Page 70 of Caress of Fire
If she moved even a fingertip, even the corner of her mouth, then she would weaken like a house of cards and run. And then she would die, and with her, that tiny bundle floating inside her belly.
The brown dragon stopped sniffing and his eyes widened, but Marielle couldn’t see his pupils in his too-dark eyes. But she could see his hesitation, the way he wasn’t sure if he was going to rip her to pieces or not.
I’m still alive. I’m not dead.
Then another flap of wings made Marielle look up. Red and orange invaded the sky and the dragoness landed between Marielle and the brown beast. Nyra’s jewel-colored eyes landed briefly on Marielle then she turned to her mate, her body low on the ground in a protective stance.
The brown male’s thunderous roar of displeasure shook the rocks like an earthquake but Nyra didn’t budge. Her screech was equally threatening, and her long, powerful tail whipped the air in warning. A dark cloud of smoke rose from the male’s nostrils but he backed down from Nyra’s challenge.
Apparently reassured that her mate wasn’t going to vomit fire all over the castle, reducing all its occupants to ashes, Nyra turned to Marielle. Her limbs trembling, Marielle walked to the dragoness as the awareness of the brown male faded to the back of her mind and her entire focus went to the red beast. Following an unexplained impulse, Marielle lifted her hand to Nyra, stopping just short of her muzzle. Behind her, the brown dragon growled but didn’t move. A second later, Nyra broached the distance and her warm scales touched Marielle’s open palm.
A joy as alien and foreign as the images that bloomed in her mind entered Marielle’s brain. She knew they were sent by Nyra and she accepted them easily, then sent her own feelings up the fragile link she shared with the dragoness. The love, the protectiveness, the fear also, and that tender secret she held inside her body.
Nyra became still and her blue eyes blinked as an overwhelming joy invaded Marielle’s mind. Nyra huffed in Marielle’s hair, a wind of soft warmth as she brought one mighty paw forward, then extended it to show Marielle a shimmering blue object of such beauty, Marielle could only gasp.
An egg. This was a dragon’s egg, and the life that bloomed inside echoed the life that grew in her belly.
“Marielle!” A familiar masculine voice made Marielle turn away from Nyra, only to see two men standing in the doorway. Fedryc stood in front of Henron, his face contorted with fear. “Don’t move!”
Fedryc’s face lost all its color when he locked gazes with Nyra. He stood still for a few seconds, like he was seeing a mirage and not the dragoness who was linked to him through the essence of their very lives. Then his silver eyes slid to the looming figure of the brown dragon, fuming furiously behind Nyra. His shoulders stiffened and his eyes clouded over, his mouth taking on a now familiar stern, cruel line.
Nyra lifted her head, her eyes shining with defiance. Behind her, the brown dragon sensed the threat to his mate and growled.
This isn’t going to end well. Fedryc shouldn’t have come.
Henron made his way to the landing platform, his face focused and his eyes set on Marielle.
“Get down with Lady Marielle.” Henron spoke softly as he inched closer, eyeing the brown dragon behind Nyra as well as the red dragoness. “I’ll get you as much time as I can.”
“Nyra protected Marielle and me, but I’m not sure if she will stand up to her mate for you.” Fedryc turned sideways to look at his friend, a look of terrible understanding on his face. “If she doesn’t, he will kill you.”
“If you don’t take Marielle away from him, he will kill you both.” Henron approached until Nyra growled, low in her throat. This made the brown dragon bristle and he hissed, loud and furious. “Look what’s in Nyra’s talons, Fedryc. Congratulations, my friend.”
Fedryc tilted his head, uncomprehending, then turned to look at Nyra. The dragoness had brought her paw back against her chest, cradling her precious cargo, but the outlines of the egg were still visible. Fedryc’s face went slack, then he turned to Marielle.
He didn’t speak, just locked eyes with her, and she gave him the faintest smile. This was enough for him to understand that Henron was right.
“Come.” Fedryc grabbed Marielle’s upper arm in a grip of iron, pulling her close roughly. “Don’t make a noise.”
Marielle opened her mouth to protest, to tell him that it was preposterous to abandon Henron to certain death, but he didn’t give her time to speak. Henron walked right past them, his gaze steadily on Nyra. Marielle was dragged to the doorway but once there, she fought Fedryc’s hold, turning to grab the frame.
Fedryc turned with her and when she glanced at him, she saw pain on his face. Pain, guilt and a pride that made her want to scream.
Because Henron shouldn’t have to die. Because Nyra was going to protect them, she just knew it.
Then Henron spoke.
“We have been friends a long time, you and I.” Henron stood up straight, dwarfed by the looming figure of the red dragoness. “You alone can decide if we will be for more.”
Behind Nyra, the brown dragon moved, stalking across the platform in a slow, measured way to stand just behind his mate. Dark, almost black eyes sharpened their focus as they bored into Henron with an intensity that should have sent him away screaming, but Henron stood absolutely still, like he was paralyzed by the vision of the feral dragon.
Then the brown dragon leaned in and his nostrils widened. Fedryc’s hand squeezed Marielle’s as he watched the feral dragon take in his friend’s scent.
Then the feral turned to Nyra and rested his muzzle in the middle of her nape. Nyra’s pupils shrank and she stared back at the brown dragon. The dragons were communicating, in that deep, wordless way they used to weld their minds to one another through the physical link.
And they were deciding Henron’s fate.
The feral brown dragon was not what Fedryc had told her; he was capable of thoughts and feelings.
