Free Wings of Change by Bianca D'Arc

position until the women left. Linea loomed in the doorway, but backed away as Marcus took his leave. It was clear the other knight didn’t want to go, and neither did his dragon, but they did leave, for which Lucia was glad. She had to get used to this new arrangement before she could even consider the three-way relationship the knights proposed. And there was Rey to consider. If he couldn’t fly, all her worries might be for naught. When they were alone, Kaden closed the door. He came up behind her, drawing her back against his chest as they gazed at Rey.
    “Will he be all right?” she whispered, unwilling to disturb the dragon’s rest.
    “He’ll be better now that he’s back home among his own kind. The tavern was a friendly place, but the good folk who came to see him couldn’t communicate with him as

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    we can.” He settled his chin atop her head as she snuggled into his arms. “Perhaps it was a good thing for the first part of his recovery, but it’s best he’s here.”
    “I hope you’re right.”
    “Come now.” He tugged her toward a doorway to their right. “One of the lads brought your belongings to our room. There will be time to unpack tomorrow, but for now, I think we could use a good night’s sleep.”
    “Just sleep?”
    “Well, I can think of a few other things to do before we sleep.” His roguish smile lit a fire in her womb. “If you’re interested.”
    “I am most definitely interested, Sir Knight.”
    She tugged him toward the doorway. There was a large bed—larger than any she’d ever seen before—against the center of the far wall, laid with soft blankets in colorful hues. It was one of the grandest rooms she’d seen since she’d left her homeland.
    “I arranged to have some things made for you, Lucy. I hope you’ll like them.”
    She spun to the sound of his voice, finding him by a carved wooden closet. He’d opened it and was holding up a whisper thin silken nightgown in a pale blue. It was a costly garment, indeed. Lucia hadn’t seen anything so fine since she was a child in her homeland and she’d been too young to own such a daring, inviting garment.
    “It’s beautiful.”
    “I want to see you in it.” Kaden’s eyes flashed at her. “But first, I want to show you our new bath chamber.” He led the way to the adjoining room where a large mosaic pool was filled with clear steaming water, waiting for them. Even in her homeland, she’d never seen such a large and beautiful bathing chamber. She stepped forward with some hesitancy into a room, tiled in gorgeous, rich hues.
    “How does the water stay warm? Where does it come from?” She looked all around to see if she could discern how they’d managed such a feat.
    “All Lairs are designed with a mix of science and magic. This being the Castle Lair, it’s probably a bit grander than the others, of course. All the water comes from two sources—one deep within the mountain on which this fortress was built and the other from large cisterns designed into the structure that collect rain and snow and funnel it where needed. The heat is a byproduct of associating with dragonkind. Most often, the resident dragon in each suite will provide heat for his family, but some friends made this 50
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    ready for us at my request just before we arrived. I wanted your first night here in the Lair to hold every comfort.”
    That this rough knight would think to do such a thing touched her heart. She turned and kissed his cheek.
    “You’re a sweet man, Kaden. Thank you.”
    He tossed the silk nightgown to a nearby bench and grabbed her around the waist, drawing her close.
    “I don’t know about sweet, but I know I’m a lucky man, to have you here with me, Lucy. If there’s anything you want, all you have to do is ask. I tried to think of everything you might need, but with Rey so ill, I’ll admit I’ve been a little distracted. Still, I