Page 34 of The Bond That Burns (Bloodwing Academy #2)

I wiped away a few drops of blood from the corner of my mouth, knuckles throbbing from where they’d connected with Tanaka’s jaw. Part of me wished I’d just kept pummeling him. He was lucky Pendragon had intervened.

Not just intervened. She’d sent him away. I’d wanted to crow aloud when she told him to leave, but I’d managed to keep the grin off my face.

Now I sat across from her, trying to remember the real reason I’d sought her out. Every moment in her presence was a distraction. I drank in the sight of her.

She ran her hands over the books in front of her, absent-mindedly looking out the window at the falling snow. The light framed her hair, making the red strands glow like copper. I knew she was upset with me, but right now she looked almost peaceful. Out of place in a chaotic, brutal world like ours.

My throat clenched as I thought of the news I had to tell her. None of it good.

“Blake?” She turned her head to look at me expectantly, her soft lips slightly parted. “What did you want to tell me?”

“I...” My voice caught in my throat. There was what I needed to tell her—and then there was what I wished I could say. The first book I’d picked up in the archives... What I’d read there had left me feeling more alone, more panicked than ever.

But if I shared even a hint of what was happening to me with Pendragon, would she understand? Or would she see it as even more reason for us not to be together?

I couldn’t take that risk.

I glanced around. A few students had just sat down at a table across the aisle. A librarian walked past, pushing a cart of books to be reshelved.

This wouldn’t work. I stood up. “Come with me.”

She narrowed her eyes. “Where?”

“Somewhere else in the library where we won’t be overheard. Not far, don’t worry.”

I led the way through the stacks towards a small study room hidden behind a row of shelves. I’d discovered it once when I was trying to escape Regan. She hadn’t managed to find me and she’d been extremely pissed about it the next time I saw her.

The little room was lined with shelves that stretched higher than anyone could possibly reach without a ladder. The books were older here, dustier, and more obscure. Presumably few students needed access to them which was why they were tucked away. A single lantern hung from a chain in the center of the room, casting an orange, flickering light.

I stepped aside and motioned Pendragon in. She sighed but reluctantly went inside. I glanced behind her. No one was around. No one had seen us come in.

She leaned back against one of the walls as I started pacing back and front of her, suddenly anxious about what I had to say.

“I found something. Something you need to know. About the Dragon Wars.”

She frowned. “I’ve been looking for information on dragons for ages. Where did you find it? Can I see the book?”

“No,” I snapped. When she blinked in surprise, I softened my tone. “I mean, it wasn’t a book in this library. I went searching...somewhere else.”

“Your house has its own records,” she guessed, and I nodded. “Kage mentioned something of the sort. So does House Avari.”

I scowled. “So he already told you?”

“Told me what?”

“That the history we’ve been told is all bullshit,” I burst out. “The wars weren’t about the houses fighting each other. There was a rebellion—among the dragons.”

Her wide eyes told me she hadn’t known. “No, Kage didn’t tell me any of that.”

“Maybe he doesn’t know about it himself,” I said bitterly.

“What did you read exactly?” she demanded. I could hear the excitement in her voice.

“Nyxaris hasn’t shared any of this with you?” I asked, suddenly wondering how she could know so little when she was in contact with the dragon.

She shook her head. “He can’t remember. Whatever was done to him to trap him in the stone caused him to lose most of his memories, too. He’s desperate to find out the truth. He can’t understand how he can be the last dragon.”

Her last words made me freeze. The last dragon.

“What is it?” Pendragon was looking concerned.

I gave my head a shake. “Nothing. I was just thinking of how to explain everything,” I lied.

“So why did they rebel? The dragons, I mean.”

“Some wanted more power. I guess greed and ambition aren’t solely highblood traits. But there was more.” I paused. “Highbloods—my ancestors—found a way to merge their souls with dragon riders. They controlled the riders and used them to control the dragons. It was horrible. Exploitative. A violation. And the dragons—they felt it. They felt what their riders felt. It broke them.”

Pendragon’s face was pale but otherwise she didn't react.

“You knew,” I said slowly. “You knew about this already.”

“Not all of it,” she whispered. “But the soul binding ritual... Professor Wispwood mentioned it briefly in a class last year. It didn’t seem like a big secret then. But that was before...”

