Chapter Two
If Tavyss didn’t know better, he’d believe the woman was staring straight into his soul. Of course that was complete nonsense. At first she couldn’t see him at all. As an immortal dragon shifter, he’d made himself invisible, and few supernatural beings were capable of detecting a dragon cloaked in invisibility. Then again, he’d scented the power coming off her and her sisters even from a distance. Perhaps she was one of the few who could see through his defenses.
Why he’d dropped his invisibility was a bigger mystery. For some reason that bright blue stare made him want to reveal himself. He’d assumed his presence would evoke more of a reaction from her. Only she hadn’t looked terrified. On the contrary, she’d stared directly at him with fierce interest before retreating into the garden.
Why was he concerned with how the woman looked at him anyway? His job was to act as the Guardian at the Gate of the Garden of the Hesperides. The only care Tavyss should have had was why the woman was inside the garden to begin with. Only the nymphs who tended the garden were allowed inside, and she didn’t look like a nymph. For one thing, she had no gossamer wings, and she was quite a bit bigger than most as well. Not to mention that her skin was far different than the pearlescent complexions of the usual garden inhabitants.
She’d looked human. That couldn’t be. He’d never allowed a human through the locked gate. Well, not intentionally. Was it possible someone had slipped inside while he was hunting or sleeping? Not likely. Even if a potential intruder reached the gate, they’d have the goddess’s wards to deal with.
There had to be a reasonable explanation. Perhaps Hera had placed the woman there and was aware of her presence.
Hera. He should alert the goddess to what he’d seen. If there were intruders in her garden, she’d want to know immediately. Only, the goddess’s bitter heart was hard and black as night. There would be no forgiveness for the one who broke her rules and no leniency for he who failed to keep the intruder out. If someone had snuck inside, she’d likely find a way to punishhimfor it. Worse, if shehadplaced the woman there, she’d taunt him for only now realizing it.
He snorted and dug his claws into the dirt. He couldn’t have seen what he thought he’d seen. No one but a god could find this place. The gate was sealed with a magical enchantment. No human was powerful enough to make it past those defenses, especially not a young woman who looked no older than twenty-five.
He blinked. The woman was gone now, having slipped into the forest with the other two, but he continued to stare in her direction.
Hera would want to know about this.
He did not wish to tell her.
No. There was no reason to suffer Hera’s wrath when he wasn’t even sure what it was he’d seen. Perhaps the three females were nothing more than oversized nymphs, their wings carefully packed away. Wasn’t it more likely that he’d seen a strange, undiscovered type of garden creature than that another supernatural—a witch, elf, human, or shifter like himself—had overcome the many obstacles necessary to break into the garden?
And to think he’d almost brought this to Hera! What a humiliating conversation he’d have suffered had he followed his initial instincts. Clearly he’d seen a nymph, that was all. He shook his head.
Turning, he stretched his wings and looked out over the endless fields of the gods of Olympus. It had been a long time since anyone had challenged him to enter the garden gates, and no one had ever bested him. Only once had a hero and his lover convinced him to help his cause by retrieving a fleece from one of the golden sheep. Even then, the man had never made it inside the garden. The idea was preposterous! Tavyss chuckled, the sound as gritty as embers in his dragon throat.
Although he tried to think of other things, his attention reverted to the spot the woman had vacated. Eventually, with considerable effort, he forced himself to turn away. Enchanting was the only word to describe her. With a grumble, he tried to put her out of his mind. He thought of the sea, but the blue water reminded him of her eyes. Goddess help him, he was practically obsessed.
Clearly the sighting was too much to let go, which meant it was his duty as guardian of the gate to investigate. With a shiver, he shifted into hissomaform—two legs, two arms—the same form she’d inhabited when he’d spotted her. Although he possessed a set of wings that, if part of her anatomy, she had not revealed. He took to the air and flew over the gate.
He needed to find the woman and ascertain exactly what she was and what she was doing there. It was his duty. His responsibility. Until he was sure, until he’d spoken to her, he was certain he’d never be free of her hold over him.
Chapter Three
“We haven’t burst into flames or been swallowed by the earth. You can relax, Circe.” Medea waded into the pool at the base of the waterfall, the cool water sending heavenly ripples across her hot, tacky skin. She hadn’t mentioned the dragon to her sisters. After all, the beast was on the other side of the gate. Mentioning it would cause her sisters unnecessary worry.
“Thank the gods,” Circe said. “Let’s not tempt fate again anytime soon.”
Isis dove under and broke the surface at the center of the pool. She smoothed her blue-black hair from her forehead. “I’m with Circe on this one. I don’t want to go back there again. I thought I’d never clear that scent from my nose.”
Medea glided her palms over the surface of the water. “Very well, we won’t use the field again. Only I don’t think we should practice magic at home anymore. We’ve already learned the basic spells in the book. Anything we do now will require both space and privacy.”
Circe rolled her eyes as if she thought Medea was daft. “Obviously we won’t practice at home. Why would we now that the book is manageable? We can use the clearing beside the tanglewood tree.”
The tanglewood tree enhanced their power, so much so that the sisters had used branches from its three distinct sections to create their magic wands. As children, when their parents were teaching them basic spells, the clearing beside the tree had served as the perfect place to practice, significantly enriching their experience. But that same reasoning was why the space wouldn’t work for them now.
“It’s not safe. Mother and Father go there frequently. At least once per day.” Medea recalled the blackberry brambles that flourished nearby and drew her mother overmuch.
“The orchard,” Isis said. “We can practice between the trees.”
“Also forbidden,” Medea reminded her.
“Picking the apples is forbidden. Practicing among the trees is not,” Isis said.
“I doubt our parents would see it that way,” Circe pointed out.
“With any luck, they won’t see it at all,” Medea said.
