Page 61 of Crown and Dragon

Well, Tahlia wasn’t waiting on Marius. She was leaving. Now.

Even if she had to deal with a privy.

She lifted the wooden seat and squinted through the hole carved into the stone floor. Several stories down, a narrow river ran quickly along the fortress’s base, no doubt heading for the sea. She blew out a breath. Could she fit through that hole? Would she break her body further if she landed wrong? Lots of questions. No answers. And she wouldn’t figure it out mulling about in here.

Wishing she had her boots and bemoaning the fact that they’d stripped her of her weapons belt, she sat backwards on the privy’s seat, held her feet together, then launched herself down, down, down.

The carved hole out of the fortress hit her spine as she fell awkwardly. Pain shook her and she tried to straighten her legs again, working her position so she’d land feet first in the water.

The river’s embrace wasn’t for the faint of heart. The cold and the strike of the surface made her cry out in agony, her side flaring with pain and her back shrieking with what was going to be a mighty bruise. Carrying her past the fortress, the river gurgled around her ears. She spread her arms wide to keep her head above water.

She could practically hear Fara’s voice in her head.

Can’t believe you jumped into a privy and the refuse river with a hole in your side? And how many times have you fallen through the air today alone? You truly do want to perish horribly, don’t you?

Tahlia’s thoughts tumbled along with the river, her cheeks flushing though her body was cold from the water. She hoped she wouldn’t be suddenly dumped into the sea. She’d really had quite enough of the ocean for the time being.

The river widened and shallowed. She swam toward the edge. A stand of trees blocked this part of the river from the city streets beyond. No one was around. Finally, she was havingsome good luck. With shaking legs, she lumbered out of the water.

Her nose caught the scent of something familiar. She looked up into Durniad’s smiling face.

“Damn it.”

A few hours later,they had her rebandaged, dressed in a trailing pearl-colored gown, and standing beside Durniad at an altar dedicated to a goddess Tahlia knew nothing about. A man droned on about commitment and care, and she rolled her eyes for the ninth time.

“Remember,” Durniad whispered, his lips at her ear. “Smile and do as you’re told and you’ll live. If not, I’ll hand you over to my guards. I like to watch.”

“Classy.” She drew away from him.

A sneer curled his lip. “Say one more word like that. I dare you.” His voice was barely audible. He gripped her hand and attempted to crush her fingers.

He wasn’t nearly as strong as he believed himself to be.

Well, the plan now wasmurder. She’d end this fool’s life tonight in their wedding chamber and it would be a good deed done for anyone and everyone he’d ever met. Forget the human and Fae relations, screw the agreement between King Lysanael and the human high queen. Tahlia had had enough. She’d spit this monster like the pig that he was, then fight her way out of the fortress. Maybe Marius would show up at some point and help out. Maybe not. But no matter what, she wasn’t giving in to this idiot.

Chapter 30

Marius

Ragewing flew over a forested stretch of land between Midhampton and the Witch’s house. Marius breathed in the cool evening air. He turned to check Ragewing’s bandaged tail. Some would think the injury wasn’t as serious being near the end of his tail rather than higher up, but that wasn’t true at all. The tip of a dragon’s tail helped them cut the air and steer their way through the wind currents. Every part of Ragewing worked to make him deadly in the sky, able to turn tight arcs and whip around to fire on attackers. When one element of that flying system was disturbed, especially the tip of the tail, the dragon suffered in the area of agility, response time, and stamina.

Attempting to be more like Tahlia, Marius tried to think positively. Ragewing was flying steadily with no wobble or sense of pain through the bond. He was quiet, but he usually was. Nothing out of the ordinary there. He didn’t speak to Marius unless he had something important to say. Marius respected that.

They soared over a cluster of sycamores that waved their branches in the gusty breeze.

I smell a dragon.

Marius’s body coiled, ready to take action.Where?He wished he had more than just a couple of blades.

I can’t see him, but he’s there. I sense his presence and his scent is reminiscent of the Gwerhune.

That was King Lysanael’s forest, the wood that lay south of Caer Du.

A dark shape materialized about one hundred yards away. Ragewing snarled and let out a warning shower of sparks. It was a forest dragon—black in color and capable of an invisibility glamour. On the dragon’s back, Queen Revna lifted a hand in greeting.

“My lady queen!” Marius echoed the gesture and tapped Ragewing, asking him to land.

Ragewing and Arkyn, the queen’s forest dragon, flew in descending circles until they landed in a small clearing dotted with gold and red mushrooms.

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