None of that mattered to Shalin, though. Her father meant everything to her. Always had.
“I’m so glad you’re all right, Father.”
“And I you.” He pulled back, examining her carefully. “You don’t look any the worse for wear.”
She smiled. “No. I’m just fine.”
And that’s when her father’s sharp brown eyes narrowed. “Are you?”
Clearing her throat, she said, “Oh. Yes. Just fine. We should go.” She walked around him to get to the clearing.
“Go where, Shalin?” he asked in that calm way of his. “Do what? And shouldn’t we have those two oversized beasts with us?”
Turning around, Shalin chewed on her lip. “I guess.” She nodded. “You’re right, of course.”
“And aren’t you interested in what the queen has to say?”
It took Shalin a moment to remember she hadn’t been on Ailean’s territory merely for sexual satisfaction. And if she hoped to conceal what happened between her and Ailean from her father, she’d better act more like she cared.
“Oh! Of course. Yes. What was the decision?”
“No decision. Not until the council meeting.”
“A…a council meeting?”
“Calm yourself, Shalin. I see the panic in your eyes.” He rubbed a soothing hand against Shalin’s back. “The queen and Elders wish to have the case presented in front of all the court. And to everyone’s surprise, the Northern dragons have put in a demand for the deal struck with Princess Adienna to go through as planned.”
Shalin crossed her arms in front of her chest. “To everyone’s surprise because who would want me?”
Her father shook his head in confusion. “What are you talking about? I mean surprising because we all assumed the Northerners would simply try to take you rather than follow the usual rules of etiquette. That’s usually how they do things.” Baudwin sniffed. “Barbarians. The lot of them.” He nodded at his daughter. “That oldest one seemed much more civilized than his brethren. I assume it was his decision to put in the claim. I believe he truly likes you.”
“Well, I can read,” she said on a chuckle.
“Of course you can. You’re my daughter.” Her father glanced around impatiently. “Where do you think those two bickering ninnies went?”
“Drive you mad, did they?”
“Don’t misunderstand me, daughter. I will appreciate until my dying day their protection. Truth be told, I knew with all certainty they would kill anyone or anything that moved within a dragon’s tail of me. But the constant chatter—” He shuddered. “—it drove me to distraction.” Which was her father’s quiet way of saying if he could have killed them both…
“I should take Nightmare back anyway. I’ll get them and bring them back here.”
“Nightmare?”
She motioned to the horse. “Nightmare. My horse.”
Her father frowned. “You named your midmeal? Shalin, you know better than to—”
“No, no. He’s not…” she cleared her throat. “They don’t eat horses or dogs here, Daddy. They’re considered pets and working animals.”
Her father made a small gesture with his hands. “I can’t…they’re just…the entire Cadwaladr Clan simply confuses…”
Shalin kissed her father’s cheek. “I completely understand. And for that reason I won’t mention the puppy Ailean gave me.”
“Puppy?”
Shalin laughed. “I won’t be long.”
She walked off and Nightmare dutifully followed behind her. She led him back to the stables and to his stall. She made sure he had ample food and water. She rubbed her hand down his muzzle. “Now listen to me. I want you to let them feed you. Please. I have to go away and—” she swallowed “—and I won’t be back. So I need you to take care of yourself and to let them take care of you. I’ve already had a word with that stablemaster.”
Leaning forward, she kissed his muzzle and stepped back. “I’ll miss you.”
Then, before she did something horrifyingly human—like cry—she walked out the back door.
And right into Ailean.
Legs braced apart, arms folded over his chest, he stared down at her with one brow raised.
“They warned me you would simply try and leave and I didn’t believe them. But you were, weren’t you?”
Shalin sighed. “Don’t you think that’s for the best?”
“No, Shalin. I don’t.”
“I fear if my father sees us together, he’ll know. And we both agreed this would be kept between—where are you going?”
But she knew exactly where Ailean was going and what he most certainly planned to do.
Ailean could hear her charging up behind him, demanding he stop and talk to her. But he had nothing to say to her. He knew exactly what she’d been planning to do and it made him blindingly angry even to think about it.
So he marched on until he arrived at the clearing by the lake. The old brown dragon stood as human, staring up at one of the trees. He seemed to be studying the birds. Why anyone would do that was lost on Ailean, but at the moment he really didn’t care.
“Lord Baudwin?”
The older dragon turned, looked up at him, and took a hasty step back. “Ailean the Wicked? Gods. Did your mother perform spells before your hatching to get you that size?”
Ailean blinked. “Not that I know of.”
“You are simply gargantuan! I thought those twins you sent were big, but you…simply frightening.”
“Well—”
“How do you get around as human? Does no one question someone of your size lumbering around?”
“I don’t lumb—”
Shalin pushed her way between the two males. “Father, we have to go.”
“Where are those large fellows? Aren’t they coming?”
“No. We’ll go without them.”
“Like hell you will,” Ailean snapped.
“Don’t,” Shalin warned, “get in my way, Ailean.”
The old dragon glanced between the two. “Is there something I should know?”
“No!”
“Yes!”
Baudwin sighed. “Somehow I sense I won’t like this, will I?”
“I need to speak with you,” Shalin said softly before walking away from her father.
Ailean followed and when she felt they stood far enough away, she said, “What are you doing?”
“Don’t you know?”
“You have to know this is over. You must.”
“That unhappy with me?”
“Of course not.” She’d never been happier. But she had to be realistic as well. Passion and multiple climaxes
