Jamie apparently used mind-speak to ask Fafnir a question since Fafnir’s head swiveled toward the boy, but Lily couldn’t hear him. Only Fafnir possessed the ability to project his thoughts into her mind. Which was a rather interesting way of speaking. It seemed as if everyone on this journey possessed the ability. Everyone but her.
But she had visions, a “gift” none of her traveling companions seemed to possess. If the priests had known about her visions...she shuddered. Would Enar’s people be equally as superstitious?
Jamie’s shouts as he climbed onto Fafnir’s back shook her out of her thoughts. She stared at the boy as his arms thrust into the air.
“Woo-hoo! I’m on top of the world!”
Enar turned, saw Jamie sitting on Fafnir and shook his head. “That’s one way to keep him from wandering off.”
“Hey, now. I’ve been good. I’ve been keeping my end of our bargain.”
Enar inclined his head. “That you have. You all right back there, Lily?”
“Perfect! Thank you.”
He stared at her for a second, her lover, her man, his look steaming her blood. Even with a sunburned nose and feet that felt like falling off, she wanted him.
As if he read her mind, he grinned, the turn of his lips a reminder of things those lips could do when pressed against her most intimate skin.
And there went the blush again.
Enar winked and resumed walking.
You do not seem to mind the Watcher.
Lily shook her head, glancing at Fafnir.
He saved me. Three times already and I haven’t known him long.
So his rescue obscures you from seeing what he really is?
What is he?
Watchers are guardians of the Draconi. They are known for their fierceness. They are not known for their kind treatment of women.
Her eyes narrowed.
There is nothing wrong with the way he treats me. Maybe you should start seeing him instead of his race.
She refused to believe Fafnir. Enar treated her well, cared about her wellbeing. Just because he avoided telling her what her life would be like in his village, did not mean he didn’t care about her. He cared. She refused to think otherwise.
Fafnir remained silent for so long, Lily thought he dropped the conversation. When he spoke, the words floated like snow flurries across her mind, as if he drifted in memories so deep they disturbed him.
Maybe you are right. A Watcher did me great harm once. But even before then, they were not my friends.
What happened?
They walked for a good twenty steps before his voice whispered across her mind.
I was betrayed by my Watcher. How do you think I wound up in that cell?
You were given the same drug Keara was?
Fafnir snorted steam.
My Watcher told the lord of River’s Run about titanium and its effects on Draconi.
What effects?
It renders us unable to perform magic. Makes us useless. They had a titanium sword when they captured me.
He shuddered.
I could not fight them with magic. My curse did not kill the bastards, but it did render them not quite sane.
Lily remembered Lord Simon’s father growing insane, escaping his home to run drooling in the streets, screaming about men turning into large beasts. He finally died, but not before inspiring several of her childhood night terrors.
You did that?
The curse was designed to kill, not render the recipient insane. But seeing how the titanium in the sword was supposed to keep my magic at bay, I suppose I shouldn’t complain.
I’m sorry they captured you.
Me too.
He shook, a wave-like ripple cascading from head to tail, causing a squeal of delight from Jamie.
Enough of past memories. Isn’t the day nice?
And with those words, their conversation ended.
The next day, Fafnir spoke of trivial things, like the weather and her continuing sunburn despite walking in his shadow. And she had yet to discover what Enar hid from her about his people, but she felt his resolve weakening.
If she said that enough times then it would come true.
She hoped.
“Hey, look up there!” Enar shouted, pointing to a dark blob of—was that trees?—on the horizon. “Draconia borders. We’ll be at the Temple tomorrow.”
Did Fafnir just stumble? Lily risked sun exposure and glanced up at the dragon. Apparently not, but tension laced his muscles.
“That’s Draconia?” Jamie asked. “How exciting! I ain’t never been to Draconia, but I’ve heard all about it. Is it true...”
Lily tuned out his rambling, focusing on the blur of trees in the distance. Her life would change once they crossed that border. But would it be for the better or for the worse?
****
The fire spat and crackled as Lily watched the flames jump into the air. Due to Fafnir taking Jamie for an evening flight, she had the fire to herself. Enar patrolled the perimeter of the campsite, checking for intruders as he did every night of their journey. Which left her mulling over things she wanted to discuss with him, things she learned over the last two days from walking in Fafnir’s shadow. Things she thought Enar needed to know.
Maybe then he’d hop onto the sharing wagon and talk to her about her new life.
“You look lost in thought.”
Enar’s voice broke the rhythm of the crackling flames and Lily jumped. His hand landed on her shoulder as he sat next to her. She patted her chest, trying to get her heart to calm.
“Don’t scare me like that!”
He chuckled. “Sorry. So what were you thinking of that you didn’t hear my approach?”
“This and that. Things Fafnir told me.”
“Ah. Listening to gossip, now?”
“I would hardly describe learning how he got into that cell ‘gossip.’”
Enar stilled, his eyes widening. “And?”
“He was captured by Lord Simon’s father who had a titanium sword. Fafnir said titanium causes Draconi to loose their powers.”
“Titanium is a bane to Draconi. The only thing known to render a Draconi’s magic useless. I don’t understand how a mere human would know about titanium.”
A Watcher betrayed him
, sat on the tip of her tongue, but she refused to let it fall off. Fafnir and Enar had a hard enough time getting along without accusatory words being added to the mix. She opted for a shrug.
“I’ll have to report it to the Council. They’ll need to send someone out to stop the threat. Humans can’t run around with titanium swords. Look what happens when they do.”
“He doesn’t seem too worse for the wear.”
Enar raised a brow, looking like he feared her mind had taken an extended holiday.