“Before Nyxaris came back,” I finished. I gave a wry laugh. “Well, you know what comes next.”

“Next?”

“Of course. They want to use you, Pendragon. All the regents must know about this. I mean, Lysander probably doesn’t give a shit. But Viktor? Catherine? Elaria?”

She paled. “You think Kage already knew? That his family is plotting against me?”

“I wouldn’t doubt it. You think the Avaris hands are so clean? The Avaris were as bad as we were, Pendragon. Just because Kage plays the white knight doesn’t mean he is one. Give your head a shake.” Instantly I knew I’d gone too far. She was starting to look angry. I cleared my throat. “I mean...”

“I know exactly what you mean,” she replied, her eyes blazing. “But if I had to place a bet, I’d bet on your uncle, Blake. If anyone means me harm, it’s him.”

“At least he doesn’t bother to hide what he is,” I shot back. “But sure, Viktor probably has something planned. I don’t doubt it.” I ran my hands through my hair. “There’s more. I found out why there are no other riders. They were wiped out—intentionally.”

I explained what I’d read.

When I was finished, she was quiet. “Some of this I knew,” she admitted. She told me about the dossier she’d discovered in Professor Hassan’s classroom.

“You told Rodriguez about this but not me?” I exclaimed.

She looked caught off guard. “I thought...”

“You thought what?” I said furiously. “What do you think I’m here for, Pendragon? I want to protect you, for fuck’s sake. So let me, dammit.”

She laughed. “Protect me? You’re intent on being my tormentor half the time, Blake. Do you even remember any of the fucked up things you said to me at the start of the year?”

I flushed. “I was...upset. I felt... betrayed.”

“Betrayed?” She shook her head, gazing over at the stacks, instead of meeting my eyes. “How do you think I felt when you fed from me that first night?”

“I was wrong, all right? I fucked up. I know that now.” The words burst out of me like a dam breaking. But to my surprise, it felt good to say them.

Might as well go all the way, I decided.

I sank down onto my knees dramatically. “I was wrong. I shouldn’t have done that. There. I’m on my fucking knees. Begging you, Pendragon. Look at me. You wouldn’t kick a man while he’s down, would you?”

She shook her head but her lips were twitching. “Get up, Blake.”

“Not until you’ve said you forgive me,” I said stubbornly. “I’m an asshole. A bastard. A blackguard. Sure, I’ll admit it. But I want to help you. You think our bond is bullshit? I respectfully disagree. But who gives a shit? The point is, I will protect you. And...I won’t torment you anymore.” I cocked a grin. “I mean, I’ll try not to. Unless you ask me to.”

She rolled her eyes. “Sure. Whatever you say. Get up, Blake. You’re being ridiculous.”

I pressed my hands together in a mock prayer, unable to wipe the grin off my face as I looked up at the soft curves of her face. “C’mon, then, Pendragon. Just say you forgive me. We can jump ahead to the part where we defeat Viktor and save the whole damned world.”

She crossed her arms and tossed her head, fiery curls falling in around her shoulders. “You think this is all some joke? That you can just kneel there and charm your way out of this?”

I shrugged. “Hey, it usually works.”

She burst out laughing. “You know what? You’re impossible.” Then she surprised me and growled. “Seriously, impossible, Drakharrow. I’m not Regan.”

I cocked an eyebrow. “You think I’d have gotten on my hands and knees for Regan? Oh, no, Pendragon. This is just for you and you alone.” I said the words slowly, putting a seductive edge on them and I saw her bite her lip. Success.

“Get up,” she repeated, but it was a whisper this time. “Get up, you impossible, ridiculous fool. Fine. I guess I forgive you. Happy now?”

I was happy. Happier than I’d been in a long time. No, more than happy. I felt fucking ecstatic.

I rose to my feet and stepped towards her. She didn’t back away. I noticed how her breath hitched the closer I got. “I may be a fool, but here we are. Together. Again. You’re stuck with me, Pendragon. You know that, don’t you?”

She sighed, stepping back slightly. “We need to figure out what we’re going to do about Viktor, about all of this. I have to tell Nyxaris. I don’t know what he’ll say. But in the meantime, you can’t just keep throwing yourself into fights with Kage or anyone else anytime you get jealous or think I need ‘defending.’”

