Page 31 of The Soul of the Dragon

The words she spoke were true. If Isaac and I were after the same thing, I would ultimately have to fight him to use it. But again, what choice did I have? I would get absolutely nowhere in any realm without my magic. It was only a matter of time before another enslaved me. Including the dragon.

“I have to try.” I whispered the words, afraid anyone else might hear them.

“Then I will help you. But then you will owe me a great favor.”

My heart stopped beating for a second. I’d known this would be the price for her help. And I also knew that to owe a imp a favor would most likely lead to my death.

“Okay,” I agreed despite the fear and reluctance warning me not to go there. My mind wanted me to find another way, but the imp was right. There was no other way and even if there were, I didn’t have time to find it.

A heartbeat after I agreed, the door sprang open and Isaac loomed in the doorway like a harbinger of doom. Of course as I noticed he carried trays of food I had to admit my imagination had run away from me. Or the conversation with—

I whirled back around to her to find her gone with no trace that she'd even been in the room. Had I imagined her? I shook my head. No. That sense of foreboding and impending doom still coating my skin was a clear indicator that yes, it had been real and I'd made a devil’s bargain with her.

"You're done," he said, stating the obvious while kicking the door shut behind him. His gaze seemed transfixed on my body, and despite knowing my undergarments were nearly as modest as my dress, I felt half naked nonetheless.

"I thought you might be as hungry as I am and be in need of some fresh clothes." He set the tray down on the nearby table and pulled his pack from his back. Something I'd failed to notice missing from the room in the first place. My powers of observation were definitely lacking. If I had any hope of getting through all of this, I needed to pay keen attention to all of my surroundings.

He withdrew a bundle of material from his bag and thrust them in my direction. "Here. Not sure if they are exactly to your taste, but they should work."

The rich red material slid sinuously against my palm and I closed my eyes against the luxurious feel. It had been quite some time since I'd had access to clothing like this. My stepfather had stripped me of most of my belongings when I'd refused his demand I marry him, and even the clothes on my back had been yanked away that first night in a dungeon cell.

The clothes had mattered little. It had been more the principle of the thing. But now, with the beautiful silk brushing against my skin, tears sprang to my eyes as the loss of what I'd been came rushing into my brain.

"I thought that red would go well with your dark hair, and it looks like I was right."

I blinked up at him. "Why would that matter?"

He shrugged, stepping closer. "It shouldn't," he said, lifting a lock of my still damp hair between his fingers and bringing it to his nose. "But I thought of it anyways."

My entire body stiffened as he inhaled deep. I knew his senses were strong, and he could pick up more than any other fae by scent alone so there was no hiding the effect he had on me. I didn't know what to say other than, "Thank you for the clothes."

"You should change into the silk underdress I brought you. It will be far more comfortable for sleeping than this thing." He'd dropped my strand of hair and was now tracing his fingers along my shoulders and the material he seemed to find offensive.

I had to admit that the fine materials in my hands would feel much better against my chafed skin. Sleeping in a tree and then on the forest floor had been awkward but sufficient. Even if my comfort seemed of little importance at this point. But he was already pulling at the strings that would loosen the garment in the back and I had to admit I was looking forward to a comfortable bed for one night.

"What the fuck?" His rough graveled growl yanked me from my languid thoughts. I jerked away from him, but his strong fingers grabbed my wrist before I could get away. "Who did that to you?"

In all my thoughts of escape and meeting him and trying to get my power back, I'd completely forgotten about...

"It's nothing," I cried, trying to jerk free from his grasp.

"It's NOT nothing, and I want an explanation immediately because I'm going to kill whoever did that to you."

Crap. How could I have forgotten already? The punishment that had been delivered at the insistence of the King in the dungeon... The humiliation of him having me whipped. It burned through whatever barrier I'd put in my mind to make me forget.

"It doesn't matter anymore," I snapped back at him. "Not unless you are planning to take me back."

"The King did this?" The question came out so deep and guttural I almost didn't recognize the words. His eyes had changed to the slits of the dragon and I could see the sharpened teeth poking at his lips. He was on the verge of something bad, and we were in a tiny inn that could in no way handle anything from the dragon.

When I didn't answer fast enough, he pulled me against him and growled again. "Tell me."

"Not directly," my voice shook with fear. Not for me, but for what might happen if he lost control of his dragon.

"What the hell does that mean?"

His sharp words made my spine snap back into place. "Unhand me and get yourself under control before you ruin everything." I didn't seem to care if Iangered him any further. I'd had enough male pissing to last a lifetime.

He dropped my hand so suddenly it bounced against my hip. "Then answer me. Who. Did This. To. You?"

---