Page 44 of Ensnared (The Dragon Captured #1)

W hen I was twelve years old, I waited in line for over four hours to do the Avatar ride at Disney World.

My dad complained nonstop, mostly about how much he could have made if he had been at work.

He had his phone, and I know he was working, even in line.

Even my mom grumbled about how silly it was to spend so long on something that wasn’t really going to enrich my life.

Jade was a baby, and playing with her while we waited was not fun. I recall that part vividly.

Even so, those four hours were well worth it.

That ride mimicked flying, and it was the closest I thought I’d ever get to really being up in the air. Water sprays in your face, air puffs against you, and the machine you’re sitting on bumps up and down. With a little imagination, you really feel like you’re flying.

It was a highlight in my childhood for sure.

Flying on Azar was fun before. I mean, it was a pee-your-pants-in-horror kind of fun, but fun nonetheless. But now? With this new, improved bond?

It’s bananas.

My fear of falling’s utterly gone, and unlike before, I intuitively know when he’s going to shoot upward, when he’s going to bank, and when he’s going to dive.

The world practically races past down below us, the wind whipping through my hair completely unlike the little bursts of air I liked so much on that ride.

The upswings and drops feel unlike anything I ever could have imagined—they blow that Avatar ride out of the air, literally.

I thought we were headed to the tower, I say, switching to telepathic communication thanks to the insane air interference.

The bond’s bright green—pleasure, I’m recognizing—when Azar replies. We have time. They’re slow.

He’s playing.

No, not quite.

He’s showing off, I realize.

For me.

I lean lower over his neck and ask, “How fast can you go?”

I’m not sure whether I’ve ever checked.

I already know we’re about to find out. He coasts for a single beat, and then he inhales deeply and shoots forward, the propulsion from his wings clearly not the only thing moving us forward.

Magic , he answers my unasked question. The blessed are magical creatures in our core, after all.

And then I can’t speak or even form thoughts, we’re moving so fast. I have no idea how far we go, but it’s far enough that jets fall in behind us, so we’re definitely out of Houston’s airspace.

“Oh, shoot,” I shout.

Don’t worry. We’ll head back soon. They won’t be able to keep up.

And he’s right. We leave them behind almost immediately. My heart’s going to burst if I keep living like this. From having Azar around all the time to flying through the air at Mach ten, humans weren’t made for this stuff.

You’re not human anymore.

Is that true?

The bond has changed all the ensnared, but you’re entwined. You’re entirely different, and it may just be starting. My magic will continue to alter you as our bond deepens.

That idea scares me, but it’s not as shocking as I thought it would be. When Azar flies through the gap in the large stylized T-shape in the center of the top of the Chase Tower and lands on the helipad, I’m still thinking about what exactly it means.

I’m not only flame blessed. I’m a Prince of the Flame.

“What does that mean, though? It feels like everyone’s a prince or a princess.” I can’t help teasing him.

Each affinity has a ruler. Their children are princes and princesses, but only one is slated to rule. I’m the prince for all my people. The flame blessed rule all the other blessed.

Oh, shoot. He’s the whole enchilada.

What’s an enchilada?

“You have so much to learn.”

At least I have a teacher.

He’s not what I expected, not at all.

Your family’s arriving shortly.

Which means I need to see the tower myself. “So how do I get in here again?” I was pretty wiped out last time we came.

He climbs through an opening in a side wall leading into the penthouse that he made, judging by the red glasslike dome that’s patching the ripped part in the wall. Luckily, we can walk through it. It’s eerily similar to the magical dome he put over Ocharta.

“Why can we walk through that, but she was stuck?”

It’s magic, he says.

As if that just explains everything.

Did you want me to go into the magical theory of the flame and its connection to the blessed of each affinity?

I shake my head. “Nope. Sorry for thinking irritating thoughts.”

Almost between one step and the next, there’s an engine growling sound, and Axel in a black suit and red tie steps through next to me.

“I may never get used to that.”

He shrugs. “You will.”

“So what’s the layout in here?”

“The top few floors are a massive living space, which is why I chose this tower over that other one, the one that says Exxon on the side.”

“I wasn’t sure whether you realized this wasn’t really the tallest tower in town,” I say.

“More like I don’t care. Men who are worried about whether their tower is the tallest aren’t very confident.”

