Page 74 of The Infirmary for Dragon Burns and Midair Mishaps

“Answer me honestly,” she said, pressing my hands against her chest. I could feel the calm beat of her heart. “Are you in any state to be working right now?” I opened my mouth, but she pressed on. “If you were one of your burntenders, would you want them standing at the exam table right now, trying to heal?”

I stared at my trembling fingers where they rested against her. Vaela held them tighter. “I suppose not.”

“You have to agree that you’re in no state to be working,” she said softly. “You can’t even stop shaking.”

I nodded, knowing she was right, but despite how badly I wanted to tuck my body against hers, I pulled back.

Her eyes narrowed slightly. “Why do you always do that?”

“What?” I rasped, my throat thick, my head pounding.

“Pull away from me,” she said.

“You know why.” I turned. I already felt wretched enough, I didn’t want to endure that sad look on her face.

“Eden?”

“I can’t keep doing this,” I whispered, feeling tears in the corners of my eyes.

“Doing what?”

I couldn’t keep trying to get this wretched organ in my chest to understand that this—me and Vaela—was a horrible idea! I shoved through the door of the cottage.

Vaela followed me, her footsteps shuffling against the floorboards. They stopped directly behind me, and I could feel the heat of her, hear her breathing.

“Don’t,” I murmured, crossing my arms against my chest. I was trembling all over.

“I know you’re afraid,” Vaela said, reaching out, her fingertips drifting down the back of my arm. A cloud of pine and leather overwhelmed me. “Don’t you think I am, too?”

“Vaela,” I started, turning to face her, but I was unsure of what to say next. I didn’t want to keep pulling away. “I care about you. I do. But I⁠—”

“Don’t let there be a but,” she whispered, catching my face with her hands. Her thumbs ghosted along my cheekbones so gently it could have been the touch of a butterfly. “Caring about someone means knowing fear, knowing you could lose them at any moment, and still doing it anyway.”

“I don’t want to live like that,” I murmured, those tears threading along my lower lids. But I wanted her. I wanted her so badly the ache of it ate through me, clawing at my ribs, leaving scars behind.

“Every time I climb onto Min’s back, some part of me knows it could be our last ride together,” Vaela said. “But I love her enough to know she’s happier in the air, where she’s free, doing what a dragon is meant to do. I love her knowing I could lose her. Knowing that I will lose her.” Her voice grew soft, pleading. “What other choice is there, Eden? To never love at all?”

A sob caught in my throat. Was that to be my life now?

Wanting her.

Wishing for her.

But never crossing that boundary. Never letting myself fall?

“There’s something freeing about facing your fears.” Vaela’s words hummed against my lips. “Trust me. Just…”

“Trust you.” I didn’t want to fight it anymore. I surged forward, my heart beating in my throat as I gave in to the torrent of emotions that rocked through me. Vaela held me in the circle of her arms as I dragged her face down to meet mine, her lips soft, seeking, sure of their movements.

I tilted my head, and the kiss became something more, something desperate as her hands drifted up and down my spine, curling around hips and drifting along my backside. It was like she wanted to be everywhere at once, and I wanted that, too.

I wanted to know the rhythm of her hands on my body.

We stumbled sideways together, knocking our knees against the wooden frame of the bed. I lost my balance, yelping as I dropped onto my back. Vaela grinned down at me like I was something wonderful, and I giggled a little awkwardly, my chest lurching at the adoring look on her face.

“Can I?” she asked, catching the crook of my leg beneath my skirt. Her fingers stroked softly beneath my knee.

I nodded, patting the space next to me as I shifted back on the bed, making room. Vaela sat down, rolling up the fabric of her trouser leg before leaning over to remove her prosthesis.