Sorcha's Heart Read Online Free Page A

suffered ostracism and stigma to raise her in the craft. Elspeth had held her own desires in constant check to allow her daughter to reach for her destiny. She had never thrown herself at any male.
    And yet, I exist, said a small voice from a deeply recessed corner of Sorcha’s mind. I exist, though no one has ever admitted to having known my father. Not even Mother.
    This unexpected thought quenched her shame like the bull’s blood had slaked her fiery thirst. She couldn’t undo the embarrassing emotional lapse, but her wounded pride would heal. She concentrated on drawing deep, cleansing breaths until the red haze retreated.
    This new body’s reaction startled her. As quickly as the lust had consumed her, it fled, leaving a bone-deep weariness in its wake. Her eyes closed, lower lids rising hesitantly.
    Caedyrn’s voice resonated through her mind with quiet conviction. “Rest, my Sorcha. When you awake, we’ll journey to the ice aerie.”

Chapter Three
    The Ice Aerie

    The ice aerie housed all the dragons that remained on earth. Sorcha cowered in Caedyrn’s shadow as they wandered the maze of caves and rough-cut passageways. Dragons of every shape and size gazed at her with curious, bold-eyed stares. From hatchlings to grizzled elders, the inhabitants of the aerie pushed against the barrier of her mind.
    “ It is your choice, or course,” Caedyrn said as one daring hatchling brushed a wingtip against the pearly pink scales of Sorcha’s hide, “but their curiosity will abate faster if you open your mind and let them know your essence.”
    “ They’ll overrun my mind,” she complained. “I won’t be able to protect myself.”
    He nudged her neck with his snout. “Dragons know their boundaries. There are rules of etiquette for such things, rules ancient before the eldest among us was hatched. You will not be harmed.”
    They continued their shuffling pace toward the center of the community, and Sorcha felt a great horde of bodies crowd the passageway behind them. No going back, no going forward without a guide in this maze. The Heart of Fire felt cool where its chain banded her neck, reminding her of what she had already dared. Raising her head, Sorcha gathered her courage and opened the floodgates to the flight of dragons...
    ...and was swept away on the swell of their excited greeting.
    “ What an odd color,” exclaimed one.
    “ Where did you find her?” asked another.
    “ I’ve never seen her like,” growled an honored elder, “and I’ve watched every dragonet hatch.”
    Sorcha discovered that she could read the speaker’s age, color, sex and character in their communications. She gasped under the weight of knowledge that crashed into her consciousness with each new comment. Just as she thought she must drown in detail, the torrent eddied away as the dragons withdrew to give her time to assimilate.
    She listened from a quiet pool as the flight turned their questions on Caedyrn. He answered calmly, if nonspecifically, until a majestic voice stated what could not be denied.
    “ Her essence is human, Caedyrn,” the awesome voice proclaimed. “Tell me what you have done.”
    “ He didn’t do it, Sire,” Sorcha said. “I did.”
    Her dragon-sense informed her that the gigantic, red-brown male at the center of the aerie was the monarch, the rex of the flight. The oldest and wisest of dragon-kind.
    The Rex turned his attention on her, and she felt like a butterfly pinned to one of her mother’s displays; every nuance of her personality lay bared to his gaze. Then his focus broadened, softened, and he said, “Tell us of your adventures, little wizard.”
    She told the flight everything that had happened since she discovered the runes and followed them to the Heart of Fire. She faltered over her attraction to Caedyrn, but even that was confessed to the Rex and the community as a whole. The dragons listened with patience and consideration. Not a single hatchling interrupted with a stray