Chapter 27
Chapter
Twenty-Seven
Z ander’s lips pressed harder against mine, and I felt myself falling—deeper, further—like I was tumbling into something I couldn’t control.
His hands slid from my waist to my back, pulling me closer until there was nothing between us but heat and breath and the rapid thrum of my heart.
My fingers dug into his shoulders, feeling the solid strength beneath the fabric of his tunic.
The kiss deepened, his tongue teasing the seam of my lips, coaxing them apart.
I let him in, desperate for more. My body hummed like a live wire, energy snapping beneath my skin in sharp bursts.
Every touch—his fingers at my waist, his hand tangling in my hair—sent fire rolling through me.
I leaned into him, craving the warmth of his body, the safety of his arms.
He tasted like smoke and something sharper, something wild and untamed—like the storm that always seemed to live behind his eyes. I couldn’t breathe, but I didn’t care. All that mattered was this—the way he held me like I was something precious, something his .
His hand skimmed down my side, fingers pressing into my hip, and heat pooled low in my stomach. His teeth grazed my lower lip, and a quiet sound escaped me—needy, desperate. I didn’t recognize it as my own.
“Zander,” I whispered, unsure if I was asking him to stop or to keep going.
He groaned against my mouth, fingers tightening at my waist as his lips found the hollow of my throat.
My head tilted back, exposing more skin, and his breath scorched my pulse point.
I knew this was dangerous—knew I should pull away before this spiraled out of control—but I couldn’t make myself let go.
And then, just as my fingers slid beneath the hem of his tunic, Zander broke the kiss.
His breath came hard and fast as he rested his forehead against mine, his fingers still curled against my side like he didn’t want to let go. “We should get back,” he murmured, voice rough and strained.
I swallowed hard, still dazed, still aching for the warmth of his mouth on mine. “Yeah... okay.”
Hein emerged from the tree line, shaking out his silver scales like he had all the time in the world. Zander stepped back, his eyes dark and unreadable as he walked toward his dragon. I followed, still tasting him on my lips, still feeling the imprint of his hands on my skin.
The flight back was quiet. I could feel the tension rolling off Zander in waves—his body taut, his jaw clenched. I wanted to say something, to fill the silence with anything other than the chaos spinning inside me—but I couldn’t find the words.
When Hein landed in the compound, I slid off the dragon’s back, grateful for solid ground beneath my feet. My heart still pounded like I’d run for miles.
“I’ll see you later,” Zander said, his voice distant, like he was forcing the words out.
And then Hein lifted into the sky, carrying him away before I could reply.
I stood there for a long time, the cool air nipping at my skin—still feeling his mouth on mine, still tasting him. My emotions were a tangled mess—a knot of want and anger and confusion I couldn’t begin to unravel.
What the hell just happened?
I barely remembered walking back to my room, my thoughts still tangled in the taste of Zander’s lips and the heat of his touch. My ribs had stopped aching from the trial, but my mind wouldn’t stop spinning—the storm inside me refusing to calm.
When I stepped through the door, Riven glanced up from her bunk. “Where did you go?” she asked, tossing her braid over her shoulder.
I hesitated, still unsure how to explain the chaos boiling beneath my skin. “Zander took me to the Dragon Isle,” I said finally, hoping that would be enough.
Her brows shot up. “He took you to the Isle?” She sat up straighter, eyes wide. “Why?”
I shrugged like it wasn’t a big deal. “I needed some air, and I guess Hein thought a ride would help.”
“You rode Hein ?” Her voice pitched higher with disbelief. “As in, Zander’s dragon? The massive silver that could crush a house if he sneezed too hard?”
“Yeah.” I dropped my dagger on my bunk, exhausted and ready for bed. “I guess he’s feeling charitable.”
“Charitable?” Cordelle set his book aside and leaned forward.
“Ashe, Hein doesn’t do charitable. He’s almost as old as Kaelith, older than most dragons in the horde.
