Dragon Wish (41 page)

entrance. Ren strode through the opening, and caught sight

of him. The wizard walked to his side and squatted, studying

him with a keen gaze. The dark haired man grunted. “Are

you finished sulking?”

“I do not sulk. My problem goes deeper than a childish

reaction.”

“Truly.” Ren nodded. He slipped down beside Paladin.

“Yet while you sit out here, she is within, heart aching for

what you neglected to tell her.”

“Please, no lecture.” Paladin rubbed his brow. “My own

guilt is enough to remind me of what I have done.”

“And you don’t desire to go to her?”

“To do what? Beg her forgiveness? If I believed she would

listen, I would be there in an instant.” Paladin shook his

head. “No, not the Seren I know. She will take her time in

deciding whether or not to forgive me.”

“You do realize we will most likely die here? Yet still, you

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wallow in your pride, refusing to go to her.” Ren used the end

of his staff to draw a rough sketch of a dragon in the sand

and rocks at his feet. “You, my friend, amaze me.”

Amazed him? Paladin’s gaze shifted to his friend. “Would

you have me go, pleading with her to forgive me for doing the

very thing which may cause my death. I would much rather

fight for her and live to prove I made the right choice. Better

than begging her for forgiveness and then die.”

A dark brow quirked at Paladin’s comment. “I’ll tell you

what I would do. Not that I think you ever would, but I’d go

to her, even if it was just to hold her. She is lost, same as you.

She also doesn’t have anyone on this entire planet she is

close with, not like she is to you.” Without waiting for

Paladin to reply, Ren stood, shook the dust off his cloak, and

reentered cavern.

The cold desert night chilled Paladin. He brought the

collar of his coat up around his throat. He considered rising

and going to Seren, but instead, he remained seated. How

could he expect her to forgive him? He’d cut her deep with

his actions. So he sat long into the night, watching the wind

dance over the dunes while he considered what to do about

the woman he loved.

* * * *

cope without having Paladin near her, but seeing him across

the larger cavern, yet never going to meet him tore at her.

She wanted to, but pride stood in the way. His gaze, haunted

with dark shadows under his eyes, focused on her every time

she looked in his direction.

His haggard appearance verified his own suffering. Even

seeing this, she still had a hard time forgiving him.

Leo and Largin arrived a week after they had. They rode

in on the backs of two lesser sea dragons. Poor beasts hopped

from one foot to another, trying to avoid direct contact with

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the hot sand. Largin’s dragon jumped just when the old man

slid over its side. The old wizard flew above the dragon’s

back to land in a cloud of dust at the beast’s taloned feet. The

half-surprised, half-aggravated expression on the poor man’s

face caused a surprised laugh to well up from Seren.

Hair standing on end, clothes rumpled, Largin stood,

brushed a hand over his body, and glared at his ride. “You

could have warned me.”

The dragon crooned low in its throat, a long forked

tongue slid from scaled lips and flicked at Largin.

“Oh, be off with you. Return to Bae. Keep well hidden.

Don’t come here again until called for by your clan leader.”

Largin patted the long neck. “I fully expect you to fight well

during the approaching battle.”

Green scales rippled over the dragon’s body, its lips

pulled back, revealing large pointed teeth. With another low

mew, it sprang straight up, followed by the other. They flew

toward the southeast. Dust billowed around Largin. He

waved at the departing dragons before turning and scurrying

through the barrier to where she and the others waited.

Amazed they could walk through the invisible wall, Seren

looked over at Ren. He didn’t appear surprised at all. She’d

ask Leo about it later. Maybe it didn’t affect humans.

The white haired wizard stopped in front of her, his gaze

wandering over her rounding body. “Well, young mother,

you appear hale.”

She smiled, tilting her head in acknowledgment. “I am.

And you, sir, how have you been?”

“Fine, fine. Though I have to say, all this uproar is rather

exhausting. Such a headache. Ah, Paladin, there you are.”

When Largin stepped to him, Seren sidled over to Leo.

She wrapped her arms around his waist, drawing comfort

from the simple touch. He embraced her, one hand patting

her back. Her face buried in the center of his broad chest, she

spoke, her words coming through muffled. “I’m so glad

you’re safe. I was so worried, not sure if his blow killed you.”

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“No, I’m good.” He leaned back, his head dipping to take

in her features. “You look tired? The baby’s doing this or did

something happen we don’t know about?”

With a shake of her head, she spoke low. “I’ll tell you

later.”

He nodded in response. She moved with him so he could

greet Ren and Paladin. For a few minutes, they stood in a

circle discussing the increase in dragon activity over the

desert. Largin expressed his concern that this sudden influx

from the rogue lands showed signs of an upcoming attack.

White hair still sticking up in spots, the older man looked

at each of them. “We must be prepared for that moment.”

“Preparations are almost complete,” Ren reassured him.

“Are they? I received word from Valhaven this morning.

A village along its northern border took a full force attack.

The dragonseed soldiers managed to evacuate the people.

They remained and fought valiantly, but the masses overtook

them. All would have been lost had that great black beast,

Sinimal, not arrived and drove the rogues away,” Largin

informed them, a concerned frown on his face.

The news tore at Seren’s heart. “Is this the only attack

you’ve heard about?”

