Lisette stood on her balcony, trying to draw in breath. This evening’s gala required her to wear a corset and although it pushed her breasts into two fine mounds, the reward seemed hardly worth the pain. Such was the price for turning twenty.
The sun had sunk below the horizon, but light still fought the darkness, giving the sky an ashen, brooding quality. The island breeze was too warm, and she pushed at the damp curls along her neck. She gazed outward to sea, willing her body to breathe despite its entrapment.
The silver waning crescent of moon flickered as a shadow swept across it. The shadow rotated toward her, revealing familiar eyes that pierced the darkness. Familiar and fearsome.
The first time she saw him she was six years old, and he was plunging his talons through Uncle Luc’s chest, tossing her uncle to the ground, and setting him ablaze. Afterward, he’d circled back to her. His large paw pushed her until her back hit the wall.
Her heart pounded violently as the claws extended, brushing their cool hardness against her cheek. The leathery pad of his paw held her tightly. She’d raised her hand to her neck, spreading her fingers for protection. His breath smelled of ashes.
For fifteen years he’d come to her, always near her birthday when the moon was in transition from waning crescent to waxing. The full moon never saw his shape. The new moon hid it too well.
As always, she raised her hand to her neck for protection, mesmerized by the dragon descending before her. She pressed herself against the cold stone wall. There was no room in her corset for her furious heartbeat to pound, except to push the beating into her neck and her temples.
The beast’s crimson feathers covered a large lithe body, with a line of golden spikes down his back to his tail, which he whipped about like an annoyed cat. His head was almost delicate in structure, with the large liquid eyes and wide nostrils of a high-bred horse. The ridge above his eyes drew a line to two arched horns between his pointed ears.
A combination of many animals, he’d been artfully assembled for a fearsome appearance. And he still smelled of ashes.
Lisette slid to the ground, thinking of escape. The only thing escaping was her consciousness and she struggled to keep from fainting. She sat motionless. Time seemed to stop as he approached. He was terrifying—and beautiful.
His talons extended, encircling her waist and pressing their needle-sharpness against the corset. Her eyes met his, seeking answers in the silver crescents. His lips curled as he inhaled, causing her to exhale. Their breaths took a steady rhythm, his inhale drawing in her life, hers choking on his smoke and ashes. No words passed between them, but she knew his intentions.
He wanted her dead.
Consigned to her fate, she lifted her chin in defiance. He could kill her, but he would not break her. She would meet her end with one final show of courage.
At the last possible moment, he extended a massive pair of wings in a slow, lifting motion. He gave her a final fierce glare and huffed an ashy breath of smoke before disappearing into the night.
Someone was knocking at the door. Mama entered, sounding impatient. “Lisette, are you ready? Come along.”
Lisette tried to shout, but her dry throat could only whisper, “Out here.” She closed her eyes, squeezing tears down her cheeks.
The rustle of stiff petticoats covered in silk made its way to the balcony, accompanied by clicking heels.
“What are you doing?” her mother asked. “You are ruining your gown.”
Lisette looked up, pushing the words from her mouth. “I saw the dragon.”
Her mother helped her to stand and brushed at her gown in silence. The older woman’s face paled, though her voice remained steady. “Don’t be silly, Lisette. Dragons do not exist, except as a figment of your imagination.”
“But Mama—”
“Now, come inside.” The tall, regal woman took her daughter’s elbow and steered her away from the balcony and back into the chamber.
“But the dragon—”
“Lisette!” Mama’s voice turned sharp and commanding. “There. Is. No. Dragon. You will get over this childish hysteria and forget all this madness. Now.”
Lisette was still trying to calm her trembling body and she wished desperately to get out of her frock and its vise so she could have a proper cry. Even more, she wished her mother believed her just once. It was not the first visit from this beast, nor their first argument about whether he existed. Mama could not be moved.
“Yes, ma’am.” Lisette unfolded the fan strapped to her wrist and waved at her flaming cheeks, drying her tears as well.
“Honestly I do not know what is wrong with you.” Mama continued to fuss with Lisette’s hemline. “It will be a relief to get you from this house and let Eric deal with your fantasies.”
Lisette nodded, still remembering the feel of the talons around her waist.
“There, that’s better,” Mama said at last. “But why must you scowl so?”
Lisette opened her mouth for one more protest about the dragon but decided against it. “I am joyful, Mama. Eric is a fine catch. I’m sure I shall have a fine life.”
“A fine life?” Her mother cocked her head, hands clasped in front of her. “Lisette, you are to be married to a handsome man, to bear him handsome children, and one day to rule this island for France. You act as though it’s an enormous bore.”
Lisette lowered her head. “Did you love Father when you married him?”
Mama waved the question from the air. “No one in the aristocracy weds for love. Marriage is duty to the Crown. We make unions to strengthen our political ties.”
“Don’t we fall in love at all?”
“Dalliances are permitted, of course.” Mama looked down, shrugging. “Some even have grand passions. But to disrupt the marital state is akin to treason.”
Lisette eased herself into a chair and attempted a tired sigh. Her corset rendered it a small huff. “If we are only marrying for political reasons, why must we be virgins?”
The older woman shook her head. “Politics is all about men and power. Either they have a little and want more or they have much, and they still want more. A woman is an object to be possessed and her husband must be the first buyer.”
Lisette stared at her mother. “And you wonder that I am not excited.”