“Noted,” I said, though my grin probably told her it wasn’t a promise I could keep. I took another step towards her, then leaned down, letting my voice drop to a whisper. “But I mean it, little dragon. I’ll protect you. From Viktor, from Kage. From anyone. Even myself, if I have to.”

Her head snapped up, her green eyes flaring. “You think I need protecting? As if I’m some fragile little...”

“No,” I interrupted, my tone firm. “Not fragile. You’re the strongest woman I know. But even strong people need someone in their corner. Let me be that for you. The world is against you, Pendragon. You think Kage is the man to stand by your side? So be it, if that’s who you ultimately pick. But look at me. Really take a good fucking look. Because I’m the one standing right here, right now, begging you to let me be with you. Not Tanaka. Me.”

Her lips parted, but whatever she was going to say disappeared as I reached for her. My hands slid to her waist, and before she could argue, I gently backed her up, guiding her towards the nearest shelf. The motion was so fluid, so natural, that when her back met the edge of the books, she didn’t even protest.

The glow of light from the hanging lantern overhead caught the details of her face—the stubborn look in her eyes, the faint flush on her freckled cheeks, the bloom of red on her parted lips. She stared up at me, her breathing shallow, hands by her sides, as if just waiting to see what I’d do next.

She wasn’t mine, not really. Not until she truly said she was. But every part of me burned at the thought of anyone else touching her, holding her, kissing her.

Fuck self-control, I thought, as I leaned down and captured her mouth with mine.

For a heartbeat, she froze. Maybe she struggled with resolve just a second longer than I did. Then her hands came up, not to push me away, but to pull me closer. She kissed me back. Hard.

The way her fingers gripped the front of my shirt, the way her lips moved against mine—it was as if all the tension between us these last few weeks had finally snapped, giving way to something we couldn’t hold back any longer.

I kissed her fiercely. As if trying to erase every argument, every insult, every moment of doubt between us. And she let me, meeting my passion with her own.

My hands slid up her side, skimming her ribcage. Her lips were soft, insistent, her body arching into mine as if she couldn’t get close enough.

She moaned softly and the sound sent a surge of heat through me. My hand moved to her jaw, gently tilting her head to deepen the kiss. Her fingers tangled in my hair, pulling me closer, her nails grazing the back of my neck.

The tingling sensation along my back suddenly returned with a vengeance, as if triggered by her touch. The itch of something foreign, something savage, clawing to break free. I closed my eyes, willing it to go away, hoping she wouldn’t notice, and in another moment, the feeling subsided.

But my heart was still hammering a warning beat inside my chest. I wasn’t ready for this. Not yet. Not for her to see the monster that lay inside me.

I pulled back slightly, just enough to look down at her, my forehead resting against hers. Her eyes were wide, her lips swollen and parted. She looked damned perfect. I knew how I wanted her to look. Even more flushed, more disheveled, more freshly-fucked-looking than ever before.

“Blake,” she breathed, her voice low.

“What?” I whispered, my mouth already moving to seek hers again. “Tell me, Pendragon. Do you want this to stop?”

“I just need to tell you something,” she murmured.

“Yes?”

“I still hate you,” she whispered against my mouth, her voice trembling not with anger but with barely contained laughter.

“You’re a terrible liar,” I shot back, my voice rough, before kissing her again, deeper than before, with a hunger I could hardly contain.

She made a sound low in her throat, almost like a snarl, and her hands slipped beneath the edge of my jacket, pushing it off my shoulders. I let it fall to the floor, not caring about anything but the way her touch felt. Her fingers traced the edges of my shirt, tugging it loose. When she pulled back to look at me, her eyes were green stars, alight with an internal fire.

“This is a bad idea,” she murmured, but her words faltered as I pressed my lips to her forehead.

“Yeah,” I said, my voice hoarse. “It is. So let’s keep going.”

I slid my hands to the hem of her tunic and tugged gently. She hesitated a moment, then let me pull it over her head. Her hair tumbled free, a cascade of fire and light, contrasting with the paleness of her soft skin. My breath caught as I looked at her, every freckle, every curve making me ache with how stunning she was.

“Damn, you’re beautiful,” I said softly, the words slipping out before I could second guess myself.

Her lips quirked into a wry smile. “And you’re trouble.

“Absolutely,” I agreed, stepping closer, my hands settling against her bare waist. “And you love it.”

