I clung to James. Afraid if I released him I would wake up and all would be a dream. The thought I could wake up still in the hands of the Guild terrified me. I inhaled his intoxicating scent deeply. It was of cigars, brandy, and burnt wood. He'd spent time in his study. I hoped it was making plans to find me even though I didn't want him to. I couldn't bear the thought of harm coming to such a wonderful man. Everything I did was for him.

"Where did you find her?" my father asked, sliding from his steed.

Mother tucked a stray strand of hair behind my ear.

"I was in Italy."

"Italy? What were you doing in Italy?" He turned to my mother confused. "How did you find her?"

"I had some help."

"Help? What kind of help, Joselyn?" Father asked.

Mother sighed heavily.

"Draco, dad."

"Draco?"

"He's a dragon."

My dad took a deep breath in, and James looked up at her.

"He's a what? I'm confused."

"How do you know about the dragons?" James asked.

Mother bit her lip and looked away. I could her contemplating what to say. She didn't want to reveal her knowledge of Scotland's biggest secret.

"Queen Joselyn, I asked how you knew of our dragons."

"I caught a glimpse of one years ago after Cassius and I were first wed. I wasn't sure about what it could have possibly been, but I was determined to find out. I never intended for you to get hurt, James."

"What are you saying?" I asked my mother. "You arranged my marriage based on a hunch?"

"She's saying she used me. She wanted to get close to a possible ally who had good resources." He shook his head and released his grip on me.

"I know our marriage was one based on mutual benefits though."

"I was deceived. There are no benefits for my kingdom to unite with yours." He turned away, storming toward the castle.

My heart dropped to the pit of my stomach as a lump formed in my throat. The tears sprung to my eyes as I watched him leave. He didn't look back or wait for me.

"What just happened?" I asked.

"I don't know," my father said.

"Why did you do that?" I asked my mother.

"I didn't mean for anything to happen. We make alliances with countries all the time."

"This isn't just an alliance. You arranged for us to marry. That's more than signing some piece of paper, mother."

I pursed my lips together, swallowing the lump in my throat, and ran after James. I couldn't let myself go. I had to fight for what I wanted. I wanted. We had to remain united, especially with the threat still in the world. The Guild wouldn't stop, not now. Not now that I lost all their girls and killed their watchers. I need him in so many more ways than he could imagine. Even if my mother arranged our marriage based on possibly gaining dragons, I loved him.

I ran through the front doors of the castle and scanned the large foyer for any signs of James. Catching a glimpse of his jacket billowing out around a corner, I dashed after him, holding up the hem of my gown.

"James!" I called. "Please, James!"

He didn't stop; he entered the study about to shut the door behind me. I lunged toward it, slamming my body against the wood.

"I'm not letting you walk out of my life, James."

"Evelyn, just go."

"No! Please don't push me away."

"Push you away?" He spun towards me, his red eyes brimming with tears. "Do you even love me? Or are you part of your parents' farce?"

"Of course I love you! I didn't know their intentions. Moreover, we both knew this was a politically arranged marriage. There are always ulterior motives behind our lives. We're never free to make choices based on what we want. It's all that is best for our countries."

"Stop thinking like one of them! I haven't thought of our engagement as a political move since, since I first saw you. Is that how you see us? Just pawns in our parents' games to grow more power?" he asked.

"No. I mean, I did at first. I had no intention of falling in love with you. I wanted to choose my own husband."

"Why did you change your mind?"

"I saw the real you. Not the stuffy, stuck-up prince. I saw James. I fell in love with you. Arranged or not I'd made my decision. I want to be your wife and queen. I want you to be my king. I don't care what my mother thought when she arranged the marriage eighteen years ago."

He took a deep breath, a single tear furrowing a trail down his beautiful cheek. I reached up and brushed it away before it got lost in his beard. I stood on tiptoe, running my fingers through his mess of hair before pressing my lips to his. He sucked in a breath as I pressed myself to him. His arms pulled me in closer as the passion intensified. Heat emanated from our bodies, clashing between us like the fire of the mightiest dragon. Every part of my body felt as though it was on fire. I opened my eyes when James broke away from me. He scrambled back, staring at me in what seemed to be shocked horror, and awe. Looking down at my body I nearly screamed.

I was on fire.

It came from everywhere. The gown turned to cinders, falling from my body as my skin glowed a brilliant shade of red.

"What happening?" I asked.

"I-I don't know." He stood, holding his hand out to me. "Does it hurt?"

"Don't touch me!" I screamed.

He pulled his hand away quickly. "Why?"

"I don't want to hurt you," I cried.

"I'm not afraid."

"I am."

The glow of the fire intensified as he drew nearer once again. I took a deep breath as his fingers penetrated the flames. I gasped at the sight. The fire transferred to his body, climbing up his arm as though he'd slid into the water. The jacket and shirt he wore turned to burn embers before falling away from his skin.

