5

Lira was packed and ready to go, one of her horses saddled and the other two tied behind, one with gear packed across its back and one unsaddled. She walked quietly over to where her guest was camped, reaching out to rub the nose of his horse as he slept. She took a moment to admire his peacefully sleeping face before nudging his leg with her foot gently.

He woke slowly, long lashes fluttering open to reveal those bright green eyes. She smiled wryly as he focused on her. “Wake up, sleepyhead, it’s time to head out.”

“So early?” Adyn stretched, and while he was distracted she took another moment to admire the flexing muscles. Then he sat up and swung lazily to his feet, smoothing out the wrinkles in his tunic and loose breeches. He began to gather the handful of items left out from the night before.

Adyn’s mind was still trying to catch up. He wasn’t much of a morning person, and her bright, tidy countenance didn’t help any. He waited for her to look away thoughtfully to skim his gaze across her trim figure and neat but worn clothing. The formidable Dragon Knight wore plain brown trousers and a pale tan tunic cinched in tight at her slim waistline with a black leather scabbard. The pommel of the sword in the scabbard was equally worn, but well cared for. He didn’t doubt for a moment that she knew how to use the weapon.

She shrugged and turned those eerie violet eyes on him. “Dragons are early risers.”

He nodded as he tied his saddlebags closed. “Is your dragon joining us for the journey?”

He knew he’d made a mistake as soon as the words left his mouth. She suddenly froze; and every indication of openness and ease disappeared from her stature. Her voice dripped frost as she stared off into space. “I’m afraid not, it’ll just be you and I.”

Adyn shrugged, not sure what it was about his question that had upset her. “Okay. Well… I just need a few moments to freshen up and change, and then I’ll be ready to go.” He grabbed the clothing he’d set aside and disappeared into the trees.

It took him a short time to relieve his bladder and change into the fresh outfit. He’d braided his hair the night before, so he simply shook it loose and bent near a handy stream to rinse his mouth out before heading back into the little clearing. Lira was mounted on the saddled horse, and she ignored him completely until he was on his horse and ready to go. He turned his mount’s head towards the trail, and finally she seemed to wake up. “This way, actually.”

Adyn frowned as she rode off in a different direction. He nudged his mount and caught up shortly, pulling up beside her. “I thought there was only one way into your valley.”

Lira smiled, but it didn’t reach her violet eyes. “You were told that so that I would have plenty of warning before you reached my valley. The dragons don’t let anything pass their attention up here. As soon as you passed Rylarr Farm, they knew you were here. There’s an easier route, and we’ll be into Gedon by nightfall.”

He laughed suddenly, and she met his gaze full on, startled. “Three days it took me to get here! That’s ripe!”

She shrugged uncomfortably. “I wasn’t exactly consulted on the matter. I’m all right with it. They’re just worried about my safety. After all, I’m it. I’m the last Dragon Knight.”

Adyn heard the bitterness in her voice, but was afraid to ask after his earlier blunder. He simply nodded and pulled his horse back to drop behind the pack horse as she led the way down a steep trail, away from the peace of her valley.

Neither rider made any attempt to speak as they traveled the overgrown trail, and it seemed like no time at all before they were approaching the farm from a different direction. There was a second tunnel with brush carefully grown before it, and Wil was waiting as they exited. “Lira! So good to see you.”

Lira cast him the ghost of a smile as she slid from her horse to embrace the older man briefly. “Wil. It’s good to see you as well.”

“I’m sorry I wasn’t here when you came through the other day. I was at market.”

She waved a hand towards him. “Don’t fret over it, Wil. I don’t expect you to be here every moment of every day. I thought I would leave the horses with you, and there are supplies enough to share. I won’t be using them, and besides I need some new blankets soon. I brought Marta some of the wool she likes so much.”

Wil was beaming happily as she untied the reins of the two extra mounts and passed them over. She glanced towards Adyn. “How long will our ride be, Adyn of Dakar?”

“Three weeks there. We’ll meet my men at arms at the inn between Gedon and Prin, and then it’s just a matter of distance.”

Wil nodded. “Then we’ll see you when we see you.” He caught her arm firmly, turning her attention to him. “Be careful, DK.”

