Page 50 of Mountain of Dragons and Sacrifice

No, he’d never said anything. But there had been that moment of sparks when he gave me the emerald. Watching the sunset together. Cuddled to his chest as he flew me to the village and back.

“You know Evander. He’s far too respectful to come right out and say anything. He’s too aware that until you find a new place here in the Fae Realm, you’re essentially his captive. That’s not a great dynamic, and he’s too considerate to cross the line.” Clarissa gestured from me to the stairs leading to the dragon’s lair. “But he’s still a dragon. He probably couldn’t quite help himself when it came to sharing a piece of his hoard with you. He was compelled to do it for himself, even if he didn’t want to pressure you by explaining what the gesture meant.”

“That…that…dragon.” I flapped my hands, huffing out a breath. “Here I’ve been hoping for a hint, and he went ahead and gave me the biggest hint of all in a way he knew perfectly well I wouldn’t understand.”

All because he was too frustratingly honorable to pursue a romance with a maiden who had been sacrificed against her will.

Clarissa gave a huff of her own, adding a shrug for good measure. “That’s Evander for you. Dorrian has been nudging him along as best he can, but there’s only so much meddling even Dorrian can do.”

Thinking of the way Dorrian had all but ordered Evander to show me his hoard, I laughed, shaking my head. “I didn’t know his job as the dragon’s steward involved matchmaking.”

“You’d be surprised. There have been a lot of maidens over the years that he and Evander have had to find homes for.” Clarissa gave a wry smile, her eyes twinkling with suppressed merriment. “He even went so far as to marry one of them.”

I didn’t manage to stifle my snort of laughter at that. “Oh, sure, Dorrian only married you out of loyalty to Evander.”

In Clarissa’s arms, baby Nessa started, then squirmed. Still grinning, Clarissa resumed rocking back and forth, soothing the baby into sleep once again. “No doubt.”

After a moment, my urge to giggle faded as I steered us back to the topic. “I’m going to have to make the first move, aren’t I? With Evander, I mean.”

“If you want more with Evander than to be provided a nice cottage, a pocketful of mined gems, and told to have a pleasant life in your new home, then, yes. I’m afraid so.” Clarissa adjusted her baby in her arms, resettling her without waking her.

The picture she painted didn’t sound all that bad…except for the fact that the cottage would be rather empty, missing a certain dragon.

“Thanks for letting me know.” Hefting the basket higher once again, I forced myself to keep walking, raising my voice slightly to be heard over the waterfall.

“Of course. I have a lot of respect for Evander, and you’re my friend.” Clarissa smiled, rocking baby Nessa as we walked. “Evander has needed someone in his life for a long time, even if he wouldn’t admit it, and I’d love to see you happy. Not to mention I selfishly would like you to settle down close to me.”

“Well, I’m planning on that, no matter what happens.” I shared a smile with her. Now that I had my friend back, I wasn’t going to let anyone or anything get in the way of our friendship again.

We fell silent as we entered the tunnel, headed for the gnomes’ cavern. We exchanged greetings with the rock polishers, handing out a few olives to those who wanted some.

After knocking on the door to alert them that light was incoming, I pushed one of the doors open.

Boss Gob stood there, an arm in a sling. Otherwise, he looked no worse for the wear after being caught in the rock slide.

Clarissa gestured to the basket. “I heard about the accident yesterday. I brought olives to help you all feel better.”

I hefted the basket, then pulled off the towel.

Boss Gob turned and barked out a word in gnomish.

Gnomes popped out of the piles, raced out of tunnels, and swarmed from the farthest corners of the cavern. Despite the stampede of gnomes descending on us, they quickly sorted themselves out into a neat line. While I held out the basket, they each grabbed one olive, then hurried off clutching it as if it was the most precious gem in the world.

A few of them sat down on the nearest piles of gems and bit into their olive then and there. Apparently, the gnomes did have tiny, razor-sharp teeth. As they only seemed to use those teeth to nosh on olives, I wasn’t afraid, as I would have been months ago.

I’d changed these past few months. I no longer belonged in the village, tending the olive grove.

Yes, I missed my parents and our home.

But everything else? Not really.

When I’d been sacrificed, I’d thought my future was wrested from my hands forever. But now that I saw this wasn’t the case, it was high time I claimed a future in the place where I truly belonged.

“Thank you for flying me to see Clarissa.” I had my arms wrapped around Evander’s neck, tucked close to his chest, as he flew me from the eyrie to the village.

Perhaps it had been suspicious, asking to see Clarissa when she’d just been at the eyrie yesterday. But Evander hadn’t questioned me. If anything, he’d dropped everything with alacrity the moment I asked. That might have something to do with that complaint from the Court of Revels he and Dorrian were still dealing with, but I hoped some of his eagerness had to do with me.

“Happy to do it.” Evander didn’t look at me as he soared through the clouds in his half-dragon state. His wings ruffled slightly in the air currents.

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