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“But then, if Kaitlyn and Ari can’t take you…” Emma began, frowning.

“It will have to be Saint,” I said firmly.“His Drake can take me.”

“Oh, Avery—youcan’tbe serious!”Megan stared at me with wide, horrified eyes.“That’s sodangerous!Why can’t anyone else’s Drake take you?”

“Saint’s Drake has already claimed Avery as hisl’lorna,”Kaitlyn answered for me again.“He won’t tolerate any other Drake touching Avery.In times of dire need, another Drake might fly thel’lornaof another Drake to safety, but that is only if thel’lornais in mortal danger.Any other time, Drakes steer clear of each other’sl’lornas.”

“They’reextremelypossessive,” I said.“And I could never explain to Saint’s Drake why I was flying with another Drake—he wouldn’t understand.He’d probably just think I was, uh, cheating on him.And you know what they say—‘Hell hath no fury like a Drake scorned.’Especially a Cursed Drake who wants you all to himself.”

“But…but what if he decides he’d rathereatyou than carry you to the Sky Lands?”Megan demanded.

“Or what if he burns you to acrisp?”Emma demanded.

“Look, we all had those same fears when Kaitlyn decided to go to the Sky Lands on Ari’s Drake—remember?”I told them.“And she was justfine.I mean, look at her now!”I motioned to Kaitlyn, hoping to take the spotlight off myself.

“Yes, but Ari’s Drake was in his right mind,” Kaitlyn said quietly—not backing me up nearly as much as I had hoped.“Saint’s Drake is, well…he’s basically insane, Avery.And you can’t trust crazy people.”

“You can trust my Drake,” Saint’s voice came from behind me.I turned my head to see that he had come out of our room and was standing right behind the ratty blue couch I was sitting on.

“Oh, Saint—” I began.

“You can trust him, Avery.”He came around the couch and knelt on the floor beside me.Taking my hands in his, he looked into my eyes.“He loves you more than his own life,” he said earnestly.“If he had to die himself to save you, he would do it without a moment’s hesitation.”

“I know,” I said, not because I really did but because the way he was looking at me was melting me like ice cream on a hot day.Those obsidian eyes of his were so beautiful…so hopeful.But far back in their depths, I could see flames dancing and I knew his Drake was present too, as he always was.

“Are yousure,Avery?”Kaitlyn asked quietly.“Really sure you want to do this?”

“I’m sure,” I said, even though my heart was pounding.“I’m going to the Sky Lands and I’m going to break this curse or…” I almost said, “or die trying,” but that felt a little too scary and on the nose.So instead I finished it, “Or my name’s not Avery Nathanial Connor!”

“You’re middle name’s ‘Nathanial?’”Emma asked, clearly surprised.

“I’m lucky it isn’t ‘Hawkeye,’” I told her.“My mom had a major crush on Daniel Day Lewis’s character inLast of the Mohicanswhen she was pregnant with me.To be fair, I’ve seen the movie and heisdamn hot.”

“You’re the one who’s going to be damn hot if this doesn’t work out the way you hope it will,” Megan pointed out, lifting her chin.“I mean, no offense, Saint, but we worry about Avery—he’s like our brother!”

“He’s closer than a brother,” Kaitlyn said firmly.“Which is why Ari and I are going to be standing by to make sure nothing goes wrong when they actually decide to go.If anything starts to go wrong, we can Shift instantly.”

“Shouldn’t you already be Shifted?”Emma asked.“Just to save time in case…” She cut her eyes at Saint meaningfully.

Kaitlyn shook her head.

“Having two other Drakes already shifted near hisl’lornawould only agitate Saint’s Drake.“Besides, Ari and I can both Shift very quickly when we need to.”

“Kaitlyn is correct,” Saint said quietly.“My Drake is absolutely obsessed with the idea of having Avery to himself.“And please don’t worry for his safety—if anything, finally getting to hold and, er,cuddlehim will probably calm him down a lot.”

I didn’t know how I felt about being “cuddled” by a Cursed Drake, but it didn’t seem like I would have much choice.So I simply said, “See?”to the girls and nodded confidently at Saint.

“Well…when are you going?”Megan asked, sounding resigned.“I mean, as long as we can’t talk you out of it.But Idowant to be there—just like we were there for Kaitlyn when she first rode Ari’s Drake,” she added.

“Yes, same,” Emma agreed instantly.

“Well…” I began.

“Why not tonight?”Saint suggested.

“Tonight?”My voice came out sounding squeaky and high and I had to cough and clear my throat to try and bring it down out of the atmosphere.“I mean…aren’t you tired, baby?”I asked him.

“I am tired from holding in my Drake all week,” Saint said and I saw the weariness in his eyes.“He longs so much to hold you,mi Corazon—every day the struggle to keep him contained grows harder.”