I am Viridian, my queen, and you are?
The topaz fell back into the lockbox and suddenly a crushing wave of fear crashed into me, though it was not my own. My dragon was distraught at the idea of displeasing this queen.
I am Auren, she replied, standing up tall and reminding me of a fine lady sticking her nose in the air.
Which reminded me, I had a fine lady standing before me right now.
“A pleasure to meet you, Just Fern,” I said. I took her hand in mine, treasuring the way it felt so small, warm, soft. My brain scrambled to remember what to do with it. It’d been a long time since I bowed over a woman’s hand, but when I did, this felt perfectly right. My lips tingled as I brushed them across her knuckles. I wanted to kiss each one, then turn her hand over and plant more on her palm, and where the hell had that thoughtcome from? I’d barely said two words to the woman. “What brings you to Dragon Rest?”
“That’s what this place is called?” She looked around in wonder, and my chest puffed out with pride. We’d built this town from nothing. It was still a small village, but it was all ours. The two of us looked down and saw we were still holding hands, forcing me to let go. “Is it very close to the royal keep? We’re trying to find our way there, but I think we’ve gotten lost.”
I didn’t want to tell her. Some breathtakingly selfish need to keep Fern right here came from nowhere, but I shook my head and smiled.
“Almost.” I pointed off to the northeast. “The keep is a ways in that direction.”
“Oh, well, thank you.”
She turned then to discuss this with her dragon, but I stepped forward.
“But if you’d like an escort, Viridian and I…” I’d watched male birds bob and weave, performing intricate dances to impress the females and persuade them to mate. In some ways, that’s what it felt like the dragons were doing right now. Their heads wove back and forth just slightly, moving in and out of each other’s space. Gods, he was completely gone on the queen. I gave Lady Fern my best smile. “We’d be honoured to escort you there.”
“Really?” Gods, if she looked like that every time I pleased her, I’d be her willing slave. “That would be most helpful.”
A little later,I was in the saddle, smoothing my hand down Viridian’s neck.
That’s why you didn’t want to go patrolling, I said.Why you wanted the others nowhere near the village. This queen…I watched Fern climb onto Auren’s back, trying not to focus on her very shapely arse, as she sat on her dragon without even the aid of a saddle.She’s something special, right?
She has my heart.
Viridian wasn’t a dragon for great declarations, so I went perfectly still at that. He strode forward, wings flapping out, ready to take the lead. Auren kept pace with us, their claws raking the earth as they got faster and faster, then we were up in the air.
That lurch, then the exhilaration of weightlessness, it never seemed to get old for me, but this time it was different. I glanced over at Fern, catching her look of surprise, then her wild grin. We’d flown over half of Nevermere, but as we winged our way towards the capital, it felt like we were rushing to something far greater than just a visit to the keep.
Destiny, Viridian informed me.
Yes, perhaps he was right.
Chapter 8
Fern
Oh my goodness…I leaned as far as I dared over the side of my dragon’s back.How can one town be so big?
Wyrmpeak, the capital of Nevermere, spread out beneath us. There were so many houses, streets, everything. I couldn’t take it all in with one glance, no matter how high up we were. Auren’s wings cut through the air, sweeping back and forth.
Humans are far too populous.Her grumpy tone made me smile.They infest a place like fleas might a dog.Her head turned my way slightly.Present company excluded, obviously.
Obviously.I grinned back at her.
You are quite superior to the other humans I have met. I found myself sitting taller at that, but the buffet of the wind forced me to slump back down along Auren’s spine.The same cannot be said for the fools that think they run Wyrmpeak. Human, officious humans, who are obsessed by following all of these nonsensical rules.
I felt her sigh rather than heard it over the roar of the air.
We will be forced to deal with them when we reach the keep of the so-called Royal Riders. Demand an audience with the general, the king if wemust,she advised.We will get our land grant and then be off again by sunset.
Perhaps in the morning?I suggested. My thighs were shaking with the effort of staying on her back.A warm bath and a meal would be most appreciated.
Ahh yes, my father told me about this. Humans have tiny stomachs that must be filled more regularly and skin rather than scales that takes a lot more care.I will demand you are given a bath in a receptacle made of gold, then provided the finest of feasts…I snorted at that, unable to countenance something so grand.You are my rider, and as such, I will make sure you get the best these humans can provide.
