Page 17 of The Promise Born
“Can you stand on your own, or do you need help?”
“I should be able to manage.” I tried to get up but the moment I put any weight on the leg, I almost fell back over and he had to catch me, again, to keep me from hitting the ground.
“Aren’t you glad we came out here to be with all thisreal nature?” he joked.
“Very funny.”
“We need to go back now.” He looked at my ankle. “Do you think you can shift? We’ll fly back and I can send someone to get the serabringers?”
“No!” I blurted my objection out so brazenly that he looked at me like I had lost my mind. I hurried to make an excuse for my outburst. “I don't think shifting would be a good idea for me right now. The pain is a lot more intense now, which probably means it’s a more serious injury. Shifting could make it worse.” I was a better liar than I thought.
I paused, waiting for him to consider my excuse. His expression shifted back from surprise and confusion to concern.
“You're right, you might have broken something.” He looked around us. “That shift could mean putting you down for a while. I’ll have to carry you.”
I thought he meant carrying me in his dragon form, which could be dangerous in my condition, but that’s not what he meant. Without another word, he scooped me up from the ground, careful not to lift my dress. Once he held me to his chest, he looked down at me.
“Is this okay?”
I wrapped my arm around his neck for more support and nodded. The only thought swirling in my mind as he carried me back to the serabringers was how ridiculous I looked. I have never been a damsel in distress, but that’s what I looked like. Right down to wearing a nice flowery dress to complement the moment. This was the stuff small girls were told to look forward to and it made me sick to my stomach.
And of course, the longer he held me, the more I felt the warmth of his body. And the more the kiss replayed in my mind. How would that moment, that lapse in judgement, change things between us? I should have slapped him. I should have cursed him out. But even in that moment of fleeting regret, I didn’t want to.
“Don’t worry. I won’t tell anyone about this.” His voice was as strong and unfaltering as ever.
“Oh?”
“That’s what you’re worried about, isn’t it?” He glanced at me. “I will keep this kiss to myself. No one will know you allowed it.”
“Is that supposed to be funny?”
The lift at the corner of his full lips lasted for just a second, but I saw it. “No, of course not.”
“It’s not right for you to make fun of me when I’m injured and can’t get away from you.”
“What do you mean? That’s the best time to do it.”
“I’ll remember this.”
“Sure, but what will you do about it?”
The subtle sound of neighing brought my attention to the serabringers. They were nuzzled together under the tree where we left them.
“Enough of that,” he fussed at them as if they could understand him. I smiled because it reminded me of all the times my father would do the same thing. “It’s time to go.”
“Okay, put me down.”
“What do you mean?” He tightened his hold.
“How else am I supposed to ride?”
Asante looked like he wanted to laugh in my face. “You can’t ride like this. I’ll have to carry you.”
“What?”
“And risk you falling off?” He walked me over to Kune, who folded his wings to allow Asante to put me on his back. After I was secure, he tied Synth’s rein to Kune’s before hopping on his back with me.
“Are you comfortable?”
