“What happened at Salamanca? I do not even know if we won or lost. I have heard no news.”
Darcy drew in a long breath. “We lost catastrophically. It was a massacre by dragonfire.”
Jack swallowed hard, his face suddenly ashen. “How many were killed?”
“All but a handful of survivors. And one of the burned bodies was wearing your signet ring.” It came out almost as an accusation. “Which is why we thought you were dead.”
“My ring.” Jack looked stunned, and suddenly Darcy realized he just told him that everyone he once knew at Salamanca was dead. “I gave it to someone. You did lose a brother there, a half-brother. Did you know our father had a second family at Pemberley, one he hid from us? I met him in Spain and decided he deserved the ring more than I did.” Bitterness dripped from his words.
“I just learned of it recently.” When his half-sister had saved Elizabeth’s life.
Elizabeth. In his utter shock over Jack’s reappearance, he had not even asked about her. “My wife was on her way to your Nest when I was arrested. Did she make it?” He held his breath.
“A woman came a few days ago and went almost immediately through the Gate. I did not see her. Was that your wife? Good Lord, when did you marry?”
Elizabeth was safe! “Last autumn. You will be an uncle soon.”
“You, a father! Astonishing.” Then something changed in his face. “Why are the dragons helping you? After hiding for centuries, after keeping me prisoner, the Nest has suddenly shown their hand to rescue you. What makes you so important to them?”
He had to stop to think about that. “I have information they want, and my wife is a dragon companion.” Odd, that the binding had not stopped him from saying that. Perhaps it was because Jack already knew about dragons.
Jack whistled silently, an old habit. “Interesting. The dragons say I must be a close descendent of a dragon companion, since I am immune to dragonfire.” He raked his hand through his hair. “I never wondered how they could tell I would not be affected by dragonfire. I guess we know at least one thing that happened at Salamanca.” A line of perspiration appeared on his brow.
Darcy had spent so many months imagining Jack dying in flames that the thought had lost its ability to shock him, but it was new to his brother. “Whatever saved you, I am grateful for it.”
“And I.” Jack wiped his forehead with the back of his hand, making an obvious attempt to rally from his shock. “But what brings you here? I dare not hope the war has been won and Napoleon defeated.”
“Hardly. I was part of a last-ditch attempt to assassinate him. It failed, of course, and now I am trying to get home.” The reality of it suddenly hit him. “By God, it is good to see you, Jack! Beyond good. It was worth everything just for this.” Even worth losing the use of his arm. He would have happily given his arm in exchange for his brother.
“I cannot believe the dragons sent me to rescue you without a word!” Jack grumbled, but his color rose. “But tell me, what is the news of the war, and everyone at home?”
Chapter 36
Darcy followed Jack throughthe illusions that guarded the Nest, trying not to wince at the prospect of walking straight through a stone cliff. It gave way before him, though, and suddenly he was inside a chamber decorated with glass mosaics. A large dragon sat coiled in it, her bronze scales glinting with ruby highlights, lacking the head crest that would mark a male. “You succeeded, then,” she said approvingly to Jack.
Jack gave her a lazy mock salute. “And returned as promised.” He seemed to have recovered from his shock over the news Darcy had given him.
“I never doubted that. But what have we here?” The dragon turned her attention to Darcy. “You do not look well, even for a mortal.”
“He is my brother, astonishingly enough,” Jack said. “The bastards beat him, and he is in a good deal of pain, though he would rather die than admit to it. Would you be willing to heal him?”
Darcy opened his mouth to protest that it was not so bad, but then he snapped it shut. If this dragon was willing to heal his wounds, he would be glad of it. He had no desire to appear before Elizabeth covered in bruises, with his eye nearly swollen shut.
The dragon brought her gold-circled eyes near his face. “Do you wish that, young mortal?”
“I would be grateful, but first I must deliver a warning. The soldiers are close to discovering your Nest.”
The dragon ducked her head. “The woman who came before you told us. It is why I am standing guard here.”
“You never mentioned any of this to me!” cried Jack.
“We do not wish to worry you, Little One. You will be kept safe, no matter what.”
“I would still want to know!”
Little One? The dragon called Jack Little One? Oh, how his brother must hate that! “But there is more. Napoleon is himself a shape shifter.”
A cloud of darkness seemed to fill the chamber. “So your Nest has informed us. The Eldest will wish to speak more to you of this. But first, allow me to make you well.”
