Dragon Wish (12 page)

above the rain and wind. “It’s not even absorbing the water.

I’ve never seen anything like this, except maybe plastic.”

“Plastic?”

She grinned at him. “That’s a man-made material. We

don’t have dragons on earth.”

Surprised, he brought his focus to her shielded face. “No

dragons? I could not begin to imagine a place without

dragons. They are so much a part of Avaris, I do not see how

we could survive without them.”

“There are myths about them on Earth, but no one has

ever seen one. There are large lizards scientists...” She

stopped when he lifted a brow in question. “Learned men

called biologists who analyze animals among other things.

They call the reptile a dragon, but it doesn’t have magic. It

can’t fly.”

Paladin stared at her while he mulled over this strange

information. Dragons which never flew. Amazing.

The ship coasted closer to the water. The waves slapped

at the hull, forcing the vessel to tilt to the left. With the

sudden movement, Seren stumbled. He caught her around

the waist, steadying her against his side. Her body pressed

against his sent a streak of need coursing through his blood.

He gritted his teeth and muttered, “We will soon dock.

Perhaps you should go below. I will come for you when we

are more secure.”

She shook her head. “No, I’m fine. I came to ask you

something.”

Unable to relax, he waited for her to continue.

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Her usual confidence fled when she spoke. “Can you...I

mean...do people with dragon blood...can they appear in

visions. I mean appear in a physical manner?”

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Paladin’s mouth dropped open. Of all the questions she

had asked, this was not one he expected. “Appear in visions?”

She looked at him, her eyes pleading for the truth.

“Yes...can they have an out of body experience, but it would

be real. Can the ones with sight touch things in their visions,

not just see them?”

Her answer surprised him so much he released her. “No.

Nor have I heard of anyone who could. Why?”

“No one? Not even pregnant women?”

A fearful thrill speared through him. The idea that his

child communicated with her pleased him, but what she

spoke of was impossible. Even on Avaris. He had never heard

of such, even with females of dragon blood. He shook his

head.

“Oh.” Her shoulders slumped. “I didn’t think so, but I had

to ask.”

“Did our son appear to you?”

She turned away. “No.”

He didn’t press her. Although he possessed no ability to

read her mind, he sensed that she lied.

Through the dense downpour, several ship hands, each

cloaked for protection, scurried around them, throwing lines.

They shouted greetings to the men on the dock.

His thoughts raced through what she had revealed. The

babe had appeared to her. He spoke to her. Why had she

lied? Was she afraid he would not believe her? He decided to

bide his time. When she was ready to tell him, she would.

“We will go straight to Largin’s home. Leo, the other off-

worlder lives near him,” he said, hoping to put her at ease.

“Who is Largin?” She stepped to the rail, her movements

careful and slow on the rain-slicked deck. He had to strain to

hear her question.

Paladin moved to her side. “A wizard of renowned

powers. Perhaps he can explain why the door opened.

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Perhaps he can even help us open a way for you to return to

your home.”

Before she responded, Calis appeared behind them. “The

plank’s going down. If ye ready to disembark, I’ll send a

couple of men to find dragoons for ye.”

She glanced at Calis, a frown on her face.

“That would be fine. Let me know when they arrive.”

Paladin motioned for his second in command to leave them.

After Calis moved away, Paladin answered the question in

her eyes. “Dragoons are older than the dracs. They have

survived to the age where they lose the ability to fly until they

mature into adult dragons. Many clans use them to travel

across the land.”

“How?”

“By riding them. How do you travel on Earth?”

“We have mechanical vehicles. Automobiles, airplanes—

years ago people traveled by horses, a large four legged

animal.” She rubbed her temple. “This is so strange. I don’t

know what to think.”

“Come, we will wait on the dock. You will see there is

nothing to worry over in this place.” He hoped to alleviate

some of her stress. Each time she learned a piece of

information uncommon to her, she seemed to have a difficult

time understanding.

He tried to think of a way to help her adjust, but had not

by the time they reached the wide wooden dock. Two

Felerian males stood holding the reins of a couple of

iridescent blue-green dragoons. High-backed saddles sat on

the sloping backs of the beasts. The adolescent dragons

lowered their heads to the ground. They emitted low,

scratchy caws.

Stopping several feet from the dragoons, Paladin stared

in amazement. Never had he witnessed any dragon, young or

old, show signs of reverence for one of another dragon clan.

These were of the sea dragon clan. No humans carried their

blood in their veins. He shot a glance at Seren. Was she the

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one they did this for or—his gaze dropped to where his child

rested. Unease grew in his mind.

Seren covered her abdomen with one hand and stepped

nearer to the dragoons. The closest one squatted lower to the

ground, its scales reflected the small amount of light within

the dense rain.

She looked at Paladin and an unsure smile flickered over

her lips. Understanding, he took her hand, holding her

steady while he lifted her by the waist and swung her onto

the saddle.

A low gasp escaped her, followed by laughter. “It’s just

like sitting on a horse.”

Surprised but pleased to hear her laugh for the first time

since he had found her, he relaxed, chuckling in response. “I

would not know.”

The dragoon straightened, standing on its hind legs.

