Page 65 of Triumph at Pemberley

But even Quickthorn had been stopped here, not by the flowing water but by a ward that was triggered by her presence. A small bronze dragon had come to meet them – or more accurately, to meet Quickthorn, since she refused to speak to Frederica – and took her sea-green dragon off to meet one of her elders. Leaving Frederica standing here, with only her new maid, Sergeant Sutton, and the two guards he had hired to protect her. In a place where she could not even trust her own senses.

She rubbed her arms to warm them. Might as well retreat to the carriage. At least she could sit down there. Hopefully Quickthorn would be close enough to communicate with Rowan and pass along to Roderick that she was waiting for him.

This truly was the middle of nowhere.

It felt like hours before three riders finally appeared on the opposite bank. One of them set out across the river, apparently on an invisible bridge. Invisible to Frederica, at least. The rider seemed to see it without difficulty. It was uncomfortable to watch a horse trotting through mid-air, especially once she recognized it was Roderick. Every moment she expected him to plummet into the river.

She tumbled out of the carriage and ran to the riverbank. Finally! She had missed him so much, especially on this long journey when she had nothing to do but think. How could she wait even a moment to hold him in her arms?

But his men were watching, and she did not know what would be expected here. She called on every last reserve of the self-restraint her mother had drilled into her so she could just stand there as he dismounted and came towards her.

His dark eyes, his tousled hair, that sharp nose. At long last.

Except there was an odd distance in those beloved eyes. A sudden chill ran down her back. Something was wrong.

Through her suddenly dry mouth, she said, “It is good to see you again.”

As if he could not help himself, he held out both hands to her. Well, if that was the only contact she could have in front of his men, she would take it and be grateful for it. As soon as they touched, his fingers tightened around hers as if he would never let her go.

And then he said heavily, “You should not have come.”

He might as well have slapped her. Worse than that, for she had expected to be welcomed.

Oh, how she wanted to jump into the carriage and run away from this stranger wearing Roderick’s face! But she refused to let him see her pain.

What had happened to the loving Roderick she had known? Had it all been an act? Had he married her only for her enormous dowry? He had never made any secret of being impoverished.

Had she made a fool of herself?

No. One thing shone clear through her churning stomach and the bile rising in her throat. He could not have lied to her. Not only out of his sense of honor, but because she was a truth-caster. He had loved her. And he was also telling the truth now, that he wished she had not come. What could have changed his mind?

She was an earl’s daughter, a mage, and a dragon companion, and she would not give up easily. So she tossed her head. “It is unfortunate that you think so, because here I am and here I intend to stay.”

“It is not safe. Not for you, and especially not for Quickthorn. You must take her away,” he said urgently. “The French are here, with a dozen warships and a dragon of their own. It is in thrall to Napoleon.”

“Oh, no.” Frederica breathed. Her stomach lurched. A dragon with the power to kill, when none of the dragons here could fight. “The dragons. They must be after your dragons, to make them a fighting force.” Because the French troops in Kent had been pushed back by Jack and the King’s Bond. “Have they attacked?”

“Only with soldiers, not their dragon. Their leader has sent my father a messenger to demand his surrender, which he refused. They seem to be waiting for something. Or at least they were, when I last had word this morning. He is at the shore, leading our fighters.” Worry scraped at his voice.

“Is the Nest helping?”

“When they can, but those who can are preparing to flee.” He sounded exhausted. “This is the worst place for you to be right now. You would be safer in England, God help us.”

Frederica stuck her chin out. “Perhaps so, but I am your wife, and I belong with you.”

“Would you condemn Quickthorn to capture? I destroyed Rowan’s life by bringing him here. He cannot escape unless I go with him, and I must stay here to protect the people of Gwynedd.” He sounded tortured. “Take Quickthorn and be safe.”

That was a hard point to argue. To endanger herself was her own choice, but to risk Quickthorn’s freedom? Perhaps she should take her back to the Pemberley Nest first. Not that they would be safe at Pemberley, either; if Napoleon managed to take the Gwynedd dragons, he would discover where all the other Nests were, too. He would not stop with this one. “Wait. How does Napoleon know you have a Nest here?”

“It is easy enough to guess. Dragons prefer high mountains, and ours are the highest in Wales. It would be more surprising if there were not a Nest in Gwynedd.”

Her stomach lurched. Could Roderick’s father possibly hold off the attack? Perhaps she should leave, for Quickthorn’s sake. Yet Cerridwen had said she must come here. Was it perhaps because of this? If she left, would the disaster be on her shoulders?

She would be leaving Roderick to near-certain death, too, and that she could not bear.

“No,” she said slowly. “Cerridwen sent me here to prevent a disaster. If I leave, whatever happens will be worse than if I stay.” She would pray her dearest Quickthorn would not pay the price.

Roderick stilled, and then he raked his hand through his hair. “The Seer said that?”