Chapter Twelve
Georgiana almost didn’t recognize herself as she gazed in the mirror to inspect her appearance before leaving her chamber to meet with King Cadeyrn and Queen Melody. The few hours of rest had turned into six precious hours lost in helping Lord Bloodaxe. She suspected that she’d been given a sleeping draught and was reluctant to admit she’d needed this time to restore her weary body.
Still, she was disappointed in herself. She was a failure as a dragon mate. A few days on the run and she’d been completely worn down.
In other circumstances, she might have been pleased by her reflection in the mirror. Her hair was clean and simply fashioned in a braided chignon at the nape of her neck. Her bath had been scented with lavender oil that smoothed her rough skin and left its subtly lingering scent on her body. Her gown and matching slippers were a deep amber velvet, a fabric too heavy to be worn in the Underworld, but suited to the English winter.
The Fae royals meant to return her to England, hopefully to meet Saron Blakefield, the Duke of Draloch and his wife, Anabelle. She needed to see her father as well, for he had no doubt suffered greatly over her abduction. She supposed she would have to see Oliver, too. Hopefully that would be an easy meeting, a quiet chat with him accepting to quietly call off their marriage. Her father would pay him off if Oliver demanded a settlement.
Indeed, it would likely be necessary. Oliver hadn’t proposed marriage because he loved her. He’d wanted her fortune and the connections her father’s title would bring.
She turned away from the mirror and followed Gwyneth downstairs to the great hall. After opening the door for her, Gwyneth took her leave. Georgiana walked into the large chamber, her heart pounding faster as she approached the Stone of Draloch and the dozen or so Fae that had gathered beside it.
Breaking with decorum, Cadeyrn and Melody came forward to greet her and quickly introduced her to Cadeyrn’s Fae council. She met Fiergrin and Lothair, their eldest counselors, and Beogrin, a handsome, young Fae who appeared to be more of a warrior than a statesman.
Among the last to be introduced was a young faerie called Edain, easily one of the most beautiful women ever to exist. She had delicate, spun gold hair and eyes that were a vivid mix of azure and teal, the colors of a tropical ocean. Georgiana had never seen such an ocean other than depicted in paintings on display in the British Museum. “I am well acquainted with Lord Bloodaxe,” Edain said, startling Georgiana with the obvious emphasis in her words.
How well did this beautiful faerie know him?
Georgiana struggled to control the heat creeping into her cheeks, a sign of her own petty jealousy. It did not matter what had happened in the past. Assuming anything at all had happened.
Melody regarded her sympathetically. Pay no attention to Edain. She speaks of truce meetings between Lord Bloodaxe and our council, that is all.
Still, Edain appeared the sort one would choose as a dragon mate. Beautiful and wise, for why else would she be a member of Cadeyrn’s council? Whereas she hadn’t sat on any boards or councils, not even the Penrith annual harvest fair committee. The closest she’d come to any decision-making duties was judging their annual mince pie contest.
Melody frowned lightly. Do not doubt yourself.
She wasn’t. She was merely questioning herself. It wasn’t really the same thing, was it?
She had no time to dwell on her failings, for the doors of the great hall opened once more and Mordain appeared. He walked toward them with the confident stride of a Dragon Lord, his black cloak billowing around his large frame.
To Georgiana’s surprised, he grinned when he saw her standing beside the royal council. “You’re safe. I wasn’t certain what had happened to you. I only meant to test the portal, but it suddenly opened up and sucked the both of you into the void.”
“You did that?”
He winced as he nodded.
She was relieved to know it had been an innocent mistake, and nothing more sinister. But what of Lord Bloodaxe’s sudden disappearance once they’d reached the Stone of Draloch? Had he caused that as well? “Have you seen Lord Bloodaxe? Is he safe?” Georgiana’s heart raced, for she was worried about the perils he faced upon his return.
“I’ve only heard that he’s back in his realm. Haven’t had the chance to pay a call on him yet. But you needn’t be alarmed, he knows how to protect himself from Brihann’s rages.” He turned to address the royal pair and their council. “Saron must be warned. Brihann has decided to break his pact.”
