Page 29 of Heart of Fire
And who had his mother sent to challengehim?
Silver scales. That bothered him, because while the color was popular among his clan, there was one particulardrekiwho gleamed silver, and his mother knew Andri would be a weakness of his. A part of him hoped she hadn’t sent his younger cousin on this mission, even as he knew better. Of course Amadea would exploit anyweakness.
As for the biggerdreki, he hadn’t gotten a good look, but thought he’d caught a glimpse of a dark shape. Darkerdrekiwere more common than the lighter or jewel-tinted shades, and the biggerdrekicould have been any one of his uncle’swarriors.
He couldn’t scent them around his territory. No, they’d glided on elsewhere, though he knew the foray into his domain could not been accidental. Everydrekimale at court knew the territory lines. When a simple incursion might mean war and a battle to the death, it wasn’t the sort of thingdrekiwere careless with. Which meant they’d been looking for something—some mischief—and it bothered him he could not figure itout.
Circling Krafla, Rurik caught sight of the determined figure crossing the moors far below. This was a terrible time to be seducing an obstinate woman, but he couldn’t deny that he was enjoying the pursuit more than he’d imagined. Rurik banked with care, and alighted on the ledge outside the entrance to hiscave.
Just what, precisely, did Freyja value most? Freedom? Gold? A crown, perhaps? A rich manor where she did not have to work all day merely to put food on the table? No. He didn’t think so. She seemed to enjoy the work, speaking with fondness to the creatures that inhabited her small farmstead. It was only when he was around that her tone became morecareful.
Rurik tapped his claws on the stone, one after the other, as he sunned himself. Her challenge presented an intriguingmystery.
“You are early.”He sent the thought to her just as she locked eyes with him.“You are not due for another threeweeks.”
Freyja hauled herself up the last stone climb, her dark blonde hair glowing like spun gold in the sunlight. “Iknow.”
“Why are you here then?”He stretched, and decided to tease her a little.“Have you bought medinner?”
A scowl met the words. “You’re big enough and scary enough to fetch your owndinner.”
“Yes. But they frown upon that here. Something about rams and ownership, and tithes and not taking what is due to a creature of mymagnificence....”
Definitely a scowl. “You think you areamusing.”
“I think you are up to something. Why else would you be here,hmm?”
Freyja looked away, the wind snagging strands of her blonde hair and tugging it free from her tight braid. He’d love to see all of that hair unbound. It was her true wealth. She stared over the valley below them, and he realized she was focusing on hervillage.
“I came to warn you,” she said at last. “Some of the villagers have pooled their money and hired a dragon hunter to rid themselves of you. Others don’t wish such athing.”
He rested his chin on his claws, watching her sleepily.“Iknow.”
Those mismatched eyes widened. “What?How?”
“I am not stupid, little mouse.”Rurik snorted.“What sort ofdrekiwould I be, if I let your puny villagers thwartme?”
Freyja’s lips thinned. “They will not seem so puny and insignificant when they bring that ballista up here and spear you withit.”
“I should like to see them haul their machines up through the boggy moors and along the cliff path. It should prove amusing. I might even drop a rock on it. Or perhaps I will merely pinwheel through the sky above them? I’ve seen the aim on that thing. The dragons they’ve hunted must stand very still for them.”Rurik spread his wings with a flap, enjoying the warmth on them. Freyja gasped and staggered, her back plastered to the sheer cliff face. He paused, realizing he’d startled her, and slowly curled his wings up against his sides.“You won’tfall.”
Freyja eyed the drop carefully. “You’re not the one who was nearly blown off thisledge.”
“And if you did lose your footing, I would catch you,”he continued.“I am not done with youyet.”
This statement earned him a narrow glare. “Saying such things does not ease my nerves one whit. What do you intend to do withme?”
“I intend to hear your words,”he replied.“I am interested in conversation. One rarely finds humans brave enough to come into my den, especially those who have no designs for mygold.”
“Adrekiwho wants only to talk?” she countered. “I’ve never heard of such athing.”
“Surely you have heard the oldtales?”
A snort. “Yes, I’ve heard the old tales. All of them. Including the ones where a capricious traveler ended up in adreki’sbelly.”
“I have no intentions of causing you harm,”he replied.“Dreki’soath on that. I am merely curious about you. Most of your neighbors are fools. How did such a curious female come about, when most of the village flees at the sight of myshadow?”
Freyja eyed him. There was wariness there still, but also a certain sort of interest. As if, so starved for company and derided by humans, she could overlook the fact he wasdreki.
