Dragons heart, p.1
Dragon's Heart, page 1
Whispering Willows Book 11:
Dragon’s Heart
By Diana Dawn
Table of Contents
Title Page
Would you like a FREE e-book of your choice from the Whispering Willows series? Simply drop me a line at Diana@DianaDawnBooks.com and I will send you a FREE copy of an e-book of YOUR choice in my Whispering Willows series! Just let me know which one you would like. Plus, let me know if you would like to receive my monthly newsletter, then you can be sure to stay informed of my latest book, giveaways, freebies, promotions, news, 'swag' and more! Be sure and visit my website at http://www.dianadawnbooks.com.
Chapter 1 | Pay the piper HOW much?
Chapter 2 | Speaking of Alcatraz...
Chapter 3 | Even
Chapter 4 | A Proper Reunion
Chapter 5 | Take These Broken Wings
Chapter 6 | Astrological Encounters
Chapter 7 | Anyone for a BBQ?
Chapter 8 | The Scavenger Hunt
Chapter 9 | Healing Waters
Chapter 10 | A Lonely Quest
Chapter 11 | Sword of Ecstasy
Chapter 12 | Dragon’s Heart
Chapter 13 | The Lurker
Afterword
Would you like a FREE e-book of your choice from the Whispering Willows series? Simply drop me a line at Diana@DianaDawnBooks.com and I will send you a FREE copy of an e-book of YOUR choice in my Whispering Willows series! Just let me know which one you would like. Plus, let me know if you would like to receive my monthly newsletter, then you can be sure to stay informed of my latest book, giveaways, freebies, promotions, news, 'swag' and more! Be sure and visit my website at http://www.dianadawnbooks.com.
Chapter 1
Pay the piper HOW much?
Mitch didn’t sleep a wink. He rocked in the rocker all night, dazed, as the horrifying events of the previous night played over and over in his mind. Mitch looked over at the bed. Even in the late hour, it didn’t look inviting. He frowned at the defiled object that once held such beautiful memories of him and his beloved Princess. He’d worried about her so. Every hour, he would creep over to the barn and check on her ... finding her sound asleep in the loft each time, a wet handkerchief clutched in her hand. Each hour, Mitch would return to his trusted rocker in tears over the pain he’d caused that angelic creature he hoped he could still honestly call his wife.
She awoke to the crow of the rooster, saddened to be awakened from her dreams ... dreams that were void of last nights’ events. Snow sat up in the loft, rubbing her arm where the imprint of the prickly hay had made a visible mark on her skin. ‘Why?’ It was the only word that her mind would repeat. Why any of it? Her absence those several months ... Lily’s sudden refusal of Thomas ... and of course, the affair itself? She remembered Mitch’s desperate attempt to speak to her the night before. He left so quickly. Perhaps it was best. What would she say? She’d never been in a situation such as this... that was obvious. She heard him tell her Mum that he and Lily had thought Snow dead, and that it was a mistake. So how could she hold that against him? She really couldn’t. But what about Lily? She knew that Lily’s heart truly belonged to Thomas. At least she thought it did. Could he have refused her? Certainly not. So what now? She surely did not feel like speaking to anyone. What she really wanted was ... yes, of course. ‘Why not?’ she thought. It could get her mind off things. Dawn had not yet peaked, but with just a few of the villagers stirring. Still, she was able to slip into the woods unnoticed. She heard the men and Maci talking the night before regarding the disappearance of her sister. Snow then assumed Maci had searched for her in the woods during the night, being that she is the only one allowed. She stopped, as it occurred to her that Olivia’s was the most likely place Lily would be. She preferred to not see her sister at that moment until she could process everything. However, she did want to see Olivia. Guess she’d have to wait. She could use some time to herself in the woods to think.
Unwilling to face the stares of the villagers in the Willows, Mitch sought refuge in the woods alone. He did feel guilty for leaving the others high and dry as far as breakfast was concerned, but he knew they would manage somehow. He thought perhaps a quiet spot to think ... maybe a brook babbling in the background might calm his nerves. Then he saw a figure coming towards him through the trees ... a female. Snow! He thought. His face fell when he realized.
