Page 17 of Eluvonia (Rift of Ages #1)

AERIS

M inutes later, I find myself outside the fortress, standing in a lush clearing. Vibrant grass and wildflowers spread out beneath a pale sky, but the sight does little to calm my nerves. Arms crossed, I glare at Kaida as he approaches, his shadowy form rippling around him.

“Are you going to keep glaring at me, or are you ready to go?” he asks, his tone sharp with impatience.

I straighten my posture, still hesitant. “Go where?”

His lips curve into a smirk, but there’s something unsettling in the way his shadows seem to echo the expression, dark tendrils flicking out and curling around his fingers. “You’ll see.”

I huff and cross my arms around my chest, “I’m not going anywhere with you.”

Kaida’s smirk sharpens. “You’re either riding me, or I’ll burn you alive. Your choice.” The words hang in the air like a threat, heat rising to my cheeks as the shadows around him seem to pulse with his growing irritation.

From behind me, a loud, boisterous laugh erupts.

I turn, startled, to see a tall man sauntering over.

He’s muscular, his golden skin glowing under the sunlight, as if kissed by it.

His golden hair hangs down past his neck in tousled waves, and his bright yellow eyes twinkle with amusement.

His smile is wide, almost mischievous, as he claps Kaida on the back, his shoulders shaking with laughter.

“Kai, are you that bad in bed that you have to threaten her to ‘ride’ you?”

The man’s voice is casual, almost mocking, but it’s clear he’s familiar with Kaida. I can’t help but blink in surprise as Kaida freezes, his expression caught between annoyance and embarrassment. The man’s words seem to catch Kaida off guard, and I see the faintest blush creep up his neck.

“I didn’t mean it like that,” Kaida mutters, clearly flustered.

The man doubles over, wiping tears from his eyes as he laughs harder. “Oh, gods, this is too good.”

Kaida growls, the deep, guttural sound reverberating through the air, sending a shiver down my spine.

His body seems to ripple, muscles shifting unnaturally.

The air around him grows heavy, charged with an otherworldly energy that makes my skin prickle.

The shadows that swirl at his feet surge, moving like a living thing.

“Uh, you might want to step back,” the man says with a grin, his tone relaxed as he casually grabs my arm and tugs me a few steps away. His wide smile doesn’t falter, even as Kaida’s transformation begins.

He seems completely unfazed by Kaida’s sudden shift in mood, which only adds to my confusion. The man’s presence is somehow reassuring, but still, I can’t shake the feeling that I’m being pulled into something dangerous.

“Declan,” he says, offering a lazy grin in my direction. “Name’s Declan. And don’t worry, I’m not as insane as Kaida—at least not all the time.”

I hesitate before offering a small nod. “Aeris.”

He gives a small, acknowledging nod before his attention flicks back to Kaida, whose body starts to twist and expand.

The transformation is shocking in its intensity—bones cracking and elongating, scales erupting from his skin, gleaming dark and iridescent like obsidian shards.

His clothes shred, falling away to reveal the massive Dragon beneath.

Wings unfurl with a thunderous sound, casting a shadow over the clearing.

I instinctively shield my face from the gust of air that follows the powerful movement of the Dragon’s wings. I’ve heard stories of Dragon transformations before, but never did I imagine something so… monstrous.

Kaida lowers his head, his sapphire eyes burning like molten fire as they fixate on Declan, who still hasn’t stopped grinning.

The Dragon’s lips curl back, revealing rows of dagger-like teeth as a low, menacing growl rumbles from his throat.

The shadows around him ripple like they are part of his movements, perfectly in sync with his every motion.

“Wow, you’ve really got him worked up,” Declan chuckles, releasing my arm as if this is all perfectly normal. He glances up at Kaida’s towering form, utterly unfazed. “Careful, Kai. You might pop a vein.”

Kaida snaps his tail to the side, the impact sending a small tremor through the ground. Declan finally steps back, throwing up his hands in mock surrender, his grin widening .

“Alright, alright, calm down, big guy. No need to eat me… yet.”

I can’t help but stare at the Dragon before me, both awe and fear locking my feet in place. Kaida’s head swings toward me, his sapphire eyes narrowing, and I feel a lump lodge itself firmly in my throat.

I hesitate, my heart hammering against my ribs. Ride him? Every instinct screams at me to back away, to put as much distance between myself and the massive Dragon as possible. But beneath the fear, there’s something else—something dark and dangerous curling in my chest. Intrigue.

