looking for Llyr, but knew if Rolant cut her the man had not stayed to see her ceremony. She felt slighted by his disappearance.
“ I’ve got a medical unit in my tent. I won’t heal the wound, but I can take away the pain.” Rolant pulled at her elbow to help her stand.
“ No special treatment. I am a brother of the order now. I will act accordingly,” Mede said.
“ I don’t think we’ve ever had a female. I think you’re a sister of—”
“ I said what I meant. I’m no different than any man here.” Mede pulled away from him and slowly walked toward her tent to sleep. The bright light of morning shone around her, like a rebirth, as her new brothers found their ways into intoxicated dreams. She drew back the flap and crawled onto the mound of furs on the floor. A groan left her as she lay on her stomach. Mumbling, she tried to ignore the tingling in her arm where the prince had touched her, as she swore, “I don’t care that you didn’t stay to witness my honor, Prince Llyr. You weren’t invited tonight anyway. Go back to your palace and touch me no more.”
Chapter Four
Draig Northern Mountains , Medellyn’s Family Home
M ede averted her eyes. The sound of her mother’s tears was the only thing that could make her feel guilty, no matter how she tried to act like she didn’t care what anyone thought of her. Everything her mother did was delicate and sweet. Her voice was low and gentle, as if she always comforted a sick child with it. Small hands never hit with force, not even when kneading dough. When she cried it was soft sobs and little noises of disappointment that tore at her daughter’s heart.
Of course Mede knew Lady Grace would not like her new brotherhood. In fact, it had been her intention not to tell her mother, and hope that everyone who knew the woman would think better than to gossip about it. Apparently, not everyone had the common sense to keep the news quiet.
“ Mother,” Mede said, brushing back a strand of dark hair that matched her own. She touched her mother’s shoulder. Though people said that when standing still, Mede physically looked like a younger version of Grace, when the women moved and talked, their demeanors made them very different. Mede was aggressive and stubborn, whereas Grace was gentle and reserved. “I bring honor to the family name. The order is one of the oldest on the planet.”
Grace took a deep breath. She picked up a plate of sugared biscuits and fussed with arranging them as she walked from the table toward the kitchen. “If it is so honorable, why are its dealings so secretive? And I heard they cut their members. We had gentlemen clubs on my home world. There is a reason women were not allowed to join.”
The cut on Mede’s back no longer hurt, but the wound was still scabbed. She refused to confirm that part to her mother. With luck, the woman would never see the scar. For all her years surrounded by dragonshifters and wild spirits, Grace still maintained an innocent quality bred into her during her youth.
Grace was born on one of the Florencian moons, a living-museum settlement locked in what her mother called the Old Earth Victorian era. The settlement did not use space technology, but Old Earth mechanical tools—what she likened to the great-great-great-grandfather of modern advancement. This simple existence had prepared Grace to be a bride on a planet whose people also chose to live simply. However, what Qurilixen did not offer the gentlewoman was the same impossibly high standard of social customs and rules she’d adhered to in the settlement. From the stories Mede had heard of her mother’s past, she highly doubted the gentlemen clubs were quite as fierce as being a Dead Dragon.
“ I don’t think you can compare your gentlemen sitting around talking politics and drinking pea,” Mede said. She instantly wished she could take the words back. They’d just kind of slipped out of her mouth.
“ Tea ,” her mother stressed
“ I’ve got a medical unit in my tent. I won’t heal the wound, but I can take away the pain.” Rolant pulled at her elbow to help her stand.
“ No special treatment. I am a brother of the order now. I will act accordingly,” Mede said.
“ I don’t think we’ve ever had a female. I think you’re a sister of—”
“ I said what I meant. I’m no different than any man here.” Mede pulled away from him and slowly walked toward her tent to sleep. The bright light of morning shone around her, like a rebirth, as her new brothers found their ways into intoxicated dreams. She drew back the flap and crawled onto the mound of furs on the floor. A groan left her as she lay on her stomach. Mumbling, she tried to ignore the tingling in her arm where the prince had touched her, as she swore, “I don’t care that you didn’t stay to witness my honor, Prince Llyr. You weren’t invited tonight anyway. Go back to your palace and touch me no more.”
Chapter Four
Draig Northern Mountains , Medellyn’s Family Home
M ede averted her eyes. The sound of her mother’s tears was the only thing that could make her feel guilty, no matter how she tried to act like she didn’t care what anyone thought of her. Everything her mother did was delicate and sweet. Her voice was low and gentle, as if she always comforted a sick child with it. Small hands never hit with force, not even when kneading dough. When she cried it was soft sobs and little noises of disappointment that tore at her daughter’s heart.
Of course Mede knew Lady Grace would not like her new brotherhood. In fact, it had been her intention not to tell her mother, and hope that everyone who knew the woman would think better than to gossip about it. Apparently, not everyone had the common sense to keep the news quiet.
“ Mother,” Mede said, brushing back a strand of dark hair that matched her own. She touched her mother’s shoulder. Though people said that when standing still, Mede physically looked like a younger version of Grace, when the women moved and talked, their demeanors made them very different. Mede was aggressive and stubborn, whereas Grace was gentle and reserved. “I bring honor to the family name. The order is one of the oldest on the planet.”
Grace took a deep breath. She picked up a plate of sugared biscuits and fussed with arranging them as she walked from the table toward the kitchen. “If it is so honorable, why are its dealings so secretive? And I heard they cut their members. We had gentlemen clubs on my home world. There is a reason women were not allowed to join.”
The cut on Mede’s back no longer hurt, but the wound was still scabbed. She refused to confirm that part to her mother. With luck, the woman would never see the scar. For all her years surrounded by dragonshifters and wild spirits, Grace still maintained an innocent quality bred into her during her youth.
Grace was born on one of the Florencian moons, a living-museum settlement locked in what her mother called the Old Earth Victorian era. The settlement did not use space technology, but Old Earth mechanical tools—what she likened to the great-great-great-grandfather of modern advancement. This simple existence had prepared Grace to be a bride on a planet whose people also chose to live simply. However, what Qurilixen did not offer the gentlewoman was the same impossibly high standard of social customs and rules she’d adhered to in the settlement. From the stories Mede had heard of her mother’s past, she highly doubted the gentlemen clubs were quite as fierce as being a Dead Dragon.
“ I don’t think you can compare your gentlemen sitting around talking politics and drinking pea,” Mede said. She instantly wished she could take the words back. They’d just kind of slipped out of her mouth.
“ Tea ,” her mother stressed
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