Page 2 of Guardian of the Cursed Egg (Dragonis Academy #2)

Vaughn

For the size of Mina’s dragoness, she’s blindingly fast. The speed is almost surreal.

The world blurring below as I cling to her, perched high on her dragon’s head.

Up here, everything looks different. Every tilt of her head is precise, controlled, though I’m not sure she even realizes it.

It’s instinctual, every movement deliberate.

When she dives, the ocean rushing up to meet us, my gargoyle claws its way out, instincts roaring.

I hate water—we don’t do well in it. But I hold steady, looking back as her dragon’s massive body undulates with each powerful flap of her wings.

It’s mesmerizing, watching the way her frame moves with such elegance despite her size.

It’s hard to fathom how Mina, so small and delicate, can hold something this colossal within her.

We land with a thunderous grace, her dragoness tossing her head and prancing, almost playful, after the flight.

A moment later, Abraxis clears the shoreline, his chest heaving as he sprints toward us.

I take the chance to slide off her back and move out of the way, catching my breath.

“You were moving so fast it was terrifying.”

Mina shifts back, and her laughter lights up the space between us. The smile on her lips, so bright and unguarded, sends a jolt through my chest. “Terrifying?” she teases, brushing her hair out of her face. “I think it was exhilarating.”

Abraxis and Callan reach her then, pulling her into a tight embrace. Abraxis still looks winded, his forehead resting briefly against hers. “How did you move so fast?” he asks, his voice breathless with wonder.

She tilts her head, confused. “What do you mean?”

Callan presses a kiss to her temple, his voice low but amazed. “You were in sight one minute and a blur the next.”

I glance at them, nodding. “Over the water? That’s when I shifted. I thought I was about to be thrown off her back.”

Abraxis’s brows furrow as he looks at me, then at Balor. “She went faster over the water?”

“You looked like a streak of lightning,” Balor says, his tone somewhere between awe and disbelief. He steps closer, his gaze fixed on Mina as though seeing her for the first time. “It was incredible.”

Mina shrugs, brushing off their amazement, but the glint in her eye betrays her pride. I don’t think she even realizes how extraordinary she is, but the rest of us do—and we’re all still catching our breath.

“I didn’t see any lightning from where I was sitting,” I say, my voice low as I stare out over the dark, rippling water.

The moon’s reflection dances upon the waves, mocking the stillness I crave.

“I did, however, see my life flash before my eyes, thinking I was meeting a watery grave.” Mina promptly slaps my arm, the soft smack pulling a short laugh out of me.

“You forget, gargoyles don’t swim—we sink. ”

The humor fades as a sigh escapes me, and I turn, walking a few paces away.

It’s the cruel irony of what we are. To protect our human side, we turn to stone, and when we sink, we’re lost to the depths forever.

The ocean is both beautiful and treacherous—a siren call to a fate my people have feared for generations.

Before I can dwell too long, Mina sprints ahead of me, planting her small hands squarely on my chest. She halts me in my tracks, forcing me to meet her eyes.

“I would never leave you at the bottom of the ocean,” she says, her voice soft but filled with unshakable conviction.

Her human eyes—so expressive—gaze up at me, and she raises a hand to cup my cheek.

The warmth of our bond hums across my skin, softening every sharp edge of my frustration. It’s impossible to stay cold in the presence of that connection. All the fight drains out of me, and I nod slowly. “I know. Deep down, I know you’d never let us fall.”

I search her face, studying the curve of her mouth, the sincerity in her eyes. Over her shoulder, I catch Abraxis watching us, his expression unreadable as he gestures toward his wings and curls them in. The silent encouragement is all I need.

I shift into my gargoyle form, stretching my wings with a satisfying flex before pulling Mina close. My wings fold around her, encasing her in a cocoon of leather. She lets out a soft, contented hum, her head resting against my chest, her arms sliding around my sides just shy of touching my wings.

“I don’t know what it is,” she murmurs, her voice a quiet confession, “but when you and Abraxis do this … I feel safe.”

Her words are a balm to my spirit. Before I can respond, she rises onto the tips of her toes and presses her lips to mine. A surge of warmth and triumph floods me .

Abraxis is a genius.

A soft yawn escapes Mina’s lips as she slides back down my body, her head resting on my chest again. The sound pulls at something deep in me, a protective instinct I didn’t know I could feel this strongly.

“Let’s get you home,” I murmur, unfurling my wings.

A quick glance around tells me the others are long gone.

Shaking my head, I scoop Mina up, cradling her close as I leap into the night sky.

The air is cool against my skin, but her warmth seeps into me as she snuggles closer, looping her arms around my neck.

She closes her eyes, her breathing soft and even.

Here I am, in one of my most monstrous forms, and she sleeps in my arms like she’s perfectly safe. It’s a strange, humbling thing.

The flight to Malivore’s inner gardens doesn’t take long, thankfully. I land softly, wings folding behind me as I spot Balor waiting by the doors. He nods in greeting, motioning for me to follow as he pushes the heavy doors open. I shift back to my human form before following him.

Walking through the quiet halls, I glance down at Mina, still fast asleep in my arms. It feels surreal, holding her like this, so small and vulnerable. How did I end up with a mate who trusts me this much, even when I can barely trust myself?

Abraxis is waiting by the door to our suite, leaning casually but watching us with that sharp, knowing look.