“What pact?” Georgiana asked.
Mordain appeared surprised. “Did Lord Bloodaxe not tell you?”
She curled her hands into fists at her sides. “Obviously not.”
He glanced at Cadeyrn. “Tell her, Lord Mordain. It is important that Lady Georgiana understands.”
He nodded. “Lord Bloodaxe was the eldest son of the Duke of Draloch and meant to inherit the dukedom. Saron, his younger brother was meant to be taken into the Underworld. He was taken, but Bloodaxe followed after him.”
Georgiana nodded. “He told me a little about that.”
“He battled his father and Lord Brihann for years, stubbornly refusing to leave the Underworld without Saron. As his father grew ill and lay close to death, Lord Brihann and he finally reached an understanding. Bloodaxe would remain forever in the Underworld and rule as a Dragon Lord over his realm while Saron would be allowed to return to England and assume the English dukedom.”
“Allowed?” She shook her head in confusion. “Lord Bloodaxe had to help him escape.”
“They made it appear so. Brihann couldn’t let any of the lost souls brought into the Underworld believe he was capable of showing mercy. In truth, there was no mercy in what he did. Bloodaxe gave up his soul to save his brother. In exchange, Brihann agreed never to harm Saron.”
Georgiana felt a wrenching tug at her heart. “Then Brihann broke that pact and killed Saron’s son.”
“Aye,” Mordain said, “and ever since, he and Bloodaxe have been battling. But the damage was done. Bloodaxe no longer had the ability to survive in the mortal world, and even if he could survive, he had a brother who would kill him on sight.”
Cadeyrn stepped toward her. “Brihann had almost succeeded in turning Bloodaxe into that black dragon of prophecy, for Bloodaxe lost a piece of his former self every time he waged battle and every time he shifted into a dragon. Losing the love of his brother was a stunning blow. Brihann believed he had finally won and grew too confident. He abducted you, for you were the last innocent vestige of Bloodaxe’s early life. He thought Bloodaxe would steal your innocence and then discard you to be used by his soldiers.”
Georgiana shuddered. “It could have happened.”
“No,” Mordain said, “not even Brihann has the power to break a bond so pure. The darkness that had consumed Bloodaxe over the years was wiped away the moment he saw you.”
Melody nodded and then turned to smile at Georgiana. “That’s when Brihann realized his mistake and came after you. But he’s failed, Lady Georgiana. You are the one who survived Necros’ fire. You did that on your own.”
“I did,” she admitted, but it was only a matter of luck that she had done so. They believed she had managed to survive because of a supposed strength of will. She hadn’t done anything brave. But she had done something wonderful in restoring Bloodaxe’s damaged soul, if the story she just heard was true. “Saron must hear this news as well. He must be made to understand what his brother has done for him.”
She turned to Mordain. “Will you return to the Underworld soon?”
“As soon as I can. I have other matters to attend to first.” He did not bother to explain what those matters were, and she knew by his expression that he would not confide them to her if pressed. “Bloodaxe can hold off the three Dragon Lords until my return. They won’t dare kill him yet.”
Yet? But they would kill him soon if she did not do something to prevent it. She cast an imploring gaze at Melody and Cadeyrn. “May we go now? Any plans we make will depend on Saron’s response. He must be included in this discussion.”
To her relief, they agreed. “Perhaps he’ll believe this story if he hears it from all three of us,” Cadeyrn said, glancing at his wife.
At Melody’s nod, Georgiana was suddenly taken into Cadeyrn’s arms. She held on for dear life as the floor beneath them began to give way. This journey was faster than her first and her landing more jarring.
When she opened her eyes, she found herself in the well-appointed study of an elegant London townhouse. Cadeyrn and Melody were beside her, looking upon her with concern. “Travel through these portals is not easy in the beginning,” Melody said kindly. “Eventually, you will become used to it.”
Georgiana’s stomach was still lodged in her throat. Her legs were wobbling and her head wouldn’t stop spinning. “I just need a moment.” Perhaps more than a moment, she realized after trying to take a step and stumbling into a small table and knocking over the decorative lamp that stood on it. The vase beside the lamp fell over as well and shattered on the polished wood floor.
