Sunshine

A frantic banging on her chamber door startled Lianna from her sleep. She sat up slowly, her muscles stretching out in feline grace. More obnoxious banging. She threw her power out to feel whose presence dared to disturb her.

Seth.

Lianna jumped up and raced for the door, yanking it open. His face was ashen, and he looked as if he would fall over.

“Seth!” She cried. She leaped across the hall, banging on the feline’s doors, shouting out her command through her percipient at the felines she could feel prowling within the other chamber. The door opened immediately, and they all joined Seth in her chamber.

He sat in a chair by the fire, staring into it blankly. Dorius shut the door to her chamber, sliding the bolt in place.

“Seth?” She whispered, casting her power over him trying to feel for any lingering magic. She found nothing.

His chocolate eyes finally met hers. His nostrils flared as her scent reached his brain. His eyes widened momentarily before becoming shuttered again, putting off those questions for later.

“You look like hell.” He tried to tease her, but the light didn’t quite reach his eyes. She raised a delicately arched eyebrow, sweeping her glance across his rumpled clothing, shaggy hair, and sleep-deprived eyes. He only nodded.

“What is it?” She was almost too scared to ask.

“Georgina.” He started, his eyes darting to hers.

“That is, Lady Fraiser, is not here on a whim as she would appear. Her husband and mate, Lord Thomas Fraiser, has been away on the king’s business for quite some time. He is the captain of a small fleet of cargo ships. His family has been in the trade for centuries. She claimed to have not heard from her husband in almost two years, and so came to court hoping to find news of his whereabouts.

“She received a note from a servant last night that claimed to be from her husband, who is now, here in the castle. He claims that the king is holding hostages in the dungeons” Seth took a deep breath.

“He says that the Errewyn has been trading with King Henry in secret for years. According to him, they have decided that the secrecy and cost of sailing the ships all the way around the continent have become too expensive.”

Lianna’s heart nearly stopped, she thought she knew where this was leading. Her worst fears were confirmed when he pulled a stack of papers out from under his shirt and handed them to her. The first was a map of the two kingdoms, divided in half by the jagged peaks of the Bloodstone Mountains, the wild middle land that belonged to no one. The wolves lived in the depths of the ash forest in their dens, and the felines roamed the rocky faces. But only the dragons were suited to thrive in the untamed mountains that were uninhabitable for humans and Fae alike. She passed the piece of paper to Nathaniel and looked at the second. It was much the same, except that a wide swath of mountains had been removed and a large valley connected the two kingdoms as one.

Lianna felt sick. She passed the page to Nathaniel as well.

“Even if both of the kings agree, how will they bring those mountains down? It’s impossible.” Dorius stated. Lucas nodded his head in agreement.

“Nothing is impossible.” Lianna breathed her beast beginning to quake inside her, its fury, unlike anything she had ever felt before.

“I... I couldn’t sleep last night, so I took a flight around the valley.” She swallowed hard.

“I flew to the East, over the forest near the mountains. I heard and saw several explosions. They shook the whole continent it felt like. I flew toward the place and when the smoke cleared, the entire mountain was gone, reduced to a pile of rocks.”

All eyes were on her, disbelieving. She turned away, not wanting to tell them the rest but she knew she must. Tears filled her eyes and poured silently down her cheeks when she faced them again.

“There is a camp near the mountain they blew up. Guards in royal uniforms patrolled the gate. There were hundreds of men chained to each other sleeping on the ground inside the walls. They didn’t even have blankets.” Her voice broke.

“I couldn’t save them. If I had burnt down the walls and guards, I could have easily killed them all. Their shackles prevent them from escaping. I wanted to burn it all to the ground. But I couldn’t. What if Eris is there?” All of the rage and helpless emotion of the night before poured out of her and she sank to her knees and cried.

“But what does King Henry stand to gain from any of this?” Lucas asked, his face a stony mask of confused rage.

“More land and taxes?” Nathaniel answered.

Seth shook his head slowly. “Errewyn will not share his throne. He likely intends to do away with King Henry as soon as the kingdoms are united.”

