Page 158 of Flameborne: Chosen

‘Right away.’

She roared again so loudly, my ears rang. I ducked down on her neck and my tears slid to her scales.

Then, to a chorus of shouts and protests, just as I finally clipped in, Akhane launched herself forward and up. And up.

And up.

We were in the sky, the only sound was the wind rushing past my ears and thewhoomphof Akhane’s wings.

I could finally breathe.

I trembled from head to toe, my hands numb and the rest of my body frigid with the rush of air against my wet skin and clothes. But as Akhane flew high enough to level off and banked towards the Keep, I slumped over her neck, sobbing, eyes squeezed tightly shut, my teeth chattering from cold that came from deep within.

‘Don’t worry, Bren. I’ve got you. You’re safe. Hush, Little Flame. They meant no harm. You’re going to be fine…’

And she kept up that litany of reassurance and kindness all the way back to the Keep.

44. Royal Whore

SOUNDTRACK:Echoes of Yesterdayby Cassandra’s Whispers

~ BREN ~

It only took a few minutes to fly back to the Keep, but I’d stopped crying before we got there. But by the time we landed in the launch hollow I could breathe again, and the shame had crept in.

‘They were just pranking me,’I wailed to Akhane.‘I knew it, but it felt—’

‘Just rest, Little Flame. Don’t bother yourself. It will pass.’

‘But they—’

‘They should have listened when you pleaded with them to stop. They know that now. I spoke with Ekko. Ronen is instructing the others as we speak.’

I groaned. “No, no, no, no. They’re going to—”

‘They’re going to treat you with more respect in future,’Akhane interrupted me firmly.‘Don’t tell yourself that’s a bad thing.’

I’d slid to the ground to unstrap Akhane, who stood still as a stone but turned her head, keeping her eye on me even when I was under her belly.

The straps were harder and heavier than usual because they were wet. The leather wouldn’t be hurt, but it took longer than normal for me to unharness her, and then I struggled to roll it together in the right way to carry it—and I was still so ashamed and frustrated, angry at them because I’d been having fun with them and wanted to keep doing that, but also angry with myself becausethey weren’t trying to hurt me.

Visions and memories continued to bleed into my thoughts, but I pushed them away.

My hands trembled and my breath shuddered.

God, I was soweak.

“I hate this!” I hissed, trying desperately to get the harness rolled correctly so it was small enough to carry. But I kept losing my grip and my vision blurred and—

‘Bren, stop. Breathe. Gather yourself. Give yourself grace.’

‘I always ruin everything. Every time!’

—Male eyes, dark and glazed, in a frowning, sneering face. “God, you can’t even take a joke—

With a curse of frustration, I let the harness fall to the ground. “I can’t do this!”

‘Bren—’