Page 19 of Beautiful Beast

I looked at him. I have not known you to be merciful, Z.

It is not mercy. A toss of his head had the sun glinting off his red scales. I brought my flames. Summoned them. My dragon would not allow her death.

Our dragons were not separate from us. We were the same, and yet we weren’t. The part of our minds that was dragon was old and submitted to instincts we long ago lost the ability to understand. And if our dragon decided something, there was no overriding it.

Smoke billowed from Endre’s mouth, and he flew a bit ahead of us, taking a turn breaking the air. Craisos and Gleira might pursue us with the intent to win her back.

That would have happened regardless, I pointed out. Neither Gleira nor Craisos would have let the insult of her death stand. No matter what, we were ordered to take action that would start a conflict.

Even Endre couldn’t argue with that.

Do you have a plan? Endre finally asked.

Zovai blew out a harsh breath. No, he admitted. I don’t. And I know that’s not good enough. But I could not let her die.

Something went still in my chest at the way he phrased it. Not that he couldn’t kill her, but that he couldn’t let her die.

We flew, arrowing for the southern side of the Bowl and the mountains that stood there. Well within dragon territory, still, though not the favored part of it. I nearly snorted. Not that the three of us were particularly favored.

If I were honest with myself, the mountains we raced for felt far more like home than the city nestled in the middle of rolling green hills and misty lakes. Even if it wasn’t our home on the eastern coast. The harshness of the peaks and the warmth of our smaller cities appealed to me more. The views and comforts of our true home called to me like nothing ever would.

We hadn’t been there in years.

Something in me settled, comforted that we weren’t returning to Doro Eche right away. I didn’t know how much time we would have, but I chose to be grateful for Zovai’s actions, however misguided they were, and whatever consequences would follow.

Regardless, once we reached our destination, Zovai may not have a choice. If we had to bind him to the ground in order to kill her, we would do it. What was one woman in the face of the world?

Her name, Zovai said into the silence as the sun began to sink. Her name is Katalena.

CHAPTER NINE

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KATALENA

I’d never been so cold.

After the joy of flying and freedom wore off, I was reminded there is a reason humans do not fly. The wind whipping through the fabric of my dress was like ice. The only heat I felt was from the dragon’s claws holding me up, and Varí, still clinging to my undergarments for dear life.

I hoped he wasn’t too frightened, given he knew how to fly, and these were his kind. I hoped, too, that they’d be kind to him once we got where we were going. Even if they decided I wasn’t worth keeping alive, Varí would have a much happier life living freely among the dragons than scraping through trash in Rensara.

Holding my hands over him kept my fingers warm. The only other thing I could do was hold on and pray I wouldn’t freeze before we landed and listen to the occasional roar from above.

My skin was beginning to match the color of my ruined dress.

I couldn’t help the thoughts that strayed back to the gardens at the palace. Was my father alive? Did Prince Andaros survive? Helena? King Edwan?

There would be no mourning in my heart for the prince if he succumbed to his injuries. But I hoped my friend was safe. At least now she wouldn’t be bound for Craisos.

The sun sank in the sky, and I moved to shove my hands inside my dress against my own skin to keep them warm. Varí helped the one on my right side, blowing his hot breath on my fingers.

I didn’t have enough of a voice for him to hear me, if he would even be able to over the rush of wind and the thunder of wings.

We flew into darkness, and I opened my eyes.

Not darkness, but shadow. The setting sun cast long shadows over the mountains we approached, though I had no idea where we were. We could be anywhere by now, but we were far away from home, and a little piece of me reveled in it.

I’d been mere minutes away from shackles that would have bound me in one place for life. Even if I were freezing and going to die, at least here I’d seen something.

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