Her laugh was soft, breathless, but it quickly turned into a gasp as I kissed her again, my hands roaming up her back and unfastening the black lace bodice that covered her breasts. She arched into me, her fingers curling into my hair.

“Blake,” she murmured against my lips, her voice a mix of exasperation and longing. “You do know we’re in a library.”

“Is that what this place is?” I nipped at her lower lip with my teeth. “All the books... I was starting to wonder.”

“Don’t...” She cut off with a sharp inhale as I rained a trail of kisses along her jaw, down the curve of her neck, then sank my fangs into the sensitive skin of her throat, giving her just a small taste of the pleasure my teeth could bring. She let out a moan of longing and I grinned, grinding myself against her so she could feel how hard I was for her.

“You were saying?” I murmured.

I wanted to distract her before her hands moved to the buttons of my shirt. I leaned back, taking in the sight of her hair tumbling loose around her shoulders, of her bare breasts. The sight of her stole the air from my lungs.

“You’re staring,” she said, her voice quiet but teasing.

“And you’re perfect,” I murmured. I brushed a strand of hair from her face, letting my hand linger against her cheek. “I want...” I hesitated. Searching for the right words. “I want to worship you. Say you’ll let me.”

Her eyes widened slightly, but I leaned in and kissed her, my hands sliding down her arms, grazing her wrists. The heat of her lips on mine was everything. All-consuming. Her taste, her breath, her scent. The world around us was obliterated.

I moved my hands down to her waist, gripping her hips as if I could anchor myself to her. Her fingers tangled in my hair, sending bursts of fire through my veins. I couldn’t get enough. She arched closer and I lost all restraint.

Without thinking, I bent slightly, gripping her thighs and lifting her. She let out a soft gasp of surprise, but her legs immediately wrapped around my waist, her heels digging into my back as if they belonged there.

Her arms looped around my neck as I braced her against the bookshelf behind us. My mouth trailed down her body, drawing one delicate nipple between my lips. My tongue moved over her, fangs extending with the heat of desire, teeth scraping against her breasts in a gentle torment.

I worked my hand between us, lifting her skirt and pushing aside the soft undergarment she wore so I could slide my fingers along her folds. I groaned as I found her ready for me. She gasped as I stroked her pussy and pushed my fingers inside her. I growled as she shifted her hips against me. Longing was coiling through my body, desperate for release.

“Pendragon.” I pulled back just enough to meet her eyes. “You have no idea what you do to me, do you?”

“Then show me,” she whispered, practically shivering with need.

I undid my trousers, and her hands were suddenly there, freeing me, running her hands over my cock with a moan of desire that sent chills down my spine.

She tugged me against her and I didn’t have to be asked twice. I pushed into her, thrusting my hips forward with a sharp inhale, filling her up, inch by inch.

Only one thing could make this better for us both. I lifted my head to her neck and sank my fangs into the soft white skin, sucking her greedily as I slowly thrust my cock into her again and again.

Her legs tightened around my waist as I pressed her harder against the bookshelf. Somewhere in the back of my mind, a voice whispered that we were still in the library, that someone could walk in at any moment. But that voice was drowned out by the sounds of her soft moans as I fed from her and fucked her and caressed her body with my hands as if I could imprint her, this, us into my memory forever.

Nothing mattered except the way she felt against me, the way her body responded to mine as if we’d been made for one another.

I shifted my angle, hitting the spot that had her biting her lip to stifle her cries. Knowing she was losing control drove me even more wild and I buried my face in her neck, sinking my fangs more deeply into her skin. She clung to me, her fingers pulling my hair, her thighs tightening around my waist. I could feel her trembling, teetering there on the edge and I wanted to push her over, wanted to watch her shatter right there in my arms.

My hand moved down her body, pulling her closer, as if I could somehow fuse us together. I wanted to make her scream my name, make her tell me she was mine. I wanted to vow it would always be like this and wanted her to say the same.

But I knew better than to push her that far. For now, this would suffice. It was more than enough.

Because for now, the world outside didn’t exist. There was only her. For the first time in a long time, I felt as if I wasn’t lost. I wasn’t broken.

I was exactly where I was meant to be.

I peeked out from behind the bookshelf. There was no one around. Now that night had truly fallen, the library had emptied out. It was eerily quiet.

