Free Mate of the Dragon by Harmony Raines

well.
    “Tara,” he asked gently, as the thunder passed and her eyes came back to focus on him. “What did you see?”
    “I’m not sure. But we have to try to find our way back to where we came through. It shouldn’t be hard; it’s where the wind is coming from.”
    “You have your power?”
    “The gift of sight. But only when the thunder sounds.” She dragged on her pants and then stopped, her eyes filled with fear. “This world we are in is like a bubble. That bubble is about to burst. We need to find the touchstone.”
    “Do you know what it is?” he asked.
    “No. I can only see the place where we arrived. There is wood scattered on the ground, it must be hidden.”
    “So what do you see?” he asked, and knew he would not like the answer.
    “Wolves. And something else, something dark. I don’t know. But it’s bad. And it’s trying to get in through the hole in the bubble. That is what the sound is, something trying to break in. To get us while we are vulnerable.”
    He was dressed now, pulling on his long boots, wishing he had at least had the sense to bring a sword with him. For too long he had relied on his dragon. Now the only thing between them and certain death was the strength of his fists.
    “Ready?” he asked, his hand on the handle of the door.
    She nodded. “When the next roll of thunder comes, we need to stop. I have to try something.”
    “What?” he asked.
    She went through the open door, taking one last look at the small cabin, still lit by the warm glow of the fire before she said, “You’ll see. If it works, you’ll see.”
    And then they were running through the night, hand in hand, to their almost certain doom.
     

Chapter Seventeen – Tara
    Tara struggled to keep herself moving forward. As though her brain were short-circuiting, she kept getting sudden flashes of the future and the past. It was so disjointed and muddled that it disorientated her. Only Dòmhnall’s hand in hers kept her going, pulling her forever onwards, into the strong breeze, that sometimes turned to gusts so strong they had to stop and wait for them to pass, huddled together, or else be torn apart.
    As soon as it was safe, he would rise, striding forward, never letting her go. She was reminded of his oath and hoped today was not the day he laid down his life for her, or surrendered his soul.
    “How much further?” she asked, having to hold onto him with two hands as they ploughed on. But before he could answer, there was the sound of thunder, once more filling the air, making the ground tremble beneath their feet, the downward blast of air making her fall to her knees.
    And then he was there by the side of her, sheltering her with his big body. She caught her breath, calmed herself, holding out her trembling hands to summon the magic which she was sure she could feel all around her when the thunder rumbled. It was as though the tear through the veil between worlds allowed a small amount of magic to trickle in.
    Closing her eyes, she focused. So many times, she had used her magic in the face of danger. Now, with their lives in peril, she had to find that place in her head where all was calm, all was quiet.
    “You did it!” Dòmhnall’s voice broke through her concentration. When she opened her eyes, he held a strand of her hair in his hand, bright white as though the snow had settled there and bleached the colour.
    She let out her breath, the pent-up tension leaving her. “Great. So I have a plan.”
    He grinned, grabbing her hands and pulling her to her feet. “I never doubted you wouldn’t have something up your sleeve, Tara.”
    Then he began walking towards their destination, while she shouted instructions above the wind that had begun to take on the force of a hurricane. He turned to look at her, his hand going to cup her cheek, and then he kissed her, while all around them the world went mad. “I love you, Tara.”
    Those words hit her harder than the wind that was trying to tear her away