Page 30 of The Promise Born
“Are you okay?” she asked, her voice heavy with worry. “I’ll get help!”
The woman ran out of the room, leaving me alone. I stood only to close the door behind her and placed my back against it. Maybe this was the solution. Freak out and stay in my room until it was over.
“Kiala? Are you okay?”
My plan to stay hidden went out the window, as Asante’s voice called out from the other side of the door. How could I ignore him? Would he go away even if I asked him to?
“I’m fine.” I called out.
“Please open the door.” His voice sounded strange. “I can tell something is wrong. Please let me in.”
I should have ignored him. I should have told him to go away, but I didn’t. Instead, I stood, wiped the tears from my face, and opened the door. Before I saw his face, I turned and walked away, allowing him to enter behind me.
“What happened?”
“Nothing. I didn’t expect-,” the pain in my chest returned as I struggled to catch my breath. “I’m sorry Asante, I just can’t go out there. They want me to, but I can’t.”
“Are you afraid?” He looked at me like he wanted to shield me from the world. “Do you think someone will hurt you?”
His question had the walls moving in again. “It’s not that, I just can’t. I don’t want to see them.”
“Then you don’t have to.” He didn’t question me any further. “Don’t worry about it. Don’t get yourself upset like this.”
“But the queen.” Finally, I took a deep breath. “Your mother will be upset if I don’t go.”
“She’ll understand and if she doesn’t, she can be mad at me. I’m the one who said you wouldn’t have to do this.” He grabbed my cloak the woman had draped on the chair and wrapped it around me. “Let’s go.”
“Where are you taking me?” I looked up at him as he tied the hood around my neck.
“Away from here.” He smiled. “What I should have done before this started.”
“You can’t leave. The meeting isn’t over.” I wiped the tears from my eyes, suddenly sobering up. “It won’t look good if you do.”
“Kiala, please.” He touched my cheek. “Just let me do this.”
He led me outside to the stables where the serabringers were. I thought we would take them for a ride again, but Asante detoured away from the doors and instead led me to the field at the side of it.
“I know you won’t shift into your dragon and fly with me. I respect your choice, but at least let me carry you.”
He didn’t wait for my protest. Asante turned his back to me. He stripped away his clothing, placing them neatly into the bag he carried for that purpose. He secured the strap around his leg. Designed to stretch with his growing form, the strap sat loose against his skin. After one last glance at me, he transformed, the air crackling with energy as his human form shifted into a magnificent dragon. The dragon's beauty was breathtaking; his scales gleamed, and his powerful wings caught the fading light. The varying shades of emerald on his scales were like a thousand tiny gems reflecting the light, some dark and others so bright they seemed to glow. My favorite color.
He lowered his neck, allowing me to climb onto his back. He nudged me with his wide nose to tell me to hold on. I gripped my hands in the hair that ran down the back of his long neck and allowed Asante to carry me away.
I buried my face in Asante’s neck as he carried me. The deafening whoosh of his wings was almost overwhelming, but beneath it, I could feel the steady, powerful rhythm of his heart. It was a powerful, steady beat, and as I pressed my ear against him, his pulse resonated like a drum against my skin, a rhythmic soundtrack to our flight. Instead of looking at the lands that passed beneath us, I closed my eyes and listened to his heart.
I tried to hide my disappointment when he finally landed. He perched carefully on a cliff overlooking the fire dragon territory, lowering his head to let me get down from his back safely. I placed the knotted ball of his clothes at his feet, then turned my back to give him privacy to redress. While he dressed, I took in the view. I could see out all the way to the ocean. I didn’t realize what I was searching for until I didn’t see it. The sails of troll ships. Where were they?
“I figured you would like it.” Asante joined me, unaware of what thoughts raced through my mind. “This is one of my favorite spots.”
“It’s breathtaking.” I swallowed my concerns. “You come here a lot?”
“Yes, not as much as I used to, though.”
I turned to further inspect the cliff and noticed the opening to a small cave. “What’s this?”
Asante stepped in front of me. “Before you go in, promise not to judge me.”
“Why would I judge you?” I pushed him aside and walked into the cave and gasped when I saw what he tried to hide. “Asante!”