She nodded soberly in return, then turned to swing back into her saddle. “I’ll see you in a few months, then, Wil. The Valley should be fine until then. The Dragons will keep watch.”

He stepped away and they turned their horses to the long dirt road, heading for Gedon before darkness fell.

Adyn allowed the ride to pass for a candlemark in silence before he cleared his throat to catch her attention. “Wil called you DK?”

She shook her head. “It’s short for Dragon Knight, of course. It’s a… an honorific of sorts. I tried to stop them, but…”

He chuckled softly. “I understand, trust me I do. People need to have someone to put on a pedestal; it may as well be you.”

Lira turned a startled gaze on him, and he chuckled again. “My brother earned his own title in boyhood. He was exploring, after slipping the leash of the guards who followed him everywhere. He managed to disturb a wild boar, and it chased him back into the arms of the very guards he’d escaped. He was known all through childhood as the Pig Prince. The funniest part of the whole thing was that the name was used with great respect.”

Adyn enjoyed the very faint smile that crossed her lips and flitted briefly through her eyes before she turned her face away and closed him out again. He shrugged and allowed the rest of the afternoon to pass in silence, each of them wrapped in their own private thoughts.

4

Lira stood in the doorway of her cottage, watching the flickering light of the fire not far away. Her visitor was sitting with his saddle propped up behind him, his horse grazing close by. Twilight had just fallen, and it was quickly growing dark. Thoughts continuously bubbled to the surface of her mind, but she pushed them all aside as swiftly as possible. She didn’t want to dwell on tomorrow’s journey. She didn’t want to leave her valley. She didn’t want to travel beyond the little farm and town that had helped conceal her for so long. She didn’t want to face any of this. But she knew she must. She may not be an active Dragon Knight any longer, but she had still taken an oath, and she must continue to live by it.

Adyn was staring into the fire blankly, probably running things around in his own head. She didn’t want to go with this man. She briefly considered sending him ahead, and then quashed the idea. They would travel faster together, it was pointless to separate.

Lira hadn’t left her valley for more than a day in over a decade. It had been at least thirty years since she had gone for more than a week. She had grown complacent, she knew that, but she wanted to stay here and hide for the rest of her life.

Lira shook herself. It was time for her to cease this useless self-pity and pick herself up. A child needed her, and if she and Athear were correct, this child contained the potential to be a Dragon Knight. That thought alone was frightening. She had served her time as a Knight, and she knew for a fact that there were no other Knights alive. She was it.

Lira turned to enter her cottage, and paused when she saw a pale shape gliding towards her. She smiled softly and held her door wide as the white owl winged a silent path to the perch in one corner of the main room. She nodded to the bird as it settled itself. :Good even, Nightglide.:

Warmth and affection flooded her mind. While the owls could not speak directly into her mind, they could understand her well enough, and their responses were composed of feelings and vague pictures. She smiled and reached out to ruffle his chest feathers gently. :How was your sleep?:

:Content: The owl nipped gently at her fingers. :Worry:

:I’ll be fine. I have to leave for awhile, and I’m not keen on doing so.:

:Question.:

:There may be another Dragon Knight. He’s just a child, and he’s very ill.:

:Confidence.:

She smiled gently. :Thank you, I think I can help him too.:

:Excitement. Journey.:

:Of course you can come, if you wish to.: Her smile grew warmer. She would feel better with a friend along.

:Curiousity.:

:He’s a guest, so leave him be. That is the uncle of the sick boy. He will lead our way.:

:Content. Hungry.:

Her smile softened further. :Go and hunt, then, Nightglide.: She watched him ghost away, and then returned to her position in the doorway. She should probably go out and speak with this Adyn, but the little selfish corner of her mind told her to leave him be and go to bed. This would be the last private moment she’d have for a long time, and she would probably need the quiet time to get her through this task.

She took a deep breath, then turned inside and closed the door quietly behind her.

3

It took Adyn three days longer to reach the edge of the little valley nestled among the jagged edges of the peak. His horse stamped restlessly and he gazed down across a long meadow with a decent-sized cabin at the far end. Beside the cabin a fence enclosed three peacefully grazing horses. He nudged his mount onward, and in less than a candle mark they were approaching the tidy cabin.