The noise it made when smashing into pieces brought a gentleman running into the room. “What the…?”
Georgiana put a hand to her mouth and inhaled sharply. “You’re Saron.”
Her words spilled out in a muffled mumble, but everyone understood them.
Saron resembled his brother and might have been mistaken for him at first glance. They were both broad shouldered and ruggedly muscled. Saron’s hair was as dark as his brother’s. His eyes were the same vibrant blue. She kept her gaze on him as he approached, and she noticed that his eyes held the same shadow of darkness in them.
He glanced at the Fae king and queen before concentrating on her. “And who are you?”
Her initial surprise having passed, she lowered the hand she’d clamped over her mouth and gave a quick curtsy. “Lady Georgiana Wethersby. I’m so sorry I broke your vase.”
His manner was gruff and suspicious, but he took a moment to close the door behind him and then stepped closer to study her once more. Finally, he shook his head and turned to Cadeyrn. “Your Majesty, why have you brought Lady Georgiana here?”
“Do you not know who I am?” Although he’d been but a boy when her betrothal to his brother had been announced, she thought he might have remembered. Obviously, he hadn’t. “I’m the daughter of the Duke of Penrith.”
His eyes widened in surprise. “The missing girl?”
She nodded, hoping he might now make a connection to that long-ago arrangement between their families. But she noted not a flicker of recognition. “I asked to be brought to you.”
He folded his arms across his chest and frowned. “The question remains, why?”
“Is your wife here? She ought to hear my reasons as well.” She met his look of impatience with a steady resolve of her own. If he thought to intimidate her, he’d soon learn it would not work. His brother’s aspect was far more fearsome, and she hadn’t been afraid of him. Of course, Bloodaxe had gone out of his way to be kind and protect her. “I was betrothed to your brother when he was Arik.”
“When he… Arik…?” The blood seemed to drain from his face. After a moment, he turned to Cadeyrn in anger. “What trick is this?”
“None, Your Grace.” Cadeyrn took a step forward to stand directly beside her. “It is vitally important that you listen to what Lady Georgiana has to say. Summon your wife. Duchess Anabelle must hear the news as well.”
Saron’s arms remained folded across his chest, a sign of his stubborn resistance. “It isn’t possible. She is indisposed.”
“Is she ill?” Melody asked with concern, coming to stand on the other side of her to create a united line of support for her cause.
The door to the study squeaked open just then and a young woman with lush red hair and an engaging smile stepped inside. She frowned at Saron, but was quite gracious to the three of them. “I am not in the least indisposed.” She glanced at her stomach and Georgiana noticed the obvious bump. “Seven months along,” she said, her eyes aglow with love for the child she carried and its still scowling father. “What have I missed?”
Saron sighed and finally unfolded his arms. He rubbed the back of his neck as though disconcerted. “Sit down, my love. Watch out for the broken vase.”
She arched an eyebrow and addressed Georgiana. “Your first time through a portal?”
Georgiana blushed. “My second.”
“You’re still a beginner.” She took a seat in a cushioned, oversized chair. “You did me a favor. It’s a hideous vase.”
Saron cleared his throat. “Penelope gave us that vase.”
Anabelle nodded. “I adore her, but that vase was hideous.”
He finally cracked a smile. “Yes, I suppose it was.” But that was the extent of his pleasantry. He was scowling once more when he turned to Georgiana. “Arik is dead and your betrothal died along with him. Why are you here?”
“He isn’t dead and you know it. He may go by Lord Bloodaxe now, but he is still your brother and needs your help.” She turned to Anabelle whose gaze was far more sympathetic than her husband’s. “He tried to tell you. I think you believed him. It was Brihann who killed Gideon.”
Saron surprised her by grabbing her by the shoulders and turning her toward the door. “Out. Get out. Don’t mention my son ever again.”
Anabelle shot to her feet. “Stay,” she insisted, hurrying to block the door and openly defying her husband. She refused to move away when he asked her. “I will not. How many times must you hear the truth before you will believe it?”
