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I could barely breathe.
When Olve extended his fist to Donavyn, the General nodded, and smiled as he took the pin from the footman’s cushion, then turned back, smiling, to face me and take the two steps to stand over me, beaming.
“Well done, Grace,” he whispered.
I nearly wept again. “Thank you, sir.”
There was a strange expression on his face as he raised his voice again, to be heard by the Furyknights behind him.
“It is unanimous: Grace Barnslow, the Chosen of Koa, the redscale, has been measured willing, able, and ready. And so, on behalf of all the Furyknight ranks, I welcome you among us, Grace. A Furyknight of Specialist rank. Forever one of us—and forever a member… of the Fang Wing!”
Cheers and shouts rose from my brothers and sister behind us. Gil and Voski both clapped and whistled, while Ronen nodded, beaming as Donavyn slipped fingers under my lapel, and punched the pin through the leather. “Not bad for a soft noble,” he said with another wink that made me splutter.
Then he turned on his heel, and all the men joined him, standing to attention, shouting to the Furyknights.
They named each of the men who’d been raised, then finished with me.
“Furyknight Grace Barnslow of the Seventh Squadron, I see you!”
Donavyn led the call, but it was Voski, standing just beside and before him, in line with our brothers, who held my gaze.
I stared at his broad, strong back, and fought a surge of hot need.
My mate. My husband avowed. And my Pair in this incredible life.
A great roar rose from the watching crowds, and my vision blurred again when Donavyn led the others in a round of applause. “Well done, Furyknights. Very well done!” he called over the cacophony. “Time to celebrate!”
Every Furyknight in the auditorium leaped to their feet. And as the Captains and General marched back to the queen, my brothers—and my mate—leaped for me.
Voski beat them all to it, crowing my name and swinging me off my feet in a wide circle that kept them all back until he stopped and pulled me into a deep, frantic kiss.
Another roar rose from the audience, but my brothers jeered and crowded in.
“You can’t have her all to yourself!”
“No fair, Vos! You get her all the time!”
“Get a room!” That was Gil, who stepped in and tried to pry Voski off me. But without breaking the kiss, Voski shot out a hand, straight into Gil’s chest, and sent him back two paces.
The others roared with laughter, and I threw my head back and laughed as Voski kissed my neck, whispered in my ear, “Mine! And don’t forget it!” then finally let me go, standing there with a beaming smile as my brothers and sister gathered me up, lifted me to their shoulders, and cheered my name as they carried me off the stage to a tumult of applause and cheers.
Scheming Boys
~ GRACE ~
As the early evening sun slowly dragged for the horizon, Ronen’s dragon, Ekko, breathed a plume of flame over the wood the brothers had set in preparation for a fire. It caught immediately, roaring under the force of Ekko’s breath, then crackling merrily the moment he stopped.
Ronen slapped his leg and thanked him as the others got busy setting up a spit to barbeque our meal.
I stood at the edge of the circle, watching them all. My cheeks trembled from smiling, and watching this gathering filled my heart in a way I’d always hoped.
In the wake of all the congratulations on my pinning, Ronen ordered me to harness Koa, and we all flew here, to this clearing that was south and east, inland of the Keep. I’d seen the large, glittering lake in flyovers during training, but never landed here. It was a beautiful spot.
On this corner only, the woods drew back from the lakebed in a soft curve that gave this space a sense of being hidden from the world. I’d never been here before, but it was clear my brothers were familiar with it. The earth where they’d laid the fire was hollowed and scorched. And the moment the dragons were unharnessed they’d all waded into the small lake nearby.
Everyone made themselves busy, pulling food and supplies from bags, arguing over whose task was whose, while I stood aside, at a bit of a loss.
“Don’t worry, this is your night.” Voski’s voice was low and husky in my ear. I turned to find him standing at my back and my chest swelled. I beamed. His smile was warm and easy, which only made me happier.
