Page 45 of Heart Cradle (The Melrathen Saga #1)

Maeve and Eiran left Taelin’s drawing room hand in hand, the heavy door closing behind them with a soft thud. The hallway was quiet and she gave his hand a small squeeze, looking up at him with a soft smile. “Do you think… I could spend some more time with Jeipier today?” she asked.

Eiran glanced at her, something like pride flickering across his expression. “You can do more than that,” he said. “You can fly with him.”

Maeve blinked. “Really?”

Eiran nodded. “Your saddle’s ready.”

She grinned, then narrowed her eyes playfully. “And why couldn’t you just magic one up? You can open doors with your mind, you can undress me in a second but you can’t make a flying saddle?”

He smirked. “Magic doesn’t work like that, you can only enchant something that exists. You can’t just conjure something that complex from nothing, it has to be crafted, shaped with intention and built for the bond between dragon and rider.”

Maeve considered that, then tilted her head. “So what you’re saying is, there was a whole dramatic saddle-fitting process behind the scenes while I was unconscious?”

“Yes,” Eiran said, amused. “And no. I had it commissioned when you were taken, so only a couple of weeks ago. I had hope, I had to have that.”

She glanced at him, catching the tension in his shoulders, the truth that lived in his eyes. He was nervous, excited, everything all at once. “Are you alright?” she asked gently.

He gave a quiet laugh. “I’m scared, not of you, not of flying. Just, I’ve never been this happy. It feels like something’s going to come and rip it away.”

Maeve stopped walking and turned to him. “Nothing’s going to rip it away. Not this time. ”

He kissed her forehead, then motioned to the open arch ahead. The air was warmer outside, touched by heat that felt like it came from more than the sun.

Jeipier.

In the clearing near the stables, Jeipier waited.

The young Emberwick was pacing excitedly, his fluffy smoke-like tail twitching.

His fiery orange-gold scales shimmered in the light, not fully mature but already promising power.

The saddle sat snugly against his back, runes faintly glowing along the straps.

Jeipier let out a soft chirp when he saw Maeve and bounded forwards, lowering his head.

She stepped up to him, placing her hand against the space between his eyes. “Hello, my boy. You look lovely.”

“He’s ready for you,” Eiran said quietly. “Xelaini said he trusts you.”

She looked up at Jeipier with something close to wonder. “I trust him too.”

“And you won’t be alone,” Eiran added. “Xelaini wants to fly with her son today.”

Maeve turned to him, brows raised. “She wants to?”

Before Eiran could answer, the air shifted, thickened with an ancient kind of stillness, then a voice filled the atmosphere, not loud, but vast and knowing.

“He is of my flame and blood, Chainling. He will not disappoint, his instincts are impeccable. As they should be, given his breeding. If you agree I should like to witness his first paired flight.”

Maeve’s mouth parted slightly in surprise. “Of course Xelaini, I would like that.”

Maeve looked across the field where a shadow moved, slow and graceful.

Xelaini emerged from the far side, her enormous midnight form catching streaks of light that turned her scales into darkened oil and stars.

Her spikes twitched slightly as she approached, and she lowered her massive head in silent greeting.

Maeve swallowed. “She’s… beautiful.”

“And ancient, fussy, and terrifying,” Eiran added. “But yes… she’s magnificent.”

“Thank you Sweethearts.” Xelaini purred.

Maeve turned back to Jeipier and let out a slow breath. “Alright then,” she murmured. “Let’s fly. ”

Maeve stepped towards Jeipier, her pulse beating fast. “I’ve got it,” she said, holding up a hand when Eiran moved to help her. “I need to do this by myself.”

Eiran raised a brow but said nothing, simply stepping back.

She could feel his eyes on her as she approached the saddle and placed a firm hand on Jeipier’s warm, scaled flank.

The young Emberwick stood patiently, head slightly tilted, eyes glowing amber.

His sleek body shimmered with shifting tones of orange and gold, almost liquid in the light.

His tail, fluffy like coiled mist, flicked in slow arcs of anticipation.

He was still growing, small compared to the others, but powerful and catching up fast. Maeve had been told he would grow quicker now that he was paired.

Even now, Maeve could feel the heat radiating from his skin, not uncomfortable, just alive.

She reached up, gripped the saddle’s edge, and climbed.

It wasn’t graceful, but she managed, hauling herself over and into position without hesitation.

Her hands moved quickly, strapping herself in with the runed harness.

She took a deep breath, then rested her palms gently on the nape of Jeipier’s neck.

The warmth of him was calming, familiar, like sitting in front of a fire during a storm.

Eiran was already astride Xelaini across the field, sitting tall and relaxed like he’d been born on a saddle. The massive Nyxshade turned her head towards them, that great tail rippling with a low hum that vibrated the ground.

Maeve adjusted her grip and opened her mouth to say something to Jeipier, but he launched, with no pause or warning.

He shot upward in a spiral, twisting through the air with wild, youthful joy.

Maeve’s body snapped back, the wind stealing her breath as they spun.

Her vision blurred for a moment and her chest tightened, sharp, fast and all too familiar.

