The Bond (Book 2) (28 page)

On much of the way back to Caer Baronel, Millinith’s thoughts had returned to Lady Erindia’s odd queries. The only explanation that made any sense was that Master Doronal’s mother suspected he was in a relationship with Millinith. And not one of Magic Craft mentor to protege. Millinith was still flustered by the idea, even now. Her feet took her along the passages of the Magic Craft Hall as her mind continued to mull on it.

A boy in a messenger uniform was leaving Master Doronal’s office when she arrived. Millinith nodded to him, and he ducked his head—a quick bow—before rushing off to his next delivery destination.
She took a deep breath and walked in.

He was at his desk, as usual, pouring over whatever missive had been delivered. The man never seemed to rest. Though, he didn’t seem the worse for wear. His salt-and-pepper hair was predominantly black, his shoulders did not slump, and his eyes were sharp and clear. Though one could argue that he was blind right now.

She stood just inside the door, watching him. He rose and, still reading the sheet in his hand, walked over to one of his glass cabinets. With only a quick glance, he opened it and removed one of the oddments from within, returning to his desk after, nose still in the document.

She shook her head. “Lucky for you, I am
not
up to no good. Someone could step beside you and you’d not notice.”

Master Doronal’s head snapped up and he finally saw her. His gaze took her all in, and, unaccountably, he blushed. He locked gazes with her, and with mock anger—the humor in his eyes gave it away—he said, “Good gods, woman, you shouldn’t sneak up on a person like that.”

That he’d used ‘woman’ instead of ‘girl’ pleased her more than she thought it should. Placing her hands on her hips, she said, “Well, if you took notice of things besides what was right in front of your nose, a person wouldn’t be able to sneak up on you.”

“Mayhap.” He smiled and stood. It seemed as if he were going to step from behind the desk, but instead, he clasped his hands. “It is good that you are back. How did everything go?”

She removed two envelopes from her satchel and slid them across the desk. “Here are the signed receipts for the application submissions. Your mother—” Lady Erindia’s questions and Millinith’s conclusions about them returned. She studied Master Doronal. What did she really think of him?

Despite the flecks of silver in his hair, she suspected his age to be closer to thirty-five than forty—his face was unlined, the skin smooth. He couldn’t be
that
much older than her own twenty-one years. And he certainly had drive. He was involved in several different projects for Lord Baronel and the craft hall. He was attractive, too. In fact, a smile was working its way across his lips now, and an amused sparkle shone in his eyes. They were light brown, she now noticed.

“My mother?” he prompted.

“Is an interesting woman. She had, ah, someone submit the second application, as you said she would.” She sat in a leather chair. “Incidentally, I am ready for my mastery exam.”

“Excellent.” Master Doronal returned to his own seat.

It was curious, though, that he almost seemed to want to distance himself from his family. He’d certainly never mentioned them much at all. “Why don’t you use your surname?”

He blushed again.

That he was out of sorts once more, that she could so easily put him out of sorts again and again, gave her an odd sense of power. And it made her see him in a completely different light. He was human, and he was a man. Before, he’d just been ‘Master Doronal.’ She’d never really consciously thought of him as having a sex. Or . . . having sex.

“I was worried you’d find out about that.”

Her eyes widened. Had he somehow—No. No, he was responding to her question. “Oh?” Her voice almost sounded normal.

“I always felt embarrassed when I used my surname. It just seemed so pompous. I stopped using it when I joined Magic Craft.”

Had she subconsciously felt an attraction to him before? Because there was definitely something, now. “Well, your family, the few I met, didn’t seem full of themselves at all. They were decent enough people.”

“Oh, for the most part, they are. I just didn’t like the ideas people got when I used the surname. People think of you differently, treat you differently.” His brows drew together.

“Yes. I can definitely see that. I met your nephew, by the way. Kaiden.”

“Kaiden!” His initial smile, big and bright, faded somewhat. “So, you met him, did you?”

“I did. He’s the one who turned in the other application.”

“He’s quite, ah, charming, isn’t he?”

“Oh, he is. Your mother warned me about him. She said he was nearly as bad as you.”

With a hearty laugh, he said, “I do miss my mother. Perhaps I should visit soon.” With a wolfish grin, he said, “Yes, I was once as bad as Kaiden.”

The look suited him surprisingly well. Lady Erindia was right. “I don’t know that I’d call it ‘bad.’”

The grin slipped from his face. “You like him, do you?”

“Kaiden? He’s likable enough,” she said, watching her finger trace a seam in the leather of the armrest. “But he’s like a new weapon, fresh from the blacksmith. Bright and shiny, yes, but with a rough grip.”

She looked up. “I think I prefer a weapon that has been used a bit. A weapon that fits more comfortably in the hand, so to speak.” Her words brought warmth to her cheeks and set her heart racing. Gods, what had gotten into her?

His lips parted slightly and a slow flush crept up his cheeks. “I see.” Clearing his throat, he smiled and said, “Yes, well, I’m glad you enjoyed your stay. You said you were ready for your mastery exam?”

Swallowing, she responded quickly. “I am. Though I have to admit to being confused as to why you want me to take it.”

He drummed his fingers on the desk. “One reason is that I wanted you to finish what I interrupted when I put you on the investigation team. Once that is achieved, all the goals you set yourself in the craft will be complete.”

He looked up at her, fingers stilled. “Did you visit Enora while you were there?”

“I did.” She nodded.

“How is she?”

“She’s doing surprisingly well. She’s happy.”

“Good.”

“Having lunch with her was like closing a book on that part of my life.” Millinith’s brows lifted upon hearing her own words. Is that why she felt so free to pursue other interests?

