Page 27 of Eluvonia
I can’t help but stare at the Dragon before me, both awe and fear locking my feet in place. Kaida’s head swings toward me, his sapphire eyes narrowing, and I feel a lump lodge itself firmly in my throat.
I hesitate, my heart hammering against my ribs. Ride him? Every instinct screams at me to back away, to put as much distance between myself and the massive Dragon as possible. But beneath the fear, there’s something else—something dark and dangerous curling in my chest.Intrigue.
Kaida is a creature of nightmares, all shadows and silent power, his scales shifting like living smoke. I shouldn’t want to be this close to him, shouldn’t want to know what it feels like to move with him, to become part of his terrifying presence. And yet, I do.
Declan grips my arm, steadying me as I climb onto Kaida’s back. His scales are warm beneath my hands, smooth yet solid, a contradiction in itself. The shadows react as I move, wrapping around my legs like living things, pulsing as if they recognize me. A shiver crawls up my spine.
Kaida gives a low, amused rumble, and I swear I can feel his amusement vibrating through me. His massive body tenses under me, his power coiling beneath his skin, waiting.
I swallow hard as Declan steps back. A flicker of gold catches my eye, and then his form ripples—flesh giving way to gleaming scales, wings unfurling with a powerful sweep. In the blink of an eye, Declan is gone, replaced by a golden Dragon, regal and impossibly strong. He moves with effortless grace, his golden eyes locking onto Kaida’s.
Ready?Declan’s voice echoes in my mind.
Kaida’s shadows tighten around me, holding me in place.Hold on tight,he warns, his deep voice vibrating through every inch of me.
I tighten my grip, my heart pounding, and before I can fully brace myself, Kaida leaps into the air. The world falls away beneath us, and my stomach twists with the drop. Wind screams past my ears as his wings pound against the air, lifting us higher.
Having fun yet?Kaida teases, his deep laughter resonating in my mind.You’ll get used to it, Fae,he adds, disdain lacing his words.We’re stuck with each other for life. This won’t be your last ride.I really hate this Dragon.
The view below is breathtaking, the world stretching out beneath us in vivid greens and blues. The air rushes past my face, my body pressed tight against his, but despite my fear, a flicker of exhilaration sparks in my chest.
By the time Kaida descends, every muscle in my body protests. My thighs ache from gripping his scales, my back feels like it’s on fire, and my hands are numb. As soon as his claws scrape against solid ground, I let go of him, and slide down his massive leg, my body slumping onto the earth.
“Solid ground,” I groan, pressing my palms into the cool grass. “I’m never leaving it again.”
Kaida, still in Dragon form, snorts, steam puffing from his nostrils.A little ride, and you’re already broken.
I glare at him, but my defiance evaporates the instant he shifts back into human form—completely, unapologetically naked.
My brainstalls.
For a split second—just one humiliating, traitorous second—a thought flashes through my mind before I can stopit.What would it feel like to run my hands down those abs?
Heat slams into my face, and I whip my head toward the cliff, pretending to admire the view like it’s the most fascinating thing I’ve ever seen. The sky? Stunning. The rocks? Breathtaking. Anything buthim.
Thankfully, a guard appears with clothes, saving me from my own thoughts.
I push myself upright, my legs wobbling beneath me, the lingering effects of the flight still thrumming through my bones. My thighs ache, my arms feel like lead, and I swear my spine will never be the same. Still, anything is better than standing here while he is naked.
Without thinking, I step toward the cliffs, my heart racing in my chest. The wind roars past me, tugging at my clothes, pulling at my hair, and I freeze for a moment, my feet trembling. My body instinctively pulls back, but I force myself to tip-toe toward the very edge.
The world yawns open below me, an endless drop of jagged stone and violent sea. My stomach churns, and I can barely breathe as the height presses down on me, a crushing weight.
Still better than seeing him naked.
The distant rustle of fabric behind me is the only reminder that Ishouldbe focused on something else–like being surrounded by Dragons, my enemies–but I stay rooted to the edge, letting the wind whip at my skin.
“You’re not thinking of throwing yourself off, are you?” Kaida’s voice rumbles from behind me, laced with that ever-present amusement.
I don’t turn. “That depends. Are you dressed yet?”
A pause. Then, with far too much satisfaction, “Not quite.” I squeeze my eyes shut, inhaling sharply through my nose.When I get the chance I am throwing him off this cliff, soul be damned.
Without warning, Kaida, fully dressed, grabs my wrist, yanking me from the edge of the cliffs, and toward a cluster of guards. “Hey!” I yelp, stumbling to keep up. “I can walk just fine, you know!”
“Stay here,” he orders, ignoring my protest. His shadows twitch around him as his hand tightens on my wrist. He gestures to a stack of crates. “Don’t wander. Don’t cause trouble. If you so much as twitch the wrong way, I’ll roast you like a pig.”
I cross my arms, glaring daggers at his retreating back as he disappears into the trees. With a dramatic huff, I plop onto a crate, determined to appear unfazed. But boredom settles in, and the allure of a clear path tugs at my curiosity.This is my chance, I’ll figure out the Líðr thing later.I glance around, ensuring no one’s watching, and slip off the crate. I’m almost free when a tall woman in golden armor steps into my path, her expression unreadable. I freeze, offering a sheepish smile.
