Read Online Hidden Dragons by Bianca D'Arc - Free Book Online Page A

got the watch, partner. Good
hunting,” Robert sent back, aware in the
corner of his mind that was connected to Bear through his
connection with his dragon partner, that Tilly had already launched
them both into the air.
    Robert helped Isabelle clean up from their
meal. After the dishes were washed and set to dry, he opened the
large sack Bear had brought in earlier, putting things away in
Isabelle’s kitchen as if it was nothing out of the ordinary. He saw
her wide eyes as he uncovered each new item. There were wheels of
what looked like good, hearty cheese. Baskets of dried berries.
Small jars of spices and salt. Larger flasks of oil and vinegar.
Fruits that would keep well into the winter, and vegetables that
would do likewise. The more perishable items Robert left out for
Isabelle to deal with, since they would have to be used
sooner.
    “ How long do you plan to stay,”
Isabelle asked, eyeing the mountain of food Robert had unpacked.
Her gaze shot to his as she realized that her question could be
thought of as rude. “I didn’t mean—”
    Robert held up his hands, palm outward as he
smiled. “Be at ease, milady. We only have a few more days to
complete our mission here, but we cannot in good conscience leave
you anything but well-stocked for the winter.”
    “ But this is all too much. The
chickens were already too much, but this is…” She looked at the
vast array of food items Bear had brought and seemed at a loss for
words.
    “ This is only the beginning. Now
that we know where you live, we will be back,” Robert warned in a
teasing tone. “Of course, you could always come with us when we
leave. Women like you, who can speak with dragons and do not fear
them, are always welcome in the Lair.”
    “ You said something like that
before, but what would I do? How would I earn my keep?” She looked
worried and uncomfortable. “What would be my role?”
    Robert moved closer to her. “You could come
back with us as our mate.”
    “ Both of you?” She seemed shocked,
which worried him. He had hoped she already understood.
    “ Yes.” There was no way to
sugar-coat it. He had to be honest with her about their intentions,
even if it scared her off. He had to try to explain it better to
her, so that she would understand. “We are bonded on a soul-deep
level with our dragons. And our dragons are mates. They already
have two children who are grown and have knights and mates of their
own. Their first knights died many years ago, and both Tildeth and
Growloranth mourned their loss for decades before returning to pick
another set of knights—Bear and I—to share their lives with. The
thing is, because of our bond, the dragons cannot consummate their
relationship again until Bear and I have a mate of our own. The
spillover from a dragon mating flight is intense, from all
accounts. If the knights bonded to the two dragons do not have a
mate of their own to share in the deep love and passion, it can
drive them mad. Which is why the prohibition was instituted long
ago, that bonded dragons cannot mate until their knights have found
a woman of their own, to love and share their lives and
passions.”
    “ So until you and Sir Bernard have
found such a woman, your dragon partners cannot come together,” she
repeated, seeking his confirmation.
    Robert nodded. “They have been very patient
with us, and they will wait as long as they need to, but the sooner
we find our mate, the sooner they can be together again as mates.
Bear and I think that maybe you could be the woman for
us.”
    “ Why only one woman? Why can’t you
each find a wife of your own?”
    “ It doesn’t really work that way,”
Robert admitted. “And I’m not entirely sure of the reasons why.
Having never experienced a dragon mating through the bond I share
with Growloranth, I can only speculate. But from what the mated
knights have said, the spillover running through the bond is too
intense. Only the triad joining seems to account for the