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Malcolm’s dragon just chuffed at him, snapping his jaws before curling his head back around Claire, clearly uninterested in further discussions about his size. Touchy dragon, Claire thought, rolling her eyes.
With Desmond’s help, Everett quickly secured the pack around Malcolm’s neck. “I know it usually fits around your belly,” Everett said, “but that’s not an option with the straps we have and I’d rather not waste any more time trying to find others.”
Malcolm stretched out his wings and then shook himself as if indicating it was okay. The strap rested just behind where Claire and Desmond had sat last time. Desmond would probably appreciate the extra hand hold.
“Alright, Everett, your turn,” Desmond said. Claire turned eager to watch her second mate undress but Malcolm’s dragon head was in the way.
“Malcolm,” she complained good-naturedly and the dragon just huffed as if he was laughing at her. She was distracted by Puck’s chirps as he leapt from spike to spike down Malcolm’s back.
“Ready, little guy?” Claire asked, catching him in her arms. “It seems to be one adventure after another since you found me.”
Puck chirped and purred as she scratched a finger under his chin. He sent her images of flying next to Malcolm and Everett and the joy he felt the last time.
“Okay then, glad someone is excited,” Claire said, setting him down. “But if you get too tired, let me know. This won’t be like the trip to the village. If you get too tired, I’m sure Desmond has room for you in his magic satchel.”
“He’ll get feathers everywhere,” Desmond protested. Claire shoved on Malcolm’s head so he let her step around to see Desmond and Everett.
“Whoa,” she whispered under her breath. Everett’s gryphon was also affected by whatever had caused Malcolm's dragon to grow bigger. The gryphon now stood at least two feet taller and the dark spots in his coat had gotten darker giving him a fiercer look.
“That answers my question,” Desmond said, coming to stand next to her. “My spells have gotten easier in the last few weeks and I was wondering if it was because I was just getting better at it,” he ignored Everett’s squawk, “Or if it was something else, but I think it’s you, Claire.”
“Me?” Claire asked, glancing up at him briefly before turning back to Everett’s gryphon who shook out his wings and preened for her. She smiled and stepped up to him, scratching softly at the feathers around his beak when he lowered his head for her.
“I think it’s because our bond is growing stronger and we have access to some of your residual magic. I’ve heard about it with bonded Triads before but I’ll have to do some more research.”
Everett’s gryphon nudged her towards Malcolm and snapped at Desmond, breaking him from the thought spiral he was going down with this new information. “Oh. Right.” Desmond said, grabbing the pack from the ground. “No need for the dramatics, you oversized chicken.”
The gryphon snapped at Desmond and he yelped. “The ass? Really Everett? Right before we are about to go on a flight? You know I hate flying already.”
Claire was still giggling when Desmond got up behind her. “You too?” he groaned playfully. “No mercy for your poor suffering Soul Flame?”
“Don’t start it if you can’t finish it,” Claire said, recalling the phrase from Mother Kemp when some of the other children at the orphanage would pick fights.
“Oh, I can finish it,” Desmond grumbled.
Whatever else he was going to say was cut off as Malcolm leapt into the air with Everett close behind. Claire let out a cry of joy as Desmond held onto her tighter, burying his face in her hair. For her poor wizard’s sake, she hoped it was a smooth flight.
16
The wind rushed through Claire’s hair, whipping away any sounds except for the beating of Malcolm’s wings. The loud rhythmic sound was soothing and Claire might have considered falling asleep to it if it wasn’t for Desmond’s death grip around her middle.
They were about two hours into their flight and the playful edge had worn off. Puck had given up trying to keep up and was crouched on Everett’s back next to them. The gryphon had let out a squawk of displeasure when the Notus first landed but settled when Puck burrowed into the mane of feathers behind his head and left the gryphon alone otherwise. Claire shifted against the hard scales as she tried to find a more comfortable position without jostling Desmond.
Everett sailed past them and swooped in a circle around Malcolm’s nose, spiraling downwards towards a clearing indicating his intent to land. Malcolm dipped as well and Claire ran a soothing hand over Desmond’s forearms as his grip tightened. Her poor wizard really did not do well with heights.
Despite his massive size, Malcolm’s dragon landed with a soft thump and Claire slid off gracefully. Desmond landed next to her, looking a little green but not too worse for the wear.
“Where are we?” Claire asked, giving Malcolm’s neck a pat. They had landed in a clearing that bordered a bubbling brook.
“Close to the Dragon Mountains,” Desmond pointed at the shadowy outlines of rugged peaks rising in the distance. “About another hour flight hopefully.”
Claire smiled at him and squeezed his forearm, sending some cool healing magic into him to hopefully settle his stomach. He gave her a grateful grin before turning back to Malcolm and digging through one of the packs. After he gathered a few items, Malcolm’s dragon lumbered off to join Everett and Puck as they drank from the brook.
“Here,” Desmond handed her some nuts and dried fruit. “Eat up. We’ll rest for a bit but it’ll be dark in a few hours so we’ll need to get going.”
Claire accepted the small bag and then moved to join the others by the brook. She laughed as Puck splashed Everett’s gryphon in the face and then darted out of his reach, hiding behind Malcolm’s tail. The gryphon plopped his head in her lap as he folded his body in front of her feet. Claire scratched his beak to console him, feeding him one of the nuts out of her bag.
Desmond dropped next to her looking a much better color. Everett’s gryphon squawked grumpily at her but Claire ran her fingers along his beak and he quieted.
