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But she still wasn’t breathing.
A glance at the witch told him she was in awe of this process, riveted. Had she done it? Had she truly saved his mate?
He leaned over June. “Breath, baby.”
Her skin grew lustrous, glittering like a diamond in the sun. He was entranced. Her wounds were almost healed now, the last stitch pulling together. But why wasn’t she breathing—
Her back bowed on a great gasp, her eyes flying open.
Everyone in the room gasped along with her, and Tristan realized many of the guards had slipped in to watch. They all appeared unable to believe their eyes. Tristan, too, was frozen in amazement.
As June took in another breath, her body relaxed back on the bed, her gaze searching. When her eyes found him, she let out a little sob. “Tristan?”
The room erupted with cheers. They seemed almost as relieved as him. Did they realize how close they had come to losing their king? Did they realize without June, he would not abide living?
Didn’t matter.
He pulled June into his arms for a desperate, tear-laced kiss. She threw her arms around him, returning the kiss with equal fervor. To have her in his arms again. To feel her passion once more. The most luminous joy erupted in his chest and he found himself babbling. “I am never letting you go, June. Understand that. You will stay with me forever. There is no life without you.”
She grinned. “I came back to you. I came back because there is no getting rid of me. So you’d better just get used to it, buddy. You’re stuck with me.”
He knew his smile must have looked ridiculously big, but he didn’t care.
But then June’s expression fell. A slow frown crept over her face and then her expression grew worried. “Something’s not right.”
“What is it? What’s wrong?”
She pushed him off her and moved to stand, stumbling a few steps. “Something feels weird.”
“Sit, love. You just came back from the dead. It’s bound to require adjustment.
Instead, she moved toward the balcony, her path wobbly. “I need to be outside.”
Growing ever anxious, he followed her, holding his hands out in case she fell. He would catch her.
Clutching her stomach, she faced him, holding her palm up as she backed away, her face in agony. “Oh, God. What’s happening to me?”
“What is it, love? Talk to me.” His soldiers had followed him out, looking as if they wanted to help but were at a loss, same as him.
“I feel like… I feel like…” She doubled over and cried out. An instant later, her bones began to shift as her skin grew pale.
A part of Tristan knew what was happening then, but his brain couldn’t reconcile that it was happening to June. She wasn’t a dragon. Shecouldn’tshift.
An even as her body grew mass and her form took shape, his brain denied the sight before him. Framed against two pale moons, a gloriously beautiful silvery-white dragon stood before him, her snowy mane pouring down her delicate back and wrapping around her perfect cerulean-tinted chest. Her tail was a smooth extension of her body with a fluff of fur at the end. She stretched out elegant, gauzier wings. The twin full moons lit them from behind. Deeply teal-colored eyes flitted around, the dragon taking in its surroundings.
Tristan held up his hands. “You’re okay, love. Stay calm.” Meanwhile, his mind was reeling.How the fuck did this happen?He glanced back at the witch, but she was gone.
June made a noise of distress, backing away. There was terror in her eyes. She didn’t know what was happening to her. She was too close to the ledge and her foot slipped. Her body jerked as if to catch herself, but there were four legs now to contend with instead of two, and her body went over the ledge. Without thought, Tristan ran and jumped after her, transforming midair.
Folding his wings in and streamlining his body, he easily caught up with her. “Wings!” he hollered in his guttural dragon voice. “Fly!”
With the ground rushing at them, June twisted around and opened her wings to catch the air. She slowed, but only slightly. Her wings weren’t fully erect. He could see the panic in her eyes.
“Fly. With Me.” Tristan kept his voice calm for her sake and then showed her how to spread her wings. Like great sails, he angled them to glide alongside her. She had seconds before she met the ground. He would catch her before then, soften the fall with his body.
Stretching her wings to their fullest, June seized a pocket of air and her descent began to arch away from the ground. At the last moment, she veered up, grazing the treetops before pitching higher.
Supreme relief puffed out of Tristan’s nostrils.