Adyn paused before dismounting and tying the reins to the fence. The other three horses came over to the rail to investigate, and his mount snorted happily. He walked tentatively up to the door of the tidy cottage. “Hello?” He hesitated, looking around, and then knocked, feeling foolish to be knocking on a door out in the middle of nowhere.

A sudden chill overtook him as the point of a blade touched the small of his back, pricking his skin through the cloth of his jerkin. A strong arm wrapped around his neck, and a firm body pressed against his back. “What do you want here?”

He stilled as the shape of the form and the sound of the voice registered. “Milady, I come in peace. I mean you no harm.”

“Somehow I doubt that.” The arm was removed from his throat and the warmth left his back. “Turn around.”

Adyn followed the orders and turned to meet those stunning violet eyes again. He tore his gaze away as his breath left in a whoosh and he shook his head, flustered. “I saw you at the inn. Who are you?”

He swallowed hard and forced himself to meet her level stare. “My name is Adyn of Dakar. I come seeking the Dragon Knight.”

“Why?” While she had backed off, the wickedly sharp-looking dagger was still aimed at him. He glanced across her slim, lithe form before meeting her eyes again. Those violet pools had narrowed threateningly.

“I need his help. It’s a matter of life and death.” Her lush figure was only emphasized by the snug-fitting trousers and blouse that hugged every curve. This was no wilting flower, of that he was certain. Her long hair, so pale it was nearly white, was pulled back into a braid and hung nearly to her knees.

“Isn’t it always?” She did her own once over, and he knew he saw approval deep in those violet eyes. “I’m afraid the Knight isn’t offering any services. To anyone.”

“Not even to a sick child?”

That caught her off guard. She raised her free hand to grip the tail of pale hair. She sighed deeply and lowered the knife. “A child. That figures. All right, follow me.”

Adyn stood still for a moment before scrambling after her as she led the way across the meadow and away from the cottage. She walked swiftly and strongly, and he took the opportunity to admire her curves in more detail. Then she stopped abruptly, and he nearly collided with her before he caught himself. She spun and glared at him.

“There is no need to treat me like a whore.”

Adyn could only gape. “A-. What are you talking about?”

“I can feel you staring at me. I’m not for sale.” There was violet fire burning in her glower.

Adyn sputtered. “I just-. There’s no harm in me admiring a fit form, is there? You looked me over as well, as I recall.”

Her eyes narrowed to mere slits, and she again spun around and walked away. He shook his head before rushing after her. What exactly had he gotten himself into?

Lira could feel him sizing her up, and it infuriated her. She refused to be treated like a toy no matter how stunningly handsome the visitor was. She led the way to the edge of a cliff and then turned and put her hands on her hips. He stumbled to a stop, raising perfect black brows as he stared soberly at her with those piercing leaf-green eyes.

She glared darker. “Now, we wait.”

“Wait for what?” He looked around curiously. There was nothing special about this place, except that the cliff towered over a second deep valley. He looked out at the view and whistled softly.

She knew the view was stunning, but she also knew that while he tried to put on a relaxed face, there was an urgent need deep down that he couldn’t hide. It was this that had made her decide to bring him to this place.

She looked him over in more detail, taking in the muscle-heavy arms and legs and broad chest tapering into a slim waist. He was the model of the male figure, and deep down a twinge of longing fluttered. She stamped it down ruthlessly, moving her stare to his face, where perfectly sculpted lips longed for a woman’s kiss. His strong jaw line and straight nose only complimented his heavily-lashed leaf-green eyes. His raven-black hair was long with a slight wave, falling loose to mid-back. He was indeed strikingly handsome, but she refused to be swayed by a pretty face just because she missed male company.

A sound boomed across the valley below, and she turned expectantly. Her guest looked confused at first, and she snuck a peek as amazement and exhilaration dawned across his face. She tore her eyes away from him to watch across the valley.

The dragon was indeed an amazing sight, deep rippling blue-violet with silver spangles across his hide. The best comparison she could make was that he looked like a piece of night sky winging towards them. He was huge, easily the size of four or five wagons set end-to-end. His head was the size of a horse, with intelligent silver eyes. His wings were leathery, rather like a bat’s, and his sinuous body was covered in thousands of tiny scales that glittered brightly in the sunlight. Muscles rippled as his wings carried him in their direction.

