Chapter 5
I wasn’t sure how long Mal and I flew—it felt like only minutes, but I knew it had to have been an hour or more, judging by the violent shivers I couldn’t escape. Even if my mind didn’t notice the cold, my body still did. If I flew for much longer, the chills would make me sick.
With a sigh I nudged Mal’s belly with my leg. “Time to descend, Mal.”
He growled with displeasure but arced to the left, pitching downward. We’d flown too far once before, and I’d been ill for two weeks. Mal wouldn’t risk it. Not only because he cared for me, but because I was his only rider; he couldn’t bear to be grounded for that long.
Dragons didn’t necessarily need riders, but they preferred it. It made them feel safer, knowing we were on their backs. Samiria had once told me that, long ago, there had been fae beasts that roamed the skies, hunting dragons. The dragons had bonded with the fae who possessed the strongest magic and were best suited to protect them. Generations later, it was still their instinct to bond with a rider before taking to the skies.
Which made little sense to me. I had yet to manifest any fae magic, much to my confusion and frustration. I also had no memories of my childhood, which led me to believe some kind of horrible magic had manifested itself early on, and I hadn’t been strong enough to handle it.
Perhaps I was just broken.
I once tried to teach Gigi how to ride. I managed to secure her on a mild-tempered Greyback named Jorey. But once she was harnessed in the saddle, Jorey refused to move. I wasn’t sure how, but I could understand his intention: he would not ride with someone who didn’t trust him.
So, for now, I was the only rider. I tried to ride as many of them as I could to keep them content. Most often, it was just me and Mal; he was the only dragon restless enough to demand a ride every day. The others were satisfied with weekly rides. Sometimes even less frequently than that.
Mal smoothly glided through the sky, sinking lower and lower until he landed just in front of the grove. I stayed atop him as he clambered into the forest, both of us breathless from our flight.
“That was incredible, Mal,” I said with a grin, patting the side of his neck. “Your wing movement has improved. That was the smoothest ride yet.”
Instead of purring with delight, Mal’s entire body went tense and rigid. His claws dug into the soil, and his back arched with a growl. I stiffened, my legs tightening in the saddle as I scanned the forest for the threat. My skin prickled with awareness, my heart thundering.
It didn’t take long to notice the stranger. He was tall and muscular, adorned in riding leathers and polished boots. His burgundy coat was finely crafted and worthy of a high lord, at the very least. He stood by Jorey, his hand outstretched to pet the Greyback. To my surprise, the dragon lifted his head, eyes closing as he allowed this stranger to run his fingers down the silvery scales.
My eyes narrowed. “Who are you?” My voice was harsh and echoed in the forest.
The stranger turned. He had chestnut hair that swept over his forehead, mussed and untidy. His green eyes surveyed the woods with part amusement, part curiosity. His tan skin was only a few shades lighter than his hair.
“Apologies,” he said lightly. “I was on my way to the palace and found myself here. These creatures are beautiful. Quite breathtaking.”
“Step away from him,” I snarled, dismounting from my saddle and storming toward Jorey.
The man lifted his hands and withdrew from the Greyback. “ Forgive me. The dragon seemed to like it. If he’d recoiled, I would have stopped.”
I faltered at that, glancing down at Jorey. His eyes had opened, his snout lifting as if searching for the warm hand that had been stroking him moments ago.
My mouth opened, then closed.
The dragon liked the stranger.
This had never happened before. The dragons were only ever comfortable around me and Samiria. Gigi, they tolerated, but begrudgingly.
So how had this stranger calmed them so effortlessly?
Who the hell was he… and why was he here?
My eyes swept over his belted leather tunic and vest and polished leather boots. Nobility, most likely.
My heart sank. “You are here to court the princess, then?” He was just like Sir Levin, trying to catch a glimpse of the dragons. Only this one was bold enough to sneak into the hatching grounds. Why the dragons hadn’t roasted him, I had no idea. My hand absently began stroking under Mal’s chin. He stood stiff and alert, his eyes pinned on the stranger.
“No,” the man said, straightening and placing his hands behind his back. Nobility indeed. “I’m in the Summer Court on business.”
My eyebrows lifted as I turned to face him. “Really? What kind of business?”
A wide smile spread on his face, the gesture so natural that it seemed perfectly suited to his features. As if a smile belonged there and always would. His eyes crinkled, the green in them seeming to deepen with his amusement. “Ah, well, I can’t just share all my business dealings with strangers, now, can I? Who are you ?”
“I—” I faltered. The words I’m the princess had almost escaped me, and I was prepared to tell him off for venturing too close to the dragons. But for the first time, here was a nobleman who didn’t know who I was. Someone who wasn’t seeking my hand.
