Lyra howls.
“OH, OH, THAT WAS AMAZING!” she howls. “PLEASE do that again—I need to memorize your face. What did your dragonsay?!”
Calryx hums, utterly unfazed.“I only ask because you seemed quite . . . enthusiastic.”
I want to die. Right here. Just drop to the ground and dissolve into mist.
Valen chuckles softly, shaking his head. “Ah, to be young.”
I groan, pressing both palms to my flaming face. “We are not talking about this.”
Thane inclines his head, that godsdamned smirk still curling his lips. “I disagree. I think we should talk about it . . . often.”
Lyra snorts. “You’re enjoying this way too much.”
I throw my hands in the air. “I just jumped off a cliff to bond with a dragon, andthisis what we’re talking about?”
There’s a collective snicker.
I whirl away from them, dramatically stomping toward Calryx.
“This is your fault,”I snap, mind to mind.
A deep rumble rolls through her chest—a sound like thunder softening into laughter. A dragon’s version of a chuckle.“I fail to see how.”
I groan, dragging my hands down my face—only to hear Thane laugh behind me. I inhale sharply, trying to shake off the heat still clinging to my skin. The ghost of his lips still tingles on mine.
“ANYWAY,” I announce, shoving down the absolute mess of feelings twisting in my gut. “Let’s focus on theimportantpart—like the dragon I just bonded with.”
Calryx lowers her massive head as I approach, her emerald eyes gleaming with quiet mischief. I rest my palm against her snout, fingers gliding over smooth, pearlescent scales. They’re warm beneath my touch—alive with magics.
I draw a breath, grounding myself.
“Everyone,” I say, my voice steady again, my heart still racing for too many reasons. “This is Calryx.”
She blinks slowly, tilting her head to study the three humans like she’s already found them lacking.
Valen inclines his head, reverent. “She’s magnificent.”
Lyra just stares at me, slack-jawed. Like she still can’t process what just happened—between the dragon bondingandkissing Thane.
Honestly? Same.
And Thane—godsdamn him—Thane is watching me. Something shifted between us just now—something we can’t take back. And gods help me, he looks like he’s already planning the next time.
Why did I do that?!
And he’s still smirking.
Every time I catch a glimpse of him out of the corner of my eye, he looks entirely too pleased with himself. Smug. Infuriating. Impossible.
The second we start making camp for the night, Lyra sidles up beside me, arms crossed, eyes gleaming with pure, unfiltered mischief.
“So.” She draws the word out like a blade across my already raw nerves. “You and Thane.”
I glare at her. “No.”
She grins. “Yes.”
