Sea Dragon (Dragon Knights Book 9) Read online

  As the housekeeper answered his knock and let him in, Gowan waited nervously in the front hall. The house was impressive without being overpowering. There was wealth here, but it wasn’t ostentatious. Everything was of fine quality, but not overblown. Gowan liked it. Very much.

  When Livia came down the stairs, Gowan held his breath. She was a vision. Lovely as the morning sky. Would she think him foolish if he said so? Probably.

  “You look beautiful, mistress,” he offered instead, proffering the bouquet, which she accepted with a huge smile. She bent her head to sniff at the delicate flowers, her cheeks rivaling the pink of the meadow daisies he’d found. Enchanting.

  “Thank you, Sir Gowan. I love flowers.”

  Score. He’d thought she would enjoy the blooms and was glad he’d gone through the effort of tracking them down and selecting just the perfect ones from the field for her. Genlitha had laughed at him a bit, but just seeing the look on Livia’s face now made the effort worthwhile.

  “I’m glad to hear it,” he said modestly. “Now, about our outing. I have a proposition, but you can decline if you wish.” The next few minutes would tell him a lot about her spirit.

  “I’m intrigued. Pray tell, what dire choice must I make?” She smiled at him, her tone light and teasing. So far, so good.

  “Well…you can choose between a quiet dinner for two here in town, or something a little more adventurous. Lady Genlitha, my dragon partner, is willing to convey us up to a lovely meadow where I found those flowers for you. We could have a picnic, if you’re willing to try flying. I promise it’s safe, but we’ll understand if you’d rather not.”

  “Are you kidding?” Livia’s eyes blazed with excitement. “I would love to fly!” Her lips broke into a huge grin. “It would be like a dream. A once in a lifetime opportunity. How could I refuse?”

  Well, that answered that question. Livia had heart and a keen sense of adventure.

  They walked together to the square where Genlitha waited, being admired by the children in the area. She was very good with little ones, allowing them to climb on her forelegs, giving them little rides through the air by lifting her legs upward, slowly, while the children clung to her and giggled and laughed loudly.

  The children scattered back to their parents when Gowan and Livia appeared, though a few ran up to Livia for a pat on the head or a word of praise.

  “She is good with the little ones,” Genlitha observed silently to Gowan. “That is a good sign in a potential mate.”

  CHAPTER SEVEN

  “Who said anything about mating?” Gowan replied, not quite sure he was willing to go that far just yet…though it was very tempting to think about having the lovely Livia in his life on a permanent basis. At least so far. She seemed like a nice girl, but he needed to know more about her—which is what this outing was really all about.

  “Greetings, Lady Genlitha,” Livia said, curtseying to the dragon prettily. She had the manners of a lady, which didn’t surprise Gowan in the least.

  “Hello, Lady Livia. It is good to finally meet you,” Genlitha answered in that silent way of dragons, sharing her words between Livia and Gowan equally, including them both in the conversation.

  While the two females had spoken briefly before, Genlitha had been high in the sky teaching a group of younger dragons the finer points of judging tricky air currents at the time. They’d never met in person, as it were.

  “Thank you for agreeing to take me with you. I have never flown before, but I’ve dreamed of it. I hope I don’t turn out to be a coward.” Livia was grinning when she said that last, so Gowan wasn’t too concerned by the idea. Still…

  “If you’re the least bit uncomfortable, we’ll bring you right back. That is a promise. Right, Gen?” Gowan was quick to say.

  “Most assuredly,” Genlitha added her thoughts. “I have never once dropped anybody, and I promise you will not be the first. If you do not like it aloft, I will return immediately to ground. You have my vow.”

  “Thank you,” Livia said, blushing slightly. “Let’s hope that is not necessary.” Gowan ushered her closer to Genlitha, toward the foreleg that was propped up so that they could climb it like a ladder to the dragon’s back. “I don’t think it will be necessary,” Livia added, almost under her breath as she walked.

