She crunched another between her teeth with less drama—maybe she was getting used to the taste. I gave her another and then another but when I reached for a fifth blossom, Ryse stopped me.
“That’s probably enough,” he said, frowning. “You don’t want to over do it. Sweet grass is potent.”
I wanted to ask about the side effects the Master of the Caverns had mentioned, but I didn’t want to do it in front of L’eesha. So I just cradled her huge head in my lap and stroked her from her eye ridges all the way down her long nose, which she loved.
Gradually, I felt the pain easing and then—to my utter relief—my dragon relaxed completely.
“feels…so much…better, my Auri,” she informed me in a dreamy-sounding mental voice. “no more pain.”
“No more pain,” I echoed, stroking her some more. I was beginning to feel a bit dreamy myself. I looked up at Ryse with a wide smile. “She’s feeling better now…and so am I.”
“Yes, I can see that,” he said dryly. “We’d probably better get you back to the room before you start feeling even better.”
“Better than this? Better than a drugged dragon?” I asked and giggled because that suddenly seemed really funny to me.
“Yes, better than a drugged dragon. Come on.” Leaning over me, he took me by the arms and pulled me to my feet.
“But will my baby be all right?” I asked, suddenly worried for her.
“She’s fine—look, she’s already asleep.” Ryse nodded at L’eesha, who was letting out adorable squeaky snores that made me want to giggle for some reason. She really was the cutest thing, even though she was getting so big!
I tried to walk, but was feeling sort of dizzy by then. Not in a bad way though—actually the sensation was quite pleasant. It was like I was floating along with my feet barely even touching the ground.
“Ryse,” I said to him. “Do I look like I’m floating to you?”
He laughed.
“Oh, you’re floating all right, little one. Come on.”
He gathered the remaining sweet grass and looped an arm around my waist. He half walked/half carried me back down the stairs, though the whole journey was kind of a blur.
By the time we got back to our room, I was ready to collapse on the bed.
Ryse took off my slippers and robe and put me into my side of the bed. Then he took of his own slippers and robe and settled in beside me.
“Ryse…” I said, rolling towards him and putting my head on his broad chest. “Will, L’eesha really be all right?”
He nodded and stroked my hair.
“The sweet grass will make her sleep until morning, and it will keep her muscles nice and loose so they don’t tense up again.”
“Why do I feel so floaty, though?” I asked, looking up at him.
“That’s because sweet grass is a drug with effects that cross the bond between dragon and rider,” he told me. “The floaty part only lasts for a little while,” he added. “In a little while you’re going to feel some other sensations.”
“What sensations?” I asked, and giggled. “Are they as nice as this? Because I think I like feeling floaty.”
“Yes, well—I did too when M’alex had growing pains,” he admitted. “But you might not like the next part so much.”
“What’s the next part?” I asked, but he only shook his head.
“You’ll see.”
“Well, while I’m waiting for the ‘next part’ I have a question,” I said. “Why don’t you ever kiss me anymore?”
It seemed that the effects of the sweet grass had made me bold, because I never would have dared to ask this before.
He frowned.