” He paused, eyes narrowing thoughtfully.
“Dragons don’t let anyone else ride them unless they’re in battle.
Those instances have been due to necessity, strategy, and injury. ”
Riven blinked. “Let me get this straight... you’re saying Hein just took you for a... what, a leisure ride?”
Cordelle nodded grimly. “That goes against everything I’ve ever read about dragons.”
“Well, there’s obviously a reason,” Naia said, swinging her legs off her bunk. “Maybe he’s just fond of her?”
“Dragons don’t get fond of anyone but their rider,” Cordelle said. “They respect power, dominance, and loyalty. I believe Kass is one of the most easygoing dragons in the horde, but he would scorch any one of you if you tried to mount him.”
“Are you sure?” Riven asked.
Cordelle nodded. “I just asked him, and he wasn’t overly polite about his answer.”
I sighed and leaned my head back against the wall. “Honestly, I don’t know why Hein did it. Zander said it was his idea. Maybe he felt sorry for me after the trial.”
“That’s still weird,” Cordelle muttered, reaching for his book again. “I’ll keep looking into it.”
Riven shifted beside me, lowering her voice. “But... why would Zander take you there?”
I hesitated, feeling heat crawl up my neck. “I don’t know. Maybe he just... thought I needed a break, too.”
Riven’s eyes narrowed like she didn’t quite believe me, but she didn’t push. Instead, she smiled softly. “Whatever happened... it’s good, isn’t it? You’ve been carrying a lot lately. Maybe someone’s finally giving you a little peace.”
Peace.
That wasn’t what this was.
Because every second I’d spent on that island—with Zander’s hand holding mine, with his lips on mine—had only made the storm inside me worse.
I stared at Riven, her words fading to background noise as my mind spiraled—not back to the trial, not to my aching ribs, but to Zander.
His hand on mine, his lips claiming my breath.
The heat that had rolled off him, tangled with the scent of pine and smoke.
I could still feel it like an imprint on my skin, like something buried too deep to erase.
The storm inside me swelled, pressing against my ribs, clawing to be set free. I didn’t notice it until Riven’s face shifted—her smile faltering, her eyes widening in alarm.
“Ashe…” Her voice sounded far away. She backed up a step. “What are you doing?”
I blinked, but everything around me blurred—like the room had been stretched and distorted by heat waves. My veins felt molten, my skin too tight for my body.
Kaelith? I reached for her instinctively, but there was only silence—no thread of her mind to anchor me.
“Ashe!” Cordelle’s shout cut through the fog, sharp and panicked. “You have to stop!”
I couldn’t. My magic wasn’t just churning—it was reaching . The crackle of lightning vibrated through my bones, an unnatural hum filling the air. My breath came fast and ragged.
The room darkened—the sudden shadow of rain clouds swallowing the sunlight that had been streaming through the window just seconds ago. I swayed, fighting to stay grounded.
The first raindrop struck the roof above us—a sharp ping that grew into a steady, angry rhythm.
The air thickened with static. My hair rose at the roots, and my fingers twitched—tiny sparks dancing across my fingertips. The world tilted, and suddenly the shouts of my squad sharpened—frantic, urgent.
“ Ashe, let it go! ” Jax bellowed.
I couldn’t. The pressure inside me built, twisting like a knife in my gut. My skin burned, veins glowing faintly beneath my skin like molten gold. The searing pain ripped up my arm and across my chest, jagged and relentless.
I staggered, clutching at my ribs as if that would contain the fire spreading through me. My vision blurred, flashing white-hot.
Pain exploded, tearing through my body like lightning striking from the inside out. My knees buckled, and I hit the floor hard, my breath torn from my chest in a ragged gasp.
The thunder roared above me, and I heard nothing else—not the shouts, not the pounding rain, only the storm raging inside me.
Something solid pressed against my palm—cool and hard, biting into my skin.
My wrist ached, pulled taut like someone had wrenched me back from the edge of a cliff.
