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M cColl

Ride a dragon?

Me?

All three of us?

I suppose that Delphine is more than big enough to carry all of us at once.

“Up there?” I point at the sky above like an idiot.

“Delphine will take excellent care of us,” Orion says. He has dark, thick hair and green eyes similar to Alaric’s.

Although this Orion person called him Kian…not Alaric. I knew it. Not that he ever denied that Alaric wasn’t his real name. He just wouldn’t tell me what his real name was.

“We’ll be fine,” Kian says. It feels weird to think of him as Kian. He doesn’t look like a Kian.

“What if we fall? Is this a good time to mention that I don’t like heights?”

“You will be fine,” Orion says. “Just close your eyes. It is a quick flight, even though Delphine will take it slow. Your only other option is to stay and risk capture. And you will be captured, McColl.” His eyes turn solemn.

“You need to come with us,” Alaric – not his name – urges. “Please, McColl. I will get you home, I swear. Right now, we need to get to safety before it is too late.”

“If you say so, Kian .”

His eyes seem to darken, and he gets a sheepish look for all of a few seconds.

“How do I even get up there?” I ask, looking up at the huge dragon.

Orion taps his dragon on the leg, and she crouches down as low as she can get, smoke curling from her nostrils.

Even though her chest is practically on the ground, it’s still very high. Impossibly so.

Using her leg, Orion is up in two graceful leaps. He sits astride his beast, grinning. Then he reaches down his hand to me.

“Your turn,” he tells me.

All three of us look up as we hear them…the sound of horses approaching fast. It’s now or never.

“I’ll help you,” Alaric tells me. “On three.”

I nod, not trusting my voice.

Alaric puts his hands on my waist and lifts me with ease.

I grasp Orion’s hand, and he pulls me up behind him.

I scramble into place behind Orion. The dragon’s scales are surprisingly smooth and warm beneath my touch.

I quickly work to get a good hold, my heart pounding.

Alaric…Kian…follows suit, climbing up behind me.

His strong arms wrap around my waist, securing me firmly in place.

I can feel the steady beat of his heart against my back.

Orion leans forward, murmuring softly to Delphine.

The dragon spreads her massive wings and, with a powerful downstroke, launches us into the air.

My stomach lurches as we ascend, the ground falling away beneath us.

I squeeze my eyes shut, holding on to Orion more tightly, feeling the wind in my face.

The dragon flies up and up and up until I feel the sun on my skin. I open my eyes. The sky is blue and the sun bright. I look down for a second; all there is below us are thick white hazy clouds for as far as the eye can see.

“Are you okay?” Kian says into my ear.

“I’m fine,” I push out.

The dragon is careful. When she turns, she does so gently so as not to displace us. As exhilarating as it is to be up here, I long to feel solid ground beneath my feet.

Eventually, Delphine begins her descent. The dragon dips below the cloud cover, revealing a desolate landscape below. It’s sad to see from up high just how bad the realm has become. Everything is dead or dying for as far as the eye can see.

Although in the distance, I spot a small belt of green. It isn’t lush, but it is still stark against the devastation. It looks like a fertile valley between a mountain range. In the far distance, I spot the Regana Mountain range. My home. We’re closer than we were. That is something, at least.

As we draw nearer to the green belt, I see birds flying; there is a flock of them moving from tree to tree. Birds, out here. That is almost unheard of, save for small pockets like this one.

The grass looks green in patches instead of the usual yellow or brown. The trees have more leaves, as well. Most of them are alive; some are even thriving.

There is a large wooden cabin and what looks like an even bigger barn beside it. Behind the homestead is a big, glittering lake that still looks blue. I think there might be ducks or geese swimming on its glassy surface. It’s incredible. My mouth falls open as I take it all in.

As we get closer, I note that there are, in fact, waterfowl present, as well as several horses grazing in a large field. It’s picturesque, like nothing I have ever seen outside of the Courts and our own mountain sanctuary, which is sustained by magic.

It really is something to see life again. I almost forget where I am as I lean a little to the side, looking down.

Kian tightens his grip on my waist. “Careful,” he says; there is mischief in his voice.

“It’s beautiful,” I whisper. My words are blown away by the wind that rushes at us while we make our descent.