“What about the wolves? They live in those woods. He cannot seriously believe that they willingly give up their land and homes for this?” Lucas commented. Lianna gasped; shooting to her feet as understanding dawned on her.

“Eris,” Seth spoke her thought out loud looking to her in commiseration.

“He will use the pup against them, he is their future leader, and so they will do whatever they think they have to to free him. Their bonds are sacred, and it has allowed them to thrive just as well as the dragons that once lived there. There are other, smaller packs, but Erin’s pack is their undisputed royalty. If they bow to Errewyn, the others will follow their lead.”

Lianna felt her heartbreaking and knew she had to stop this somehow. First, she had to find Eris and warn the wolves of the danger.

“We need to leave here. Today.” She announced turning towards them on shaky legs.

“And we have to find Eris,” Seth warned.

“Dorius, try to find a way to check the castle dungeons. I want everyone out of here before the sun reaches its highest point today, with or without the wolf pup.” He gave Lianna a meaningful look. She ignored him as she glanced out the window. The day was overcast, and the sun’s rays did not reach through the heavy clouds that brought the season’s first snow flurries.

“I could just kill him now.” She whispered. “I could prevent any of it from going any further.”

Seth stomped over to her and grabbed her by the arms, shaking her.

“And they will hunt you down and skin you alive. You are a dragon, and they fear you more than anything else. Even a greedy, power-hungry king.” He growled into her face.

They were all looking at her with pity in their eyes. Nodding in agreement with the commander.

“They will not care that you are saving them. Without proof, you are just another monster to them.” He waved the papers in the air.

“We start here. We rescue as many slaves as we can and destroy his mines. Convince the wolves to fight against this. You will go back to the palace and stay out of sight.”

“Like hell, I will!” Her dragon roared. “Those mountains are my home too and I will not sit idly by while they are destroyed by some tyrant!” Sparks flew from her fingertips, her hair flaming up around her.

To her surprise, Seth did not back down. “I will not risk losing you over this.” He growled quietly, his intense gaze willing her to submit to this. The cold look in his eyes warned her against arguing her point at the moment.

She forced her anger back down, folding her arms over her chest in a defensive gesture. She would have to prove her worth to them. She would find a way. She dropped her eyes in silent submission to his command. For now, she promised herself.

“I must get ready for lunch with the king. His invitation last night did not sound like a request.” Lianna stubbornly refused to meet his gaze.

“Very well, we will be waiting for you. I don’t care what excuse you give him but meet us in the courtyard when you are finished.” She nodded her agreement and watched them leave.

She stood near the window watching the first snowflakes begin to fall. The wintry scene mirroring the cold empty feeling inside her.

“You are not alone.” The smooth voice wrapped around her mind, warming her like a hot bath. Her head snapped up and her pulse raced through her veins. Lianna’s beast seemed to shiver inside her, and there were no words to describe the way that voice made her feel. It was vaguely familiar. Someone was watching her, she scanned the scene outside her window, knowing that there was no way anyone could see her from this height. Whoever it was accessing her mind remained out of sight.

“Who are you?” She said out loud. “Why don’t you make yourself known?”

“Soon.” He proclaimed.

A knock interrupted their silent conversation. She turned towards the door as a maid opened it and

came in, not waiting on permission to enter.

“My Lady, I am so sorry I’m late, a great ruckus down below had the staff combing the halls for a puppy!” The girl’s hair had become frazzled in the search, her eyes were wide with the telling of her tale as she shut the door behind her and walked to the armoire.

“Someone shouted from the kitchens, and we all ran to see. The guards were running around swinging swords everywhere. It was a Wolf! A damned full-grown wolf that looked wild as the mountains! He came running at me, he did, when I made it to the kitchens and I thought I was a goner. I fell in front of him, and he just jumped right on over me and out the window!” She sat down as if she could not quite believe what she had seen. Lianna’s heart raced at the implication.

“Did he escape?” She demanded, hardly able to contain herself.

“I don’t rightly know, Your Highness. I think so. The whole castle is in an uproar looking for him. They want to find him before your father returns, or there will surely be hell to pay.”

