Page 63 of Of Blood and Banes
I don’t know how long it takes until we land back in the forest. But as soon as we do, I rip the hooks off my belt and jump off Daeja’s back, folding to my knees onto the ground and brushing my hands over it. Reminding myself how much I love being on the ground, with the earth steady underneath my feet.
A’nala and Sethan land seconds afterward, the ground thundering underneath her heavy landing, and my hair swirling with the gusts. I whip a glare at Sethan as I stand, and he waves at the rest of the dragon riders above us to land further away.
I stomp toward him, anger bubbling in my veins and likely the only thing keeping me going at this point. “What in the fuck was that! Were you trying to fucking kill me?”
A’nala snakes her head toward me, her lips curling up in warning and revealing her yellow-stained teeth as I approach. Daeja shifts close behind me, her own anxiousness wafting over me as she shadows me, her eyes trained on A’nala as she growls. As soon as I’m within reach, I shove Sethan’s chest. A’nala lunges forward, snapping at the air inches from my forehead. Daeja lurches, snapping back at A’nala despite being half her size.
A’nala’s mouth parts, a deep rumbling hiss emitting from her throat. Strings of saliva drip from the top of her rows of teeth. Her hot, rancid breath washes over us. And those golden eyes narrow to slits.
Sethan whips a wordless look at A’nala. She shifts back a few paces, closing her mouth, slitted eyes still locked on Daeja.
Sethan holds out a hand to me. “Calm down. Did you forget you and I forged a blood pact?”
I’m two steps away from him, my body shaking as if I were freezing. “So what? I die and it takes you out for breaking your oath, but it also kills the King. The Vitalans win. Seems easy enough of a solution to me.”
“If I truly thought that, then you would have been dead long before you made it to the Dragon Lands. I don’t think the prophecy meant something as simple as killing you. In doing so, it would kill your dragon.”
Great, so he’s keeping me alive for Daeja.I flip my ring finger up, partly wishing I had placed Cole’s ring on my middle finger instead. “So, you’ve known about this ring linking me to him, all this time, haven’t you?”
“Yes,” he answers flatly.
“Who else knows?” I lower my hand to my side.
“Most of those here in the Dragon Lands have heard of the rings from their grandparents’ generation. But it’s impossible to know how many might glimpse it and know what it actually is. No one has seen it in well over a century. And it looks as simple as any other metal ring but with imperfections that may come across as the workings of a juvenile jewelist, rather than an ancient artifact.”
“And so the only reason you aren’t killing me is Daeja?”
“Told you I was scary,”Daeja purrs in my mind.
I toss her a glance, the wind whistling over her tail as she swishes it back and forth with her white, narrowed eyes still fixed on A’nala.
“She’s the only moon dragon to ever inhabit this earth in over a century. The Gods wouldn’t put her here if they wanted her to live a short while. Besides, I think…” Sethan laughs, shaking his head and dragging a hand over his face.
“What? What’s so fucking funny to you?” I growl. “You asked me to trust you, and then you pull some bullshit like that!” I flick my hand up to the sky.
He turns a heavy stare onto me and sighs. “It’s foolish, really. But I think the Gods intend for you to lead. For you to rule over all the lands.”
My mouth drops open, completely gobsmacked out of my anger for a split second before I shake off my expression.
He clears his throat and the half-hearted humor from earlier. “So, if that’s their plan, who am I to interfere? In fact, they might smite me if I don’t do what it takes to keep you safe—to keep you on track for that destiny. And despite how much I may detest the thought of the kingdom falling to their knees for such a young, incompetent woman?—”
I narrow my eyes.
“—if my daughter believes in you, then so shall I. Many of the other rebels may not agree, but I’ve been chosen to govern this realm, and I will spend my last breath protecting these people. Which means, in exchange, I must protect you.”
“By letting me fall out of the fucking sky?” I flick my hand back up toward the heavens.
“Once you lose your fear of falling is when you will really learn how to fly.”
I glower at him. Sounds like some roundabout bullshit way to inspire me. But I’m still seeing red and struggling to push down the trembles snaking up and down my spine.
“You need to trust her,” he says gently, his expression softening slightly.
“I do trust her?—”
“No. No, you don’t. I don’t mean to be crude, but you looked like you were going to shit yourself up there. And that was when you were still hooked inandhad your hands wrapped around the horns.”
I open my mouth to respond, but nothing comes out.
