I realize that now.Sebastian's wry tone made Eva want to smile.
She bit her cheeks to stop herself, not quite ready to give up her mad.
Next time, I promise to tell you. Forgive me?
The apology took the remaining heat out of her anger. "Fine. Under one condition."
Deal.
Eva's eyes widened, her mouth falling open as she felt Sebastian bank.
"Wait! I'm not ready."
Knowing what was coming, Eva fumbled for the oh shit strap. Gravity dropped out from under her as Sebastian folded his wings.
"You little bastard!" Eva screamed.
He’d done that on purpose.
They dove headlong toward the earth as her butt lifted a centimeter off Sebastian's back, only the pressure of her knees against the hard front flaps and her hold on the handle keeping her from tumbling off his back.
Tendrils of blond hair slid out of her braid to whip at Eva's face, stinging her eyes and making her wish she'd worn something over her hair before being insane enough to climb on Sebastian's back.
Fear should have been the prevailing emotion. Fear of falling. Fear of death.
But instead, all Eva felt was excitement.
A wide smile spread across her face as she squeezed her thighs against Sebastian's sides for dear life.
"Alright, let's see what you got," Eva shouted, the wind snatching away her words.
She wasn't worried about Sebastian not hearing, knowing their connection would ensure he registered her feelings.
There was a whoop in her mind and then his wings snapped out. Eva's body jolted forward, her teeth clacking together. The flaps once again served their purpose, keeping her locked tight to Sebastian's back.
Knowing his antics weren't over, Eva quickly adjusted her seat.
Sure enough, seconds later, he banked left around a column of rock before diving quickly through the narrow open space below a stone slab resting on top of two columns. Greenery marched along the rock bridge's top.
Sebastian's wings cast dark shadows over the ground as they swept past.
There was the same sense of wonder and freedom she had whenever she rode Caia. A sense of danger mingled with those feelings, adding a sharp edge that was addictive.
Eva had missed this. The exhilaration and camaraderie that came from working together to perform stunts that would turn most people's hair gray.
If the Trateri could see her now, she wasn't sure how many would volunteer to form a bond with a Kyren. Then again, the Trateri had never impressed Eva with their sense of self preservation.
Sebastian dodged the sharp jut of rocky outcrops, passing within inches in a dizzying rush. Bushes and trees swayed with their passage.
Eva couldn't help but admire the precision of his flight, knowing a single miscalculation would dash them both against unyielding stone and dirt.
Finally, they swept into a long valley where giant boulders dotted the ground on either side of a vast lake, the sun shimmering off the small waves.
Sebastian's altitude lowered until they were skimming above water so crystalline and pure Eva could see to the bottom.
"Beautiful," she breathed.
It was, too. The sort of beauty that made you pause. Your mind emptying as you simply took in the wonder, quiet and calm replacing whatever had been there before.
