“Were you linked telepathically?” Tyrez’s voice sounded curiously constricted.
She nodded, no longer trusting herself to speak.
“Whether you hated him or not, the fracturing of that bond has thrown you into physiological as well as psychic shock. Cara can help you, if you’ll let her.”
Dani didn’t reply. She began to rock herself back and forth, holding on to her legs so tightly that her arms ached.
“You don’t have to handle this on your own, Dani.”
He’d lowered his voice until her name was merely a soft rumble from the darkness. It flooded her tortured soul and calmed her fluttering heart.
“Talk to me,” she said.
He seemed surprised. “About what?”
“Tell me what it was like to learn to fly. Or how you grew up. Anything at all. It helps.”
His eyes widened in the moonlight, but then he told her about learning to fly. Or rather, to land.
His sexy voice rolled through her. She barely absorbed the stories, focusing on the tone and rhythm of the words, letting them soothe her fractured spirit.
The Dragon had an amazing voice that resonated within her. Gave her something to hold on to. She hardly deciphered the words, only the tone.
He finally broke off after describing a particularly painful encounter with a large tree.
Dani’s shaking had stopped. She took a deep breath.
“Thank you,” she said.
He measured her with his remarkable metallic eyes. “Please consider letting Cara help you. Or maybe, her Gryphon friend. Aphostra is a powerful healer.”
A healing Gryphon? Why not? They had Dragon warriors, and teleporting Phoenixes. Dani unwrapped her arms from her legs and exhaled.
“I don’t think I have anything helpful to tell you about Rindek.” The words were out before she’d even considered them. Why had she done that? She was useless to him now, and he knew it.
Yet all he did was nod. “That is okay. I have some other things to try; that is why Millie is here.”
Did he not care that she had nothing to offer him? When she shot him a questioning look, he misinterpreted it, explaining his comment about Millie instead. “Millie is a Teller. She can read things about people, if you give her something of theirs. Are you okay to come back inside?”
A Teller? They’d called Dani a Mover. How many talents were there? It piqued her interest, and she nodded.
Tyrez turned and headed up the path. Somehow, he’d known that walking away gave her faith enough to follow him.
So she did.
* * *
Despite their abrupt departure, nothing had changed in the kitchen. Except that Tyrez suspected Neil was on at least his second cup of flavored coffee. Possibly the third.
The Dragon struggled for calm—someone needed to pay for what had been done to Dani. Rindek needed to pay for it. The Torshin fit the word monster in its every nuance.
This time, when Dani took her seat, Tyrez pulled out the chair closest to her. It creaked ominously as he sat down, but held up to the strain.
“If any of our questions are too much for you, you don’t have to answer.” Cara’s gaze was steady on Dani.
“It’s okay. Since the battle, I get these—attacks. Now that it is over, I should be better.” There was a cup of tea at Dani’s place that Tyrez didn’t think had been there before they left. Dani didn’t seem to notice as she returned to buttering her muffin.
“Drink your tea, dear,” Cara said.
