Page 37 of Cadell the Dragon

“No, I’m the one who is sorry,” Johanna cut in. “I should not have believed that man I don’t even know, I should have trusted you would not be so cynical.”

“You have nothing to apologize for,” he said fiercely. “Never.”

“Kiss me, Cadell. My dragon.”

Dragon. That one word proved that she didn’t think the less of him, thank God. He straightened back up. He would kiss her, but on his feet, damn it. Like a man. Like the man she had chosen.

That kiss mended the last hole remaining in his heart. Finally, for the first time since he’d become a man, he was whole again.

“Now, let us go and see what Tomos wanted,” he growled, taking her by the hand. “I hope for his sake it’s something important.”

10

Johanna stared through the bay window at the tree-covered hills ahead. The day was slowly dying, disappearing in a shocking display of pinks and blues that would soon fade to purple, bringing a velvety summer night with it.

Tomorrow, a new day would dawn. And she would marry again.

Thursday was traditionally the day reserved for widows to remarry. Though she was happy, she could not help a certain apprehension. This was to be her second wedding. It was hard not to ask herself some questions. She had been so filled with hope the day she had married Rhun… And then the marriage had turned sour. What would she do, how would she feel if that happened again?

No, she chided herself, she could not afford to think like that. Cadell loved her, and made no mystery of the fact. He had fallen to his knees in front of everyone to beg her to have him. This union would be nothing like the one she’d had with Rhun, because Cadell was nothing like her husband had been. She had to trust that everything would be fine.

Everyone seemed to think so.

Five days ago, after their discussion with the priest who had agreed to marry them as soon as they wished, she and Cadell had told the people of Bryn Glas that they would get married. No one had seemed surprised by the announcement and many of them had offered their immediate congratulations. Even though Rhun had once been their master and it had been less than five months since his death, they didn’t seem to think this decision too hasty.

Was it too soon? Perhaps some people would argue that it was, but she didn’t care. It didn’t feel too soon to her, because Cadell had waited more than ten years to make her his wife. Besides, in many ways, her marriage to Rhun had ended years ago. At first, she had struggled to accept the idea that whatever they’d had was dead, but after a while, she had stopped fighting it . The news of his death, shocking as it had been, had not damaged her heart as much as it might have a few years ago, while she was still full of the illusion that they were in love.

Yes, she was more than ready to enjoy the life she had never had with Rhun.

The ceremony and then the banquet would take place at Castell y Ddraig. When told about the state of the chapel at Bryn Glas, Siaspar had generously offered to host the ceremony and the banquet himself.

Johanna could hardly wait.

Just as the first stars began to appear in the sky, she heard a noise behind her. Someone had slipped through the door hidden under the tapestry by the hearth. She and Cadell had been told about the secret entry the previous week. It would seem that they had finally gained the steward’s trust, because Old Cadwgan had revealed the existence of the passage underneath the castle one evening, while they were discussing the latest repairs in the chapel.

“’Tis rather narrow and treacherous, but still serviceable, I believe,” he’d informed them with a satisfied smile. “It saved the lord and lady from being taken hostage half a century ago, when King Edward, damn his soul to hell, lay siege to the castle. I was just a young lad then and I could not fathom how his lordship and his wife had disappeared, even if I rejoiced. They told me later how they had escaped once they came back to the castle, which in the end had proved too strong to be taken. Master Rhun, God bless him, their son, knew about the passage, of course. And he should have told you before.”

There was a note of censure in his voice, followed by a cough, as if he were regretting this criticism of his master.

Yes, Johanna agreed that Rhun should have trusted his wife with that knowledge. But what mattered was that she now knew about the passage leading from the solar to a cave down below. When offered the chance to go explore it, she had refused. It seemed rather sinister and there was no need, they were not under siege.

The tapestry fell back in a sigh against the stone wall, indicating that the person was now in the room.

Cadell.

Who else would dare enter the solar unannounced? Or even want to see her, at that time? It had to be her “dragon,” who had braved the dark, musty tunnel for one last illicit tryst before their wedding. Her body started to hum in anticipation, even though she already knew he would not possess her tonight.

Ever the perfect suitor, he had refused to take her to bed before they were properly wed, despite her assurances that she wouldn’t feel he was taking advantage of her.

“I will do this right, and only take you as my wife,” he’d said after a particularly scorching kiss that seemed to have tested his control to the limit.

Though she wanted him badly, Johanna had not been able to deny him this favor. He had earned it a hundred times by his constancy.

Thankfully, though he had refused to possess her until they were married, he had not balked at making her erupt in pleasure so many times that she lost her mind, using his fingers and his tongue. One day, he had even made her reach her peak only by suckling her breasts. It had been a gentle pulsing, a warming feeling, less sharp and devastating than when he focused his attention on the little hidden nub at the top of her thighs, but wonderful nonetheless. Her nipples hardened at the memory. As she’d been about to go to bed, she had already discarded her clothes and was dressed in only her shift. It would not take Cadell long to get her where he wanted.

What delight did he have in mind for tonight? No doubt she would soon find out.

Smiling, she turned to him—and froze.