“You’ve got the same look I get when I hold her like that,” he says, a low chuckle in his voice.

“How does someone so little trust a monster like me?” He flexes his wings behind him, his tone light but his words hitting deeper than I think he realizes.

I nod, not trusting myself to speak. If I do, I might wake her, and I can’t bring myself to disturb her peace .

“She’s expecting you to stay with her tonight,” Abraxis whispers as he pushes the door open.

I shake my head slightly. “I won’t do it unless she says it’s okay,” I murmur back, my voice barely above a breath. “I won’t take advantage of her while she’s sleeping.”

Abraxis nods, a small smile tugging at the corner of his mouth. “Good man. Come on, I’ll set you two up with the recliner. Fair warning: she won’t let go. We’ve all tried prying her off when she sleeps.” His grin grows as he walks ahead, motioning me to follow.

The recliner is set up quickly. I lower myself into it, careful not to jostle her, and Abraxis adjusts the controls, tilting it back just enough. “Good?” he asks. I nod, and he tosses a blanket over us, tucking it around Mina’s compact frame.

Leaning down, he presses a kiss to the top of her head. “Get some sleep. You two have the gauntlet to run tomorrow,” he says before retreating to his room, leaving the door open just a crack.

I glance at the clock on the wall and roll my eyes. If I fall asleep now, I might scrape together seven hours—if the Goddess decides to be merciful. Shifting slightly, I hold Mina a little closer, her warmth lulling me. For the first time in a long while, I think I might actually sleep.

The banging echoes through the halls, senior staff shouting and pounding on doors to wake everyone for the gauntlet.

It’s too early for this. Mina stirs in my arms, muttering, “Five more minutes…” Her vo ice is soft and groggy, but she freezes the moment she shifts and feels the hard length of me pressing against her.

Her eyes snap open, glowing gold with her dragon’s fire, and she pulls back slightly to meet my gaze. She looks at me, then glances around the room, confused. “We’re in the living room…” Her voice is laced with hesitation as she takes in her surroundings before turning her attention back to me.

I hold her gaze, keeping my tone calm and steady.

“I refused to take you to your room to sleep with you without your permission. You wouldn’t let go of me, so Abraxis set us up here.

” I reach up, threading my fingers gently through her hair, and pull her down to me.

My lips brush hers in a soft, lingering kiss.

The gargoyle side of the bond hums with satisfaction, still reveling in the simple joy of flying with our mate last night and waking up beside her this morning.

The tether feels stronger now, pulsing with shared warmth and connection, even though we haven’t sealed it fully yet.

That bite, that act—it looms in the distance, inevitable but unspoken.

Mina pulls back slightly, her lips curling into a small, grateful smile.

“Thank you for being so considerate.” She presses another kiss to my lips, softer this time, before slipping off the recliner.

She rolls gracefully over the armrest, her movements fluid and effortless, then heads toward her room without another word.

Willing my erection to subside feels like trying to wrestle a hurricane into submission this morning. My beast roars with primal hunger, wanting to complete the bond, but the man in me clamps down hard on that urge. Mina deserves to decide the terms. She deserves control.

Heading to my room, I shove the thoughts aside and focus. I pull on the black leathers issued by Shadowcarve Campus. The material drinks in the light, an abyss that mirrors the tension in my chest. At least the enchantments mean they won’t shred when I shift. That’s something.

“Load up with knives and anything else you think you might need to get out of a jam,” Callan yells from the living room. “Partial shifting is allowed, so don’t forget to use your claws.”

I step out, my claws already extended, and adjust the knives strapped to my thighs. “Good?”

Callan eyes me critically as he walks over, circling me like a predator assessing prey. “This strap’s wrong,” he mutters, stepping closer. “It’s restricting your shoulder movement.” He adjusts it with practiced ease, and I roll my arms, feeling the newfound fluidity.

“Thanks. That’s a lot better.” We clasp hands briefly before my gaze shifts toward Mina’s door, which creaks open.

She steps out, focused and calm, wrapping black tape around her horns.

Her entire presence changes the second she dons her armor.

The basilisk-scale plating gleams darkly, fitted snugly over her torso and wrapping protectively around her spine and ribs.

Her hair is braided tight to her head, her hood, and face mask perched atop it like a predator waiting to strike.

“I’m ready,” she says, flexing her fingers as her talons glint faintly in the light.

Her eyes fix on her scaled hands for a moment before darting to us.

“Let’s go,” Callan orders, heading for the door.

“Where are Abraxis and Balor?” I ask, scanning the room. They were here just minutes ago.

“They’re with Lysander,” Callan replies without missing a step. “They help him and the elders run the gauntlet every year. ”

“And so do you,” Mina says, a hint of a smile touching her lips as she loops her arm through Callan’s.

“One of your fully bonded mates has to stay close,” he replies, his tone steady but softening. “Since Abraxis is the strongest after Klauth, it falls to me.”

His rare smile lingers for a moment before the intensity returns, and we step out of Malivore together, crossing the lawn toward the Arcanum Campus. The air is thick with anticipation, tension buzzing in every shadow.

“The gauntlet is bigger this year,” Callan says in his usual calm tone, but there’s an edge to it. “And deadlier.”

His words sit heavy, but none of us falters. This is what we were made for. What Mina was made for. My claws flex instinctively, ready for whatever waits ahead.