Free Sea Dragon (Dragon Knights Book 9) by Bianca D'Arc Page A

saw Hrardorr out there on the water today. He was fishing for shark, and he caught a huge one. It was very impressive.”
    “I don’t think he’d be comfortable knowing a knight was watching him,” Seth said, worried about how Hrardorr would react. The dragon was touchy about certain things.
    “Yeah, I figured as much. Which is why I didn’t say anything to him. I only mention it to you because it seems like you have a special relationship with him. He is a magnificent dragon, and from what I saw, his blindness doesn’t hold him back in the water. If I hadn’t known of his injury, I would never have guessed.”
    “That’s good to hear.” Seth paused in scrubbing his plate. “I look in on him each night. He is much better than he was, but Bronwyn doesn’t believe his sight will ever return. He is not happy about it and unwilling to mingle with the rest of the dragons in the Lair. He thinks they’ll pity him, and he doesn’t want that above all.”
    “Genlitha knew him when they were young and has been trying to see him, but it’s like he’s been hiding,” Gowan admitted, scratching his head.
    “I wouldn’t be surprised if he has,” Seth admitted. “He knows she’s here, and he remembers her. He’s asked me about her, and about you. He’s curious, but I think he’s afraid of what she will think of him now.”
    “Between you and me, I think there was some attraction there, between them, when they were younger,” Gowan mused. “I wonder if that’s not part of the reason he’s hiding from her?”
    “Possibly, but he’s been hiding from just about everyone since he got here. It could be just that he doesn’t want to be around other dragons at the moment.” Seth sighed. “He lost his knight. It was a fairly new pairing, so I’m not sure how badly he’s taken the loss, though he’s definitely in some state of mourning. If he hadn’t been so badly injured, I think he would have sought refuge in a mountain cave, away from everyone and everything for a while. As it is, he’s trying to be alone in a Lair full of dragons and knights. I’m actually impressed that he’s mostly succeeding.”
    “Except with you,” Gowan said quietly. “I know the depth of the bond with Genlitha now, and I wouldn’t discount how hurt he must have been when his knight was killed, even with a new bonding. I know if something happened to Gen right now—new as we are as a team—I would never be the same.” Gowan looked out into the wallow where his dragon partner was sleeping. She had really stretched her wings today. “I think she’d probably say the same thing.”
    It hit Seth, then, how much Hrardorr must be hurting. He’d thought he’d understood, having grown up around dragons and knights, but just seeing the look in Gowan’s eyes as he gazed at his dragon… It drove it home how quickly the bond was forged in some cases, and how deeply.
    “What can I do to help him?” Seth whispered. He felt so badly for Hrardorr. He was a good dragon at heart and had been a hero of his Lair. He’d been one of the best they had in all the land, and now, he was a mere shadow of himself. Seth wished he could fix it. Fix him.
    “Just be his friend. Do what you have been doing. It’s not good for a dragon to be so alone. I know they like to get all dramatic and live in mountain caves like hermits at times, but everything I’ve learned from Gen tells me they are really social creatures, like us. They need friends. Hrardorr needs you, Seth. Be his friend.”
    “I am,” Seth said without thinking. He firmed his resolve to make Hrardorr talk to him more. “I will be his best friend.”
    “Good man,” Gowan said softly, praising Seth’s determination.
    They were united in purpose at that moment, and for the first time in his life, Seth got a glimpse of what it might have been like to be among knights like Gowan. It would have felt a little like this, he imagined, to be one of their number.
    They finished their meal,