Book 3. The saga continues. With her mating to Haku rapidly approaching, Chihiro has a number of new problems to face. But these are nothing compared to the plans a new foe has for her. Sequel to Enchantment of the Heart.
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Chihiro looked around forlornly. Linca was lying in the middle of the road; the holding spell had yet to wear off. They had been taken a mile from the city, in a locked palanquin. Linca had struggled against the spell the entire time, making the palanquin sway sickeningly. She only stopped when Chihiro threatened to throw up on her. Now Linca lay still on the blanket the lion spirit had laid her on. The magic would wear off in an hour and they would be free to go. Chihiro squatted beside her.
"There is nothing you can do," she said with a sigh. "Acting like a rabid dog has got you exactly nowhere." She scowled down at the inert sprite. "Biting that poor rhino spirit was hardly ladylike."
Chihiro realised she was taking her own frustration on the sprite; her cheek still stung. She was also speaking to Linca in a tone that sounded dangerously like one her mother would use when she was displeased.
Chihiro sighed and glanced around the wooded lane. The sun was shining overhead and dappled shadows were dancing on the rutted road as trees swayed in the warm breeze.
"But I can understand how you feel," she murmured to the sprite. "I don't want to accept this either." She looked at the sky overhead with its fluffy white clouds. "In fact," she murmured, "I am not going to accept this!" she said firmly, finally coming to a decision.
Linca gurgled in response, the white wide eyes staring up at the blue sky. Chihiro turned her on to her right side, in case she choked. Chihiro guessed the lion spirit had not been lying when he said he was good at holding spells.
She looked up; she could hear the pounding of hooves. The Nygel had found them. The charming pony crashed through the woodland, at a full gallop, skidding to a halt just before he hit the two women.
"Mistress!" it whinnied.
"How did you know that I was here?" asked Chihiro.
"I detected Master Haku's magic!" he nickered proudly. "It practically shouts who you are."
As pleased as Chihiro was that her mate wished to protect her, she also realised that she would never be able to hide her identity, unless there was another human who had recently fallen in love with a Dragon, and would therefore be reeking of Dragon magic.
The Nygel tossed his head and snorted.
"I see someone finally put the ugly Russian in her place." Linca gurgled in outrage, but she could still neither move nor speak. "Where are the others?" asked the Nygel brightly.
"They are still in the Citadel," said Chihiro gloomily. "All did not go well there."
"I am not surprised," the Nygel snorted. "The whole place stinks of decay. Nothing good can happen in a place that smells like that."
The Nygel sat himself on the road, upright like a dog or cat might - the front hooves were neatly placed together on uneven road, his tail curled around his rump which also rested on the road. He looked so ridiculously odd that Chihiro nearly started laughing.
