Read Online Heart Of The Dragon (Her Dragon's Bane 3) by Harmony Raines - Free Book Online
Authors: Harmony Raines
Tags: General Fiction
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venture out of Spellholm?”
“I never leave here. I have developed a healthy mistrust of the people outside of these walls. Take your friend the witch for example. She comes and presents herself to me as though she is doing me a favour.”
“And you are so sure she isn’t?” Connor devoured a leg of venison, the fat dripping down his chin. He wiped it on his sleeve. It was so good, and he felt his manners slipping as he picked up a drumstick and began to eat. His mouth full when he asked, “You have no women here?”
Dòmhnall gulped his wine down, and filled his goblet again. “It is because of people like your witch that women are not welcome here.”
“None of you have ever found their mate?”
“One of us did,” he said, looking pointedly at Connor. “Your father never spoke of us? So he kept his word.”
“Never. My brother and I thought we were the last of the dragons. It was only Tara, the witch, who told us there were dragons in Spellholm.”
“I wonder how she knew. I might have to prise that information from her.” He cracked a bone in two absently, his gaze elsewhere. “It was a witch that caused all the trouble here.”
“Trouble.”
“She came to me, told me she was my mate. That she had no wish to lie with me and bear my child unless she could live forever.”
“Immortality.”
“Yes.” He wiped his hands, and picked his goblet up again. “She would meet me in the woods, when the ancient oaks were saplings. Her voice was silver, musical in its tone. How she wound me around her finger.”
“What happened?” Connor held his breath. Was this the secret he had travelled here for, about to spill from Dòmhnall’s lips?
“She took something from me. And then left.”
“What did she take?”
“It doesn’t matter. She lied. I knew then that there was no such thing as a true mate.”
“But I have found mine. It is real.”
“So your father tried to convince me. He begged me to tell him the secret, to allow your mother to live forever. I told him I would never give a woman that power over him.”
“What power?” Connor asked, eager to know how to give this gift to Serena.
“I have no thought to tell you. You are blinded by love, by this myth that she is your mate.”
“It isn’t a myth, Dòmhnall,” Connor insisted.
“What proof do you have?”
“She carries my child.”
“You are sure it is your child?”
“Yes.”
“So sure.” He smiled, and drank more wine. “I know how devious women can be, Connor Outcast. I would not like to stake my life on a woman.”
“She came to me a virgin. Her blood was offered as sacrifice, and she conceived our child.”
“There is no way the child can be someone else’s? A human child?”
“No. Already the heat fills her, and on our arrival yesterday he knew he was coming home.”
“Who told you that?” Dòmhnall demanded, his voice rising in anger.
“One of your men, I am unsure which one.” Connor tried to sound vague. The last thing he wanted was to cause trouble with the other dragons.
“Then if you are so sure, I will make you a deal.” He leaned forward; thrusting his face so close to Connor’s that the wine fumes from his mouth caressed Connor’s skin. “Trials.”
“Trials?” Connor questioned.
“Yes. We have not had much sport here for centuries. You and your mate will face two trials. Win and I will share with you the secret you so desire.”
“Why not leave Serena out of this? I will compete in any way you want. But I fear for the child she carries.”
“No. My terms are that you face the trials together. I know you are strong, but I wish to test the character of this self-proclaimed mate of yours. That is my offer.”
They shook hands, sealing the bargain. Dòmhnall drank more wine, and Connor ate more meat. All Connor wanted to do was go back to his bed, and to make sure Serena was safe there. But he had to go along with the game Dòmhnall, Dragon Lord, wished to
“I never leave here. I have developed a healthy mistrust of the people outside of these walls. Take your friend the witch for example. She comes and presents herself to me as though she is doing me a favour.”
“And you are so sure she isn’t?” Connor devoured a leg of venison, the fat dripping down his chin. He wiped it on his sleeve. It was so good, and he felt his manners slipping as he picked up a drumstick and began to eat. His mouth full when he asked, “You have no women here?”
Dòmhnall gulped his wine down, and filled his goblet again. “It is because of people like your witch that women are not welcome here.”
“None of you have ever found their mate?”
“One of us did,” he said, looking pointedly at Connor. “Your father never spoke of us? So he kept his word.”
“Never. My brother and I thought we were the last of the dragons. It was only Tara, the witch, who told us there were dragons in Spellholm.”
“I wonder how she knew. I might have to prise that information from her.” He cracked a bone in two absently, his gaze elsewhere. “It was a witch that caused all the trouble here.”
“Trouble.”
“She came to me, told me she was my mate. That she had no wish to lie with me and bear my child unless she could live forever.”
“Immortality.”
“Yes.” He wiped his hands, and picked his goblet up again. “She would meet me in the woods, when the ancient oaks were saplings. Her voice was silver, musical in its tone. How she wound me around her finger.”
“What happened?” Connor held his breath. Was this the secret he had travelled here for, about to spill from Dòmhnall’s lips?
“She took something from me. And then left.”
“What did she take?”
“It doesn’t matter. She lied. I knew then that there was no such thing as a true mate.”
“But I have found mine. It is real.”
“So your father tried to convince me. He begged me to tell him the secret, to allow your mother to live forever. I told him I would never give a woman that power over him.”
“What power?” Connor asked, eager to know how to give this gift to Serena.
“I have no thought to tell you. You are blinded by love, by this myth that she is your mate.”
“It isn’t a myth, Dòmhnall,” Connor insisted.
“What proof do you have?”
“She carries my child.”
“You are sure it is your child?”
“Yes.”
“So sure.” He smiled, and drank more wine. “I know how devious women can be, Connor Outcast. I would not like to stake my life on a woman.”
“She came to me a virgin. Her blood was offered as sacrifice, and she conceived our child.”
“There is no way the child can be someone else’s? A human child?”
“No. Already the heat fills her, and on our arrival yesterday he knew he was coming home.”
“Who told you that?” Dòmhnall demanded, his voice rising in anger.
“One of your men, I am unsure which one.” Connor tried to sound vague. The last thing he wanted was to cause trouble with the other dragons.
“Then if you are so sure, I will make you a deal.” He leaned forward; thrusting his face so close to Connor’s that the wine fumes from his mouth caressed Connor’s skin. “Trials.”
“Trials?” Connor questioned.
“Yes. We have not had much sport here for centuries. You and your mate will face two trials. Win and I will share with you the secret you so desire.”
“Why not leave Serena out of this? I will compete in any way you want. But I fear for the child she carries.”
“No. My terms are that you face the trials together. I know you are strong, but I wish to test the character of this self-proclaimed mate of yours. That is my offer.”
They shook hands, sealing the bargain. Dòmhnall drank more wine, and Connor ate more meat. All Connor wanted to do was go back to his bed, and to make sure Serena was safe there. But he had to go along with the game Dòmhnall, Dragon Lord, wished to
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