Page 542 of Flirting with Darkness

Kyllen chuckled. “No need to worry, Your Majesty. You’re far more regal than a donkey.”

The dragon shrugged a shoulder. “Hold your tongue or I’ll drop you off from this height. King or not, you’ll be but another wet spot in your wetlands.”

Kyllen gripped the dragon’s neck tighter. “Don’t drop me off. Take me up to the Sky Kingdom instead.”

King Galan scoffed, not changing his course. “You must have lost your mind.”

“Please,” Kyllen spoke, fighting the chilly emptiness spreading inside him. “The sky king took my wife.”

The dragon paused in the air, circling the trees he’d indicated earlier.

“The king took your queen. Your recourse then is a war, gorgonian.”

“A war would be nice. But it takes time, which I don’t have. I need to get up there right now.”

“Now? You want to go there alone? Unarmed?”

“Every moment we waste here while spinning in circles, Amira…” His voice broke off. He swallowed hard, heaving a breath before continuing, “My wife is being held prisoner. I need to get up there right now.”

The dragon shook his great head. “It’s a lost quest, my king. If you die, how would it help your woman?”

The obvious solution was not to get killed. But he sensed his determination wasn’t enough to convince the dragon-king.

“If I die, you’ll lose nothing,” he said. “However, if I succeed, I may take care of the sky king for you.“

“How? And why do you think I care whether he dies or lives?”

“Why did the sky king order the siren queen killed? He said she conspired against him. Was it you she conspired with? The sky fae seemed to be very eager to get rid of you, too.”

The dragon fell silent for a few beats of his wings.

“The sky fae have grown too arrogant,” he finally said. “The clouds are no longer enough for them. King Aigel wishes to descend to the Below.”

That was troublesome news. Right now, however, he had a far more pressing problem to address.

“Take me up there,” he insisted.

“You’ll die. You’re brave, and you’re clearly in love with your wife, but are you really willing to go against the entire Sky Kingdom for her?”

“I’d go against the entire world for Amira.” Against all of the worlds if he had to. “Just take me up there. Please. No one will even know you helped me.”

The dragon shook his head disapprovingly but conceded, changing his course. “I’m taking you to your death.”

Kyllen relaxed his shoulders in relief.

“Well, there is always a chance for a miracle, isn’t there?” he said cheerfully. “I may live still.”

“You’re too cocky even for a gorgonian.”

Kyllen smiled. The insufferable tightness in his chest eased somewhat. He was on his way to Amira.

7

KYLLEN

“I’ll have to leave you here, my king.” The dragon perched on the edge of the rocky river bank. The river wasn’t filled with water but with milky clouds that separated the Sky Kingdom from the world below.

“Thank you, Your Majesty.” Kyllen slid off the wide neck of the gargoyle king and adjusted his flying board under his arm.

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