“What? He seems fine to me.”
“Clearly you don’t know Draconi. The dragon is crazy.”
“Just because he doesn’t like you doesn’t make him crazy.”
“What else did you learn? Anything about Jamie?”
Good avoidance strategy, Enar.
“Actually, I did. He watched his family get slaughtered! The poor child.”
“What happened?”
“His mother went out to get water and was killed by soldiers, who stormed their house. Jamie’s father got him out and told him to hide, but he saw his father killed by the soldiers. He said his father couldn’t work magic.”
“That’s horrible! I bet those humans had titanium. Although how they knew it would work on Draconi is a mystery. Did he say who his father was?”
“He didn’t tell me. Fafnir’s the one who told me about Jamie.”
“So you have been listening to gossip.”
Lily shrugged. “Learning about things is not gossip.”
“Uh-huh.”
“Seriously. See, you can tell me what your home is like and I won’t consider it gossip.”
Enar’s jaw tensed as he turned to face the fire. She watched him draw several breaths, heard the logs do their snap, crackle and pop routine, and thought once again he would deny her knowledge. “Why do you want to know?”
“Why do you think? I need to prepare myself mentally for what my life is going to be like. I want to know. I need to know. What is so horrible that you are hiding it from me?”
He sighed, running a hand through his hair. “All right.” He faced her. “In my village, the claims of warriors live in a house, a very large house in the middle of town. The warriors live in surrounding apartments. So you’d live with the other women.”
“So I won’t live with you?”
What kind of people were these?
“No.”
“Then what about if I want to sleep with you. What would I do to let you know?”
His eyes widened. “You would send a messenger and I would have you brought to my home.”
“Then why can’t I stay in your apartment? Isn’t that easier?”
“It is not the way of things.”
“Why not?”
He shrugged. “This way was found to work the best.”
“What about wives? Do they still live in the women’s house?”
“There are no wives. Only claims.”
“So being claimed isn’t marriage?” He’d said this before, but that part of her shoving intellect aside in its rush down the road of heartbreak and despair refused to listen the first time around and clearly needed another lesson.
“Right. There is no bonding ceremony. Only the necklace to keep the claim attached to the warrior. Without the necklace she is free to go.”
“But it doesn’t come off.”
“Exactly.”
Lily shivered. Although she now knew what to expect, Enar still hid something from her. And she had a sneaking suspicion she wouldn’t like whatever it was.
“What if I want to visit Keara?”
“I will go with you. I spend a lot of time with Thoren and his family.”
“What about your family?”
A long pause. “I don’t want to discuss it.”
“Why not?” Wasn’t she nosy tonight? Then again, she wasn’t about to pass up getting all her questions answered while he was in the mood to share.
“That’s it with the questions, woman. I have a better idea of how to spend time with you that doesn’t include conversing.”
Enar’s lips pressed against hers, his tongue stroking the seam of her mouth, encouraging her to open for him. Sinking into the sensations pummeling her body, she forgot her last question, as the invisible strings drawing them together bound tighter. It surprised her to realize desire, need and longing built the road to heartbreak and despair. And as his hands stroked her skin, his gentle touch a power in and of itself, she didn’t care. In his arms, surrounded by his strength, nothing mattered but him.
Chapter 14
Lily slept, the moonlight dappling shadows across her face. She looked so peaceful lying there, unaware of what the morning would bring.
By all that was holy, he was a bastard. A gutless bastard. He should have told her the whole truth instead of omitting certain things about her life in a Watcher’s village. He wanted to reassure her he would always be there for her.
That much was true.
As was the Claims’ House.
But the rest of it. He had no clue how word would get to him that she wanted to couple with him. Wouldn’t that be an oddity. No claimed woman ever wanted to sleep with her Watcher. No Watcher wanted to be gentle with his claim.
Capture her, impregnate her, take her child when he was old enough to hold a weapon and then repeat the process. To a Watcher, women were good for only two things.
As if he was going to tell her that. He wasn’t a brainless idiot.
And he needed her again. Just to ensure she wasn’t leaving, that her eyes held interest not loathing. But he refused to wake her. Instead he curled against her warmth, throwing an arm over her waist, and breathed in her scent.
At long last, his spirit quieted and he slept.
****
A piercing scream sliced through his dreams, yanking him from sleep. Heart racing, Enar gripped the hilt of his sword before his eyes flew open. Lily! Where...oh, she still lay beside him, one arm moving toward her face. If not her screaming, then who?
The fog of sleep lost in the pounding of his heart, Enar rolled to his feet, staying in a crouch as he scanned the perimeter of the camp. Nothing. Even the birds started singing again.
His skin tingled.
“What is it?” Lily sat up, clutching the blanket to her breasts.
“Shh.” Enar’s ears strained from listening for something other than birdsong. Only one thing he knew made a noise like that, but tree cats were night creatures, fading into their dens before the sun rose. And the sun was clearly rising.
“Where’re Jamie and Fafnir?”
Goddess’s teeth. More than one thing screamed that way. Enar dropped the sword and yanked on his shirt and leathers. He picked up his dagger, unsheathing it in case he needed it, although he doubted he would.
“Jamie!” he shouted.
The birds went silent at his bellow, which was a good thing as it allowed him to hear a low moan. He cursed.
Enar ran toward the sound, his ears picking up small shuffling noises which grew louder the farther he ran. What he saw gave him pause.
Jamie lay on the ground, a broken doll, limbs at odd angles.
Dear Goddess, why him? Enar cursed, sheathed his dagger and dropped to the ground beside Jamie.