dragon archives 04 - dance with a dragon by linda k hopkins Page A
Authors: linda k hopkins
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always to be desired.”
“I know! But what must I do when he approaches me?”
“Just be on your guard,” Cathryn said. “That’s all I’m saying.”
Anna nodded. “I will,” she said.
She looked up to see Kathleen coming towards her. “I think I have been introduced to everyone in this crowd,” Kathleen said, “so perhaps we can have a few minutes of conversation.” She glanced over to where Rupert was standing. “I saw the prince talking to you,” she said. She leaned a little closer. “He hardly ever talks to people he doesn’t know. What were you saying?”
Anna caught Cathryn’s gaze before replying. “I told him that purple doesn’t become him,” she said.
Kathleen’s eyes widened. “No,” she whispered. “You wouldn’t have dared.”
“I did,” Anna said, amused. “And he vowed to burn his garments and return to his usual style.” She glanced at Cathryn again, and saw a slight tug at the corners of her mouth. Their eyes met, and Cathryn grinned, shaking her head.
“How could you speak to the prince like that?” Kathleen’s tone was awed.
Anna shrugged. “He may be a prince, but I suspect a dragon would find him as tasty a morsel as any other mortal.” Beside her, Cathryn coughed, but Anna could not hide a shameless grin. “Now let us forget the prince. Tell me, did you finish the story you were reading the night of the banquet?”
Chapter 14
With Cathryn’s business in Civitas completed, Favian was back the next day to fly them home again. The days quickly passed from late summer into early fall. Anna received a letter from Keira, letting them know that they had arrived safely back at Storbrook.
‘Everything is just the same,’ she wrote. ‘Garrick received the news that you were remaining at Drake Manor stoically, but he went out hunting the next day, and we didn’t see him for a week. The children are well. Missing you terribly, of course, and running Peggy off her toes. Aaron has started looking for a tutor for them – a dragon, not a human. Write soon. We long for news of you.’
Bronwyn and Will continued with their morning lessons, but instead of doing needlework with her grandmother, Bronwyn now spent the afternoons with her father, working on controlling her transformations and strengthening her wings. Anna spent most afternoons with Cathryn or Margaret, but when Cathryn pulled out her needlework, Anna excused herself. She had never had the patience to master the small, intricate stitches. Instead, she wandered around the gardens, collecting herbs and blossoms that Margaret used in her different brews and elixirs. She was out one afternoon, collecting green sage and thyme, when Bronwyn caught up with her.
“How are the lessons going?” Anna asked. Bronwyn smiled shyly.
“Fine,” she said. She met Anna’s gaze. “I can control my transformations now. Do you want to see?”
“Well…” Anna said, but Bronwyn was already tugging the laces of her kirtle free. “Should I turn around?” Anna asked.
“If you want,” Bronwyn said, with a mischievous smile. “I’ve had to transform so many times with Father and Grandfather that it doesn’t matter if you see me too. But you must cover your eyes when I change, because of the light.” She was shrugging her shoulders to loosen the chemise, and Anna quickly turned around. A bright flash filled the air, and Anna turned back, lifting her gaze to look at the dragon towering over her. She sparkled in the sunshine, her coppery-rose color catching the light. Anna stumbled backwards, then stopped when she saw the dragon looking at her intently.
“I won’t hurt you,” Bronwyn said, her voice surprisingly small for a creature so large. Anna drew in a deep breath.
“I know,” Anna said. She closed her eyes for a moment, then took a step towards her. “You are so beautiful,” she said. The dragon smiled, and lifted huge wings into the air. She was not as large as either Favian or Will, and lacked the
“I know! But what must I do when he approaches me?”
“Just be on your guard,” Cathryn said. “That’s all I’m saying.”
Anna nodded. “I will,” she said.
She looked up to see Kathleen coming towards her. “I think I have been introduced to everyone in this crowd,” Kathleen said, “so perhaps we can have a few minutes of conversation.” She glanced over to where Rupert was standing. “I saw the prince talking to you,” she said. She leaned a little closer. “He hardly ever talks to people he doesn’t know. What were you saying?”
Anna caught Cathryn’s gaze before replying. “I told him that purple doesn’t become him,” she said.
Kathleen’s eyes widened. “No,” she whispered. “You wouldn’t have dared.”
“I did,” Anna said, amused. “And he vowed to burn his garments and return to his usual style.” She glanced at Cathryn again, and saw a slight tug at the corners of her mouth. Their eyes met, and Cathryn grinned, shaking her head.
“How could you speak to the prince like that?” Kathleen’s tone was awed.
Anna shrugged. “He may be a prince, but I suspect a dragon would find him as tasty a morsel as any other mortal.” Beside her, Cathryn coughed, but Anna could not hide a shameless grin. “Now let us forget the prince. Tell me, did you finish the story you were reading the night of the banquet?”
Chapter 14
With Cathryn’s business in Civitas completed, Favian was back the next day to fly them home again. The days quickly passed from late summer into early fall. Anna received a letter from Keira, letting them know that they had arrived safely back at Storbrook.
‘Everything is just the same,’ she wrote. ‘Garrick received the news that you were remaining at Drake Manor stoically, but he went out hunting the next day, and we didn’t see him for a week. The children are well. Missing you terribly, of course, and running Peggy off her toes. Aaron has started looking for a tutor for them – a dragon, not a human. Write soon. We long for news of you.’
Bronwyn and Will continued with their morning lessons, but instead of doing needlework with her grandmother, Bronwyn now spent the afternoons with her father, working on controlling her transformations and strengthening her wings. Anna spent most afternoons with Cathryn or Margaret, but when Cathryn pulled out her needlework, Anna excused herself. She had never had the patience to master the small, intricate stitches. Instead, she wandered around the gardens, collecting herbs and blossoms that Margaret used in her different brews and elixirs. She was out one afternoon, collecting green sage and thyme, when Bronwyn caught up with her.
“How are the lessons going?” Anna asked. Bronwyn smiled shyly.
“Fine,” she said. She met Anna’s gaze. “I can control my transformations now. Do you want to see?”
“Well…” Anna said, but Bronwyn was already tugging the laces of her kirtle free. “Should I turn around?” Anna asked.
“If you want,” Bronwyn said, with a mischievous smile. “I’ve had to transform so many times with Father and Grandfather that it doesn’t matter if you see me too. But you must cover your eyes when I change, because of the light.” She was shrugging her shoulders to loosen the chemise, and Anna quickly turned around. A bright flash filled the air, and Anna turned back, lifting her gaze to look at the dragon towering over her. She sparkled in the sunshine, her coppery-rose color catching the light. Anna stumbled backwards, then stopped when she saw the dragon looking at her intently.
“I won’t hurt you,” Bronwyn said, her voice surprisingly small for a creature so large. Anna drew in a deep breath.
“I know,” Anna said. She closed her eyes for a moment, then took a step towards her. “You are so beautiful,” she said. The dragon smiled, and lifted huge wings into the air. She was not as large as either Favian or Will, and lacked the
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