Dragons Against Them (Kingdoms of Fire and Ice #2)(60)
Zayne’s gaze flashed toward the others and back. “Not a fairy what?”
“A made-up—never mind, it doesn’t matter. What does matter is that when I was trying to get you to rest and I went wandering around the church, I found a bible up by the altar. And as I was turning pages, I found this. If ever…”
Addie withdrew the crumpled partial page she’d kept hidden beneath her unbloodied sleeve and handed it to Zayne.
…should the child of ice
Be cast out, thence return home thrice,
A bonding of the two shall take,
The most powerful of dragons make.
“The most powerful of dragons make…” He pondered that for a moment, then frowned at the tattered bottom edge of the parchment. “More seems to be missing?”
“Yes, which is driving me crazy. But it dawned on me as I was waking up this morning—I think this legend is about us.”
Footsteps sounded ahead of them.
“’Tis not the time for fawning over each other,” Tristan hissed. “Now hurry, or all our efforts might be for naught.”
Zayne waved a hand in acknowledgment but held Addie’s gaze. “You believe yourself to be this child of ice?”
“Who else do you know of that’s been outside this realm?”
He frowned. “No one, my lady.”
“Exactly.” She took the paper from him and started forward, keeping her gaze forward by voice low. “Trouble is, I’ve only come back to this world twice. So either I’m not the person in this poem…”
“…or you have yet to finish your journey.”
“Right. Don’t you find it a bit odd that Haelan’s sticking around?”
Zayne scowled into the dark, his topaz eyes taking on a dull glow. “Aye. I had suspicions about Berinon’s interest from the start as well.”
“You and me both. Though where has he been all week, anyway?”
“Our high wizard’s absence has been a mystery.”
“So…you don’t think my theory is too far-fetched, then?”
Zayne took her right hand and pressed a kiss to its palm before securing it inside his own and leading her forward. “I am uncertain as to what to believe. But until this is over and we are able to investigate the legend further, we must remain close. I shall not stand by and watch you be ported worlds away from me a second time.”
Chapter 36
Rosalind poked at the remains of her dinner while doing her best to avoid Giselle’s curious gaze. As princess in Forath, she never felt guilty about her sexual forays. Sitting in the presence of her lover’s mother, however, made her feel quite uncomfortable indeed. Though much of her anxiety was born of the knowledge that, following their meal, she would beg Giselle to forgo the siege of Forath and instead seek a peace treaty by way of betrothals.
And Rosalind was not one to beg.
She cast a glance at Jaxon, handsome as ever sitting across from her. He flashed her a devilish grin, unashamed at being caught staring. Rosalind offered him as best a smile as she could manage in return, but anxiety seemed to weigh down her very lips.
What if the queen said no? What would she do, then?
“A wonderful meal, would you agree?” asked Giselle.
“Indeed.” Rosalind offered the woman a smile and wished she’d been able to speak with Jaxon before dinner. Though he himself admitted their future together would remove the need for future bloodshed so that she might claim a throne, the man had said nothing throughout the meal to imply an upcoming battle with Forath was unnecessary. Which left Rosalind to broach a subject she was unfamiliar with:
The subject of retreat.
“Your Majesty, I wish to discuss—”
“Hush, child. Let us not postulate battle plans with food yet before us, but adjourn to the parlor where we can sit in comfort. Jaxon?”
“Yes, Mother?”
“Would you be so kind as to escort us there?”
“It would be my pleasure.” He stood, came around to assist his mother, then led her to where Rosalind remained seated. With another devilishly handsome grin, he offered her his arm.
An unexpected worry niggled at her, but she brushed the feeling aside and took the arm offered as she rose from her seat. Jaxon was her true mate; she sensed it still with every bit of her being. He would protect and support her. There lived no man, no beast, with whom she was a better match.
The trio paused at the dining chamber’s large wooden door to allow servants time to open it. But as a young boy stepped forward to do so, Jaxon waved him off and slipped momentarily free of his charges to draw it open himself. The dimly lit hall Rosalind had traveled to reach their meal came into view. Oil sconces hung evenly spaced on the walls, flickering in the air stirred by their approach.
“Would you care to view a few of the rooms I chose to transform while you were gone?”
“More redecorating?” Jaxon raised a brow at his mother.
Giselle patted his arm with a smile. “You know how I love a change of scenery.”
“Aye, though it is rare to see you do so outside the central parlor.”
“Indeed,” she said. “Just as it is rare for a dragon to find his one true mate.”