Page 161 of The Discount Damsel

For a moment she believed him, believed she could be safe in his arms like she had in the alcove.

“There, easy does it. You need to learn to float before you can swim, so lie back.”

His arms cradled her, and she shut her eyes so she wouldn’t have to see the soft, calm expression on his face. “Tuck your butt in.”

She snorted at that familiar instruction.

“Lean back, not too far that you swamp your nose. Pretend you’re a leaf on the surface of a little creek—you have those in Amberly, remember?”

Of course. With that picture in mind, and the feeling of Bradley’s strong, unwavering presence, she began to relax.

“Just . . . drift,” he murmured, barely audible above the fizzing water.

Her fingers digging into the meat of his shoulder eased. They slipped to a loose hold around his biceps, then sagged into the water. Eyes still closed, Millie let her limbs fall where they may, buoyed by the water. Her breathing became easier, deeper. And the pain . . . it disappeared from her shoulder, her legs, everywhere she had bruised during her flight and fight upon the dunes. Shifting, she reached up and removed her hairpin so the water could have unimpeded access to the scratch on her scalp. Sighing with relief, she relaxed fully into the apprentice’s arms.

Maybe it was a second later, maybe it was an hour or even a day, but she roused fitfully when water splashed her across the face. Millie lurched upright, grasping and gasping, an old fear returning.

“It’s just Dirk,” Bradley murmured into her ear. “I’ve got you.”

When she blinked the water from her eyes, she found herself almost cheek-to-cheek with the apprentice.

Just kiss him. A pirate took what she wanted. But what would it matter if she took this kiss but couldn’t have the heart behind it?

He hooked an auburn lock behind her ear, fingertips lingering on the edge of her jaw. She froze even as her heart struck sharp and sudden like lightning in her chest. “Millie,” he murmured, “I need to apol⁠—”

The luck dragon erupted from the spring, gave a magnificent twirl to shed the water from his scales, and dropped into a hover. “Millie! Are you swimming?”

She could’ve throttled the dragon by his long noodle neck just then. “More like trying not to drown.”

“You’re doing an excellent job of clinging to Bradley to prevent such an unfortunate event. The barnacles of Pierpont would be so proud.”

She pushed away from Bradley, trying not to notice the steading touch that guided her to the wall. The lovely inanimate stone wall that didn’t weaken her knees nor make her insides frisk about like butterflies enjoying the summer sun. Once she reached the wall, she went one step further and heaved herself out onto its ledge.

“I was teaching her how to float,” Bradley offered, finally tearing his eyes from the way the princess’s soaked clothes clung to her body.

Catching sight of Dirk, he was so stunned by the change in his best friend’s appearance that his limbs forgot the necessity of treading water. Bradley sank below the surface before instinct reminded that breathing air and not water was essential to his survival, and he rose gasping. The apprentice hauled himself out of the water, chest heaving.

“Dirk,” he sputtered. “Your scales. Your feathers!”

Dirk’s illusions had vanished. He was simply a wingless luck dragon again, but one with a threadbare mane and tail and large patches of navy-colored hide where his blue scales had fallen off.

“It’s fine,” the luck dragon said lamely. “I’m fine, really⁠—”

“How can you say that, Dirk?” Millie whispered, hands rising to her mouth. “Piss and plagues, it’s so much worse than before.”

“Before?” Bradley whipped around with a murderous glare. “You knew?”

CHAPTER 66

PRIDE, WRATH, AND GLUTTONY

Dirk put on a burst of speed to catch the apprentice on the stairs. “Bradley, where are you going?”

Bradley swatted the blue luck dragon aside. “Out of my way.”

“But where are you going? What are you going to do? You’re not going to tell Master Excelsior, are you? These are my scales, Bradley. My feathers! You have no right⁠—”

“I have every right,” the apprentice roared. The tower stones quaked as a wind rose from the step under his bare feet. “You are my Designated Sorcerer Companion. I am responsible for your wellbeing and this—” He thrust a hand in Dirk’s direction as fraught tears budded in the corners of his eyes. “Oh Dirk,” he moaned.