My magic surged, spiraling out of control, enough that I felt it clawing at the air, tugging at the energy around me like a vortex trying to devour everything.
You’re going to kill them. The realization hit me like a blow to the gut.
“Please,” I whispered, unsure if I was speaking to myself or my magic.
“Ashe, squeeze your hand!” The voice was faint, barely breaking through the storm in my head. Cordelle.
I obeyed—my fingers closed tightly around the object, hard enough that I felt something sharp tear into my palm.
Warmth bloomed—blood slicking between my fingers—but with it came clarity.
My magic shivered inside me, still restless but no longer raging.
The burning in my chest eased—not all at once, but slowly, like floodwaters retreating after a storm.
I clutched the charm tighter, nails biting into my skin. The pain kept me grounded, kept me tethered. My breath slowed, the thrum of power finally dimming. It took minutes—long, agonizing minutes—before the room stopped spinning and the shadows receded.
The world sharpened, the familiar sight of my room coming back into focus. Everyone—Jax, Naia, Ferrula, Tae, Eilvin—stood pressed against the far wall, their faces pale with fear. Only Cordelle and Riven stood closer, just a few feet away.
Cordelle knelt in front of me, his face tense. “What happened?” I croaked, my throat raw.
“You lost control,” Cordelle said quietly. His eyes flicked to my hand. “But this... this stopped you.”
I glanced down, fingers slowly unfurling. The dragon charm Cordelle had given me was slick with blood. My palm was raw and angry, the deep grooves of my nails still imprinted in my skin.
“You lost control,” Riven whispered. Her face was still pale, but she stepped forward and placed a hand on my shoulder. “But you pulled it back, Ashe.”
I swallowed hard. “I almost didn’t.” My voice shook.
“But you did ,” Cordelle said. “That’s what matters.”
I looked at the faces of my squad—my family—and for the first time since my power had awakened, I wondered how much longer I could keep them safe... from me .
Embarrassment coiled tight in my chest, making it hard to breathe. I’d let my emotions spiral because of Zander—because of the chaos he’d stirred inside me. My thoughts had been too clouded, too tangled, and now everyone had paid the price.
“I don’t know what to do,” I muttered, my voice hollow. “Kaelith isn’t answering me.”
“Is she mad?” Cordelle asked, stepping closer.
“No,” I sighed. “I don’t think so.” If anything, Kaelith had felt... distant. Not cold or resentful, but distracted—like something else was demanding her attention.
Cordelle moved back to his bunk, rummaging beneath it before pulling out another worn book. “I keep switching these with my father,” he explained. “Trying to find anything that might help you. But dragons tend to either accept you or reject you. This feels... different with Kaelith.”
“Different how?” Riven asked, sitting down on her bed as the rest of the squad quietly settled in.
“I don’t know,” he admitted. “But we need to find a way to stabilize Ashe’s magic... until Kaelith gets more accommodating.”
I scoffed bitterly. “Not sure that’s ever going to happen.”
“Maybe she can’t help it,” Riven said thoughtfully. “Could something else be going on with her?”
My mind replayed the image of Kaelith and Hein wading in the shallows—the way Hein had moved closer, trying to gain her attention. She’d seemed... unsettled. Not quite angry, but preoccupied.
Was something wrong with Kaelith?
“Maybe,” I murmured. “But there’s only one way to get answers about a lost magic.”
Cordelle’s eyes sharpened. “The prisoner?”
I nodded. “I have to know if he’s fae...
and if he can help me.” My stomach twisted as I added quietly, “I’m being pulled in too many directions.
Between Kaelith, training, my father, and Remy.
..” I trailed off, unwilling to say Zander’s name aloud.
His presence lingered in my mind—the warmth of his kiss still burned on my lips.
“I need answers,” I finished.
Riven rubbed her hands together with a wicked grin. “I guess that means we’re planning to infiltrate the castle.”