Fern is hurting, Viridian said.Her memories?—
I know, lad. I know.
“You don’t have to tell me,” I said. “You’re here and haven’t run off screaming, so this is a better outcome than I hoped.”
“Run off…?” That brought a smile back, but it was a tremulous one. “No, Lance. It turns out my father had to put forward a ridiculously high dowry to get any men in through the door.”
“No…” I shook my head. “Fern, no.”
“Mother had me on a strict diet for weeks beforehand, but that wasn’t enough.” My arm wrapped around her waist, tugging her closer. The need to tug my sword free and defend her from this threat was riding me hard. “She bought a dress that was too small for me.” A growl started to reverberate in mychest. “And when I slipped downstairs in one of my old ones, I overheard them.”
Men could be cruel. Who knew that better than me? It was a reality I could accept for myself, but not Fern.
“Pig.” The word was like a slap to my face. “Little beast. They remarked on my pink skin, my snort of a laugh, and said that’s what I resembled. They described a loveless life, where they would tolerate me for my dowry and the children I might bear, but little else. I?—”
“Did not deserve a word of that.” We had come to a stop in the middle of the dance floor. People swung around us, but I only had eyes for her. My hands went to Fern’s cheeks, the sensation of her skin under mine threatening to unman me as I pressed in. “Tell me their names.”
“You—”
“Every single one of them. Tell me and Viridian and I will fly to each of their estates. I’ll call out those bastards and make clear what happens when you insult a lady.” My thumb shook as I brushed her cheek. “My lady. I’ve got no right to say that to you, nor much to offer. A dragon who will scour the earths for jewels for you and Auren to wear, but…”
I thought of Dragon Rest, my home and the friends I had left there, and felt a pang.
“I’ve got a home I built with my own hands at Dragon Rest. No dragon corp. Only a small group of battered and broken riders and their beasts, but they’ll protect you with everything they have.”
“Lance…” She was about to try and let me down gently, I was sure of it, but then her face turned and pressed into my palm. “We can’t go making promises to each other. I had no idea how you felt.” She stared up at me. “I’m still trying to work out how I feel about this.”
It wasn’t a no, I clung to that fact. My smile, it might’ve been a little forced, but given a chance, the pleasure of having her in my arms won out.
“Then maybe I should be attempting to impress you on thedance floor?” I’d danced with plenty of girls before, but each one felt like it was practise for this. I spun her out, then got us moving away, whisking her around the space. “You’ll never be short a dance partner now, Lady Fern, not while I still draw breath.”
And I wasn’t the only one to feel this way.
“Can I cut in?”
I wanted to snap at Lorien, tell him to bugger off, but that wasn’t how this was going to work, was it? Each of our dragons was sure Auren belonged to them and that influenced our own feelings. His smirk made clear he saw the battle that raged inside me, right before Fern turned to face him.
“Lance might be good with a sword, but dancing?” He held out his hands, twirling her his way when she took them. “That’s my special skill.”
A new song started and off they went. Lorien was leading Fern through intricate steps, the two of them laughing as they struggled to perform them. I stood there for some moments, unable to look away. Human cruelty was a colossal waste of time and energy, but directing it at Fern? Part of me wouldn’t be satisfied until those bastards’ tongues were ripped from their skulls and laid in a line before them, evidence of their shame.
Auren knows the area the males are form, Viridian said.We could fly there, hunt each one down. She seems to think this would be a very good idea, after we’ve visited Drathnor’s tomb.
We might just do that, I said with a smile, turning to walk away from the dance floor.
Only to find Kael standing there. Arms crossed, a grin on his face, the man couldn’t be any more irritating if he tried.
“So this is what you look like when you take that stick from your arse.” A slow nod had my teeth grinding together. “It’s not a bad look for you, Lieutenant. Thing I want to know is how long it’ll last. Me and my wing, we intend to make Fern ours, and I need to know where you think you fit in the scheme of things.”
“Maybe you should be worrying less about me,” I replied,then nodded to the tavern door. “And more about your brother. Unless Dain has fallen into the latrines, he’s been gone a lot longer than one would usually take to have a piss.”
His gaze followed mine, his lips pursing when he stared at the door.
“My brother will come around. He has to. You might’ve been obsessing over our Fern since the moment you met her, but Dain? His whole life he’s been watching her, dreaming about her.” He looked back at me. “Loving her, and now she’s within his grasp? His visions aren’t enough and he doesn’t know what to do about that.”
Chapter 45
Dain