“What are you doing here?” Lily inquired of him, half nervously averting her eyes to and fro, trying to look casual.
Mitch looked straight at her. He tried to not be obvious regarding his apparent despair. “I might ask you the same question. From what I hear, they’ve been pretty frantic looking for you back in the village. You just disappeared without telling anyone where you were going. You know that won’t set well with Maci.”
The annoyance suddenly shone in Lily’s eyes as they rolled to the back of her head. “I don’t give a rip about what Maci thinks. She’s got it out for me, anyway.”
Clearing his throat, Mitch said pointedly, “Well, I don't think things will be any better now.”
Lily looked down as she twiddled with the ruffle of her blouse. “I’m returning to the kingdom as soon as possible. I would assume Mum will be coming with me.”
Mitch nodded, with no surprise in his tone. “I figured as much. What about Thomas?”
“What about him?" Lily asked, still not looking up. "He’s furious. I know he doesn’t want to talk to me, probably not ever. It’s best that I go ... especially considering everything.”
Again Mitch nodded silently and then added, “Will you even say goodbye to Snow?”
Lily let out a sarcastic chuckle, and this time looked at him, “I doubt Snow even wants to acknowledge me as her sister much less ever see me again.”
“Lily, you’re wrong. You know Snow better than that.”
Lily nodded, “Yes, and I know that of all people, she will never leave you, no matter what ... not even for this.”
Mitch sighed and looked past her, out into the trees. “I hope you’re right, Lily. I can’t lose her.”
Again, she shied her eyes to the ground, her tone adopting an apologetic feel. “Mitch, look ... since I’m leaving, I need to clear up a few things. I know how tormented you have been ever since Snow fell from that mountain’s edge. I know it's been sheer hell for you. I also know that night ...” she paused to take a deep breath, “I know that you thought I was Snow. I know that you believed I was Snow quite a bit over the last few months. I realize that now. And I’m sorry about what happened. That night ... I don’t know what was going through my head. I had just been talking with Thomas, and he and I were ... well, that was the night Becca was born and we were ... interrupted, so to speak. And I was fighting with myself about leaving because I really didn’t want to.”
Lily then walked over to a cluster of trees and began fumbling with the leaves growing out of one of the trunks. “I went to your cabin because I wanted to be alone and I knew you’d be at the hut for a while. I had no intention of staying. I had a terrible headache, and my mind was all cluttered with my own conflicts. That’s when I saw the wine, and what can I say? I was longing for someone I knew I couldn’t have. And before I knew it, I’d downed both bottles. I have no excuse.” She then turned to Mitch. “When you came in, I was having the loveliest dream about Thomas ... and then the dream became more and more real, and ... well, the next thing I remember, I woke up in your bed. It seems as though we both were with someone else that night. Of course, getting all of them to believe it is another story.”
Mitch nodded and ashamedly looked off into the distance.
Lily then approached him. “But I want you to know that I never meant to hurt you or keep anything from you. I just couldn’t say anything until I was sure.”
At this, Mitch looked at her confused, “What are you talking about?”
Lily again shied her eyes downward. “I came back because I sensed something was wrong with my sister ... and indeed there was. But I never sensed she was dead.”
Mitch took a step back. “B-but there’s no way you could have known one way or the other?”
Lily nodded, still not looking at him. “Yes. I’ve sensed Snow since I can remember. I just never knew what it was till she found me. So when I came back, I knew she was alive ... somewhere. That’s why I was determined to find her.”
Mitch shook his head in disbelief. “You KNEW Snow was alive? And you never said anything!?”
Lily now looked at him, hearing the rising anger in his tone. “I couldn’t. I didn’t know what condition she was in, or where she was. She could have been in another world for all I knew ... another time ... you know, like another mirror or something.”
Mitch rubbed his face with his hands. “It doesn’t matter Lily! Here we all were ... here I was ... grieving, believing that you were her ... and all along you could have told us she was alive... put our minds at ease! Then we could’ve even searched for her!”
“Mitch, you know there’s no way to find her in Olivia’s lair.”
“I don’t care!” Mitch glared at her, anger showing prominently in his eyes. “None of this would have happened if you’d have told us ... told SOMEONE ... told ME!”
