“You play with fire, human!” I mock-growled.
“These are members-only cookies,” he warned, holding my gaze as he continued striding forward, popping one of the delicacies in his mouth.
The bout of playfulness threw me for a thousand loops. “Members of what?”
“The Taron Rules Club.” Cookie crumbs dropped from the corners of his mouth.
Snort. “I signed up for the thirty-day trial, remember?” I plucked an overflowing handful from the tin and stuffed my face, leaving him the broken remnants.
He barked out a laugh, and I marveled anew. Who even was this man? This wasn’t the spiteful warrior I’d faced on day one, or the merciless professor from our second interaction. Not the cold travel companion, or the passionate kisser. This was…Taron. The man who’d been hidden beneath the hatred.
We continued on, and I maybe started skipping.
“Tell me something good about you,” he said, as we navigated a massive maze of twisting tree roots and tangled undergrowth. “A favorite memory.”
I thought for a moment, uncertain we should travel this emotional path but unwilling to retreat. “I was nine years old, soon to turn ten, when I would set off for combat training.”
“Ten. Wow.” One of his brows winged up. “I mean, I knew the age from stories, but thinking of young Olyssa really puts the details in perspective. You were just a baby.”
“Ten is when the dragon begins to make itself known.Trust me, training is for the good of everyone.” I let the memory overtake me. “My sisters, all younger, threw a surprise going-away party. We danced and sang and ate the most atrocious snacks they had prepared themselves. My mother presented me with a paper tiara she’d helped them create.” Nostalgia clogged my throat and slid to the very pit of my stomach.
“I didn’t have siblings, but I did have an abundance of cousins, and we always had fun when we played together.” He clasped my hand and boosted me over a log, and for the first time, I was the one fighting a laugh.
“A mortal assisting the fiercest of all the dragons is kind of adorable.” My gaze met his, and we stopped, just stopped.
Time slowed to a crawl.
“But I’m not just any mortal,” he offered. He smoothed a lock of hair behind my ear, leaving my cheek tingling with warmth.
Nein. Nein, he wasn’t any mortal. He was…him. And as we continued to peer at each other, studying, I forgot to breathe.
He leaned close, as if he meant to kiss me again. Caught up in some kind of spell, I drew nearer to…
My phone dinged once more.
In unison, we jolted and darted our gazes.
Saved by the cell. I checked the screen and groaned. Twenty-eight texts from Adelaide. A combination of questions and statements about Taron, mixed with emojis and GIFs.
I sighed as I glanced over the messages. “My sister is being nosy.”
Well, well. Don’t you 2 look cozy.
Are you sleeping cuddled up in his arms?????
How many times have you kissed him?
Have you burned him yet? Maybe just blew a teeny tiny little ember on his rippled man-chest?
Is he your firebrand? He’s your firebrand, isn’t he???? I knew it the moment you returned from meeting him with sparkling eyes. I’ve missed that sparkle SO MUCH!
Should I go ahead and plan your wedding now or wait till you accept the inevitable???
The dude’s got a good dowry, or whatever. You should see his treasure, sis. I collected the ingredients for the potion, as requested, but sweet fire! A boatload of awesomeness.
By the way, it’s nothing to worry about, so you know, definitely don’t worry, because I’ve got everything under control mostly, but um, three members of the council are missing, along with multiple soldiers, and Cedric won’t stop laughing hysterically. He claims they betrayed us and bailed. That Nyla and Lorik are hidden in Ashmorra, and the council works with them.
“What!” I burst out, halting. I punched in her number.