“The King has gone? What about lunch? He told me to dine with him.” Lianna whispered, her mind racing. She had to find Eris.

“Oh, I don’t think he will be back for lunch. But don’t you worry yourself, Highness, He always comes back, and will surely expect you at supper tonight.” The girl patted her hand, laying a thick gray day dress on the bed beside her.

“Where has he gone?” She asked breathlessly.

“I don’t rightly know My Lady. It is not my place to be asking those kinds of questions. And look, the first snow has come! So early! You must dress warmly so you don’t catch a chill.” The girl kept chattering on and on and Lianna stopped listening. She dressed quickly and headed out to the courtyard.

When she stepped out into frigid air, she barely felt the cold. Searching the sparsley populated courtyard and wondering where her men were, she noticed that the only guards still at their posts were the ones by the front gate. Everyone else must be looking for Eris. She had just started toward the stable when Nathaniel and Lucas came strolling out through the open door.

“My lunch has been canceled. But I need to find something before we leave. Do you have an extra cloak? And have an extra horse saddled as well.” Nathaniel looked at her in question but nodded to Lucas to do her bidding. Lianna ignored him and turned back towards the courtyard. Two guards came strolling through a side gate that separated the royal gardens from the front courtyard. They had their heads bent together in conversation as they walked and she doubted they had been paying much attention to their surroundings. Lianna nodded at them as she passed, plastering a smile on her face for effect. The two males leered at her in a way that had her beast growling it’s warning. She shoved it down and lowered her eyes in a simpering display.

Anyone who was watching would think that she was just enjoying the first snow. Lianna cast her power out around her, pushing it as far as she could without attracting attention. She felt her guards behind her, all four were following at a distance. As she reached the western wall, she found a path curving around the castle between the outer and inner walls. It opened up into a garden that would have been lovely in the spring. Prickly rose bushes lined the path, giant leafless hedges looked like large skeletons against the backdrop of falling snow. She continued walking until she reached the rear of the garden. There were benches against the wall and a small gazebo sat in the corner where the wall met the cliff. It was surrounded by small trees and shrubs that were so thick she could not see the wall behind them. The bushes here were sadly neglected and overgrown. They likely had not been tended in years. She felt the faint pulse of his power before she saw him and slowly made her way to the prickly hedge.

Lianna looked up to the walls and saw that no guards patrolled this side of the castle. The high stone wall met the mountainside and the cliff face was inescapable. They were alone here.

“Eris.” She whispered. A low growl greeted her, and she stopped.

“I am here. I need you to shift so we can leave right now. The king has gone but I do not know when he will return.” A pair of blue eyes appeared from the wiry limbs that obscured his body from view. A wave of relief washed through her at the sight of him so profound her knees quaked in reaction.

“Hurry.” She pleaded, motioning Lucas to bring her the cloak. A feral snarl rumbled from the wolf as he approached and Lucas stopped.

“He is with me.” Lianna grabbed the cloak from his hands and threw it on the ground in front of Eris before turning to head back down the path. She felt him shift and a few moments later his hooded figure walked beside her. She wrapped her hand around his arm and slowed her pace as they rounded the corner that would bring them back into the courtyard that had become chaotic while they were around back. Lianna dragged him toward the stables and the waiting horses.

They mounted quickly and Lianna noted the stiffness with which Eris held himself as he swung his leg over the horse’s back. The low grunt that escaped him when he hit the saddle. Her horse danced sideways as her power trembled the air around them.

“Let’s go.” She said and led the party through the open gates. The guards atop the wall watched them closely but did not try to stop them. She urged her mount into a gallop as she wanted to get Eris as far away as possible before anyone could realize who the sixth rider was.

The snow was falling heavily by the time they reached the river several hours later. Lianna had not dared to stop and rest, forcing them to ride hard and fast in their escape. She slowed to a stop near the water’s edge. Its song was unusually quiet, as if the falling snow absorbed its melody, somehow muffling the sound.

