“She is our one,”his dragon said.
“I agree, but there must be a reason the bond remains absent.”Leo sighed.“Right now we have far more to worry over. For my parents to arrange an arena fight—that hasn’t happened in over one hundred years. A fight to the death would be bad enough for a dragon, but to subject a female human to this kind of punishment is barbaric.”Leo shook his head in disbelief.“Why do my parents want to get rid of Gwenyth? Is it Nan? My brothers? Or heck, it could even be Telus. There are enough suspects to fill a novel.”
“We keep to our plan,”his dragon said.“Staying on Hissing Isle is suicide. We need to get to our friends and investigate once we reach relative safety.”
“I hate to say it, but it might be best ifwe get Gwenyth back to the mainland. At least she’d be safe.”
“No!”
“What if something happens to us? If our parents decide we’re expendable? What then? Gwenyth will have little chance if she’s alone on Hissing Isle. We’ll keep to our plan, but if we can return Gwenyth to her world, we must take the opportunity.”
“She has no memory,”his dragon argued.“She’ll be vulnerable on the mainland too.”
“But there will be humans who can help her. People of her kind who do not wish her ill. We must think of Gwenyth’s best interests.”
“I don’t wish her to go.”
“Me neither,”Leo said.“But if this is the only way to keep her safe, we must let her leave.”
His dragon fell silent after their conversation. Leo shifted positions, separating his body from Gwenyth’s, a part of him breaking at the loss of their connection. Like his dragon, he’d fallen for this wonderful human woman. Every instinct told him they were mates, the forever mates as described to him by his grandparents, yet the bond hadn’t snapped into place.
He wished the answers weren’t such a mystery.
18 – Release Me. Let Me Go
“My lodestone,” a deep voice whispered. “It’s time to go.”
Gwenyth groaned as a hand shook her awake. Every muscle protested the rattle of her bones at a second shake.
“Stop.” Her eyes flickered open to discover Leo smiling at her. “It feels as if I’ve just fallen asleep.”
“It’s almost dark enough to risk flying over the rest of the island.”
“How long will that take?”
“Around an hour until we reach the coast,” he said. “It depends if we have to stop to hide.”
Gwenyth pushed to her feet and stretched out her aching limbs. “Did you sleep?”
“A little. I have enough energy to get us to Perfume Isle.”
Gwenyth’s stomach gave a loud rumble, and she clapped her hand across her stomach. “Sorry.”
Leo pulled a face. “I’m hungry too.”
“How will we do this?”
“I think the quickest way will be if you climb on my back, and I’ll carry you down. Your eyesight isn’t as good as mine in the dark.”
“Let’s do this.” Gwenyth trusted him totally.
Leo lifted her into his arms before she could blink. Seconds later, he was climbing down the cliff at a pace that had her closing her eyes as she prayed for a safe descent.
“We’re on the ground,” he said, humor radiating from his voice. “I can’t see anyone, but I’ll need you to keep your eyes open and watch for anyone following or searching for us. Can you do that?”
“Yes,” Gwenyth said. Swallowing a bug or two was nothing compared with keeping them both alive.
A loud screech had her leaping off the ground. She whirled around to peer into the trees in front of them.
