And all I can think is:it should be me.
There’s tension in my shoulders before I even register it. My hands curl at my sides. Heat coils in my chest—sharp and immediate, like a blade pulled too fast from the forge.
Kieran’s not just talking to her. He’s watching her like he sees something he wants. And gods help me—she’s letting him.
I take a step forward before I mean to. Valen says something behind me, but I don’t hear it.
Kieran’s leaning in again, too close.
I can feel it. That buzz beneath my skin. That familiar, unwelcome fire.
Amara shifts, playful, a soft smile on her lips. It does something to me—twists low in my gut, sharp and hot.
I start toward them. Not walking. Striding. Because Ineedto be near her. I need to feel the space between us again before it slips further.
By the time I reach them, Kieran’s backing off—smirking, amused, as always. He says something about cliffs and she rolls her eyes.
But I see it.
The blush on her cheeks. The glow in her eyes.
I sit beside her like it’s nothing. Like I didn’t just cut across the field because I couldn’t take another second watching him near her.
She challenges me, of course. Always does. The sharp glint in her gaze. The way she asks if I’m jealous like it’s a game shealready knows the answer to.
I want to grab her and kiss her.
Instead, I say, “So what if I am?”
Because it’s the truth. And I’m done pretending otherwise.
But I leave before I say something I can’t take back. Before I reach for her in a way that will set fire to everything.
AMARA
The sun is barely up when we start preparing to leave, the air already warm with the promise of summer heat. Horses are saddled. Provisions packed.
What’s ahead settles in me. And I’m ready.
Lyra is practically vibrating with excitement.
“I have to come,” she insists, shouldering her pack. “You’re about to bond with a dragon—do you think I’m going to sit back at the outpost like some clueless idiot?”
I laugh, shaking my head. “I wouldn’t expect you to.”
She grins. “Good. Because I was coming either way.”
Ahead, Thane and Valen are standing with their horses, checking the straps on their saddles, going over last-minute details.
The morning light catches in Thane’s dark hair, highlighting the sharp angles of his face. He’s already focused, already locked in for the journey ahead.
“Thalor.”
I turn as Kieran steps in front of me, hands resting easily at his sides, his usual cocky grin in place.
“Thought you’d sneak off before I could say goodbye?”
I smirk. “You’d have found me anyway.”
