Page 1 of Realms of Swords and Storms
1
Istared at the naked stranger in front of me as he tried to stand, his movements awkward, like someone relearning how to use limbs long forgotten. His legs buckled beneath him, and he fell forward. Without thinking, I rushed to catch him, my hands connecting with skin that burned like fire against my palms.
"Careful," I whispered, supporting his weight as best I could. He was heavy, solid muscle against me, his naked body radiating heat that penetrated my clothing. "How is this possible?"
His golden eyes locked with mine. "The collar," he said, voice rough. “Binds us, traps us… so long.”
I looked down in horror at the discarded iron ring on the ground, my mind reeling.
"You mean all Imperial dragons are—"
“Slaves. Like you.”
I helped him sit on the grass, my hands trembling. Everything I thought I knew about dragons, about the Academy, aboutthe Empire itself, crumbled around me. "But how? Why would anyone—"
"Power," he said simply.
I couldn't move. Couldn't think. The world had just tilted beneath my feet, everything I thought I knew scattered like ashes in the wind.
"You're..." I tried to form words, but my throat had closed up. "I’m so sorry, Sirrax. I thought…" Shame and loathing filled me as I thought of all the times I’d ridden on his back, the way I’d brought him to the academy and put him back in chains, all for my own purpose. I was as bad as Drusus.
"No. Didn’t know."
He reached up, cupping my face with his hand. I looked at him—truly looked at him—this man who had been my dragon. His features were distinctly Talfen, the ancient enemy of the Empire, with those pointed ears and white hair, though he had golden eyes not black. The history books claimed they were savage, uncivilized creatures who practiced dark magic and worshipped pagan gods. They were meant to be monsters. My relationship with Tarshi had taught me that the Empire couldn’t be believed, but Tarshi had been raised by his human mother. Would Sirrax prove to be the monster the Emperor would have me believe? I couldn’t know for certain. And yet, as I looked into those golden eyes, all I saw was Sirrax—the same intelligence, the same fierce loyalty that had been my only comfort these past months.
I stared at his face, trying to reconcile this man with the dragon I'd flown with countless times.
"All this time... you understood everything? Every conversation, every thought I shared with you?"
He nodded.
"Every word. Every fear. Every hope."
I blushed, turning my head, but his other hand came up, both now holding my face as he stared into my eyes.
“No secrets from mate.”
I frowned. “Mate? What do you mean?”
“You are mate,” he said. “Fated, meant. Mine.”
"I don't understand," I said, my voice barely audible even to my own ears.
"Dragon knows. From first moment. You feel it too. Mate. Mine."
The word struck me like a physical blow. Mate. I pulled back instinctively, but his hands held me firmly.
"I'm not your mate," I said, the words coming out harsher than I intended. "I'm not anyone's."
A low rumble emanated from his chest, so similar to the sound Sirrax made when displeased that I almost laughed despite my shock.
"You feel it," he insisted, his golden eyes searching mine. "The pull between us. The bond. Not slave," he said, his brow furrowing. "Mate. Different." He struggled with the words, his tongue seemingly unpractised with human speech. "Bond. Equal."
I wanted to deny it, but the words wouldn't come. There had always been something between us, something I'd attributed to the connection between rider and dragon. But now...
"I don't even know you," I whispered. "Not like this."
"Know me better than anyone. Just didn't know this form." He smiled softly. “Know you. Here.” He let go of my face, touching my temple gently. “Here.” He laid his hand over where my heart still pounded in my chest, and left it there, the heat from his touch burning through the fabric to my skin. With his other hand, he reached for mine, placing over his own heart and holding it there. I felt the thud of his heartbeat, the heat of his skin, and gasped as a rush of energy seemed to pass between us.
