And the dragon. With shimmering scales that serve as armor, glowing with an ember-like heat, and when it roars, sparks and smoke follow, as though it breathes the essence of fire itself. The most powerful creature in all existence.
At least, it would be.
If the species hadn’t gone extinct over a century ago.
But they did.
Now those creatures only exist in bedtime stories, and I’ll never be able to form the Etherbond.
But I wonder if Ryjax has, although I doubt he’d be honest about it.
A bond between two beings is sacred, for when both decide to accept the bond, their lives are linked together forever.
-Essentari Bonding, page 21
If one dies, so does the other. Which would be very valuable information for an enemy of the royal family. Jax may be hard to reach within the limits of the Imperial City, but if he was bonded to an animal that livedoutsideof these walls…that beast could be a much easier target.
I stand, stretching my limbs slowly, carefully, trying to soothe the ache and not cause more of it. I wish so badly that I could do this beneath the heated sun, feeling the light pressure of a summer’s breeze.
Gods, I miss that feeling. I miss it more than I ever thought possible.
I wonder how far underground I am. How many feet below the surface? How many stairs would I need to climb to see the sun again?
My eyes land on the door.
The door Jax promised he would no longer lock.
Did he keep his promise?
Is it unlocked as he said?
Do I not deserve to find out?
Moving to stand beside it, I grip the knob ever so gently.
I just want to see if it will turn. That’s all. I won’t actually open it…I won’t actually…
The door swings toward me, and I jump back. My hand finds my heaving chest as my eyes land on Jax’s tall frame.
“Ever heard of knocking?” I breathe through my nose, trying to settle my rapidly beating heart.
“What were you doing?” he asks, eyeing me like I’ve committed a crime. “Why were you standing so close to the door?” He takes a step toward me, and I take one back.
“I was just…I…” My breathing is still out of control. I need to calm down.
“You what?” he presses, his voice sharp, and my fists tighten.
“I’m not the one in the wrong here,” I say, finally finding my voice. “What if I had been naked?” I snap, and his eyes widen, but only slightly. “Or is that what you were hoping for?” I swat at him, and his jaw flexes, accentuating his cheekbones and the rugged edges of his stupidly handsome face.Gods, it’s like he was carved from stone.
“I’m sorry,” he says, his voice gravelly, which makes unwanted chills radiate throughout my body. “There was someone coming, and I figured they’d think it a bit odd if they saw me knocking on a door to a seemingly empty room.”
Oh.
Well, I suppose that makes sense.
Butstill.
“Don’t let it happen again.”
