Brigitta glanced at Luciana’s face to see if she was in agreement, but only saw a flicker of alarm before Luciana’s face grew blank.
What else could be green and brown? Brigitta suddenly recalled the uniforms worn by the Norveshki warriors. Green and brown. Was Gwennore destined to go to the land of dragons?
Luciana set the final stone on the table. Three.
“What does it mean?” Maeve asked.
“’Tis simple,” Sorcha said. “In three months, Gwennie will meet a tall and handsome stranger. And most probably, he’ll be an elf.”
Maeve turned toward Luciana. “Is that right?”
Luciana shrugged. “I must be tired, because I’m not seeing anything. I’m sorry.”
Gwennore smiled. “That’s all right. I’ve always believed we make our own destiny.”
A sad look glinted in Luciana’s eyes. “Aye. That you will.”
The babies cried in the next room, and Gwennore jumped up.
“Don’t worry.” Luciana stood. “I’ll take care of them.”
“I’ll help.” Brigitta followed Luciana into the bedchamber. She noticed that Luciana’s hands were trembling as she reached for Eviana.
“Let me.” Brigitta picked up the baby girl and hugged her. “Ye saw something, didn’t you?”
Luciana nodded, her eyes filling with tears. “Danger.”
Brigitta took a deep breath. “Was it dragons?”
“Yes.”
“We’ll protect her,” Brigitta said. “We’re queens. We can keep all our sisters safe.”
“Aye. That’s what we’ll do.” Luciana picked up the baby boy and gave Brigitta a tremulous smile. “It’s good to be queen.”
Read on for an excerpt from the next book by Kerrelyn Sparks
Eight Simple Rules for Dating a Dragon
Coming soon from St. Martin’s Paperbacks
Dammit. She was so damned quick at figuring things out, Silas thought. Hearing Gwennore’s thoughts over the last few seconds had been like witnessing a shipwreck. Before he could stop her, she’d crashed onto the rocky shore of his deception. And she was pissed.
But once again, she’d proven how clever and discerning she was. He strode toward her. “We need to talk.”
Her lovely lavender-blue eyes flared hot with anger. “I have nothing to say to you.”
“Then you will keep your end of the bargain?”
She gritted her teeth. “It was not a bargain. It was an act of coercion and deception. You should be ashamed.”
Silas shot Aleksi an annoyed look for not keeping his mouth shut, then turned back to Gwennore. “We still need to talk.”
“Mayhap you need to talk, but I have nothing to say.” She crossed her arms and looked away.
Mayhap? Where had she learned Norveshki? “We’re going to be stuck together on this barge for the next three hours. Are you planning to ignore me the entire time?”
She studied her fingernails without responding.
“I’ll take that as a yes,” he muttered. “But wouldn’t you like to vent your anger? I do deserve it, after all.”
She snorted.
At least she was listening. “So for the next two and a half hours, I will allow you to berate me.”
“Allow me? As if I need your permission. I’ll yell at you whenever I please. And for as long as I want.”
His mouth twitched. This was more like it.
“Don’t you dare smirk at me.” She glowered at him. “I am not entertaining.”
She was delightful. He bit his lip to keep from smiling. “How about I let you throw me overboard?”
“Can you swim?”
“Yes.”
She shrugged. “Then it’s hardly worth my trouble.”
He stifled another grin. “I’ll promise to be wet and miserable for the rest of the trip. If I dry out too much, I’ll jump back in.”
With a huff, she planted her hands on her hips. “This is all a jest to you, isn’t it? You tricked me!”
“Come.” He took her by the arm to lead her toward the side railing where they could be alone. When she jerked her arm free, he added, “I’m just trying to put some distance between us and the child, so you don’t wake her up when you start screeching at me.”
“Screeching?” Her voice rose, then she winced and gave him an annoyed look. “For your information, I don’t screech. I am not the sort to lose control.”
He gave her a wry look, since he could recall her losing it the day before. Her hair had been loose and wild, unlike today’s neat and tidy braid. She’d looked magnificent, so much so that a wicked part of him wanted to push her until she lost control again.
“Come on.” He stepped toward the railing while he smiled at her. “Aren’t you curious why I’m so desperate to have you return with me?”
She glanced away, her cheeks turning pink. Blast him. I am curious, and the scoundrel knows it. I should slap the smile off his handsome face.
Silas took a deep breath. Her reactions to him were affecting him too strongly, making his heart race and his groin tighten. If he didn’t teach her soon to close off her mind, he might lose control of himself, and take her to bed. Fool, he berated himself. He would need to seduce her more slowly than that. First, he would kiss her. A gentle kiss, then a more passionate one. Dammit, what are you thinking?
Thank the Light she couldn’t hear his thoughts. But hell, she was going to be livid once she learned that Aleksi, Dimitri, and he could hear her.
He bowed his head. “Please accept my apology. I am truly sorry.”
She scoffed. “Am I supposed to believe that? You’ve spent the last few minutes joking about the situation.”
“That was my attempt to be so charming that you would forget about being angry.” When she gave him an incredulous look, he winced. “Apparently, you are immune to my charms.”
I wish.
Just in case you missed the previous book by Kerrelyn Sparks, read on for an excerpt from
How to Tame a Beast in Seven Days
Available from St. Martin’s Paperbacks
By the goddesses, he looked so handsome. The light from the twin moons made the angles of his face seem sharper. His eyes appeared a darker green, and the stubble along his jaw more ruggedly masculine. The sea breeze had tousled his dark-red curls, making him look so adorable she longed to touch him.
But she couldn’t. With a wince, she realized that was something she could never do.
“Dammit,” he muttered. “I shocked you, didn’t I?”
“No, I—” Goddesses help her, how long had she been silently gawking at him? With a twinge of embarrassment, she ducked her head. Oh, no, her nightgown! With another gasp, she quickly gathered her cloak around her.
He leaned toward her. “Are you sure you’re all right?”
No, I’m mortified. “I’m perfectly fine. I should go back to my room now.”
“You didn’t feel anything at all when I touched you?”
Her cheeks flamed with heat.
“My lord.” A voice spoke behind her, and she glanced back to see two guards.
“Leave us be,” the Lord Protector ordered.
They bowed, then retreated to the tower. Clutching her cloak tightly around her, she started to follow them.
“Wait.” The Lord Protector caught up with her. “We need to talk.”
“I should go. I’m not properly dressed.”
“I like the way you’re dressed.”
So I Married a Sorcerer (The Embraced #2)
Kerrelyn Sparks's books
- How to Seduce a Vampire(Without Really Trying)
- A Very Vampy Christmas (Love at Stake #2.5)
- All I Want for Christmas is a Vampire (Love at Stake #5)
- Be Still My Vampire Heart (Love at Stake #3)
- Eat Prey Love (Love at Stake #9)
- Forbidden Nights with a Vampire (Love at Stake #7)
- How to Marry a Millionaire Vampire (Love at Stake #1)
- How to Seduce a Vampire (Without Really Trying)
- Secret Life of a Vampire (Love at Stake #6)
- Sexiest Vampire Alive (Love at Stake #11)
- The Undead Next Door (Love at Stake #4)
- The Vampire and the Virgin (Love at Stake #8)