“What is it, Auri?” he asked, his brows drawing low. “Did he bother you again?”
“No, you did!” I exclaimed.
“I did?” He frowned. “What are you talking about?”
“Just come here—I need to talk to you.”
I stomped over to the far side of the wall, which curved into a natural alcove and offered a bit of privacy.
Ryse followed, still frowning. He was wearing a single white towel draped low around his hips and his broad, bare chest was on display—a fact I tried very hard not to notice.
I myself was wearing one towel around my waist and the other draped across my shoulders to hide my breasts. Even though my Dragon Glass pendant hid my true identity, there was no use in tempting fate.
“All right, what’s all this about?” he wanted to know.
I saw no reason to beat around the bush.
“You can’t keep interfering in my life,” I told him. “I mean, I appreciate you trying to keep me safe, but I have to face my own problems.”
He shook his head.
“We’ve been over this, Auri. You’re just too small and Larson is too big and too mean.”
“But you kicked him off your Wing and got him kicked out of my dorm!” I protested.
Ryse’s golden eyes flashed.
“Because I don’t trust him around you,” he growled. “For the Goddess’s sake, he left a necklace of bruises around your throat, Auri!”
As he spoke, he reached out to trace the dark bruises on my tender flesh with one finger.
The simple, gentle touch made me tremble, but I tried to ignore the way my heart was pounding.
“But he’s only going to hate me more, now,” I pointed out. “You’ve made him an outcast—a rider without a Wing.”
“Someone will take him eventually,” Ryse said, frowning. “In the meantime, I’ve had M’alex speak to his dragon. He’ll be reigning her in, which ought to put a check on Larson. I also let him know if he lays a single finger on you again, M’alex will let me know and he’ll be sorry.”
It was a convoluted chain of communication, but I guessed it made sense. If Larson tried to hurt me, his dragon would feel it. And if M’alex was keeping an eye on her, he would know it too and then he would relay that to Ryse, who would come after Larson.
And all because of me.
“I don’t understand.” I shook my head. “Why, Ryse? Why do you care what happens to me? You barely know me—I’m just a runty little First-year without a dragon.”
His eyes flashed again.
“Don’t call yourself that. You’ll grow—you just need more of the Dragon Custard. And you’ll get a dragon—I meant what I said, you won’t get less than a Gold-wing.”
He had a lot more faith in my bloodlines than I did.
I shook my head again.
“You still didn’t answer my question. Why are you so set on protecting me?”
Ryse’s eyes slid away from mine and he ran a hand through his hair, which made his chest muscles flex. I tried not to look.
“Remember when I told you I always listen to my dragon?” he said at last.
I nodded.