Kaida is a creature of nightmares, all shadows and silent power, his scales shifting like living smoke. I shouldn’t want to be this close to him, shouldn’t want to know what it feels like to move with him, to become part of his terrifying presence. And yet, I do.

Declan grips my arm, steadying me as I climb onto Kaida’s back. His scales are warm beneath my hands, smooth yet solid, a contradiction in itself. The shadows react as I move, wrapping around my legs like living things, pulsing as if they recognize me. A shiver crawls up my spine.

Kaida gives a low, amused rumble, and I swear I can feel his amusement vibrating through me. His massive body tenses under me, his power coiling beneath his skin, waiting.

I swallow hard as Declan steps back. A flicker of gold catches my eye, and then his form ripples—flesh giving way to gleaming scales, wings unfurling with a powerful sweep.

In the blink of an eye, Declan is gone, replaced by a golden Dragon, regal and impossibly strong.

He moves with effortless grace, his golden eyes locking onto Kaida’s.

Ready? Declan’s voice echoes in my mind .

Kaida’s shadows tighten around me, holding me in place. Hold on tight, he warns, his deep voice vibrating through every inch of me.

I tighten my grip, my heart pounding, and before I can fully brace myself, Kaida leaps into the air. The world falls away beneath us, and my stomach twists with the drop. Wind screams past my ears as his wings pound against the air, lifting us higher.

Having fun yet? Kaida teases, his deep laughter resonating in my mind. You’ll get used to it, Fae, he adds, disdain lacing his words. We’re stuck with each other for life. This won’t be your last ride. I really hate this Dragon.

The view below is breathtaking, the world stretching out beneath us in vivid greens and blues. The air rushes past my face, my body pressed tight against his, but despite my fear, a flicker of exhilaration sparks in my chest.

By the time Kaida descends, every muscle in my body protests. My thighs ache from gripping his scales, my back feels like it’s on fire, and my hands are numb. As soon as his claws scrape against solid ground, I let go of him, and slide down his massive leg, my body slumping onto the earth.

“Solid ground,” I groan, pressing my palms into the cool grass. “I’m never leaving it again.”

Kaida, still in Dragon form, snorts, steam puffing from his nostrils. A little ride, and you’re already broken.

I glare at him, but my defiance evaporates the instant he shifts back into human form—completely, unapologetically naked.

My brain stalls.

For a split second—just one humiliating, traitorous second—a thought flashes through my mind before I can stop it. What would it feel like to run my hands down those abs?

Heat slams into my face, and I whip my head toward the cliff, pretending to admire the view like it’s the most fascinating thing I’ve ever seen. The sky? Stunning. The rocks? Breathtaking. Anything but him.

Thankfully, a guard appears with clothes, saving me from my own thoughts.

I push myself upright, my legs wobbling beneath me, the lingering effects of the flight still thrumming through my bones. My thighs ache, my arms feel like lead, and I swear my spine will never be the same. Still, anything is better than standing here while he is naked.

Without thinking, I step toward the cliffs, my heart racing in my chest. The wind roars past me, tugging at my clothes, pulling at my hair, and I freeze for a moment, my feet trembling. My body instinctively pulls back, but I force myself to tip-toe toward the very edge.

The world yawns open below me, an endless drop of jagged stone and violent sea. My stomach churns, and I can barely breathe as the height presses down on me, a crushing weight.

Still better than seeing him naked.

The distant rustle of fabric behind me is the only reminder that I should be focused on something else– like being surrounded by Dragons, my enemies –but I stay rooted to the edge, letting the wind whip at my skin.

“You’re not thinking of throwing yourself off, are you?” Kaida’s voice rumbles from behind me, laced with that ever-present amusement.

I don’t turn. “That depends. Are you dressed yet?”

A pause. Then, with far too much satisfaction, “Not quite . ” I squeeze my eyes shut, inhaling sharply through my nose. When I get the chance I am throwing him off this cliff, soul be damned.

Without warning, Kaida, fully dressed, grabs my wrist, yanking me from the edge of the cliffs, and toward a cluster of guards. “Hey!” I yelp, stumbling to keep up. “I can walk just fine, you know!”

“Stay here,” he orders, ignoring my protest. His shadows twitch around him as his hand tightens on my wrist. He gestures to a stack of crates. “Don’t wander. Don’t cause trouble. If you so much as twitch the wrong way, I’ll roast you like a pig.”