Page 67 of Jace

The dragon spun to check on his mate.

She may be frightened.

But cheers lifted into the air, swirling around the dragon as he slowly lowered himself toward the small crowd of celebrating people surrounding his mate and whelp.

Susannah gazed up at him with happy tears in her brilliant green eyes, her chest lifted high, as if in pride.

Pride filled the dragon’s chest, too.

He closed his eyes and drifted backward, so that it was the man’s feet that touched the ground at last.

As his senses faded, Jace though a silent thanks to his other half.

Then he ran for Susannah, who waited for him with open arms.

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Susannah

Susannah watched, amazed, as the dragon whirled away from the felled machine and fixed her in his beautiful blue eyes.

“What an incredible mate you have,” Zara breathed beside her.

“He can’t be my mate,” Susannah told her new friend, feeling sick.

“Why not?” Zara seemed surprised. “I assumed he already was.”

“There is a curse on me,” Susannah told her. “I cannot have true love. Something terrible will always happen to anyone who gets close.”

“I see,” Zara said thoughtfully.

Susannah smiled up at Jace, tears of pride for him in her eyes. She wished she could be his mate. For now, it would have to be enough to be his friend.

Although, if he could hold his own against that terraforming machine…

Her eyes caressed his huge wings, his beautiful scales, hard as armor.

Then he was shifting back into the form she knew so well, and she flung her arms open, ready for him to run to her.

But before he made it, one of Zara’s community stopped him. It was a very tall man in beautiful leather armor. He and Jace clasped arms and began to talk.

“That’s our leader,” Zara said excitedly. “They have clasped arms, that means a friendship. Our people have not extended friendship outside our circle before.”

“Wonderful,” Susannah said, smiling at the sight.

“Susannah,” Zara said softly.

She turned back to her new friend, who was shyly extending her own arm.

Susannah grinned and clasped it, and they shook firmly three times.

“I have a gift to seal our friendship,” Zara whispered. “A charm to protect your family from the curse. My people are skilled with such things.”

Susannah watched as Zara lifted something from her chemise. It glittered a little in the light, a metal heart on a chain. She didn’t want to take something so special from her new friend, but if there was a chance…

She held still as Zara fixed it around her neck, and somehow, she did feel better as soon as the metal of the heart touched her skin.

She closed her eyes, taking in the sensation of safety and acceptance.

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