“How?”
“A Draconi can reassemble objects that have already been built. A craftsman designed the nightstand. You and a hundred others can blow it to smithereens and I can still reform it. But Draconi cannot create things from nothing. Our magic is limited in that regard.”
“Can you show me how to do that?”
“Of course. It will be part of your training. You have much to learn. We usually rescue Halflings at an earlier age, which exposes them to magic sooner. But your powers are strong, so I’m sure you’ll do fine.”
Great. She went from cursed in her hometown to deficient here. Which was worse?
At least here, they didn’t mind a deficiency.
“Now, what we really wanted to know was how you managed to absorb Thoren’s energy without dying. We have vessels specially created to channel the energy from a male’s Change into the ground where it disperses harmlessly. How did you do the same?”
“I’m not sure. I was surrounded by a red fog and I found that if I swallowed it, it disappeared. Then there were these lights and I blew one up and as soon as it shattered, a voice told me to go into the light. So I did and there you two were.”
“Interesting. We set the lights up and hoped you’d find them to leave the darkness. But we didn’t think you’d live. We could only hope and pray you’d heal.”
Keara felt like she’d fallen and landed flat on her back. She’d almost died.
Maybe her grandmother was right, maybe magic was evil.
Or maybe magic was like certain herbs, too much could kill, just enough could heal.
“I’m glad I’m here.”
“So am I, Keara, so am I. Now, I have some duties to attend to, so I’m going to leave you in your room. If you feel like it, we can teach you things later today or tomorrow.”
“I’d like that, thank you.”
Ari patted Keara’s hand and stood. “I’ll be back soon.”
The door clicked behind her, leaving Keara alone with her thoughts.
Chapter 13
Thoren sat by the reflection pool behind the Temple, staring into the shallow waters and wishing Keara would wake. He’d heard no word of how she fared. As of last evening she was still in a coma.
So here he sat—waiting.
It would be more productive to go see his mother and assure her he lived. Alleviating her worry was normally his top priority. But she came as a double package deal and seeing his father right now was not on his agenda. Listening to how Thoren needed to find a mate, how he needed to get busy searching while Keara lay in a coma would just upset him. Thoren loved his father, but having to hear the older male pester him about finding a mate was enough to make a dragon breathe fire.
He’d contact his mother once Enar arrived and they made their report to the Council. As far as he knew, the Council didn’t realize he’d returned.
Birds chirped in the tree branches, calling happily to each other as he watched their reflections in the pool. Ari needed to let him see Keara instead of keeping him away from her. He was done with this sitting around waiting business.
Once on his feet he turned, running into Ari.
Too much thinking made him deaf. “How is she?”
“She woke last night—”
“You didn’t call me?”
One fine eyebrow shot upward. “She became...distressed. She’s awake now. You may see her. How did you become her husband? You failed to mention that.”
Thoren set off at a brisk pace toward the Temple, Aryana matching his strides. “I showed you. Simon wanted to make her his so I rescued her.”
“I thought she said you married her.”
“That was the custom. Take the woman to the square and pronounce her yours. Take her home. There you go.” He yanked open the door to the Temple and walked into the stone structure.
“How barbaric!”
“Uh-huh. You should’ve seen the place. Is she still in the same room?”
“Yes. And Thoren, she is going to stay with us and learn healing from Annaliese.”
Thoren stopped so fast he almost fell. “What?”
“What did you expect her to do? She has no mate. We don’t know who her family is, although if he is inclined, Alviss can discover it. But she needs something to do until then and she has powerful magic. Why shouldn’t she serve us here?”
Because she’s my mate and she belongs with me!
But if she didn’t want him, then he couldn’t have her. At least not now. He needed to persuade her that she belonged to him, that she was his.
And then he needed to find something else to do besides his job, his life.
Maybe Keara staying at the Temple would work out for the best. He could work until he grew tired of it and she would be protected. An ache pounded in his chest.
Ari stared at him like she was waiting on his response. Had she asked a question? She had. He really needed to stop all this thinking as it made him deaf and absentminded.
“Thoren, are you all right?” Her green stare pierced him, seeing through to his soul.
He ran a hand through his hair. “Yes, sorry. Have something on my mind. Are you going in with me or will you leave us alone?”
Aryana’s head tilted, eyes narrowing. After several seconds, she motioned to the door. “I’ll be back later.”
Taking a deep breath, Thoren pushed open the door to Keara’s room. Empty. She wasn’t in the bed. His heart thudded to a stop and then quick-timed it. Where was she?
“Hello?” Her voice shouldn’t sound that weak.
Thoren shoved the door wide open and turned to Keara’s voice. She stood by the window, pale and fragile, her white robe clinging to curves begging for his touch. If she hadn’t been in a coma the last three days, he’d back her against the wall...
“Thoren?”
“Hey. How’re you feeling? Ari said you woke.”
“Yes, I did. I got tired of lying around in bed so I thought I’d take a tour of the room.”
Her legs wobbled. Two strides and he wrapped an arm around her waist. “Why don’t I help you back to the bed?”
“Thanks.”