  Gowan showed Livia how to mount and climbed up behind her on the dragon’s back. There was a natural seat in the area where the wings joined the body and what would be akin to the shoulder area. When Gowan rode alone, it was more than comfortable for him. With them both, it was…cozy. Very cozy, indeed.

  “Hold on now,” Gowan warned her as he felt Gen gathering for a leap into the sky.

  With as little jolt as possible, Genlitha launched into the air, her great wings causing only a little disturbance at ground level. She had more power in her hindquarters than most, which allowed her to jump higher before she had to use her wings, allowing her to land in tighter spots than most average dragons. She made good use of her skills now, showing off just a bit as the children below cheered and the adults waved and smiled.

  Gowan tightened his arms around Livia’s waist, but she seemed all right. He was able to put his mouth next to her ear as Genlitha leveled out a bit, flying over Dragonscove.

  “How are you doing?” he spoke loudly, to be heard over the rush of wind, even at this low height.

  “This is amazing!” she shouted back, and Gowan felt his shoulder muscles relax. He’d been worried that she wouldn’t like flying, but she seemed to be a natural.

  “We’re going a little higher. Everyone all right back there?” Genlitha asked.

  Experimentally, Gowan tried to include Livia in his silent answer to the dragon.

  “We’re all good here. Take us up, milady, if you would be so kind.”

  Livia sat up straight in his arms, her head turning slightly toward him. “I heard that!”

  “Then you are even more gifted than I thought,” Genlitha said gently, though Gowan sensed the thrill running through her words. “It is a rare human female that can hear us, much less the silent speech of our knight partners. Even among the knights, most of them cannot hear each other unless they are closely partnered and joined through their dragons. Hold on now. We’re aiming for the top of that cliff over there.”

  Gowan enjoyed the feel of Livia’s back pressed against him as they rose higher in the sky. True to her words, Genlitha flew right up to the cliff top, encountering a strong counter current at the crest that she handled beautifully. She truly was an artist in the air.

  Genlitha circled once, giving Livia a view of the pretty meadow Gowan had picked out earlier. He’d already been up there, setting things up. As a result, Genlitha landed very close to the supplies he’d already brought up, knowing the plan Gowan had in mind.

  It was late afternoon, and they would have a few hours before sunset. He had a plan, but he wasn’t sure how it was all going to work out. A lot depended on Livia, and so far, so good.

  Gowan helped Livia down from Genlitha’s back. Livia took a moment to offer formal thanks to Genlitha for the transport, proving again how respectful she was of others. Genlitha raised one eye ridge in Gowan’s direction in silent approval.

  “I took the liberty of pre-positioning a meal for us to share. It’s cold now, but Genlitha can solve that problem for us in a trice.” He smiled, and Livia followed suit.

  “Handy,” she commented. “Must be nice having a dragon around, especially when it gets cold out.” Livia smiled at Genlitha, who was moving slightly away, finding a comfy spot to stretch out on her belly. “And to be able to fly with her…”

  “It is a privilege I’m still getting used to, if I’m honest,” Gowan replied, lifting up the basket he’d stashed between two rocks an hour before. “But you’re right. Having Genlitha in my life is an amazing experience I wouldn’t trade for the world.”

  “Nor I,” Genlitha added gently, a warm moment passing between them. Gowan felt her acceptance and the glow
of her regard down the bond that had formed between their souls when he’d accepted her as his fighting partner.

  Words could not describe the bond. Gowan had heard knights try to describe it before, but he’d never fully understood it until it had happened to him.

  “Can I help?” Livia broke into his thoughts as he opened the basket and started to unload a few things.

  “Do you want to spread the blanket over there, by Genlitha? She’ll block the wind on one side so we don’t get blown off the cliff.” He was exaggerating, but having Gen act as a wind break was a good idea. They were exposed to the air currents up here, and as he had learned, they could be unpredictable.

