Page 20 of The Keeper of the Kingdoms

She pulled my arm down, shaking her head with a chuckle. “Please, you’ve been living in the barracks. Tell me I’m lying.”

“Dragons smell fine! It’s Griffins that stink!” I was indignant at the very suggestion. Although I had to admit—to myself only—that some dragons in the barracks certainly didn’t care how they smelled. I, however, took pride in my hygiene.

Kiera giggled. Her smile popped her cute dimple that rarely came out, especially if she could sense me watching. “You smell fine,” she hesitated. “Wonderful, in fact.”

Color stained her cheeks and I couldn’t suppress my smile at her admission.

“But the barracks have the smell of a stable. You wouldn’t catch me in there for anything more than a healing visit. I certainly could not live there.”

“And that’s the problem? You think being my ryder, you’d have to move into the smelly barracks?” I couldn’t believe it could be as simple as that.

“Wouldn’t I?”

I laughed. “No. I only stay there because I’m trying to ingratiate myself with the flyers. But you have your home here. No one would expect that to change, and I could move to the rooms that come with my rank. They smell much more civilized, trust me. I’m just choosing not to for the time being.”

“And what about training?” She crossed her arms in challenge, dismissing the solution to her housing concerns and finding a new obstacle.

“What about it?”

“I don’t have the time to train to be something I’m clearly not!”

“It won’t take much of your time, as I’m sure you well know, better than me, in fact, since you’ve lived and worked among flyers your entire life.” I fixed her with a determined look. “We are not younglings being dragged from our homes well before we’ve matured and thrust into this”—I gestured, unable to veilmy disgust—“this machine built to turn all dragons into soldiers, regardless of their age or willingness.” I shut my mouth before my rant turned to treason. There were fae going about their morning business nearby I couldn’t risk being heard openly dissenting on the palace grounds.

Kiera arched her brow, intrigued, but knew better than to push now. I felt sure she would find a time to bring it up again though, and I was annoyed with myself for slipping.

I schooled myself and continued my point from a different direction.

“We both know our own magic. We are both educated, though I will grant you I lack some social and political knowledge of the kingdoms. But I’m catching up. I’ve been studying with Zaria and Luka since we all have the same gaps in our knowledge.”

Kiera looked surprised by this too, but I didn’t give her time to derail me again. I pressed on.

“Your training would simply be some defensive classes to bring you up to speed on weapons, fighting and flight, which won’t be an issue as I’m sure being the best friend of the Dragon of the Night, you’re well accustomed to it by now.”

Her eyes dropped to the ground again.

I frowned. “What is it? Does Nyx not take you flying?”

She shook her head vehemently.

“Why ever not?”

Kiera put her face in her hands and mumbled something I couldn’t make out.

I took her hands and gently pulled them away, holding them in mine and revealing her eyes screwed tightly shut and a grimace on her beautiful face.

“What was that?”

She huffed. “I said, I’m afraid of heights.”

I reeled.

By the Goddess no.

TEN

KIERA

Islowly peeked one eye open to glimpse his reaction since he was silent in the wake of my revelation. Jaxus was looming over me, all big and lovely, looking like I’d just spoken in a foreign tongue. His mouth was slung open, either in shock or in an attempt to use words that had simply escaped him.