Page 54 of Flameborne: Chosen (Emberquell Academy #1)

~ DONAVYN ~

The walk back to the Reach was close to an hour, but took longer because Bren remained unsteady on her feet.

We stopped at the well to get her a drink, and I pulled some mint leaves from a bush along the roadside for her to freshen her mouth.

But even as her mind appeared to clear, our progress remained slow.

Eventually, I piggy-backed her because it was clear she was weary. I tried to draw her out in conversation, ask her what had happened, and what we could do to protect her in future, but she said there was nothing. That she had only drunk too much.

In the end, I decided the faster I could get her back to her bed, the better.

Even with me carrying her, it was high moon before we made it back to the stables. Bren was no longer crying, but the slump to her shoulders as I lowered her to the floor outside Kgosi’s stable told me everything.

I knew she hadn’t told me the whole story, but I was at a loss about how to make her safe enough to talk. Once she was sober again, she needed a woman to hear her, I was sure. I’d ask Terra to find a reason to visit again this week. Perhaps that would help.

Bren only swayed once when I set her down, and she caught herself.

Her eyes were no longer glazed as they had been an hour earlier.

The crisp night air had helped clear her head.

But her shoulders were slumped, and though her speech no longer slurred, it was clear she wasn’t sober yet.

I was sure she’d have a headache in the morning.

But I also thought she’d remember all this—even if she wished she couldn’t .

The dragons were restless when I pulled back the stable door. Akhane crooned to Bren who hurried straight to her dragon and leaned against her leg. Akhane’s head tilted. She drew a wing forward to cover Bren’s back, then looked at me.

‘Akhane wishes to know if she was injured. She says Little Flame feels pain, but she’s walking and there’s no scent of blood.’

I shook my head. ‘She was hurt in her heart, I think. Or perhaps reminded of a past hurt? I’m not sure.

She doesn’t want to talk about it. She keeps telling me she was just drunk and it made her ill.

But the Wing Captain who was with her reported no bad behavior from her. Only the unwanted advance of a man.’

Kgosi rumbled menacingly and I nodded again. ‘I suspect that’s the true problem. But the men took care of it. She was protected.’

‘Akhane thanks you for bringing her back safely.’

‘Tell Akhane if she reveals a problem that we aren’t aware of, we’ll do more than usher her home. She can trust us to help.’

Akhane gave a low hum and looked down at Bren again, but Bren straightened and wiped her eyes, turning to look at me reluctantly.

“It’s not that,” she said sullenly.

I frowned. “What isn’t, what?”

“It’s not that I don’t trust you,” Bren said stiffly, no longer slurring. “Nothing happened tonight that isn’t normal. That man touched me and I chastised him. The others stood by me. There was nothing bad that happened except that asshole, and he didn’t hurt me.”

“Bren…” I hesitated and she looked up at me, her reddened eyes suddenly wary. As if she anticipated my disapproval. I sighed and moved to stand closer so our voices wouldn’t carry outside the stable, just in case. “Bren, I found you hunched over in an alleyway, crying and throwing up. That’s not—”

She dropped her eyes to the floor. “I drank too much—”

“And I’d recommend you take more care. But even I could see that you weren’t out of control.

You’re already sobering. There had to be more than just the drink?

” She stiffened and I sighed. “Bren, you’re not required to tell me your personal life.

You’re an adult and can live as one. I know it’s difficult for a woman to be constantly surrounded by men.

I’ll try to bring more females into your sphere.

But in the end, this is the life of a Furyknight.

Please, let your squad stand by you. Please, always tell someone where you’re going if you aren’t with your brothers. ”

“I was with another squad. Ronen said not to go out alone, and I didn’t!” she mumbled.

“I know, but I only learned where you’d gone because Kgosi asked Akhane—and she only knew that you were going into the city to drink. If the night’s events had been more serious…”

My heart gave that shriek again and I shut down that train of thought, clearing my throat and making myself speak to her as a Commander .

“No one else that I would have thought to ask knew where you were. I was—” I swallowed hard. “I was concerned. And then to find you like that…”

“I just wanted some time to be with someone who wanted to be my friend. My squad brothers are constantly patrolling—and when they aren’t, they have to train me. They don’t want to have to watch me in their time off as well. And I’m tired of being alone all the time!”