She dismounted, letting the horse drink and rest. The muffled sound of hoofbeats closing in had her spinning around. Eris was the first to arrive and nearly fell from his saddle as the horse came to a stop before her. She managed to catch him before he crumpled but knew she would not be able to hold his shivering form up for very long. The others were there on his heels, all four of them jumping down and coming to her aid. She gave Dorius a thankful smile and let her aura flare out to surround the group, warming them like only dragon fire could. Lucas visibly relaxed, and Nathaniel rubbed his hands together. Seth lowered Eris to the ground and pulled the cloak aside, searching for wounds.

“Back” Eris croaked and winced in pain as they rolled him over. Lianna hissed in outrage at the long gashes that lanced across his back. She dropped to her knees beside him and the sweet smell of ash pervaded her nostrils. He had been whipped, and his wounds were caked in ash powder to keep them from healing. He had lost a lot of blood.

“Water.” She barked. “It’s going to be okay Eris, we just need to get the poison out so you can heal.” And was grateful when a goat bladder was immediately shoved into her hand. She washed the poison from his wounds as gently as she could and let out a sigh of relief as they slowly began to close before her eyes. When the last bit of flesh had come together in a puckered pink gash, they rolled him back over.

“We need to keep moving. I don’t trust this place. Can you ride?” She asked him gently.

He sat up slowly and she pressed the canteen to his hands. He drank deeply before handing it back to her. His face was still too pale, and she wanted nothing more than to shift into her beast and carry him to safety. Dorius and Seth helped him to his feet, and Eris was able to stand on his own, but just barely. He swayed momentarily and reached out a hand to steady himself. Thankfully, Dorius was still standing close enough to offer his hand. He met Lianna’s gaze with a weak smile.

“I told you not to follow me.” She said to him, sorrow and rage mixing, making her want to punch him in the nose.

“I could not let you traipse about the kingdom unescorted in these troubled times.” He rolled his stiff shoulders, and she did not miss his deep intake of breath as pain shot down his spine.

“I can take care of myself. They whipped you.” Her snarl made the hairs on his neck prickle.

“Your mother thought I had taken control of your mind. She accused me of leading you to your death.” She reached a tender hand to his cheek.

“They are fools.” Eris shrugged. “And I will tell them so when I see them again.” He grabbed her hand as she turned away to mount her horse.

Lianna stopped and looked back at him, her red hair like a beacon in the white landscape.

“Thank you.” He said softly. The sincerity in his face brought a tremulous smile to her face.

“You are my friend. I will defend you with my last breath.” She answered honestly. Her smile turned wicked “I have found that my beast likes the taste of Errewyn’s guards.” She gave him a saucy wink. The look of surprise on his face made her think he might have believed her, even as her guards laughed at the statement.

They continued their hard ride south along the river, the safety of the mountains beckoning them. The troop made it halfway through the first pass before they felt secure enough to stop for the night. The sun had set hours before and only the thought of the king’s guards finding them had kept their weary bodies from collapsing in the snow swirling around them in thick gusts. Seth led the way in his feline form, finding the safest route, Eris followed behind him with Lianna close on his heels. She had surrounded them all in a halo of heat that prevented most of the snow from sticking to them. Lianna was exhausted and truly grateful when Seth finally shifted back into his fae form and signaled to them to stop.

They didn’t bother tethering the horses as they all headed for the mouth of the small cave that would shelter them until the morning. Lianna threw up her power and a wall of warmth separated them from the blizzard outside. She watched as all of her men found a wall to lean against. They were tired, and their faces were drawn with worry. But they had made it. They had found out what the king was planning and managed to rescue Eris, all in one day. Maybe they did stand a chance of defeating him. She let her hood fall and bunched it into a wad of softness to rest her head on as she lay down near the rear wall of the cave.

It took a long while for Lianna to calm her senses enough to find sleep. When it finally claimed her she slipped into a fitful dream. She was on horseback, riding through darkness that became swirls of snow within the trees. A tall wooden wall rose before her and she pulled on the reins before she leaped from the horse and strode toward the guards who stood half-frozen at the small gate, grass crunching beneath her booted feet.

