Page 83 of Prince of Tides
“They’re planning something?” she asked, stiffening in alarm.
“I think so, yes.”
“Then you need to get back,” she said, tapping my chest. “Your people need you.”
“I know. But I had to come to find you,” I said, holding her hands.
“You found me. Now, we need to go back.”
“We?” I asked, unsure whether I liked the idea of Laurie comingcloserto danger.
“You need me, don’t you,” she said, confused, “to wield that weapon? You said so yourself. So, yes, I’m coming with you, so you can use it.”
I grimaced. “Ah. That.”
“What?”
“Well, you see,” I said uncomfortably. “It’s not quite that easy.”
“Why not?”
“Because first, we must take the Test.”
Chapter Forty
Laurie
Ispread my arms wide, eyes closed to the breeze as we took off, leaving the Rift behind and heading up the long tunnel out of Mount Drakonus. It was only my third time on dragon back and only my second conscious trip, but I was quickly coming to love the experience.
“Are you sure about this?” Rip asked, his wings beating a steady metronomic pulse that threatened to lull me to sleep.
“What? Of course I am!” I said, jerking awake as a fresh wave of anxiety poured through me. “Why? Are you having doubts?”
I bit my lip waiting for a response, nervous he was suddenly changing his mind about all of this. About me.
When Rip had told me about the Test, I’d initially freaked out. It was pretty rational, I think, after being told I had to be judged by the literal god of dragons. As if that wasn’t enough, if Ifailed, if he deemed me an unsuitable mate for Rip, he would kill us both.
Yet strangely, despite the death threat hanging over my head, I never truly doubted my decision to go through with it. The moment I had told him that I’d go, that I harbored no doubts, no illusions, about the bond we shared and what it meant for our future, I had feltrelief.Like we were supposed to do this, a logical next step.
So if Rip was now having doubts, second thoughts, or anything linked to that, I needed him to speak up. I would rather suffer the indignity of being dumped mid-flight and sent back home in embarrassment than continue on and die because he was no longer sure he wanted to be with me forever.
“Only about your health,” Rip said, twisting his snout so one large eye could stare back at me. “I’m worried you should still be in the hospital, Laurie.Thatis my concern. I have been ready to take this journey since the moment I laid eyes on you, and now that we are, I cannot wait for it. You aremine.”
I shivered at his words, a thrill of excitement running down my spine and spiking my adrenaline. It was so possessive of him to claim me like that, but hearing him say it only made me more excited for today, tomorrow, and the future. I was his, and just as importantly, he was mine.
And today, I would proclaim that to a god.
“I’m fine,” I assured him, patting one of his shield-sized scales. “Ever since I was rehydrated, as long as I drink lots of water, I feel perfectly fine.”
Putting action to word, I pulled my water bottle free from its shoulder strap and took several big swigs just to reassure him everything was as it should be.
“I just worry about you.”
I smiled and lay forward, resting my head on the base of his neck. “Says the guy who has to go fight evil creatures on the regular. I think I have a few more things to worry about than you.”
“Doesn’t mean I won’t worry about you,” he countered as we broke out of the massive tunnel and into the sky. It was nearing night in the dragon realm, and I stared at the sunset, the sky a beautiful shade of pink glittering across the fluffy clouds.
Below, twinkles of light could be seen in certain places, indicating signs of civilization. But we didn’t head for any of those. Instead, Rip soared higher and higher, circling upward and into the gray-blue clouds ringing the mountain peak.