Pendragon stood a few feet away, her fingers fastening the last few buttons on her shirt.

I watched her, enjoying the lingering flush on her cheeks. I hated seeing her put the layers of her armor back on, cover herself away from me again. But I also knew we couldn’t stay hidden here forever, as much as I might want to.

“Still staring?” she teased as she caught me.

I grinned. “Hard not to. What’ll you do now?” I didn’t want to let her out of my sight. But I knew where her home was... for now.

“I should go and talk to Nyxaris.”

At the mention of the dragon, my stomach tightened. “What are you planning to tell him?”

Her hands paused. “I think I owe him the truth. About everything.”

My contentment gave way to a fresh feeling of unease. “Are you sure that’s a good idea? Rodriguez told you not to...”

“Rodriguez doesn’t know Nyxaris like I do,” she interrupted, her voice firm. I knew she was right. Hell, no one knew what was in that dragon’s mind—except my consort. I was still in awe of her for that. “He deserves to know. I can’t lie to him like everyone else in his life did. I won’t be that person.”

I hesitated. Part of me wanted to argue, to remind her of the risks, but the look in her eyes stopped me. This was her decision. Her choice.

I nodded. “Where? I’ll walk with you.”

She blinked in surprise. “You don’t have to...”

“I know.” I pushed off the shelf I’d been leaning against. “But I want to.”

I met her eyes. Her cheeks flushed again, but to my relief she didn’t argue.

“So, where are we going?” I asked, as I strolled along beside her. The few students who still remained in the library glanced at us as we walked passed. I noticed Larissa sitting at a table with some other House Drakharrow students and suddenly prayed she hadn’t passed by while we were... busy.

She glared at me but didn’t say a word. Still, I had no doubt she’d be sneaking back to Regan with some sort of a nasty story to tell.

I hissed at her, letting my fangs show, and she quickly glanced away. That was more like it.

Pendragon hadn’t noticed. “That cliffside classroom where I’ve been meeting Professor Hassan,” she was saying. “She won’t be there at this time of night and it’s the safest place to summon Nyxaris. There’s a big stone perch where he can land outside. I think it used to be a landing spot for dragons a long time ago. Hopefully there’ll be less of a chance of him being spotted that way when he comes in.”

A colossal dragon the size of a battleship wasn’t exactly unnoticeable, but I knew what she meant. Besides, Nyxaris was black and it was dark out.

“How are Hassan’s lessons going anyhow?” I asked curiously. “Learning a lot?”

“Oh, yes, the lessons are extremely advanced.” I could hear the sarcasm dripping from her voice.

“Advanced, huh? Guess I’d better step up my game,” I joked.

She rolled her eyes, but I caught the faint curve of her lips as she approached the library doors. I followed closely behind, my hand intentionally brushing against her as we left the library.

“You know,” I began, my voice light. “We’ve been at Bloodwing together for almost a year and a half. But I still feel like we hardly know each other in some ways.”

She glanced at me. “You know plenty. Probably more than you should,” she said archly.

“Do I?” I countered, not giving up. “Because I don’t know your favorite food. Or what your life was like before you came here. Or —” I shot her a crooked grin that had been known to melt a few hearts. “Who your first kiss was.”

The corridor we were walking through was chilly. Pendragon let out a breath, puffing out a cloud of frost. “Why would you care about any of those things?”

“Because I do,” I said staunchly. “I want to know everything about you, Pendragon. The real you.”

She hesitated, her steps slowing as we reached a turn in the hall. “Those aren’t... easy questions to answer.” She frowned. “Besides, you’ve already been inside my head. Didn’t you see everything you wanted to then?”

I thought back to our disastrous thrallguard session, to the dark-haired man I’d seen looking at Pendragon as if his heart would break if anything befell her.

“I couldn’t make a lot of sense of what I saw,” I said slowly. “But I remember that there was a dark-haired man and a silver-haired woman.” I glanced down at her. “Can you tell me who they were?”

“Can I?” She looked surprised. “You mean you aren’t simply going to demand the information? I’m shocked.”

I knew she was joking, but still. “I’m asking. Do I need to get on my knees again?”

She was quiet for a while. “I think you must have seen my aunt and uncle.”

I felt a surge of relief. “Your uncle, huh?”

She whipped towards me. “You great oaf! Who did you think he was?”