“Who goes there?” a shivering mess of a man stepped forward. His face was pale, and his lips were blue with cold. Ice clung to his eyelashes and beard. The guard’s features lit up in surprise and he backed away as if he recognized her.

“My Lord, we were not expecting you.” Fear had entered his eyes.

“I know,” Lianna said with an evil grin. Her voice was smooth and deep and she recognized it as the same she had heard in her head at the castle. She felt his power leap out and take hold of the man. The guard’s eyes lost focus and his face went devoid of all expression.

“What is your name?” She asked in that voice that sent shivers up her spine.

“Charles, My Lord.” The male’s voice shook with fear or cold, probably both.

“I have a message from the king, Charles.” The guard’s glazed eyes stared at nothing. Lianna watched in horror as his whole body went slack, his shivering stopped and he looked almost like a frozen statue.

“Touch your nose.” She demanded. A gloved finger reached up and settled on his nose stiffly.

“Put your hand down.” The hand fell listlessly to his side. “Good boy.”

“Now you will tell the other guards that a message has come from the king. They are to release the slaves at once and help them into the wagons. Then you will retrieve any food and fresh water you have and load them as well. Once that is done, you will ride back to the castle and tell the king that the powder exploded, and the camp was destroyed. You will forget you ever saw me after I leave, and you will forget that you set these people free. You will remember nothing of this night except a tragic accident that killed everyone in those walls. Understood?”

“Yes, My Lord.”

Lianna watched from eyes that were not her own as the guard turned to do as he was commanded. Then she turned and swaggered back to the waiting horse whistling a merry tune as if he had not just taken control of that man’s mind and altered the fates of the people chained within the barracks.

He mounted the steed and waited to watch as the soft sound of chains being forced open met their ears. Then a frail figure appeared in the gate. His eyes were large and his face wary as he climbed into the back of one of several waiting wagons. They watched as one after another, the wagons were loaded and began to slowly amble toward the Eastern peaks.

When the last overpacked wagon disappeared through the trees, Lianna gasped as the body she inhabited leaped from the saddle. The horse beneath him reared in fright and took off into the night. Instead of hitting the ground, she flew upwards on swift silent wings. The interior of the enclosure came into view and she noticed the guards were huddled around a stack of large wooden barrels that Lianna thought must contain the explosive powder.

An ear-piercing roar ripped from her throat and flames exploded from her in waves of fury. The explosion rocked the forest, and a tidal wave of heat and air struck from below. They soared above the carnage, waiting for the smoke to clear. When it did, the only thing left was a giant crater, where the camp had been, the snow pouring down to cover it in a white blanket. He let out a triumphant screech, circling back around to the west.

Lianna felt his thoughts drift toward her and saw her image in his mind. A flare of heat whipped through them and the image of her standing on a rocky ledge consumed in flames seared her brain. The urge to go to her and make himself known was so powerful Lianna gasped in need.

She sat straight up from her makeshift pallet on the hard floor of the cave, her chest heaving with lingering emotions. Lianna blinked and saw the cave walls around her once more, Her guards sleeping between her and the entrance. She closed her eyes for a moment and then opened them again. It was just a dream, but it had felt so real. She could still smell the metallic smoke that had washed over them in the aftermath of the explosion.

“Soon.” The word echoed through her conscious like a ringing bell as she laid back down. Her eyes narrowed as she tried to imagine the face behind the voice. Was she going crazy? A warm chuckle accompanied that thought and she got the feeling that she was not going crazy, that this male, whoever he was, wanted her to see what he had done. He was a percipient just as she was and could control the minds of others. He seemed to have no qualms about it either. She bit her lip as she thought about it. He had just freed an entire camp of slaves by controlling that guard’s mind. A small smile sufficed her face when she realized how angry the king would be when he found out. She fell asleep still smiling.

Light crept into the cave and Lianna came awake slowly. She had not slept so well in weeks despite bedding down on the cold hard ground. Her eyes were sticky with sleep and she sat up to survey her surroundings. The snow had stopped falling sometime during the night, leaving a thick layer of white carpeting the ground outside the cave. The sun had barely begun to brighten the sky and her companions who were still snoring loudly. She watched as Eris lunged upward as his sleep-fogged mind tried to remember where he was.

