Vulnerable. Exposed. As helpless as humans in hostile territory with no backup and no way home.
And she’s still naked.
For fuck’s sake.
“Get dressed,” I say gruffly, reaching for my own discarded clothing. “We’re finding a way out.”
“Fifteen miles through the mountains.” She shakes her head. “No backup. No comms. No shift.”
“Yeah.” I pull up my trousers and fasten my belt with brisk movements. “The sooner we start, the sooner we get out of here.”
“I can’t believe we can’t shift,” she half-whispers. I keep my expression neutral. Even in the darkness, I can feel her watching. Measuring whether I’m really as calm as I’m pretending.
I’m not.
The dragon inside me pulses weakly against its cage.
And I realize with cold certainty: whatever this place is, whatever ancient power sleeps here, it wants us human.
Trapped. Weak. Mortal.
And for the first time ever, I don’t know if I can take charge of things.
Chapter 6
Ember
The cold bites harder now that I know my dragon won’t answer.
I’m still standing in the clearing where we tried to shift, arms wrapped around myself. Luke has already pulled on his pants and is reaching for his shirt, movements efficient despite the darkness.
I should move. Should pull myself together. But my body won’t obey.
My dragon is silent. Not sleeping. Not resting. Just…gone. Like someone reached inside my chest and carved out the part of me that mattered most.
I reach inward again—can’t help it—searching for the familiar warmth. The light that should gleam at the edges of my consciousness. The presence that’s lived inside me since birth.
A flutter, and then nothing.
Just hollow space where fire should burn.
“No.” The word comes out broken. “No, this can’t—”
I close my eyes andpull. Demanding the shift with everything I have. Gold light sparks weakly—so faint I almost miss it—then blinks out before I can grasp it.
I try again. Focus harder.
Maybe if I just—
A tiny flame flickers between my fingertips. Orange and fragile as a newborn heartbeat.
Yes!
Hope surges—
The flame dies. Smoke curls away into nothing.
“Come on, come on!” I growl.
