Page 23 of Monsters of Air

“Stop,” Philit’s voice was a boom. “You two are just going to give us away to the Fae and we can’t fight them again.

“He’s right,” Zilon said, his hold slipping from my arms. “We need to get into the mountains and start toward Fyre.”

“What?” Philit snapped, his hands dropped as he pushed me away from him. “What are you saying? We? You really do know nothing of our kind, Zilon. It is not our place to escort riders to the capital.”

“I thought you said that Dragon’s don’t leave riders behind.” Zilon’s voice was a low rumble and Philit blew out a breath, running his hand over his buzzed cut hair.

“We can’t leave her,” Philit said after a minute.

I just stared at them, where they really debating what I thought they were?

“Rayna,” Landers corrected, motioning to me.

“Rayna?” Philit said my name softly. I liked the way it sounded from his lips, it had the same softness that the worshipers of the Goddess did when they said their prayers to the wind. He stared at me briefly, eyes captivating as my skin tingled. Then he blinked and turned, giving me his back. So much for tingling.

“Zilon’s right, she’ll be dead in a day if we send her through the pass without supplies or a guide. The Fae are too aware of her now,” Landers said, it was clear neither he nor Philit liked the idea. But I couldn’t exactly fight them and be my usual stubborn self and go on my own.

They were right. I would be dead in a day.

“We could fly her there if it’s easier.” Zilon wasn’t even looking at me.

“I’m not flying anywhere.” Philit pointed over his shoulder at his wing. “Besides, who would she ride? She doesn’t have a dragon.”

“Rayna can ride me any time.” Landers sent me a flirty wink that sent my heart flip-flopping the same way it had last night.

Oh, yes please. I zipped my lips together before I said anything, and instead let out a sound that was too close to a moan.

“And fuck up your bond with your rider?” Philit laughed, his wings twitching as his blue eyes softened. He was clearly interested, but there was something else there. Something I was realizing that my father had also kept from me.

“What do you mean by that?” I asked, the thought of a different rider being with Landers twisting my stomach. Lander’s wasn’t my dragon, yet he already felt like he was. If another rider came, I already knew I’d try scratching their eyes out or pulling out their hair, or something.

It was a weird feeling.

“You seriously don’t know?” Landers asked. “Where the hell did you come from?”

“Lixny.” I said, they all blinked at me. “A small village in the south,” I clarified. I had never felt so much like a small farm girl before.

“Great. Fucking great.” Philit forced himself to his feet. “She’s an outcast, just like Zilon. But this one is not just ignorant, but weak too.”

“Excuse me!” I was nearly yelling as I rushed the blue dragon.

“You can’t talk to her like that,” Zilon said, he didn’t even try to pull me back that time.

“I only spoke the truth. She’s an ignorant rider and now we’re stuck with her.” What was it with this guy?

“We can always take her back to Xrotte,” Zilon said, Philit instantly began snarling. “Then you’ll be able to get help for your wing.”

“Zilon, you know that isn’t possible. Not anymore.” Philit stepped closer, his presence practically stealing all the breath in my lungs. I leaned closer to him. When he saw that movement, he took a step back, increasing the distance between us as he frowned. “Once we left, we started our own personal journey, as did she. Going back now means dishonor for us all.”

Oh great, something else I didn’t understand, not that I was going to admit it.

Landers scowled. “But you’re hurt, Philit. She can’t get to the capital by herself. The Crotlyn Mountains will eat her alive.”

“Which is why we have to take Rayna with us.” Zilon and Philit both looked pissed now.

Great, I was stuck with one horny, one moody, and one surly dragon.

“We’ll I ain’t hiking through that death trap. Zilon, you carry Philit, and I already offered her riding with me.” Landers winked at me, sending my stomach into that same flip flop.

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