals will work better without you in here. Besides, don’t you need to give a report to the Council?”
Taking one last look at Keara, he followed Ari out the door. His sitting by Keara’s side would not help her recover. And he could always come back.
“I don’t need to give a report until Enar arrives. We’re supposed to report together.”
“Oh. In that case, would you care for a room? No offense, but you look exhausted.”
Really? Flying all night with his mate in his claws had a tendency to do that to a dragon. “I might be a bit tired. I flew all night to get Keara here.”
“I know. You showed me.”
“Oh, right. Maybe I’m more tired than I thought.”
Aryana opened a door a couple of doors down from the room Keara was in. “Why don’t you stay here? There’s fresh water in this room and we’ll bring you food later.”
“Thank you.” He gave her a hug.
“It’s good to see you again, nephew. We’ll talk later.” She patted his face and walked out of the room.
Thoren flopped on the bed, sinking into the mattress, and stared at the ceiling mural. Green fields, wild flowers and streams he could almost hear tumbling over the rocks danced above his head.
Keara would be all right. She had to be. Annaliese was the best healer of all the priestesses. Which figured since she was Alviss’s daughter and not only was he the eldest Draconi, he was also the most powerful. And Annaliese’s mother had been a well-known healer when she lived, so healing magic ran in her family.
Keara would be fine. Annaliese would see to it, Ari would help and all would be well. It would happen. Wouldn’t it?
Worrying about it got him nowhere and the longer he lay on the soft mattress, the heavier his lids became until he drifted into an uneasy sleep.
****
A thick, red fog surrounded Keara, punctuated by seven dim lights set in a circle. How did the lights get in the middle of the fog? The fog felt like it had buffeted her body forever, but the lights were new. If only they helped her see the ground, so she could lie down and sleep. But the ground had disappeared under a mantle of red and who knew what crawled around down there.
If only she could figure out a way to make the fog disappear. At the time, absorbing Thoren’s aura seemed like the best way to help him, but now that it surrounded her, pressing against her body and threatening to suffocate her, she wondered what possessed her to do so. She should have thrown it away instead of asking it to go on some sort of adventure with her.
Too late now.
Without a doubt, th
e fog would suffocate her. Already the simple act of breathing had become almost impossible, like weights pressed against her chest. Maybe breathing would be easier if she opened her mouth.
Or not.
As soon as her mouth opened, the red fog poured down her throat, and she instinctively swallowed. Heat darted through her veins, fueling her with power. The pressure against her chest slackened enough for her to draw a breath. Was it her imagination or had the fog lessened? Yes, it most certainly had. The lights glowed brighter. Could making the fog disappear be that easy?
Wouldn’t hurt to try.
She opened her mouth, allowing the fog to stream in, swallowing it down, feeling the pressure on her body lessen with each gulp. When the fog hit her stomach it dispersed, awakening fires in her veins as it ran, leaving her hungry for more.
Mouth open, she swallowed down the fog, gulp after gulp, until she stood in a clearing surrounded by seven lights. Keara stared at her arms in shock. Her glowing red arms. She held one in front of her face, poking it with her finger.
Red. Poke. Still red.
Interesting.
Power beat under her skin, more power than the magic ball of snake-like energy she held curled in her chest. Thoren’s power. And it wanted free.
Pointing a finger at one of the lights, she commanded it to shatter.
The light exploded, raining shards of glass upon her hair and skin. Keara covered her head with her arms. Maybe breaking the light hadn’t been the smartest thing to do.
Keara!
The voice screamed across the clearing. Keara raised her head, looking around. Nothing. Maybe she imagined it. But the voice screamed her name again. Perhaps the Goddess talked to her. She tilted her head back, looking toward the sky.
“I’m here, Most Holy One, what do you want of me?”
A chuckle sounded. Oops, maybe she had insulted the Goddess by her address. Well, what did She expect? She had never deigned to talk to Keara before.
Keara, walk toward the closest light. Are you there? Good, now touch it. Allow the light to surround you. Listen to my voice and let the light surround you.
Whew, she hadn’t insulted the Goddess after all. Keara placed her hand on the ball of light. Peace washed over her as the yellow glow surrounded her, drawing her into the globe. But being thrust through a narrow opening into a light brighter than the sun did not bode well for remaining pain free.
Her scream echoed in her ears as her body jerked against the bed.
A bed? Why was she on a bed instead of in the woods with Thoren? Shudders ran through her limbs, cramping the muscles and she forgot the question.
“Keara, open your eyes.”
The voice of the Goddess again! The light must be a transport to the Afterlife. Why then did she feel so much pain? Wasn’t the Afterlife pain-free? Maybe it wasn’t the Goddess. Maybe it was some other woman who had found her. Found them.
Where was Thoren?
Nothing to do but obey the voice.
Her lids felt like coins lay upon them, heavy and weighted. With effort, she pried them half-open, took a quick peek and let them fall shut. Much less effort that way.
“Keara?” Hands patted hers.
Wonder if her arms were still red. Open eyes, open.
This time her lids didn’t feel as heavy and she managed to open them. Two dark-haired women sat on either side of her, holding her hands. Relief flashed through their eyes as their lips curled into a set of matching smiles.
“There you go, girl. Nice to see you,” the one with long straight hair said.
“Hello, Keara.” This voice belonged to the curly-haired woman, the one that looked older, if only by the age shining through her eyes. Something about her looked familiar, but Keara couldn’t figure it out. Her eyes maybe? Keara gave a mental shrug. Other things were more important than why the woman looked familiar.
