The wolves began to drift off one by one until the black wolf was the only one remaining.
The wolf went to stand next to Heather and she slowly rested a gentle hand to the side of hisface and whispered, “Thank you. I am forever grateful to you for your help and friendship.”
Rhys approached Heather slowly seeing that though the wolf walked off, he stayed just far enough in the woods to watch and wait and make certain Rhys did not harm her. Once he reached her side Rhys did not hesitate, he scooped her up in his arms.
Pain rushed through her, but she fought against it and slipped her arms around his neck. “I knew you would come for me.”
“Always,” he said and kissed her brow gently, relieved he finally held her in his arms.
As he walked off with her, she said, “You are Quinn.”
“We will discuss that later.”
“No,” she said with a gentle firmness, “you will tell me now once and for all. You are Quinn, are you not?”
He hesitated and he seemed to battle himself before finally saying, “I once was Quinn, but the young man you knew is no more.”
She smiled, her heart filling with such tremendous joy that she thought she would burst. “Quinn, Rhys, Dark Dragon, you are all the same to me and I love you all equally and always will.”
He stopped walking and pressed his brow to hers. “There were times I feared I would never be able to say this to you again. I love you, Heather, more now than I ever did and believe me when I tellyou that the Dark Dragon loves you beyond reason.”
She kissed him gently. “Take me home, husband.”
* * *
The painin her body seemed to keep rhythm with the horse’s rapid pace. It pounded and pounded until it reached her head, and she began to feel herself drifting into darkness.
“Heather!”
Heather felt the heat on her face from the fiery roar of the Dragon.
“Heather!”
She struggled to get away from the burning heat of the Dragon’s breath but could not escape the shackles that bound her. She thrashed against the unbearable heat licking at her skin but was forced to stop when the shackles tightened around her.
Heather almost cried out in relief when the pounding finally stopped, but her throat was too dry to speak, and it sounded more like a muffled moan. She felt herself being carried and tried to beg for something to quench her unbearable thirst, but the words would not come.
“What did you do to her?”
Was that Patience’s voice she heard?
“Damn you, what happened to my sister?”
“Get her to her bedchamber where I can look after her.”
That was Emma, she would get her a drink. Heather tried to call out to her sister, but she barely got out a raspy moan.
“She needs something to drink.”
A tear came to her eyes. Leave it to Emma to know what she needed.
Heather was ever so grateful when she was placed on a bed. She wanted to strip off her garments and sleep until she felt better, after she quenched her thirst.
“Get out and leave her to us,” Patience ordered.
What was the matter with Patience talking to Quinn that way? She always loved him like a brother. Heather almost sighed with relief when she felt a strong hand lift her head and drop something cool against her lips. She opened her mouth hungry for more and the cool drink was a blessing to her parched throat.
“Get out, we will tend her.”
