Page 66 of Seduced By the Dragon Lord (Dragon Lords 2)

“That is no’ why you’re bound for the dungeon.”

“Then why? Because I can do magic? Or because I happened to accidentally throw you through a wall? Did I bruise your ego?”

He pressed several buttons on the wall and a cell door slid open. Acting as though it didn’t pain him, he shoved her inside. “Because you lied to me.”

She gazed up at him with watery eyes. “Don’t do this.”

He had to call upon every cold, methodical cell in his being to close the door and walk away. Before he could change his mind, he rushed out of there like his coattails were on fire…and still he caught the faint echo of her sob.

* * *

“Are you mad?” Tristan leaned over the table, propped up by his arms. Orik sat across from him.

As expected, the gossip had sailed around the court. Orik, Tristan, June, and Edel had summoned him to the council room as they all tried to reason with him.

“She canna be a witch,” Tristan added.

“I assure you, she is,” he replied calmly. He felt anything but. That despairing sound Jessie had made when he’d left her was like a ghoul feasting on his resolve. “She healed a lema and later threw me through wall from the comfort of the b—place where she sat.”

“But she knew about Crocodile Dundee and Rambo,” June interjected. “We sang Bad Romance together. She’sgotto be from Earth.”

Edel had yet to say a word, which was not unusual whenever new unsettling information was disclosed. She preferred to digest all the facts before divulging her opinion. Except she wasn’t merely taking everything in. She was eyeing him with something like disapproval. Surely, she would understand his point of view. Jessie was a witch. Witches were dangerous. Enough said.

But wasJessiedangerous?

“Must she be locked up?” June continued. “Couldn’t we just keep a closer eye on her?”

He refrained from informing her that was an impossible task, saying instead, “Witches are no’ to be trifled with. We canna be too careful. Especially now that the meeting with that coven of witches is approaching.” Even now, Rayu and a brigade of guards escorted them to the throne room to await Tristan’s arrival. Having them within the castle walls felt like inviting venomous stinging insects to crawl under one’s skin.

Were they in league with Jessie? Anything was possible at this point.

Tristan dropped down in a chair and sighed. “A witch. She fooled us all. Too bad you slept with her before you discovered this fatal flaw.”

Every ounce of Orik’s energy was diverted to keep his face blank of emotion. He’d been tricked. No need to feel shame. “Indeed.”

“Do you suppose she was trying to infiltrate the royal family through you?”

“I must assume so.”

“For what purpose?” June went to Tristan’s side and draped herself over his lap. In an action that seemed as natural as breathing, Tristan folded his arms around her.

Wild jealousy charged though Orik. “To bring harm to our family and kingdom.”

“It doesn’t make any sense though, does it?” June countered. “Where would the witches get a Kayadon ship? How did they get one of their kind up in space for you to conveniently find? How did they educate themselves on Earth’s pop culture?”

Orik glanced away as June listed all his doubts.

“And if she did mean us harm,” June continued, “she’s already had plenty of opportunities to do so. I was alone with her on several occasions, and all we did was have fun.” To Orik she added, “And you saw the fear in her eyes that day when I transformed for her. It had to have been the first time she’d seen a dragon. Do you believe that terror could have been faked?”

Orik shook his head. “I canna say for sure. Though they hunt us, witches have a natural fear of us in that form. It’s when we are most formidable. Plus, you are an ice dragon. Even if she’d seen other dragons, she’s likely never seen one like you.”

“So what would be the witch’s aim?” Tristan asked. He was the only one who appeared appropriately concerned. “Why infiltrate us like this? Are they mounting an attack?”

“Jessie told me she ran into a witch who said he was recruiting others.”

June asked, “Why would she admit to such a thing if she was against us?”

Orik couldn’t find a reasonable answer. He recalled the glyph on her hand. “She allowed him to mark her with a spell that tracks her whereabouts.”

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