Dragon's Curse (The Hearts of Dragons Book 1) by Lee Hayton

Author:Lee Hayton [Hayton, Lee]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 2018-10-29T16:00:00+00:00

Chapter Eight

Shandra sat back on her heels and wiped her face with a handkerchief. The warmth of the day, combined with the work in the fields, had left her feeling overheated. Although everybody had gone straight back to their jobs after the strange confrontation that morning, she couldn’t settle. Every few seconds, she glanced up to see if Mal was doing okay.

He’d never told her he had a mother.

Well, obviously he had to have had one at some point, but she’d never guessed the woman was still alive. The omission shouldn’t have come as a surprise. After all, until his acceptance of her proposal yesterday, their relationship had been one of colleagues not confidants. Still, the surprise visit rankled.

Not least, because Shandra had spent the first few minutes of it scared to death.

Without a clue as to what to do, she’d followed the lead of the clan brothers. Now, Shandra wiped her hands clean of dirt and stood up. This was silly. She felt like everybody was working in awkward silence, waiting for somebody else to make a move, or say something.

Since she was the head of this farm, Shandra supposed that task fell to her.

“Mal?” She walked up to him slowly, picking her steps carefully amongst the clumped rows. “Did you want to talk about what just happened?”

Baile made a loud groaning noise. “Talk about our feelings? Have you ever known a man to think that’s a good idea?”

Shandra laughed at the small joke, grateful she wasn’t the only one making an effort. However, Baile was the worst person to join in the attempt. Mal’s head bowed closer to his work and his jaw tightened—a frequent reaction of his to Baile’s humorous asides.

“If you get any closer to that seedling, you’ll end up planted in the earth as well.”

Mal sat back, shielding his eyes while he looked up at her. For the first time, Shandra noticed fine lines radiating out across his face. The short visit from his mother aging him ten years.

“Would you like to help me prepare some food?” Shandra reached out a hand, daring him to say no. “And perhaps a cold sweet drink? I’ve some sugar left over in the pantry I’ve been storing up as a treat. I think we deserve it after our hard work today, don’t you?”

Although Mal took her hand and rose up to his feet, he didn’t make a move toward the farmhouse, staring into the far distance instead. His face creased into a frown, his new lines deepening. “Looks like we have company.”

What now?

Shandra turned, planting her feet wide apart and her hands on her hips. The company this morning hadn’t been well received, and it looked like their noon guests would fare about as well. From the flags carried by the two forerunners, it was Wella Ufsprig.

A thin sliver of fear wriggled in Shandra’s stomach, darting here and there before tying itself in a knot. She pressed a hand to her belly, then forced herself to drop it to her side.

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