Free Dragon Wish by Judith Leger Page A

rising, his
    mind and body exhausted, he worked nonstop on her,
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    hoping, yet at the same time, he waited for her death. He
    continued to pull the heat from her through his touch while
    Calis poured the frozen liquid over her.
    On the second rising, the ship docked. At the thud of the
    gangplank connecting to a dock, he glanced at Calis. His first
    mate’s haggard gaze met his. Paladin, his back aching,
    nodded and said, “Send word to find a local mage.”
    Calis looked at the suffering woman. He nodded and
    departed. Paladin knelt next to the tub, leaning over the
    brim. His hands, blue from the cold liquid, touched Seren
    once more. His skin turned pink under the heat. A hopeless
    sob escaped as he removed his hand. She was going to die
    because of him. His selfish need to have her put her in this
    situation. He’d never forgive himself for this. He lifted her
    from the water and carried her to the bed. With efficient
    strokes, he dried her before he pulled a light sheet over her.
    Tears burned his eyes. In the middle of the night, his son
    had stopped fighting. He sensed no movement, no life force
    from him at all, yet the heat continued within Seren. After
    effects? Had the babe given up or had his strength ebbed?
    He studied the agony etched on Seren’s pale face. He
    eased onto the bed beside her, pulling her into his arms. For
    the first time since she’d fallen onto the deck, her restless
    battle against the heat ceased. He tensed, waiting for her
    next breath. He counted each one, hoping she would survive.
    The door swung open and his first mate approached the
    bed, alone. Paladin realized before his friend spoke what he
    would say.
    “They have no mage here, Sire. The nearest one is a day’s
    flight to the north. I’ve ordered our immediate departure.”
    Paladin curved tighter to Seren, holding her closer. She
    would not make it to another morning. Her body might live,
    but her mind would not.
    “Very well,” he muttered. His gut felt like he’d swallowed
    a hundred dragon stones. The heaviness wouldn’t abate. The
    weight of this night sat on his shoulders and it became
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    heavier as the guilt loomed closer. He could not escape it and
    did not try. Seren’s condition was his responsibility alone. He
    was the one who’d brought her here. He should have had
    better control. What kind of monster was he to do this to
    her?
    His damnable wish. He desired a son, but not at the cost
    of murdering the child’s mother. He groaned. If he had not
    drunk so much, had not made his wish, the door would never
    have appeared. But he had, and now he must pay penance
    for his carelessness.
    He laid his palm against her lower abdomen. A faint
    stirring came to him. He waited. There—a slight movement.
    He tilted his head toward Calis. “Leave us.”
    The older man tripped over his feet in his hurry. Once the
    door shut, Paladin turned his attention to his son. He
    narrowed his eyes, his vision becoming all-seeing and
    magical, a gift born of his dragon flesh. Focusing on the spot,
    he saw past Seren’s skin and muscles to where the babe lay
    attached to her womb. His son’s diminutive form resembled
    more the namesake of his clan than anything human.
    Paladin studied the fast beat of his tiny heart. The babe’s
    head turned toward him. A pulse of supplication surged to
    Paladin. In one beat of his tiny heart, Paladin understood
    what the unborn child tried so desperately to do.
    Without considering, Paladin centered his power to his
    small son. He sent him the strength he needed to erect a
    barrier between his dragonfire and Seren. The barrier
    thickened and became wider. The babe swirled in the vortex
    of magical dragon flames, but the fire remained contained
    within the shell of his birth sack.
    After several minutes, Paladin sensed the babe dozing.
    The heat, which had flared nonstop in Seren, ebbed to
    normal. He allowed one sob to escape before he shifted to his
    human