Page 44 of Dragon Fire

Leo felt his face flush with heat, but he appreciated that Seth was trying to be a good friend.

“Thanks, but…it really is none of your business. Don’t take that as a rebuke, Seth. I appreciate your friendship, but in this matter, I will have to find my own path.”

Seth regarded him for a long time, then finally nodded. “Stars know I’m no one to give advice on romance. Just know I’m here for you if you need a friend.”

“Thanks.” Leo was truly touched by Seth’s concern, but he knew he’d said the right thing.

This felt too important to allow anyone to influence the turn of events—even well-meaning friends. Thisthingbetween Lizbet and himself would have to prove itself strong enough to stand in the light of day, or peter out like last night’s coals.

Seth took his breakfast, and nothing more was said of the matter. Instead, the men discussed the plan for the day ahead as they ate together, saving a portion for Lizbet when she finally emerged from the cave that had become a temporary home to a now-sizable flock of dragons.

Lizbet saw Gryffid come in and chose to stay by Shara’s side. She would remain unless, and until, Gryffid asked her to leave. Thankfully, he didn’t. He merely smiled at her in that fatherly way he had and looked speculatively between her and Shara while he examined Shara’s wounds.

He spoke a few words of magic that seemed to help Shara feel even better than Seth’s potions, for which Lizbet was grateful. Anything that helped Shara—be it magic or medicine—was more than welcome. Lizbet hated seeing Shara suffer.

Gryffid surprised Lizbet by staying to chat a while after he’d checked over Shara’s wounds. He even invited Lizbet to ask some of the questions that had been bothering her.

When Leo entered the cave, coming over to stand near Lizbet, she saw a knowing look in the old wizard’s eye that said all too much. He knew there was some sort of spark between them, and he seemed to be waiting for Lizbet to work up the courage to ask him what she wanted to know.

It was Leo who started the conversation, though, much to her surprise, as they walked the wizard out of the cave. Leo had more courage than she’d thought, to question the last of the great wizards.

“Milord, are sea dragons and land dragons really so different?” Leo began. “I confess, I was expecting them to be much more different from each other, but besides the ability to flame and the webbing on their feet and hands, they seem more alike than they are different.”

“At one time, there was no distinction between the types of dragons we know today,” Gryffid said in his thoughtful way. “Ice dragons, snow dragons, sea dragons and all the others were all brethren of the dragons who remained in Draconia in the beginning. Most stayed there, but those that branched off turned into these separate enclaves over the centuries.”

“So then, it’s possible that Xander and Shara could be mates?” Leo asked the question Lizbet had not dared to voice, his brows furrowed.

“It is very possible,” Gryffid nodded. “But that leaves you in a quandary, does it not? Because of the way you are joined to Xanderanth, you must find your mate before he can take his.”

“But Shara isn’t a fighting dragon. She hasn’t bonded to a knight—or to any person,” Leo said in a glum tone, clearly upset by this idea.

“Hasn’t she?” Gryffid turned his knowing gaze to Lizbet.

“I’m not sure…” Lizbet hedged. She was bonded to the sea dragon, but was it the same kind of bond the knights shared with their dragons? She had no idea.

“Aren’t you?” Gryffid challenged her again in the same tone. He shook his head. “Come now, you are joined on a deep level with your dragon friend. I see the same link between you and Shara as I do between those two.” Gryffid pointed to Leo and Xanderanth, who had followed them out of the cave and onto the beach, leaving Shara’s side for the first time since the night before.

“You do?” Leo blinked a few times and looked at Lizbet, then he looked back at the wizard. “Could that work? Would we not need a third?”

“A third in the relationship is something you knights have faced due to several factors, including the scarcity of human women who can bespeak dragons or even tolerate living with dragons, and the fact that only males are chosen as knights. Back in the beginning of dragon knight pairings, many things were tried, and the triad was proven the most stable arrangement and has become the method of choice over time, but I see no reason why your situation couldn’t work just as well.” He had taken on a sort of lecturing tone, and Lizbet was glad Gryffid has put some serious thought into his answer. “Furthermore…” he went on, “…I am too old and wise not to acknowledge the hand of the divine often stirs the pot where you dragon knights are concerned. Although I am a man of science and magic, even I bow to the Mother of All’s wisdom.”

Lizbet was shocked, but also pleased by his words. The idea of mating with a human—albeit a dragon knight—was scary. Leaving her homeland was an even more frightening thought. She had never been to the lands where humans ruled. She had never wanted to leave Gryphon Isle. But if she joined with Leo…

Dear, sweet, irresistible Leo…

How could she?

How could she not?

The conflict within her heart made her head spin. She didn’t know what to think. What to do. She wasn’t sure of anything at the moment, only that she felt something when she was with Leo that she had never experienced before. Something that told her this was significant.Hewas significant.

“You must contemplate many things, young ones. And you must be patient while decisions are made on your behalf in faraway places.” Gryffid took on that mystical tone he used when imparting information about future.

Lizbet perked up. Gryffid knew more, but he wasn’t telling. She would have to think hard on his words and look for every possible nuance of meaning, for when the wizard decided to keep his own counsel, he did just that and not even a herd of rampaging gryphons could make him budge.

*

Later that morning, Seth arrived back at the wizard’s keep while breakfast was still being served in the great hall. He’d left Leo and Xanderanth with Lizbet and Shara. Hrardorr had allowed Seth to guide him in for a landing in the keep’s huge courtyard because he wanted to meet the wizard, if at all possible. When asked why, Hrardorr only replied that it was a once-in-a-lifetime chance to converse with someone who had walked among the ancient dragons and designed the gryphons.

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