“It’s okay, you are safe,” Lianna told him as she stood and walked over to squat down beside him. She placed a comforting hand on his shoulder.

His eyes met hers and he smiled. His large hand came up to clutch the one she had on his shoulder.

“You really did save me. I thought it was a dream.” He whispered hoarsely. At the mention of dreams, Lianna tensed, recalling how vivid her own had been.

“It may very well be. I sometimes wonder if it is and if I will wake up back in my cabin to the sound of the birds crowing.” She said seriously.

“Well I for one, am glad that it is not.” Eris smiled at her, a charming roguish smile that wrung an answering grin from deep within her. His stomach grumbled loudly, and her grin turned into a bubble of laughter. His hand came up to cup her cheek, and she felt the aura of his power rub against hers in a way that had her eyes narrowing in confusion.

“That is the most beautiful sound I’ve heard in weeks.” She stilled as his thumb caressed her full bottom lip. Then the realization of what his eyes were telling her broke through her surprise. She stood up, quickly backing away.

“I need to find some food.” She excused herself before she turned and fled.

She was running before she knew it, the fresh snow crunching beneath her feet. She had just spotted the tree line that marked the beginning of the ash forest when her foot fell into a hole buried beneath the snow. She went down hard, rolling like a log through the white carpet, her yelp of pain bringing all of the guards running with weapons drawn.

They found her sitting in a snowdrift, her wild red hair floating around her pinched face. . Bits of ice clung to the fabric of her dark gray dress; the same one the maid had helped her into the day before. She looked up at them and her eyes widened as she took in their drawn weapons and confused faces. Seth was the first to lose composure and barked his laughter at her appearance. The others soon joined him. Lianna felt the blush rise to her face, but the sensation was curbed by her amusement and the fact that they were all smiling at her.

Even Dorius had a wicked grin on his face and the tension of the last three days finally eased away as the group stood within the inner walls of their mountainous sanctuary. A wicked gleam came into her eyes and before anyone could react, Lianna sent a well-aimed ball of snow sailing towards Seth’s face. Her wild laughter echoed through the pass at his stunned expression; the ice clung to his face before slowly dripping down his shirt. The others joined in her amusement and soon snowballs were flying in all directions.

Lianna was pelted with several at once and turned to crawl behind a small tree poking up through the powder a few yards away. She had almost made it to her feet, slipping on the slick ground when a pile of snow came crashing down on her from above. She squealed in surprise, the cold stuff burying her up to her neck.

Lucas sauntered over to her, teeth bared in a wide grin as he reached a hand out to help her up. She looked at him with her impish smile and took his hand, allowing him to pull her out of the sticky ice.

“Thank you.” She breathed. Brushing the front of her gown off. Her fingers began to burn with cold and she let her dragons’ blood well up to warm her near frozen appendages. The ice clinging to her instantly melted, into a cloud of steam leaving her soaking wet, her hair clinging to her in dark strips, sending the males back into fits of laughter. In a huff of irritation, she flared her aura out again, evaporating the water within the blink of an eye.

Eris and the others came to join them where they stood, and she knew she looked a fright when all of their eyes seemed to instantly find somewhere else to look. The remnants of the laughter threatening to overtake them again at her bedraggled appearance.

“I need food.” She sighed, trying to smooth her hair that was now poking out at odd angles in her peripheral vision. She turned to walk back toward the cave, and the horses who were still meandering about the narrow canyon.

The men, her men, followed closely behind and she felt her dragon purr its contentment, despite the emptiness of her belly that nagged at her in earnest now. The food at Errewyn’s castle had been less than appetizing, and she had eaten like a bird these last few days. She reached her mare, the beautiful creature as white as the snow surrounding them, and rubbed her snout in greeting. The horse’s nostrils flared at the contact, its warm breath tickling her nose.

“Here you go, Majesty.” She heard Nathaniel call to her. She turned in time to see the loaf of bread sailing toward her. She caught it in the air before it hit the ground.

