Free Hidden Dragons by Bianca D'Arc Page A

rather massive dead tree Robert had noticed the day
before, closer to Isabelle’s home. The dragon brought it to a good
spot behind her house where Robert and Growloranth could work on it
without being seen by anyone.
    Although it was an activity Growloranth seldom
engaged in, he seemed to enjoy breaking the log into smaller pieces
that Robert then turned into even more manageable bits that
Isabelle could use in her fireplace. When Isabelle came around to
the back of the house, after she had finished fussing over her new
chickens for a bit, she stopped short.
    “ You did all this in just a couple
of hours?” She walked slowly toward Robert and Growloranth, her
gaze roaming back and forth over the massive wood pile they’d
created for her.
    “ Having a giant dragon around is
useful, on occasion,” Robert allowed with a little bow toward his
partner. Growloranth only snorted, little tendrils of smoke heading
up toward the leafy canopy of the forest.
    “ This is enough for the whole
winter!” she exclaimed, her eyes wide.
    Robert said nothing as she came closer, looking
around at the neatly stacked firewood. When she got close enough,
he saw the tears in her eyes and he reached for her, wanting to
comfort her. He put one arm around her shoulders.
    “ Why are you upset?” he asked as
gently as he could. Women were mysterious creatures, this one
doubly so. He had to tread lightly until he understood what made
her cry.
    “ I’m not upset. I’m overwhelmed,”
she replied, turning to look at him, though she stayed close. Her
wide, glistening eyes looked up at him and he was lost. He would do
anything for this woman. Anything at all. “Thank you,
Robert.”
    A little thrill went through him when she spoke
his name in such a familiar way. The barriers between them were
dropping one by one, and he was happy to see them fall.
    “ It was our pleasure to assure that
you will be safe and warm through the cold months. We will not
leave you here without being certain we have done as much as
possible to assure your comfort. We all agreed.”
    “ Thank you.” She reached up and
kissed his cheek, then lowered her head to his chest, staying in
the warmth of his arms. Robert saw her look in Growloranth’s
direction. “And thank you, Sir Growloranth. I haven’t known such
kindness in a very long time.”
    “ You will want for nothing,” Robert
vowed. “Now that I know you are in the world, I will do all I can
to see to your comfort, whether you choose to stay here or whether
you ultimately decide to come with us to live in the Lair.” He bent
down to kiss her hair. “You are very special to me. To all of us,”
he whispered, holding her close. “We would like to make you part of
our family, in the fullness of time. But we all agreed that you
should not be pressured in any way into making that decision. If
you come to us, we want you to come knowing that it is not your
only choice. We want you to choose us. To choose me. And Bear. And
to share your life with all four of us.”
    She was silent a long moment, then spoke in a
small voice. “I don’t know if I can.”
    He gentled her, stroking her back with his
hands in a soothing gesture. “It’s all right. There is time yet to
discover more about this situation. You need to get to know us
better, and to understand exactly what it is we have to offer. And
sadly, we are still on a mission. We have to complete our task and
report back to our superiors at the Lair within the next few
days.”
    “ You’re not like regular dragon
knight teams, are you?” she asked, surprising him. It pleased him
that the woman he wanted for a mate was both observant and
intelligent.
    “ What makes you say that?” he
asked, testing her a little, just to see what she would
say.
    She stepped back, out of his arms, to look up
at him. “Sir Growloranth blends with the forest as if he were a
tree. And Lady Tildeth is nearly invisible in the blue sky, which
is no doubt why she and Bear fly all