Bated: Reverse Harem Dragon Shifter Fairytale (Goldilocks and The Three Dragons Trilogy Book 1) by Delia Castel

Author:Delia Castel [Castel, Delia]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 2018-07-03T04:00:00+00:00

Chapter 12

Marigold rubbed her hand and followed Berrin down the stairs. Something peculiar had happened when Polaris had touched her. She wondered if it was because he was a full dragon, because she hadn’t felt such a jolt with Berrin or Matheson.

“I can’t guarantee you’ll find a ship, because today’s the first day of Festival Week,” said Berrin. He guided her down the hallway to another side entrance. “The stables are this way.”

Marigold chewed her lip. She couldn’t afford to remain in the house in case Governor Hertz returned. With a bit of luck, there would be a sailor brave enough to make the crossing. Most people in Igneous believed that working during Festival Week brought bad luck. Marigold thought the superstition was nonsense. Servants who had no families worked during the holiday, as did people employed by inns and taverns. They seemed to have the same amount of luck as everyone else.

They stepped out into a gravel pathway lined with tall magnolia trees in bloom. The late-morning sun shone through its thick, waxy leaves, making them glow a bright shade of chartreuse. Marigold gazed up into the canopy, inhaling the faint scent of lemon, which carried in the breeze. White, hand-sized flowers, their exteriors streaked with lavender and lilac, opened their petals, revealing buttercup-yellow stamens.

“What type of magnolias are these?” she asked.

Berrin’s smile faded. “Mother had these planted ten years ago. They’re said to chase away the humors that kill a dragon’s fire.”

Marigold nodded and gave his arm a squeeze. From the thickness of his voice, she guessed it was probably too soon for him to speak about his parents. She knew about the four humors. It was the foundation of medicine for doctors, surgeons, and apothecaries. She did not know that dragons also used them.

They reached the stable block. It was a flat-fronted building constructed with the same limestone facade and multi-paneled windows as the mansion. Before they reached the archway that led to a gravel courtyard, Berrin turned to Marigold. His eyes shone with unshed tears. “Why don’t you sit in the gardens and enjoy the flowers, while I ready the horses?”

“All right.” She headed towards an array of large, weeping rose trees, the soles of her boots crunching on the fine gravel. If Berrin needed a few minutes alone to gather himself, she would give him space. While some people relied on their friends for warmth and comfort, others preferred to put forward a strong front. She guessed that Berrin was the latter, or at least thought he had to be stoic and manly for her.

Ignoring the benches, she headed for the largest, a seven-foot high shrub, consisting of a woody stalk as thick as her arm. At the top of the plant, a massive canopy of branches, laden with vermillion roses the diameter of saucers, cascaded down like the ribs of a parasol. She stood underneath their shade, encased in a scent that reminded her of spiced wine. Closing her eyes, she lifted her head and inhaled, spreading her arms, soaking in all its beauty.

Download

Copyright Disclaimer:
This site does not store any files on its server. We only index and link to content provided by other sites. Please contact the content providers to delete copyright contents if any and email us, we'll remove relevant links or contents immediately.