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again。 Her lips were swollen from kisses he had been unable to control； and her eyes filled with tears。
〃Please say you did？〃 The human in him needed to be reassured but he was also aware that their meeting had been incredibly intense； even for a dragon…generated mating。 That could only be achieved with the enthusiastic cooperation of both partners。 He couldn't be feeling the way he did right now if rape had been involved。
〃I didn't know it was supposed to be like that！〃 she admitted softly and she turned her head； embarrassed。
〃My very dear green；〃 he said tenderly； stroking her face with his thumbs； feeling slightly superior because he was no stranger to the 〃that。〃 〃It is assuredly the most intense emotional and sexual experience。 We know exactly what our dragons are feeling； and they mirror ours。 It can be stunning enough when humans love； but magnified by our emotional bond with our dragons。。。〃 He spread his hands； unable to quantify it and smiled tenderly at her。 〃Well； it…〃 he hesitated； 〃should have happened to you before； Tai。〃 He couldn't help making fists and driving them into the rumpled furs of the bed。 〃I'm appalled and concerned that you were so abused。 That's not the way dragonriders should behave even when the dragon's in control。 I'm。。。〃
〃Sssh；〃 she said； reaching up to lay her palm against his cheek； her face calm； the hint of a smile on her kiss…roughened lips。
He wished he could see her eyes but there was so little light filtering through from the hall。
〃I'm glad it was you I could choose；〃 she said。
〃I…〃 He started to protest； stunned that； despite his best efforts； she had somehow sensed his wile。
〃I know me well enough； F'lessan；〃 she said； putting both hands on his face now。 〃I am so very grateful to you。〃
〃Gratitude in a snake's arse；〃 he said； incensed。 He wrapped his arms around her； wanting very much to take her again； and with human lust。 〃It's not bloody gratitude I want from you； my dear Tai！〃 He loosened his hold when he felt her resist with a hint of the panic she had shown on the terrace。 He made his body relax beside hers； looked down into her eyes； wishing he could see the expression in them； the color they were right now。 〃I liked you when we first met。 In the Archives。 I know you knew who I was； that Mirrim had probably prejudiced you against me。 Had probably said I was reckless。 I'm not。 I'm a good Wingleader。 Riders trust me。 So do their dragons。 I want you to choose me； of your own free will； Tai。 I'd like to choose you； too； as a person I want to know better； not just because your green went into heat and Golanth was the only dragon available。〃
She looked up at him for a long time and then； tentatively； curled one hand around his bare shoulder。
〃How did you manage it？〃 Her voice was low； even。
〃How did I manage…？〃 His voice broke in surprise。 She meant Zaranth challenging Golanth。 〃Believe me； it is not something even I could manage！〃 A laugh burst from him。 〃Your dragon wanting mine！〃
And then he wondered。 Dragons could be very cunning。
〃Wasn't there one dragon in Monaco Zaranth liked？〃 he asked quickly。 〃Didn't Mirrim tell you to decide which rider you preferred and latch on to him？〃
Her eyes slid from his and she swallowed hard。 〃Don't go after Mirrim； F'lessan。 She said… something like that。 But I didn't… didn't prefer any of them。〃
〃He didn't have to be Monacan； you know。〃
〃You're angry with me again。〃 Her body was stiff beneath him。
〃With you？ Again？ When have I been angry with you； Tai？〃
〃When you got back from Fort。〃
He blinked。
〃When you found me swimming after…after…〃
〃When you were injured；〃 and he stressed that word； 〃trying to stop those sharding vandals。〃 He got angry just thinking about that attack。
〃You're angry with me again。〃
〃No； I'm…〃 He closed his lips on 〃not〃 and saw that； unaccountably； she was smiling a little； that her body had relaxed； that both her hands were lying loosely on his back。 He took a deep breath and made taut muscles loosen。 〃I'm not angry with you； my dear Tai； I'm angry for you。〃
〃I'll have to get accustomed to the difference。〃
〃Will you； my very dear green？〃 he asked very gently。
〃Will I what？〃
〃Want to get accustomed to the difference？ To me？〃 He searched her face； rubbing his thumbs gently from her temples to her cheeks。 〃I do so very much want to know you better。〃 He kissed her lightly at the corner of her mouth； felt her lips twitch under his。 Then； carefully； he moved to one side of her long body and pulled her against him； pressing her head against his chest。
〃They're lying just like this； you know；〃 she murmured。
He smoothed her hair back and settled his cheek against it。 〃Hmm。 I know。 On the ledge。 But they're almost asleep。〃
〃Aren't we？〃
〃We。〃 He liked the sound of that and especially the idea of sleep。 Of sleeping with her in his arms。
I told you I would hunt well； he thought he heard his dragon say。 Had Golanth been planning a very subtle courtship after all？ Just as his rider had？
HARPER HALL…1。28。31
〃You wanted to see me？〃
Sebell gave a start。 Pinch closed the door that he had opened so quietly that his Masterharper had not even heard it。 He grinned。
〃Losing the old skills； are you； Sebell？〃
〃So long as you don't；〃 Sebell said and flipped a piece of paper across the table； nodding for Pinch to read it。 〃From Crom's harper。〃
〃Serubil？ Sensible man。 Knows endless verses to that dreadful 'Down the Shafts。' 〃 Pinch gave a revolted shudder as he stepped forward to take the note。 His eyes brightened as he scanned it。 〃So if the body was never found； even if the trackers were delayed looking； Serubil says the man must have escaped。 Possibly taken the river down to the plains。〃
〃Read on。 There's bad news； too。〃
〃Oh。 The prisoner did have a missing finger joint。 No facial scar though。〃 Pinch sighed。 〃Well； he could have got the scar on one of those early forays the Abominators made。 Or even during or after his escape； you know；〃 and Pinch eased his butt to the edge of Sebell's desk； not quite disturbing the piles of papers as he continued to read。 〃Didn't we send every harper a copy of the sketch I made？〃
〃Thought we had。〃
〃Ah！〃 Pinch's somewhat sleepy expression brightened as he read further。 〃The prisoner…did the man have no name at all？…was sentenced for life to the Crom mines with several others for attacking Aivas。〃
〃While I was waiting for you to arrive；〃 and Sebell adroitly teased Pinch though； indeed； Master Mekelroy must have hurried to the Masterharper's door before pausing to slip inside in a stealthy fashion。 That was often how Pinch entered this office； in stealth and at night or other inconvenient hours。 〃I had time to review Master Robinton's report of that incident。〃
Sebell stroked the blue leather cover of the journal and opened it with gentle fingers to the place where he had left a slip of paper。 〃Aivas thwarted the attack with what he called a 'sonic barrage'…a noise so fierce and penetrating that it rendered the intruders unconscious。 Aivas said that some aural damage might be permanent。 When we exp