6. Baron #2
I can’t do this today.
Not right now.
Not after what she said.
I knew she hated me before; I hated her too. But her true disgust for me was fully laid bare earlier. She isn’t going to want to see my face, and I can’t comprehend what comes with seeing hers.
“I need to breathe, Baron.”
“It’s not going to happen.”
“Baron!”
I huff at him, and he mirrors the action, only, it’s not just black plumes of smoke that slip from his nose, but heat. Fire chars the grass beside me, exposing the weight behind his words as defeat threatens to claim me.
“Get on.”
It’s a command, not a request, and I need to follow it.
Boots forgotten, I slip under his wing and climb onto his back, a move we’ve done a thousand times, yet when he darts into the air, euphoria rushes through me as if it’s the first.
Pressing my forehead against his scales, I bask in the blissful sensation, appreciating the way the wind whips around my hair.
Now I’m grounded.
It’s ironic that it requires the loss of the actual ground to get me there.
I don’t look where we’re going, letting him guide us as our racing hearts soften and fall into sync, connecting us as one. Slowly, I tilt my face to the side, pressing my cheek against his scales as I open my eyes.
We’re in the clouds.
It’s perfect.
I exhale, finding the strength to release the strain of my emotions with no witnesses. It only ever happens when I’m so far away from everyone else that no one will ever know. Except for Alaric.
All too quickly, he dips beneath the clouds, offering a panoramic view of campus.
My gaze snaps to the nesting dragons off in the distance, while spying a few Water Protectors in the cove. It’s humbling and serves as a reminder that the world continues on despite my issues.
Being up here has a special way of putting everything into perspective, cleansing my soul and making me whole again. The clouds drift away into the distance, leaving nothing but clear blue skies ahead and the promise of a stunning sunset tonight.
Maybe I can convince him to come back up here later.
I shake the idea off immediately as I recall the struggles he’s had with flying since worry has claimed him.
That’s my fault.
Frustration immediately bubbles inside of me.
I came up here for clarity, but I always hate it when it becomes crystal clear that I’m the problem. Taking accountability isn’t my preferred direction, but when it comes to Alaric, knowing there’s only me in his world, I have to shake the negativity and compromise.
Guilt swarms me.
Not just for Alaric, but Ivy too. Not that she would even listen to some bullshit apology now, but that doesn’t mean I can’t do something for my dragon.
Before I can change my mind, I run my hand over Alaric’s scales and exhale.
“Head to the Fire Protector Dorms.”
His wings falter for a second, but there’s no time to panic before he darts ahead, relief flooding me as if it’s my own, and a crack of a smile cuts the corner of my mouth.
It only lasts for a few seconds before he hits the ground with a thud, rounding us to a stop outside of the building in question.
Doubt seeps in, and uncertainty creates my first obstacle as I stare at the protected entryway.
The only way I can get inside is by reaching out to Archer or Ivy herself, and I don’t like the sound of either of those options. Before I let my dragon down, I spy a Fire Protector about to head inside.
“Wait!” I snap, jumping from Alaric’s back and eliminating the distance between us while barefoot. The girl blinks at me in confusion, clutching her bag to her chest as she frowns at me. “I need you to let me inside.”
She looks past me to my dragon and back again before clearing her throat. “You’re an Air Protector.”
“Yes,” I grunt, watching her brows bunch together further.
“Then you have your own dorm.”
I roll my eyes. “I know, but I need to get into this one.”
She worries her bottom lip, irritating me further. “The fire is there to keep you out.”
“I’m aware, but my fated mate is in there and I need to see her.”
“Call her,” she retorts, narrowing her eyes, and I bite back a groan.
“I’ve tried that,” I lie. “She isn’t answering.”
She seems to gain a bit of confidence as her spine stiffens and she huffs. “Maybe that’s because she doesn’t want to talk to you.” Her eyes fixate on my bare feet for a moment before she looks back at my face. The ability to hold myself together is faltering.