“We do what we must, for king and country.” Mama lifted her chin and glanced at her daughter. “I am assuming you do not need instruction regarding the marital bed.”
Lisette shook her head. “Genevieve told me all I need to know.”
“Thank the gods for ladies’ maids. It’s a rather coarse subject to discuss with one’s daughter.” Her mother stood tall, hands folded at her waist, her left eyebrow arched in judgment. “Try to be happy, dear. Yes, you will have to bed a man you don’t love, but at least he is handsome, and you will be the mistress of your own home. In time, you will have children—if you need to love something, you can give them your heart.”
“Yes. Children.” Lisette attempted a smile, even though she could not imagine anything she wanted less. “Splendid.”
Mama glared at her. “Let me be clear. You need heirs. We don’t want the Medina family—”
“Yes, yes, the greedy Spanish loyalists will try to nab Île des Oiseaux for themselves.” Lisette rolled her eyes. “Political intrigue bores me so.”
Her mother’s jaw tightened. “Lisette…”
“Of course, I will not disappoint you.” She bowed her head to keep her face from betraying her feelings. “Or Le Roi.”
“Good. I shall meet you downstairs.” Mama turned and stalked to the door, swishing her gown and waving her right hand impatiently. “Hurry along.”
Lisette watched her mother step through the doorway into the hall. The Duchess Juliette de Lille was exquisite, tall and shapely, her skin a delicate shade of the palest blush, like the luster on a pearl. Her caramel hair perched in an upsweep of braids and curls, with a measured amount of tendrils hanging to accentuate her long neck. The swish of her gown was as musical as water running over stone, and every head in every room turned to watch her glide in.
Lisette glanced down at her herself—several inches shorter than her mother, her curves had less room to maneuver in her dresses, and she was constantly battling the Caribbean sun to keep her olive skin from darkening. As for her hair, it was thick, auburn and unruly, like her father’s, giving her the look of being constantly in motion. All she had to do to earn Mama’s clucking tongue was walk into a room too quickly.
And her eyes…almond-shaped, green with gold flecks, and completely unlike the eyes of anyone in her family.
She sighed and looked in the mirror. Her front teeth were much too large, in her own opinion, and had to be restrained by her lips in order to keep from leaping out as the first thing anyone noticed about her. No one else in my family has such a mouth full of teeth, why did I get everything that no one else wanted?
After a few attempts at a ladylike smile, she gave up and frowned instead, an expression that suited her at the moment. “I suppose my new life can’t be any worse than my old one.”
A polite knock on the door took her attention. Three raps and the creak of the hinges, it could only be one person.
“Daughter, are you dressed?” her father asked.
Claude de Lille was not a tall man but managed to look that way. His chest was broad and legs solid, giving him the appearance of a fighter. Much like Lisette, his thick auburn hair sat in a curly tangle though for a duke, his face was constantly bright-eyed and smiling.
“Good evening, Papa, I am almost ready.” She ran her hands down her golden gown, her fingers lingering on the raised brocade. The dragon crossed her mind then evaporated. Although he was not as dismissive as her mother, the duke was always uncomfortable when she mentioned the subject.
Better let the dragon alone tonight.
The duke strode to her and put his hand on her arm, leaning in for a kiss on the cheek. “You look beautiful.”
“Thank you,” she replied, smiling.
He stretched out his other hand, which held a folded silk scarf. “I’ve a present for you. Happy birthday.”
Lisette took the square from him. It was light in her palm as she unfolded it. She gasped at its contents.
“It’s magnificent,” she said, pulling out a large emerald on a slim gold chain and holding it high to watch it sparkle. The jewel was deep blue-green with fire in its depths. Its delicate setting glowed a rich golden hue and wrapped about the emerald like a vine. She turned it around, marveling at the goldsmith who fashioned the gold strands that embraced the jewel. On the back, she noticed engraving. Holding it to the light she saw odd lines—a backwards “J” with two dots under it, followed by what looked like a “u” with long tails. “Is this the jeweler’s mark? What strange symbols.”
“Long ago, on one of my campaigns in Turkey. I was—gifted this. I knew it was just the thing to give to my daughter.” He took the necklace from her. “Let me put it on you.”
She watched in the mirror as her father stood behind her, clasping the necklace. He fumbled a bit with the delicacy of the catch, smiling at her when he was successful. She regarded the jewel now nestled into the curve above her cleavage, where it glistened with the light. Her eyes caught the green of the emerald and the gold of the dress.
“I was told the symbols mean good luck and fair sailing.” He smiled, but she caught the hint of a tear in his eyes. “It suits you.”
She turned to him and kissed his cheek. “I shall treasure it always. Sometimes I wish I didn’t have to marry and leave you.”
“I shall miss you, my Lizzie. But the wedding is months away. Let’s think about that later—tonight is for celebration.” He took her by the hand and led her to the door. “I must go greet Count d’Auguste. Jules will escort you into the room.”
Lisette nodded and walked with him. “Yes, Papa.”
The air was cooler as they descended, but there was still a steamy quality to the evening. She dabbed at the moistness around her cheekbones, catching one last tear as she did. The betrothal to Eric would be announced tonight. The wedding would be in a few short months. It was all happening whether she wanted it or not.
She allowed herself a small, resigned sigh. No one cared what she wanted—not even her. Slow, steady breaths brought the scent of night-blooming jasmine, calming her as she walked down the stairs and prepared to start her new life.
She had no idea how new her life would become.