“Where am I?”
“You’re in the Temple of the Goddess in the land of Draconia. As the High Priestess of the Temple, I bid you welcome,” Straight Hair said.
“Um. Thank you.” Where was Thoren?
“Thoren’s down the hall.”
“Did I say that?”
“You mind-spoke.” Curly Hair.
“I can do that?”
Both women chuckled. Nice to know she made the priestesses happy. What a change from the priests back home.
“Of course, you are Draconi. I see I will have to educate you in the ways of our race.” Straight Hair.
“Your Highness?” Keara turned toward Straight Hair. She couldn’t keep calling them Straight and Curly forever.
“You may call me Aryana. Everyone else does.”
“And I’m Annaliese, the Temple Healer.”
Did they hear her thoughts again?
Yes, chorused through her brain.
She really needed to work on this mind-speaking thing.
“That’s what we’re here for. To help you. Just not now, since you need your rest.”
“Thoren mentioned that you were an apothecary, so I thought you might like to go on rounds with me as I attend to the sick. Once you’re well, that is.” Annaliese’s eyes sparkled.
“I’m allowed to do that? What does Thoren think of that?”
“Why should he care?” Aryana asked.
“He’s my husband. He dictates where I go.”
Both women blinked, looked at each other, looked back to Keara.
“Pardon?” Aryana tilted her head as she stared at Keara.
Were things so different here? Apparently. “According to my customs we’re married—”
“Does Thoren know this?”
“I told him that’s what it meant, but he said he wasn’t.”
Aryana patted her hand, little strokes meant to soothe. “Keara, love, Thoren cannot be your husband. Even if it was by your laws, it is not by our customs. We have exact rituals for mating and a Draconi has only one mate. He could not have married you because he knows he needs to find his mate.
“Now, now, don’t fret.” The hand patting quickened. “You are welcome here for as long as you want to stay. You may look for a mate too, if you so desire, but you must remove from your mind that Thoren is your husband.”
Keara blinked, hoping to catch the tears before they fell. If she didn’t have Thoren as her husband, what would happen to her? Did these people really want her or would they hate her because of her red hair? What if she didn’t fit in? Where would she go?
A cup pressed against her lips, the smell of lemon balm and valerian filling her nose. “Drink. Be calm.” Annaliese demanded it and Keara had no choice but to comply.
The tea tasted bitter despite the lemon balm, its heat spreading outward, relaxing her. Annaliese placed a hand on her forehead and all went dark.
When Keara woke, she blinked against the brightness of the room. Light streamed from a window, splashing across Aryana as she slept in a chair next to where Keara lay. Shame to wake her, but Keara really needed to find the relief room. She threw the covers off and tried to roll out of the bed. Next thing she knew Aryana stood in front of her, impeding her progress.
“Not so fast, Keara. You shouldn’t be up and around.”
“I need the relief room.”
“Oh. In that case, it’s right in here.” Aryana opened a door, then returned to the bed and helped Keara stand.
Good thing too, as her knees wobbled enough for her to collapse against the High Priestess. Holding on to the doorjamb, Keara waved at Aryana.
“I can get it from here.” She slipped into the relief room and shut the door.
Aryana stood by the door when Keara opened it and wrapped an arm around her waist, helping her to the bed. How long had she been lying there to have problems walking?
“Three days.”
“Three days? Truthfully?” Keara sunk into the mattress, leaning back against the headboard.
Ari sat next to her. “Yes. Three days before you woke and then Annaliese spelled you into rest yes
terday evening. We’ve taken turns watching you.”
“And Thoren?” Keara’s voice hitched.
“He has been around, checking on you. He’s out right now, but I will let him come to see you if you’d like.”
“I’d like.”
“Remember what I told you yesterday?”
Did she ever. Thoren wasn’t her husband. Thoren had to find his own mate. Thoren neglected to tell her a good many things. Very well. If he didn’t want her for a wife, then she would stay at the Temple.
Annaliese told her she could learn the Draconi way of healing and that sounded like a good start. Already these people liked her better than the folks had in her hometown and if she remained on the Temple grounds then she wouldn’t have to deal with anyone who might find her offensive.
But she really wanted Thoren by her side.
If wishes were gold, she’d be rich.
“I remember. I would like to take Annaliese up on her offer, if that does not offend?”
“Why would it offend?”
As if she was going to offer the why. If the priestesses weren’t offended by her, then she was not going to give them ample fodder. They actually seemed to want her and wasn’t that a complete change? She could get used to people smiling at her instead of warding off evil behind her back.
Keara shrugged. “Just checking.”
“It would be fine for you to work with Annaliese.”
What a change.
She could barely believe her luck. People liked her. People who were like her, who didn’t mind smoking ears and energy bursts strong enough to topple trees.
Uh-oh. Just thinking of the magic Thoren unlocked caused her limbs to shake and not in a good way. With an ear-piercing boom, the nightstand exploded, raining wooden splinters over the room. Keara clutched her head and ducked.
Well, they had liked her and wanted her to stay. After the exploding nightstand, she doubted they were still of that mindset.
Keara peeked out from under her arms. Dust motes streamed through the air, catching on the sunlight. She coughed.
“My, that was a good one. Most don’t manage to blow up a nightstand. I’m impressed.” Aryana waved her hand and wood particles throughout the room coalesced into a nightstand. Keara’s hand slapped over her mouth, her eyes darted from the reassembled nightstand to Aryana.
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