Page 103 of Iron Hearts and Dragon Magic

She wasn’t sure what to say, so she only made a non-committal grunt. “Hmm.”

River moved his head away from her body and looked into her eyes. “I want you to know one thing: I’ll never hurt you.” He took her hand and put it over his heart. “Trust this. It’s for you.”

Dreadful images from that morning flooded her mind and she pulled her hand. “Bad metaphor, River.”

He closed his eyes, but then smiled. “All of me, then. Definitely all of me. Trust me on that.” His face was serious, focused, without its usual amusement.

She kissed his lips softly, then said, “Trust is earned, not granted. But I… I believe you won’t hurt me. I do, River. If I ever let you take me away from my family, it was because I trusted you.”

He pulled her hand and kissed her fingers one by one. “Because you’re wise.”

Nowhe had an amused smirk, and it made her breath catch. It made no sense. She wanted him to be open and honest, and yet was drawn by his playful, even deceitful nature. Perhaps because it was who he was—and she truly liked him.

Naia shook her head, then looked straight into his eyes. “I’m foolish.” Foolish for him, and wanting indeed every part of him.

Why was it that eyes could communicate so much? The moment changed, the energy in the room shifted, and then he was kissing her, a kiss that was all passion and yearning, making the world tilt around them. Not the world; they shifted positions, the soft cover of the bed behind Naia, part of his weight over her, one of his legs on the mattress, and other bent, his knee finding a place between her thighs. One of his hands was moving to her hip, and the other moving up her stomach, right under her breast.

He suddenly stopped, his breath hitching, eyes wide. “I… you said you didn’t want…”

“I changed my mind.” Naia stared at him while she ran her hands down his back, and then right below it, her own heart making a racket inside her chest. “Also,” she added in a lower voice. “I would like to inspect all that’s mine.”

River smiled and kissed her temple. “Any time, my love.”

Love? Her hands almost froze in place, but she didn’t want to make a bigger thing out of it. Why would it be a big thing, when he had said their magic united, when he had claimed they werelife companionsaccording to Ancients? Perhaps it was just that words had power, and this word was one with so much weight—good and bad, that to hear it from his lips was magical. A fae’s lips, someone who didn’t play with words.

He stared at her. “Something wrong?”

Naia wanted to tell him she loved him, but then changed her mind. “I’m scared.” She wasn’t sure of what.

River must have misunderstood her words, as he moved away from her, so that he was lying beside her, and ran a hand over her face. “I’m glad you told me. Time is our friend.”

Was it, though? Would they survive? He meant that they could go slowly, which was a good idea, of course. Then at the same time she wanted to tell him to do everything, everything right now. And she could. It was a matter of saying the words, letting him know that fear was a common companion to bravery, that sometimes fear and desire walked together. And yet the words were stuck, as if they had been stifled for so long that they couldn’t believe they were allowed to come out now.

Why was it that just talking about it was so hard? But then, it was a language she did not speak, on a topic she knew little… As Naia tried to gather her thoughts, a sound outside, like wings, and then twigs breaking, caught her attention.

River raised a hand and whispered, “They won’t see the house.”

It wasn’t that she was afraid of what was out there, but something else. Her feeling was more like worry and curiosity. “I need to see it.”

She was up in a second, River after her, his horns and eyes glamoured, his ears covered by his hair. Still, he said, “Naia, we’re safer inside.”

“I don’t think it’s an enemy.”

River stood by her and placed a hand over her shoulder as she unlatched the door and opened it—then couldn’t believe her eyes.

A huge silver dragon sat there, and she knew who it was. Naia ran to him and put her arms over the side of his face. Tears of happiness were threatening to come out of her eyes. Her brother was alive, was unharmed, was here!

“Fel!” Her voice came out mingled with a relieved laugh.

“Naia?” The word sounded as if inside her head, and yet it was her brother’s voice. “Can you hear me?”

“I can! I can!” She stepped away and looked into his huge green eyes. “How are you?” Only then she noticed a girl climbing out of his back—Leah. Naia stared at her. “Hello.” Her voice sounded cold, but then, that note the girl had written still gave her shivers.

“Hey.” Leah waved as she stood beside Fel.

River stared at Fel in admiration and nodded. “What can I say? Looking good. By the way, I can also hear you.”

Naia tried her best to ignore her annoyance at Leah, then asked, “What happened? Where have you been?”

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