The Dracons' Woman Read Online Free PDF Page A

politely while she sat staring at Valen, Lariah flushed for the third time and started to lie down on the table.  She hesitated.  “A little privacy please?” she asked.
    All three men stiffened, three identical sets of brows lowered over three differently colored, but identically stern sets of eyes.  Lariah lifted her chin stubbornly.
     “We will turn our backs,” Garen conceded.  Lariah opened her mouth to argue, but he was faster.  “We will not leave you,” he said flatly.  She could see there would be no arguing with him.  Still, she would hold him to his word.  She waited until all three of them turned around, then, knowing she had no real choice unless she wanted to make a scene, she laid down on the table.
    “Please try to relax,” Riata urged gently as she stepped closer to the table.  She raised her hands, palms flat, about an inch above Lariah’s body, and moved them slowly over her, starting at her feet and moving upward.  Lariah felt soft warmth emanating from the Healer’s hands and she began to relax in spite of herself.  Her eyes closed slowly without her being aware of it.
    Riata gasped and Lariah’s eyes flew open.  Riata met her gaze steadily.  “My apologies,” she said, then continued as though nothing had happened.  Lariah was fairly certain she knew why the Healer had gasped, but there was simply nothing she could do about it.  She closed her eyes once more, trying to convince herself it didn’t matter what the Empath discovered about her. 
    Several minutes later, the pain in her arm blessedly gone, Lariah sat up again with Riata’s help.
    “How do you feel?”  Riata asked.
    “Good,” Lariah replied honestly as she flexed her arm experimentally.  There was no pain at all and her arm felt strong for the first time in months.  In fact, she felt better all over than she had since…  Lariah stopped that thought and forced herself to smile at the Healer.  “Thank you,” she said.  “I feel much better, and my arm doesn’t hurt at all now.”
    Riata smiled.  “You are most welcome.  There is a lavatory through that door there, if you would like to refresh yourself,” she offered.
     “I would, very much,” she said with relief as she slid off the table.  No sooner had her feet touched the floor than Garen, Valen and Treyen spun around, all three of them looking as though they intended to pick her up and carry her the half dozen steps across the room.  She crossed her arms over her chest and glared at them.  They didn’t seem to notice. 
    “This is the only entrance to the lavatory,” Riata soothed.  Garen looked at the Healer for a moment, then stepped back, clearing the way for Lariah to get to the bathroom on her own.  She stepped inside the small enclosure and pulled the door shut behind her with a snap.  She examined the door knob, and pushed the lock button with a satisfied “hmmph.”
    “The lavatory is soundproof with the door closed,” Riata said.  “She will not hear us.”
    Garen’s intense gaze met the Healer’s.  “Tell us” he demanded.
    Riata did not take offense at the abrupt command, but she did hesitate.  As a Healer, it was important that she maintain her patient’s privacy at all times, but this was, she knew, a unique situation.  And this young woman was unique, whether or not she knew it herself.  Still, she had to be sure.
     “She is your Arima?” she asked delicately.  She had lived on Jasan long enough to know more about the Jasani than most outsiders, though she was also aware that her knowledge was quite limited.  The Jasani were an extremely private people.  Even so, she knew what an Arima was.  She also knew that there had not been one in thousands of years.
    “She is,” Garen confirmed.  “What you know, we must know in order to ensure her health and safety.”
    Riata nodded.  “What I tell you now will not be easy to hear.  You must not allow yourselves to lose control.  It would be