The Dragon Legion Collection(31)

Alexander met her gaze steadily. “‘Make a pledge and mischief is nigh.’”

Katina frowned, thinking of all the pledges each of them had made. She eased closer to Alexander and dropped her voice. “You don’t want to be called to serve, because of your transgression.”

Alexander nodded and took her hand, his thumb sliding across her skin in a smooth caress. “Cetos is dead,” he said softly. “Jorge killed him.”

Katina bit her lip, glad that Cetos was out of pain, and out of her life. She felt that strange sense of freedom and optimism again. “It’s been said that any man who covets a naiad will die childless of a broken heart.”

“Is that why your parents didn’t support our marriage?”

Katina winced. “I think they liked you. They feared for your future.”

Alexander’s gaze trailed after Lysander, who was marching ahead of them. Theo had gone back to sleep again. “They didn’t know that I wasn’t a man.”

Katina met Alexander’s gaze, her heart pounding. “No. But I don’t think you were to blame for Cetos’ death.”

Alexander didn’t appear to be convinced. “It depends. It could have been my fault that Jorge came to your home. I certainly had no right to possess Cetos’ wife.” Katina might have argued but Alexander raised a finger. “I have to ask the Pythia. I won’t make another pledge to you until I’m sure I can keep it.” Alexander caught her hand in his and kissed her fingertips.

But Katina would have more than that salute from him before they reached Delphi, if only to have a night to remember.





Chapter Five



They stopped in the evening in a village, where they rented a room from an older woman who was glad of the coin. She fed them a hot meal, even managing to coax Theo to eat a little. The story that they were going to Delphi to seek counsel made perfect sense to the woman, who fussed a bit over Theo in his obvious weakness. The long day of walking and the hot meal made Lysander sleepy with comical speed. Alexander left Katina with the boys as she settled them into bed, then returned to the empty courtyard of the house to look at the stars and think.

Did he dare to hope for a future in this world, with the woman he’d missed so much? Was Jorge truly gone? Could he believe his family was safe? Alexander wasn’t one to pray, but he did so that night in the darkness.

“Where were you?” Katina asked quietly.

He turned to find her in the doorway of the room they’d rented, her hair loose over her shoulders and her eyes tired. She was wearing Pelias’ cloak, the red hue favoring her coloring.


Alexander had known it was only a matter of time before Katina asked him for the truth—and that he’d share it with her. He moved along the bench and she came to sit beside him, nestling against his shoulder.

“Would you mind if Theo stayed with us?” he asked and Katina shook her head.

“You don’t think his father is coming back, do you?”

Alexander took her hand in his and sighed. “I would hope that one of my comrades would do the same for Lysander in my place.”

“Of course,” Katina said. “I’ll take care of him, even if you can’t.”

She spoke with the generosity of spirit that he admired in her, and Alexander felt some of his tension ease away. They could be good partners, if the Pythia gave them the chance. He didn’t want to promise her too much, but he dared to take her hand and smiled when she curled her fingers around his.

They sat together in silence for a while, the stars glinting high above them. He was aware of the enticing scent of her skin, the rhythm of his son’s breathing a dozen steps away, the sounds of the rest of the household in slumber. He could feel the beat of Katina’s heart, the bright spark of her curiosity and recalled his old conviction that there was something special about her.

More than he’d guessed. Now, he could see the silvery glimmer to her skin, the hint of her powers that never completely faded from his view.

Now that he knew how to look.

He understood why her eyes were as dark as a fathomless pool, why her hair flowed down her back like a turbulent river, why she had such empathy for all of those around her, how she could accommodate any change or challenge—much as a river will find its way around any obstacle.

“What started the rumors about you?” he asked.

“I can never forget what I can do,” Katina admitted softly. “There’s so much good that can be done with such a gift. There was a drought in the village and children were thirsty. I couldn’t bear the sight of their suffering.”

“So you made it rain.” Alexander could guess the rest. “And someone saw you.”

She shrugged one shoulder. “I can only assume so. No one would talk to me directly about it, but the whispers began. They whispered about the gods and their influence. I was never certain whether more people feared the favor of the gods—because they are so capricious—or their wrath. No woman would let her husband or son come near us. Lysander was told stories about naiads and their insatiable desires for men. He repeated them to me without any understanding of why he was being told them.” She met Alexander’s gaze. “I had to do something so that he wouldn’t be damaged by what I am. I had to protect him. No man would have me, so I sent word to Cetos, asking if he still wished to marry me. He did.”