He lofted over them, and both humans tipped their heads back to watch as he flew over, all four legs tucked neatly to his body, claws retracted. He landed gracefully not far away, and Lira motioned for her visitor to lead the way towards the massive dragon.

She watched his throat work as he swallowed hard, and then she had to admit she was impressed as he walked forward without further hesitation, stopping mere feet from where the dragon was settling down with forefeet crossed tidily and wings folded up tight to his body. She followed, and moved to stand beside the massive head as it snaked down on its long neck to settle inches away from the visitor’s face. Wide green eyes met silver ones, and she waited patiently as the dragon reached his own conclusions about the man.

:Hmm… this one is a good man, Lira.: The dragon blew warm breath softly across his face, rippling his hair.

:Is he?: She cast a sideways glance at the man.

:Indeed. I can see how bright his soul is. Why is he here?:

:He says he needs help from a Dragon Knight. For a sick child.: She watched to see what the dragon’s reaction would be.

The dragon snapped his head up, snorting. To give her guest credit, he barely flinched. :Can it be?!:

She shrugged. :It’s why I called. You know I wouldn’t have bothered you without reason.:

The dragon opened his mouth is a wide dragon smile, sharp teeth glinting in the sunlight. “Well, human, what exactly can we do for you?”

Adyn blinked dumbly for a moment. While he had never met a dragon- well of course he hadn’t, it had been more than fifty years since one had even been sighted- he had never even heard tales that they could speak. “I…” He swallowed yet again, and then bowed slightly. “I apologize, milord. I have never met a dragon before.”

The dragon made a sound suspiciously like a chuckle. “Of course you haven’t, you’re much too young for that. You may call me Athear, human.”

Adyn nodded absently, staring deep into the silver reptilian eyes. “And my name is Adyn of Dakar. I came because my nephew is ill; gravely ill. The healers have given up all treatments. My sister came across some obscure reference in a treatise of a youngster with similar symptoms, and so I was sent here to see if anything can be done.”

“What symptoms is this child experiencing?” The dragon cocked his head slightly, and Adyn forced himself not to take a step back.

Adyn reached into his jerkin and pulled a tattered piece of paper out. He recited the list by rote, wanting to be sure that he didn’t miss a thing.

There was a long silence when he was done. Then the dragon brought his face close to Adyn’s again, and snorted softly again. “Lira will help you.”

Adyn blinked. “Lira?”

“Lira. She is the last living Dragon Knight.”

Adyn tore his gaze from the silver eyes and met startled violet ones. “She is the Dragon Knight?”

She stood taller, straightening, and he suddenly took second notice of the muscles that corded her arms and legs beneath the rough-spun clothing. Her hands had gripped that knife quite surely. It was suddenly not so surprising that she was a warrior.

He nodded. “I would appreciate any help you can offer. It’s very important that my nephew live. Not only for my family and for his own sake, but also for the peace of two nations.”

She nodded firmly. “You’ll have to bring him here.”

Adyn froze. “I cannot do that.”

Lira blinked. “Why not?”

“I’m afraid that my nephew cannot sit a horse for more than a few hours at a time. He is crippled.”

Lira’s heart sank. “Crippled?” The dragon’s head twisted around to meet her horrified stare. “But…”

:It’s all right, Lira. You can do this. You must, you know that.:

:I cannot!! I haven’t been beyond Gedon for a decade!:

:Lira, this is important.:

Adyn could sense some sort of conversation taking place. Lira’s emotions flitted across her face, and he watched in fascination as first shock, then horror, and finally resignation transformed her features.

:All right. I don’t know how much help I will be, but I will do it.:

The dragon sighed deeply. “You will have your Dragon Knight, human. But I warn you now that every fiber of my being will be with her in spirit. You will ensure her care, and you will guard her with your life. I sense the dedication you feel towards your nephew. Lira’s care must be even more important. You have no other representative that the dragons will converse with, and if there is to be a future for the Dragon Knights, which your own human future must depend on, she must be kept safe.”