The notion was oddly freeing. Almost as freeing as my ride with Mal.
I cleared my throat, turning to Mal to remove my saddle. “I am only here to tend to the dragons.”
The man arched an eyebrow. “So you are like a stable hand. ”
I scoffed. “Hardly. The dragons mostly care for themselves. I am only here to ensure the restless ones go flying as often as they need to, and that the hatchlings are protected.” I thought of little Azure, who would die without the nourishment of her mother. Was the stranger here for her? Had he stolen the mother and returned for the offspring?
But no, he wasn’t anywhere near the hatchlings. And I didn’t dare look over to the crater where Azure was curled up, lest the stranger follow my gaze and investigate.
The man frowned and nodded, scrutinizing Jorey with interest now. His eyes sharpened with a shrewdness that made my stomach twist.
“What?” I demanded, placing my hands on my hips.
“I am merely surprised that the royal family takes such measures,” he said.
“You think we would cage them like wild beasts?” I said hotly.
The man raised his palms once more. “Gods, no. I pictured a beastly dragon who guards the castle to fend off wayward men like myself. These delightful creatures are… much more magnificent and affectionate than I had imagined.”
“Oh.” I dropped my arms by my sides, feeling foolish. “My apologies.”
The man laughed. “ I am the one who wandered into the forest, my lady. It was only justified the Keeper of the Dragons accosted me.”
I chuckled at the title. “If you are here on business, then why are you roaming about the woods?”
The man was extending his hand to Jorey once more. When I didn’t stop him, and the Greyback nudged closer with excitement, the man began stroking him once more, a soft smile gracing his handsome face. After a moment, he said, “I often come to the forest… to dance.”
A loud and rather unladylike laugh burst from my lips, followed by an obnoxious snort. I immediately clapped my hands over my mouth, but the damage was done. The man straightened, his eyes going wide and a half smile curling along his lips. “Good gods, what was that ? ”
Still chuckling, I shook my head, my face on fire as I turned away from him.
“No, no.” His light footfalls came closer as he approached. “I distinctly heard you make a sound, fair maiden. Please repeat it for my delicate ears.”
I laughed again, softer than before. “Stop that!”
“I will not! Whatever is so funny about the thought of me dancing in the forest?”
More giggles poured from my mouth. Tears streamed from my eyes. “You are a liar. You must be a human, then?”
He smirked, then brushed his hair away from his ears. His pointed fae ears.
My jaw dropped. Fae could not lie. “You are in earnest? You truly go dancing in the woods?”
He crossed his arms, a look of indignation on his face. “I am affronted and, quite honestly, offended that such an idea amuses you, my lady. I am known as one of the finest dancers in my kingdom.”
Though my lips twitched, I straightened, my head only coming to his shoulder as I gazed up at him. “Are you, now?”
“Yes. My dancing skills are renowned.”
“Well, then. Prove it.”
His mouth opened, and pure shock flitted across his face.
Burning suns, that was satisfying.
My smile only grew as I lifted my chin. “Show me your renowned dancing skills, good sir.”
He cleared his throat, then rubbed his chin. “I, ah. Well, my dancing skills are only appreciated with a partner.”
“Oh, forgive me! Where are my manners?” I unlaced my boots and stepped out of them, my bare feet pressing into the soft soil. I drew closer to him and extended my hand.
His face slackened in surprise. “What are you doing?”
“Well, offering myself as your partner, of course.”
Half his mouth quirked upward. “You, the mighty dragon tamer, can dance?”
“Why so surprised? Is it so shocking that a lady such as myself would know how to dance?” I mimicked his air of offense and sniffed haughtily .
He laughed and removed his coat, then tossed it to the ground next to my boots. “Very well then, fair maiden. Prepare to be dazzled by my grace and finesse.”
His hand came around me, his fingers splaying along my upper back. My arm rested against his, my palm to his shoulder. His other hand clasped mine, our fingers interlacing. His skin was warm and smooth. Certainly not the calloused hands of a tradesman.
He seemed to notice the same about me. His eyes darted to my hand in his, his eyes narrowing slightly. I watched his calculating expression take in everything about me, from the cotton dress to my bare feet to my stiff and elegant posture.
I was a walking contradiction. My authoritative tone and poise suggested royalty, but my muddied dress and lack of propriety suggested otherwise.
“You are an enigma, my lady,” he murmured, his voice soft as he drew me close.
“As are you, good sir.” Like him, I was scrutinizing my dance partner, noting the smooth and clean shaven chin, the unruly hair, the fine clothes. He smelled of pine and mint and something that reminded me of waterfalls; the rushing waters and the cool forest air. The scent momentarily transported me to Kellen Falls, where my parents had often taken me.