She turned to Georgiana. “Lord Bloodaxe tried to tell me what happened. But it was not an easy thing to communicate with him and all I could understand was that Brihann had done the terrible deed. He’d tried to stop him, but was too late.” She paused a moment and then crossed to her husband’s desk and withdrew a parchment from one of the drawers.
“A painting? What does it represent?” Georgiana asked, glancing at the paper depicting a black dragon amid a scene she couldn’t quite make out.
“Saron’s cousin, the Earl of Eastbourne, has a nephew with a connection to the Fae as well as a talent for painting. It is said that he can foretell the future, but I don’t believe it is quite true. Eastbourne’s wife, Julia, brought me this drawing yesterday. It is of you and a black dragon. There is no doubt that you are this girl, for he’s painted the exact gold shade of your hair and the green of your eyes. It shows the dragon protecting you.”
Saron’s grip gentled on Georgiana’s shoulders. “What is your version of what happened to Gideon?” he asked.
“It is the same as your wife says. Lord Bloodaxe would never hurt your son. Everything he did was to protect you, the brother he loved. He gave up everything, even his very soul for you. And still, you refuse to see the good in him.”
His hands slipped off her shoulders. “Because there is no good in him.”
Georgiana balled her hands. “Don’t ever say that again or I’ll plant you a facer.” She held up her fists which were puny compared to his own. “How do you think you escaped the Underworld? A mere boy managing to climb the Razor Cliffs on his own, all the while chased by Brihann’s demons. Who do you think shielded you?”
He regarded her in astonishment. “Shielded me? Shall I show you my back? The demon talons flayed my skin raw. Is this how my brother protected me?”
“He wasn’t much older than you. He’d been there less time than you and endured the same beatings. He did the best he could. It may not have been easily done, but you made it through the portal. Why do you think Brihann never came after you?”
Saron began to pace. “He sent Bloodaxe to bring me back. My—Bloodaxe, that is, searched high and low. He would have delivered me back into Brihann’s hands if he’d found me.”
“You know in your heart it isn’t true. Your brother would have easily found you had he wanted to. He knew you’d taken refuge with your Aunt Penelope.” She shook her head and sighed. “Please give her my apologies for shattering her gift. I’ll replace it, of course. The point is, you were free and he meant to keep you that way.”
Her voice began to falter, for the risks Bloodaxe had taken for the love of his brother suddenly overwhelmed her. “He gave up his soul for you. This is the pact he made with Brihann. His soul for your freedom. How do you not see it? How can you allow Brihann to win?”
She could see that her words were beginning to penetrate. Saron would not look at her, but he concentrated his gaze on Anabelle who had been nodding in agreement with her all the while. She continued, relieved for the opportunity to speak of all that had remained unsaid between the brothers for too many years. “Brihann abducted me on my wedding day, a mere hour before the ceremony was to take place. He gave me to your brother.”
Anabelle’s eyes rounded in alarm. “Gave you to him?”
She repeated the entire story, hoping she’d left no detail untold… other than the night of pleasure he’d given her. “Lord Bloodaxe’s behavior was at all times chivalrous. Even now, he refuses to have me as his dragon mate, thinking to spare me from the life to which your Draloch ancestors have condemned him. But I know he loves me, just as he has always loved you. You are his little brother. He will never stop loving you.”
She was doing her best not to cry, but Anabelle’s sudden burst of tears weakened her resolve. Soon, she was crying too. Blast! She had to be strong. Saron would not take her seriously if she continued to cry.
He still refused to look at her. He now had his arms around Anabelle and was comforting her. “What if Bloodaxe has tricked us all? What if this is a monstrous ruse to destroy us all?” But his voice was strained and she knew his composure was about to shatter into a thousand pieces like the vase she’d knocked over a few minutes ago.
“I know in my heart it isn’t,” Georgiana said, her voice shaking as she struggled to maintain her control. “It can’t be. Bloodaxe is the Dragon Lord who shepherds lost souls through the Underworld. He protects them until they find their rightful place. Do you think a monster is capable of that? It is no surprise that he and Mordain have been entrusted with this task.”
