Danna

She’d slept a short enough time that she’d made it back to the house before Cole awoke. She made him his breakfast and kissed him before he rode off and she sat down.

She wasn’t his wife. She’d never be. He’d probably import some little girl from Dorin eventually, he was a merchant and that was their way. Whether he’d keep her or not was something she tried not to think much about. For now, Cole meant security, no matter how many little pieces of herself she had to trade.

She rode into town and got to the tavern, Tanner wasn’t behind the bar, or in the main room, so she wandered bak to the kitchen where he was fighting with a pot of porridge.

“Let me,” she said softly. He sighed and looked at her and nodded. “About last night,” she started.

“Don’t worry about it. I wasn’t interested in watching Cole get into it with a Ranger anyway,” Tanner said. Danna nodded. “He took a room.”

“Because you love complicating my life?” Danna groaned. Tanner grinned. He was her oldest friend, the closest thing to family she had left, and the only person who could consistently get under her skin.

“He’s good looking,” Tanner said.

“I didn’t notice,” she muttered.

“Bullshit, you didn’t notice,” he snorted. “You were damn near twinkling at the man.” She frowned at him. “Cole took it OK?” She shrugged. “Danna,” he said softly. She thought of the black eyes, the time that Tanner had ridden to the house and told Cole if he laid on a hand on her again he’d kill him. Cole was careful with her face after that.

“Tanner,” she said back.

“You’re alright?” He asked. She nodded. “Good, you can talk to the Commander when he comes down then.” She groaned.

“Tanner, this isn’t a fairy tale,” she reminded him, “the handsome aristocrat from Cammadan isn’t going to sweep in and save me. I’m doing fine on my own.”

“First of all, no you aren’t, you’re selling yourself to a man who hurts you for far less than you deserve,” he said. She bit her lower lip, “And, second, I don’t think he’s like that.”

“Who’s like what?” They both jumped at the deep voice from the doorway. The Commander had finally made his appearence.

And, alright, maybe she could admit that he was attractive. Certainly the bath he’d clearly had and sleep in a bed had done their work. He was tall and broad shouldered, with dark hair that grew just past his ears, and fell in a pair of stunning blue eyes. He was smiling and it was an inviting and genial look.

“Oh, I was saying you won’t want to eat Tanner’s cooking,” Danna said pleasantly and Tanner pinched her. The Commander laughed. “But if you’re hungry now it’s all we have.”

“I can wait,” he said. She nodded. “I’m glad to see you again, Mistress Finn. I hope you had pleasant evening.” She blinked.

“Pleasant enough,” she said and squared her shoulders. He nodded. “I’m sorry I had to run out.” He was looking at her in a way she couldn’t quite define, some combination of curiosity and lust.

“I don’t mean to be too nosy,” he said. “But your,” he paused, “friend. What’s his surname?” She blinked. He meant Cole.

“DuPrentar,” she said. He nodded. “Is there a reason why you need to know?” She crossed her arms.

“I’ve spent some time in Dorin,” he shrugged. “I thought I might have crossed path with some of his family.” She opened her mouth to say something but them thought better. “We’ll speak soon.” He disappeared again. Tanner was grinning.

“Not a word,” she said. He held up his hands. “He wanted to hear about dragons, why is he asking about Cole?”

“Yes, there’s absolutely no reason why anyone from your girl queen’s army would be interested in Cole,” Tanner said, his voice laced in sarcasm. “A loud wealthy merchant apprentice who’s decided to make himself the big man of this glorious village we call home isn’t suspicious at all.” Danna sighed and pulled out some dough and began kneading it.

“If he asks too many questions,” Danna frowned. “It could end badly.” Tanner looked at her.

“Danna,” he said softly. “Do you love him?” She blinked at her friend. He’d never asked her that before. He’d lectured and cajoled her, comforted her, eventually accepting that she’d made her decision, even if he didn’t like it.

“Yes,” she said. Tanner nodded. “And he loves me too, in his way. He does take care of me Tanner.” She could keep telling herself that. But Seshi’s words from the night before echoed in her mind. How much of herself was she giving away for this?

Prior

He sat in the small room staring the candle flame, he’d chanted the small spell required and sent the note off.

Ran into an apprentice, a miner. Claims to be DuManis clan. Cole DuPrentar. Invited me for dinner, he’s out west of the temple gap.

He set it into the flame and waited for an answer. Carolina’s candles didn’t work instantly, but they were quick enough. And he’d known he’d need to know how careful he had to be around the man.

A paper fluttered into the flame, Carolina’s perfect script present on it. He smiled softly, he could almost hear her controlled careful, low voice as he read the message.

I know the name. I debuted with his sister. Ask for his charter, there is some mining out that way. I’ll ask Trey for more information.

And then another flutter.

Chase says he misses you. Tristan and I do too. He laughed and leaned back. He did miss them, but they were busy and if he were in Dovetail, he wouldn’t be. There was nothing for him to do there. And there was the small needle stabs of watching Annalise and Eric.

He didn’t love her anymore, but it didn’t make watching her happiness easy. Busy was easy, and there was no business for him in Dovetail.

He rubbed his face. But it had been two years with very little to show for it. He’d found The Wheel of The Gods, and he had barely found evidence of the dragons. It was disheartening. Meanwhile, Tristan’s son, who he’d sworn to help train and guide, was growing up without him.

But he’d watched them fly off into the desert and his heart had sung. He was meant to do this. He couldn’t stop until it was done. He walked back down into the bar and saw Danna Finn balancing on a box to reach a shelf.

“Is there breakfast now?” He said. She looked at him.

“There’ll be bread in a few minutes,” she nodded. He smiled and walked over and settled in.

“Your father told you about dragons,” he said. She met his eyes, they were an almost golden shade of brown, and her fiery red hair framed her round face.

“My father told me many things,” she said. “He told me my family rode dragons for Queen Anessa. He said that if we tried to go back to Cammadan, Brayton would kill us and drink our blood. He said that when Queen Annalise rose we’d go back.” Prior looked at her.

“Seven years is a long time to delay,” he said. She shrugged. “Also as far as I know Brayton never drank blood. I could ask Duchess Marina, seems like something she’d know.” Danna blinked at him. “Why didn’t you come back?”

“He died eight years ago,” she said softly. Prior inhaled.

“I see,” he nodded. “I won’t bother you about it again.” She nodded. “There were riders with Queen Anessa.”

“It was an age ago,” she said. “How could you know?” Her voice was playful now, challenging him. He could answer a challenge. Gods, she was stunning.

“I’ve read her brother’s journals,” he said. She cocked an eyebrow.

“In Dovetail?” She asked. “I thought Brayton purged the libraries of that sort of thing.”

“Not in Dovetail,” he said. He remembered the night he and his friend Nika Averran had found the library in Amina’s Temple, the moonlight streaming over the texts. The stories he’d never known, none of them had. The secrets of his kingdom, and home, the gifts the gods gave to their chosen, that put him in even more awe of his queen, her general and the Duchess who sat her right hand. The ones that had given him hope that things taken from him might be restored.

“Even so,” she said, “that doesn’t mean my family were riders.” He looked into her eyes. She was lying. He didn’t know if she was lying to him or herself.

“I think a lot more families had secrets around magic than we ever knew,” he said softly. “Thank you, for talking to me.” She nodded.

“Of course,” she said. “Anything for our queen.” Prior smiled. Words he’d said himself so many times, vows he’d taken, whispered in the dark while Annalise whimpered and moaned in his arms. Anything for you. Until she stopped taking and he wasn’t sure if he had anything left to give.