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As they stared at one another, he lost himself in her dark brown eyes. In that second, he wanted to know everything about her. Maybe then he could chase away her sadness.
His dragon banged against the maze, but the walls held.
Cassidy sighed. “If I don’t tell you, I have a feeling you’ll never clear me for duty, will you?”
“Now there’s an idea.”
Her gaze darted away and back. The sadness had been replaced with steel. “My work is who I am. Without it, I’m lost, Innes. Just like you defied my orders on Lochguard when I came to help and you went back to work early, I’m the same way. I can’t abandon my clan any longer than necessary.”
He studied her for a few seconds. There was more to her story; he was positive. However, he had some time to drag it out of her.
Placing his hands on his thighs, he leaned forward. “You tell me everything that’s going on, and I mean everything, even if it’s an ingrown toenail, and I will clear you as soon as you’re physically and mentally ready. Can you do that?”
“Only if you agree to keep what I’m about to say to yourself.”
“Unless it endangers your life or either of our clans, then aye, I’ll keep it to myself.”
Cassidy took a deep breath and the words spilled from her lips. “There’s often pounding inside my head that I can’t control. It’s not a migraine or a headache, but something else.” She paused, and he thought she wouldn’t say anything else. Then her low voice added, “It’s almost as if something is trying to break free, but can’t.”
“Is it your dragon?”
Cassidy blinked. “My dragon is long gone. Everyone knows that, even on Lochguard. Besides, the pounding comes from behind an impenetrable wall. I’ve never heard of a dragon being trapped for decades that way before.”
Gregor had a few theories but decided he’d air them later. “Then tell me the whole story, lass. I need to know it all.”
As the dragonwoman searched his eyes, Gregor held his breath. He had a feeling Cassidy didn’t talk about her past often. Would she really share it with him?
His dragon roared some more but still couldn’t get free. No doubt his beast wanted to help find a way to bring her dragon back, if it were possible.
The question was whether it was or not.
Just as ideas raced through Gregor’s head, someone knocked on the door. Relief flooded Cassidy’s face at the interruption. Little did she know he would pursue it again later. “Come in.”
Stonefire’s clan leader, Bram Moore-Llewellyn, stood in the doorway. His eyes latched onto Cassidy’s and he stated, “You’re finally awake, Sid.” Bram crossed the distance to Cassidy’s bed and Gregor gripped his knees to keep from growling at Bram’s nearness to Gregor’s dragonwoman.
He resisted blinking. Cassidy would never be his. The risk was too great. He needed to remember that.
Bram spoke up again. “Can you remember anything that happened, Sid?”
Gregor stood. “She just woke up. Can’t your interrogation wait until later?”
Bram’s light blue eyes met his. “I understand you’re doing your job, but Sid can speak for herself.”
As he sized up Stonefire’s leader, Cassidy’s voice broke the silence. “I only remember one hazy detail, Bram.”
Stonefire’s leader turned back toward the dragonwoman. “Anything will help, Sid, no matter how small.”
“After a flash of pain, I fell to the ground and noticed the faint outline of a small flying drone.”
Bram frowned. “Drone? You mean one of those flying contraptions human males seem fascinated with?”
Gregor smiled. “It’s the closest they can get to flying themselves, so of course they’ll be fascinated.”
Shaking his head, Bram shot Gregor an exasperated look. “This isn’t a lighthearted matter, Dr. Innes. Start taking it seriously.”
Cassidy’s voice beat Gregor to a reply. “Focus on what’s important, you two. Are Stonefire’s defenses guarded against
small flying machines?”
