Page 147 of Upon Buried Embers
“What?”
“Drogonah, up!”
We’re jostled a little, and then pulled to one side of Drogonah’s claw as he ascends at speed. I look down, gripping Rohan’s shoulders tightly as the lake gets further away.
“What are we doing?” I shout over the rushing wind.
“Getting on his back.”
“What? How?”
“You’ll see.” He grins down at me, and for the first time, Rohan looks… relaxed.
He’s having fun, I realize. That’s what’s putting this carefree look on his face.
A look I like very much.
All of a sudden, the momentum shifts as Drogonah folds his wings and falls backward.
“Ahh!” I grip onto Rohan tightly as he laughs, and then, Drogonah’s claw opens and we’re left out in the open, falling once more toward Drogonah’s belly.
He looks at us as Rohan grabs me, and I scream, nearly strangling him with how tight my arms wrap around his neck, my legs going around his waist and he pulls me closer.
“Brace yourself.”
“Brace for what?!” I shout.
A moment later Rohan tips us back, doing some sort of flip mid-air, while Drogonah turns so his back is to us, and we land directly on the saddle.
My chest heaves and Rohan pulls me from his neck, grinning at me.
“It has been a while since I’ve done that.”
I just stare at him, heart pounding and then… I laugh.
I laugh like I never have before, head back, hands on his shoulders as he watches me.
“We’re doing that again,” I grin, and he mirrors it.
“On the way back.”
I can’t wait.
Rohan moves me to his front again, and we ride the rest of the way in silence until we spot The Glade.
It’s a large forest on an island, surrounded by a lake. It looks just like any other forest, but I can sense the air changing as we get closer.
It’s nothing you can physically see, more like a feeling—knowing that you’re about to enter somewhere different.
“We’ll land near that area down there,” Rohan points, and I see a large patch of grass just before a large knoll.
“And we’ll stay there?”
“Yes, I’ll set up the tent we brought, and then the others will arrive in the following days before we have to enter The Games.”
I swallow roughly, remembering The Graveyard and how Karag looked at me and Rohan. “Are we safe?”
His arms tighten around me. “We’re never safe, but I will make sure you are.” I nod, believing him.