My thoughts dissolved as he stepped forward, guiding me in a swift waltz. His feet moved with grace and ease, each step gliding us backward, then forward. My skirts swished with the movement. I allowed my arms to relax in his as he led, a wide smile of surprise spreading along my face.
“There now,” he teased. “You seem utterly shocked that I am capable of such an accomplishment.”
“You cannot blame me,” I said. “A strange man comes into the forest and pesters my dragons, then claims he ventured into the woods to dance . Would you believe it, if you were me?”
“Probably not,” he admitted. He didn’t even miss a step during our conversation. We continued spinning as I followed his lead. “Then again, you are not exactly what I expected, either. This feral dragon keeper—whose bark is far more vicious than that of the creatures she tends to—can dance just as well as I can! How unusual indeed. ”
I threw my head back and laughed, my chest feeling lighter as delight coursed through my body. This dance, this moment of anonymity and amusement, was the most unexpected and enjoyable encounter I could have imagined. “So you admit it, then? My skill equals your own?”
“I would not say that ,” he hedged. “After all, I am leading, am I not?”
“Then, allow me.”
This time, he did stumble, and another bloom of satisfaction spread through me. Burning suns, I did love catching him off guard.
“I beg your pardon?” he sputtered.
“Allow me to lead you and show you my own skills.”
He raised a single eyebrow. “What exactly are you proposing, fair maiden? For you to lead as a man does?”
“And why is it that only men get to lead? Why should they be expected to bear this responsibility entirely on their own? Wouldn’t you like to be led for once? Wouldn’t that be nice?”
He frowned as he considered this. “Well, that’s certainly a unique notion.” His steps slowed, and he dropped my arms. “Very well, then, feral dragon keeper. Show me what you can do.”
I laughed, then repositioned our arms. I had practiced leading with Gigi before, but she was much shorter than I was. This was a struggle, as the stranger stood more than a head taller than me. Even so, I wrapped my arm around his waist, resting my hand against his back. He placed his own hand along my arm, his fingertips tickling the exposed flesh of my collarbone. Despite the ridiculousness of our pose, his nearness brought heat to my face, and I found I couldn’t look him in the eye.
Gods, if Mother could see me now… Dancing with this stranger, our bodies so close. I didn’t even know his name.
My mouth turned dry as I took a deep breath and started us off in the same waltz as before. Truth be told, my steps were clumsy, but the stranger did not mock me as I expected. He followed my lead, and we spun around the forest clearing once more. Eventually, once I had a handle on our movements, the dance was just as smooth as before.
The man’s eyebrows lifted as he gazed at me with awe. “By the gods,” he said softly. “You can lead. ”
I laughed. “Perhaps you should not underestimate a lady, good sir.”
“Perhaps you are right.” He grinned widely, his eyes crinkling again, and I found myself returning the smile. His palm was warm against mine as we stepped forward, then back. He surprised me by twirling me once, then bringing me back in. After that, he led the dance, and I allowed him to. Our positions changed effortlessly, switching hands and arms, before we slid back into the dance. The forest filled with our laughter. Even some of the dragons ventured closer, their eyes curious. Mal had curled up on the ground, wrapping his tail around himself and resting his chin on the tip—a sign of his contentment. Clearly, like Jorey, he had accepted this stranger.
When we were both out of breath, we finally stopped and released one another. I was near dizzy from the constant motion, and I sank onto a nearby stump to reorient myself. The man clapped his hands together twice. “You are a rare gem, my feral maiden.”
I laughed. “Stop calling me that!”
“Are you not feral? I saw you riding that dragon, your hair untamed and wild like some creature. Almost as if you belong here with them instead of whatever grand manor you were likely raised.”
My face fell at that reminder. I hadn’t been raised at a manor at all, but a palace. And I had no doubt my mother was wondering what was keeping me.
“I should be returning,” I said, rising to my feet.
The man straightened. “So soon?”
“Do you not have your own business to attend to?”
He grimaced. “Ah, yes. It was nice to forget about that for a moment, though.”
“It was indeed,” I agreed solemnly. I retrieved my boots and stroked Mal’s chin affectionately.
“Will you not tell me your name?” the man asked.
“Will you tell me yours?” I challenged.
He fell silent at that. Perhaps he, like me, relished the anonymity. It made our encounter all the more exciting.
But it also meant we might never see each other again .
“Do you often come to the Summer Court on business?” I asked.
“I’m afraid not.”
I nodded, trying to hide my disappointment.
“But perhaps if my business proceedings go well, I can change that.”
I looked up at him, daring to hope. He tipped an imaginary hat to me, that same mischievous smile lighting his face. “Until next time, fair maiden.”
I couldn’t find the words for a response. All I could do was watch as he made his way out of the clearing, his steps echoing in the wood.