A coward? I have been avoiding her eyes because I’m afraid of falling into them, but my Alpha rears up in defiance of being called a coward. I look up, and I’m instantly captured by her gaze.
Fuck.
Something deep inside me snaps. I grasp Zenevieve with both hands and snatch her against my chest. Holding her tight, I bury my face in her throat and breathe in deeply, relishing what I don’t deserve. Inhaling deep lungfuls of her scent. For the first time in five hundred years, my body cries out in relief.
Panting, my lips find her ear. “I found the wild dragons. I fought Kane and brought the witch Ravenna to safety. The queen’s life was threatened by traitors, and I saved her. I performed these deeds in your name.”
I feel her arms tighten around me. The corridor is deserted. It’s just the two of us locked around each other.
“In my name?” she whispers hopefully.
“While you lay close to death from lavish sickness, I promised the gods that if you survived, I would devote my life to you. Everything I do is in your name. When it is enough, then you must consider whether you forgive me.”
“But I—”
“When it isenough.”
“Who will decide when it is enough?”
I pull back and glare at her. “I will.”
Her eyes flash with indignation. “Five hundred years, and you are still the most stubborn man I have ever known.”
I press my forehead to hers, the blade of my nose sliding against the soft tip of hers. “Five hundred years, and you are more beautiful than ever.”
Zenevieve’s eyes widen. Her surprised breath fans my lips.
Even without Minta’s coloring, Zenevieve is dazzlingly beautiful. Need like I’ve never known before, even in my most ravenous ruts, claws at my chest. Blood thunders in my ears. I crave to kiss her, but I tear myself away from her and stride down the corridor.
As soon asZabriel has recovered from his confrontation with Emmeric, he makes plans for the dragon army to attack Emmeric’s stronghold in the south. It should work, presuming Kane keeps his word and brings the southern barrier down. Though that is presuming a lot.
Emmeric is holding Shar prisoner in the base of a tower, clad in magical chains, a fact that has preoccupied me, and especially Zenevieve. I can attempt to free him during the battle.
As we stand around the table in the War Room with Zabriel planning the assault, Zenevieve steps forward. “I want to come with you, dragonmaster. Shar always trusted me. I can calm him if he panics.”
Her face is pale, and she looks small but determined. As she is dragonless, the only way for her to rescue Shar is if another rider takes her with them. My former ward loved Shar as much as her own dragon. I could probably free him by myself with Nilak, but the help of another experienced dragonrider would be welcome. It would mean taking Zenevieve into battle, something I don’t want to do when she’s still recovering from her ordeal,but I can see from her stubborn expression that if I say no, she’ll ask another dragonrider.
Better that she’s with me. No one cares more about her safety than me. And maybe I just want her with me, like the old days.
Wordlessly, I nod.
Her tense shoulders relax. “Thank you, dragonmaster.”
After the meeting is over, I turn toward Zenevieve, expecting her to want to discuss Shar’s rescue, but all I see is her back as she flees through the door and down the corridor.
She continues to avoid me every single day leading up to the battle. Maybe in fear that I might change my mind and tell her she can’t come with me. I grit my teeth in annoyance. Probably. I do have a habit of changing my mind about what I want.
In the middle of the night on the eve of battle, all the dragonriders assemble at the dragongrounds. Zenevieve meets me beside Nilak with her hair in a braid and a warm cloak around her shoulders. There’s a spark of hope in her eyes, and it’s the thought of getting Shar back that’s put it there.
I hold out my hand to her like I always used to when we flew together. It wouldn’t surprise me if she turned her nose up at my offer of help and climbed up Nilak by herself, but she doesn’t. She rests her cool, slender fingers on my palm.
I swallow hard as tiny lightning bolts flash under my skin. I tug her to me, and she rests her arms lightly around my neck. I wrap an arm around her hips, pull her tightly against me, and carry her up onto Nilak.
It’s just like before, but so unlike before. I’m excessively aware of her body pressed against mine in a way I never was. I find myself admiring the sweet curve of her cheek. The delicate column of her throat
If I were her mate, I would kiss her throat as I carried her atop my dragon. I would explore beneath her clothes and make her come atop my dragon.
I take a hasty, shuddering breath, and look elsewhere.