“She’s only just been released from the medical center. I’m worried.”
It’s not a lie. An exaggeration, sure, but if Archer were here, it would flash as the truth.
“Oh,” she breathes, rocking from side to side as she considers me.
“So, are you going to help me out or not?”
Her eyebrows crinkle for a second before she exhales. “Fine.”
I grunt, placing my hand on her shoulder as gently as I can before we step through the flames. The second we’re on the other side, I take off, darting up the stairs without even a thank you. I should feel bad, but I’m too focused on the task at hand.
Until I find myself right outside her door, and regret starts to creep in.
Staring at the wood, I consider hightailing it back out of here, but a sniffle comes from the other side and my heart freezes. My pulse quickens in my ears as I hear a sob, and another, and another, and my soul threatens to rip in two.
Shame coats me, suffocating me as I splay my fingers across the door, the grain beneath my fingertips offering no solace as my chest aches.
I move on instinct, balling my hand into a fist before rapping my knuckles against the wood.
The sobs pause, and the sound of shuffling feet fills the silence before the door opens.
The medical center-issued gown is gone, and she’s wearing a pair of sweatpants and an oversized t-shirt.
It’s a far stretch from the beauty that she always is, put together perfectly, all pristine and untouchable, but it’s the most beautiful I’ve ever seen her.
Especially with the way her hair is all messy and bundled together on top of her head.
Curiosity flickers in her red-rimmed eyes, but it quickly morphs into disappointment.
“Not today,” she mutters, moving to shut the door, but before it can slam in my face, she pauses, eyes glowering at me as she speaks.
“Not any day, actually,” she clarifies with a nod, ready to put the obstacle between us.
“I need your help,” I blurt, just as only a sliver of light filters through the crack, and she freezes again.
“You don’t deserve my help,” she bites, and she’s not wrong.
“It’s not for me, it’s for Alaric.”
Seconds twist into minutes as she lingers with trepidation on the other side of the door, not completely blocking me out. “Alaric?”
“My dragon.”
“Is he okay?”
I scrub the back of my neck.
“He’s been struggling. He needs to see you’re okay.”
Another pause, but before hope can take root, she slams the door the rest of the way shut.
Defeated, I drag a hand down my face as I take a backward step, but as I turn for the stairs, I hear the creak of door hinges from behind me. Frozen in place, I watch in wonder as Ivy appears, boots on her feet and a small cardigan around her shoulders.
“Where is he?” she breathes, and I point toward the stairs, too afraid to respond and spook her.
Silently, we make our way downstairs, keeping a few steps between us until we reach the entryway. I glance from the fire to her to find her lips pursed.
“How do I help you get out?”
“I have to be touching you,” I admit, and she grimaces.
“Of course you do,” she mutters, and I hold my hand out for her to guide me to where it suits her best, and she offers me her arm.
My fingers slip around her wrist with ease, reminding me just how dainty she is, but there’s no time to linger on that fact as she drags me through the fire. All too quickly, she shakes out of my hold and tentatively moves toward my dragon.
It’s on the tip of my tongue to warn her of his snarly tendencies, but just like at Inky Lake, Alaric lies down when he sees her.
Ass.
He never makes the effort to make me feel comfortable like that.
Mesmerized, I watch as she moves on instinct, coming to a stop in front of him, before she falls to her knees. A resonant purr rumbles in Alaric’s throat, rattling our connection as he drops his face to hers.
My legs threaten to give way beneath me as I watch them. Warmth spreads through me, and I know it’s coming from Alaric, but it claims me as if it’s my own satisfaction. I’m simply a bystander as they remain huddled together.
My fingers flex as I watch her stroke his scales, and he leans into the touch. A smile graces her lips as she looks up at him.
“I heard you’re struggling. Do you feel better now?”
“As long as you feel better too.”
She hums. “I’m getting there.”