Page 12 of The Monster at the End of This Molt

Once Kermit had his fill of fish, Weld directed him to the cliffs overlooking a beach. I'd never seen lavender sand before. It was beautiful.

Weld served us a meal of salads, from potato to gelatin and everything in between. I missed the bacon bits my dad usually mixed into our pasta salad, but Weld's had a spicy kick to it that enticed me to take a second and third helping.

When we were both stuffed and sunning ourselves on the ledge like the satisfied half-lizards we were, Weld scooped up my hand, lacing our fingers together. "Do you want to fly back to the cabin?" From his tone, I guessed he had something else in mind.

"Not really," I said. "It's such a lovely day."

"We could explore up the coastline instead," he said. "There are some dragon ruins an hour north."

"Dragon ruins?" Color me intrigued. I sat up, tugging on our linked hands until he followed.

"You don't get airsick, do you?"

I laughed. "You still have to ask, after Kermit practically tossed us into the sea?"

"I'm fine on an empty stomach, but sometimes I get a little queasy after a big meal." He shrugged, like admitting the small weakness to me was no big deal. He'd come a long way from the kobold alpha who had bitten my dad's ear after a fight. "Until our food settles, we could walk along the cliffs."

I nodded, the words still stuck in my throat. "Thank you," I finally croaked. "I know that wasn't easy for you to share."

He released my hand. I thought I'd said something wrong until he draped his arm over my shoulders and pulled me in to plant a kiss behind my ear. "Everything is easier with you," he said. "What you said this morning … I'm sorry being my fated mate isn't as wonderful as you'd hoped."

But it was. That had been the whole point of my teary tirade. Weld was everything I wanted, if only he could get his head out of his ass and realize that for himself.

He wouldn't, though. If I knew anything about my fated mate, it was how stubborn he could be.

"Being your fated mate is the best thing that's ever happened to me." Before he could interject, I slid my arm around his waist for balance and held my finger to his lips. I managed to stay in step with him and not trip us both, which was a miracle. This was as close to dancing as I'd ever come.

"I'm having a great time on this trip," I continued. "Let's enjoy the afternoon and see where it takes us, shall we?"

He puckered his lips against my finger, a whisper of a kiss. I pressed it to my lips before letting my hand drop back to my side.

Weld squeezed my shoulder, and I glanced up to find him grinning at me. "What?"

"You're adorable." Instead of kissing me for real, he pulled my head to his chest and ruffled my hair with his other hand. I almost lost my balance, but he caught my armpit and pulled me upright.

I wanted to shout, "I'm not a kid," at the top of my lungs. It would be childish, but it would feel good to expunge some of my pent-up frustration.

Instead, I walked beside him, focusing on the sandy trail and interesting vines worming their way up the cliffs and sometimes across our path.

Weld had never been the type to fill the silence, unlike almost everyone else in my life. I was grateful for the peace. It gave me time to daydream about a future where Weld would want to claim me as his fated mate.

Just when I was about to pull him to the side of the path and make my dreams of kissing him real, Weld released me and motioned for Kermit to land in a clearing up ahead. "Are you ready to see some dragon ruins?"

"You know it."

Sitting in the saddle with Weld was exquisite torture. I loved the feel of his cock pressed against my ass. I wanted to squirm against him. Instead, I practiced deep breathing and focused on the landscape below. The dark ocean stretched to the horizon, reflecting two white lines from our suns. It was truly beautiful.

Weld's breath was hot on the back of my neck. "Look, over those trees."

I followed his pointing finger to a dark mound rising above the ironwood forest. Back home, I would have assumed it was a mountain, but the closest mountains were to the east, and almost too far to see through the thin veil of clouds.

As we neared, it became clear the mound had once been stone blocks formed into a steeple. The point had long since fallen away, leaving a mound of rubble. The structure had been massive, far larger than our dragon temple back home. Even in its ruined state, it was twice the size of the fortress.

"Dragons built this?" I asked.

"Kobolds built this," he said, "to worship their dragons by the sea." Kermit landed in a nearby clearing, and Weld slid to the ground a moment later. Yearning for his warmth, I closed my eyes and shivered.

"Robin?"

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