Adyn nodded dumbly.

“Now leave us. Return to the cottage, and make yourself a camp nearby. Lira and I must speak alone.”

Adyn nodded again and retraced his steps back to the cottage, numb. A journey of several weeks had ended exactly as he’d hoped and yet more than he’d dreamed. A living Dragon Knight, here, and a dragon as well! And the great beast had mentioned other dragons. Adyn led his horse away, stumbling on deadened legs. He made camp by rote, his mind whirling at the possibilities.

2

Asking the inn keeper for directions to Rilarr Farm in the morning earned Adyn a suspicious stare. The round woman, liberally dusted in flour from the morning’s bread making, frowned darkly at his request. Adyn frowned back. “Is that a problem?”

“Why exactly do you want to go there?”

He shrugged uncomfortably as the inn keeper wiped her hands on a stained apron. “That’s personal.”

“Well then, I guess you’ll have to seek your information somewhere else then.” She turned to leave, and his heart leapt in his chest. He reached out to grab her arm, and she glared darkly at him.

“Wait, please, this is important.”

The inn keeper scowled darkly. “So is protecting Rilarr Farm. We may be a backwards little town around here, but we know how to look after our own.”

He shook his head. “I’m not interested in hurting anyone. I’m just-. Well, I’m looking for someone.”

“Indeed. Anyone looking for Rilarr Farm is looking for one person in particular, hm?” She turned back to face him, and he dropped the hold on her arm.

Adyn shrugged again, shifting uncomfortably. “Yes, actually.”

Her eyes narrowed in her plump face. “And what reason do you have for seeking?”

Adyn glanced around the common room, thankful to see that they had attracted no attention from the handful of weary travelers breaking their fast. “I’m seeking aid for a very sick little boy. I think that the Knight can help him.”

She stared intently at him, and he was tempted to squirm like a child. But he met her gaze squarely, hoping that his intent shone in his eyes. Finally she nodded and made her way behind the bar. She pulled a piece of parchment from beneath the counter and handed it to him. He saw that not only was Rilarr Farm already marked out in intricate detail on a map, but a trail wending its way into the nearby mountains was also discernable.

“Return this when you pass back through.” He nodded tersely and turned to leave. “And milord…” He turned back impatiently. “Milord, should any harm come to anyone on Rilarr Farm or beyond, if you get my meaning, there will be no peace for you. Ever.”

Adyn nodded tersely and tucked the map into his tunic. “I understand perfectly.”

His horse was ready in the courtyard for him, clean of the mud that had caked it last night. He took a moment to check over the hoof that had thrown the shoe the night before. Everything was in order, and Adyn tossed a coin to the stable boy before swinging up into the saddle and turning the horse’s head to the south. He patted the beast’s neck and sighed as they began another long leg of their journey. “At least the weather has cleared.”

It was half a day before they came to the long dirt track that led to a small cluster of buildings in the distance. As they grew closer, it became obvious that the cottage and barn were tumbling down upon themselves, and Adyn began to doubt that anyone even resided here.

He was wrong. Four people tumbled out of the cottage at his approach, weapons held at the ready. He reined in his horse and then held up his hands in a gesture of peace as they surrounded him. They didn’t speak, which added to the strangeness of the scene. Adyn eyed their worn, but sharp-looking, axes and knives. “The inn keeper back at Gedon gave me directions here. Is this Rilarr Farm?”

The four men cast glances among each other, and then one of them stepped closer, setting his hand on the twitching neck of Adyn’s horse as he lowered his axe. “This is Rilarr Farm. What is your business here?”

Adyn took a deep breath. “I’m seeking a Dragon Knight.”

Rather than the laughter he expected, another silent glance went around the little group. The leader stepped back with a strange hand movement, and the other three melted away into the fields nearby. “Dismount and we will talk. Then I will decide whether or not to send you on.”

Adyn followed his directions and tied his reins to a nearby post. The man he assumed was the leader of this little bunch was tall and thin, but ropy with muscle. His short-cropped brown hair was mussed and his worn clothing was dirty and wrinkled, but the look in his brown eyes was sober and intelligent. They walked away from the cottage in a seemingly random direction. Adyn tried not to stare at the axe that swung along at the man’s side as they walked.

