Free Burn (Dragon Souls) by Penelope Fletcher Page A

can see why. He’s tall, sickeningly good looking, and he has a magnetic quality. All these Dragon Lords have an eminence that captures the soul of a woman, but even I admit the Dragon King has an extra special kind of sexual allure. Well, maybe except for, um....”
    Marina stared at her friend. A crafty smile split her face. “You like somebody.”
    Panic streaked across Cathryn’s features. “Don’t even.”
    “You’ve fallen into crush.”
    “Have bloody not. I’m not crushing on anybody. Zip it.”
    “Oh, Kitty Cat. I’m so onto you. Who is it? Daniil?” Tapping her bottom lip, Marina dismissed the notion. “Too obvious. Nikolai? You realise he’s a slag, right? Totally lovable, but ruts with any female whose skirts aren’t nailed to the ground.”
    “Shouldn’t you be focusing on the problem of your missing hymen?”
    There was a discreet knock at the screen. It slid open. Daniil slipped inside closing it behind him. “Have you perfected what you’re going to say? Oh.”
    Brow quirking, Cathryn shot a suspicious look between them. “Sneak into this room often, do you?”
    Pulling up short, Daniil rearranged his face into a coolly formal expression. “Apologies for the intrusion. I was delayed by an unexpected engagement, or I would have visited at a far less conspicuous hour.” He paused. “I assumed the Princess was alone.” His blue eyes flashed a questioning look at Marina then returned to rest on the other woman. Annoyance tightened his lips. “I shall return later.”
    “No need. Cat’s my friend. She can hear it all.”
    “ Best friend,” Cathryn added, flicking her hair over her shoulder. Her eyes sparked with challenge. “So it’s perfectly acceptable for me to be in this room alone with Rina late at night.” Her tone inferred the reverse concerning him was not true.
    “As Marina’s battle guide, royal advisor, friend, and close family member ,” Daniil laid it on thick, his accent deepening with his rising anger, “I am well within rights to be here. At any hour of my choosing.”
    “Somehow, I don’t think the Dragon King would agree.”
    “Koen is aware of my special relationship with his Treasure and the concessions such intimacy requires.”
    “Intimacy? Exactly how ‘special’ is this relationship you have unlimited night time access to his fiancés bedroom?”
    Overlooking the hostility between her friends, Marina sprawled out on the bed.
    Was it sexual tension?
    Even if it weren’t, they would simply have to get along.
    There was too much other stuff going on for the people of her new and old life to vie for points in pissing contests.
    Dragging a pillow over, Marina cuddled it to her chest. She stared at the craggy ceiling of volcanic rock.
    Her muddled thoughts were becoming clearer. She had a plan. The hard part would be convincing Daniil she wasn’t trying to self-destruct.
    Realising Cathryn and the Dragon Lord were still bickering, she interrupted. “I won’t do it.”
    “Do it?” Daniil echoed.
    “Lie.” She sat up gripping the pillow. “It would be wrong. Morally. I spend so much time going on about how underhand and vile the gentry here is, and at the first sign of scandal what do I do? Lie.” She shook her head. “I have to draw the line right now and make a stand. If I stoop to their level how can I hold myself to a higher standard?” Her lip curled in a sneer. “I’ll end up no better then Katya.”
    Cathryn flashed a palm. “Who is Katya?”
    “Heinous bitch who made moves on Koen and plotted my murder.”
    “She’s still a threat?”
    “She was disqualified from Aver before the preliminary quest.” Marina paused. She was finally able to recall the kiss between Koen and Katya without choking on violent emotion. She only got really mad now. “Koen dealt with it.” Him holding Katya as she pressed her lips to his was burned on the back of her retinas.
    With hindsight the reasons why he allowed it were clear. He’d been protecting