She thought on it a moment longer before proceeding, knowing the fragile hold Saron must have on his feelings. After so many years of hating his brother, it was no easy thing to suddenly shed all that enmity and accept his love again. “I do not know if the Stone of Draloch gave him and Mordain this assignment or if they were chosen by a higher authority. I’m no religious scholar. But I think I know the heart of your brother. Unlike Brihann, Necros, and Python, he is not lost to evil. But he will be if we fail him.”
“I must think on this,” Saron said with a quiet soberness.
“It’s all I ask.” Georgiana held back her elation, for Saron was still far from convinced. But he’d agreed to think about it and this was more than anyone had ever gotten from him. “In any event, I’ll need a day or two to see my father and straighten out the matter of my wedding to the Marquis of Linwood.”
Anabelle’s eyes rounded in surprise. “Do you intend to go through with the wedding?”
“No, of course not. How can I, now that I’m in love with Lord Bloodaxe? He’s the only one I’ll have.” She cast Anabelle a wincing smile. “Even if he won’t have me.”
“We’ll fix that,” Anabelle replied. “The Draloch men are stubborn, but so are we. Your father and the marquis have returned to London. My husband and I will escort you to your father’s residence. I’m sure the two of you will have much to discuss, but don’t hesitate to call upon us if you need our assistance, especially in dealing with the thorny problem of disengaging from Linwood.”
“Thank you.” She hesitated a moment. “I’ve lost all sense of time. How long have I been away? What day is this?”
“The fifteenth of February,” Saron said, his manner far gentler now. “You’ve been missing for almost two months.”
She swallowed hard and nodded. “I must see my father right away.”
*
Georgiana sat in the imposing Draloch carriage with her hands tensely clasped on her lap. The ducal crest emblazoned on the gleaming black carriage had stunned her for a moment. It was the same crest drawn into Bloodaxe’s back and the sight of it had brought a jolt of yearning that had yet to subside. Her heart was still racing and her composure was dangling by a slender thread that would snap at any moment.
“We’re here,” Saron said, his brow furrowed in concern. “Perhaps I ought to go in first and ease your father into the news of your return.”
Georgiana thought it was an excellent suggestion. In truth, she’d been worried that the sight of her would shock him into apoplexy. He was not in the best of health, one of the reasons she’d decided to give in and marry the Marquis of Linwood, a man she didn’t love. At the time, she’d felt it was important for her father to know that she would be settled and cared for, and perhaps he would even see a few grandchildren before he passed on.
Indeed, his health was delicate. Anything in him might rupture. He didn’t have a strong heart and she wasn’t certain how much of a surprise he was able to endure. She was relieved that Saron had taken on the responsibility of easing her father into her return. He was the right person for the task. He’d been stolen as a child and understood the upheaval and strain of loss and recovery better than anyone else. “Yes, it is a good idea.”
She sat in the carriage with Anabelle, glad to have made her acquaintance and knowing they would become good friends in time. She’d wed a dragon shifter and yet managed to hold her own in the marriage. More than that, she’d kept her good nature and that was no easy thing to do against the dark power of a dragon.
They didn’t have long to wait before her father ran out of their townhouse, wrenched open the door to the carriage, and swept her into his arms. “Georgiana, thank goodness!” He was openly weeping.
Soon, so was she.
Her father invited Saron and Anabelle to stay for supper, giving them no opportunity to beg off before ushering them all in. In truth, Georgiana felt it was for the best that the duke and duchess remain. There was much to explain, and at the same time, so much that she could not explain. Indeed, she hoped Saron would take the lead in relating details of her abduction and return. Her father would never believe stories of the Dragon Lords or the Fae. It was best to keep the details simple.
“Your daughter was the unwitting victim of an intrigue gone bad,” Saron related when they sat down to supper and the soup course was served. “I cannot say more, for it is a matter of the highest sensitivity. I do not have royal permission to reveal more.”
“Ah,” her father said, “a top-secret matter. Involving Napoleon, no doubt?”
