The Dragon Nimbus Novels: Volume I: Volume I

odd twist and split in the staff’s reflection of the magic that passed through it. Couldn’t think of an answer and dreaded knowing.
    “I seem to have bitten my tongue quite badly. Can you locate Baamin with your mind? He should be able to stop the bleeding.” Jaylor ignored the staff resting on his foot.
    Brevelan handed the tool to him. She raised an eyebrow in question, not quite daring to ask what had caused the odd pattern in the wood. Jaylor turned his back to heft the packs to his shoulder. His lack of an answer told her more than she wanted to know.
    “Master Baamin is not in the University.”
     
    The Tambootie is wonderful! Why have I never seen its potential before? It allows me to see so much more clearly, both forward and backward in time.
    With no effort at all, I can see bumbling old Baamin shielding his wayward princeling from my gaze. His magic is strong, but not stronger than mine. Darville is visiting a lady’s chamber as I would expect from a man with the discretion of a mongrel around a bitch in heat.
    A wisp of a thought and my vision rolls to the princess. She sleeps quietly. But not alone. If anyone has allowed that evil cat to creep into her room, I shall kill them, most unpleasantly. I must hurry to her side. She cannot be compromised before the wedding.
     
    “Did I hurt you when I swatted your muzzle?” Mikka ran a hand down Darville’s straight nose. Her fingernails were long and slightly curved. “You were quite selfish when you were a wolf.”
    “I don’t remember that life at all.” Darville continued to stare at her, being very careful to keep his eyes above her neck.
    Mikka was suddenly aware that her only covering was her hip-length hair. She’d spent nearly three years wearing nothing but cat fur. Her transformation back to womanhood hadn’t registered until now. A lifetime ago, she would have been embarrassed to be seen by a man. But this was no ordinary man. This was Darville. He understood her ordeal and why she had sought escape in a cat’s body. No other man would.
    “When Jaylor was changing me back and forth from wolf to man, I retained more of my experiences,” Darville continued. “But the moons before that are a complete blank.” His hand traced the line of her head to rest just above her ear and scratch. Mikka leaned into the familiar, affectionate caress.
    “Why did you do that?” she asked. The caress was too intimate for an unmarried woman and a man.
    “I always scratch your ears when I must think . . . I mean . . . when you . . . when I. . . .”
    They both looked to the cat sleeping on the bed pillow.
    “Move, Rosse.” Darville lifted the contented cat to the foot of the bed.
    “This is my place.” Mikka scooted against the headboard and leaned against the pillow. “And this is your place.” She patted the pillow beside her to indicate Darville should stay next to her.
    “My valet complains every morning when he has to brush cat hair off the pillows.” He chuckled as he settled into position. His right arm draped naturally around Mikka. “How much do you remember of your ensorcelled life?”
    “Almost everything. More than Janataea predicted. I don’t think she realized the magic in me was so strong.” Out of long habit she curled her body into his circling touch, rubbing the top of her head against his chin.
    “Your magic was certainly very uncatlike six weeks ago when you broke the lock in the tunnels.” He pulled her closer yet, as if expecting his cat to crawl into his lap and purr. “If only we knew what Janataea really wants,” he mused while he stroked her hair the length of her back.
    “I think she had planned the spell for a long time. Could it have something to do with the land of women warriors? Was she hoping I would find them for her?”
    Darville glanced at the sleeping cat at the foot of the wide bed. “She is a very powerful witch. If she wanted to find that mythical place, she would have done it on her own. No. From what I have seen of your governess, I believe her motives have something to do with control. She has power over Rosie. I’ve seen her put destructive words into the poor girl’s mouth. She’d never be able to compel you to that extent, Mikka. My Mikka.” He brushed his lips across the top of her hair with quiet affection.
    “I don’t want to go back to being a cat, my love.” She wrapped her arms around his chest and clung to him.
    “I don’t want you to go back. I like you much better