Page 17 of Dragon Fire

She loved her father and didn’t want to hurt his feelings, but it was clear he had a very unrealistic view of who she was. There were times when he looked at her with such sadness in his eyes. Those times, when he thought she didn’t realize he was watching her with such haunted eyes—when she probably reminded him of her dead mother…

It broke her heart too.

The portraits in the house confirmed that, as Livia got older, she began to look more and more like her. Livia knew that had to be painful for her father. He’d loved her mother truly and had gone a little crazy when she’d died.

He’d fled. Plain and simple. He’d fled to the sea, returning only intermittently to a heartbroken little girl who had grown up mostly without his presence.

Theirs was a sad tale, but she understood. She, too, had lost her best friend when she’d lost her mother.

While she didn’t agree with the way her father had handled his grief, she had come to understand it over time. Livia was philosophical by nature—as her mother had been. She had long ago forgiven the sea captain for running away from the reminders of his loss.

Now, she just had to work to make him understand that time had not stood still here while he’d been off adventuring. Livia had grown. She was ready to step out into the world as, in fact, she had been doing all along while he hadn’t been here.

He’d come around, but in the meantime, she had to be creative if she wanted to keep living the happy life she’d carved out for herself. It had been a challenge. Especially in regards to her two suitors.

That had been the most difficult challenge, in fact.

But there they were now. Her two favorite men, down on the beach, and she was unsupervised, for a change. The possibilities danced before her mind, tempting her to instigate a change of plans, if at all possible.

As she realized there was a crowd of children, as well as another knight and his dragon present, she began to hope that maybe there was a way to contrive some time alone with her guys. And they were hers. Since they had shared ecstasy together, she couldn’t seem to think of either of them separately. Whenever she pictured being with them, she pictured them both. Oh, she’d happily take one of them to her bed, if the opportunity arose, but after knowing the total rapture of being with them both at the same time…only that would do for her fantasies.

When the children spotted her and cheered, Livia could only smile. She knew these tykes. They were all related. Brothers and sisters from a family that had moved to Dragonscove recently, with connections to the Lair and to her father’s far-flung business enterprises.

Livia, in fact, had helped Mr. and Mrs. Stuart find their new place and had helped arrange their move. Mr. Stuart ran the supply side of her father’s export business, coordinating shipments from various farms and craftspeople to the warehouses, there to be loaded onto ships and sent abroad for trade opportunities.

Livia had known Mr. Stuart for a while now. He’d come to town with every major shipment and had met with her to coordinate distribution of payment and planning for upcoming needs. He’d run his part of the business from the next port over for years, but when his son had been chosen by a dragon and stationed at the Lair above Dragonscove, he’d immediately asked if he could keep his position if he moved closer.

Livia had been only too happy to have such a capable manager closer to hand and had helped the family move. She’d also taken an immediate liking to his wife and children when she’d finally met them. Mrs. Stuart was a no-nonsense sort of woman who had a talent for cookery of all kinds. She’d been the head chef at a famous inn in Port Waymouth that was known far and wide, but she’d easily given it up to be nearer to her eldest son and his new dragon partner.

There were several establishments seeking Mrs. Stuart’s advice, and more than one was trying to hire her, but she claimed to be enjoying being with her family too much to go back to working as hard as she had before. She did offer advice in return for payment and had become something of a consultant to inns all over the county.

Livia had plans to help Mrs. Stuart market her expertise on a wider scale, but she hadn’t broached the idea with the good lady yet. Her father’s return had made Livia put many of her side projects on hold, but she’d get back to them. Eventually.

“Hello, the Stuarts!” she called merrily toward the children who had been gathered around Seth. His golden blond hair shone in the sun as he rose and smiled at her.

The children ran to her, the littlest trailing behind until Livia scooped little Jenny up and carried her back the way they’d come. They were all talking at once, asking her questions and giving her little chance to reply. It was fine though. She loved their natural enthusiasm and inquisitive minds. This family was a model of what she wished she’d had growing up, and she admired them for it.

When she reached Seth, she put Jenny down and faced him, a broad smile on her face.

“It’s good to see you, Master Seth.” She felt as breathless as her voice sounded and hoped the children would blame it on her long walk.

“Lovely to see you again, Mistress Livia. Thank you for joining us here today to meet our visitor.” Seth played the gallant, escorting her toward the gathered four-footed creatures, who were all watching them.

The children followed behind Livia, cautious but curious. Genlitha and Hrardorr stood together, with a slightly smaller sparkling dark blue dragon and their furred and feathered guest, the gryphon.

Gowan watched all from the other side, standing with a young man who must be the eldest of the Stuart children. She hadn’t met the famous Leo yet, but she’d heard all about him from his brothers and sisters.

Livia had heard a great deal about the formality of gryphons and knew enough to greet the young gryphon first. She held the creature’s gaze as she walked toward it, her heart fluttering a bit with nerves. She’d never met a gryphon before.

“Sir Flurrthith of Gryphon Isle, may I present Mistress Livia O’Dare of Dragonscove?” Seth said formally, stopping next to Livia as she faced the gryphon head on.

Livia sank into a deep curtsey, her eyes remaining raised as a sign of respect for the gryphon’s great strength. The gryphon lowered one front leg by bending at the knee, also bowing, in its way, holding her gaze as if measuring her in some way.

Livia felt the impact of the gryphon’s regard down to her toes. It wasn’t really something she could put into words, but the way the gryphon looked at her, it was as if it was seeing down into the core of her being, measuring and considering before making some sort of decision about her. And then, it spoke, the audible words jarring her a bit.

“It iss good to meet you, Missstresss. Even on Gryphon Isle, we have heard of the daring ssea captain named O’Dare. Iss he your ssire?”

Shocked, Livia rose from her curtsey as the gryphon stood before her. “Why, yes. Captain O’Dare is my father.”

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