child appeared to you.
You said no. I am asking again. Did he? If so, you must tell
me what he told you.”
She met his gaze for a moment before she nodded. “This
place is like a fairy tale only it’s not. It’s real, isn’t it?”
He nodded. His expression was unreadable. “I do not
know what a fairy tale is, but this is very real. It is no jest.”
She looked away from him to the dancing flames in the
hearth. Within the fire, she envisioned his reaction to her
telling him the truth. He wouldn’t believe her. He’d probably
say she was crazy and he’d be half right. She was lost on this
new world, not even sure it was reality. If he left her, she’d be
an outcast on this planet where everything was so different
from what she considered normal. He was the only person
she felt safe with in this place. On the other hand, she feared
not telling him. He could help her. If he chose to believe in
her abilities, in what she’d seen, he could help her
understand what was happening to her. There wasn’t a
choice, she had to trust him. “He said the seven dragons
opened the door for me to come here so he could be created.”
She placed a trembling hand over her stomach prior to
meeting his steady stare again. “He said you were
expendable, but he hoped that wouldn’t happen.”
A flicker of pain crossed his face before he asked, “Did he
say why the dragons did this?”
“For him to be the one King over them.”
His jaw clenched. The muscle ticked in his cheek. He
nodded in response. She counted the seconds by the twitch
until he spoke again— one, two, three, four, five, six… “I had
hoped you could stay here while I traveled to return my
wife’s body—you would be more at ease with someone from
your world, but it cannot be. I have to take you with me. It is
the single way to keep you safe.”
“Safe? From what?” She leaned forward, needing to know
what he meant. “Explain to me why anyone would want to
84
Dragon Wish
harm me or this child?”
He stepped to her, going down on one knee. He lifted her
hand, holding it tight between his. A frown creased his brow.
“There are those who would feel threatened by such an event
as one King over the dragons. They may try to harm you, and
through you, the child.
“In their guts, dragons produce valuable stones with their
magic. All of Avaris revolves around these dragonstones. To
preserve peace in the lands, the dragon clan leaders formed a
blood pact with humans. The stones are given free of any
obligation by the dragons. They are a token of their trust in
the human clans,” he explained. “Many more adult dragons
live on Avaris besides those leaders. They are exiled to the
rogue lands because their magic is not strong enough to
defeat a clan leader. This also keeps them away from the
lands occupied by humans.”
“Wait, you’re confusing me. What do the other dragons
have to do with any of this if they are exiled?”
“Each rogue is related to a clan dragon. The dragonseed
king of each clan can call the rogues to come forth to assist
their clan in battle. Right now, even the dracs are gathering,
which is a definite sign of pending war.”
She studied him, glad he paused for a minute. “Won’t the
kings be able to stop war from happening?”
“Which king?” He raised a brow at her. When he
continued, his voice hardened. “The ones our child will usurp
after he is an adult? Or do you believe an unborn babe has
the power to stop this war?”
Seren drew back. His words frightened her. “Why me? I
asked him. He didn’t answer me. He talked about you and
the dragons. Nothing else.”
“This is not just about you.”
Frustrated, she glared at him. “I know that.”
He stared hard at her. “Do you want my child?”
Seren returned his look for several seconds while she
collected her thoughts and tried to calm her nerves. “Since
85
Dragon Wish
you brought me here, I’ve felt lost.
You said no. I am asking again. Did he? If so, you must tell
me what he told you.”
She met his gaze for a moment before she nodded. “This
place is like a fairy tale only it’s not. It’s real, isn’t it?”
He nodded. His expression was unreadable. “I do not
know what a fairy tale is, but this is very real. It is no jest.”
She looked away from him to the dancing flames in the
hearth. Within the fire, she envisioned his reaction to her
telling him the truth. He wouldn’t believe her. He’d probably
say she was crazy and he’d be half right. She was lost on this
new world, not even sure it was reality. If he left her, she’d be
an outcast on this planet where everything was so different
from what she considered normal. He was the only person
she felt safe with in this place. On the other hand, she feared
not telling him. He could help her. If he chose to believe in
her abilities, in what she’d seen, he could help her
understand what was happening to her. There wasn’t a
choice, she had to trust him. “He said the seven dragons
opened the door for me to come here so he could be created.”
She placed a trembling hand over her stomach prior to
meeting his steady stare again. “He said you were
expendable, but he hoped that wouldn’t happen.”
A flicker of pain crossed his face before he asked, “Did he
say why the dragons did this?”
“For him to be the one King over them.”
His jaw clenched. The muscle ticked in his cheek. He
nodded in response. She counted the seconds by the twitch
until he spoke again— one, two, three, four, five, six… “I had
hoped you could stay here while I traveled to return my
wife’s body—you would be more at ease with someone from
your world, but it cannot be. I have to take you with me. It is
the single way to keep you safe.”
“Safe? From what?” She leaned forward, needing to know
what he meant. “Explain to me why anyone would want to
84
Dragon Wish
harm me or this child?”
He stepped to her, going down on one knee. He lifted her
hand, holding it tight between his. A frown creased his brow.
“There are those who would feel threatened by such an event
as one King over the dragons. They may try to harm you, and
through you, the child.
“In their guts, dragons produce valuable stones with their
magic. All of Avaris revolves around these dragonstones. To
preserve peace in the lands, the dragon clan leaders formed a
blood pact with humans. The stones are given free of any
obligation by the dragons. They are a token of their trust in
the human clans,” he explained. “Many more adult dragons
live on Avaris besides those leaders. They are exiled to the
rogue lands because their magic is not strong enough to
defeat a clan leader. This also keeps them away from the
lands occupied by humans.”
“Wait, you’re confusing me. What do the other dragons
have to do with any of this if they are exiled?”
“Each rogue is related to a clan dragon. The dragonseed
king of each clan can call the rogues to come forth to assist
their clan in battle. Right now, even the dracs are gathering,
which is a definite sign of pending war.”
She studied him, glad he paused for a minute. “Won’t the
kings be able to stop war from happening?”
“Which king?” He raised a brow at her. When he
continued, his voice hardened. “The ones our child will usurp
after he is an adult? Or do you believe an unborn babe has
the power to stop this war?”
Seren drew back. His words frightened her. “Why me? I
asked him. He didn’t answer me. He talked about you and
the dragons. Nothing else.”
“This is not just about you.”
Frustrated, she glared at him. “I know that.”
He stared hard at her. “Do you want my child?”
Seren returned his look for several seconds while she
collected her thoughts and tried to calm her nerves. “Since
85
Dragon Wish
you brought me here, I’ve felt lost.
Similar Books
