Page 28 of Wings of Cruelty and Flame

“I’ll show you how to mount him,” Varidian offered easily, no judgement in his voice. It made it easier to accept his help. “I’ll boost you up onto the arch of his leg, see there?” I nodded.“Grasp the top and pull yourself over, and from there you can jump up. You’ll get quicker and better at it every time you try.”

“I highly doubt that,” I drawled, chewing my bottom lip. But at least I didn’t have to lie this time. At least Varidian knew I was hopeless on a wyvern.

“Here, stand on my shoulders,” he said, kneeling.

I just stared at my mad husband. “Stand. On your shoulders.”

“Put one foot here, and your other here.” He patted each shoulder.

“I know the mechanics of standing, thank you very much,” I huffed, my face burning, ears tingling. I glanced up at Makrukh who watched us with curiosity instead of that narrow-eyed disappointment I saw when we first met in Strava. He thought I was weak then, and I didn’t want to seem weak now, even to a wyvern.

Butstandingon Varidian’sshoulders.

“I won’t let you fall, menace,” Varidian promised in a low purr.

Oh, fuck it. I did it in a burst of determination, putting one foot on his shoulder and bracing myself on Mak’s ivory scales while I bolstered my left foot onto Varidian’s other shoulder. I needed to act fast, to outrace my fear before it caught up to me.

I screamed when Varidian stood without warning, leaving me standing six feet above ground.

“Reach above you for the curve of his leg. You can do this, Ameirah.”

“I can’t,” I blurted, my breath coming faster. “It turns out I have an awful fear of heights.”

“Dearling, you wanted to ride out with me, so you have to mount the wyvern. Or you can stay behind…”

“No,” I growled through gritted teeth. “Bastard.” I knew what he was doing; he wasn’t subtle. But it worked. I hated the idea of being abandoned so much that I raised my trembling arms bitby bit, working them up Makrukh’s warm side and glad for his patience as well as Varidian’s. It took a lot of stretching to finally grasp the curve of his leg, and all of my abused muscles that woke up stiff reminded me they weren’t happy with me.

“Lean higher,” I shouted down, earning a gruff laugh from my husband.

“How tall do you think I am?” he asked, the warmth of amusement lending a burr to his voice.

“Tall enough to lift me onto a wyvern.”

He snorted and boosted me another inch or so. I grinned when I got a good enough grip to pull myself up, then almost screamed at the feeling of my whole body’s weight hanging on my two weak arms.

“This was a terrible idea!” I screeched.

“I don’t know, I’m quite fond of it myself,” Varidian replied, his voice rougher, rumbling. “The view is quite delectable from down here.”

Scoundrel. The smile returned to my face, and I heaved myself up with all my might, trying, trying… until I finally flailed onto Makrukh’s leg.Okay, halfway there.All I had to do was jump up onto his back, avoid getting impaled by his spikes, and not fall off.

Easy.

It was not easy.Every muscle in my body hurt by the time I got up, and only a handful of minutes might have passed but it felt to take a lifetime to mount Makrukh. It did not help my ego to watch Varidian run up Mak’s leg with nimble grace, grasp aspike, and vault his way into his seat. It took him twenty seconds.

“You look like a flea climbing a dog,” I told him sourly.

He laughed and kissed my head, settling behind me. My back to his chest, warmth began to bleed through leather into my shaking body.

“It takes most new riders a week to successfully mount a wyvern,” he said, squeezing my waist. “You just did it in four minutes.”

“It takeschildrena week,” I muttered, my initial victory wearing off to reveal the embarrassment that lurked beneath. “I’m an adult.”

“You’re a source of pride to me,” Varidian countered, effectively silencing me. “It took bravery and strength most adults don’t possess to get up here by yourself without a single formal lesson. I’m proud to call you my wife.”

“Oh,” I rasped, my throat thick with emotion.

“And I have no doubt with all your courage and stubbornness, in a month you’ll be running up his leg to mount like an experienced rider.” His hands fitted to my sides, running from my waist to my ribs.

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