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In truth, I never really expected her to say yes, so when she put the jacket on, I had to hide my shock. She was really trusting me. It gave me hope for the first time since I landed in the healer’s wing with her.

She took a deep breath, steeling herself, and seemed to come to terms with the fact I was naked. She would get over it because she was going to see naked flyers a lot once she was allowed in flight training. Even though I hoped she never looked at them the way she tried so hard not to look at me.

“Where are we going?” She had a nervous expression but a sparkle in her eye that said she wanted the adventure.

My lips pulled back from my teeth as I grinned, letting more of my dragon show. “Anywhere but here.”

She shook her head, but she was fighting a smile. She was truly lovely.

“You know you want to,” I urged. We were both smiling, and it felt right. This was how it should be between us. I just didn’t know how to keep it this way.

“Sure you do,” my brother’s voice came into my head, crashing straight through the moment I was having with Zaria. “Just don’t be, you know…you.”

“Stop listening in!” I couldn’t do this with an audience. Was I really so rattled by this sudden shift between us that I was broadcasting to my brother without knowing?

“What do you tell her all the time? Stop screaming in my head,” Kol replied with a laugh.

Fuck him. I mentally kicked the door shut in his face and locked it tight.

“We have to hurry before anyone sees us, Sol,” I pressed, seeing her mood change in her eyes.

“Fine. But this doesn’t mean I trust you with everything.”

“Of course not.” I wouldn’t give her any more time to argue. Letting my sprit take the shape of my dragon, my bulk filled the entire launch pad around her. I stayed low on my belly, so she’d be able to get onto my back. “Climb up.”

“Just climb up? Like it’s that easy to navigate scales and spikes?”

I laughed.

“How will I hold on? Don’t I need a saddle?” She looked like a child standing next to a tree for the first time, not sure how to. It was endearing, and so funny.

“No one is watching, Sol. Grab a hold near my front leg and do it. You can climb, can’t you?”

“I’ve seen it done.”

“You weren’t allowed to climb trees? You were robbed of a childhood.”

“I was always too sick. I usually just watched the others do it. Anyway, what would you know about it? You can just poof into a dragon and fly.”

“Because it’s fun?”

“Well, I had to find other ways to have fun.”

“Then, you’re welcome for showing you what real fun is.”

She rolled her eyes. “I wasn’t thanking you.”

“I know, but you should.”

She half lifted her leg and wrinkled her nose. It was cute, but I kept the thought to myself, not wanting to discourage her. “This is a trick, isn’t it?”

“How would it be a trick?”

“I don’t know, but it feels like a trick. Do fae really just climb onto dragon’s backs? Who invented this? Who even thought it was a good idea to mount a monster?”

This time, I couldn’t hold back my laugh. “We are fae just like you.”

“So you claim, and then you do this.” She waved her hand at my scales. “And then you say ‘trust me,’ and that’s supposed to be enough to charm a maiden onto on your back?”