Page 38 of Ale Storm

“Certainly,” Rylana murmured.

“Tell him to mate with them. As powerful as our mother is, even she cannot control females who are not from our clan, and she’s not currently of a mood to try to stop those who want you dead, regardless. To save your life, tell him to mate with them. Soon. Then they’ll care less about what goes on in his lair at night.”

Her message delivered, Killaynia stepped back and spread her arms. Magic rippled in the air around her, and the pillar blasted indignant gongs as she shifted forms on the dock.

Indifferent, the golden dragon sprang into the air and flew off across the lake. Maybe she wanted more glowing eels before departing.

“You might want to consider dating someone less complicated,” Sylin observed blandly.

“No kidding. Any suggestions?” Rylana shook her head at the joke. She hadn’t meant to develop feelings for Jildarin, but now that she had them—and he’d admitted that he cared for her—she couldn’t imagine walking away from him.

“Captain Tassani is handsome with elegantly pointed ears, and he likes you.”

“Nicely pointed ears excite you, not me.” Rylana started up the road toward Avandar Castle.

“Humans are strange.”

“Maybe I’ll suggest to Zilek that he shape-shift into an elf the next time he sees you. An elf with particularly elegant ear points.”

“I’m not sure why I continue to spend time with you.”

“You’re entertained by the fallout from my unwise decision to fall in love with a dragon?”

“The development of your relationship is somewhat intriguing to watch from a safe distance.”

“A safe distance? You’ve been standing five feet away from me when a lot of these aggressive dragons have shown up.”

“I can spring away quickly if need be. Why do you think I run so many miles each day?”

“So you can keep stuffing scones into your mouth.”

“I do love those.”

11

The rain continued, a breeze whispering across the lake, as Rylana and Sylin arrived at Avandar Castle. The wrought-iron gate was closed, but when Rylana touched a small control orb embedded in the stone portion of the wall, it glowed white and permitted entrance. Bypassing puddles, they walked up the drive and climbed the steps to the front door. It swung open before Rylana knocked and revealed Zames, her father’s butler.

“Lord Gavlin said you might be by.” He stood aside and waved for them to enter, nodding politely at Sylin as well as Rylana. They’d met the morning after Vernest Vormalt had broken tiles in the library floor to gain entrance to the hidden troll shrine under the castle. “Your young man has been a frequent visitor.”

Two hells, did he sound amused?

“You mean her young dragon?” Without a doubt Sylin sounded amused.

Rylana sighed and shook the rain off her cloak in the foyer before hanging it on a peg. “He’s not that young. I think he mentioned being two hundred years old.”

“That’s not old for a dragon,” Sylin said.

“He is a dragon, then?” Zames asked. “Your father said that, and I do remember when he visited and got the hounds terribly shaken up, but…”

“He’s Jildarin-grozanarav of Clan Killcrusher.” Rylana had been practicing his surname so she could say it without mangling it. “Also known as Chef Jildarin, owner of the Dragon Diner and my business partner.”

“So… yes, a dragon.” Zames shook his head in wonder. “He’s been asking your father for his blessing and permission to court you.”

“I know.”

“Dragons and humans can’t— er, they don’t— When he says court, he doesn’t mean marry.” Zames’s forehead furrowed. “Does he?”

“No. We just want to date.” By a troll’s blue zokroks, Rylana didn’t even care if they dated. They were already sharing a lair. Rylana just longed to climb into bed with Jildarin at the end of their days together and share intimacy. “I assume that’s what he wants, anyway, that he desires to do things properly. He found a centuries-old book on human courting etiquette and thinks he needs my father’s permission before we can… enjoy each other’s company.”