Page 26 of The Keeper of the Kingdoms

“I disagree,”I said mind to mind. Wanting him to feel my sincerity. He’d just saved lives. The power and fluidity I’d just witnessed had me wondering what flying with him could be like.

“What are you thinking?”he asked, and I realized I was just staring.

I puffed out a resigned breath.“I was wondering what it would be like to fly with you.”there was no point in lying. I couldn’t mind to mind and I knew he was feeling my emotions, even if he couldn’t hear all of my thoughts.

“It would be like destiny,”he said softly and I shivered, feeling how true his words were by the tightening of the thread of our bond between us.

We were meant to fly, and this was exactly what I had been afraid of. Seeing him like this and wanting it. Because yearning to fulfill our destiny did not erase the fear I’d had forced upon me.

“I’d never let you fall, you know,”he assured, then glanced over to the edge of the landing.“And even if you did, you know I’m a great catch now,”he chuckled.

I frowned. “Yes, but let’s not even joke about it, okay?”

“Okay.”He dipped his head to nudge me.“So how about it?”

“How about what?”

“A quick flight. I’ll fly real low and we can just cross the courtyard to the other landing. Ten seconds maximum. So you can see how safe you are with me.”

I stepped back.“Oh, I don’t think so, buddy. You promised!”

“I’m not forcing you. I’m simply offering.”

I narrowed my eyes.“And why do I think you’ll keep on offering every day until I give in?”

“Because I will.”I didn’t think I’d ever seen a dragon grin before, but there it was, his pearly white sharp teeth on full display.

“For the love of the Goddess, why did this have to happen to me?”

“You are truly blessed.”

“Lucky me.”

“How about you just hop on to get a feel? I won’t take off unless you say so. You have my word.”

“I have a tiny trust issue when it comes to dragons—call me crazy,”I deadpanned.

“Kiera, I’ve seen your apothecary. You could kill me with about twenty-seven different things you have just sitting on your shelves. Some of which I can’t even fathom how you procured, by the way. We’ll be having that conversation at some point. But I’m not an idiot. I will keep my arse firmly planted unless you expressly say otherwise.”

I groaned.“Fine.”

“Really?”Jaxus seemed shocked at his victory.

“Yes, really. Let’s get it over with. How do I get on?”

He lowered himself so his belly was pressed to the floor and I looked for a handhold of some kind.

“Just grab on and climb up,”he encouraged.

“I don’t want to hurt you.”

“You won’t.”

I reached for the spiked scales that ran down the ridge of his neck and took hold, then climbed up the steep incline of his shoulder. When I was almost there, he performed some kind of shrug and boosted me up the last foot so that I could straddle his back in front of his vast wings.

I swore.

“You okay?”his voice in my mind soothing as if he thought he could sweet talk my fears away.

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