Dragonvein - Book Three by Brian D. Anderson

his head. “That-son-of-a-bitch!”
    “So you know what happened?” she asked.
    “Yeah. I sure as hell do. And that will be the last time. That much I can promise you.”
    As his vision cleared he could see the dark expression on Kat’s face. Struggling up into a seated position, he took her hands and kissed her fingers. “Are you all right?”
    She forced a smile. “I’m fine. Just a bit shaken.”
    “Did he hurt you?” he asked, trying his best to keep the anger out of his voice.
    Kat shook her head. “No. But there is something I have to talk to you about.”
    She went on to recount what Martok had said, diplomatically leaving out any mention of his attempted seduction. Halfway through the telling, Ethan spotted the sleeping Maytra wrapped in the blanket and took a moment to check that she was still alive.
    “I don’t think he would hurt her,” Kat said. “He seemed pretty angry that Renald hadn’t removed the curse.”
    Satisfied that the dragon was unharmed, he gestured for Kat to continue.
    Once she was done, he stood and turned his back, head lowered in contemplation. “Do you want me to allow Martok in?” he finally asked.
    Kat’s heart ached. She could detect the fear in his voice. If she said yes, she might doom his spirit and enable Martok to take permanent control of his body. But if she said no…
    Ethan turned to face her. “Well? Should I?”
    She stepped in and wrapped her arms around him in a gentle embrace. “Yes, I think you should. I don’t see any other way we can win.”
    Ethan leaned back just far enough for their eyes to meet. He gave her a reassuring smile. “I don’t trust him. But I do trust you. And if you think it’s the right thing to do, I’ll do it.”
    His words caused a knot in the pit of her stomach. “It’s the only thing we can do.”
    Ethan moved in to kiss her, but an agonized screech from Maytra shattered the moment. Quickly, he dropped down to examine the tiny dragon. She was thrashing her head about wildly, clearly in severe distress.
    “We need to get her to the cabin,” Ethan said. As carefully as possible, he scooped her up and cradled her in his arms. Before setting out, he paused to give Kat an apologetic smile. “I’m sorry the night got ruined. I really am.”
    She touched his cheek. “It’s all right. We can try again.”
    He tilted his head and kissed her hand. “And next time…no interruptions.”
    On arriving at the cabin, they found Jonas helping Renald to clear the table. Markus and Lylinora had already left for their customary after-dinner stroll by the lake. The moment Renald caught sight of the bundled up Maytra, he rushed over.
    “She’ll be fine,” Ethan told him before he could say anything. “No thanks to you though.”
    He walked over to the hearth and gently placed the dragon near the fire.
    “What happened?” Renald demanded. “And just what do you mean: No thanks to me? ”
    Ethan glared at the old mage. “You know exactly what I’m talking about. Tell me. How did you justify it to yourself? How many years passed before you stopped thinking about it altogether?”
    Renald locked eyes and squared his shoulders. “You had better tell me what the hell you are talking about, right now.”
    “The curse,” Ethan told him. “You could have lifted it. You could have freed her. Yet you allowed her to live some stunted half-life, just to ease your loneliness.”
    Renald looked stricken. The color drained from his cheeks. “It…it wasn’t like that,” he stammered. Averting his eyes, he pushed his way past Ethan to where Maytra was sleeping. His joints cracked as he knelt down beside her and touched her head with the tip of his finger. “You…you removed it? How?”
    Ethan flicked a hand. “It doesn’t matter how. What matters is that she's free.”
    Renald gazed down at his longtime companion, tears welling in his old eyes. “I know I should have freed her,” he admitted, choking back his sobs. He stroked her