Page 55 of Fae Exile

Only a few more steps and I rounded the edge of the newly hewn clearing. Dusk was too dim to illuminate much of the creature’s inky form. But I could make out the general outline of a winged body, barbed tail, four strong legs ending in wicked claws, and a massive head crested with what I knew would be scales so thick as to be impenetrable—a male, then. Even if Finnian had released his arrow, unless he’d hit the creature in one of his scant points of vulnerability, it would have simply bounced off, likely enraging the beast in the process.

It was a shape I’d observed many times before, always in admiration of the miraculous creatures.

“It’s a dragon,” I whispered as awe overcame me.

Momentarily forgetting myself, I stood up tall before deciding against the move, and the dragon’s head swiveled in my direction.

A frightened gasp sounded from somewhere behind me—Pru, I thought.

Though it was much too dark to make out the dragon’s pupil-less eyes, I felt them zero in on me. The creature would be experiencing none of my limitations. Dragons possessed excellent night vision.

“Uh, hi,” I offered lamely before regretting it. If they were to be my very last words, I should have done so much better. “I won’t hurt you.”

Remembering the blade I had out, I hurried to stash it.

“Only if it doesn’t hurt you,” Roan grumbled.

His determination to defend me, though admirable, wouldn’t make a lick of difference. If the dragon wanted me dead, I’d meet that gory end. There was little any of us could do to change that.

Suddenly worried I’d been the worst of idiots to plant myself like a damned offering in front of a freakingdragon—one I’d never met before, no less, and who would have no idea I was an ally, that I’d dedicated my life to serving his kind—I swung Saffron around to the front of my torso to ensure the adult dragon noted the youngling, whom I hoped he wouldn’t want to hurt.

Saffron whimpered pathetically, making my heart squeeze, aggravating the still healing tissue, and climbed my body like a tree until he perched precariously on a shoulder, his front claws scrambling in my tangled hair, setting me off balance.

Though he was small for his age, stunted from all the trauma he’d endured, he was still much too large to act like a bird. Itskedand tugged him downward until I once more embraced him with both arms.

Sensing the adult dragon’s rapt attention on me, I looked up, but couldn’t decide whether or not he was a moment from attacking. Despite their massive size, dragons could be frighteningly fast.

Seconds passed by slowly while he merely stared.

I heard the string of Finnian’s bow loosen. The fae surely understood his arrows would make no difference now.

“Saff,” I cooed to the trembling dragonling. “I need you to go with Pru right now. She’ll keep you safe.”

I would have retreated too, but something—a feeling I couldn’t explain but that was as strong as the one that propelled me in Rush’s direction with a punishing desperation—urged me to stay put.

It’s important.

Saffron actually shook his head, burrowing more tightly into my hold.

“Come on, Saffy.” I ran a hand up and down the ridge between his wings. “You gotta go. I don’t want anything to happen to you.”

It was, apparently, the wrong thing to say. He gripped me with his claws until they pierced first my sleeves and then my skin.

The inky-black dragon scented the fresh blood in the air?—

I froze.

So did my friends, it seemed.

Yep, I’d been a totally stupid, idiotic, reckless moron. And now I’d die painfully for my mistake.

With renewed urgency, I pulled Saffron away from my chest. But for every inch I gained, he snuggled that much closer.

Resigned, I huffed softly, then brought up both hands to face the larger dragon. As I’d expected, Saffron clung on.

“Whatever you do, please spare him. He’s been through enough.”

Though no dragon I’d ever known understood the spoken language, this one tipped his head in consideration.

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