Page 81 of Court of Secrets and Flames

I have to catch up to him first.

Gritting my teeth, I set my course as he shows off by coasting along below me.

I pour every ounce of strength into my flight, muscles burning, heart hammering. The rush of wind deafens, but it’s the silence of our unspoken words that echoes loudest. Smiling and laughing, we weave through the heavens, an intricate dance of predator and prey where neither of us truly wishes to win or lose.

He doesn’t know I have a secret. One I haven’t shared with anyone.

Sterling’s not my only teacher. Dame, Chirean, and all the dragons with whom I connect have taught me as well.

The Tirenese may be winged people, but the dragons are the true masters of the sky. And I have been with them, not just on their backs but also in their minds as they traverse their terrain. Scaled wings don’t move quite like feathered ones do. Still, the same air carries us all, and I know how to use it.

The distance between us shortens. As I’m above him in the sky, he has to rely on tracking my shadow.

A predator prefers to attack from above.

We leave behind the forests and farms of Tirene’s heartland. In the distance, I catch the gleam of sunlight on water and know we’re nearing the East Coast. The winds, stronger here, have fewer thermals. Slipping side to side, my shadow plays over him as I advance.

Now.

Bending at the waist, I slash at the air one last time, pushing myself down. Then I tuck my wings tight, making an arrow out of my body. My shadow, which I’ve made certain lays along his body, shrinks as I close in.

A memory overtakes me.

Chirean diving on an unsuspecting sheep in the mountains. The thrill as both prey and ground barrel closer. One is life, the other death. And living is the line drawn between them. The line that must be followed in order to dominate.

Just like the sheep, Knox startles and tries to dodge to the side.

I shoot past him, and I swear he almost laughs, almost tries to say something to taunt me. I can see it in his eyes as he opens his mouth while I streak past. However, Knox is not a land-bound sheep. The ground, and death, are still far away.

Once past, I twist to the side and snap open my wings. I pour heat into my legs and feet in the areas not insulated by fire feathers, creating a thermal uprush around my lower body. The rushing wind spins me, and I arc upward again.

Too close for Sterling to dodge.

Snapping a hand out, I grab the front of his tunic. My nails scratch against his chest.

Instinctively, I pull him closer, claiming my prey. “You’re mine.”

My speed is such that I drag him along with me back to the heights I’ve just left.

His jaw drops, surprise etched on his face for a split second before his expression becomes something…dangerous.

Without thinking, I wrap my arms around him in a victorious embrace. I reach the peak of my momentum. For a fleeting heartbeat, we hang suspended. My mouth goes dry, and I wonder what in the gods’ names I’m doing. Suspended momentarily, even gravity loosens its grip on us.

The world disappears until there’s nothing but the two of us. His eyes meet mine, those deep pools reflecting a storm of emotions. Admiration. Desire. Conflict.

And hunger. A deep, unsatiable hunger.

My throat works on a swallow as I wet my lips. His sparkling brown eyes track the movement, like prey watching a predator, waiting for the killing blow.

This moment is a perilous precipice, the edge of a chasm stuffed with potential heartbreak. Gritting my teeth, I shove those thoughts aside.

Yet, as we start our descent back to earth, I can’t help the swell of joy that blooms in my chest. This day, this perfect slice of time, soars above the world’s chaos. With my future teetering on the whims of so many people, this is a rare treasure I’ll tuck away in the vault of my memories.

Gravity takes us, and I pull Sterling with me as I lean into it. My grip loosens, and his greater weight drags him farther away, my hand sliding across his chest to his arm.

Right before we separate, his hand takes mine.

Twirling, we both extend our wings. He pulls up ever so slightly, flying with wings overlapped on one side. Our hands remain joined.

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