“It was a clandestine matter.” Saron spared her a glance. “One of my operatives rescued your daughter.”
“His brother,” Georgiana said, not wishing all to be completely swept under the rug. She stared into her bowl as she spoke. She’d eaten little of the leek soup that had been hastily cobbled together by their able cook. “He was very brave and he saved me. It is thanks to him that I am unharmed.”
Saron shot her a glower.
Her father’s eyes widened in surprise. Perhaps he appeared to be horrified. “Draloch, I did not know that you had a younger brother. I only know of… the elder, Arik. A very good lad. One of the best. You were but a child when he died.”
Georgiana closed her eyes and groaned. So stupid of her. Stupid, stupid. Of course, he’d remember Arik. He’d negotiated their betrothal, after all. “Brother-in-arms is what I meant. Of course, the duke does not have an actual younger brother.”
“No, only an elder,” Anabelle said, setting down her spoon. She hadn’t eaten much either. Georgiana supposed it was because the topic was not an appetizing one.
Her father patted her hand affectionately to gain her attention. “Georgiana, my dear. I never told you about Arik Blakefield. You may have heard whispers about him as you grew up and made your way in Society, but I did my best to hide his existence from you.”
He stared at all of them as though about to relate shocking news. “Draloch, did you know that your brother, Arik, and my Georgiana were betrothed when she was but an infant? Then both of you disappeared and all sorts of disquieting rumors began to emerge. Wild gossip of devilry and pagan worship.”
Saron nodded. “I heard those wild rumors as well.”
“But as you can see, His Grace and I are happily married,” Anabelle chimed in.
“And very much in love,” her father said with a nod of approval. “The story we finally heard is that you were both ill and that you survived but your brother did not. By that time, my wife and I were most concerned that more had transpired than a mere illness. We did not trust your parents to tell us the truth and thought it best to keep Georgiana and ourselves away from your family.”
“You did well, Penrith. My childhood was not a happy one and my parents were… they were not the loving sort as you and your late wife obviously were. It is plain to see that Lady Georgiana loves you very much.”
Her father beamed and patted Georgiana’s hand once more, for he’d kept it clasped in hers as though needing the tactile assurance that she was real and had returned. “I’ll ask no more questions. I can see that my daughter is well.” He frowned and his face became flushed as though he were embarrassed. “Ah, em… Georgiana, if you feel the need for us to summon a physician to…”
“There is no need, Father. I was unharmed… in every way.” Dear heaven, she hated that he was worried about this delicate topic. “However, I cannot marry Oliver.”
“Cannot?” Her father grew concerned once more.
“Will not,” she amended. “My absence has made me realize the mistake our marriage would be. I don’t love him, Father.”
“No, I never got the sense that you did. You accepted him because you thought it would make me happy.”
“You’ve always had my best interests at heart. I thought it was the right thing to do at the time. Nor does Oliver love me. I think it is my dowry that he loves most.”
Her father shook his head and gave a mirthless laugh. “Then he is a fool, Georgiana. You are the treasure, not your trust fund or my title. Are you certain about this?”
She nodded. “I am.”
“Then I shall summon him here tomorrow and deal with disposing of your betrothal. I fear he will not take it well.”
Saron allowed the butler to remove his soup bowl and then turned to Georgiana’s father. “If you wish, I shall accompany you. The dark rumors about the Draloch family can be put to good use. Linwood will not give you a problem if he sees the Dragon of Draloch standing by your side.”
Georgiana nodded enthusiastically. “It is a good suggestion, Father. Oliver is known to be a prankster. Who knows what vindictive jest he might play on either of us? He isn’t a bad fellow, but he can be petty at times. And who knows if he will behave as a gentleman and even allow us to end the betrothal? The duke’s presence will assure it.”
“Very well, you’ve convinced me. Yes, Draloch. I would appreciate your coming with me.” He shook his head and sighed. “Odd how life has come full circle. Georgiana, I wish you had known Arik. He was a good lad. I think you would have loved him.”
Georgiana maintained her smile even though her heart was about to burst with grief. “I know I would have, Father. You chose well for me.”