Lines of worry bracketed the older wizard’s mouth. “The

rogues are uniting under Arcane’s authority. With this

attack, it appears he is having difficulty controlling them. As

for other attacks, there are none that I’m aware of, but this

does not mean outlying villages have survived.”

“All of it could have been avoided if I’d gone home.”

Without meaning to, her gaze met Paladin’s. He stiffened at

her comment.

“Not necessarily.” Ren moved closer. “If anything, your

staying has held Arcane back.”

Surprised at his comment, she tried to understand what

he meant.

He continued explaining. “Arcane wants to destroy you,

but he learned when he took you, he cannot do any physical

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harm to the child while he is inside you. He’s biding his time

until you give birth. The babe will be at his weakest, unable

to fully use his powers. Nothing more than a helpless

newborn.”

Horror at what Ren suggested replaced her surprise and

sent streams of fear for her baby through her body. “Then

he’ll attack.”

“There would be no better time. Arcane cares little what

the lesser dragons do to occupy their time during the wait. If

you had returned to your home, he would have started the

reign of destruction immediately,” Ren said.

Turning away, he faced the entrance to the cavern and

started to move to it. “We need not worry for your safety for

now. It’s only after the child is here that the true battle will

begin.”

Watching the dark haired man stride away from their

group did little to relieve Seren. She jumped as a strong arm

wrapped over her shoulders. She lifted her gaze and met

Paladin’s. Unable to stop, she wrapped her arms around his

waist. “So it really is better I remained here?”

“I do not know.”

“I haven’t forgiven you,” she muttered against his chest.

“Nor would I expect you to.” His hand passed over her

hair, fingers dipping to massage her scalp. His sandalwood

scent enfolded her, soothing her rattled nerves. Knees weak,

she slumped against him.

“I just want to make sure our baby is safe.”

She needed him to understand nothing else mattered as

long as their baby had a chance to survive.

“And so it will be. This I swear on my very blood. Our

child will live to be King.”

His answer seemed final, almost like a warning of his

eminent death. She stiffened and stepped away. The very

thought, even angry at him, of losing Paladin, never seeing,

touching, and sharing precious time with him, brought more

anguish. The baby rolled inside her.

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Together, they walked to the caverns. She’d been honest

with him. She still hadn’t forgiven him, but right now even

that wasn’t important. They had to work together to fight

against Arcane and his army. If they didn’t, none of the

humans on Avaris would survive.

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For the next few days, the tension within the safe haven

increased. News arrived every day of more attacks.

Obviously, Ren Murdock knew what he spoke of when he

told them the night Largin and Leo arrived that Arcane was

waiting until the baby’s birth to launch his major assault. The

closer her delivery came, the more the rogues vented their

hatred for humans.

Heart aching, Seren stopped listening to the reports.

Often, Seren went and sat on the roof of the caverns, staring

off into the distance across the dunes. Leo found her there.

Almost two weeks had passed since he and Largin arrived.

She was thankful he’d given her time to stew some before

searching her out. Still confused and defensive, the added

days had helped calm her.

From the corner of her eye, she saw him approach and sit

next to her on the smooth limestone.

“Well, what happened?”

She half-smiled, knowing what he meant. She’d avoided

telling him anything of her relationship with Paladin. It still

hurt too much to believe the man she loved hadn’t trusted

her. “He made a wish.”

“He’s making a habit of that.”

With a low laugh, she nodded. “He doesn’t seem to have

good luck with his wishes. First, me, and now me again.”

Leo frowned at her. “That doesn’t seem like a bad thing.”

“No, but he didn’t give me a choice either time. This time

though, he decided to keep me here without asking me what

I wanted to do.” She slumped against the rock behind her,

staring at the rough stone ground. “It wouldn’t hurt so badly

if I didn’t have feelings for him.”

“You love him.” His words came out as more of a

statement than a question. She looked at him.

He shrugged. “A blind man can see it.”

She released a breathy laugh. “It’s that obvious?”

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“The others didn’t see you after he’d left to go to

Valhaven. I did. I know how much you missed him.”

“I still miss him, but I can’t forgive him yet. I can’t trust

him either. Not so soon.” She looked out over the dunes

flowing across the horizon. “He should have talked to me

before he did it.”

“Did you have time to talk? When he rescued you?” Leo

quirked a brow at her.

“You’re deliberately trying to make me feel worse, aren’t

you?”

“Not really. Just thinking maybe you’re being a little

unreasonable.”

She shook her head. Leave it to Leo to come up with a

feasible excuse. “Just like a man. How am I unreasonable

when he’s the one who decided my future for me?”

“Did he wish for something both of you didn’t want at the

time? Hell, you two still want it. Just because you’re from

Earth and he’s from here doesn’t mean the two of you can’t

be together.”

Was this true? Yes, she’d needed Paladin with a desperate

desire, wanted him so much. Had he picked up on her what

she wanted and combined them with his own to make his

decision? She’d never asked him. Now it seemed too late.

How could she go to him to find out?

“Do I belong here, Leo? Really belong?” She sighed and

shook her head. “I don’t know. I want to be with Paladin, but

then I’m scared to stay here. Nothing is normal, not like what