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I make myself look away and run a hand through my wind-tangled hair. “How did you even find me, anyway?”

Blair is silent for long enough that I turn back to face him, and find him watching me with a soft expression on his face.

“I felt you, Kenna.” He lays one hand in the center of his chest. “Right here.”

My breath catches. He can’t be saying what I think he’s…

“You being here is so beyond invasive,” I snap at him, desperately clinging to whatever bit of righteous indignation I still can . “You know that, right?”

Blair nods solemnly. “I know. Doesn’t mean I’m going anywhere.”

It’s kind of impressive, the amount of absolute audacity this centuries-old dragon has now that he realizes he’s not getting his way with me so easily anymore.

Blair’s still studying me, still holding that hand over his heart, when he speaks softly again. “Do you really want me to leave, Kenna?”

I should say yes.

I need to say yes.

I dredge up every ounce of hurt and frustration and anger that I can, clutching it tightly in my heart, right on top of that ache I’ve been trying to ignore. The one that maybe doesn’t hurt so much now that he’s here.

“I don’t really care what you do.” My voice sounds childish and bratty even to my own ears, but Blair just gives me another unreadable smile.

“Alright,” he says in that same soft voice.

For a few long moments, we’re at a stalemate. Watching each other. Waiting each other out. I’m sure as shit not going to be the one to give another inch, not when I feel like I’ve just given a whole damn mile without meaning to.

Mercifully, Blair’s the one to break the silence. “Will you let me borrow your phone?”

I stare at him for a full five seconds, disbelieving. He’s really asking me to do him a favor right now?

“Why?” I ask, already shaking my head no.

He gestures down at his sculpted, naked body. “I didn’t pack anything.”

“And how is my phone going to help with that?”

“I need to call in a couple of favors.”

My hand twitches toward my pocket before I can think better of it.

“No,” I say instead of pulling it out and giving it to him. “No, I don’t think I’m going to help you. You had the bright idea of flying all the way here. You can figure it out.”

Instead of the grumbling I might expect, Blair grins at me with challenge sparkling in his eyes. “Alright. I guess that’s fair.”

When his muscles start to bunch and ripple with his coming shift, I take a reflexive step closer and speak without thinking.

“Where are you going?”

Internally cursing myself as his grin grows even wider, I watch his wings spread and his scales catch the afternoon light.

“Don’t worry,” he says just before he shifts. “You’ll be seeing me soon.”

With that, his body ripples again as the impossible magick of his shift turns him back into his full dragon form. He spares me another nudge with his big, warm snout and huffs a breath that sounds almost like a chuckle before he steps back, launches himself skyward, and disappears in the direction of the distant mountains.

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Kenna