“Just one more?—”
Now, Adele.
“Stubborn dragon.” But my hands were shaking too badly to collect another sample anyway.
Hold on.He swooped down close to the shrine and shifted, his body transforming from dragon to his usualfaster than I could blink. He wrapped his arms around me, pulling me against his warm chest.
“Better?” he asked, his breath fogging in the freezing air.
My teeth were chattering too hard to answer, but I managed to nod. He held me while I finished securing the samples with clumsy fingers, his body heat seeping into me.
“Done,” I finally said.
“Good.” He tipped my chin up, studying my face with worried eyes. “Your lips are purple.”
“Romantic.”
“Terrifying.” But he kissed me anyway, his mouth warm against mine, pouring heat back into me. When he pulled back, his eyes were soft. “You’re brilliant. And stubborn. And brilliant.”
“You said brilliant twice.”
“Because it’s doubly true.” He shifted us, preparing to change back to dragon form. “Let’s get you down before you pass out and I have to carry your unconscious body. Very undignified for a queen.”
“Truly undignified,” I said, but I was smiling.
The flight down was a blur. I pressed close to him, exhausted and cold but eager to study what I’d collected.
We landed to find Queen Mortiven and a few of the villagers waiting in the courtyard. Their expressions remained hopeful.
“Well?” Queen Mortiven asked. “Did you find who’s poisoning our children?”
I slid off Raoul’s back, and he shifted to his usual form. “I still need to gather evidence at Goldwing Court since they also have sneezing children. Once I’ve studied everything, I hope I’ll be able to tell you what’s happening.”
“Why should we trust Emberforge’s witch?” A man in the crowd called out, his voice hard with suspicion.
Raoul’s hand found mine, presenting a united front. I squeezed back, silently thanking him for the support.
“Adele flew through thin air to the sacred peaks to find a way to save your children,” Raoul said, his voice carrying across the courtyard. “She’s smart, and she cares. Do not disrespect my wife.”
My breath caught at the strength and devotion in his words.
This was dangerous territory. This was falling.
Mortiven studied us both, her sharp eyes taking in our joined hands and the way we leaned toward each other. Her expression shifted, and the barest hint of a smile touched her lips.
A young mother stepped forward from the crowd, her baby clutched to her chest. “Will you be able to help our children?”
I met her desperate gaze. “I won’t stop until I do.”
We gathered our belongings quickly.
Mortiven joined us in the courtyard. “Thank you. I…I appreciate you coming to my clan and looking into this. We’re tired. Stressed. This has been horrible for us.”
“I understand,” I said. “We’ll let you know what we discover at Goldwing.”
She gave me a curt nod and turned, striding through an archway in the cliff face.
Raoul shifted again, and I climbed onto his back. My body was exhausted, my lungs still burning from the altitude, but my mind raced with theories and calculations.