“Your lover of course,” I said with a grin, getting a punch in the arm for telling the truth. “Ouch.” She never failed to surprise me with how strong she was. “So that wasn’t your first kiss then? Who was he? A courtier? A prince? A farm boy?”

“Farm boy is closer to the truth,” she muttered. “He was... a stable hand.” She looked at me. “Who was yours?”

“My brother’s consort,” I answered immediately. “Well, one of them.”

She stared at me. “You kissed your brother’s...?”

“Well, she wasn’t his consort yet. And she didn’t want to be. She and her family were visiting to see if she and her sister and my brother would suit each other.”

Pendragon’s eyes widened. “Her sister?”

I nodded. “Allesandra and Amaris. They were twins.”

“Twins?” She wrinkled her nose. “Gross.”

“I think that was what appealed to Marcus,” I reflected. “No one ever said he had good taste.”

Then my words seemed to sink in. “Wait. They were ?”

I hesitated. “Marcus killed Allesandra. After they were wed. Her sister is still alive.”

“Well, what a fucking relief,” she said disdainfully. “Gods, Blake. Your brother... He’s a real piece of work.”

“I’m well aware.” I paused. “He wasn’t always quite so...”

“Brutal? Savage? Sadistic?” she provided. “So how did he get that way?”

“My uncle,” I said quietly. “He groomed Marcus. Brought out the worst in him intentionally. Undid all my parents’ work.”

“He’s been hanging around Lunaya Orphos,” she said. “Did you know that? If there’s a girl less suited to your horrible brother, I can’t imagine who it would be.”

I nodded. “I saw them together at the Tribunal. I didn’t think it had gone very far.”

“Well, he was here, at Bloodwing, picking her up from class a few weeks ago,” she said, her voice grave. “Lunaya is a sweet girl.”

“I’ll speak with Lysander,” I promised. “I doubt he wants Marcus anywhere near Lunaya.”

She looked relieved. “Thank you.”

“Of course.” We walked in silence for a few minutes. Then, “Pomegranate seeds. With honey.”

She looked over at me with a confused expression. “What?”

“My favorite food. My mother used to give them to me when I was little.” I laughed. “For the longest time, I thought I was eating her jewels. I thought I was pretty special for her to feed me rubies.”

“No wonder you grew up so self-assured,” she said wryly.

“Don’t you mean cocky? Arrogant?” I teased. “Aren’t you going to throw a few insults my way?”

“I think you’re more aware of your faults than you let on, so there’s no need,” she said calmly.

“What was your childhood like?” I asked, the words slipping out of my mouth. “Tell me something. Anything. Where did you grow up?”

She bit her lip, as if trying to decide something. “You wouldn’t believe me if I told you.”

I raised my eyebrows. “Try me.”

She was quiet for so long, I added, “I swear I will. You could tell me you grew up on a cloud and I’d accept it, Pendragon.”

“Not a cloud.” She took a deep breath. “But what about another world?”

My footsteps paused briefly.

“See?” She shook her head. “I shouldn’t have said anything.”

“No,” I said hastily. “So when I found you in the wreckage of that village...?”

She met my eyes and there was no laughter there. She was serious as the grave. “I’d just arrived.”

I nodded. “I see. That explains it.”

“What?” she demanded.

“Well, you know.” I blushed. “Your lack of clothes.”

“Oh, that.” She paused. “I’d almost forgotten.”

I laughed. “Believe me, I hadn’t. I doubt I’ll ever get the picture out of my head.”

“Yes, I seem to recall you looking far longer than you should have,” she said, eyes narrowing. “But then I forgot, you aren’t exactly a gentleman.”

I snorted. “A gentleman? Were there a lot of those in your world?”

“I wasn’t there long enough to really find out.” She glanced at me as if trying to decide what to say next. “You really believe me? I know it must sound mad.”

“I believe you,” I assured her. “It does sound mad. But when you first got here, you were so shocked. Everything seemed new to you.” I studied her curiously. “There were really no dragons where you came from? No vampires?”

She shook her head. “Nothing like that. Only fae.”

“Fae?”

“People like me.” She lifted her hair to expose her pointed ears. “The things you see as marking me as a rider? Those are just normal fae traits in my world.”

“Does everyone have red hair there, too?” I asked.

