“She’s riding with us,”I told him as if I were his charge and had any right to give him orders.“I don’t trust anyone else.”Because me? Despite my promise to Teddy, I’d always put Finley’s well-being first.
“Maybe I should ride with someone else,” she said when his growl grew louder.
“No.” The single word thundered from the deepest cavities of my chest and came out as a growl.
I bared my canines at Hoshiko, ready to fight the dragon who’d become my best friend. His body shook in reply, white smoke puffing from his nostrils.
I didn’t need to move toward Finley when my body had already placed me there. Every line of me angled toward her, shielding, while my gaze locked on Hoshiko.
The bond pulled tighter, urging me to protect. Claim.
I called to my own smoke magic, and while I kept it bound inside me, I felt the way it stirred beneath the surface of my palms.
“I don’t like this,”Hoshiko said.“You cannot guard your heart if you keep her close. Let her ride with Everly.”
“She rides with us.”
“Brenton—”
The magic that lived in my soul rose and rose, the need to release it making my very bones ache and burn.“She rides with us.”
A plume of smoke sparked from my palm, and I fisted it to keep my magic under control. But for unknown reasons, this was how all fae’s magic had been in the past year. Either not responding at all or releasing more than we intended.
I held on to my magic while it continued to slip through my control. A fiery cloud erupted from my clenched hands, and I jumped on top of Finley, drawing her to the ground before my smoke magic could burn her. A flood of heat washed over my back, but Hoshiko stopped the eruption before it reached anyone else, harnessing it into a tight circle that shrank until it dissipated. When Hoshiko joined his magic with mine, it replied, the tendrils of my magic calming and settling back inside my soul.
My dragon eyed me with open suspicion.
“I didn’t do that on purpose,” I said, panting. While I was angry and frustrated with him, I’d never set out to harm him in any way.
When we rose, Finley put a tentative hand on my arm. “Are you okay?”
“Fine.” My gaze swam over her, from her face down to her boots as I inspected her for injury.
Satisfied, I turned, knowing everyone had seen the grand finale of this show, and gave my friends and sister a thumbs-up.
“For my next trick, I’ll awe each of you into believing I have my life together,” I said.
George snickered.
That earned me enthusiastic applause from Zayne, who squealed something that sounded like my name. I bowed and threw him a quick kiss while Teddy watched me, her forehead creased with worry lines.
I pointed at her. “Take care of my nieces and nephews.”
She rolled her eyes, and I turned my attention back to Hoshiko, ready to land on my knees and beg him if I must. Because Finley was going with me. There was no alternative.
“Very well, Brenton,”Hoshiko said, his tone careful.“She may ride with us.”
I rounded my tense shoulders before I turned a smile at Finley. “Up you go, milady.”
“I don’t know, Brent.”
“Don’t mind him. He missed our morning meditation session, so he’s a little grumpy. You’ll be fine.” Ignoring Hoshiko’s snarl, I reached my hand out for her, immediately wishing I hadn’t. She wouldn’t reach back. Time and time again, I’d tried, and she never reached back. Fisting my hand, I dropped it. “You have my word, he won’t harm you.”
She slid her fingers under the long sleeve of her fighting leathers, toying with whatever jewelry she wore. It was a nervous twitch of sorts that I found endearing. Then again, I found far too much about her endearing. Her eyes held mine, and in them I saw every promise I’d ever made, every promise she’d broken.
Her smile built tentatively, and when she nodded, nerves fluttered in my stomach.
“What is your dragon’s name?”
