Dragonvein - Book Three Read Online Free PDF Page B

himself up. “Well, he better hope that I never learn to get out of that damn smoke. Because if I do, I’m going to beat the shit out of him.” With that, he stormed off toward the shore.
    “He’ll be fine,” said Val. “He’s always been a hot head.”
    “What he doesn’t understand,” began Ethan, “Is that nothing would make Renald happier than if he learned how to free himself. Renald may be a grumpy old man, but the fact is, sooner or later we’ll have to face Shinzan. And right now, he’d slaughter us without breaking a sweat.”
    “What do you think we should do?” asked Val.
    “I wish I knew,” Ethan replied somberly.
    “Do you think Martok can help?” Markus asked him.
    “Maybe. But I’m hoping to find a way without him.”
    Martok’s voice had been quiet of late. Though Ethan could feel that he was still listening to his thoughts. What at first had been a constant pressure in his mind to allow his ancestor to come forth had now dwindled to a distant whisper. A reminder that he was still there, waiting to be summoned.
    “He scares you, doesn’t he,” said Markus.
    “Yes,” Ethan admitted. “I know he helped me. But my gut tells me not to trust him.”
    Markus nodded. “So you think maybe you could lose control to him?”
    “That’s what bothers me. Heather warned me that I might become trapped inside my own spirit. But I’m not sure how that would happen. It would be easy to allow Martok to…to come out. But I don’t know if I could ever put him back again.”
    “He offered to teach you, didn’t he?”
    “Yes. But even when I see him inside my mind, I can feel him wanting to take over.”
    “Then it’s best you keep him where he is,” advised Markus. “At least until you find out more.”
    After a pause his serious expression suddenly brightened. He slapped Ethan on the shoulder. “But right now, you have other things to think about. We need to get you ready for your big night.”
    Val laughed. “So you’re finally going to stop playing hard to get with Kat? It’s about time.”
    “I wish you two would stop worrying about what goes on between us,” Ethan told her. Val and Jake’s casual attitude about sex made him uneasy. But they were from a different era. One far less repressed than his own time.
    Val smiled up at him. “All I know is that if you don’t make a move, sooner or later, Jake will.”
    A flash of anger passed through Ethan. “I’ll make a move when I’m good and ready. And Jake had better keep his damn hands to himself.”
    Val looked pleased that her teasing was getting to him. “Well, he’s only human. And I mean, Kat’s gorgeous. And you…well…”
    The implication of her words hung in the air.
    “What are you talking about?” grinned Markus. “Ethan may be on the scrawny side, but he’s a reasonably good looking guy. Though I admit, Jake’s not bad either.”
    Ethan was far from amused by their banter. “I’m going to get cleaned up,” he snapped.
    Jumping from his chair, he headed off quickly toward the corner of the house.
     
    * * * * *
     
    Kat sighed heavily as she heard Lylinora calling out for her to wait. Another scolding was on the way. But this time she had no intention of arguing. She had other things on her mind.
    “Save your breath,” she called back. “I’m not in the mood right now.”
    “Oh, I think I know perfectly well what you are in the mood for,” Lylinora said. “And that is why I’m coming with you.”
    “Why? To talk me out of it?”
    Lylinora gave a quiet laugh. “Not at all. I want to make sure that it’s as wonderful as you imagine.”
    Kat shot her a confused glance. “You’re not serious.”
    By now Lylinora had caught up and was walking beside her. “Believe me, this is not something I would joke about. Ethan is kind and gentle, but his experience with women is not much more than your own with men.”
    Kat was well aware of how she would know this, and did not like being reminded that