“Says the man who’s currently living in the second largest tower in Houston.”

“It’s easier for me—I’m always up high. Plus, others find it hard to come after me up here.”

“Will my siblings be safe?” I arch an eyebrow. “And will they be comfortable?”

“I may need to recruit some strike blessed?—”

“Absolutely not,” I say.

“Not all of them are like Ocharta.” He chuckles. “I quite like some of them.”

“They are beautiful,” I say. “But I’d rather stick with Gordon and Rufus. Can’t we just give them wings?”

This time, instead of chuckling, he laughs. “You really have no idea what’s possible.”

“Your problem is that you think you already know.”

He’s frowning as I start to prowl around his living area. As expected, he’s destroyed a lot of it with his massive frame, clearly breaking and piling up a lot of the formerly wonderful furniture to make room for a dragon to rummage around.

“This entire floor is more than two stories tall,” I say. “So clearly this must be where Azar stays.”

“Clearly,” he says.

“But what about Axel and me?” I arch an eyebrow. “And the others?”

“The floor two levels below this one has several separate apartments. Rufus and Gordon can share the first apartment on the seventieth floor, and your siblings can have the other.”

“And Gideon?”

He frowns. “With your siblings, I assume.”

“While we will be. . .”

“On the seventy-first floor, one above.”

“Nice try,” I say. “I need to be closer to them.”

He walks toward the elevator and presses a button. “Don’t forget that you can’t be too far from me, either.”

This is going to be a really weird situation. I hope we can survive it without anyone dying. I’m relatively sure that Gideon’s the one at risk, and that’s not acceptable. He’s done too much for me, and he’s really only trying to help.

“What has he done for you, exactly, other than pick fights he can’t win?”

“You need to stop reading my thoughts,” I say. “I’m not reading yours.”

“I’m just better at shielding them.” The elevator doors ding, and he steps in.

I can’t help wondering how he knows about elevators as I step in beside him.

“We did extensive research on your earth before coming, or did you forget? I’ve assimilated several languages, and hundreds of thousands of humans are still living here, repairing things, maintaining the energy grid, and ensuring our supplies are not running low.”

“But you don’t know what an enchilada is. . .”

“A lot of things I only know in theory until I experience them, like kissing.”

And now I’m blushing again.

We only go down one floor, and when the doors ding, he gestures. “If you don’t want to be separated, this level might be large enough for everyone.”

I can’t help my gape-mouthed expression as I look around. The entire floor was apparently owned by the same person, and they were not poor. The floors are marble. The furniture’s lavish. Without a dragon wandering around, smashing things into piles to get them out of the way, this place is posh.

A huge wooden slab table rests in the center of the entry hall, a marvelous jade vase resting in the center. The flowers are dead, but it still manages to look pretty impressive.

I follow Axel past it and into the dining room. It has a massive dining room table made from another raw-edge wood slab and the most gorgeous, luxe-leather chairs I’ve ever seen. If someone told me they were crafting furniture meant for a dragon lord, this is what I’d imagine.

“Did you have this made for you?”

“Apparently your captains of industry have similar taste to the blessed.”

Overinflated egos, too much wealth, and no connection with reality. Sounds about right.

He rolls his eyes as he walks me through the kitchen—all gleaming stainless appliances, including a catering kitchen behind it—and the family room, complete with a monstrously large television. Then he points. “There are at least six bedrooms.”

“So we’ll all stay here on this floor. That’s a good plan.” Or, even if it’s not a good plan, it’s the best one we’ve got.

“It is just one level down from where Azar lands. It seems the safest bet. There are also emergency stairs if the power ever cuts out.” He grins. “Not that you’d ever need that.”

The front elevator dings, and it’s time to wave the urchins in.

Although I give them their choice, all three kids want to stay in the same room, just like before.

I suppose fear does that to you. Gordon and Rufus would rather remain upstairs in their dragon shapes, but they agree to take turns having one of them down below in human form for safety’s sake.

“I don’t really see why we need them,” Axel grumbles. “Not when I’m here.”

“It’s always a good idea to have more than one dragon on call,” Rufus says.

“You can stay up with us too, when you want,” Gordon says.

“Yes, I agree. Keeping mostly upstairs is a great plan for you.” Gideon claimed the room on the far side of the kids. He’s not keen on any of the dragons being on our level, even though I explained that it’s for safety.