Page 43 of Ensnared (The Dragon Captured #1)

Gideon’s already holding his bag, standing at the top of the stairs when we emerge. Now it’s time for Axel to leave and shift into Azar. No one else can see that, clearly.

“I’ll check and make sure the kids have what they need,” I say. “You go see if Azar’s around yet.”

“Can’t you sense him?” Gideon asks. “How did you pass the bond, anyway?”

“It was an accident,” I say. “And I can sense him, so I know he’s closer, but it’s more art than science.”

“I’ll say.” Gideon crosses his arms.

“I’ll see the rest of you at the tower.” Axel leans closer, his head dipping by my ear. “Be safe, sweetheart.”

I know it’s just a bizarre cover, but it still makes my heart flutter a little, so I swat his shoulder. It physically makes me uncomfortable when he walks away, and I have to plant my feet on the ground to keep from following him.

“Liz,” Gideon whispers.

Once Axel ducks out the front door, my discomfort grows to actual pain. My body’s tingling, and an ache starts at the base of my skull. It’s a concerted effort not to start moving outside to follow him.

“How could you possibly be interested in a dragon? Especially one who passed your bond to that monster?” Gideon shakes his head. “I mean, they’re all monsters, but none of them compare to that red one.” His mouth twists in disgust.

“It’s not like that.” My arms and legs are trembling. I try to still them, but I can’t. Not quite.

“Are you alright?” Gideon steps back, watching me closely. “You look sick.”

I bite my tongue to give me something else to focus on and force a smile. “Fine.”

“Oh.” He closes his eyes and exhales dramatically. “That makes so much more sense.” He looks both directions, noticing that the kids are dragging their bags out the front door. He waves at them. Then he drops his voice to a whisper. “He’s forcing you.”

“No,” I say.

“Of course you can’t say, not if he’s making you act like this.

He’s sicker than I thought—he forces you to pretend to like him, and then he makes you act like it’s your decision.

” He swears. “I hated him before, but this is disgusting.” He frowns.

“Or is it Azar that’s forcing you now? Either way. ”

“Gideon—”

He covers my mouth and looks over the balcony. “Shh.”

“It’s really not—” But mumbling against his hand isn’t getting intelligible words out, much less anything that might convince him.

“I swear to you, Elizabeth, by all humanity, by everything we hold dear, by everything I ever fought for, I will slay Azar, and Axel too. I’ll kill them both, and I’ll free you, and one day, we’ll both heal from this.

” He releases me and ducks down close. “I love you, Liz. I always have. You and I, we’re meant to be.

This isn’t the end. Don’t give up hope.”

I just sigh and nod.

Gideon leans toward me then, and I realize he’s about to kiss me. If he does that. . .

An image of a pile of ashes that used to be Gideon flashes before my eyes. Azar’ll do it—I have no doubt. And he’ll know he kissed me, thanks to the new and improved mega-bond. I shove him backward, but that sends Gideon flying over the edge of the stairs.

I reach for him, desperate to stop him from falling, and he freezes mid-air.

Gideon’s floating, his legs up over his head, his head a half dozen inches away from striking the wooden stairs below.

“Whoa,” Sammy says. “You can make people fly now?”

I freak out, dropping my hands, and Gideon falls with a thunk, his head striking the stairs after all. Thankfully, it’s only a drop of about six inches, so he rolls over once and manages to struggle back to his feet.

“What was that?” Gideon asks.

“I’m bonded to Azar now,” I say. “I guess it comes with some perks.”

Judging from the roar outside, it also comes with a tighter leash.

“We should go.”

By the time I get outside, Coral and Jade are already on Rufus’ back, and Sammy’s scrambling up on Gordon like they’re old friends.

Gideon rides with Sammy , Azar says.

“We’re all headed for Azar’s home,” I say. “It’s the J.P. Morgan Chase tower.”

“We’re going to live in a business building?” Jade asks.

“It has a really nice penthouse,” I say.

“But how are we going to get up there?” Jade asks.

“Elevators,” I say. “I assume.”

Not you. You’ll be flying, Azar says, smug through and through.

“That sounds cool,” Sammy says. “But what about your humans?”

They’ll be brought, Azar says. New lodgings will be assigned. Don’t worry.

“Can you hear him when he speaks?” I’ve wondered that for a while.

They can hear me when I want them to, Azar says.

“I heard that just then,” Sammy says. “That’s pretty cool. Maybe I can learn one day.”

“It’s not that great,” I mutter.

All blessed will meet at my tower in three hours. Azar’s voice felt like it was set to blast on that last message.

“You don’t need to be that loud,” I say. “We’re all right here.”

He just summoned all the blessed, Gordon says. We should get you all settled first.

“Why’d you do that?” I’m not that keen on seeing all the dragons in the same place again.

It’s time we tell them about your promotion. Before I can complain, he launches into the sky, leaving the others to struggle their way to the new digs on the ground.