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and stuck inside this keep. Gods, I swear Kavin s been treating me like I m made of glass.
Liv smiled reassuringly at her.  He s just worried. You know he s been under a lot of stress since& 
 Since the uprising? Sara finished her friend s statement, her disgust clear in the sharpness of the
question.
Shemeek looked away from her at the word and Sara kicked herself for being so thoughtless. It d been
Shemeek s lover who died in that fight. It had been his killing of the king that sent the kingdom into their
tales of conspiracy. And some had been quick at making the connection to his relationship with a Rhuevian.
Shemeek felt the sting of the questions and doubts of the people more than Sara ever would.
Liv, however, chased away the awkward moment.  And I think it was high time for an uprising. I
would ve put the man s head on a pike if I d had been able to get my hands on the damned thing. The pain
and suffering he caused.
Shemeek s whole body shook with laughter.  Now that is a sight I would ve paid to see.
 As would I, Sara said, thinking of her family. They would have liked that. They had always been
big on justice.  But I m happy just knowing he s dead.
 But not everyone is. They all three turned at Kavin s deep voice.
 Which is why I should be out there finding and talking to those people before they can organize a
rebellion, Sara argued. Having her secret out was awkward at times, but she was glad she didn t have to
Chandra Ryan
hide it anymore. Also, since most people knew what she could do, they either went out of their way to
avoid her or to keep their surface thoughts clean. It made her life a lot easier.
 Five months pregnant and you want to be riding around the kingdom searching for political
dissidents?
 And that s our cue to leave, Liv said to Shemeek with a smile.
Sara waved at them as they left, but kept her attention focused on Kavin.  It is what I was hired to do,
is it not?
 And they tell me I take my job too seriously, he teased.
 You do.
He studied her for a moment before switching tactics.  You re right. We both do. I think we ve
earned a vacation.
 Clever man.
 I have my moments.
 Are you thinking a couple hours&  her eyes moved to the bed as she asked the question,  & or a
couple months?
 I could use a couple months away from this. But do you think the regent and Lord Quince would
give it to us?
 I think I could persuade them. She smiled as she thought of the couple. It was still odd to think of
the Oracle as the regent, but apparently it had been worked out in some renegotiations of a deal between
her and Lord Quince after their daughter s birth. Sara didn t know what the original terms of the deal were,
but whenever Lord Quince thought about it, the man was more terrified than any she d ever met.
 Really?
 They owe me.
 And you were worried about making alliances. You ve got this whole kingdom wrapped around your
little finger.
 Not bad for a servant, she teased.
 Hmmm, I was once told I have a weakness for servant girls.
 And do you?
 Not anymore. Not since I had my heart stolen by a Lady Guard.
 I ve heard there s only one of those.
 You heard right.
 Then you d better work to stay on her good side, she teased.
 Point taken. Truce? he asked, his hand already under her tunic caressing her abdomen gently.
 Oh, I don t want a truce, Right Hunter. I want complete surrender.
170 www.samhainpublishing.com
About the Author
Being from a rather nomadic family, Chandra Ryan loves to travel and meet people. But she s found
that sometimes, like when you re stuck in a Midwestern blizzard, you have to make do. Fortunately for her
and her loving family, who don t like seeing her suffer from cabin fever, she s found creating new people
and places equally as fascinating. Also, you re a lot less likely to spill your hot chocolate that way.
You can e-mail Chandra at chandra@chandraryan.com or follow her on Twitter at
www.twitter.com/chandraryan.
Look for these titles by Chandra Ryan
Now Available:
Dragonborne
For her people, she d sacrifice anything. For her, he ll sacrifice everything.
Dragonborne
© 2010 Chandra Ryan
When the children of her village start dying of a mysterious plague, Sophie refuses to believe it s the
will of their deity. As the town cleric, she s always followed the church s strict rules, but enough is enough.
She vows to do anything to find a cure even if it means defying the church.
The giant black dragon she finds injured and poisoned near the abbey seems beyond her ability to
heal. Until he suddenly shifts into a dangerously handsome man who, even in his weakened state, is a
temptation beyond her ability to resist.
Reuel has never trusted humans, but this delicate young woman entrances him with more than her
beauty. Her bravery, devotion and passion call to his wounded heart, and he s moved to lend his magic to
her cause. Magic that is not only powerful, it s all too tempting to abuse something his family has never
let him forget.
Sophie is hopeful when Reuel solves the secret of the plague, until one healing uncovers a sickness
that runs far deeper than the children s vulnerable bodies. Now she is being persecuted, and to save her,
Reuel may have to become the monster his family believes him to be&
Warning: Contains a stubbornly sexy cleric who d rather have her hands tied to a headboard than
exhibit any self-control, a shape-shifting dragon who s too busy running from himself to see where he s
going, an epic dragon battle, and sex in the great outdoors.
Enjoy the following excerpt for Dragonborne:
Sophie snuggled into the soft leather under her head. The spicy-earthy scent of cloves enveloped her
as firm fingers brushed over her cheek. It felt so good. She felt so good. Only her legs hurt. They felt tingly,
like they d fallen asleep, like she d fallen asleep.
The hunter, the dragon, the chair it all came back to her at once.
Bolting upright, her eyes locked with smoky black ones.
 I fell asleep. Her voice had a dreamy thickness to it.
 I know.
There was a feeling of expectancy pressing against her, demanding she do something.  I m Sophie.
 Reuel. He looked down at the bandage then back up at her.
 I know you said you just needed sleep, but I was worried about infection.
 It was kind of you to be concerned.
She was transfixed by his gaze, by the hunger and need echoing in its dark depths. It would be so easy
to lean forward, to close the gap between them, so easy to bring her mouth to his.
 I realized I hadn t thanked you for saving me, not properly at least. His voice was rough as he
spoke, sending tiny warning bells off in her head. But she refused to hear them.
Unable to tear her gaze away from his, she nodded absently.  I m a cleric. It s my duty. She wasn t
sure if she was telling him or reminding herself.
He smiled seductively as he leaned forward.  All the same, thank you.
Her head was spinning from his nearness, making it difficult for her breath, difficult for her to find the
right words.  You re welcome.
He cocked his head to one side as he studied her carefully.  Now you do look frightened, how very
odd.
 I m not frightened. She cursed the breathiness of her voice and her racing heart. It was so loud she
was certain he could hear it.
His smile broadened for a moment and then disappeared altogether.  Let s find out, shall we?
Strong arms pulled her onto his lap seconds before his mouth found hers. Feeling the passion and heat
of the kiss, her body responded. Moaning softly, she thrust her hips towards his, bringing their bodies
closer. It d been three years since she d shared her bed with another, an abstinence that was weighing
heavily on her.
She felt his hands slide under her tunic, strong fingers exploring the contours of her back. His mouth [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]