Enchantment (52 page)

“Catz,
guard
Meeka
and
the
others,”
the
dragon
rasped
with
a
growl. Catz
stood
her
ground.

The
large,
powerful
wings
thu
m
p
ed
against
the
air
as
he
took
off
with
a
roar
that
caused
her ears
ring.
She
stared
in
bewilde
r
m
ent.

Meeka,
yo
u
'
r
e
losing
it.
Not
only
are
you
lusting
after
a
m
an
whose
two
hun
d
red
yea
r
s
old, but
he's
a
d
ragon.

Concerned,
s
he
watched
his
powerful
wings
effortless
l
y
carry
h
i
m
through
the
sk
y
.

Regardless
of
all
that,
he
w
a
s
striking.
Meeka
watched
as
his
large,
powerful
wings effortless
l
y
carried
him
through
the
sk
y
.
Blue
-
green
scales
shim
m
e
red
in
the
afternoon
light. Sharp,
dagger-like teeth filled
his
m
outh as
he
roared, his head
swerving
side
-
to-side
on
his
long, graceful
neck.
He
scanned
the
ground
with
large
y
e
l
l
o
w
reptilian
e
y
e
s
,
his
barbed
tail
flicking with
his
e
m
o
tions.

Top
a
z...like
the
mountain.

He
circled
the
large
field,
spun
upside
down
and
returned,
landing
a
short
distance
aw
a
y
.

Black
clouds
s
wirled
violent
l
y
,
and
bolts
of
lighting
s
naked
jagged
l
y
across
the
m
,
perhaps representing
his
anger.

“H
o
w
dare
so
m
ebo
d
y
t
r
y
to
m
ess
with
m
e
and
Meeka?
They
don’t
know
what
th
e
y
’
re dealing
with.
When
I
catch
h
i
m
,
I’ll
s
how
him
w
hat
true
evil
is,”
Kerrigan
bellowed
through
the air.

With
a
large
breath
through
his
giant
nostrils,
he
lowered
his
head
gent
l
y
toward
her.
“
A
re
y
o
u
oka
y
?
”

She
tre
m
b
led,
looking
into
his
dragon
e
y
e
s
.
She’d
seen
his
e
y
e
s
this
color
before.
“I’m
fine. What’s
going
o
n
?
”

“So
m
et
h
ing
followed
u
s.”

“I’d
hate
to
see
Meeka’s
day
ruined.
I
think
we
should
continue
on,
if
Meeka
is
up
to
it,” Paddy
s
uggested.

“I’d
real
l
y
like
to
continue, if
ever
y
o
n
e is
still
okay
with
that
?
”

Kerrigan
groaned,
but
crouched
low
to
the
ground.
“This
is
against
my
better
j
udg
m
ent,
but h
o
w
can
I
argue
with
two
w
omen.
We
will
continue,
but
we
aren’t
going
on
foot.
Eve
r
y
o
ne climb
up.
Meeka,
y
ou sit
in
the front.”

When
eve
r
y
o
ne was
in
place,
he
spread
his
large
wings,
com
m
a
nding,
“
Hang
on.”

Straight
into
the
air
they
went.
The
wind
brushing
against
her
face
felt
s
o
refreshing.
Th
e
y flew
to
the
end
of
Pixie
Field,
which
took
them
to
the
edge
of
the
m
ountains.
Meeka
spied
the lake.
S
he’d
kn
o
wn
it
would
be
beautifu
l
;
eve
r
y
t
h
i
ng
in
Enchantment
w
a
s.

The
lake
was
situated
right
at
the
base
of
a
m
a
j
estic
m
ount
a
in
surround
by
the
tall
cedars.
It w
a
s
a
dark
turquoise
color
and
fed
b
y
a
large
waterfall
thundering
off
the
side
of
the
m
ount
a
in. Meeka
could
hardly
wait to
dip
her
feet or perhaps go for
a swi
m
. She also wondered
w
hat funny fish
were.

Kerrigan
landed
th
e
m
in
a
spot
close
to
the
lake.
Catz
j
u
m
ped
off
with
Meeka
in
tow,
and the
others
vanished,
and
then
im
m
e
di
a
te
l
y
appeared
on
the
ground.
She
couldn’t
take
her
e
y
e
s off
the
dragon.

What
fe
m
a
le
in
her
right
m
ind
wouldn’t
want
hi
m
?
He
was
big,
strong,
and
incredib
l
y
s
e
x
y
. Kerrigan
turned
away
from
the
group,
and
in
a
large
cloud
of
m
ist,
m
a
t
eria
l
ized
back
into
his nor
m
al for
m
.
Heavens
help
her.
Meeka
could
only
ogle
as
he
m
arc
h
ed
toward
her.

She
wanted
him
m
ore
than
ever.
J
ust
like
last
night,
naked
and
pressed
up
against
her.
She wanted
to
lick
and
tease him
j
u
st
like
he’d
done
to
her.

Meeka
caught
a
gli
m
pse
of
her
hand
while
shoving
it
in
her
pocket.
The
sparkles
had returned.
This
sight
of
him
stalking
toward
her
sent
a
flutter
of
desire
tearing
through
her sto
m
ach.
He
pulled
her
into
his
ar
m
s,
obvious
l
y
not
caring
who
watched.
S
he
was
overwhelmed with
a
sense
of
securi
t
y
.

“You’re
safe,
believe
m
e;
I
will
kill
who
m
ever
or
w
hatever
tries
to
harm
y
o
u
,
”
he
w
hispered.

“I’m
sor
r
y
to
cause
s
o
m
u
ch
trouble.”

“You
are
no
trouble,
but
so
m
ebo
d
y
is
tr
y
i
n
g
to
m
ake
trouble.”
Reluctant
l
y
,
Kerrigan
let
her go.
“I’m
starving,
Mo
m
.
I
hope
y
ou brought
lots
of
food.”

Paddy
giggled
w
hile
s
he
laid
the
blanket
on
the
ground.
“
O
f
course
I
brought
lots.
Let Meeka
go
so
she
can
come
help
m
e.”

The
declaration
of
caring
caused
Meeka
to
stare
at
the
ground.
O
ut
of
a
wkwardness,
Meeka bent
to
help
Pad
d
y
finish
la
y
i
n
g
the
blanket
and
unpack
the
basket
full
of
food.
A
meal
fit
for
a king…or
a
god.

Threeo
see
m
ed
over
j
o
y
ed with
the
food.
“
I
love
Padd
y
’s
cooking,”
he
said
to
Meeka. “Yes,
I
believe
I
heard those
w
ords
earlier toda
y
.
Pad
d
y
is
a
good
cook.”

“Well,
w
ho
wants
to
see
if
the
funny
fish
are
biting
?
”
Kerrigan
said,
looking
direct
l
y
at Meeka.

“I
can
fish,”
s
he
profe
s
sed.

“Well,
these
are
not
y
o
ur regular
t
y
p
e of
fish,
Meeka,”
Todd
explained. “H
o
w
come
I’m
not
surprise
d
?
”

“Th
e
y
’
re
called
fun
n
y
fish
for
a
reason,
but
I
won’t
tell
y
ou
wh
y
.
You
need
to
experien
c
e it,”
Todd
said,
rubbing
his
w
hiskers.

“I’m
rea
d
y
when
y
o
u are,”
s
he
challen
g
ed,
placing
a
hand
on
her
hip. Kerrigan
followed
them
d
o
wn
to
the
san
d
y
beach.