“It certainly is.”

“We live here for now,” Orion says, projecting his voice.

Delphine screeches as we near the ground. Soon after, the door to the cabin opens, and three people walk out. Two women and a man…another fae.

Kian laughs. “Damon is here, too.”

“Yes, indeed.” Orion turns back for a moment. “Xander will be back soon, as well. He had to go to the village.”

“Xander, too?” Kian sounds a little choked up.

“Now that you are free, there are four of us in total.”

Then Delphine lands on the grass in front of the cabin. As soon as she is stationary, she crouches down. Kian is the first off the dragon. He slides down, landing gracefully. Then he holds out a hand to me.

I take it and slide off the dragon, too.

He catches me, holding on to me so that I don’t fall, then gently puts me on my feet.

My legs are shaky from the flight. Perhaps I was using my thighs to hold on without even realizing it.

Orion dismounts as well, patting Delphine’s side before turning to us.

“This is our home…at least for now.” He holds up his arms, gesturing around us.

“It is safe. The valley is a natural safe haven. There are only a few places like it. The three of us bolstered a spell over the valley so that she can’t see us here,” he continues as we walk toward the cabin.

The dragon leaps into the air and flies away toward one of the snow, peaked mountains.

“We can use magic freely, so don’t be alarmed if you see me start a fire or…

I can’t do much…” He shrugs. “But we feel that it’s important to keep practicing.

You wouldn’t understand, Kian, but using magic is like using a muscle; if you don’t use it, it gets weak. We have to practice.”

“That’s interesting,” Kian – I have to remember his actual name – says. He stops walking and reaches out to take my hand for a second to stop me. I do, giving him a quizzical look.

“We’ll be there in a moment,” he tells Orion. “I need a word with McColl.”

He’s right about that. I think he’s about to come clean with me about who he is, but only because he has no choice.

“Take all the time you need,” Orion says, already running for the cabin. He picks up one of the women, who is heavily pregnant. “I told you I’d be back in time,” he says as he kisses her softly on the lips.

One of the men holds up a hand in greeting. He has hair so light it is almost pure white. His eyes are a bright blue. I note that both women are human.

“I’ll be there shortly,” Kian tells him. “It’s good to see you, Damon.”

“You too, Kian,” Damon says as he puts an arm around the other woman.

Kian takes my hand and starts to lead me away. “I need to tell you something.”

“I think I know what that something is,” I say as we pick up the pace, heading out toward the lake and away from the house. I look back, and the others have gone into the cabin. “So, your real name is Kian.”

He nods. “Yes…and I’m…I…”

We keep walking. He is still holding my hand. I don’t know if he has forgotten he has it, or if it is to keep me from running away when I hear whatever it is he wants to tell me.

Once we are far enough away, he lets me go and turns to face me. I can see that he is gathering his thoughts. He looks…nervous. His jaw is tight, and his eyes are narrowed.

“I wasn’t going to tell you anything, but since we are out of harm’s way and…well…” He’s struggling.

“You’re someone important, aren’t you? That’s why Queen Snow wants you captured so badly.

So is Orion. I know that not just anyone can bond with and ride a dragon.

At least, it is very rare. Dragons will only choose the strongest and noblest of the beastfae to tether with.

According to my teachings, it mainly occurs with royalty.

He called you friend, and he is more than likely…

” I push out a breath, searching his face.

“Xander, Damon, Orion… It can’t be.” I narrow my eyes, looking him square in the face.

“You’re one of them, aren’t you? One of the lost kings.

How? I don’t understand.” I shake my head as all the pieces fall into place.

“Yes, I am Kian of the Emptyfae Court.”

I choke out a humorless laugh. “Don’t lie to me, Alaric…

Kian…whatever the hell your name is. You are not an emptyfae.

I’ve seen with my own eyes how you can wield magic.

Emptyfae have no access to their magic. You are very powerful.

I’ve only ever seen such levels of magical ability in conjurers.

” I shake my head again. “Although I know the emptyfae king’s name is indeed Kian.

” My eyes lift in thought. Confusion clouds my brain.

“This makes no sense. How is it that you can wield magic, King Kian of the magicless fae?”