She sagged against him, obviously relying on his strength to walk her five steps to the bed. He wished the distance was greater so he could feel her curves against him for longer. Wished she relied on him for more than just help to the bed.
He was a lovesick fool.
She swung her legs over the edge of the bed and Thoren tucked them under the covers. Was that a chill that shook her limbs? He pulled the sheet to her waist. Maybe he should try to put it around her shoulders.
“I’m fine, Thoren.” She pushed the sheet down to her waist.
“All right.” If she insisted, but he’d feel better with her covered and warm.
Keara scooted her legs over and gestured for him to sit. He sat.
“Thank you for bringing me to Draconia.”
Leaving you in Cautasia was not an option. “You needed the priestesses. I’m glad you’re better.”
She smiled and took his hand. Amazing how such a small touch affected the beat of his heart. Such delicate fingers graced his own. Delicate fingers whose touch burned lines of pleasure wherever they stroked. He remembered their feel on his skin.
And he wanted her again.
A wanting that wasn’t going to be fulfilled right now.
Keara glanced out the window. “It’s so different here.” Her gaze returned to his. “I’m not sure if they’ll accept me.”
“Ari said you have powerful magic and you will be a great asset to them.”
“She did? I mean, they asked me to work with Annaliese to learn healing, but I wasn’t sure if they were just being nice. Things are different here.”
“Different isn’t always bad.” Unless it referred to where she was from. No wonder she worried about acceptance among the Draconi. But she shouldn’t have worried. All magical beings, no matter how little magic they possessed, were accepted.
“I guess. W
hat will they expect of me?”
“Just what they said. Aryana is straightforward. If she didn’t want you to stay, she wouldn’t have asked.”
Keara nodded, looking at their hands, her lips pressed together. She took a deep breath, shoulders rising and falling. “Will it bother you if I stay at the Temple?”
As opposed to with him where he could watch her, protect her, mate with her? Yes. But what could he do about it? He needed his work for his own peace of mind. There was plenty of time to mate. “No. Should it?”
Her eyes widened. Another big breath. “I thought...no, it shouldn’t matter.” A smile again, this one not heading to her eyes.
What was wrong? Did she want him to say it bothered him? Was there a chance she actually wanted him or did she feel obligated since she thought he’d married her? What had Ari said? He should have paid more attention to his aunt instead of losing himself in thought.
“So,” Keara started, dropping her gaze to the bed. He waited. Two breaths later, the rest of the sentence came tumbling out like a steep waterfall. “Our marriage is over?”
He cursed. “Keara.” Thoren placed his other hand on top of hers. “We were never married according to my customs. I saved you from Simon. I brought you to your proper home. That is all.” Oh, and by the way, you’re my mate, but I can’t join with you now since I’d have no work if I did. She was nervous enough without that happy bit of news.
Her shoulders drew up and dropped. “All right.” Another fake smile. “They have plenty of new things for me to learn. Are you sure they won’t mind my coloring?”
“They won’t.”
She nodded. Looked to the window and back at him. He loved her eyes, how the lashes faded from black to red, how her green gaze locked on his, drawing him under her spell.
“Will you come to visit me?”
He smiled. “I’d love to. Once Enar returns, we will need to speak to the Council about you and Jamie. You’ll probably need to make an appearance.”
Keara sat straight, her grip on his hand tightening. “What do they want?”
“They will want to meet you.”
“Who are they?”
“The Council is composed of thirteen males that ensure the welfare of the race. I and many others work for them, traveling to different lands and making sure that no one is trying to attack us.”
“People would attack dragons?” Her mouth gaped.
“You’d be surprised. Anyway, the Council wants a report of what Enar and I found since we were supposed to find a Halfling boy—Jamie—but in addition we found you. So of course they’ll want to meet you.”
Her face turned the color of her robe. “Of course.”
“Don’t worry. They mean you no harm.” At least he knew the Draconi meant her no harm. He still wasn’t convinced about the Watchers. Enar was the only Watcher Thoren trusted; the rest hid eyes of hatred behind blank faces. “You need your rest now.”
“I think I’m all right. I would like to take a tour of the place.”
“You look tired.”
Her eyes flashed. “Thanks. But with you here to support me, I can walk around and see what my new life is going to be like.”
“You should lie down.”
“I’ve been lying down. For three days. I. Am. Tired. Of lying down!” She threw the covers back. “Now, are you going to help me, or not?”
Thoren looked into her sparkling green eyes and smiled. His female possessed a temper. Not that he needed to be thinking of her as his, not yet.
Too late. His body leaned halfway toward her before he realized what it was doing. Her wide eyes stopped him. Halfway to kissing her, to touching her, to proving to her she belonged to him, he reigned in his desire. Hadn’t he finished telling her he only rescued her, that he wasn’t her husband?
His body needed to get in step with his mind’s decree.
He pulled back and stood, holding his hand out for her. “As you wish.” Her smile about did him in. Keara placed her hand in his and let him pull her up. He wrapped an arm around her waist, hugging her curves against him. She wanted him to walk her around.
He was the male.
“If you get tired we’ll come back.”
“As you wish. Lead on, my dragon.”
