“It happens sometimes,” Fieran said, in a rather careful way that made me think it didn’t happenoften. “The clans are dragon clans, not our own families.”
Nixi’s chin lifted. “Clan Amber fought to claim me.”
“And it was the best decision I’ve ever made,” Ander told us. His gaze bounced from me to Fieran and back again, curious, appraising, but he didn’t say anything.
Still, I heard the question as loudly as if it had been voiced.
Why is the mortal here?
“This trap is set,” Fieran said. “We should join the others.”
Nixi looked at me again consideringly. “Did you rescue her from the monster?”
“No,” Fieran said, and I wished I could clap my hand over his mouth, already knowing what he was going to say. “She rescued me.”
He seemed colder, less cheerfully cocky than he had been since I met him, as if he had raised a hard facade.
Ander studied me. “Well, I can’t wait to hear this story.”
“We’ll have time once the rips are sealed,” Fieran said. “Until then, I suggest we keep the wyrms from munching on the villagers.”
I looked up at him, trying to make sense of the different version of himself this seemed to be. Fieran had never sounded blasé about protecting us all before.
“You might want to fix that wound first.” Ander’s voice was cool. “Don’t pretend to be so blasé that you fall over in front of the mortal.”
Fieran might have shifted back, but the wound from the griffin was still torn deeply into his flesh. He shrugged, taking it in stride, but I felt alurch of horror for his sake. He glanced at my face and then began to dig through his supplies.
As Fear fixed himself up, the other shifters studied me. I turned to Fear, feeling awkward. “Do you need any help?”
A mocking smile ghosted over Nixi’s lips.
“I’ll be fine. Let’s fly,” Fear said. “It’ll be faster.”
“I can take the rider,” Ander offered, and the others glanced at him in a way I didn’t understand them all enough to interpret. “I’m more experienced. And you’re recovering.”
“I’ve got her,” Fieran said firmly.
I didn’t get the chance to respond before Fieran’s arm looped around my waist. He pulled me taut against the side of his body, his thigh splitting mine.
“I can walk,” I said, remembering all too keenly the feeling of falling not long before. It was a sensation that would haunt my dreams.
“Alone in the forest? There’s a reason you’ve never been here before.” He didn’t sound as if he were going to tolerate arguments.
His wings were already spreading from his back. Black like the night, but shimmering where the moonlight found them through the trees.
Hastily, I put my arm around his neck.
His lips quirked in a faint smile just before he launched himself up.
Below us, the three members of Clan Amber were tall, striking figures one moment—and dragons the next. They soared up to join us.
“Why don’t they all fly like you?” I asked.
“Because they can’t.”
“Why not?”
“Maybe they don’t want to.” That seemed unlikely, given the slightly smug set of his lips. “Maybe their dragon doesn’t allow it.”
