Koldis the Green (DRAGONWALL SERIES 4)

CHAPTER 17: TAUNTING TAYLYNN

Six of them, circled around a lone figure in a flowing Spriten gown. She was laughing, her head thrown back, delicate fingers rubbing muzzles and scratching ears. The smile on her lips left his heart thudding. He stood, transfixed as Princess Taylynn leaned forward and kissed one of the creatures on the nose, rubbing her own against it in a gentle caress. The gesture was so...open, so vulnerable.

A flush washed over him. This felt like a private moment, like something he shouldn't be allowed to witness. Overly aware of his intrusion, knowing that were he to back away, she'd spot him anyway, he cleared his throat.

"Yes, yes," she said, not bothering to glance in his direction. He expected exasperation in those words, but her happiness was fixed. "I know you're there, Lord Koldis. Come. Come and greet them."

New pets? Several of the unicorns glanced in his direction.

He hesitated. The last thing he would ever do was let this Sprite know how much she grated his scales. So he stepped forward, donning an air of confidence, and began petting the nearest unicorn.

Ahh, pets. Ears. Pet ears. The unicorn tilted its head, better exposing its ears. He knew what it wanted without it needing the extra effort. Still, he lifted his hand and began rubbing the base of its ears and down its neck.

No, ears. Ears. Despite his rubbing, the unicorn continued to angle its head, clearly displeased.

"Here—" Suddenly Taylynn was beside him, her body angled towards his, so close he could all but feel the heat radiating off her. "Lya likes her ears scratched in a particular way. Like this—"

He froze. Taylynn took his left hand without permission, weaving her fingers through his to control his thumb and forefinger, stroking not the base of Lya's ears as he'd been doing, but the inside. All the while, Taylynn's smile was radiant, as if she could singlehandedly light the world with the brightness of it. He didn't dare move a muscle, overly aware of her proximity, nearly flush against his side. Up close, he all but dwarfed her. She was shorter than Claire, and only came to the middle of his chest. He dared not meet her eyes, instead turning his upon the unicorn.

Yessss. Pets. Lya radiated pleasure—momentarily distracting him from Taylynn's presence. The unicorn even let out a gentle humming sound. A bark of laughter fell from his lips, unbidden. But it was quickly followed by the realization of what was happening here.

He stepped away, extracting his hand from Taylynn's. However, he didn't miss the smug curl at the corner of her lips. Almost as if... "Always so easy to fluster, Drengr," she murmured.

He crossed his arms, immediately on edge. "Why are you taking Claire into the forest?" The question shattered the calm that had settled around them.

Taylynn's expression changed. Her smiles slipped away. She whispered a few words to the unicorns that sent them plodding off before turning back to him. "I'm taking her to find answers, Lord Koldis. Answers that she surely seeks."

"Answers..." Something in her words was familiar

"Saffra delivered my message, I trust?"

Things clicked into place. His lips pressed into a thin line. "You're taking her to find the staff, then?"

Taylynn frowned. "The staff?"

A chuckle fell from his lips. "Forgive me, Your Highness, but confusion isn't your strong suit." Something of pleasure trickled through him at seeing her usual shell crumble away. It lent an air of imperfection to her otherwise spotless facade.

Taylynn immediately schooled her features. "Claire has a great deal of work to do if she is to master her magic. And even then, she cannot defeat Kane with magic alone."