Allegra's Dream (Avador Book 4, a Books We Love Fantasy Romance) by Shirley Martin Page B
Authors: Shirley Martin
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fate. Grenalda could have devoured them both, leaving no trace of either of them.
Soon, they reached the bottom of the hill and saw Kalevi sitting by the lake. Waving to him, they circled the blue expanse of water and soon made it to the opposite side.
The old man stood and greeted them. “So you’ll be leaving soon?”
Rowan blinked. “How do you know that?”
He smiled. “I surmised that much. From here, I could see both of you with the dragon, standing outside the cave. And may I say I’m so very glad the beast didn’t harm you. I saw the dragon fly off, as if on a mission. So I’m right, am I not? You’re returning to your own world?”
Rowan nodded. “As soon as the dragon comes back,” he said, explaining about the need to determine if it was day or night.
“But how do you know if the danger is past?”
“We don’t know, but we can’t stay here forever.”
“We will face whatever comes our way,” Allegra added. “As much as we love it here–and we have been happy, believe me–we have a life to live, duties to perform.”
Kalevi bestowed a benign smile on both of them. “Very well, then, my children. May happiness be yours for the rest of your lives.” He disappeared, just as when they had first met him.
Rowan and Allegra exchanged smiling glances. “Nothing surprises me anymore,” she said. “I’ve seen and done enough here to last me for the rest of my life.”
He squeezed her hand. “Me, too.” And I want you with me for the rest of my life.
Hand in hand, they waited by the lake, its smooth surface glassy and sparkling. Colorful birds flew overhead, diving and soaring, warbling beautiful music.
* * *
“There she is!” Minutes or hours later–she wasn’t sure which–Allegra was the first to see Grenalda’s return. First appearing as a dot far, far away, she became bigger and bigger until it looked as if she dominated the entire sky. She landed on the opposite side of the lake, the ground shaking beneath her massive body, her wings settling on the grass.
Her hand clasped in his, Allegra and Rowan rushed to the other side of the lake. She caught the sweet scent of flowers that flourished along the water’s edge, but all she could think about was having to ride this gigantic creature high in the sky, and for how long, she had no idea.
“You’re in luck,” Grenalda called as they neared her. “It’s nighttime in your world. So shall we go?”
“Uh, don’t you want to rest for a while?” Allegra asked, playing for time. How she dreaded mounting the dragon. What if she fell off?
Grenalda smiled, her sharp teeth gleaming. “No, I’m fine, plenty of energy left. Best that you leave soon, else it might be daylight when we arrive in your world.”
Allegra and Rowan exchanged anxious glances, prompting her to suspect that he harbored doubts, too, but wouldn’t admit it.
“Come, come now,” Grenalda said. “Don’t worry about riding me. You see I’ve landed next to a tree, very close. You can climb the tree and then step onto my back.”
“Very well.” Allegra hadn’t climbed a tree since childhood, but with Rowan’s help pushing from behind, she stepped up onto the lowest branch, then climbed from one branch to another. She caught her breath with every movement, too well aware the slightest misstep could send her plummeting to the ground. This will involve split second timing and the utmost dexterity, she thought. High up in the tree, she hitched up her skirt, then stretched her leg across and mounted Grenalda’s back, the dragon’s scaly skin rubbing against her legs.
“I’ll sit behind you,” Rowan said, following her onto the dragon’s back. “That way, I can keep an eye on you, catch you if you start to fall off.”
She jerked her head back. “You trying to scare me?”
Settled behind her, he patted her upper arms. “Just looking out for you.”
“Well, I don’t need any looking after.” She spoke with false bravado. Her
Soon, they reached the bottom of the hill and saw Kalevi sitting by the lake. Waving to him, they circled the blue expanse of water and soon made it to the opposite side.
The old man stood and greeted them. “So you’ll be leaving soon?”
Rowan blinked. “How do you know that?”
He smiled. “I surmised that much. From here, I could see both of you with the dragon, standing outside the cave. And may I say I’m so very glad the beast didn’t harm you. I saw the dragon fly off, as if on a mission. So I’m right, am I not? You’re returning to your own world?”
Rowan nodded. “As soon as the dragon comes back,” he said, explaining about the need to determine if it was day or night.
“But how do you know if the danger is past?”
“We don’t know, but we can’t stay here forever.”
“We will face whatever comes our way,” Allegra added. “As much as we love it here–and we have been happy, believe me–we have a life to live, duties to perform.”
Kalevi bestowed a benign smile on both of them. “Very well, then, my children. May happiness be yours for the rest of your lives.” He disappeared, just as when they had first met him.
Rowan and Allegra exchanged smiling glances. “Nothing surprises me anymore,” she said. “I’ve seen and done enough here to last me for the rest of my life.”
He squeezed her hand. “Me, too.” And I want you with me for the rest of my life.
Hand in hand, they waited by the lake, its smooth surface glassy and sparkling. Colorful birds flew overhead, diving and soaring, warbling beautiful music.
* * *
“There she is!” Minutes or hours later–she wasn’t sure which–Allegra was the first to see Grenalda’s return. First appearing as a dot far, far away, she became bigger and bigger until it looked as if she dominated the entire sky. She landed on the opposite side of the lake, the ground shaking beneath her massive body, her wings settling on the grass.
Her hand clasped in his, Allegra and Rowan rushed to the other side of the lake. She caught the sweet scent of flowers that flourished along the water’s edge, but all she could think about was having to ride this gigantic creature high in the sky, and for how long, she had no idea.
“You’re in luck,” Grenalda called as they neared her. “It’s nighttime in your world. So shall we go?”
“Uh, don’t you want to rest for a while?” Allegra asked, playing for time. How she dreaded mounting the dragon. What if she fell off?
Grenalda smiled, her sharp teeth gleaming. “No, I’m fine, plenty of energy left. Best that you leave soon, else it might be daylight when we arrive in your world.”
Allegra and Rowan exchanged anxious glances, prompting her to suspect that he harbored doubts, too, but wouldn’t admit it.
“Come, come now,” Grenalda said. “Don’t worry about riding me. You see I’ve landed next to a tree, very close. You can climb the tree and then step onto my back.”
“Very well.” Allegra hadn’t climbed a tree since childhood, but with Rowan’s help pushing from behind, she stepped up onto the lowest branch, then climbed from one branch to another. She caught her breath with every movement, too well aware the slightest misstep could send her plummeting to the ground. This will involve split second timing and the utmost dexterity, she thought. High up in the tree, she hitched up her skirt, then stretched her leg across and mounted Grenalda’s back, the dragon’s scaly skin rubbing against her legs.
“I’ll sit behind you,” Rowan said, following her onto the dragon’s back. “That way, I can keep an eye on you, catch you if you start to fall off.”
She jerked her head back. “You trying to scare me?”
Settled behind her, he patted her upper arms. “Just looking out for you.”
“Well, I don’t need any looking after.” She spoke with false bravado. Her
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