She couldn’t breathe and the world tilted. She knew this feeling, she’d felt it in interrogation rooms, in dark alleys, in the seconds before she’d faced death, in bathrooms usually. Panic clawed at her lungs, she felt frozen but unstoppable all at once.

“Maeve”

The voice cracked through her mind like lightning, so sincere and comforting, almost human.

“ Hey ,” the voice said again, this time gentler. Male, mid-twenties maybe. Playful and kind. “ Deep breaths. You’ve got this .”

Maeve concentrated on her mind-talk. “ What?”

“ It’s me,” the voice said again . “Jeipier. I know, bit of a surprise. I wasn’t expecting it to be so quick either. I’ve been trying since we first paired. You’re doing great, by the way. Ten out of ten for the mount. Slightly wobbly form, but that’s on me, I got excited.”

She laughed, actually laughed, mid-flight. “ We can talk ?” she thought back, still breathless.

“ Of course. We’re paired. I didn’t mean to worry you, I’m sorry .” He said sounding crestfallen.

“ It’s not your fault, I get panic attacks. Something… terrible happened to me and since then they’ve got worse. Usually they happen when I’m anxious, but today the take-off got me. I’m sorry.” Maeve thought, rubbing his scaled neck reflectively.

He levelled out, the chaotic twists smoothing into a steady glide. Maeve gripped the saddle straps and sucked in a lungful of clean air. Her heart was still hammering, but no longer in panic.

“ Don’t apologise. Is this better ?” he asked.

“ Yeah ,” she replied. “ That was… something.”

“ First flights are like first kisses, terrifying, unpredictable, and likely to involve a bit of flailing, or so I’m told .” Jeipier laughed into her mind.

She grinned and as they flew, Jeipier continued to talk, his voice a comforting hum in her mind.

“ I’m still growing,” he said. “We grow faster when we bond deeply. Emotion speeds the connection. You felt it, right? That heat in your chest? That’s the bond.”

Maeve nodded slowly. “ Yeah. Felt like my ribs were glowing .”

“ That’s the one. It means we’re in sync. I’ll always feel you now, even across realms, and you’ll feel me.” Jeipier yipped excitedly in her mind .

Maeve swallowed hard at that. “ That sounds… intense.”

“ Nah, it’s perfect. I’ll keep you warm when you’re cold, grounded when you’re scared, and annoyingly encouraged when you doubt yourself. I’m basically the best emotional support brazier you’ll ever meet.”

She laughed again, the tension in her shoulders melting away. “ You’re ridiculous, but I’ll try to do the same for you too .”

Below them, the trees blurred into streaks of green and gold as the sun climbed higher. The wind wasn’t so biting anymore, it felt like freedom. Then, another voice echoed between them, deeper, older and so undeniably regal.

“ Are you two ready to test yourselves ?” asked Xelaini .

Eiran’s voice followed a heartbeat later. “ Race. You and Jeipier against us. If you’re brave enough.”

“Eiran?!”

“Yes, love. We can mind-talk now, but only on dragon back.” Eiran, looked at her grinning. “ Well, are you scared to race or what?”

Maeve smirked.

“ You in ?” she asked Jeipier.

“ Oh, I was born ready. Let’s torch your little mate .”

With a burst of flame and a roar, Jeipier dove, spinning low and fast. Xelaini gave chase, moving like a shadow gliding over moonlight.

Maeve whooped, gripping tight as Jeipier darted, flipped, and surged forwards.

They raced through the skies, dodging clouds and diving between cliff ridges, Xelaini and Eiran dipping in and out of sight because of her night-bound abilities.

They climbed and fell, soared and dove, for a moment, Maeve was just air, fire and laughter.

Free .

Nonetheless, in the end there was no beating Xelaini. The great Nyxshade slid ahead in a final upward arc, wings spanning wide, and claimed victory with a triumphant trill and Jeipier huffed. “ Okay, okay, she’s bigger, older, has night-bound magic, and frankly cheats with that tail ” he muttered.

Maeve was breathless and grinning. “ You were amazing .”

“ We were amazing ,” Jeipier replied, voice soft now.

Maeve let the silence hang for a beat, the wind rushing past them, the warmth of his scales steady beneath her. “ I saw you,” she thought quietly. “ When I was unconscious. In the between, you were there.”

“I know, I dreamt it too. Or maybe it wasn’t a dream. Maybe it was... I don’t know...” His voice dipped, thoughtful. “You were floating next to me, and the Chain wrapped around me. I wasn’t scared, I liked it. It felt warm… right.”

Maeve nodded slowly, remembering the golden loop coiling gently around his leg. “You said we could trust it.”

“I meant it,” Jeipier said. “ I still do. It doesn’t want to own us, it wants to protect us. It’s not a cage, I think it’s a promise.”

She exhaled, something loosening in her chest. “Good. I needed to hear that. ”

“We’re stronger with it, but I think you know that already.” Then, with a nudge of teasing affection. “Also, you looked terrifyingly majestic in that vision. All glowing eyes and firelight, I was a little intimidated, not going to lie.”

Maeve laughed, her heart light. “I’ll take that, Jei.”