“Gods! I can’t believe it. Did you just turn right away?” Alina gaped at me.
“It is something I have been doing since I was a child,” I said slowly.
“Jumping off a cliff?”
“Yes, we used to play here when we were kids.”
“I see.” She looked like she was storing this information for the future.
“What was your childhood like?” I asked when we walked back to the path together.
“Very different. It was just me and my brother most of the time. Our father disappeared and our stepmother lost herself to grief. We were always together. He taught me horseback riding and showed me how to use a sword. We exchanged books and played with farm animals. I think we were neglected in a way.” She stopped to look at me, then changed the subject. “Do you think it is possible to cross the border?”
“I’m hoping that’s something Sage can help us with.” I looked at the mountains, remembering the exchange we had this morning.
“Why him? How would he know?” she asked.
“He used to be a royal seer, the one on the very top. I think he knows more than anyone else here.”
“If he knows things, why isn’t he telling anyone?” Alina asked.
“He likes to have power over me. He wants to make me suffer for it.”
“I don’t think he’s a good man,” Alina said in a firm voice.
“No,” I responded. “Are you ready to try again?” I asked and Alina’s face turned pale.
“I . . . I’d rather not,” she said weakly.
A half a dozen jumps later, I was ready to call off thesession when a new idea came to my mind. I positioned Alina with her back to the edge of the cliff, facing me. My hands landed on the sides of her waist.
“Now. Try to concentrate on me,” I said and her eyes darted toward the drop.
“Alright,” she whispered when her eyes met mine.
“Don’t look away,” I said and stepped off the cliff.
I held on to her tightly as I started to turn. Alina’s eyes looked almost black, but she kept her gaze on me. Slowly, I could detect a light dusting of copper on her skin. She was changing. A moment later, the two of us soared up into the sky.
“I told you,” I said directly in her mind.
“This is amazing.” She laughed.
The adrenaline from the fall, the cold, crisp morning air and Alina’s laugh made everything about this day instantly better. I turned my head, watching her catch up to me. Her copper scales played in the dim light of the sun. She was so unbelievably beautiful. And she was mine.
CHAPTER FORTY-THREE
ALINA
The sun was trying to come out from behind the clouds, and I could clearly see the bright golden outlines of the peaks that would disappear as fast as I could detect them, as if they were not even there. My chest was swelling with emotions, all the unspoken words, and for the first time in a while, I wanted to cry, because my heart was so full and I was happy. Happy in this moment, happy to be with him. I swayed in the air, and only then I saw Tynan make a sharp turn, vanishing behind the shoulder of the mountain. I paused trying to figure out where he was going. I followed to the exact same spot and saw Tynan, already changed into his human form, disappear into a well hidden cave. I slowed down and descended closer. When myfeet touched the rock, I stilled, peering into the darkness. The opening was not big enough for my dragon body and I transformed.
“Tynan?” I called and received no answer.
I looked around, questioning if I was in the right place. There was no way I would walk into the pitch black nothingness. Fear crept up my spine and I took a step back.
Suddenly, someone pulled me into the cave and I yelped, trying to break free.
“Relax, princess,” Tynan said.