“What is your name, stranger?”

Adyn glanced sidelong at the man. “Adyn of Dakar.”

“My name is Wil. So you’re seeking the Dragon Knight. Why?”

So this was how it be, blunt and to the point. Adyn cast him another slanting look. “My nephew is gravely ill. His symptoms seem to fit with Dragon Fever and all our research points to needing a Knight to diagnose it.”

Wil walked on in silence for a long time, and Adyn tried not to fret. Finally, Wil nodded. “Indeed. Well, Adyn of Dakar, there is a Dragon Knight in these mountains. I can send you on, but there are no guarantees you will have success finding that Knight. Times have changed, and the Dragon Knights are no longer as welcome as they once were. This one treasures privacy.”

Adyn stopped, and Wil turned to face him. “I have to take that chance. We can find no cure listed anywhere. We cannot find any other solution. The sick boy is heir to a great kingdom, but more than that, he is my nephew and I’ll do whatever I have to do in order to help him.”

Wil hesitated for a fraction of a second, and then nodded shortly. “Come then, return to your horse, and I will show you the way.”

There was no way Adyn would have found the entrance to the trail that wove its way into the mountains. The cave entrance that he was told to lead his snorting mount into was well hidden behind brush, and if he hadn’t known exactly where it was among the thicket, he never would have found it. Wil walked up to it unerringly.

“Through here and then simply follow the path. There are no turn-offs. The trail is rough, but it should be passable. You’ll have to come right back the same way to return. Your goal is a little valley nestled high up along one of the peaks. You’re fortunate not to be seeking in the winter time. There is no passage when the snows are heavy. Your horse will have a little trouble, but should be able to make it the entire way.”

Adyn gazed at the tunnel entrance silently for a long moment, and then nodded tersely. “Thank you.”

Wil turned abruptly and walked away, and Adyn led the horse into the darkness. It ran for only a short distance before opening up into a rocky trail. He mounted and continued on his journey.

1

Adyn grumbled beneath his breath as he slogged his way through the muck that marked the opening into the courtyard of the sad looking little inn. He tugged impatiently at the reins of his following mount, peppering his grumbles with a few choice swear words as the horse tugged back and he slid in the mud. He quickly regained his balance and shoved a thick handful of long black hair from his eyes as he scanned the courtyard.

He was nearly to the battered door of the inn beneath a swinging sign indicating some sort of battered bird before the stable boy came rushing to take his reins. “Sorry sir, I’ll take him in for you, sir.”

He waved a hand at the boy, sure he wouldn’t be heard over the sudden downpour that opened up as the boy led the horse away. Adyn glanced wryly up at the dark throbbing clouds, thankful that at least the Goddess had waited for him to reach the inn before opening up the heavens. He made his way slipping and sliding to the inn door, reaching for the latch and then heaving the door open as he tried to stomp some of the mess off of his boots.

Adyn gave up and made his way into the common room, shoving the door shut behind him. The noise inside didn’t abate for a moment, and the room was packed, probably due to the storm outside. He made his way to the long bar and waved to the bartender.

Presently enough he had himself stashed away in a dark corner with a trencher of gamey stew and a thick ceramic mug of mulled wine. At least the food was hot. He dug in with abandon, ignoring the water dripping from his hair and down his collar. It wasn’t until a slight figure slid into the seat across from him that he looked up.

She was more than slight, she was nearly wasting away. Adyn recognized the signs of makir abuse. The drug sapped every fiber of a person away while providing a soporific high. He’d never tried the stuff himself, and had no intention of trying it any time soon. “Are you my contact, or are you trying to sell me something?”

She flinched, rubbing a filthy hand across her mouth and refusing to meet his gaze. “Not sellin’ nothin’, milord.”

“You’re my contact, then. What news do you have for me?”

She met his eyes for a split second, and he wondered at the fear he suddenly saw in her. “Word around is that ye’re lookin’ for a Knight.”

He nodded, pushing the trencher away and leaning back. He crossed his brawny arms across his brawnier chest and waited her out.

