Page 103 of Rescued By The Dragon

“No, we’re going to do a little practicing. I’ll call if I need you.”

He turned back toward the front, leaving Amara and me to face the mountainside. She looked up at me with sheepish eyes. “Dragons first.”

I laughed. “I’ve already shown you, my dragon. Your turn. Dig deep. Let’s see what you can do.”

She grimaced, reluctantly put her palms outward, and closed her eyes.

Seconds ticked by with nothing but the growing wind.

Amara dropped her hands. “It doesn’t work unless I’m emotional, and I don’t want to be sad or mad right now.”

“What about horny?”

“I think you took care of that one already, too.” She looked around slowly. “He was there in the shower.”

My spine stiffened.

She turned to look up at me, her blue eyes vibrant in the moonlight. “He looked scared.”

“Because of the water?”

She nodded. “Yeah. I think when the time comes, I may have more tricks up my sleeve than I imagined.”

I tucked a piece of hair behind her ear. “Do you feel different?”

“Yes and no. I think I feel different because I do have new things happening, but there is a part deep down that still holds my insecurities. The ones I grew up with. The ones Helena forced on me.”

“That’s fair. You’ve had them most of your life. What insecurities are those, Amara? If can’t be physical, can it?”

“Not really,” she whispered, folding her arms across her chest. “More of the fear of being alone. Knowing Helena didn’t love me always made me feel like a burden. Now that I’m out of her house, and here, I still feel like all of this is my fault. I feel like I’m causing this potential war and there is a chance he’ll hurt your kingdom. Because of me.”

The personal Hell going on inside of her was saddening. It made me want to cradle her like a child to my chest and reassure her that she would never be a burden.

“Amara,” I said softly. “You know that I’ve had the same feelings before. I’ve never been like my parents. I hated the idea of any relationship that revolved around building a kingdom. I’ve always wanted to be loved and to give it. Those insecurities have gone now because I’ve realized how selfish my parents truly are. You are not a burden to this kingdom or me. This isn’t the first time that war has struck us, and it won’t be the last. Don’t undermine yourself. Helena’s lack of love for you was selfish. That’s her problem, not yours.”

Amara smiled and wrapped her arms around my waist, pressing her tear-coated cheek against my chest. Her soft body was tiny in my arms, but something about her felt stronger.

Seconds drew by when the feeling of hovering above the ground lifted me. Amara’s eyes opened big, and she glanced down. We were embraced in one another’s arms, floating above the ground.

“I’m doing that?” she asked softly.

“Yeah, you are.”

Amara swallowed and pulled back to grab my hand, keeping herself above the ground, she grinned ear to ear. I watched her brows pull down in concentration as she went higher, her hand slipped from mine and I landed on the ground.

Amara went even higher, spinning in slow circles, the wind blowing her hair from her shoulders. A soft giggle fell from her, and she began to sing.

It was odd at first, but then something came over me.

My body became relaxed, my wings lost interest in flight, and I wanted to walk to her. Climb to her. Do anything to get to her. Amara rolled her neck around, floating comfortably in the air like she’d done it her entire life.

Someone stopped beside me, and I realized the entire guard detail on the mountain was staring up at her in a daze. Their eyes glazed over in a trance.

It sent fear down my spine. This was a siren I’d heard briefly about in my life. The allure, the temptation, and the ability to bring in crowds.

Knocking myself out of my daze, I glanced toward the other side of the cabin, seeing Evian staring up at her in awe. There wasn’t irritation or lust on his face, but amazement.

She was different somehow, and he knew it.

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