There wasn’t enough time. We never stood a chance. I don’t know his favorite color or what he likes to do in his free time—not that we ever got much of that. I never found out what his biggest dreams are or the one hundred things he wants to do before he dies.
I hope he got to do all of them.
Emerald green,he answers and continues down the line of obscene stuff coursing through my mind.Read your favorite books. I never dreamt much outside the life I had, but if I did, it would be to be in your presence. And the only thing I wanted to do before this moment was get the chance to make your dreams come true.
I’m speechless, and the silence is heavy, weighing me down with each slow rise of his chest as they become shallower, less frequent.
Unfortunately, time doesn’t stop for anything. It doesn’t matter how powerful you are or what you’re willing to sacrifice for just a little more of something so precious that we all take for granted. Endless and limited.
I grab both sides of his face with earnest.I won’t survive this,I admit, unable to speak the words aloud.
My little fighter. You are capable of so much.His voice slithers through my mind, eliciting shivers over my skin.They have no idea what they’re about to unleash.
Pressing my forehead to his, I close my eyes, honing in on my other senses. The roughness of his battled skin, the purity of eucalyptus underneath all the dirt he’s been destined to wear. The sound of his shaky breathing and how he has to fight for each one to not be his last.I need you here with me.
I’ll always be with you. You can never be rid of me, Kalliope.I can’t hold it in any longer. He pushes a memory so vivid into my mind it’s like we’ve been transported…to another life.
Voraxis comes into view, standing proud in the center of the field. I’ve always wanted this for her—to take her to do the one thing she’s always dreamt of.
“Are you ready?” I ask, Voraxis giving me the same side-eye glance he always does. He doesn’t seem particularly fond of me, but he’ll have to get over it.
“Ready for what? You haven’t told me anything.”
“We’re going flying.” I knew the sarcastic remark was coming, so I brace myself and hold back the eyeroll.
“Isn’t that what we werejustdoing?” Voraxis flares his wings out, and I do the same, now wanting him to think that I’m one to back down from a fight. That’s the thing about dragons—especially one of his age. Voraxis has been around since before I was born. And it should be no surprise to me that Kallie bonded with him. I wasn’t even sure if shewouldbond with one, given the circumstances and all.
But I’m glad she has him, even if it makes me a little crazy to know I’m not the only one that has access to her thoughts.
She says something I didn’t quite catch, but from the annoyed look of Voraxis, I can only imagine. “There’s no way I can get up there,” she announces.
“I can lift you up there,” I offer, knowing it can take some practice learning how to mount—especially given Voraxis’s size. I’m not sure how he responded exactly, but from the stunned look on her face, I’m going to assume not well.
Kallie paints on a determined face before backing up a few feet. I’m certain she’s just going to go for it, but before she does, she decides it would be best to announce her intentions.
“I’m not sure if any of you understand, but I want to make it known: I am not hurting, attacking, or inflicting any intentionalpain to this dragon.” I cover my mouth with my hand, trying to hold back a laugh at the absurdity. “I am simply just trying to get on his back. So if you would please refrain from attacking me, that would be much appreciated.” I roar with laughter, unable to keep it contained any longer.
If looks could kill, I’d be six feet under.
Kallie takes a deep breath, mentally preparing herself for the trek ahead. But she does better than I thought, struggling a little, but she gets herself up.
The moment she settles in, she looks like she’s been riding her entire life. Her face lights up with joy, and I’m not even sure she realizes how loud she is when she asks how it works.
Hold on—tight,I tell her.
Voraxis must get the memo, because his wings beat with force, and I make note to stay a decent distance away, just in case he thinks it’s funny to knock me out of the way.
He seems like the type.
Voraxis goes higher than I would’ve thought for her first time, but she doesn’t seem to mind. Her limbs tremble with the force she has to use to stay on, but I’m prepared to catch her if it goes south. Voraxis evens out, gliding straight ahead, and I take a minute to appreciate how the wind feels brushing beneath my wings.
This is amazing,Kallie breathes down the bond. It is. But I don’t know how to tell her that my view is better. All too quickly, Kallie grips Voraxis a little tighter, a wicked smile on her lips, and I know that he’s about to take her on a flight she’ll never forget. He tucks his wings in tight, and I do the same, not wanting to miss a single moment. We dive, twist, and turn, and I can’t help the smile that breaches my face at her shrieks of laughter.
We even out again, hopefully for good because I want nothing more than to have her in my arms. She wears a permanentgrin, hair tousled from the dramatic flair Voraxis had to add.
I wish we could stay in this moment forever. She looks absolutely breathtaking. The moonlight bounces off Voraxis’s scales, illuminating her in the purest of light.
Is it everything you dreamed of?