“Mitch, don’t be angry. Please understand ...”
Mitch then turned away from her and waved her off with his hands. He’d had enough of the discussion and was now eager to get away by himself. “You’d better get back to the village, Lily.”
“Mitch please ...”
“Goodbye, Lily.
He was already around the corner of the woods trail before Lily could say another word.
Mitch had no idea how much time had passed since he’d been sitting there on the bank. Could have been minutes ... could have been hours. Suddenly, a rush of air over his head startled him.
“Oh geez ... Olivia, you scared me.”
The winged white horse landed softly near him and then kneeled into a resting position.
“It’s OK. I know you didn’t mean to.”
She nudged at his neck. He smiled and patted her on the head. “I’m glad you’re here. I don’t know if Snow’s told you ... but she told me about you. At least, I just wanted you to know.”
The horse whinnied and stirred somewhat.
“But it’s OK ... I won’t tell your secret, I promise. It’s not mine to tell.” He looked over at her face, and she seemed to be at peace with his promise.
“You wouldn’t believe what’s happened.” Mitch continued. “Actually, you probably would. Lily stayed with you last night, didn’t she?”
The horse reared its head up and down in agreement.
“Oh God, Olivia! It’s such a mess ... everything!” Mitch buried his face in his hands. “What have I done! Somehow I must have known ... must have been able to stop it.” He lifted his head to now reveal the tears beginning to stream down his face. “It’s all a blur, really ... all of it. They would tell me I would do things, after Snow fell from that mountain. It’s like I only remember half of my entire existence then. Everything’s fuzzy. I remember the grief ... all too well do I remember that. But then Thomas and Maci would tell me that I would do things ... act like I thought Snow was alive. And part of me remembers that too ... that I wanted to believe it so badly. It was like a dream to me. I do remember the Christmas present I made her. I do remember feeling happy sometimes. It was all like I was dreaming. Then when I was awake, I was grieving ... going to that mountain’s edge for hours on end just looking, wondering where she was, what she was doing? Was she watching from above?”
Roughly, he wiped the tears from his face with the back of his hand. “And I remember when Lily came back. God, Olivia, she knew! She knew all along! I know I can’t blame her for what I did, but still. It wouldn’t have happened if she’d have just told someone, anyone. I was so dazed over it all. I barely remember anything during those months, but I remember the night Lily came back. It was New Year’s Eve, the night before what would have been Snow’s and my second wedding anniversary. And Thomas had just ingrained it into my head that believing that Snow was alive was a lie. And then suddenly, it was like I awoke from the dream, just to enter a nightmare. It was devastating. I couldn’t handle it ... I didn’t want to. I didn’t want to go on without her. I went to that mountain like I had so many times before, but this time was different. I had a purpose, a dark one. That’s when Lily yanked me back. I looked up into her face. It was Snow’s face. That’s what I thought. God, I thought I’d already fallen off the edge and gone to heaven to be with her. From there on, it was like the dream again, only it was easier to live the dream then. Lily looked so much like Snow. I believed what I wanted to believe. If I’d only known.”
Mitch shook his head and stood. Irritated, he walked to the brush and stared at nothing. “That night, I was so tired from cooking. It still seems like a dream to me ... much like the last several months. I just wanted to get back to her ... my Princess. It was like I fully expected her to be there. I was in that dream again ... and there she was, sound asleep in front of the fire. She was in her bathrobe, as she always was right after her bath.” He crammed his hands through his hair in frustration. “God listen to me, I’m still talking like it was Snow there that night.” He paused and again stared out at nothing. “She was so peaceful. I hated to wake her. So I gently kissed her, and I was going to put her to bed so she wouldn’t have a terrible neck cramp the next morning from sleeping on the floor. But she kissed me back. At that point, I guessed she was half awake. It was so tender. I carried her to the bed. I just wanted her to be comfortable ... but the kissing went on longer. And then ...”
He punched his fist at a tree trunk. “How did I get so mixed up?” He then rested his forehead against the tree, tears streaming down his cheeks. “It was her. God, I thought it was her. It was Snow I was with that night. Why didn’t I see the truth? Why was I so blinded ... blinded to something that important?”