"I don't understand," I said.

"I don't either. It makes no sense. It should burn me."

"Why isn't it?" I asked.

He shook his head, staring at the fire that continued creeping up his arm. "There's no way this is possible."

"Not unless you're bonded."

"I've never though. I'm a prince, royalty isn't supposed to bond with the dragons. Our mightiest warriors are."

"I bonded."

"You're an extenuating circumstance. You were dying," he said.

"What if you were?"

"I've never been..." His voice trailed off as he furrowed his brows.

"What's wrong, James? Are you remembering something?"

"I never thought much of it because I ended up fine, but when I was a child I did have an accident. I don't remember much about it, but I was thrown from a horse. I do remember hitting my head. My mother and father took me to a physician far from here to be treated. By the time we returned to the castle I was fine."

"What do you remember about it?" I asked.

"Nothing. I wasn't awake after the accident."

"We need to go see Draco. He would know."

I grabbed James's hand and began to leave the study.

"Wait!"

"What?" I asked.

"You can't go out."

"Why?"

"Your clothes." He motioned to the ash around my feet.

"Oh!" I hadn't realized it had all burned off except for a few a small bit of my smock.

The sleeves had burned to the shoulders and the hem burned up to my thighs. James removed what was left of his jacket and placed it over my shoulders. I led him to the barn. Shutting the door behind us, I focused on the fire within me. A fireball formed in my hand, casting dancing shadows against the wall.

"What are you doing?" Draco asked, landing in front of us.

I reached out to grab James's hand.

"Don't!" Draco hollered at me.

"Watch."

Once again, the fire moved from my hand to James. Traveling up his body burning his shirt. What remained of my smock fell from my body. I released my grip on him, watching as the fire slowly burned out.

"I don't understand," Draco stated.

"Neither do us. Why didn't he burn up?" I asked.

"I'm unsure. He should not be able to withstand a dragon's fire unless he's bonded."

"Am I?" James asked.

"I am unsure. Have you ever had the fire before?"

"No. Not that I can recall."

"He had an accident as a child that he recovered from with no memories of it."

"Interesting."

"If he was bonded shouldn't he have had the dragon powers by now?" I inquired.

"Normally yes. However, a rider's power is strongly connected with their dragon. If they are separated, they will never develop them. They don't have the close bond required to progress."

"So he could have bonded, but never been close to his dragon."

"In theory yes, but which dragon?"

"I never knew I was bonded. If I was," James said.

"What do you remember?" Draco asked.

"My horse threw me during a riding lesson when I was a small child. I hit my head on a rock and did not wake for many days. My parents informed me that they took me on a long journey to a special physician who could heal me better than our royal physicians'."

"The witch," Draco mumbled.

"The one who saved me?" I asked.

"Aye," Draco replied.

"What dragon would have given a tear and blood for a prince?"

"There was a dragon, many years ago, who was the royal protector. He left one day to never return. We had all thought he died."

"Where would he have gone? If he bonded with James and James is still alive, that means the dragon is alive," I concluded.

Draco nodded his head, examining James's arm.

"There is only one way to find out," he said. "We must find the witch and question her."

"Will she even remember? It must have been nearly fifteen years."

"The witches don't forget bondings. Especially blood bonding's."

"Blood bonding's?" I asked.

"Yes. It's a bond between dragon and human that was not done naturally. It is a forced bonding between willing participants. When a dragon willingly gives his tear and blood to save a human it forces a bond between the two that lasts a lifetime."

"We need to find the witch," I said matter-of-factly.

"When do you want to go?" James asked.

"As soon as we can."

"Morning. We will travel once dawn breaks."

I nodded and rubbed Draco's neck. "Thank you."

James and I returned to the castle, prepared to confront my parents about their deception and inform them of our travel plans.

"Your parents won't be happy," James told me.

"Yes. I know. They will have to deal with it though."

"Let's get you changed."

We hurried to my chamber, where my lady-in-waiting did her needlepoint.

"Madame!" she gasped seeing me in nothing at all.

"Yes, yes. I know. It's a long story, Elizabeth."

"Do I want to know why you are with the prince and without apparel?"

"Um, probably not."

"Lady, you are constantly full of surprises," she said, shaking her head.

"Yes. I am aware."

"Shall you wash prior to dressing, again?"

"No. I just need a gown."

She pulled a hunter-green dining gown from the cupboard and helped me into it while James returned to his own chamber to dress.

"Shall we join everyone for supper?" she asked.

"Yes. Let's go. I have many announcements for the evening."

"Shall I bring my fainting fan? Will I need it?" she asked.

"Probably. It would be a good idea, Elizabeth."

"You are not a usual princess, Evelyn."

"I would be such a boring royal if I were usual, Elizabeth."

"You are right, and I wouldn't have you any other way."

She hugged me as we walked toward the dining hall arm in arm, pressing the side of my head into hers. Anxious to get through dinner.