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“Please, stand,” I said.

Slowly, they peeled themselves up off their knees and stood. “We’re going to get you fit again. I promise.”

I turned around to face a group of the wildest, what-the-hell stares I had ever seen. It was hard not to laugh.

“I’ve seen the dragons. Shall we go?” It was the kind of badass dramatic exit I’d always dreamt of, only I hadn’t imagined this exact scenario. It was extra delicious leaving Revel in a state of silent shock. I hadn’t gotten far when he grabbed my arm.

“What the hell was that?” he asked.

I glanced back. The dragons were returning to their spots in the grass, but they hadn’t taken their eyes off me. “That? I don’t know. I’ve always had sort of a connection to reptiles. Not snakes so much. Really don’t like snakes. But the garden lizards and I have⁠—”

“Stop. No more,” he said angrily. “You’re a fucking dragon caller?”

“A what? You know, I think ‘dragon whisperer’ is more accurate, especially given that you gave me the nickname ‘Whisper.’” I was being flippant because for the first time, I had the man almost speechless. “I had no idea, of course, because I had no idea that dragons existed, but like I said—there’s always been this understanding between me and the garden lizards.”

Austri joined us. “Rafi, how did we not know this?” He looked at Revel for the same answer.

“I’d say it’s because there are no dragons in the human world,” Madigan suggested. Her brow grew stern as she looked at both men. “Do you think there’s enough residual power from that display to reverberate to the other regions?”

Austri raked his fingers through his fiery red spikes. “Only the most powerful among us are dragon callers.” The way he said it put an abrupt halt to my facetious attitude.

“But I’m not powerful,” I insisted. “Five seconds into the future, remember? I just have always had a good rapport with animals. The exception being those horrid creatures that met us at the Fell.”

“We should go,” Austri said, ignoring my argument.

“Yeah, I need time to think,” Revel said. “But to answer your question, Madi. Yes, I’m sure this set off a chain of vibrations that reached from here to fucking eternity.”

Fifteen

Revel’s broad shoulders were tense the entire walk back. He shot me many looks; some I interpreted as admiration and some as annoyance. I left Lyric’s side to talk to him.

“You know none of that was on purpose. I really had no idea how that was going to go,” I said.

“Then I guess we’re lucky that we’re not carrying your charred bones back to town.”

His long stride was hard to keep up with. I resorted to skipping a few steps to stay by his side. “I don’t understand why you’re so mad at me.”

Without warning he took hold of my hand. “We’ll be right behind,” he yelled up to Austri, then he pulled me into a cluster of hydra trees. He positioned me so I was sandwiched between his rock-hard body and the cold, clammy trunk of the tree. His eyes were green with anger and something else, something that I found impossible to interpret. “You don’t get it, do ya, Whisper? Those three out there just gave up eleven years of their lives to protect you. We’ve all risked our lives to keep you alive, and you just risked all of that to prove something—some—I don’t even know what the fuck you were trying to prove!”

Nothing made me madder at myself than crying at the wrong time. Back at the office, Linda had made me cry twice, and both times I was so pissed at myself I could hardly look in the mirror for a month. But those tears had no real emotion behind them other than feeling sorry for myself for being stuck with such vile coworkers. The tears I shed now came from a place so deep my entire body ached with it.

Revel’s tirade ended when he saw the tears. His expression softened, and he reached out to wipe away a tear with his thumb. I pushed his hand away. “No, stop. You don’t get to be kind after that tongue-lashing.” I sniffled and took a deep breath to stop the embarrassing tears. I had no idea why this man’s opinion meant so much to me, but it did. “I never asked to be protected. I never asked to be dragged here. I never asked to be a mind traveler, and I sure as hell never asked to be a dragon whisperer.”

“Caller,” he corrected.

“Sorry, but ‘dragon whisperer’ is way cooler.” I shook my head. “If I’m such a burden just take me back to the human world and whatever happens, happens. At least then you’ll be rid of me, the burdensome pest you’ve been tasked with protecting.” The stupid tears were back.

Revel moved closer, and his warm, manly scent and intimate nearness made my head spin. His throat moved up and down with a swallow as his intense gaze fell on my lips. I worked to steel myself against the heat that was unfurling inside of me, but it only intensified when he lifted his hand again to wipe a tear. This time I let him. He lowered his face so close I imagined a kiss was coming. The heat unraveling inside of me was pleading for it to happen.

“I never said you were a burden or that protecting you was a task. And I pity anyone or anything that tries to harm you or get too close to you, because I will destroy them.” His tone was deep and low and the words were stark, but they flowed over me like a warm, protective liquid.

A shrill whistle broke the tension and what I had considered the strong possibility of a kiss. Revel stepped back. “Fucking Austri,” he growled. “Let’s go, Whisper. There’s been enough adventure and more than enough damn surprises for one day.”

We caught up to the rest of the bunch, and I hurried to reach Lyric. She grabbed my hand and pulled me closer. “What the heck was that about?” she asked quietly.

I wasn’t even sure how to answer because it was the most confusing interaction I’d had yet with the man. “Just clearing the air a little.”

“Interesting,” she said with a sly, side-eyed glance. Then, in her usual abrupt mood shift, a big smile appeared. “You should come home with me for lunch. Mama has been dying to get to know you better, and she’s making meat pies today. They’re delicious.”