Dragon Awakened(86)

Her Dragon purred. She purred, too.

“There,” he whispered, pointing toward the right of the star-glittered sky.

She saw the first ribbon undulating in a vibrant green. It swirled around, rather like the fog in a Deuce’s eyes, and then disappeared. Another wave of lights flickered like miles of blue fire. She inhaled deeply at the magic of it, the surreal beauty. He squeezed her tighter, sliding his hand beneath her shirt to rest against her stomach.

“Incredible,” she whispered. “Like ghosts dancing in the sky.”

“Yes, incredible.” She heard the awe in his voice, too, the reverence.

When she turned, he was looking at her.





The Book of the Hidden


Garnet angled her body into the warm spring. Hedges all around the castle garden afforded her privacy, but it wasn’t her nudity she worried about. It would not do for her staff to hear their queen crying. Even seven months after his death, her heart ached for the prince who was dark of hair, but not so dark of heart.

Ribbons of magical lights danced like ghosts and fairies in the night sky. As steam wafted up from the water, she prayed again for the end of her heartache. It wasn’t good to steep herself in such sadness, but she mourned silently now, her tears dropping into the water some believed to be magickal.

A rustle in the bushes drew her attention to the wooden gate that was now opening. Who dared enter—

The Dragon Prince stepped inside. His smile lit the night. “Garnet,” he said on a breath, coming close and kneeling near the edge of the spring.

“’Tis cruel, whoever you are, to come here looking so much like him.”

“I am he, my love.” The endearment had come to mean something during their time together, and she heard meaning in the way he said it now. “You brought me back.” He gestured to the skies filled with ribbons of light, and then to the spring in which she sat. “I could see and watch over you, though I felt so helpless. I saw that you loved me, rather than merely tolerated me as I thought.” He reached for her hand, his fingers closing around hers. “Your love, along with the magick here, brought me back.”

He was real. Alive, flesh and blood. Tears came faster now, free of the pain that usually accompanied them. “I didn’t know I loved you until you were gone.”

He tugged gently on her hand. “Let me see you. Both of you.” He pulled her to her feet, his eyes taking in her face before moving down to the lushness of her pregnant body. “Amazing. Beautiful. A miracle.”

When she looked into his face, he was gazing at her.





Chapter 22



Cyn’s cell phone vibrated. “Jay,” he whispered, and they left the viewing area.

“I’m here,” she could hear Jay say as they walked down the path. “Cottage 14B.”

“We’ll be there in a minute.”

Cyn grasped her hand as they took the trail down to civilization. She squeezed, reveling in the feel of it. She’d been daydreaming while watching the lights, giving Garnet and the Dragon Prince their happy ending. Now she wanted one, too. When she’d withheld her forgiveness, all she had was anger and bitterness. By forgiving Cyn, she’d gained so much more. And freed herself in the bargain.

As though he’d picked up on her thoughts, he lifted her hand to his mouth and kissed it.

In turn, she pulled the back of his hand toward her mouth. “I hope you can forgive yourself, too.”

“I took away your parents. That you are the one woman who touches me, who makes me feel something…karma.” She could see his wry smile in the dim lights.

She held their linked hands to her heart. “If I can forgive you, you can sure as hell forgive yourself.” She bumped him with her hip. “Don’t make me hurt you.”

He rubbed his thigh, faux pain on his face. “You have hurt me. Or have you forgotten that beating?”

Her cheeks warmed at the memory of her lost control. “Emotion over logic. That’s going to be a tough lesson. But I’m sorry—”

He swung her around so that she faced him, pressing a finger to her mouth. “Don’t apologize.” He took her hand again and checked the number on the cottage just ahead. “We’re here.”

The door opened, and a big, burly Deuce with mussed dark hair and the beginnings of a beard stepped onto the stoop. For someone who was close to her father’s age, he looked like he was in his twenties.

“Cyntag!” His voice was boomingly loud, which was how she’d heard him so clearly on the phone. “Long time no anything.” He gave Cyn a back-slapping guy hug, then turned to her. “Well, well, what do we have here?” He thrust out his hand. “Jay Caruso. And you are…”