She laughed. “No! Of course not. And not everyone is fae either. There are mortals. You call them blightborn.”

“And do the fae rule over the mortals?”

“No! Well, in some places. But there are mortal kingdoms, too.” She sighed. “There are places where people dislike the fae and places where fae look down on mortals. But there are also places where everyone gets along. Well, tries to.”

“It didn’t look exactly peaceful when I was there in your memory,” I recalled.

“What did you see exactly?” she asked curiously.

I described the scene. The tension and fear had been palpable.

“Oh. I know what you saw.” She was quiet for a second. “That was when I died.”

I choked. “You...died?”

She nodded. “Now you really will think I’m mad.”

“I don’t think you’re mad,” I said quickly. “You’re different. But I already knew that.” I grinned down at her. “I like it.”

She quirked her lips. “If you say so.”

“Tell me about how you died,” I said. “How is that even possible?”

She shrugged. “Magic, I guess. You have things here in your world that don’t make sense either. I thought I’d died. I woke up here instead. Believe me, I was confused by it, too.”

“You must have been homesick.” I tried to imagine what it had been like. “You were ripped away from your family.”

She stopped walking. “Yes.”

“And all of your friends.” I thought of something. I tried to keep my voice casual as I asked, “Did you leave anyone special behind?”

She gave me a sardonic look. “You mean besides my aunt and uncle and everyone I’d ever known?” She shook her head. “No. No one special. There wasn’t anyone like that. Not yet. And I was too young to wed.”

“Your aunt and uncle looked like warriors,” I said softly. “They seemed to be trying to protect you. They must miss you very much.”

She nodded stiffly. “I think about them all the time. They have no idea I’m still alive. If only there was some way to tell them.”

We walked in silence for a few minutes.

“So,” she said suddenly. “First kiss. His name was William. He kissed me at a fair. Then ran off like his feet were on fire.”

I laughed, imagining it. “He was probably half in love with you.”

“In love?” She sounded shocked, as if the idea hadn’t even occurred to her. “He wouldn’t have dared. Not when I was...” She broke off.

“What?” I asked. “Tell me.”

She took a slow breath, then looked up at me. “The Pendragons. My family name.”

“Yes?” I said expectantly.

“It’s the name of the royal family of Pendrath. I lived in Camelot. In the Rose Court.”

I stared at her. “You were a princess?”

She blushed. “Sort of. Well, yes.”

“Damn, Pendragon. Not a farm girl after all.” I shook my head.

“Would you have cared? If I was?”

“I wouldn’t care if you grew up in a swamp.” So, my girl was a princess. It wasn’t that much of a surprise, really. She’d always looked like a queen to me. I looked down at her and suddenly felt that fire again. I wanted to grab her by the waist, press my lips against hers, push her up against the nearest wall and...

“No,” she said warningly. “I mean it, Blake.”

“What?”

“You’ve got that look in your eyes.” She blushed slightly. “We can’t. I must go to Nyxaris. He’s nearly here.”

“Right.” We’d almost reached the classroom.

“Well, what about your first kiss?” she asked, almost shyly.

I smirked. “Regan. She kissed me on a dare. I think she thought I’d kiss her back.”

“And did you?”

“No,” I said, my grin widening. “I tried to push her away. She fell in a puddle and started to cry.”

Pendragon chuckled. “A little bully even then, hmm?”

“No, but we were never suited,” I said softly. “Regan and I. I just want you to know that. It was an arrangement. Nothing more. For a while, I gave it a shot, but...”

She nodded. “You don’t have to explain.”

Right. We didn’t own each other. I didn’t owe her an explanation. She didn’t want what I wanted from her. Possession. Exclusivity. My heart tightened, but I tried to ignore it.

Except for that, the moment was perfect. I could have walked beside her like that forever.

But the classroom lay just ahead. The significance of what she was about to do suddenly dawned on me a second time.

“You’re sure about this?” I asked as we entered the room. The sea stretched out below us, dark and restless. The wind snapped at her hair, sending the flaming strands flying around her face. I couldn’t see the dragon yet, but doubted he’d want me around when he arrived.

“I have to do this,” she said, her voice steady.

I nodded and then leaned down, brushing my lips against hers. “I’m glad I got to know you a little better tonight.”

She seemed surprised, then nodded. I watched her turn and walk towards the perch to wait for her dragon.