****
Keara leaned against the headboard of the bed and watched the door. Any minute now, Thoren would walk through it and maybe today they’d make it outside. Yesterday they walked to the infirmary where Annaliese used her healing skills on some poor child that had sliced open his arm.
Annaliese was talented, no doubt of that, but Keara saw no evidence the priestess possessed the same unusual skill Keara did. No evidence at all. If the primary healer had to resort to herbs and spells instead of passing her hand over the cut to heal it, then Keara needed to keep her mouth shut regarding her own ability.
Passing her hand over a cut and healing it without a scar was the least of it. Her hidden ability would scare the Draconi and then where would she be? On her own, banished from her people.
They were her people. Despite her unease over their promises that they really meant her to stay—she had yet to see another Halfling—they treated her better than anyone else had over the years.
Anyone else but Thoren.
And he no longer wanted her. The one person she convinced herself she could count on in this new life and he agreed with the priestesses that she would enjoy Temple life. Good thing she wanted to learn new healing skills. Otherwise, she might cry.
A tear rolled down her cheek, dropping onto the sheet. Oh, no. She would not cry. He didn’t want her. Another tear rolled.
“Keara?” Thoren knocked on the door.
She cursed. Of all the luck.
He stuck his head in the door. “Are you all right?”
Oh, great. Now he saw her tears. How embarrassing. She swiped under her eyes.
“I’m fine. I just got something in my eyes and they’re watering.”
“Want me to look in them?”
Yes, but not in the way you mean. “No, that’s all right. Are you ready to walk outside?”
“Sure, but I want Annaliese to clear the walk first.”
So protective. Anyone else and the whole I-know-best thing would be annoying. On Thoren, it was endearing. Yet another thing she’d miss when he left her. She started blinking.
“Maybe Annaliese can look at your eyes too.”
Not if she could help it. “All right. You ready?”
Thoren wrapped his arm around her waist, supporting her as she stood. Not that she needed supporting. After he left last night, she walked all over the room and up and down the hall, but she liked the feel of his arm around her. Her grandmother didn’t raise a fool.
Leaning against him made her blood hum, made her almost beg to have him stay with her.
So far, she wasn’t that desperate.
Maybe tomorrow.
For now, she’d take what she could and deal with the wanting on the morrow.
“I’m glad you’re feeling better. Hopefully today won’t bother you too much.”
“I’ll be fine. I really don’t need to see Annaliese.”
“I’d feel better if you did.”
Wasn’t that sweet? It felt good to have a man care about her. If only he thought enough of her to want her for his wife.
Did they even have the term “wife” in Draconia? Come to think of it, Aryana used the word “mate” to refer to the woman Thoren would marry. And did the priestess even use the term “marry”? No, she hadn’t. The Draconi even called the sexes male and female instead of man and woman. Guess that figured since they were part dragon.
“Zeke?”
Startled from her thoughts, Keara focused on the man—or she should say male—sitting in the hall outside the infirmary. His head pressed against crossed arms resting on knees pulled to his chest. Shoulder length black hair fell over his arms, his shoulders hunching forward. At the sound of Thoren’s voice, he raised his head, h
is face pale. Keara’s breath caught. The hair length differed, but other than that, Zeke looked like Thoren’s twin.
“Zeke, what’s wrong?” Thoren tightened his grip around Keara as he hurried to the other male’s side.
Dropping his arm, Thoren knelt and Keara squatted beside him. Grief slammed through her like a palpable wave and she doubled over, surprised Thoren didn’t seem bothered by the emotion. Could he not feel the smothering blanket of sadness?
“She’s dead, Thoren. I got there too late. I didn’t know about the sickness! And now he’s not expected to...to...” Zeke buried his face in his hands, shoulders shaking.
Her hand trembling, Keara reached out and touched Zeke’s forearm at the same time Thoren touched his shoulder. Her vision narrowed, swirling around, then popped into focus as in her mind’s eye she flew through fluffy, white clouds.
A village stood ahead, buildings pointing to the sky. She landed, but no one came to greet her. Where were they? In rapid succession the visions flickered, a woman—dead, a village with no movement but the wind, a boy—a red-haired Halfling—barely alive. Grief battered her as a high-pitched wail shook the silence. Her voice, and yet nothing like her voice. Deeper. Like a dragon.
With a snap, the visions vanished and Keara rocked backward, losing touch of Zeke’s arm, falling on her butt. Her breath came in ragged puffs and she felt dampness on her cheeks.
The emotions evoked from Zeke’s memories clamored through her system, grief fluttering her heart. How had she seen his private thoughts?
Two sets of green eyes stared at her, one with grief, the other with concern.
“Forgive her. I just found her and she doesn’t know what she’s capable of.” Thoren patted Zeke’s shoulder.
“What was that?” Did she really see Zeke’s memories? How was that possible?
Zeke grunted and leaned his head against the wall. “Doesn’t matter what she saw.”
“Who is in the infirmary, brother?”
Zeke squeezed his eyes closed, his voice a gravely whisper. “My son.”
Thoren blinked. “Your son?”
Zeke shot Thoren a glare that turned Keara’s bones to ice and she wasn’t even in its path. “Did you never wonder why I Changed and took no mate?”
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