“I see. And so, perhaps you won’t mind opening a new book, then.”

“W–What do you mean?” She looked at him, heart beating faster.

“There was another reason I needed you to complete your mastery.”

She stared at him, brows furrowed. Mastery? What did that have to do with anything?

“Tell me, would you like more control over the nahual investigation?”

Lady Erindia had posed the same question to her. “I suppose I would.”

“You suppose?”

“I would, yes.” She crossed her arms. “What’s going on? Your mother asked me the same thing.”

His eyes narrowed. “I have a proposition for you.”

+ + + + +

Aeron stepped to the side of the cobbled street to let a wagon pass. The driver tipped his hat as the vehicle clacked by. Aeron adjusted the large cloth bag hanging over his shoulder and continued on to his rooms. Though he no longer lived in the dorms, he still had to visit the Laundry to pick up nightwear, small clothes, and such, when he got low.

Having Renata and Xochi around had lifted his spirits a great deal. He didn’t feel the same worry he had when others had joined them. One reason, no doubt, was Anaya’s excitement at having another dragon around. She wasn’t the lone dragon anymore. Aeron had never considered how his bond-mate might feel not having other dragons to be friends with. He had Willem—more than a mere friend—and Sharrah, and Cheddar, and Jessip. His mouth twisted. There had been Liara and Fillion, too, at one time. Still, he had friends. And now Anaya did, too. He smiled.

Another reason, he supposed, was that Renata really wasn’t competition for Willem. She already had a dragon.

He stopped walking.

Yrdra’s ice-cold tits! Will I ever stop thinking that way?

Frowning at himself, he hurried on. There wasn’t much time before Animal Craft lessons began.

Voices came from the other end of the building by the time he finished putting everything away. He grabbed his notebook, snagged a couple of pencils, and headed to the office. The large room now served as both the investigation office and as official classroom for dragonlinked training.

When he walked in, he was surprised to see both masters there with Gregor, and more surprising still, Millinith was back!

He shot her a smile and a wave. Her return smile and raised hand were a little lacking in enthusiasm.

When the others arrived, all were happy to see Millinith.

“I wonder how her trip went,” Willem whispered, sitting next to him.

“I’m not sure,” he replied. She seemed distracted.

Master Doronal stood after everyone was seated. “Master Millinith has returned from her trip to Delcimaar. A successful trip, I might add. With the submission of the two applications, everyone should now think that our aim is to start a company.”

Aeron’s brows rose. Master Millinith? He hadn’t even known she was studying for her mastery exam!

Master Doronal smiled. “From your expressions, I see there is much to explain.” He glanced at Master Canneth before addressing everyone again. “Millinith took and passed her mastery exam earlier today.”

All the earnest words of congratulations that followed made the blond girl blush.

“Thank you, all,” she said. “It is good to finally accomplish my goal from so long ago.”

“Master Millinith.” Liara’s head was tilted as she stared at the new master. “It’s going to take me a while to get used to calling you that.” She smiled.

“Yes, well, be sure you all accord her the honor she is due.” Master Doronal passed his gaze around the room. “Mastering any craft is not an easy task. She’s worked long and hard at this.”

Sharrah turned to Master Doronal. “That wasn’t the only surprise you sprang on us. What’s this ‘think our aim is to start a company’ business?”

Aeron had forgotten that part.

Master Doronal nodded. Looking around at everyone, he said, “You see, our plan is to start a craft guild.”

Aeron shot to his feet. “Wait a minute, how will I—” His question was drowned out as everyone shouted queries of their own.

Master Doronal raised his hands. “Please, everyone, return to your seats.”

When all had done so, he clasped his hands behind his back and began pacing. “A craft guild was ever our plan. When we learned that someone plotted against us, however, we decided subterfuge was the wisest course to take. Forming a craft guild is more difficult than forming a business, and diverting unwanted attention could make that process easier to complete without interference. Even so, there are a number of requirements that overlap between business and guild formation, so our path is not without obstacles.”

“One of the things we must be careful of,” Master Canneth said, “is letting out too much information of what we do.”

“It’s not that what we are doing is underhanded,” Master Doronal said. “Not at all. Our concern is that someone out there is trying very hard to stop Lord Baronel, to stop us, from moving forward. Keeping them in the dark can only help us in our goal.”

“To that end,” Master Canneth said, “we must be cautious about what information we give out ourselves. We can’t control what other people in the Caer know and do, but we can certainly control what we tell our friends and families in word and in writing. We don’t need information to spread faster by doing so ourselves.”

Master Doronal nodded. “Exactly. And certainly nothing about having another dragon. Even now, the number of people showing up at the stables has increased dramatically, much less if everyone in the land knew about Renata and Xochi.”

“And we’d also have more people wanting to be dragonlinked,” Aeron mumbled.

“Barbs and blades!” Gregor stood, hands on his head. He looked at Master Doronal, eyes wide. “We have to stop the outgoing mail!”

“What?” Master Doronal said. “Why?”

“I wrote a letter to my father and talk a great deal about Renata and Xochi in it. I didn’t know!”

“One letter shouldn’t matter too—”

“My father isn’t just a normal person, he’s a lord.”

Aeron was surprised. Gregor was high-born?

“If he learns of them,” Gregor said, “he’ll more than likely share the information with his acquaintances and business partners.” He looked down at the table, at his notebook. “All my life I’ve never been one to focus on anything, so he was very curious about what had finally taken my interest. I’ve been writing letters to him about Aeron and Anaya and how much I love my work. I’m sure he talks of me, now that I’m actually passionate about something. He likely told my mother, too. And she loves boasting of me and my sister to her friends. Gods!” He looked at Master Doronal. “Who knows how far this information will reach?”