Page 19 of Dragon Rivals of New York

“It isn’t always that way,” Kyro mutters under his breath.

“Do you not want her to decide to be a dragon?” Jethro snaps at Kyro.

“I won’t lie to her. Being a dragon can be dangerous.” With his hand still on my neck, he turns my head so I’m looking at him. “But I will do everything in my power to protectyou, as would every member of my horde. That’s what the vow is about. Looking out for each other.”

“As would I and my horde,” Jethro adds.

“Cyrus,” Adrianna says. “Do you acknowledge Finley as your goddess given mate?”

“I do.” Cyrus looks at Finley like she’s the only one in the room, the only one in the world. I don’t think Manny ever looked at me like that.

“Do you each pledge your loyalty and love to each other and to this horde until death, and on penalty of death?”

“We do.”

“You may enter the pool.”

“Wait, what? They’re going in there?” My whisper is louder than I intended, and a few heads turn to look our way. “But it’s all…”

As Cyrus and Finley enter the pool holding hands, ripples form on the surface of the liquid silver, swirling with the red blood of the horde. Steady steps lead them deeper and deeper until the liquid is up to their shoulders. They turn to look at each other, both smiling, and then they sink all the way under.

I hold my breath, pressing one hand into my abdomen as the other covers my mouth. I’d heard about “the pools” but Ididn’t think Finley would have to submerge herself so literally in a pool of silver and blood. Bile fills my mouth, and I swallow hard to keep from losing the elaborate meal we ate at the wedding dinner.

There’s no way I can do what Finley's doing. I shudder just thinking about it.

The silence in the temple is deep enough to hear every breath. And every lack of breath. She’s been under too long. I look at Kyro. He’s as stern-faced and cool as ever. I turn to Jethro. His warm smile calms my nerves a little. But not by much.

One breath. Two breaths. Three breaths. My heart pounds frantically. Where are they? Why haven’t they surfaced? Something is wrong.

I take a step toward the pool, ready to dive in and save my best friend, but Jethro’s hand on my hip and Kyro’s on my neck hold me in place.

“She’s drowning!” I yell. How can they all just stand here, doing nothing?

“She has to come, lovely,” Jethro whispers, but I don’t understand what he means. I stare at him, confused, until he adds, “Sometimes they have to orgasm in the pool before the transformation will—”

Splash!Roar!

Two dragons fly from the pool, twisting around each other in the air like they’re dancing. Silver and blood drip from their scales and wings. A breath of fire bursts from one and a sound almost like a laugh comes from the other.

The larger of the two lands and shifts back into Cyrus, silver still clinging to his skin. Finley circles the room one more time before landing next to him less gracefully. She stumbles into his arms as she shifts, and Cyrus spins her around. I’ve never seen her so happy before.

“May the goddess bless your union and never part you,” Adrianna says with a small smile.

Loud whoops proceed the slow steady pound of drums.

“We should go.” Kyro wraps his arm around me.

“I want to say goodbye to Finley first.” I start forward, but Jethro steps in front of me. “Kyro’s right, lovely. Midas let Jeslyn stay for the first night of Goddess Week last time, and she passed out for hours. We weren’t sure she’d be okay. Adrianna only agreed to you coming if we left as soon as the drums started.”

“But—” I glance around. The group is already dancing, glassy eyed as the drums pick up tempo. Kyro and Jethro both have flames burning in the middle of their pupils.

The drums feel like they’re inside my body instead of outsideit, pumping my blood a little faster, making my head feel light. They’re right. I should go. There’s some kind of magic at work here that I don’t understand. But I want to understand it. I want to stay and experience it.

This feels like yet another example of someone else dictating my actions.

But then my gaze lands on Finley. She’s dancing with Cyrus, but must feel me watching, because she looks up and mouths, “Go.”

There’s an urgency to her expression that makes me take note and sigh.

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