I drew in a breath. “Might as well start with a bang and fetch the Sunsong Crystal first. It grows only in the Cavern of Echoes.” A dangerous and ancient place known for its ability to distort reality and trap minds. No dragon dared venture there. “The stones can’t help us this trip. We’ll have to fly. But you’ll have to trust me not to drop you.”
“Fine.” He strode to the balcony, determined and unafraid. “The faster we get this done, the better.”
Wait. I’d only flown one other human—Leopold—and he’d nearly vomited from the lack of control, the windchill and the altitude. Of course, he’d been a blacksmith at a time before the invention of airplanes. Still.
“You’ll be behind me,” I explained, just in case Taron wasn’t comprehending my meaning. “Riding a smoke current from my wings.” It would feel as if he floated atop a blanket. “That’s how we train our toddlers before they can fly on their own.”
“Fine,” he said again. A gust of wind lifted his dark hair.
He still wasn’t getting it.
I edged closer, eyes narrowed. “If you scream, you’ll give away our location. My camouflage only works if we’re silent.”
He looked at me, unflinching. “If you’re done explaining things I already understand, we should go.”
I tsked. “So confident now.” That would change the moment we hit the skies.
I stepped out beside him, close enough to feel the heat that radiated off his skin. It wrapped around me, a temptationand a trap twined together, attempting to coax me closer.
Resisting? Nearly impossible. But resist I did.
Taron lifted my bag without a word, securing it to his back alongside the other. “Where is the camouflage you mentioned?”
“You’re about to find out,” I said, surprised by the simple courtesy.
Facing the night beyond the balcony, I drew a deep breath, held it…still holding…and exhaled. A thick stream of pearlescent smoke billowed into the air, shimmering faintly as it collected around us, becoming a veil no dragon could penetrate. A skill only few of us possessed.
“The dragon version of a cloaking device,” he said. And did I hear a touch of admiration in his voice?
“Your vision will be limited,” I warned. “Jump after me. Do not hesitate.”
“Fine. By the way. I’m not gingerbread-trailing you,” he grumbled.
Maybe. Maybe not.I launched into the void.
Wind tore at my hair. My heart surged. I didn’t need to look back. Ifelthim follow, a shift in the current behind me. He’d jumped. He’dtrustedme. I didn’t know how to feel about that.
With a powerful snap, I unfurled my smokewings. Wind and white mist erupted as my wings hardened. I caught the updraft and rose. A beat later, his weight joined mine in the airstream, his body flat against what looked to be a glittering cloud.
He didn’t scream. Didn’t even grunt. Was he paralyzed with fear?
I twisted into a glide, banking into the silver wash of moonlight, and angled so I could see him better. Taronrested comfortably. He kept a tight hold on the pack straps, his hair wild and wind-whipped. His pupils were blown, stunned, but not masking fear. A hint of a smile curled at his lips.
He enjoys this?
Despite the smoke, our gazes met but didn’t clash. Something sharp caught in my throat. He shouldn’t be able to make out my features, and yet, our eyes locked. A spark flared between us.
I tore my focus away and righted.
We flew in silence the rest of the distance, the only sound the whisper of my wings as the jagged silhouette of the Drachenhorn Mountain Range rose to meet us. The temperature dropped, becoming frigid, turning my breaths to mist. I descended in a slow spiral, guiding Taron downward, letting him find his footing as we touched snow-packed ground.
I scanned the terrain. Black rock slick with clear ice. Gnarled trees heavy with razorleaves. The mineral scent of wet stone and ancient spruce lingered in the air. Shadows shifted in ways they shouldn’t. A chill threaded down my spine.
Something watched, and I had a pretty good idea what. I only hoped I was wrong.
In unison, Taron and I palmed weapons. We waited, pressed back-to-back, ready for battle, but nothing attacked.
“Dragons?” he asked softly.
