Page 23 of Dance with the Dragon Duke

Tomorrow walked backward in the direction of the small door that had opened in the side of the wall, and thewolves gathered closer, curious about the strange woman who’d charged at them so brashly.

Dark attempted to move with her.

“Stay right where you are,” Tomorrow scolded. “You’re too threatening, Dark. You’ll only antagonize them.”

The duke’s tail sliced at the air, then thumped irritably against the snow, but he trusted her and the Seelie affinity with nature. He kept his feet planted. Jonas hoisted the little girl over his shoulder. He took his wife’s hand, and carefully they slipped away from the trees, creeping toward the gates.

“Wait,” the little girl begged. Her feet pedaled under her green dress. “I wasn’t done looking at them!”

“Not right now, darling,” the mother said gently, and the family hurried out of the courtyard.

A wolf snapped its jaws at Dark. Dark resisted the urge to snap his sharp teeth back.

“Quiet, you brute,” Tomorrow said affectionately, and the wolf padded toward her, head low in capitulation. She made a fist and held it out for the creature to sniff. The wolf nosed her knuckles. Tension continued to course through the muscles in Dark’s back and shoulders. He was ready to spring. His tail coiled and uncoiled beside him, wanting to reach for her.

The bulky mage guard, Arne, charged out of the gates, another guard in tow. Wolves yipped and growled. The mages made crescent symbols with their hands, cupping their fingers.

“Sleep,” the mages called, chanting the word repeatedly. Moon magic scented the air with incense. The spell would have worked more quickly if the sun hadn’t been overhead, dulling their connection to the Divine Night.

The wolves whined and whimpered. One by one, they fell to the snow, sound asleep.

All the pent-up aggression surging through the duke came to the surface then. His horns and tail steamed in big billowyclouds as he turned on the guards. “What in the blazing stars happened?”

“We don’t know, Your Grace.” Arne said. “But I assure you, whoever opened that door, it wasn’t anyone on staff. The wolves should be sleeping this time of day. None of us were anywhere near there.”

“Glen,” Tomorrow hissed low for the duke’s ears only.

Chest heaving, Dark stared at her. He wanted to scoop her up and tuck her into the safety of his hoard, watching her charge at hungry wolves had unnerved him so.

“Please don’t ever do that again,” he said, his voice gravel.

“Aw.” Tomorrow simpered. “Were you so worried about me? What a giant softy you are. I’m just fine, you know. I told you, ferocious things like me.”

“I know that. Iama ferocious thing. But I prefer you just the way you are, with all your fingers and toes still attached. Don’t do that to me again,” he added more sternly. Unable to help himself, he gathered her against his side. His tail tightened around her, hugging her middle.

Tomorrow sniggered.

They returned to the ballroom and found their table. Dark was too anxious to sit, tail curling and uncurling at his back. He helped Tomorrow into her chair while she explained in a hushed voice for Margot and Susan all that had transpired outside.

“It was him, I tell you,” Tomorrow said. Her eyes scanned the crowd, searching for her cousin.

“You think Glen cut loose those wolves in the courtyard?” Susan asked. “But he was over there, seated across from the Earl, arguing with the executor when all the screaming started.”

“I was trying to read their lips,” Margot added, “so I could tell you what they were having a row about. Turns out, I’m not any good at that. They said your name an awful lot, though. That was the only word I could make out. Sorry, love.”

Tomorrow gazed up at the duke, her eyes big and pleading. “It was him, Dark. He was hoping they’d gobble me up or terrify me further or both. Perhaps he had one of his men release the wolves while he was arguing with the Earl, or he could have sent some other Freest, but it was him. He’s responsible.”

“I believe you,” he said.

“I’m telling you— Oh? You believe me?” Her white brows pinched together. Then her copper eyes went big and glassy. “Just like that?”

“Just. Like. That.” He wanted to reach out and touch her. He’d touched her several times that morning, but this urge felt like something more. His hands hung heavy and inert at his sides, confused by the pull of instincts and the typhoon of feeling churning in his gut.

Susan gave her arm a friendly pat. “We all believe you, love.”

“My offer to eat him still stands,” Dark said.

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