“Thank you, Nathaniel.” She winked at him and ripped into the loaf with sharp teeth. Lucas produced a sack of dark red apples and they stood in silence, filling their bellies. When she had finished the whole loaf and half of an apple, she held the remainder out to the beautiful beast who had carried her so far the day before. The horse took it greedily, smacking its lips in appreciation.

Lianna grabbed the reins and swung up onto it’s back in a smooth motion. They traveled in silence until they reached the first tall trees of the great forest. She came to a halt; this is where she would turn West to head toward her home, and Eris would continue to his den deep within the wood.

”Where do you go from here?” He asked her, coming up beside her. She took a deep breath and decided to tell him the truth. She looked into his curious eyes, her solemn expression drawing into worried lines.

“I go home. To the Dragons Keep.” Lianna watched his eyes widen in surprise, darting from her to the group of men surrounding her and then back again. Something in his expression told her he was not as surprised as he pretended to be.

“You knew?” She asked him in stunned disbelief.

“ I knew the morning you left the dens. I was angry at my parents for throwing you out. I went for a run and found myself near the Mothers Temple at the First Spring. The Little People left me a gift. A beautiful golden dragon carving.” He whispered in awe. “I knew that we could not let you go out on your own least someone else figure out the truth. People do not remember dragons with kindness and love.” The look on Eris’s face as he explained to her his reasons for coming after her made Lianna want to cry. He had defied his Alpha’s orders because he had known what she was and wanted to protect her. She slid off of her horse and came to stand before him, clasping his large hands in her own.

“Then I heard the guards whispering about a dragon destroying the camp below the falls, but no one believed it. As soon as the messenger delivered the news, he was brought down into the cell beside mine. He was interrogated. Thoroughly. Everyone who watched believed him before it was over.” Eris’s whole demeanor changed; dark ice fractured in his eyes. A cold blast of wind ripped through the trees around them. Lianna shuddered at the display of power as he continued.

“He killed him and then just left. The dungeons were in such an uproar, they left the gate unlocked and I ran. Then you found me.” Eris’s eyes came back into focus, searching her face.

Lianna swallowed hard. “You are not afraid of me?” She managed to whisper into the silence. She watched the emotions play across his face, confusion, and sadness, then a dawning hope. He shook his head.

“I know what my mother and father would say, they remember too well the fear and oppression that reigned while Lucien still lived. But there were others, who fought against him, turned on their friends and family. I read in a book that Lucien was captured by his own son; Aeros.” Eris glanced at Dorius, the ancient male listening intently; all of her warriors seemed to be waiting silently for the wolf to pass judgment. Eris looked back to her, a hard and determined gleam in his eyes.

“You saved me from a fate worse than that of the guard. I heard about their plans. I was to be used as leverage to get the pack to cooperate with Errewyn’s scheming. I owe you a life debt, and I am proud to call you friend.” He squeezed her hands and he knelt at her feet. Tears glistened in his eyes and a nameless emotion welled within her.

“I pledge my loyalty to you, Lianna Bloodstone, and offer you my services as future Alpha of my pack.” He kissed her warm fingers in reverence and Lianna was suddenly filled with pride for the man who knelt before her. She tugged his hands up, silently urging him to get off of his knees.

A low humming reached her ears, vibrating through her entire body. Lianna tensed as she sensed someone approaching. Her beast perked up inside her breast and she knew that she needed to prepare them for whatever was about to happen.

“I am glad that you feel that way, friend because I have another surprise. Slaves are filing into the abandoned dens on the Eastern side of the forest. They will need your help.” Her eyes held his in question, pleading with him for understanding.

“What?” Eris and Dorius barked in unison. Their mutual expressions of confusion would have made her laugh if it wasn’t such a pivotal moment in their short, tense acquaintance.

“One of the slave camps .. umm.. was attacked last night and they got away. We sent them to the safest place we could think of. Or at least he did. I wasn’t technically there…” She trailed off, her lips pressing together in a tight white line.

“What are you talking about?” Nathaniel spoke up, taking a step closer to where she and Eris stood.

“Who..?” Lucas demanded to know.