Page 180 of Flameborne: Chosen

Under me, Akhane’s body rose and fell only slowly, with the beat of her wings. We were high over the trees. If I did fall, there’d be time for Akhane to catch me now. Still, my heart thudded in my chest.

I could hear shouts behind us, but couldn’t make out the words.

As Akhane dipped into a very shallow dive to give me traction against her back, I crawled up to her wing ridges and finally tucked my knees around them, grabbed her neck strap, and with shaking hands, clipped myself back onto the safety.

Then I stared at my clipped belt and the flag tucked into my leathers. And as Akhane tipped back up to ascend again, I lifted both hands andscreamed.

“We did it!Akhane, we did it!”

She screamed too, crowing our victory.

Then, the horn that signified the end of the exercise rose mournfully into the gray day, and I blinked back tears of sheer happiness.

I kept slapping Akhane’s neck and pumping my fist, thanking her and crying with sheer joy. I couldn’t believe it. It worked!

All the dragons who’d held Officers and evaluators tipped towards the Keep and the horn’s cry rose again. Akhane circled and we followed them all back home. But even the light rain couldn’t wipe the smile from my face.

I was so exhausted, I almost fell off when Akhane landed. But thankfully I didn’t embarrass myself. A roar of cheers went up from my brothers—they’d gathered on the edge of the launch hollow. They jumped up and down and slapped each other when I raised the flag in one fist.

I was so happy I almost wept. I barely waited for Akhane to lumber to a halt before I unclipped andjumpeddown because I was too happy to give a flying fuck about dismount rules.

Throwing Akhane yet another thank you in my mind, I raced around her and towards the side of the launch hollow that led to the stables—only to suddenly hit a dark, steel bar that caught me right at the waist.

Ioofedas I was whipped around. I registered dirty hands gripping me, dark, windswept hair, and hazel eyes so wide the white showed all the way around before those hands took my face and held it, fingers and thumbs clawed to hold me as he held my head like a ball and leaned right into my face, roaring.

“Are you crazy?! Bren, are you fucking insane?You could have been killed!”

I grabbed those thick wrists to pull them away. Then realized it wasDonavyn.

His nose just an inch from mine. Eyes wild. His breath heaving, washing over my skin and making me blink.

Suddenly that warm skin under my palms wasn’t a threat.

Our eyes locked and I swallowed as cheers and screams rose around us, but neither of us moved.

“Holy shit,” he breathed. “Holyshit,Bren. You could have beenlost.”

“Donavyn, I’m—” I cut off, uncertain what to say, barely able to breathe. “I’m fine.” I smiled, panting. But I didn’t move. My body froze, yearning for him not to let go.

One of his thumbs stroked my cheek, his eyes darting, searching mine like he still wasn’t convinced I was unhurt. But just as he opened his mouth to say somethingimportant—

“SHE DID IT!” The roar came from right behind me and in multiple voices.

Suddenly we were surrounded, jostled. Donavyn let me go like my skin burned him as my brothers swooped in and lifted me high.

I screamed and there was a trickle of fear. But I couldn’t stop laughing. I couldn’t help it. I cried, and laughed, and swore and sent every warm and grateful rush I could manage to Akhane through the bond.

‘We did it! We really did it!’

Akhane huffed and sent warm rushes back as my brothers carried me around the launch hollow in front of all the other Furyknights and stableboys—I even caught eyes with Benji who was pumping his fist, beaming, and elbowing the boy next to him.

When they finally let me down, I had tears on my cheeks. And a smile that could have lit the world.

51. Keep Your Head On

~ DONAVYN ~

I drained the bottom of my ale and let the mug drop back to the tabletop, praying no one in the tavern noticed my hand shake when I let it go and waved at the barmaid for another. She saw me from across the room and lifted her chin, her lips pulling up on one side as she hurried around to the bar to pour for me.