She swallowed and rubbed her mouth again. He was sure she was just dying for a hit. “Well, milord, y’see, there’re rumors that ye may be in the right place. That there’s a trail somewheres nearby that will take y’to the mountain where a Knight resides. Mind, they’s just rumors…”

He reached into his tunic and pulled out a small leather pouch. It clanked when he tossed it to her, and her eyes gleamed when she clutched it to her scrawny chest. “Thankee, milord. Follow the road to the right, and head to the Rilarr Farm. Them’s the ones that guard the path.” Without another glance she scrambled off through the crowd.

Adyn sighed and made his way back to the bar, where he paid for his room. As he made his way back through the crowd and towards the steep staircase in the back of the room. Partway up the stairs he felt something… maybe a premonition, maybe just the gaze of a stranger. He turned to scan the room, and his green eyes met violet ones across the room. Even with the room completely packed, her stare met his straight-on. A sinking sensation flooded his body, the noise and the room faded away, and even the details of her face didn’t register; only those incredible, vibrant eyes. He blinked and shook his head, and she was gone. He searched the room for a few moments, and then with a frown he continued on to his room.

The sensation had been disorienting, and part of him doubted what had just happened. He stopped dead before opening the door to his room. “What DID just happen, Adyn my boy?” He frowned, shook himself, and opened the door, happy to see his dripping saddle bags set inside the door. At least the contents inside were dry. He stripped down to the skin and after making good use of the thin towel hung near a table with a pitcher and ewer, and then crawled between the sheets. He was asleep almost instantly.

His dreams were haunted by a pair of violet eyes.

Prologue

Amelia watched from the shadows as her brother paced angrily, fierce features twisted into a stern scowl. He growled beneath his breath, hands gripped tightly behind his back. She knew he was trying to find a solution, but really everyone in the manor doubted that anything would help at this point. Antrey spun on his heel and retraced his steps, brain whirling recklessly. Back and forth, back and forth; simply watching made her dizzy. She finally stepped from the shadows and he stopped dead in his tracks, face growing pale as he faced her.

She waited for him to speak, her heart tugging in her breast as her gaze traveled from his dusty boots up over his muscled torso and up to his strained green eyes. His short-cropped black hair was mussed, as if he’d been running his hands through it. She moved closer and reached up to smooth the tousled locks gently. His hand shot up to grip hers tightly as his eyes searched her face intently.

“Did you discover anything helpful?”

She shook her head. “Not yet. But I am still looking, so don’t lose faith yet.”

He growled, and she flinched away. He tightened the grip on her hand and swallowed hard. “I’m sorry. It’s not your fault, I know that.”

“I did find one thing…” She frowned slightly at the acute hope that flooded his face. “Don’t get too excited, Antrey. This might be a long shot.”

“A long shot is more than we have now, isn’t it? What do you have?”

"Well, I found some references to the Dragon Knights." She watched his face carefully, swallowing hard at the disbelief that twisted his sculpted lips. "Before you heap scorn upon me, just listen. The treatise I found was vague, but it described the symptoms suffered by one of the acolytes of the Shadow Temple. While the end result of the acolyte's fate was rather grim, the priest who wrote the treatise describes the symptoms in great detail. They match Rea's symptoms precisely."

The disgust fell away, and he swallowed hard. "Are you sure?"

Amelia shook her head fiercely. "Would I even bother to bring you this information if I wasn't?"

"But there are no more Dragon Knights. No one has even seen a dragon in the last fifty years." Antrey released his hold on her hand and returned to his pacing.

"That's not precisely true, brother-dear. There is one..."

He barely glanced at her. "That's just a legend."

She was quiet for a long moment; then again she shook her head. "I don't think it is. I think it's more than just stories told to scold the children. I think that there is a true Dragon Knight alive today, and I think that we need to exhaust every possibility to find out if that is true, don't you?"

He turned back to face her, a determined glint in his eyes. "Of course you're right."

She didn't try to hide the hope that flooded her face. “You deal with the details of the journey, and choose who to trust with this task, and I will return to the library.”

Antrey nodded. As Amelia turned away, he called her name. She glanced over her shoulder at him, and he thanked her. She smiled sadly. “Of course… I’d do anything for my nephew, you know that.”