His sweet little human would simply have to learn to live with it.

* * *

She knew he watched her. Even from this distance, she could feel his eyes on her. Tears streamed down her face, but she refused to wipe them. To show him any of her feelings. He’d merely think she was sad anyway. That was far from the truth. Leagues away, in fact.

No, sadness wasn’t her problem. Frustration. Pure frustration was her problem. Exactly how many others would take her from where she lived and order her to do their bidding? How many others would use her like she were some barwench awaiting their next ale order?

For sixteen years now, Talaith waited. Waited for the day when the goddess who claimed Talaith as her own would come and tell her exactly what she wanted from her. That’s why she’d lived with that dullard she’d called husband all this time. That’s why she stayed in this land that was not of her people. And why she’d lost her power. Because she had a price to pay.

Yet she never saw this dragon coming. And Talaith would bet all the gold in the universe her goddess never saw him either.

The dragons had their own gods and their gods protected them with a fierceness bordering on rabid. The gods of humans were less protective but there were many more humans to go around. Since one great battle eons ago, human gods and dragon gods could never fight each other because they could never enter the other’s plane of existence. So they used their loyal worshippers to fight their battles for them, then sat back to enjoy the carnage.

Still, a very uneasy alliance had developed among humans and dragons over the last thousand years or so. It used to be if you left the dragons alone and ignored the occasional stolen cow or destroyed battalion, they stayed away from the villages and the humans. Those humans looking for glory, who broke the unspoken pact, usually brought the dragons’ brutal wrath swiftly on some poor kingdom and king’s head.

In the last few years, however, rumors had begun to spread through the small towns and villages. Rumors of more and more dragons seen taking to the skies. Although still no talk of any destruction or violence, fear had taken root and spread. Especially in Madron where Lord Hamish ruled with a brutal fist. The few rumors he allowed in her tiny village was that the dragons were once again killing randomly, destroying towns, villages, anything that may annoy them. But the armies of Madron were preparing for some kind of war against dragons…as if the humans could win. All humans truly had in their favor was their number. One of her teachers back in Alsandair compared humans and dragons to fleas swarming over a wolf. Enough could cause unbearable torment, but usually a good bath would wash them off.

Talaith never thought she’d ever see a dragon much less be taken by one. Taken so he could bed her. Clearly he didn’t get out of his cave much if she was the best he could do. Perhaps she should speak of commitment and really scare him back to his lair. She almost smiled at the thought, but she knew her tongue would get the better of her.

He irritated her. Greatly. And when anger ruled her head that meant her mouth took over. Woe to those who ended upon the wrong side of that.

But who knew a being could be so bloody arrogant? And demanding? And rude? And gorgeous? And so well-endowed, he reminded her of a warhorse?

* * *

Lord Hamish roused his best men before the two suns rose. He had them dressed in travelers’ robes, their weapons hidden, and divided into several groups so they could cover more area in the shortest amount of time.

“I want the little bitch back before the next full moon. Am I clear?”

“Aye, Lord Hamish,” they answered as one.

“We’ve failed our goddess once. We’ll not fail her again. Not if you hope to live.”

They had failed her. Nine years ago. They’d failed her and he’d been attempting to make it up to her ever since. What surprised him was that she didn’t kill him when she discovered his failure. Instead, she’d forgiven him and told him if he continued to do her bidding, she’d reward him with more power than any human could ever hope to obtain. Since then she’d protected him from the Mad Bitch of Garbhán Isle. He shuddered to think he almost wed that demon-stain. She probably would have slit his throat while he slept. He never thought he’d meet anyone more insane than her brother. But she was more insane and the last three years of her rule proved it.

No. He’d never fail his goddess again. If for no other reason than Arzhela would be the only one who could protect him from the Blood Queen of Garbhán Isle.

“And the dragon with the woman, lord?” one of his men asked.

He didn’t hesitate. “Kill it. But she lives.”

And that’s all he had to promise his goddess. He didn’t understand what She needed this woman for. A peasant, from what he knew. A peasant and nothing more. But the goddess wanted her back and that’s all he needed to know. So his men would bring her back alive.

What they did with her between Dark Plains and here…not really his concern as long as she returned breathing.

Chapter Five

Talaith thought for sure the goddess would come for her during the night. Of course, the sad truth remained she couldn’t decide which was the lesser of two evils—the goddess or the dragon.

She wouldn’t worry about that now, though. The suns had begun to rise and she knew the dragon would want to leave soon. Still, she felt safe and warm. Of course, now that she thought about it, that seemed strange. Because she fell asleep the night before with chattering teeth and her body pulled into a tight ball. It got so bad she almost called out for the dragon, but she couldn’t. Her pride simply wouldn’t let her.