The men nodded.
“All right. Gather your things. We leave as soon as we're packed.” The Dragon King stood.
I stood as well, watching his knights fetch their satchels and then head for a clearing to shift. The human drivers would be staying at camp with the carriages and horses to await our return.
“It's a long flight. Are you sure you don't want me to carry you?” Raven asked.
“No, I want to fly. My wings need the exercise.”
“Very well. Wait for us to get airborne, and then join us.” He picked up a leather satchel containing food, water, and his weapons.
Together, we went to the clearing to join the knights. One by one, they undressed, stored their clothing in their satchels, and transformed into enormous winged beasts with claws, horns, leathery wings, and deadly tails. They launched into the air with their satchels clutched in a talon and hovered there.
The King went last. He undressed, packed his clothing, and went into the center of the clearing. I held my breath, eager to see his other form. Above us, his knights circled, their scalesranging in color from burnt orange to crimson. Sunlight glinted off them like glass. I expected something bold from Raven, but he was true to his name.
A black dragon took form before me, its scales shining like polished jet. A pair of turquoise eyes stared from the shimmering darkness at me. He was as glorious as he was in his man's body—neck long, horns tipped in white, and claws sharp enough to shred metal. His tail, tipped with an ebony barb, slashed the air behind him.
“Let us fly together, my foundling.” With that, the Dragon King leapt into the air, his massive haunches bunching to push him upward. Enormous wings spread, thick membranes collecting the air to drive Raven upward.
I stared up at him for a moment, lost in his splendor, and then I jumped. My wings spread with a tingling feeling of joy. It shot through me as I shot upward. Nothing held back my happiness now, not even thoughts of Nahel. I wasn't running away. I was on the hunt, and I was whole again. No trauma to poison my mind, no injury keeping me bound to the ground. I was in the air where I belonged, and in seconds, I was flying beside my mate.
The Dragon King roared. The sound wasn't a warning to his enemies but a triumphant call to his goddess. I felt it inside me. He was thanking the Dragon Goddess for our love. I added a whoop of joy to his, thanking Lurransa for her blessing. The Dragon Goddess may have given me to Raventar, but it was Lurransa, winged Goddess of the Lelurra, who had given Raven to me. To go from sex slave to King's Mate was nothing short of miraculous, leaving no doubt in me that the Goddess had a hand in my life. Despite my foolishness, she had led me home. To him. She hadn't cursed me at all. In her wisdom, she saw thepath for me to take to Raven, and she set me upon it. As hard as it had been to travel, I was glad for it now. If Bara had never stolen me from Hanhepi, I would never have met Raven.
As Tabaa stretched below us, I flew at the head of a flight of dragons, mated to their king. I was one of them—not by birth but through love. A warrior on the hunt for evil-doers, I felt stronger than I ever had before. Bara's legacy would soon be buried with him. But I didn't need for that to happen to make myself whole anymore. All I needed was Raven.
Chapter Twenty-Eight
From the air, I could see why they called it the Burning Vein. Lines of glowing magma branched through the soil below us as if Serai's blood were afire. I expected the land to be barren, but it was the opposite. Thanks to the heat, the environment was humid, perfect for tropical plants. But it was a delicate balance. Nothing grew directly beside the cracks in the ground, leaving only black lava rock to border the vein. It made for a beautiful sight, with the vibrant, red-orange magma complementing the jungle's rich green, and black outlines emphasizing the colors.
The thermal updrafts were also delightful, easing our flight. As soon as we entered the Burning Lands, we barely had to work to stay aloft. Instead of flapping our wings, we held them extended to catch the rising warm air and rode the currents. They took us in circles, higher and higher, until we jumped from the top of one thermal to glide into the next. Even the dragons seemed to enjoy leapfrogging across the Burning Lands. It was perfect for helping my wings adjust to flying again.
Then Mount Henochtuclan came into view. The largest of the volcanoes along the Burning Vein, its name meant “Endless Inferno” in the Lamatoka language. It certainly lived up to its moniker, belching steam into the sky to mimic smoke. Thankfully, it wasn't erupting, so there wasn't any lava to avoid.There was, however, a hint of sulfur on the wind. I wrinkled my nose—sulfur smelled like rotten eggs.
“There!” the Dragon King called and left the thermal we were riding to descend toward a clearing in the jungle.
We followed hid glistening, black bulk down, our landings spaced to allow time for each dragon to shift, starting with the King. I landed seconds after he shifted into his man-form and then stepped to the side with him. As I watched the others spiral down to us, Raven opened his satchel and pulled out his clothes.
While Raven dressed, he asked, “How are your wings?”
“They're good. Those thermals helped.”
Raven pulled a jug of water from his satchel and handed it to me. “We'll hike a little closer and make camp.” He glanced at the sky and then pulled his boots on. “We should have a few more hours of daylight.”
“All right.” I took a swig of water.
“Tell me if you tire, and we'll stop.”
“I'm fine, Raven.” I waited until he was finished dressing and handed him back the jug.
“I plotted a course for us from above, Your Majesty.” Sir Vanoak said as he joined us. “I saw a stream we could camp by.”
“Take lead then.” Raven waved him toward the treeline.
“Yes, Your Majesty.”
The other knights finished dressing and had some water before Vanoak led us into the jungle. He forged the path, cuttingback some of the thicker growth with his lava-glass sword. Still, it was rough going, my wings catching on all sorts of plant life even though I had them folded to my back. Raven walked in front of me and tried to bash a passage open for me with his body, but with my wings, I took up more space than he did, and the passage wasn't large enough. By the time Vanoak found the stream, I was ready to collapse.
“Sit down.” Raven led me to a grassy spot by the water. “Here.” He brought out the jug again.
