pretty determined that eventuality didn’t happen. Then there wouldn’t be an issue at all. No dragon would protect her, but neither would they harm her.
“Anyone else have a suggestion, if not let’s get breakfast. Lunch even.”
Cleaned up, his Nysa used water magic to dry them even as they stepped out of the bath, and he pulled on his leathers while Nysa wore her red robes.
Shar said, “It’s a good enough plan. We can’t do anything until we find her or discern her plans, except keep aware.”
The five of them went down to the common room, though April was invisible and not eating of course. The common room was pretty packed, and they sat at one of the tables for six because all of the four person tables were taken.
It wasn’t long before the serving wench took their order and brought them their lunch, and he dug in. He was starved after missing breakfast and then the usual marathon of morning sex as he sated his four bonded lovers.
His eyes narrowed as a gorgeous redhead approached their table. She felt like a fire sorceress to him however, so he didn’t think it could be his sister. She was dressed in simple riding leathers. She had long and fiery curly red hair that fell in ringlets down her body. And ochre eyes that were almost a fiery orange in appearance.
She had a sharply attractive face, aristocratic, with strong cheekbones and a slightly pointed chin above full lips. Her body was average, if in a very perfect way at five foot eight. She was neither sumptuous, athletic, nor lithe, but perfectly average in the middle of those extremes with an hourglass body in perfect proportions. She moved with a predatory grace, which is what had captured his attention in the first place as she moved their way.
She smiled, giving them all a curious look, “I’m Cinder. Can I share your table?”
He waved neutrally at a chair and she sat down with her lunch.
“I’m Muranth.”
She laughed, “I know who you all are. I’m a fire sorceress that sometimes does work for the crown. It’s a pleasure to meet you.”
Shar asked, “Cinder?”
Cinder blushed, then shrugged, “A nickname of sorts, I kind of like to burn my enemies to cinders. My full name is quite a mouthful, and though a little embarrassing Cinder stuck. You’re all quite a surprise actually, more than the stories say you are.”
He grunted and looked at her suspiciously, and she held up both hands.
Nysa looked around, and said in a low voice that wouldn’t carry, “She’s a fire sorceress, like I’m a water sorceress. No doubt she can see the same in me, though I don’t know what she really is.”
Cinder grinned, “I feel a little naughty, letting the truth out like that after all this time. I’ve been blending in my whole life, but I couldn’t help but come over when I saw you come down. You’re the first ones I’ve run into like me, hiding in plain sight.”
He wondered what she really was, but he didn’t ask. That would only embolden her to ask the same question of them.
She was gorgeous, and her confident predatory movements made him want to tame her with a whole lot of violent sex, but he wasn’t looking for anymore bonded or lovers. Between his current bonded and Stephanie tomorrow, his sex life was already insane enough as it was, after all. More than enough to slake his lust and satisfy his new tender human emotions and his walkabout needs.
Plus, he wasn’t sure he trusted her. For all he knew his sister had recruited the fake fire sorceress. Or… she could just be a crazy bitch. She could be any number of things that wielded fire, monster or being, and he had no idea which one she was.
Of course, he’d just underestimated his twins again, as Willow spoke in a soft voice.
“I’ve never met a phoenix before. You’re beautiful.”
He froze, a phoenix’s fire was hot enough and magical enough to melt dragon scales. They were one of the few monster races where the outcome of a battle with an elder dragon was not certain. They were also pyromaniacs and a little crazy in human form, but their true form was a large bird with fiery wings and a body that was licked by flames.
Cinder winked at her as she finished her spoonful of beef stew.
“Nor I a dryad,” she whispered conspiratorially.
Yeah, he suspected she knew what they all were at that point. He also