“Immediately,” snapped Rana Akshaya.
That was clear, at least. “Very well,” Elizabeth said. “I will take you to the Dragon Stones. It is a long walk up a steep hill, nearly half an hour.” Perhaps that would give the older woman pause.
“Youwill remain here. This is a matter for dragons, not mortals.”
Suddenly a whirlwind of dust formed around Rana Akshaya, seemingly out of nowhere, starting at her feet and moving up to encompass her entire body. It thickened until it hid her completely, and then just as quickly as it had appeared, the dust settled to the ground.
Rana Akshaya was gone. In her place was a large falcon.
Elizabeth stared, open-mouthed. It could not be.
“Lead the way, Nestling.” Rana Akshaya’s voice came from the falcon, only slightly distorted. She spread her wings and leapt into the air.
Cerridwen’s edges blurred and then she took flight as a kestrel, heading towards the Dragon Stones.
It was utterly impossible – and apparently true. Rana Akshaya was not a dragon companion, but an actual dragon.
Dizziness swept over Elizabeth, making her stagger. Everything was spinning. Was it the shock or some strange foreign magic?
Frederica found her voice first. “I thought dragons could not take human forms convincingly.”
Chandrika spoke from behind Elizabeth. “The great Rana is an ancient and very wise dragon. She spent many years mastering this skill.”
Of course. Rana Akshaya always wore a veil, covering her body with flowing fabrics that would disguise any mistakes.
It still made no sense. Elizabeth said slowly, “But only young dragons can travel far from their nests.”
“True. The great Rana has paid the price.”
“But how?”
Chandrika shook her head. “Only the great Rana can tell you that. She has loosened the bindings on me so I may answer your questions, but that magic is beyond my knowledge.”
And it was Elizabeth’s terrifying task to play host to this powerful Indian dragon.
The ground was still showing a distressing tendency to move under her. If only she could sit down! Then Chandrika’s hand came under her elbow. “Mrs. Darcy, pray permit me to take you inside.”
Everyone was watching her, the semi-circle of Rana Akshaya’s servants and the grooms by the line of four carriages.
“Yes, let us go in,” she said weakly. Somehow she managed to raise her voice to reach the others. “Mr. Hobbes, the butler, will direct you as to unloading your baggage, and the housekeeper will take you to your rooms.”
Then she let Chandrika lead her inside.
Chapter 18
Elizabeth was still recliningon the fainting couch when Rana Akshaya entered, back in the form of a veiled woman. She was alone, without any of her entourage. Elizabeth considered rising to curtsy, but her last attempt to stand had led to a fall, and one bruised hip was enough. It was enough of a challenge to keep her eyes open.
“Chandrika tells me you took ill when I placed a binding upon you,” Rana Akshaya said.
A binding? Of course, Rana Akshaya would have bound her against revealing her dragon nature. Elizabeth said, “I do not know if that caused it. I have other reasons to be unwell. And Lady Frederica does not seem troubled by it.”
Rana Akshaya stepped close and placed a palm on Elizabeth’s cheek. Magic trickled through it, a cleansing energy that scoured her before withdrawing. “I removed it. Does that change anything?”
Indeed, the dizziness had faded completely away, and Elizabeth’s body felt like her own again. She sat up and gingerly shifted her legs over the edge of the fainting couch. “Much better.” She had to bite down on the urge to thank her.
Rana Akshaya frowned. “My apologies. It was an overly broad binding, applied in haste, when I was in a disturbance of spirits. I have replaced it with a smaller specific binding, tuned to your particular condition.”
“My…condition?” Could the dragon tell she was with child?