He sat hard onto the ground, staring at a patch of dandelions. “Now, I feel like I’ve wronged them both. I know it’s both of our faults but ...” He continued softly, “It wasn’t until the next morning I saw the empty bottles of wine on the floor and Lily’s gypsy scarf near the fire. I realized then what I’d done. She was drunk, and I took advantage. I never even knew it.” He shook his head. “Why? What kind of bastard am I?”
Quietly behind a nearby tree, a figure stood quietly crying in unison to Mitch’s tale. “You’re not,” she whispered ever so softly.
Mitch’s words of anger still rang in Lily’s ears. Eager to get packed, leave the Willows for good, and return home, Lily quickened her pace toward the village. Her hopes of grabbing her things and leaving unnoticed were dashed as she stopped dead in her tracks at the obstacle in her path. There stood Maci glaring at her ... cigarette in one hand and her other hand on her hip.
“Damn, it’s still breathing and walking in completely the wrong direction... back into our lives. Can't you take a hint?”
Lily hissed a frustrated sigh. “Well, you needn’t worry about me, now. I’m just going to get my things and get the hell out of this village.”
She attempted to push past Maci, who grabbed her arm. “Not so fast there, missy. You have some people to answer to before you cowardly run away from your problems.” She then gave Lily a cold eye. “You give gypsies a bad name. At least they don’t hurt everyone under the sun before they move on. Oh, but that’s right, you aren’t a gypsy anymore, according to you. You’re a ‘princess’.” Maci made the quotes motion with her fingers. “So tell me ‘princess’, isn't there a frog somewhere waiting for you? Not for you to kiss to turn it into a prince ... but they eat pond scum, don't they?”
Lily was furious, and once again tried to push past Maci. “Outta my way!”
Maci wasn’t letting go. Instead, she smiled. “What’s your hurry? I’m sure he’ll wait ... keep the bed warm for ya. So who’s the lucky bloke this time? Or should I say, unlucky?”
Lily tried to yank her arm free. “Shut up! I can’t deal with YOU right now!”
Maci threw Lily’s arm back at her with disgust. "Oh, for God’s sake, grow up! If you're gonna play big girls’ games, you gotta face the consequences ... like all the rest of us. But hey! Lily thought she knew better, despite endless warnings. So you just had to do it your way ... your slutty little way ... and everyone found out. News flash ... you blew it! If ya can't deal with people knowing what you did ... hey, ya shouldn't have done it. Face it! No, but you choose to run away, your usual style. But at least don't insult us by expecting sympathy for doing what you did! Cause you won’t get any here! So I suppose the best thing for you to do IS in fact run away. It’s what you do best, isn’t it? I hope your fiancée prince fellow back home doesn’t mind ‘sloppy seconds’ ... cause that’s what he’s getting!”
Enraged, Lily slapped Maci hard across the face. She then could see it in Maci’s burning eyes, that perhaps that was a mistake.
Definitely a mistake, thought Maci, as she in turn slapped Lily so hard, Lily almost lost her balance as she wobbled backwards, and then cradled her cheek tenderly in her hand.
“Don’t dish out what you can’t handle, sweetheart!” Maci scoffed as she grinned at Lily’s pained reaction to her almost effortless slap.
Suddenly Lily screamed, enraged, and came at Maci. Maci braced herself, but Lily threw herself on top of the woman, and they both went splashing into a nearby mud puddle. Maci was trying to get a hold on Lily while Lily tried to claw at Maci’s face with her nails. But before she could get a grip, Maci then clocked her in the jaw to get her off her. She didn’t strike Lily that hard. ‘The woman had a glass jaw,’ thought Maci. She turned to see a mud-covered Lily grab a large branch and come at her. Still on the ground, Maci was able to knock Lily’s legs out from under her with a swift kick, causing Lily to crash against a tree and into a bush. Lily rose slowly, her nose now beginning to bleed from hitting the tree head on, and there were scratches on her face, arms and legs from the brush she fell into. Maci stood to her feet, preparing for whatever else this little wench decided to dish out. Lily tried to stand, her legs imbalanced, then fell back to the ground. She clasped her forehead. It stung from where the prickly brush had pierced it.
