Prince of Spies - By Bianca D'Arc Page 0,55
it and he smiled, despite the demand to see Riki.
“You have a woman with you?” Zachari demanded, looking from Drake to Nico and back again.
“She’s mine,” Nico growled, making his possession clear.
But the woman raised her eyebrow, grinning at him slyly. “Isn’t that for her to decide?”
A hand on his back urged Nico to stand aside so Riki could make her way out from the back of the wagon. Nico jumped down and offered his hand to help her alight. Bravely, she faced the other woman. She was shorter and thinner than the voluptuous black-haired beauty, but they both had a regal bearing that was unmistakable. Nico was never prouder of her than in that moment.
“I’m Riki,” she said simply. “Nico’s mate.”
The dragon inside him roared while Nico took Riki’s hand in his and raised it to his lips. How he loved her! His brave, beautiful mate.
Turning back to the Jinn, Nico was shocked to see both Zachari and the woman lower themselves to one knee before them. Riki looked similarly surprised, allowing Nico to pull her backward, into his embrace as they waited to see what was afoot.
“Friends, what means this?” Drake spoke into the silence.
The woman looked up and smiled, though tears leaked down her face. “We welcome you, Arikia, the one who was foretold. We’ve long awaited your arrival.”
“How do you know my name?” Riki breathed.
The woman laughed. “The Jinn have ways of knowing. We of the Black Dragon Clan have our own additional methods of learning things…cousin.”
“Cousin?” Riki was clearly confused, as was Nico.
In answer, the woman chuckled, raising her arms as a black mist enveloped her body. Within moments, she stood before them—a black dragon. Nico felt the threat she posed and without thought transformed himself, facing down the female black who threatened his mate.
The Jinn warrior jumped back and suddenly a legion of Jinn soldiers emerged from the trees to surround the wagon and the two black dragons who now eyed each other warily. They faced off, tension clear in every line of their sleek bodies, each unsure of the other’s motives, until a small, brave woman strode between them. Riki.
She put her small hand on Nico’s scaled knee, the connection comforting even as he watched the other dragon. He had no idea of this startling woman’s intentions. But no one shifted to dragon form without good reason.
Riki faced the dragon-woman bravely. “Please, can we talk about this as humans? We have no idea what’s going on here and we need to understand.”
The tension diffused as the woman shifted back to human form. Nico followed suit, though he still eyed her warily. But the woman only smiled.
“You, then, are our cousin as well. Be welcome, Prince Nicolas, and forgive me for alarming you. I have long dreamed of this day. We have all dreamed of this day.” She gestured to the warriors watching all around. “I am Estella, Steward of the Black Dragon Clan.”
“You can shift,” Riki observed with wonder.
“Of course. Can’t you?”
Sadly, Riki shook her head. “I don’t think so.”
But Estella only laughed. “Don’t worry, little cousin. It comes to females later than males.”
“Really?” Riki looked so wistful, Nico hated to get her hopes up in case this startling woman was wrong.
“Enter and be welcome, dragon-cousins. Now I understand why the seer guided us to include Drake among the Brotherhood. He was the instrument that would lead us to you. Thank you, Drake.” She turned to Drake, who had also come down off the wagon when the warriors appeared, and kissed him soundly. “We are again in your debt. Come, let us find comfort. Zachari, have your men take the horses and wagon while I show our new friends to the camp.”
Riki was startled to find an entire city of brightly colored tents as they emerged from the line of trees. She felt a tingle against her skin that warned her magic was in the air. No other way could this many people and tents remain hidden, she reasoned. The Jinn were rumored to have a great deal of magic and Riki could easily see and feel the rumors were true. She had always been sensitive to the use of magic and her senses had only grown more acute as Loralie had done her dastardly work with Lucan.
Each time the North Witch used her power, Riki had felt it like a blow to her senses. Dark and evil magic was what skiths thrived on and the feel of it tainted all they touched.