At least that was what he told others.
The real truth was that he’d been terrified of her as a dragon. Because as a dragon, she had a finite amount of time when his drugs had been effective. Once they began wearing off, he’d end the match and turn her back human.
Between his drugs and spells, she’d been terrified that she’d never go free again.
What he hadn’t counted on was her learning to fight as a human. She’d spent months with the ogres who’d helped her learn swordcraft.
Baracus should have paid closer attention.
Just like her father should have.
Tanis slowed her pace as they entered the temple, and she saw the altar in a side nave where they’d placed her father’s head. His head was so large that it took up almost the entire area.
Iagan had been such a fierce beast. His gray eyes piercing. It was surreal to her that she’d never see him again. Never hear his angry bellow cursing her.
Biting her lip, she approached him slowly. “At least he looks peaceful.” As if her sister had killed him while he was asleep.
Dash was right behind her with a gentle hand against her back. “Is there anything we need to do for him or you?”
She shook her head. To the elves’ credit, they’d done a wonderful job of cleaning and shining his scales and draping a crimson cloth over the back of his head where his neck should have been.
“Where do you think his body is?”
Keegan rippled her scales behind her—a shiver for a dragon. “Surely, she didn’t disrespect it. He was her father.”
That was a high crime to their race. Murder wasn’t taken lightly, but to kill someone inside the family...
It carried the harshest of punishments. For this, she’d lose her sister, too.
Tanis felt her tears fall then. “I don’t know. I still don’t see how Ragna could do this.” Her hand shaking, she reached out and touched her father’s snout, remembering those times when she’d been a hatchling...
Back when he’d looked at her with love in his eyes. He would nuzzle her and hold her close. She hadn’t allowed herself to think of those memories in so long. Because they were too painful. She missed the father she’d once known.
The one who’d looked at her with pride and love.
Sobs racked her.
Then Dash was there, pulling her against his hard body. Holding her close. Had he not been there, she would have fallen. But he would never allow that.
He had become her strength.
“I’ve got you, little dragon. Cry as much as you need to.”
Those words made her cry even harder as she clung to him. How weird that she’d do so. Here she’d thought she was long past this. That she was stronger than this.
But it was for the loss of any chance she’d ever have to make amends with her father. He had died hating her, and she would never have a chance to regain his love.
His trust or respect.
Nor would he ever know that she wasn’t the awful, defiled creature he’d called her. It stung on a level so deep that she couldn’t catch her breath.
That was why she now hated her sister. Ragna had robbed her of any chance to have a father again.
And this weakness bothered her. Tanis wasn’t the kind of dragon who cried. Even with Davin’s death, her rage had been such that she hadn’t allowed herself to sob like this. She’d been too determined to find the one responsible.
To punish the dragon slayer for daring to take his life.
Now...
