The Dragon Queens (The Mystique Trilogy) Read Online Free PDF Page B

his fist to spur me on to my confession.
    ‘I think an adventure is a splendid idea!’ My husband surprised me with his response once I had confessed all. ‘How soon do we leave?’
    We! I was doubly floored by this premise. ‘But what about your parliamentary duties?’
    Devere waved me to silence. ‘A complete bore…I trust my brother shall get word to me if my presence is necessary. To get anything through parliament seems to require a lifetime of argument, so I’m quite sure we shall return long before I am urgently needed.’
    ‘Are you sure? I will be fine on my own,’ I said, subtly trying to discourage him. I didn’t know why I wanted to go on this journey without him; maybe I just needed to escape being Lady Granville-Devere, wife and mother, for a time and recall what it was like to be Ashlee.
    ‘Ahh…you don’t want me to come.’ My husband saw through my intent in a second—he was quite the psychic himself these days. ‘You think I am prepared to let you go running off with Cingar, Levi and that ghost of yours without me?’
    ‘I do not intend to take that ghost of mine .’ Then his words registered fully. ‘You are aware that Levi wishes to accompany me?’
    ‘As such a journey is our son’s life ambition, naturally he will want to go,’ my husband replied. ‘Levi never wanted the fellowship anyway, nor hashe the slightest interest in politics, his inheritance, running an estate, or even England for that matter.’
    ‘Much like his parents,’ I commented, pleased that my husband was considering our son’s wishes. My Devere was not like most men in this day and age; he knew his family well and I loved him for it. ‘Of course I want you to come with me, if that is what you wish.’ I approached my husband and wrapped my arms around his neck. ‘But what shall we do about Levi?’ I had sworn not to take up my son’s battle and here I was doing just that, proving his prediction right.
    ‘He’s a grown man, free to choose his own path,’ Devere said wisely, his brilliant blue eyes alive with thought. ‘You do know why Levi wants to go to the Holy Lands so desperately?’
    I had always assumed it was because he had been conceived during my Sinai trip, but something suddenly told me this was not the case.
    ‘Levi believes that he’s going to meet a woman there,’ my husband went on, ‘someone integral to his destiny.’
    ‘He told you that?’ I was delighted that our son would disclose such intimate insights to his father.
    My husband nodded and grinned. ‘He was twelve years old at the time, but I believe that the premonition is still a large part of his passion for knowledge about the region.’
    I didn’t know quite how to react to this news, but it certainly explained Levi’s lack of interest in the marriage market in London. ‘So in the end it all boils down to a woman?’ I said.
    My husband thought my comment ironic. ‘Always, my dear.’ He bowed gallantly.

REVELATION 3
THE FERTILE CRESCENT
    ‘In 10,000 BC a moon-shaped expanse of land, ideal for cultivation, encompassed much of Mesopotamia, Canaan and Egypt. This area was the cradle of civilisation that became known as the Fertile Crescent.
    ‘Although we know of the city of Ur from Biblical accounts, its exact location has remained a mystery. Still, the Bible hinted at its whereabouts, stating that Abram—Abraham—came from Ur of the Chaldees, which is believed to refer to the Tigris–Euphrates region of what was once southern Mesopotamia. This would place Ur at the extreme south-eastern tip of the Fertile Crescent.’
    Levi, Lord Devere, Cingar and myself were standing at the rail of our vessel, the Sea Rose , gazing out over the Persian Gulf, while Levi gave us a brief overview of the legendary city of Ur.
    ‘So what you are saying is that this excavation we are travelling to may have unearthed the birthplace of Abraham?’ Lord Devere said.
    ‘It is a distinct possibility,’ Levi confirmed.
    It had taken