It had been easier the last times she’d been forced to use her healing gift. There’d been a crisis—a serious and obvious injury—and the talent had simply taken her over. This time was different, and she didn’t know what to do. For the moment, the healing power rising inside her was manageable. It wasn’t driving her into blind action as it had before. It was alerting her, but not pushing her. Perhaps, this was a turning point of some kind.
Or perhaps, her gift was as confused as she was about what afflicted the boy.
“My name is Lilly. What’s yours?”
“Petr,” came the mumbled reply.
“Well, Master Petr, will you sit with me a while?” She patted the low wall next to her and was gratified when the youngster stepped closer. He didn’t sit, though. He was hesitant as a newborn foal.
“Your hair is pretty.” The boy charmed her with his innocent compliment. “I’ve never seen hair so dark before.”
Lilly realized this youngster probably didn’t have contact with a lot of humans. Her hair was dark brown. Hardly remarkable. But among these blonde-headed giants, her brown hair and dark eyes were very different from the norm.
“That’s because I’m human. My people come with many different shades of hair, from darkest black to pale like your people.”
“They say my mother was human.” The boy shrugged as if his words meant little, but the toe scuffing in the dirt and the way he cast down his eyes made Lilly’s heart ache. “The other boys say that’s why I’m small and weak.”
Lilly went to one knee, so she was on his level and cupped Petr’s cheek with one hand. His pale skin was cool and dry, his clothing neat and tidy, so unlike most of the young boys she’d tutored in her father’s fighting school.
“You’re not weak, Petr. You have the heart of a lion and the cunning of a fox. I can tell.”
The boy looked up, meeting her eyes with shy hesitance. “Are you my mother?”
Lilly’s heart ached for the youngling. How could she answer that? He looked so hopeful. She hated to crush his dreams. But the truth was the truth.
“No, sweetheart. I have never birthed a child. I’m sorry.”
Petr shrugged, his frail little shoulders slumping. “I just figured since they let you in… They don’t let many humans under the Veil. You’re the first one I’ve ever met, so I thought maybe…”
Lilly wanted to cry for the little boy who’d never known his mother.
“Petr, are you waylaying our guest?” Luc’s voice broke into her thoughts. She hadn’t even heard him approach. Lilly stood to face him and was confounded by not one, but two warriors who’d managed to sneak up on her—Luc and his brother.
The brother had a grim set to his lips as he gazed from her to Petr and Lilly stepped in front of the boy instinctively to protect him from the man’s disdain. Two sets of blond eyebrows rose nearly in unison at her actions as both warriors watched her with varying degrees of interest.
“Petr, come here.” Luc’s brother issued the command, and the boy went at once to the older man. Lilly was surprised when a gentle hand drew the child to his side with familiar affection. It was Lilly’s turn to be intrigued. “I hope my son has not been monopolizing you, milady.”
“Petr is your son?” Lilly cringed inwardly as she blurted the first thing in her mind…again. It was becoming a very bad habit around these people.
Luc smiled and ruffled Petr’s hair. “My brother is a lucky man indeed, to have such a smart child. Isn’t that true, Det?”
The warrior squeezed the boy’s shoulders as his lips formed into a rusty smile. “You are right, little brother. Petr and Gren are the two brightest parts of my life.”
As if cued, two dragons made their presence known behind the warriors. Shilayla stood behind Luc, and Lilly assumed Gren was the big brute behind Luc’s brother.
“Since you can hear us, I will make the introductions.” A booming voice echoed through Lilly’s mind as the male dragon’s head loomed over the men, and big, faceted eyes fixed on her. “I am Grennulf, and my heartmate is Detlif, Captain of the Guard and older brother to Captain of the Scouts, Lucassian, who rescued you. Petr is first-born son of Detlif, heir to the House of Adain.”
“I’m pleased to meet you.” Lilly included Detlif and Petr in her greeting, looking from the dragon to the man and boy, wondering about their name and how they were related to the leader of the Council. Putting that thought aside for the moment, she could see the resemblance between all three males as they stood together. There was no doubt in her mind that Petr would grow into as handsome a specimen as his father and uncle given a few years and some weapons training.
“And you, Lilly Deverelsdoter. Lady Alemenia, who is Lady Adain’s heartmate, knew your father as a young man. Even then, he was a gifted warrior. Mena told me of his prowess with staff and sword. It’s an honor to meet a warrior of his line.”
“My father told me he’d met a dragon once, but he did not know the dragon’s name.”
“Mena was on duty, but she watched Deverel’s training hall from the battlements and was impressed by your father’s work. Apparently, there weren’t many entertainments for our kind in the Blind King’s realm.” Grennulf’s dry tone communicated exactly what he thought of that oversight.
“My father would be honored to know it, and I’ll pass on your compliments when next I see him.” Lilly bowed her head, holding eye contact with the creature in a sign of respect. The dragon nodded back and lifted his head away, settling back behind the men.
“Petr, Nana is expecting you,” Det said to his son.
Petr left his father’s side and walked to Lilly, looking up at her with wide eyes. “I have to go now. Will I see you later?”
Luc bent down to speak near Petr’s ear. “Don’t worry. Lilly will be staying with us for a while, so you’ll see her again.”
“That’s great!” The smile that spread over the boy’s face touched Lilly’s heart and started an answering grin on her own lips. Petr turned and headed for the great hall with a livelier step.
When he was out of sight, Lilly looked at Luc, standing tall and proud beside her. The frown was back on his brother’s face, and Lilly got the impression that was his habitual look.
“He’s a charming boy. You must be very proud.”
The frown deepened. “I heard what he asked you.”
Lilly’s mouth opened, but she didn’t know what to say.
“His mother dropped him in my lap when he was just a baby.”
“She was human?”
His handsome face formed a grimace. “A sorceress.”
“I’m sorry.”
“Don’t encourage his affection. He’s been abandoned before.”
Now, she was insulted. “I would never hurt a child.” Lilly held the warrior’s eyes with fierce determination. Tension flared, and she decided she didn’t like this man at all.
At length, his attempt at intimidation ratcheted down a notch. “Not intentionally, perhaps.” Detlif turned on his heel and stalked off, his dragon partner following behind with a lingering backward look, though he said nothing.