  Livia went off with the blanket while Gowan set up a spit with the chicken that had already been cooked in the Lair kitchen. It just needed warming, which was something Genlitha could do with a single breath. Gowan just needed to set it up so that he didn’t get toasted at the same time. Hence, the spit, which consisted of two tripods between which hung the skewer with the chicken on it.

  Gowan put that up near Gen’s head, leaving a few of the stone crocks containing side dishes that could also benefit from her warm breath on some flat stones he’d already selected earlier that day. All he’d have to do was get out of the way, and Gen could do her thing, warming up the whole meal at once.

  “If you would be so kind, milady,” he said with exaggerated courtesy, bowing gracefully to the dragon.

  Genlitha winked at him as he retreated to a safe distance, bringing the basket and the rest of the items in it over to the blanket Livia had spread. He took out the bottle of wine that was nicely chilled by its time on the cliff top, and two hand-blown glasses he’d won in a game of chance with a glass blower some years back.

  “Looks like you’ve thought of everything, Sir Gowan,” Livia said as he handed her a glass of wine.

  “A man tries to be prepared,” he answered, raising his own glass. “Now, for our winged companion’s input. Lady Genlitha, do you think it is ready?”

  “Almost,” Genlitha answered in both their minds. “Another little tickle should do it.” Genlitha blew out another warm breath and raised her head with a dragonish look of satisfaction. “There. Dinner is served.”

  The entire afternoon—the flight, the meal, the conversation and the company—was well beyond Livia’s expectations. She had liked Gowan before, but he impressed her on every level, pulling out all the stops. He showed himself to be a caring, thoughtful person, not just a tall, muscular soldier.

  The fact that he was very much the tall, muscular soldier had attracted her at first. She wasn’t shy about admitting to her purely physical attraction to the man. At least not in the privacy of her own mind. But the clues to his true character were what made all the difference. The way he talked to and interacted with Genlitha charmed Livia. The obvious care between the dragon and Gowan touched her heart.

  Livia couldn’t help but notice his physique, though, when he was sitting right there next to her, on a cushy blanket, flanked by a warm dragon. He even smelled good, like strong man tempered with the gentle fragrance of tree resin, for some odd reason. She wondered if it was something he wore or if he came by that uniquely attractive scent naturally.

  She’d been courted by overly-perfumed popinjays in the town. Rich men with more hair than wit, and young lotharios looking to score a rich wife by spending more time in front of the looking glass admiring their own appearance than most teenage girls. Neither had impressed her.

  Oh, some of the decorative ones were certainly enjoyable for a short amount of time, but none interested her as a potential life mate. Before she made that kind of decision, Livia would have to put them through their paces. She wasn’t about to accept any man as a life-long partner without first getting to know them extremely well—in the bedroom and out of it.

  Her father might not agree, but then again, he wasn’t here. He’d more or less abandoned her for the past several years. She was a woman grown, over the age of her majority, an heiress in her own right. Her father might be the richest man in town, but her mother had been the only child of a prosperous merchant. That gentleman had been Livia’s grandfather—the only one she had known, since her father’s parents had both been killed at sea long before Livia was born.

  Grandpa Jonas and Granny Lynn had doted on Livia, and when Jonas died, Lynn had given her husband’s business interests to Livia’s father, to be added to the collection of businesses he looked after. But Granny Lynn had been crafty, and she made sure that legally, once Livia was old enough, the business itself would pass to her. She’d wanted to be certain her only grandchild was provided for in the future.

  Livia was the legal owner of a small but prosperous fishing fleet, though few people knew it. They all assumed it was one of her father’s many concerns, and she preferred to let them think that, even though while Father was away, she was the de facto head of the company. She was the one people came to when they had a problem. She was also the one who made decisions and paid the bills, made sales, collected what was owed, and split the earnings with the workers. She ran all of the businesses under her father’s care, but Grandpa Jonas’s fishing fleet was truly hers.