Seren squealed, leaning forward, trying to wrap her arms

around the thick, long neck, but she failed to gain a secure

hold on the wet scales. Paladin laughed out loud at her

scrambling.

He slid an arm about her waist once more. “Sit straight,

you will not fall off.”

She eyed him through the veil. Doubt lines furrowed

between her brows. “Are you sure?”

“Indeed.”

He sensed that she was still tense, but she straightened

her back. Once upright, Paladin placed her hands on the

pommel, and then stepped back. He chuckled at her

delighted amazement before he leapt into the saddle on the

other dragoon. He leaned over and told the nearest Felerian

how to reach him in case the crew needed him. Once settled

in his seat, he glanced at Seren.

The rain increased, obscuring the solid lines of her body.

He switched to his dragon vision. A red outline formed on

her arms and head. Satisfied, he nodded, taking her reins in

his free hand. “Hold on. I will go slowly, but with the rain,

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the trail will be rough.”

The wind carried her affirmative answer to him then tore

it away just as swiftly. He reined his dragoon’s head to the

right, nudging its sides. The beast stepped forward, its

footing steady and sure on the slick stone slab streets.

Seren screamed. She scrambled to wrap her arms around

her dragoon’s neck. “Wait. Can we walk instead?”

“No. Sit straight. Hang on and you’ll become adjusted to

the gait. Or if you like, I can carry you before me.” Hope

budded in his chest and migrated to the area between his

legs. He would like her to agree. He wanted to feel her body

pressed against his.

Her answer came quick, without hesitation. “No.”

Paladin chuckled. They proceeded up the winding street

through the city, passing the white-walled buildings with the

palm leaf roofs, and into the dense jungle beyond Dene.

The wind howled through the canopy. The rain thinned

out. The jungle’s dense foliage prevented the pounding

downpour from striking them as severely as when they were

in the open streets.

He leaned back in the saddle, shouting over his shoulder.

“It is not far ahead.”

Seren did not answer. He glanced in her direction. Her

grip on the sinewy neck had loosened and she sat a little

straighter.

Even with the protection of the trees, the rain struck

heavy blows on Paladin’s head and shoulders. After several

minutes, he looked back at her. She slumped in the saddle,

her head low and tilted to the right side. Worried, he leaned

over, shouting above the rain. “Are you all right?”

She nodded.

Concerned, he turned to the front. He should have stayed

on board his ship until the storm had passed, but he wanted

her to meet with the man from her Earth. With a hard thrust

of his foot, he urged the muscled beast forward. The

dragoon’s wide, webbed feet with three inch claws, clung to

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the slick clay silt on the path. Step after long step, they

moved faster.

A throbbing fire set up in Paladin’s shoulder. Holding

Seren’s reins, his arm was pulled back and bent at an odd

angle. He squeezed his fingers around the leather, tugging,

hoping the other mount would move closer to give him a

small amount of relief. He didn’t want his arm going numb,

causing him to lose his hold on her reins.

Seren’s dragoon obeyed. The greenish scaled beast placed

its tapered nose against Paladin’s knee and kept it there.

From this distance, he needed only to reach out to touch

Seren. A grim half-smile formed while he fought to suppress

sudden protective instinct rising within him. She was female

to his male. He quelled the urge to howl out his need for her.

The rain would prevent her from hearing, even at this close

range, anything lower than a booming shout.

The jungle path widened at the top of a high sloping

ridge. Three lunges and the two dragoons broke over the top.

Small, white twinkles appeared through the thick downpour.

He sighed in relief. Excitement raced in his veins at the light

up ahead. The dragoons sped up; Paladin frowned at the

change of pace. Both beasts moved without any guidance, as

if they knew this place. The only explanation was that Largin,

the wizard they were going to see, had sent them. No wonder

the Felerians had no trouble finding dragoons for them to

ride. But how had the wizard known of their arrival?

A sprawling house came into view. One story on the

nearest end, two on the other, the stone walls with the

thatched roof beckoned him, offering refuge from the

weather. Yellow flames flickered in covered sconces on either

side of the solid wood entrance. A small window cut high in

the door spilled light on the stone steps leading to the door.

Paladin’s dragoon halted in front of the entrance and

roared, its head thrown back, mouth open to reveal sharp,

pointed teeth. He patted the elongated neck in thanks for the

ride and slipped from the saddle. He hurried through the

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sticky mud to Seren’s side.

The ride, though short, had worn down the little bit of

strength she had left. With her eyes half closed, her face pale,

she tilted toward him. He grabbed her and carried her to the

door. He prepared to set her on her feet to bang on the wood,

but before he could, the portal swung in.

Largin stood in the opening. With his chin raised, nostrils

flaring, black eyes sparkling, and his white hair tangled

about his shoulders, he barked, “I have been waiting for your

arrival.”

Fear shot through Paladin. His father’s old teachings

echoed through his mind.
‘Dangerous business to keep a

wizard waiting. Never do so.’

He cocked a brow at Largin, hoping his unease remained

hidden from the wizard’s keen gaze. “Have you?”

Largin nodded, motioning for Paladin to enter. Once

inside, Paladin bent, helping Seren to stand. She still leaned

against his side, and he kept his arm around her waist,