I was surprised by the pinch I felt at those words. “You haven’t always been alone,” I muttered.

She groaned and clawed her hands through her hair.

“That wasn’t what I meant. You’re all very patient with me.

Especially you.” She reached up and thoughtlessly placed a hand on my chest, patting me like a well-behaved horse.

But the touch sent a shiver through my chest. I stiffened.

“I’m grateful, Donavyn. I wouldn’t have gotten this far without you, or my brothers.

But I’m sick of being a pain in the ass.

Saul just wanted to spend time with me. He’s the same rank as me. He didn’t see me as… as a task.”

“Bren, you aren’t a task.”

“Yes, I am,” she insisted, raising her eyes to meet mine again, her hand on my chest pressing harder. “And I understand that’s how it has to be until I’m stronger. But there isn’t a single other Furyknight who needs a bodyguard every time they step foot out of the stable!”

I frowned. “Even a man alone can be in danger from other men. You may not see a Furyknight who needs guarding, but neither do you. This isn’t about monitoring you, Bren.

It’s about support. The longer you’re with us, the more you’ll see that we rarely socialize alone.

Our uniform, our reputation—any of us can draw unwanted attention from a cocky young man who wants to show off, or an angry farmer or merchant who wants to prove he’s strong.

Those men are stupid to pick a fight, but they do.

And that’s why we call our squadmates brothers. We’re family. We help each other—”

“But right now, everyone’s helping me, and I can’t help anyone else! They’re going to get sick of it! You’re going to get sick of it!”

“Bren, I am not sick of y—”

“I’m a weight, Donavyn! A responsibility! You keep saying every Flameborne is, but not like this. Not like me! Saul was chosen less than two weeks ago and he was already cleared for flying today!”

“And so were you.”

“It took two months!”

“And I’d train you for another two—more if it’s needed.

Don’t throw that away because you’re lonely!

Why do you think I offered to train you myself?

It’s because I know you’ll put in the work, and it’ll be worth it!

I want to see you succeed. God, it was all I could do not to throw you in the air myself today.

You were stunning. You’re not a burden, you’re an inspiration.

I’m not babysitting you, Bren. I’m asking you to tell me when you’re leaving so I can make certain you aren’t hurt!

” The words just came. I hadn’t prepared them. But her eyes went wide and she froze.

“Why would you care?” she breathed and her fingers tightened on my shirt.

“Why—you ask me why?” I wanted to snarl.

To get angry. Not at her. But at whomever had taught her that she had no value beyond the tasks she could perform.

Instead, I took hold of myself and leaned down so that we were eye to eye, and I let the sternness of my tone tell her how seriously I meant the words.

“Bren, I have stood at your side for weeks now. Every day I see you grow. It is humbling. Then, today I watched you fly and I saw—again—your brilliant mind, your courage… You bring color to this world. I know the Creator placed you among us for a reason. Please.” I gently tapped her temple with a finger.

“The voice telling you that you have no value is wrong. Let me answer it. Let me show you.”

She stood at my toes, gaping, her wide, liquid eyes shining. Then heat flashed in her gaze.

Startled, I played my own words back to myself and heard it then… not just the ragged conviction. But the pained tone in my voice, the pleading. My very unprofessional desire had bled through.

Shit.

I cleared my throat and took a step back. “I’m sorry, I shouldn’t have—”

Her grip on my shirt tightened and she yanked me forward, threw an arm around my neck when I stumbled and pulled my head down.

I sucked in a breath, but then her lips were on mine and the softness of her breasts pressed against my ribs and the warm, honey taste of her…

Home.

The dragons groaned as I shuddered and fought with my own need, my mind swinging wildly between elation and denial. I put my hands to her shoulders intending to push her back, but then her tongue darted out to trace under my lip and desire bolted through me and my fingers tightened instead.

With a ragged curse, I snaked an arm around her back to lift her, swept her off her feet, grabbed her up to my chest, tipped my head and delved the sweet velvet of her mouth.

And when her arms wrapped around my neck, my body thrilled.

I was lost. For those too-short moments, the world disappeared. I forgot where we were. Forgot who we were. Like a dam that had cracked and bulged, every ounce of my self-restraint gave way under the pressure of that aching, yearning longing that had tormented me for weeks.