Chapter 28
It’s midnight, and my arse is hanging out a window. I can’t seem to get in or out.
I’m simply stuck, hips jammed in the frame.
I’m supposed to be sneaking out to Avalon Tower with Tristan, but my shimmering purple cloak snagged on something. Then I was thrown off balance, and now I’m dangling forty feet above the ground. But apparently, this is the only option for sneaking out tonight.
Tristan, of course, was out within seconds, but that’s the advantage of being able to control time.
I wriggle out just a little more, and the window frame groans next to me.
Just a few feet below, Tristan has anchored himself to the thick vines on the wall. “Quite the view right here,” he says.
“Enjoying yourself?” I mutter. “Because if you don’t help me out soon, I may kick you off the wall.”
He slides a hand onto one of my hips, and the warmth from his palms spreads through the thin fabric of my T-shirt. Gently, he shifts me against the stones, twisting my hips more vertically.
I wiggle out slowly, trusting him to catch me before I plummet to my death. And as I squeeze myself through, Tristan wraps an arm around my waist, pulling me tightly against him.
“I’ve got you,” he whispers into my ear.
My arms encircle his neck. Pressed against his hard muscle, I breathe in his familiar scent, staring into his eyes, where the gold kisses the green.
My gaze flicks down to his lips.
“Shall we go?” he whispers.
“Right,” I say. “Let’s climb down.”
“Are you okay to climb down on your own? I want to use my magic to rush over to the dragon keep.”
Still wrapped in his arms, I peer down. It’s only about four stories, which I think I can do. Especially with the vines growing over the stones.
“No problem.” I shift off of him, grabbing a thick, woody piece of ivy that clings to the walls.
“When you get to the bottom,” he says, “run east, close to the shore. Tarasque and I will find you fast.”
And that’s it.
Without another word, Tristan disappears in a blur of shadows.
I feel a million times colder without his nearness. I wish I’d dressed more warmly for the night.
I grip the ivy tightly, lowering myself down. As I do, a faint golden glow bounces off the rocks. My halo has already reappeared.
I start to move faster. According to Tristan, we have about four hours before the Cloaked Ones will realize I’m gone.
Tristan won’t tell me how he knows that, but if I had to guess, it’s something to do with the fact that Mabon was found outside the castle walls last night, unconscious and with absolutely no memory of how he got there.
And while I know Mabon is drunk most of the time, I suspect Tristan had a hand in that particular scenario, and that’s how he knows how much time we have.
So, four hours until their hunt begins.
As fast as I can, I hurry down the ivy. When I’m only eight feet above the earth, I let go.
I land hard in the grass and spin, scanning for movement.
No sign of the Cloaked Ones, no soldiers. I glance up at the stars, orienting myself with the guiding star. Then I start running east.
The night wind howls over me as I race through the shadows, tasting the tang of sea salt. To my right, the ground sheers off in a steep cliff face, and a salty breeze whips off the water.
I sprint past flowering hawthorns and fields of wild thyme along the shoreline.
Tristan already prepared me for this—we’ll be riding together on a dragon named Tarasque.
I have no idea why we’re doing this, only that he promises the dragon is very well trained.
She belongs to Prince Talan, the one royal I actually like, since he had a chance to take the throne and abdicated instead.
I make it less than half a mile before a shadow sweeps over the moons, cloaking the world in darkness.
It’s an almost overpowering impulse, the urge to run and hide from the dragon circling overhead.
It’s an instinct I have to fight, especially when I see its red scales, so similar to Goch’s.
The creature unleashes a low, primal growl from her chest. I stand still as a statue in the grasses and try not to think of Blythe.
At last, Tarasque arcs lower, and her feet hit the ground first. Then she raises her head, letting out a roar that makes the soil tremble beneath my feet.
Fear steals my breath.
Her nostrils flare, and the scent of sulfur coils through the air. Her eyes slide to me, liquid silver that sends my heart racing.
Tristan sits on top of Tarasque’s neck, smiling down at me like he’s just brought me a friendly dog to play with. He’s obviously very pleased with himself. He beckons me closer. “Come on, Syn. Before the Cloaked Ones find you. We don’t have far to go.”
Tarasque lowers her neck further, stretching it out in invitation.
My fingers curl into fists as I stalk closer to the dragon. I’m not about to admit how much dragons unnerve me, so I’m just going to shove my fears down deep and do what I need to do—climb on the creature.
I take Tristan’s hand. I don’t need his help balancing, but I appreciate the chivalrous gesture.
With a deep breath, I straddle her neck and nestle against Tristan. He slides a hand over my waist, pulling me against his warm, hard chest. When I brush a hand against Tarasque’s scales, I find them softer than I expected.
Tristan’s face is close to mine, his breath warming the shell of my ear. “See the ridge sticking out, by her spikes? Grab that to stay on.”
I swallow hard. “That’s it? Just grab the spikes?”
“You’ll want to use your thighs as well.” His grip around my waist tightens, pure iron around my stomach. “But mostly you’ll be counting on me to keep you from falling into ruin, which really could be said for most of our time spent together. Don’t you think?”
“I don’t know, Tristan. Remember the time you tried to escape the Undercroft to live life to its fullest, and I found you three hours later, passed out drunk beneath a willow tree—”
“We don’t need to rehash—”
“—and you had no trousers on? I believe I saved you from ruin that time.”
“Syn, I made it clear I’m the one who will be keeping you alive on this mission, right?” I can hear the amusement in his deep voice.
He leans forward, grabbing onto another one of the dragon’s ridges. His strong arm rests against mine, caging me in so I feel safe.
Tarasque raises her head and takes a few graceful steps. My muscles tense as I brace for the flight.
Tristan’s thumb brushes up and down on my waist to reassure me. “Hold on tight, Syn. Rise, Tarasque!”
Tarasque lifts her neck higher and snorts, exhaling sulfurous steam into the air. As her neck lifts, I slide back against Tristan and grip the ridge of spikes, tightening my thighs to brace myself.
Her wings spread, then sweep up, beating the air as we take off. We rise from the ground, and the wind whips over me, rushing through my hair.
I peer down at the dark grasses and wildflowers as we pull away, leaving the comfort of solid earth far below. My breathing is fast and shallow, my knuckles white from gripping the dragon’s ridges.
We soar over a cliffside, and dark waves churn below us, slamming against the rocks. The moons glimmer off the waves as we arc over the sea.
Tristan’s hands clench more tightly around me. “You’re going to want to hang on. We’re going to head through the portal.”
We’re picking up speed, racing above the star-flecked ocean. Tristan shifts his hand under one of Tarasque’s scales, pressing on it. As he does, she arcs sharply through the air, tilting at almost forty-five degrees.
My stomach flips, but Tristan is keeping me firmly in place, using his arms to hold me rooted to the dragon. Unfortunately, he also seems to be guiding us directly into the sheer, chalky cliff face. My heart thunders, panic snapping through my nerve endings.
As we race closer to the cliff, I shout Tristan’s name into the wind.