  And the little boat she took out to go fishing with Hrardorr had been Grandpa Jonas’s very own sailboat. There wasn’t a day that went by that she didn’t think about her grandparents and how very much they had taught her about fishing and running the small fleet of boats that they had loved so dearly. Granny and Grandpa had taken her out so often with the various captains they all knew her and treated her like their own daughter, and the arrangement had worked very well, even after Granny had left this world to be with Grandpa.

  It was Granny Lynn who had cautioned Livia to be wary of men and take time before she married. Early infatuations had led to some very frank, grandmotherly advice that she had never forgotten.

  Grandma Lynn had been a bit of a maverick in her time. She’d been around the block, as they say, and had taught her granddaughter what to do to prevent pregnancy. She’d given Livia very blunt advice on what to expect from a man and had told her there was no harm in experimenting with a few before settling down with just one.

  Livia hadn’t been tempted that many times, and really, no man in recent years had caught her eye enough to make her want to take that step again…until now. Until Gowan.

  Sure, there was one shy boy from the Lair whom she’d fancied as a younger girl, but he’d never expressed any real interest. If he had, she’d have been all over him in a flash. She’d daydreamed about him in her youth and still sighed wistfully when she happened to see him in town on rare occasions, but she’d given up on him. She had to be practical, like Granny Lynn had taught her. That boy was probably not attracted to her, otherwise, he would’ve done something long before now. Sir Gowan was here, now. He was real, and it was pretty clear that he was interested.

  And she was interested too. So much so that she was contemplating acting somewhat rashly. It had just been so darn long since a man had turned her eye this way. So long since she’d been held in a strong man’s arms… So long since she’d had any affection in her life—fleeting or otherwise.

  Gowan was sitting there, next to her, on the blanket, the dragon fast asleep, her head stretched out on the grass, facing away from them, as if uninterested in the doings of the humans. And Gowan sat there looking so handsome and strong. Livia couldn’t help herself…

  She leaned across the space separating them and kissed him.

  Oh, yes. His kiss was all she was hoping it would be. She’d surprised him at first, but he soon took charge, wrapping his muscular arms around her gently, tangling his tongue with hers.

  He tasted of the fruity wine he’d served with dinner, along with his own unique flavor that made her want more. So much more. The feel of his arms around her sent flames licking down to her core, igniting a fire that she hadn’t quite expected, but welcomed nonetheless.

  Never had a simple kiss made her feel so aroused
. Not this fast. Not this hot. As it was, she felt like she would burst into flames if he didn’t move faster, deepen the kiss, claim other bits of her body that were oh-so-ready to be claimed.

  All too soon, Gowan drew back. He didn’t let her go, but he seemed to be taking stock, searching her eyes for…something.

  “I had no plan to rush you into anything when I invited you up here,” he said in a quiet voice that touched her deeply. His concern for her feelings meant a lot to her, but if they were to have a chance at any sort of relationship at all, he was going to have to learn a few hard truths about her.

  “If I felt you were rushing things, I would let you know,” she assured him. “Though I had no expectations today other than to experience dragon flight for the first time in my life and share a meal in order to get to know you a little better…” She gathered her courage. Her next words would make or break this whole thing. “I feel honesty is usually the best policy, and so, I’m going to be honest with you. I’m not a maid, Sir Gowan. I haven’t been with many men, and none in a long time, but there’s something about you…” She didn’t know what to say, or how he was taking her words. Livia looked down, unable to meet his gaze.

  Gowan’s hand came under her chin and lifted her chin, but it was a moment before she could bring herself to look him in the eye. What she saw there wasn’t condemning or disapproving. He was smiling gently.

  “There’s something special about you too, Livia. From the first moment I saw you, I knew I wanted to get to know you. I will never take advantage of you, but there are reasons it’s a relief to me to know you’re not a virgin.”

  He looked so very relieved, she had to ask.

  “What kind of reasons? You have me intrigued.” She smiled a bit, feeling more comfortable with his easy acceptance of her revelation.