Page 99 of Flameborne: Chosen

My belly fluttered when he reached around me to hold the strap higher than my hands and I felt his thighs brushing the back of mine as he cupped me with his body.

I swallowed.

“You don’t have the strength to pull yourself up—I want you to take another step higher so your shoulder is to her withers—hook your elbow over her. Use your body to get up.”

“But, that’s not the grip they taught me.”

“The grip we use requires more upper body strength. This is awkward, but there’s no reason not to do it—it’s better than falling, after all.”

I supposed he was right. So I did as he said and pulled myself up another step, but I was getting close to where the strap attached to the harness and the angle shifted. I hurriedly threw one arm over her withers—the ridge at the base of her neck—and then I was stuck. One arm over, but the rest of my body hanging.

“Flatten this handon her shoulder, Bren—yes, fingers down. That’s it. That’s it. Use that for leverage.”

I was at an odd angle and struggling, but I shoved upwards with the lower arm, and pulled up with the other elbow braced over her, and managed to get my chest on her withers, which was the highest I’d ever gotten on my own. My heart pounded—was I finally going to do it?

I bit my lip and scrambled higher. Now I hung over her withers, my hips over her spine, and my ass in Donavyn’s face.

My cheeks flamed.

“…Don’t overbalance, grab that spine on her neck for an anchor with your left hand, and throw your right knee over and—oh shit!”

I was in such a rush to get my ass out of his face, I pulled my knee up and tried to heave myself over her spine, but I misjudged and my boot caught him right in the chin. I felt the impact.

“Oh no! Sorry!” I scrambled desperately, clambering onto Akhane as that warm strength at my back suddenly disappeared. I snapped my head to the side just in time to see Donavyn land and thud to his back on the ground, his eyes wide and mouth gaping like a fish.

“Donavyn!” Thoughtless, I grabbed the strap and tried to swing myself back down, but I wasn’t properly balanced and lost my grip.Shit!

Looking down and paddling at the air to keep myself upright, I dropped, widening my feet to try not to land on him. He cursed and rolled at the last second, but I’d been trying so hard not to landonhim, I landed imbalanced. My knees screamed at the impact and I stumbled, caught my toe on his leg and fell right on top of him.

Donavyn grunted as I landed on his chest—but his hands snapped up to my sides to catch me before I tumbled further.

We both lay there for a few seconds, gaping and not breathing because of the impact.

“Donavyn?” I gasped finally. “Are you okay?”

He snorted and groaned, then slowly rolled us both until I laid on the grass and he was braced over me, panting, his eyes tight with pain.

But then he froze.

His face was just inches from mine so that even in the dim moonlight I could see the stubble darkening his cheeks.

Our breaths mingled in the cool air and my belly flutters became a swarm.

Neither of us moved.

His eyes widened, locked on mine.

“Shit,” he muttered, tearing his gaze from mine and pushing to his feet, staggering a few paces away before he bent over, still trying to catch his breath.

I rolled onto all fours, wincing because my knees hurt, but pushed up to stumble to him. “I’m so sorry. I didn’t mean—”

Donavyn straightened and shook his head, stepping backwards until I stopped advancing on him. “It’s fine. I’m fine.” But he stared, his eyes black pools with tiny pinpoints of light fixed on me.

“You’re not fine, I know that hurt—”

“Attention,Flameborne,” he said darkly.

It was becoming reflex to obey him. I snapped to attention, staring into the trees over his shoulders, lips pressed to thin lines, cursing myself for not being more careful.