Page 106 of Phoenix and his Dragon

I slid one hand along his jaw, the scales warming beneath my fingers, and climbed onto his back. The bond hummed instantly—soft, steady, undeniable.

As soon as I settled, Cole rose.

Not a leap this time. A lift. Smooth. Intentional. As if he wanted me to feel every moment.

His wings swept outward, powerful and breathtaking, and we soared.

The world stretched wide below us—ridges and valleys carved in white and gold. The wind tore at my clothes, but I didn’t feel the cold, not with Cole’s body burning warm beneath me, the bond vibrating softly through skin and bone.

Are you afraid?he asked.

“No.”

Are you sure?

I leaned forward, pressing my palm to the warm scales at his neck. The bond flared bright and sure.

“I’m with you,” I said. “I could never be afraid with you.”

Cole’s joy pulsed through me, pure and overwhelming. He banked left, carrying us in a sweeping arc over the mountain, our shadows merging briefly on the snow below.

We flew until my cheeks were wind-burned and my heart was full to bursting.

We flew until the sun dipped low enough to paint his wings in molten gold.

We flew until neither had anything left inside but the certainty of us.