Page 154 of Ashborne Forged

Grace was near. So very near.

I would see her tonight. I would touch her.

I vowed it.

Late that night, just an hour from the castle, Kham and Koa’s reunion was touching to watch. I’d told Kham to land on the mountainside well away from the city, to give them time to greet and touch each other, vocalizing and tumbling together, without risk of drawing attention.

My heart trilled, reflecting their love and joy at being together once more—and ached, desperate for my own reunion. I could feel Grace clearly now—weary, angry, sometimes nervous. But still there. Still solid. Still safe.

I would be able to reach her mind, soon. At least, I prayed so. Would our separation have caused a greater rift in the bond? Before we left the keep, our reach for each other had improved, but still grown unreliable after we were separated by more than two dragon lengths.

I kept reaching for her as it seemed I’d been doing for days. I prayed we hadn’t lost progress. I needed her, so desperately. Even just hearing her voice in my head would calm some of the turmoil I felt at the separation, and I was certain it would help her as well.

I was impatient, but reluctant to pull the dragons away from each other. Luckily, they were almost as eager to see us reunited as they were to be together themselves. It was only minutes before Kham lumbered back into view, Koa walking at his side, so closely it seemed she leaned into him, each of their wings raised so their sides brushed.

She kept her head against his neck as he plowed toward me and offered himself for mounting, without another word.

‘Thank you,’ I sent as I climbed to his back.

‘We will find her.’

The hour was late when Kham finally wheeled over the castle, Koa flitting and whistling, left and right, turning in the air. We remained high so they could vocalize. But Kham warned her that once we descended, they would need silence.

The castle windows and arrow slits glowed. Even the gardens glimmered with lights, and the occasional shadow of bodies moved outside, despite the cold.

Scanning the surrounding areas, Kham agreed with me that the clearing a mile from the castle, amongst the trees, was the safest bet.

One thing we’d learned on our previous mission was that few actual Furyknights existed in Fyrehold. Or, if they did, they had all been sent out on mission. Beyond a handful of dragons that made the castle stables an occasional harbor, the castle land was devoid of trained, bonded dragons. Plenty of feral dragons flew the skies—but not nearly as many as had been here months earlier. After those events, I supposed most of them had left.

Or had they?

My mother was tight-lipped on how she was so directly connected with these despairing, hollow dragons, and where they were housed. Once I had Grace safe, I vowed we’d find out.

It was only minutes before I was on the ground in that clearing among the trees, leaving Kham harnessed for easy mounting later, and an agreement to remain in mental range. Then he took off, calling to Koa, who responded from her circling overhead.

And I took off, running toward the castle, and my mate, stretching for her in my mind, searching desperately, determined to find her immediately and never let her go.

‘Grace…? Grace…? Grace, I’m here—’

‘Voski?! Voski!’

I pressed myself into a sprint.

Finally. Finally.

‘I’m here. I’m coming. Don’t go anywhere. I’m coming for you.’

The tidal wave of love and desire washed over me, scouring me free of the cold defenses I’d built in order to deal with my mother.

I nearly wept.

And I ran like my feet were on fire.

51. Hearts Entwined

~ VOSKI ~

I’d worn my simplest black leathers, my softest and quietest boots. And even though few in this castle had ever seen my face, I might be recognized by some servants. I wrapped a scarf around my face to hide everything but my eyes, just in case.