Page 77 of The Keeper of the Kingdoms

She backed away, tossing me the bag with my clothes, giggling. “Nothing at all.”

My chest warmed and I snatched her wrist. “Don’t you try to leave me in a strange forest.”

“I wouldn’t dream of it.” Her tone stayed playful.

“I don’t believe you!” I pulled on my pants and shirt to catchup with her, slipping my hand into hers to lace our fingers together.

We walked hand in hand under the canopy. How she navigated the dark, treacherous landscape so easily, I didn’t know. Even with my enhanced sight, I barely kept myself upright with roots and leaves littering the ground. It was second nature to her to feel her way through the terrain.

She led us to a massive tree, bigger around than my dragon form, with steps winding around the base. She took them two at a time, excitement bleeding from her. The stairs wrapped around the tree, taking us into the canopy to a level nearly invisible from the ground. I never would have known the dwelling was here if she hadn’t led me to the stairs.

A soft whisper unlocked the door, and we passed into an entryway with another staircase leading up.

“No wonder every healer I’ve ever met is in amazing shape. The stairs you have to take daily,” I muttered.

She laughed again. “Physical health is important to treat our patients.”

“If you’re so used to living this high up, why are you scared of flying?” I asked, the question not fitting with everything else I knew about Kiera.

“It’s not the heights. It’s falling.” She stopped at the landing, which opened up into a breathtaking view of the Forest Kingdom from above. The moon shone over a canopy of treetops spread out for hundreds of miles, and the sitting room opened up into a series of decks cascading off the back of the dwelling. Floating lights were low enough to draw the eye but not take away from the light, just breaking the surface, casting a warm glow of light.

“What in the Goddess—?” She stepped further into the space, her fingers brushing over the fine hand-carved furniture.

“What?” I asked, following her deeper into the room.

“This was all closed up. Covered and winterized. No oneshould have been here while we were gone. The last time I was here, I made sure.” She spun, bewildered, looking around.

“I opened it up for you,” a voice came from the corner of the first level of decking in the shadows.

I jumped back, my hands coming up with magic sparking at my fingertips, but Kiera jumped in front of me, grabbing my hands. My magic quelled under her touch. I don’t know if it was an unconscious response or a part of our bond, but all the power I’d drawn from the earth dissipated and returned to my stores. Passing harmlessly away.

I searched her face in a question.

“It’s my gran,” Kiera said softly, turning around to confront the tiny fae barely visible in the shadows.

“Why are you here? What are you even doing awake?” she asked.

The female unfolded herself from the chair and used a walking stick to help herself to a stand, stepping into the low light. “You youngins take your sleep for granted. When you’re my age, you’re lucky if all the aches and pains let you sleep at all.”

“Sounds like someone I know,” I muttered.

Kiera glared over her shoulder. “Shut it.”

“I like him,” Gran said, stepping around Kiera to size me up. She was approximately one-third my size, with hair so white it glowed. She tilted her face up and narrowed her eyes. “Big one.” Quick as lightning, she tapped one of my biceps with her stick, then held the end to my throat. “What are your intentions?”

“Gran!” Kiera sounded appalled.

“Mind your business, Firefly.”

“Firefly?” I asked, cocking my head to look at Kiera around her Gran.

“Answer the question, dragon!” the tiny fae demanded.

“Intentions for what?” I asked carefully, not wanting to give away more than I must. I didn’t need to be questioned aboutwhere I came from when I couldn’t even explain it to Kiera with the blood oath.

She narrowed her eyes into slits like she could see right through me. “Smart. I like it. Why are you here with my grandchild?”

“Because she needs to rest and heal,” I answered simply. I wasn’t certain how Kiera wanted to handle the real reason we’d come, so I would follow her lead on that. But healing was a part of the reason for our trip, so I would stick to the story for now.