Page 30 of Flameborne: Fury (Emberquell Academy #2)

~ brEN ~

“Kgosi’s letting them know we’re here and we’re safe.” Donavyn squeezed me and his stubbled chin scraped against my ear because he’d lowered his chin to talk so I’d hear him over the wind.

My nerves kicked up a notch at the same time the desire surged, which wasn’t helpful.

Akhane screamed, and Kgosi’s flapping sped up. That coiled need twisted low in my belly and made my legs tingle. I wanted to make the dragons turn around and fly us back to the privacy over the border, or keep going beyond the Dragon Keep so that we could land in a meadow miles away and—

“Hey, hey. Rest. I won’t say anything unless it’s imperative. Not yet. We’ll figure this out.”

Nodding, I took a deep breath and closed my eyes, focusing on the heat where my back rubbed against his chest.

It was too late to turn away or fly past. The Keep was in sight and already dragons were leaping into flight, spiraling up to meet us, screaming.

Akhane called, and Kgosi roared, and the other dragons flew faster, wheeling around the Keep, screaming, calling them home.

When Kgosi tipped west, I tensed.

“We have to go straight to the Palace, Bren. This can’t wait,” Donavyn reminded me, his tone apologetic. His hand splayed on my stomach and I placed mine over it as fear rocked through me.

He would walk away. He would become the General again—heard by Kings and followed by the most powerful soldiers in the world.

I blinked.

In my mind and heart, a curtain was swept aside. For the past day I’d been living a dream, but now I woke returned to reality. I gripped Donavyn’s hand on my stomach, curling my fingers between his, my nails scraping my leathers.

Kgosi roared again, Akhane screamed over him. We banked and began the spiral towards the massive courtyard at the foot of the Palace that towered, even over Kgosi.

“Bren, what is it?” Donavyn was alarmed.

“Nothing, only…” I was panicked. Out of nowhere, it had all become real—or rather, un real.

Donavyn was my mate. He was also the Battle Commander. The leader of our dragon society. The King’s trusted man. And I was—

“Don’t hesitate. In a few minutes we’ll be down and I’ll have to call for the King immediately. Tell me. I’m here. I love you.”

Those words were like cold water to the parched tongue of my heart. I sucked in a breath and looked over my shoulder at him again. “Do you? Really? Or is it just Akhane’s heat?”

His face grew tight. “Bren, if I’d known you truly questioned this, I would have taken more time—”

“I don’t question how you feel right now. I just know that when we land, it’s real life. All the people, all the pressure, all the position. Whether they know about us or not, are we… is this…?” I stammered.

“Yes,” he growled, and pulled me back, hard against his chest. “If we weren’t in sight of them already, I’d kiss you and show you,” he muttered in my ear.

“But as things are, if you don’t want them to know, I’m forced to simply give you words: No matter what, Bren.

No matter when. No matter how the consequences may fall, you’re mine.

And if you’re ready, I’ll shout that the moment we land. ”

“No!” I squeaked, panicked.

Donavyn gripped me, brushing his nose against my jaw and lips against my neck in the briefest touch, one hand sliding down my inner thigh for a half-second when it wouldn’t be noticed by eyes on the ground.

Then he growled in my ear, “We’re in this together. You’re mine. I’m yours. The rest of the world can go fuck themselves.”

I sucked in a breath and let my head sink back against his shoulder for one breath before we circled again and had to brace for landing.

The Palace courtyard was a cacophony by the time Kgosi brought us to a standstill.

Dragons wheeled and screamed above. But we were also circled by rings of servants, palace guards, and a handful of Furyknights, their numbers growing by the moment.

Dozens of them rushing through the gate in the Palace grounds wall, calling for Donavyn chanting and cheering.

And that was when it hit me. The General of the Furyknights, the Battle Commander, had ridden the Primarch of the dragons to find us. Akhane and I. They’d pursued us personally.

As Kgosi plowed to a standstill and tucked his wings, arching his neck and calling, Akhane responded and rushed towards him from where she’d landed within the walls of the Palace as well.

“This is it, Bren,” Donavyn muttered, his voice quiet now that we weren’t rushing through the winds above. “Now we have to maintain the facade of professionalism. Are you certain about the plan?”

He sounded grieved. And I felt it in him. The weight of the deceit. The heaviness of hiding. I opened my mouth, but hesitated.

Was I sure?

Yet, while I sat there in my indecision, the Furyknights rushed towards us as the dragons bugled and fluttered their wings, tossing their heads and dancing.

I heard Donavyn’s name over and over, and mine mingled among the cheers and shouts.

I looked down around Kgosi’s feet to see the Furyknights, red-faced and fists pumping, their eyes alight and fixed on him.

Donavyn.

