Further Reading: Sanctuary

After finally reaching the temple in Hastow, Rowan and Saoirse have their wedding at last. There is much feasting, dancing, drinking, and making love as the women of the temple celebrate. Ethne has been dropping many hints that she seriously wishes to marry Lysa and make their match official, while Lysa daydreams of becoming a warrior and going on grand adventures. Meanwhile, Liadan and Ava prepare for the birth of their firstborn while trying to cope with the fact that Liadan's sister does not approve of them. Don't miss the fifth installment of this lesbian romance series!

Lysa glared over her shoulder at the Knight of the Sparrow. Ethne was squatting over her saddlebags and was rummaging through them as she packed them. Lysa drew near and stood over her impatiently.

"I knew you'd take her side," Lysa complained. "You don't care about anything so long as Liadan is happy."

"Yes. I'm a terrible friend," Ethne sarcastically agreed, not looking up.

Ava carefully unslung the dragon egg from around her neck and shoulders and set it on the corner table near Ethne, allowing it to sit in the nest of fabric there. She had been sleeping with it in her arms for days, its warmth pulsing against her body as the tiny dragon squirmed inside, but now she felt safe enough to set it aside. It was just close enough to the hearth that she knew the fire's warmth would help it along. Soon enough, it would hatch, and then she would have a baby dragon! The excitement tingled through her every day. A baby dragon, so cute and small, and one day, it would be mighty and fierce, and she would ride it into battle and drive out Endoreth and foul King Bjorn! They would paint the battle in murals on the walls of her tomb, and all would remember her as Ava the Liberator of Women, the Queen of Queens --

"What are you doing?" said Lysa, her amused voice shattering Ava's thoughts. "You do nothing these days but stare and stare at that blasted egg."

"Are you jealous, Lysa? Are you wishing the princess would pay you mind?" teased Ethne.

"No!" Lysa protested at once, and Ethne laughed, though Ava thought the knight's laughter a little . . . sad. Had Ethne seen them kiss on the road?

Ava felt guilty for allowing the kiss to happen. She was slowly beginning to notice that Ethne knew about Lysa's feelings for her. Perhaps Ethne had always known.

"You're my first knight!" Lysa said in exasperation and smiled. "Of course, I care about you! And nothing shall ever change that!"

Lysa was glad when Ethne seemed pleased, but the Knight of the Sparrow gave a sad half-smile as she said, "Of course, you care about me. You just don't love me. And I need that. I need you to love me."

"Oh, Ethne," Lysa said miserably again. Ethne was speaking as if Lysa could just force herself to love her instead of Ava. Hearts didn't work that way.