Wings of Change (14 page)

Look for these titles by Bianca D’Arc

Now Available:

Dragon Knights 1: Maiden Flight

Dragon Knights 2: Border Lair

Dragon Knights 3: The Ice Dragon

Dragon Knights 4: Prince of Spies

Ladies of the Lair: Dragon Knights 1 & 2 in Print Lords of the Were

Forever Valentine

Resonance Mates 1: Hara’s Legacy

Coming Soon:

Sweeter Than Wine

FireDrake

Resonance Mates 2: Davin’s Quest

Resonance Mates 3: Jaci’s Experiment

Dragons.

Just the word conjures visions of a dreamworld filled with magic. Fiery passion. Love
without boundaries.

I Dream of Dragons

Available Now

In Bianca D'Arc's
Wings of Change,
one young woman could be the miracle that heals a dying dragon—and supplies the missing piece to his family. At the risk of her own heart, a knight issues a challenge to quell a troublesome dragon in Summer Devon's
Knight's Challenge
. Eve is a master manipulator, but two brother dragons catch her off-guard and turn her resistance to putty in Marie Harte's
The Dragon's Demon
. In Kathleen Scott's
Dragon Tamer,
Serrah and Darion race against time to find out what is killing the precious dragons of Cambry.

Nina Mamone's
Hard to Guard
forces two dragon guardians into a reluctant partnership to track down a kidnapped wyrm.

Are you ready for this world? Get ready to be swept away on the wings of dragons.

Prince Nico is a cunning master of stealth, but can he master a maiden’s fragile heart?

Prince of Spies

© 2007 Bianca D’Arc

Fourth book in the Dragon Knights series, but can be read on its own.

Prince Nico is known as the Prince of Spies for a reason. Not only is he the Spymaster of Draconia, but he’s a cunning shapeshifter able to take the form of a dragon at will. The gift of his royal heritage comes in handy as Spymaster for the king, but it’s a great secret known only to a few.

Riki lives in misery, chained up to serve a mad king’s perverted magic. Forced to use her draining healing skills to keep King Lucan of Skithdron alive, Riki is a shadow of the woman she should be.

Nico knows Riki is the woman he’s been searching for and wastes no time breaking them both out of the enemy palace. Thus starts an adventure that will take them across two countries, through peril and danger, and the discovery of an undeniable love and mutual respect. Will Nico have the courage to let her fly free, trusting she’ll return to him, or will his love smother the fledgling beauty who is breathing free air for the first time in her tragic life?

Enjoy the following excerpt for
Prince of Spies:

“This is a fine blade,” Nico nodded at Drake. “Good choice.”

Drake nodded, passing a set of knives to Nico. “Try these. There’s a fairly good swordsmith in town, willing to work quietly and not ask any questions.”

“Ah, the best kind,” Nico agreed, testing the weight of each of the blades with a critical eye. “These are fine too. Your smith is a good one. Did you manage to get anything for Riki?”

Drake grinned broadly and with a flourish, produced a bright red dress with yellow trim and enough frills to make Riki blink twice. It had a wide, tiered skirt, and a neckline that would scoop low over her breasts, but the sleeves would probably come all the way

to the middle of her forearms, hiding the worst of her scars and providing some warmth. It was flamboyant, but beautiful, and Riki could barely believe it was meant for her. Nico took it from Drake with gentle hands and walked over to the bed, sitting at her side. He draped the dress over her legs. “I want you to wear this, sweetheart. I know it’s a little bright, but we’re posing as Drake’s cousins from the Jinn. Most of the Jinn women dress in very bright colors and it will help to camouflage you.”

It touched her that he would worry over whether she liked the dress or not, but he didn’t truly understand her apprehension. Somehow, she needed to make him understand.

“It’s a beautiful dress, Nico,” she said softly. “Neither the color nor style bothers me. It’s just…I’ve never worn something so pretty. Or so new.”

Nico reached out and pulled her into his arms, rocking her close to his solid chest.

“You will have rooms of new dresses and gowns when I get you home to Draconia. I’ll see to it myself. Nothing is too good for you, Riki.” His fervently whispered words brought tears to her eyes as he rocked her ever so gently. “Put on the dress, sweetheart. Let’s begin your new life with this small step.”

He pulled back slowly and unwrapped the blanket from her shoulders. She let him. Tugging her old dress up, he pulled it over her head, but the light in his eyes was only partly sexual. No, his heat was tempered with care, gentleness and something she couldn’t quite name, but the flavor of it humbled her. Holding her gaze, Nico dropped the new dress over her head and tugged it down over her breasts and against her waist.

“Stand up, sweetheart.” Gingerly, she got to her feet at the side of the bed, allowing the material to swish down around her legs. The dress fell nearly all the way to the floor, swirling around her ankles, delicate as moth’s wings. Nico moved behind her to tie the sash that would fit the dress around her waist snugly and for the first time in her life, Riki felt feminine and pretty in the soft red dress. She spun and the voluminous, light skirt trailed a few seconds behind her movement. Experimentally, she tried moving a bit more and delighted in the swish of the silky material.

“It’s so beautiful.”

“
You’re
beautiful,” Nico breathed, watching her. Her eyes flew to his and she read hunger in his gaze—hunger and admiration that set her knees to wobbling.

“I agree.” Drake spoke from behind her, breaking the spell. “You look like a Jinn princess. It’s a perfect disguise. All it needs is this around your beautiful hair.” Drake produced a matching red, patterned scarf with lovely long fringe all around. He moved close to place it in her hand and Riki sighed at the whisper soft material that met her

touch. “Silk, from the eastern shores, for the Jinn princess, and golden bangles for your arms.” Drake produced three gold bracelets and held them up before her with a devilish smile.

“They’re perfect, Drake.” Nico stepped forward to examine the jewelry, holding out his hands for more. “What else did you get?”

Drake handed Nico a few other items but Riki couldn’t see what they were and she was too entranced by her new dress to really care. The men were the experts at this spy game, she was just a new player who must work hard to keep up. Nico turned and captured her hand, surprising her for a moment. Gently, he slid the bangles onto her arms, then placed a plain gold band around her finger, holding her gaze all the while. She knew in some lands, such rings were meant as mating gifts and it touched her that he would place such a mark on her finger. She noticed then, looking down to admire the ring, that he wore a matching band on his own finger.

“We’re mated,” he said shortly. “Nick and Ari from the tribes of the Jinn, come to visit and travel with our cousin Drake.”

“Wouldn’t it be safer just to stay hidden?”

“It’s always better to hide in plain sight,” Nico assured her, caressing her hand before letting go. “And I far prefer being your husband.”

“But we’re only pretending.”

“For now.” He agreed, but his eyes held a deeper message she was almost afraid to read.

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