Love of the Dragon (Her Dragon's Bane 4) by Harmony Raines Page B

he?”
    “That witch of yours has been meddling with things she should not.”
    “Tara. I supposed I guessed as much.”
    “Let us go out into the sunlight and I will look at him properly.”
    He led her out into the late afternoon sun. She certainly had slept a long time. The sea was lapping at the beach, and, as they settled down, they could be any other people on vacation. Except she was the mate of a dragon and he had the head of a bull.
    There was a place for them to sit in the sun but sheltered by the cliffs. He obviously took no chances. No one could overlook them. He brought her food and wine. Her second taste of alcohol in so many days. Only he didn’t tell her not to drink too much. He treated her as an adult. As an equal.
    “He looks like the blue dragon.” Fin pointed at Azure.
    “Yes. He is the spitting image of Zoah. Which is why I agree he is made by witchcraft.” She watched the little dragon fly further away, the sun catching his scales. He circled around, the circumference growing bigger and bigger as he grew braver. Soon he was going out to the shallows of the sea. Splashing in the waves before flying back as fast as he could. He was like a child, interacting with the new world. “But what’s he for?”
    “You don't know?” Fin asked.
    “No. First of all, I thought they had turned Zoah into this little dragon. Maybe because he didn’t swear allegiance to Dòmhnall.”
    Fin roared with laughter. “You really don’t trust those dragons, do you?”
    “I trust Connor. But the rest of them, and Tara, not so much. But then, Tara is the one who told me to leave.”
    “And you followed her advice? I thought you were smart.” Her expression made him smile, a strange sight on a bullhead. “I have no love of witches. You should always be wary of them.”
    She defended Tara. “But she said it was so that things worked out right. I can’t help but trust her. She is the one who helped us all before.”
    “For her own gain, if I remember correctly.”
    “Yes. But still, she said it was the only way things would turn out right for Connor and Serena.”
    “Again, I will ask. And you believed her?”
    “You think she told me to leave for her own purpose?” asked Charlotte.
    “Possibly. What does she want?”
    Charlotte had to think for a moment. “I don’t know. Dòmhnall to take notice of her. Power. Nothing that me leaving would help.”
    “Does she know you took your little friend?” He pointed to Azure, who was still whizzing around. The sun was beginning to set, and he was having fun shooting small bursts of fire out of his mouth.
    “She must. She said she had seen everything. She even bought my plane ticket.”
    “I bet she did.” He mimicked her voice; again, he conjured up a strange, almost grotesque image. The head of a bull mimicking a woman’s voice saying, “Where do you want to go? Right. Take this ticket and run away so I can rescue you.”
    Charlotte didn't find his words funny. “She’d already bought the ticket. She knew before I had decided to come here.”
    “Impressive. Or a trick. Are you sure she didn’t plant the idea in your head?”
    “No. I’m certain. I’ve been over and over it. It was my decision.”
    “What did Serena say?” He looked at her sharply. “She doesn’t know where you are?”
    “No. Without knowing what Azure is, and why he was made, I thought it better to keep her out of it. I left a note and a message on her phone. She knows I’m safe.”
    “Charlotte, you are very young. And I am very inexperienced in the ways of humans. But of all the people I have met, Serena is the one I would trust above all. It is why I spared her when she entered my lair. I also know how much she loves you. You must tell her where you are.”
    “You think I made a mistake coming here?”
    “Yes. You need to find out from Tara what is going on. You're acting like a child.”
    Charlotte’s face grew hot. “You’re right. I hope I haven’t upset her too