“What I’m saying is that you can try, but there are more of us than you know. We would get our land back.”
He applauded her fierceness. She might appear at ease as they spoke, but he had yet to gain her trust. That went both ways, though. It was why he kept looking over his shoulder. The Rangers were out there, watching him. Just as the Kings would watch anyone on their land.
Instead of replying, Kendrick looked over her shoulder to see a decent-sized rocky shoreline and water. He walked past her and noted that it was a large lake. “This is stunning. I take it I’ll be staying here?”
“You will. There’s one more thing. We would appreciate it if you remained in this form.”
He met her gaze. “You doona want others to know a dragon is here.”
“Precisely.”
Kendrick studied the shoreline and found the perfect place for his tent. He thought of the yurt V had built for Claire during Valentine’s Day. The Kings, as a rule, didn’t rely heavily on their magic if they could avoid it, but this was a different scenario. So, Kendrick didn’t hesitate and used his magic to craft a yurt of his own. Then he sat back and grinned. When he glanced at Esha, the Ranger’s mouth was slack with surprise.
“That’s what your magic can do?”
“Aye. Want to see inside?” He held open the flap and waited.
Chapter Six
As if Esha would refuse to see what kind of structure a Dragon King’s magic could create. She ducked her head and entered the rounded shelter. It was about the size of her tent in Flamefall, but the inside was much different.
A single pole about as thick as Kendrick’s leg stood in the middle of the tent, holding up everything. Tiny lights hung from the pole, extending outward and around the tent’s perimeter. Thick rugs with beautiful designs and colors covered the floor. The bed was large and off to one side. Across from that was a square table, sitting low to the ground. On either side of it were plush pillows in various colors. Additional scattered cushions offered more seating.
“Amazing,” she whispered. She turned to Kendrick, who had stopped beside her inside. “How did you do this?”
He shrugged. “I thought of it.”
“Just thought of it?”
“Aye.”
That was much stronger magic than any elf could do. It gave her pause because if he could do this kind of magic and couldn’t find the entity they sought, how would the elves ever manage it? More than that, she realized just how easily the dragons could wipe out the elves.
“The fear I saw when I shifted didna last long. I hope this doesna either.”
She couldn’t meet his gaze. “I suppose that demonstrates how little we know of dragons.”
“We’re sharing information, right? You tell me about the elves, and I tell you about dragons.”
Esha nodded slowly. That was part of the deal. She had never felt so off-balance before. A formidable being stood beside her, but if he hadn’t shown her his magic, she wouldn’t have any idea of his power. She met his gaze and stared into his green eyes. Even as her mind cautioned her to tread carefully, she didn’t regret anything that had happened since she’d come across Kendrick. Nor did she want to be anywhere but where she was right now.
With a mighty Dragon King who offered knowledge of his people.
This was the start of something. Esha felt it in the depths of her being. The possibilities were endless. And she was in the midst of it all.
Kendrick’s lips curved into a smile. She tried not to notice how his eyes sparkled and her mouth tipped up in answer. All of a sudden, she became aware that they were alone. And standing close together. Her gaze lowered to his shoulders and lingered. The thin material of his shirt outlined the definition of each muscle.
Her thoughts veered into dangerous territory. He was a guest, a potential ally. She shouldn’t be contemplating what he looked like with his shirt removed. Or what it might be like to run her hands over his warm skin.
To be held tightly against his hard body.
Warmth spread through her as her mouth went dry. Esha blinked and drew in a shaky breath. She lifted her gaze to find Kendrick watching her raptly. Embarrassment washed over her. She hadn’t felt that emotion since she was a young girl. All she could do was hope that he didn’t realize where her thoughts had gone.
Their gazes held for several heartbeats. Then he asked, “Would you like some tea?”
“You drink our tea?”
“If you explain it, I can make some. However, I was going to brew some of mine.”
“I’d like to try yours.”
“Does that mean you can stay for a wee bit?”
Esha hesitated. On the one hand, she very much wanted to stay with Kendrick and learn about him. On the other, she knew she had to face Savita sooner or later. Maybe giving her sister some time to consider things would calm her anger.
It was an excuse. One Esha fully admitted to herself because she didn’t want to leave Kendrick. “For a little while, yes.”
The delight on his face made her stomach flutter unexpectedly. She parted her lips, attempting to drag more air into her lungs. He motioned for her to choose a seat. She moved to the low table and arranged the brightly colored pillows around her. They were lush and extremely comfortable. When she looked up, Kendrick was headed her way with a tray that held a teapot, three smaller containers, and two cups.
He set it on the table. “Where I’m from, we drink copious amounts of tea. Sometimes, we put honey, sugar, or milk in it. There are even those who put lemon.” He flashed her a smile as he lowered himself to the pillows. “This is my favorite tea.”
“What is it called?”
“Earl Grey. It’s a black tea.”
He poured a cup and handed it to her. Esha sniffed the liquid, liking the smell. Then she watched as he added a bit of honey to his, stirred, and took a sip. He grinned and waited for her to taste it.
Esha brought the cup to her lips and sipped. It wasn’t bad, but it wasn’t the kind of tea she was used to. She added honey and tried again. Better, but not quite. She then added milk and grinned at the result.
“It’s good,” she said.
Kendrick laughed, causing the corners of his eyes to crease. “We’ll try yours next. Will you finish telling me about the classes of elves?”
She had expected the question. Esha held the cup between her hands and settled herself more comfortably as she drank. “Let’s see. I told you about the Sun and Dark Elves. There are also the Moon Elves. They don’t like to mingle with others and are very reclusive. Their skin is very fair with a silver glow to it. Their hair ranges from black, blue, to silvery-white, and their eyes are commonly various shades of blue. You won’t see them, simply because they cannot abide being around the rest of us.”
Kendrick leaned one elbow on a pillow as he drank. “Was it because of a war?”
“Nothing like that. What you need to understand is that elves are amiable at the core, but if you put us together, you start to see the variations and how dramatic each class can be. The Moon Elves will show themselves, but they’d rather not. We had one as a Ranger long ago, but none since.”
“That makes me want to see if I can find a Moon Elf.”
She laughed because she knew he was being serious. “That brings me to the Star Elves. They also have light skin. Many will mistake them for Moon Elves because of that. However, Star Elves have hair of lavender, purple, or silver and all have various shades of purple eyes. They’re nomadic, preferring to move rather than stay in one place. That means you’ll encounter many Star Elves because they love to meet others. They’re curious and adventurous, though they can be focused and relentless at times. They’re amazing healers.”