Their hero.

I swallowed hard. Then I nodded. “I’m sure.”

Donavyn sighed heavily, but squeezed a hand at my waist as he urged me to unclip and held me steady while I extricated my legs from his and crawled over Kgosi’s withers so I could climb down.

I made it to the ground and Donavyn wasn’t far behind me.

I took one step back from the mounting strap only to have him slide the last few feet, then land solidly and turn to face me.

His eyes blazed as he stared at me for a breath.

I felt a glimmer in the bond that rippled through me, then they were upon us.

My heart pounded, half with desire for him, and half with fear at the sudden crush—because we were surrounded by Furyknights and servants, all of them cheering and calling, overjoyed.

Donavyn was saluted, his shoulder shaken.

I was pressed in the crush, my nerves jangling with all the bodies and shouting voices.

But at least the men were mostly focused on him.

I had a few claps to my shoulders and back, but my heart raced because of Donavyn’s eyes locked on mine, not because of them.

After a few moments of celebration, and countless calls and shouts asking him where we’d been, he raised his hands for them to be quiet. It took a moment, but finally they began to shush each other, all of them staring expectantly.

“Your welcome is touching,” Donavyn said, his eyes cutting down to me—I stood at his toes because they’d rushed us so quickly I hadn’t had time to move away into the crowd around us. “Thank you for the reception. But I’m afraid—”

“Commander!” The shout was sharp and feminine. A tone that brooked no argument. My heart leaped into my throat as everyone, including me, turned towards it.

“Furyknights! Attention!” Donavyn barked.

We all snapped to attention, even those moving aside to make room for the Queen as she rushed towards him through the crowd.

Every one of us had been trained to bow—or in my case, curtsey—the moment a royal arrived.

So, when she came to a stop at Donavyn’s side, the men around us all bent at the waist. But I was pressed right at Donavyn’s toes, with nowhere to go because of the crowd.

I attempted a passable curtsey in leathers, but the Queen didn’t even see the rest of us. Only Donavyn.

By the time we were upright again, she was motioning to him and spoke as if the audience was inconsequential.

“Commander, I bring the King’s relief and celebration that you’ve returned safely. But you must come with me to his audience. Right now.”

The moment the words were out of her mouth she turned towards the Palace, striding back the way she’d come, the aisle that had been opened between the men widening under her gaze.

For a moment I panicked—she was taking him away! That hollow in my chest that was full of him throbbed and squeezed. But as Donavyn strode after her, he grasped my elbow and pulled me with him. “Yes, Your Majesty. Only, Furyknight Kearney must accompany me.”

The Queen stopped in her tracks and turned on her heel, staring at him for a moment like he’d shocked her, then her gaze traveled from his tight face, down his body, to his arm—and the clamp of his hand on my elbow.

“Donavyn,” she said quietly through her teeth. “This isn’t the time for—”

“She has intelligence that is imperative for the King to hear as quickly as possible. Your Majesty, I must insist. ”

She blinked. That was it. There was no twitch on her face, or shift in her posture. She showed no outward distress. But I had the distinct impression she was furious.

Her eyes cut to me for a single beat, then back to him. She nodded once, then turned on her heel again, gripped her skirts and marched towards the Palace. “Very well, Commander. I trust your judgement,” she said.

It was an eerie feeling to walk through that honor guard of Furyknights, all at attention, but ignored by the Queen.

Then, when we reached the Palace and the guards ushered us in behind the Queen, she slowed until we caught up to her, her striding gracefully on one side of Donavyn, me trotting to keep up on the other.

They were both silent until we’d climbed two staircases and entered a wide, grand hallway that was clearly part of the Royal quarters judging by the number of servants rushing back and forth, and the gilding on the crown molding.

“What’s happened?” Donavyn muttered under his breath, too low for the servants to hear. “I have news—perhaps we’ve learned the same thing?”

“I can’t speak of it here. Come,” The Queen said tightly, picking up her pace. But what surprised me was her casual tone. She’d been putting on that commanding ring when she spoke in front of the crowd, but now they were alone, she sounded intimate.

Donavyn glanced down at me and the bond surged again. Instinctively, I reached for his hand, but yanked mine back to my side and took another faster, trotting step, cursing myself. He’d agreed to keep this a secret for now, yet here I was, almost revealing everything the moment we were in company?

Donavyn cleared his throat and I glanced up at him again, a pang of need and relief coursing through me when I found him already staring at me.

I felt his desire in the bond. He wanted me as much as I wanted him.

But he was more disciplined at keeping his body in check.

I took a deep breath and kept marching, reminding myself: Once this was over, we’d be together again.

For now, we needed to get through this without giving the King a reason to make Donavyn reveal our bond.