Free Kindle the Flame (Heart of a Dragon Book 1) by Tamara Shoemaker Page B

hand and turned, sliding under his arm to sit on his bed. “Of course, you're right.” She smiled tightly. “So tell me about yourself.”
    Silver flashed in his eyes, and he looked away. “There's nothing to tell. And apparently, you've already discovered my secret sins.”
    The bitterness in his voice shocked her, but he did not elaborate. He stepped closer and reached past her, grabbing his pillow and tossing it on the floor in the corner. “Excuse me, my lady, but I plan to get some sleep.”
    He flopped onto the dirt floor and tossed his arm over his eyes. Kinna watched him as he slipped into slumber, the slow rise and fall of his chest marking his steady breathing.

Chapter Six
Ayden
    A yden couldn't fall asleep . His chest moved with the gentle rhythm of deep slumber, but his mind flew from point to point. He saw again the dry, gray cracks as they traced their way through Carn and Band's skin, melting into ash, plummeting into a pile on the floor.
    Next the memory of the Dragon's smoky, desperate gaze twisted through his mind. Ayden had felt the beast's inner struggle when he’d led the chained Dragon down the dark passageways to the arena. The creature hated being beaten by Dimn, shouted at by enthusiastic onlookers, and evaluated by Sebastian's generals as the subject of military reports taken back to The Crossings.
    Tannic should have done something about the imbecile they'd allowed in the arena with the Dragon. Too many Dragondimn relied on violence alone to control their creatures.
    Ayden’s mouth twisted wryly. That was why he was the point of ridicule for the entire staff of the arena. He had a soft spot. He worked hard to hide it, but inwardly, he cringed whenever the maces struck the Dragons, whenever the boys poked stones or swords at the beasts. Was not the whole point of training to achieve psuche ?
    “Aye, boy, 'tis true,” Tannic had cackled once when Ayden had pointed this out. “But Dragons must be cowed afore they can be tamed, and tamed afore they can be befriended, and befriended afore they can get anywhere nigh to psuche .”
    Ayden didn't agree, but he kept his opinions to himself.
    He shifted his arm ever so slightly and peered beneath his lashes at the intruder, the flame-haired girl from the loft. She had long since ceased to stare at him. Now her green-eyed gaze swept over the room. Her hands twisted nervously in her lap.
    How under the Great Star's glow had she found out about Band and Carn?
    It didn't really matter. She had, and now she could command his life, what there was of it. Bitterness tasted awful.
    Finally Ayden decided it was late enough. The Dragons grunted in their various dens, but the rest of the keep was silent. Tannic usually made enough noise for ten men as he blustered through the hallways, but at the moment there was no sound of him.
    Two guards would be posted at the doors that led to the cobblestone courtyard between the Dragondimn lodges, but Ayden knew those guards. They loved their ale and usually accompanied their time on duty with pocket-flasks.
    If Tannic knew about the drinking, he'd have their heads. But he didn't know, and Ayden did, and that was what he was counting on to release the ridiculous beast and the equally ridiculous girl with it, prayerfully never to see either of them again in this life. The Mirage was a rare find as well as a favorite of the King's. Of course the girl had to pick this particular Dragon to release. But if Ayden were completely honest with himself, he would rather release this Dragon to freedom than any of the others. Something about the beast called to him. He'd always hated to see the beautiful creatures in captivity anyway.
    He rolled to his feet in a single graceful movement. The girl's head jerked up. She had begun to nod off where she sat on his bed. Perhaps he should have let her rest. He could have removed his glove, carefully run one finger across her cheek...
    He slammed a mental lock on the dark thought. “Are you