Page 155 of To Fight and To Fold

Then it was the night before, and anticipation was too electric in Thea’s veins; she couldn't sleep and wished she could walk out of her skin, but she had settled for a regular walk.

The execution was scheduled for high noon the very next day. The sun had just set and the hours were counting down consistently in Thea's head, and she couldn't stop thinking of everything that could go wrong—and praying to the Great Dragon that it wouldn’t—over and over.

The only exception was⁠—

Starspark nudged her again, rear end shaking as he bounded away, wings flaring to steady himself, bracing.

"No, we're not doing this," Thea said, shaking a finger at him. "It's late. We should—hey!"

Starspark snuffled, then bumped her with his snout before leaping away again, trying to bait her. Thea turned away, head high, and began walking, because she knew better than to take his bait.

Thea let out an “oof” as Starspark collided with her again, making her stumble. His eyes were glimmering as much as his scales when she snapped around to face him. "Hey! You big winged cat! What are you⁠—"

Starspark's tail whipped around to tug at her ankle, and she gasped in betrayal as he almost pulled her off her feet. Catching herself at the last second, she leveled him with a glare.

"Fine," she muttered, and leapt, wrapping herself around his head like a barnacle to a ship. "You are so—damned—annoying," she bit out, clinging on as Starspark thrashed his head, playful little grunts spilling out as he pranced around. Thea thought she spied a splotch of pink, but was too concerned with holding on as Starspark tried to swing her off. "And pretty damned cute, too," she admitted. This game started by accident during training, and now he'd become persistent about it. As if you don't love it.

She dug her fingers between his scales, scratching over his favorite spots until he was rendered useless, melting to the ground with a happy sigh. This was his plan all along.

Thea couldn't help but chuckle fondly as she scratched and petted him. The way his big mouth curled was almost like a smile, and Thea wanted to cry suddenly. Or punch something.

Both.

There was movement from the side, and Thea glanced up just as the pink splash stopped.

It was Aaryn, grinning and gazing and leaning forward. She cupped the back of Thea's neck and their lips clashed, a little off-center, a little too hard, a little too quick. But plush and sweet and soft.

Thea was stunned all the same as Aaryn pulled back.

"What was that for?" Thea asked, her thoughts halted in their tracks just like her hand on Starspark's scales. The dragon wiggled, and her fingers began to move on autopilot, but even Starspark could tell she was distracted.

"Do I really need a reason?" Aaryn asked, absently reaching out to Starspark to pet him too.

"I—I guess not," Thea murmured, successfully distracted, gaze dripping to Aaryn's lips. Starspark was no longer the center of attention, so he wiggled from between them and slinked away, grumbling, tail flickering as he went to find another playmate.

Then Thea was the one leaning in.

This time their lips met, lingered, and brushed again. And again. Aaryn, soft as she always looked, sipped from Thea in a way that made her belly go tight.

They pulled apart, a breath of distance.

"Can you do me a favor?" Aaryn asked.

Thea was awestruck from the kiss, felt a draw to Aaryn's lips—to Aaryn—like magic to dragons. There was only one answer.

"I would love to," she said, her voice coming out so calm and docile when internally she was practically shaking with an electric excitement and butterflies like dragons in her stomach. "Anything you want."

"I want you to be safe tomorrow."

Thea's heart thundered in her chest. "I will be." Or she'd try so very hard to be.

"And what is it you want?" Aaryn asked, lips teasing Thea's with every word.

Desire struck Thea, sharp and pointed while everything around them was a blur.

"You," she answered simply, finally. She wanted Aaryn now, then, always. With magic or without, Awakened or not.

A small gasp escaped Aaryn, as if she hadn't been expecting the answer, and even the possibility of her doubt made something flare in Thea's chest that she couldn't recognize. A covetous longing, almost like possession.