Read The Dragon's Treasure, Part 3 (For Love of Dragons) for Free Online Page A

that she could slide off him. In her weakened and dazed state she wobbled against him.
    “Thank you again… for everything,” she whispered to him before stumbling into her bedroom.
    The dragon waited until he saw her go safely inside, the boy instantly coming to her side, before he took off into the night sky.
    “How was it?” Caden asked quickly, tugging at her skirts.
    She shrugged and looked around the room. “Where is Faolan?”
    “I don’t know , he didn’t come back here last night. Will you tell me what happened? Why do you have bruises on your wrists?”
    Isabelle quickly pulled her sleeves down to hide the bruises and turned toward her brother, her eyes pleading. “Go get some rest Caden, we will talk later.”
    “But-”
    “Please Caden?” she begged, tears forming in her eyes.
    He was about to protest again but seeing his sister so distraught made him think better of it. “You get some rest too , Izzy ,” he said gently as he hugged and kissed her before walking quickly from the room.
    Isabelle waited until the door closed behind him before stripping off her dress and walking into the bathroom, grateful that there was already a hot bath waiting for her. Without her clothing to hide the dark marks that were already turning purple against her pale skin Isabelle could see the extent of her bruises. She quickly pulled her knees up to her chest and began sobbing into them, needing the release as much as anything else.
    Silently Faolan stepped into the room, instantly knowing from the half open door where she was. He sat down next to her on the cold bathroom floor, careful not to get too close.
    “Care to talk about it?” he whispered to her, keeping his eyes off her.
    Instantly her sobs were silenced and her eyes lowered to the water beside her. “Hello Faolan,” she whispered softly.
    He reached out to touch her, wanting to brush the wet hair from her neck but she shied away from him. With a soft frown he let his hand fall to his lap.
    “I saw Caden in the halls, he seemed upset,” he quietly told her.
    “He doesn't understand,” she whispered back.
    Faolan shrugged and leaned back against the stone wall. “He’s young, perhaps in time he may. Did something happen?”
    Isabelle went pale under his watchful eye. “Andrew… He…”
    In the span of a breath he was on his knees crouching beside her. She spared a glance at him, instantly cringing at the hatred in his dark eyes. “Your brother gave you those bruises?” he asked darkly, his breath barely as whisper.
    “That monster is not my brother,” she growled back at him, meeting his eyes fully.
    Faolan watched her eyes, seeing the emotions flicker across them. When anger had given way to pain and then to sadness he spoke again, knowing that she was calmer now. “Yes, I see how this could be hard for someone Caden’s age to understand.”
    Isabelle nodded and turned away again.
    “Tell me, how did you like your first ride on a dragon?” Faolan asked her, his voice soft and light.
    Her eyes snapped back to his, confusion pooling in her gaze. “You aren’t going to press me for answers about what happened?”
    He slowly shook his head no and moved closer to her until he could feel her warm breath on his cheeks. “You are safe now, that’s what matters to me. The rest you can tell me if you ever decide to. I’m here if you need someone to talk to but I will not force you.”
    She smiled gratefully at him. “Thank you Faolan. That means a lot to me.” He nodded and returned her smile. “And the dragon was wonderful,” she continued, her voice turning dreamy as she thought back to her first ride.
    “Good, I’m glad that you enjoyed it. He’s young but I thought you might like him.”
    Her smile widened slightly and she leaned back in the bath, her head resting next to his against the wall. “I did very much. He was so fast and graceful. But his scales…”
    Faolan's dark eyebrow raised in question. “His scales?”
    Isabelle