50. I See You
~ VOSKI ~
Near. My mate grew nearer every moment.
I wanted to crawl out of my own skin, fly on Kham and get her the fuck back. Instead, I sat sullenly behind my mother on the back of empty, hollow dragons, Kham flying far behind, then later, ahead, as we drew deeper into Fyrehold.
On the fifth day we landed in the field of an estate I vaguely recognized from my childhood, and my heart rose. We would reach the castle the following day, I was certain.
Kham circled at a distance—a great distance. Right at the edge of our capacity to communicate with words. The moment he was able to reach Koa was thrilling, and heartbreaking.
I still couldn’t reach Grace with thoughts, though I could sense her more clearly with every passing hour. It was both a balm, and torment. I stretched for her constantly in the link, begging God to bring us closer, to connect.
Kham stretched, desperate to stay connected to me, and to reach his mate. His agitation increased my own. We’d landed while the sun was still up. Yet, instead of merely arranging a hurried meal and continuing our flight, the servants on the neighboring dragon began to unload our bags.
I stared, fighting the urge to curse the men, then turned and stalked after my mother, who’d started toward the estate house.
Long strides ate the distance between us until I caught her elbow and tugged her close enough to snarl in her ear.
“What are you doing? We have hours of daylight left in which to travel!”
She stopped walking and stared calmly at my grip on her elbow until I released her, then she tipped her chin up.
“We remain here for the night, then will fly to the castle tomorrow to join the festivities.” She started walking again, but I caught her arm once more, and the glare she shot me reminded me why my squad-brothers said my dark looks chilled them.
I’d learned from the best.
“We are almost there,” I hissed through my teeth. “Why would you wait another day?”
“Because we cannot appear too eager, and you and I have final strategies to refine, Vane.”
I opened my mouth, frantic to argue before the men had unharnessed the two dragons—a process which took them much longer, because of the extensive harnessing to provide safe, separate seats for three humans, rather than only one.
I wanted to scream. I could feel Grace. In hours I’d be able to speak in her mind.
“Mother,” I growled.
She turned to face me, sliding her arm out of my grip once more and warning me with a look not to take hold of her again.
“Listen carefully, Vane. I have been invited to attend the celebrations, culminating in a wedding, of Lord Breckon and his fiancée. The first official event is the gathering tomorrow night. To arrive in the castle before luncheon tomorrow would appear very common.”
“Gathering? What kind of gathering?”
“A feast to celebrate the coming wedding.”
“With the bride and groom?”
She raised both brows. “Of course—and the royals. And many others of high esteem. I am very honored to be invited,” she said flatly.
I didn’t let anything show on my face—glared down at her, in fact, as if she’d displeased me. But my heart sang.
I would see Grace tomorrow.
A shiver of need and love rippled down my spine.
She was there. So close.
I needed my mother to interfere in this marriage contract. But I couldn’t wait. Kham wavered in and out of contact, flickers of images—Koa, the sound of her happy screams, rushes of love and reassurance.
It all balled in my chest, crackling with energy and anticipation. I couldn’t just sit here for the better part of a day when she was so close!
But I also couldn’t let my mother know about Kham.
“Fine,” I snapped.
She nodded once, then turned toward the estate house again, walking with her chin up. “Come, have a meal. You’ll feel better after you’ve eaten. We can meet to discuss our best plan this evening.”
I had to keep her convinced that my need for her was greater than anything else. So, with a muttered curse, I followed in her wake, keeping my expression blank and eyes on the estate, rather than her.
But it was a true effort to remain aloof. ‘Go,’ I urged Kham. ‘Get closer. Talk to her. Find out precisely where they are. Then come back for me. We’ll fly at dark.’ Thank God the sun went down early this time of year.
When Kham screamed his joy and flew on, soon reaching the limit of our ability to speak, I smiled grimly.
And I think my mother noticed. But I didn’t speak. Didn’t give her the satisfaction.
Grace was near. So very near.
I would see her tonight. I would touch her.
I vowed it.
Late that night, just an hour from the castle, Kham and Koa’s reunion was touching to watch. I’d told Kham to land on the mountainside well away from the city, to give them time to greet and touch each other, vocalizing and tumbling together, without risk of drawing attention.
My heart trilled, reflecting their love and joy at being together once more—and ached, desperate for my own reunion. I could feel Grace clearly now—weary, angry, sometimes nervous. But still there. Still solid. Still safe.
I would be able to reach her mind, soon. At least, I prayed so. Would our separation have caused a greater rift in the bond? Before we left the keep, our reach for each other had improved, but still grown unreliable after we were separated by more than two dragon lengths.
I kept reaching for her as it seemed I’d been doing for days. I prayed we hadn’t lost progress. I needed her, so desperately. Even just hearing her voice in my head would calm some of the turmoil I felt at the separation, and I was certain it would help her as well.
I was impatient, but reluctant to pull the dragons away from each other.
Luckily, they were almost as eager to see us reunited as they were to be together themselves.
It was only minutes before Kham lumbered back into view, Koa walking at his side, so closely it seemed she leaned into him, each of their wings raised so their sides brushed.
She kept her head against his neck as he plowed toward me and offered himself for mounting, without another word.
‘Thank you,’ I sent as I climbed to his back.
‘We will find her.’
The hour was late when Kham finally wheeled over the castle, Koa flitting and whistling, left and right, turning in the air. We remained high so they could vocalize. But Kham warned her that once we descended, they would need silence.
The castle windows and arrow slits glowed. Even the gardens glimmered with lights, and the occasional shadow of bodies moved outside, despite the cold.
Scanning the surrounding areas, Kham agreed with me that the clearing a mile from the castle, amongst the trees, was the safest bet.
One thing we’d learned on our previous mission was that few actual Furyknights existed in Fyrehold.
Or, if they did, they had all been sent out on mission.
Beyond a handful of dragons that made the castle stables an occasional harbor, the castle land was devoid of trained, bonded dragons.
Plenty of feral dragons flew the skies—but not nearly as many as had been here months earlier.
After those events, I supposed most of them had left.
Or had they?
My mother was tight-lipped on how she was so directly connected with these despairing, hollow dragons, and where they were housed. Once I had Grace safe, I vowed we’d find out.
It was only minutes before I was on the ground in that clearing among the trees, leaving Kham harnessed for easy mounting later, and an agreement to remain in mental range. Then he took off, calling to Koa, who responded from her circling overhead.
And I took off, running toward the castle, and my mate, stretching for her in my mind, searching desperately, determined to find her immediately and never let her go.
‘Grace…? Grace…? Grace, I’m here—’
‘Voski?! Voski!’
I pressed myself into a sprint.
Finally. Finally.
‘I’m here. I’m coming. Don’t go anywhere. I’m coming for you.’
The tidal wave of love and desire washed over me, scouring me free of the cold defenses I’d built in order to deal with my mother.
I nearly wept.
And I ran like my feet were on fire.