Page 25

I'd flown these skies thousands of times over the centuries. Had seen this view so often it had become commonplace, unremarkable. But experiencing it through Leila made it new again. Made me see my kingdom the way she was seeing it, as something magical and precious and worth protecting.

We flew for what felt like hours, and with every passing moment, I became more aware of her. The way she leaned into the turns, trusting me to keep her safe. The sounds of delight she made when I dove through clouds or skimmed low over a lake, scattering startled waterfowl into the air. The way her blood sang to me, that melody growing stronger and clearer until it was all I could hear.

Finally, I turned toward the eastern mountains, heading for a peak I'd discovered centuries ago. It was one of the highest points in Drakhone, accessible only by flight, with a flat summit that offered a three-hundred-sixty-degree view of the kingdom below.

I landed gently, mindful of my passenger, and felt Leila's weight shift as she prepared to dismount. She slid down my shoulder with far more confidence than she'd climbed up, and when her feet touched solid ground, she immediately spun in a circle, taking in the view.

"Oh my God," she breathed. "Kavan, this is... I don't even have words."

My name on her lips sent a jolt through me. Not "Your Majesty" or "my lord" or any of the formal titles that protocol demanded. Just my name, spoken with such unguarded wonder that it felt intimate. Personal.

It was a breach of decorum that would have earned a sharp rebuke from any of my advisors. It should have earned a correction from me.

But I didn't want to correct her. I liked hearing my name in her voice.

The wind was fierce up here, cold and clean, whipping her braid around her shoulders. But she didn't seem to notice the chill. She was too busy staring at the vista spread before us, mountains in every direction, valleys filled with morning mist, the distant glitter of the capital city to the south.

I watched her for a moment, memorizing the expression on her face, the way the wind brought color to her cheeks. Then I reached for my human form and let the transformation take me.

Shifting back was always easier than shifting forward, a matter of seconds rather than minutes. My body contracted, scales receding, wings folding back into my shoulder blades. When it was done, I stood on two legs again, human-shaped and completely naked.

Leila turned at the sound of the transformation. Her eyes widened as she took in my state of undress. Her gaze traveled down my body, then snapped back up to my face, and the scent of her arousal reached me sharp and warm and entirely unmistakable. My dragon went very still.

She was attracted to me. Not just to my dragon form or the idea of what I represented, but to me as a male. The knowledge settled in my chest like an ember I had no business tending.

"You're naked," she said, her voice slightly strangled.

"Clothes don't survive the transformation," I explained, unable to keep the amusement out of my voice. "The shift tears them apart."

"Right. Of course. That makes sense." She was determinedly looking at my face now, her cheeks flushed with more than just the cold wind. "I should have thought of that."

"Does my nakedness bother you?" I asked, taking a step closer and watching her pupils dilate.

"No. I mean, yes. I mean..." She took a breath, visibly trying to regain her composure. "It's fine. You're fine. I'm fine. Everything's fine."

I couldn't help it, I laughed. The sound surprised me as much as it seemed to surprise her. When was the last time I'd laughed like that? Genuine amusement rather than political courtesy?

"You're blushing," I observed, moving closer still. Close enough to feel the heat radiating from her body, to smell the spike of arousal she was trying so hard to hide.

"I'm not blushing. It's just cold up here."

"Liar." I reached out and traced one finger along her cheekbone, feeling the warmth there. "Your body doesn't lie, Leila. I can smell what you're feeling."

Her breath caught. For a moment, we just stood there, the space between us charged with tension. Then she seemed to shake herself, stepping back and looking around with determined focus.

"Is there a reason you brought me to this specific mountain?" she asked, her voice only slightly unsteady. "Besides the view, I mean?"

I gestured toward a woven basket I'd had Artis place here before dawn, tucked against a boulder where the wind couldn't reach it. I'd told myself it was only a contingency, but deep down, I knew I'd always planned to take her flying. "I thought we might have lunch. Unless you'd prefer to head back?"

"No!" The word came out too quickly, and she smiled sheepishly. "I mean, lunch sounds great. I'm starving, actually."

I retrieved the basket and pulled out the soft leather pants Artis had packed, along with a tunic. Leila very deliberately turned her back while I dressed, and I found her modesty endearing. Most Drakhoni females wouldn't have bothered, nudity wasn't particularly scandalous in our culture, but human sensibilities were different.

Once I was clothed, I spread out the blanket from the basket and began unpacking the food. Murdette had prepared a feast, fresh bread, soft cheese, sliced fruit, cold meat, and a flask of spiced wine.

Leila settled onto the blanket across from me, tucking her legs beneath her and reaching for a piece of bread. For a few minutes, we ate in comfortable silence, the wind whistling around us and the sun climbing higher in the sky.

"Tell me about Earth," I said finally, watching the way she tore her bread into small pieces before eating it. "What was your life like there?"