Wings of Change Read Free Page B

service.” With another bow, she left the giant dragonet in the doorway and moved back to the queen. She was sitting in the chair now, looking exceptionally tired. Lucia approached in a respectful way. “For you, milady. It’s the best ale we have. I hope it’s to your liking. Or I could get you something else.”
    Queen Lana reached out with shaking fingers and lifted the glass, drinking deeply. She smiled, her every move dripping with fatigue, as she placed the half-finished drink back on the tray Lucia still held. “Thank you. It’s delicious.”
    “Can I ask? Will Sir Reynor be all right?”
    The queen tilted her head, quizzing Lucia with her gaze. “He’ll live. Whether he flies again or not is in the hands of the Mother.”
    “All is in Her hands.” Marcus’s deep voice came from just over her shoulder. The man could move silently when he wished, it seemed. He swept to one knee before the queen. “Thank you, milady. Lucia told me Reynor and Linea are mates.”
    With what Marcus had told her about how dragons and knights mated, if Reynor died, Linea might never find another mate. And if she didn’t, in all likelihood, neither would her knight. So more than one being’s future depended on Reynor’s recovery. Queen Lana reached out and stroked Marcus’s hair in a familiar way that annoyed Lucia. Jealousy blasted through her. She’d never felt such immediate, violent possessiveness about anyone before. And certainly not a man she’d only just met. Sure, she’d cried on his shoulder, but that didn’t mean she owned him. Lucia backed away, needing to put some space between herself and the unreasonable reaction. She stopped, though, at the sight of the other knight, sitting now at Reynor’s side. He held onto the dragon’s neck with one arm, embracing him, offering comfort. Rey’s jeweled gaze had more fire now and had lost that worrisome, unhealthy dimness.

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    Bianca D’Arc
    Kaden stopped her, catching her hand in his. She looked down at him, surprised by his warm touch.
    “Rey told me what a good friend you are, Lucy. I can’t—” He broke off, looking away as he blinked rapidly. “I can’t tell you how much what you’ve done means. I can never thank you enough.”
    Seeing the depth of this man’s feelings for the dragon touched something deep inside. She had to get a hold of her own emotions before she started crying again. She stiffened her spine, fighting back the empathy this man evoked with his sad blue eyes.
    “Just you take care of each other,” she said in a harsher tone than she’d intended.
    “No more of these misunderstandings.”
    “Yes, ma’am.” Kaden let her go and stood, towering over her, much as Marcus had done. Impulsively, she reached up to move a lock of golden blond hair back from his face. She gasped when his arms came around her. He hugged her close, crushing her against his muscular chest.
    “You’re a special lady, Lucy.” His gruff words drifted past her ear. “Thank you, sweetheart.” He surprised her yet again when she felt his lips pause in front of her ear, kissing softly, just once, before he let her go and stepped back. Lucia looked up at him, feeling the tears gather behind her eyes again, much to her dismay. Before she could let them fall, the dragon nudged her with his snout, breaking the spell. Reflexively, she reached out and stroked his scaly head.
    “Are you all right now, Rey?”
    “I’ve been better,” he quipped.
    “He can’t be moved for now. I don’t want to undo everything I’ve just done.” The queen stood beside Lucia, speaking to the dragon, the knights and—shockingly—Lucia as well. “Can you work around him?”
    Lucia scrambled to answer the queen of all Draconia. “He’s been here all week. I know Sir Reynor enjoys the music in the evenings, and many of the customers talk to him, though none can hear him.” She lowered her eyes modestly.
    “Except you.” Marcus spoke from her other