Page 16 of A Bond of Fire and Roses

“Lest you become that frost dragon’s supper, you might want to be more careful next time.”

His voice cuts through the coldness around me. I blink up at the stranger, finally able to see again. He straightens to his feet until the full moon eclipses him and offers me his hand. I take it cautiously, allowing him to help me up. He is blonde, tall and pretty in leathers that are the same scaled ones that Erax wears. Another rider. Even in the moonlight he looks distinctly familiar as if I’ve seen him before, yet I can’t quite place him.

“What… happened?”

“You tell me. It’s not often frost dragons come so close to the surface. That one down there has never been rode and usually eats anyone in this lake as a snack. Many have tried and failed to tame him.”

He moves to the side, and I cast my gaze over the entire lake. I almost can’t believe what I’m seeing. Everything around me is completely frozen. The lake and embankments, even the footpath leading from the palace to the lake itself is now covered in ice. How did this happen? The stranger looks at me curiously while our quick breathing clouds the air with smoke, entangling with each other.

“I thought frost dragons were extinct,” I say. “What is one doing in that lake?”

“They were nearing extinction,” he counters, “but King Erax managed to save them. They never come this close to the edge, though, and I’ve never seen one with…” He trails off, as if suddenly realising who he is talking to. He pulls off his cloak and drapes it over my shoulders. I’m too cold to shrug it off. “Dragons are especially territorial during breeding season. You’re lucky I got here when I did, or you’d be burnt to a crisp right now.”

Burnt to a crisp. I shudder at the thought.

“The name’s Noble, by the way. Ironic, I know, given I just saved your ass.”

I pull away from him and tighten his huge cloak around my body. Even in the moonlight, I can’t see anything that makes me trust him. He looks more like a member of the king’s royal court, and he must be if he is a rider. A loud huff blows across me from my right and I spin, looking into the forest to see dragon eyes reflecting the light. I can see red eyes and brown scales, but not much else. “Don’t mind my dragon, he is curious about you because you smell like Crysi and you’re not her rider.”

I turn back to Noble. It’s so secluded out here that I can’t think of a good reason why he would be at the lake late at night. Unless… the king sent him to look for me? That seems plausible, given his clothes. Maybe he is a close member of his court.

“Thanks for saving my ass,” I say, “but I’d like to know what really brought you here. Did he send for me?” I keep my tone neutral but add a little emphasis on the word he.

Noble picks up several rocks from the ground and throws one of them across the lake. It skates to the far side and lands on a frozen lily pad, shattering the reeds there to pieces like broken glass. “I mostly came here for the same reason as you—to get the fuck out of that palace and breathe some fresh air. I’ve been coming here to swim since I was a kid.” He throws another rock. It doesn’t land as far, and he curses under his breath. “Anyways, doubt I’ll be doing that for a while until it thaws, and the dragon goes back to its nest as he usually doesn’t bother riders. He came higher than usual.” He glances down at his hands, and the ice on the lake reflects in his dark eyes, causing them to gleam. “Don’t suppose you know how to unthaw the lake you’ve frozen, do you?”

“I didn’t freeze it.”

He laughs. “Well, the dragon certainly didn’t, or you’d be dead. No one survives their ice fire. It’s more brutal than even Cyrsí’s legendary black fire.”

I bite my lip, unsure if I should tell him the truth. Maybe I did miraculously freeze the lake somehow. Maybe it was a miracle. I don’t know. But what I do know is that I’m out here, alone, with a complete stranger who, although saved my life, is also huge and carrying a sword at his hip with his dragon watching me. I’m vulnerable. I need to appear less so even if it’s a lie.

“I’m still getting used to my power,” I say. I wonder if the dragon could have caused it. I have heard about dragon riders possessing rare abilities due to the unique link they share with their dragon, but I’m not bonded to a dragon.

No. It doesn’t make sense for that to be the reason. Something else must have caused this, and I need to figure out what.

“All right. I don’t mind sharing this place,” Noble says, pulling my attention back to me, “so long as you don’t grow to be a pain in my ass?”

The way he says that reminds me of Lochlan and the way we would tease each other. In fact, in this light, he almost looks a bit like him. A sense of longing tugs at my insides. Gods, I miss Lochlan so much. I miss having someone to talk to. I miss having a friend.

“Cat got your tongue, snow pixie?”

I shake my head absently. “No, I’m just… trying to figure you out.”

“Oh yeah?”

“I’m a stranger to you. Better yet, a prisoner. Your king’s prisoner. Why are you being nice to me?”

He laughs, the sound sharp and without any mirth. “I’m a lot of things. Nice isn’t one of them.” He shrugs, tossing another rock. “I just can’t help but feel sorry for you.”

My blood seethes at the remark. I don’t need his pity. But I do need an ally if I’m to get out of here, so I hold back my spite.

“I feel sorry for you too,” I say, affording him a faint smile. “I froze your lake.”

His lips tilt upward at the sides, hinting at a genuine smile. He follows my gaze back to the pond. I’m no longer looking at its shiny surface now. I’m looking at the wall surrounding the palace. A wall I will never be able to climb.

“I know that look.” There’s evident scorn in his voice when he speaks, and I glance at him from the corner of my eye. “There’s no way you’re getting over that wall unless you can carve wings from that ice of yours. Flying is the only way in and out of this palace without the king’s say, and unless you can bond with a dragon, you’re stuck here.”

His eyes linger a moment too long on the wall, long enough to tell me he has tried to escape from here once. Perhaps he failed, just like me.

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