Adele.
It’s alright. I’m fine.
You are. Focus on one part of the task at a time, not the entire structure.
Just give me a moment.
Raoul flew short passes over the formation while I studied it, letting my weather sense map the air currents, the temperature gradients, the way wind moved around the exposed ice. Science. Data. Things I understood.
My confidence rebuilt itself one observation at a time.
Land on that ledge to the side of the formation,I said.
He descended, his claws grinding across the slab of stone, the other dragons landing nearby.
I slid off his back, and he shifted.
Curious, I started forward. My boots hit ice-slicked rock. I started to slide?—
Fear spiked through me as I tipped backward toward the edge, toward a drop that would end very badly.
Raoul caught my wrist and yanked me against his chest. We stumbled together, his other arm wrapping around my waist, holding me steady.
My heart surged against my ribs. “That was?—”
“We’re not doing that again,” he said, his voice rough. “Are you hurt?”
“No. Just clumsy.” I was shaking.
He held me tighter, his body warm and strong. “Careful, sweet. Please.”
“I will be. Promise.”
He didn’t let go, and I didn’t pull away. We stood on the ledge, breathing together, while my pulse slowly returned to normal.
When he finally released me, I busied myself unpacking my instruments, trying to ignore how my hands still trembled. The cold bit through my clothes despite the warming stones in my pockets and my dragonfire ring. Up here, the temperature was well below freezing, and the wind cut like knives.
Raoul pulled out one of his many blankets, wrapping it around my shoulders.
I pulled the blanket closer, grateful for his help. “Overprotective dragon.”
“Stubborn witch.”
The familiar banter settled my nerves. I could do this. I just needed to center myself in the task.
I set up my workspace on a flat section of the ledge that was probably still dangerously precarious but would have to do. I cast a quick spell, and the readings confirmed what I already knew.
Perfect conditions for sublimation.
“What do you need from me?” Raoul asked, crouching beside me.
“Stay close. And maybe provide some body heat. This is going to take concentration, and I’d rather not freeze while I work.”
He settled behind me, his chest against my back, his arms loose around my waist. Heat radiated from him, chasing away the worst of the cold.Better?
Much.
I closed my eyes, reaching for my magic. It came eagerly. Wind, pressure, and temperature danced around me in patterns I could sense and shape.
