Page 96 of Empire of Flame and Thorns

Heavy snorting sounds come from its muzzle as it pants. My chest heaves as well. And I know, without a doubt, that this is it. When it attacks this time, I won’t be able to evade it.

The wolfbear growls and bares its teeth.

Then it raises its massive paw and lunges at me.

A roar that could have shattered the heavens explodes through the air.

Then something huge slams down behind me with enough force to make the ground shake.

I gasp in shock as a massive dragon head swings around from behind me.

Another blood-curdling roar splits the darkening sky as the dragon opens his gigantic jaws and bellows at the wolfbear.

Stunned shock pulses through my body as I slowly turn my head and look over my shoulder.

A massive black dragon crouches behind me.

My heart flips.

Draven.

He has lowered his head and curved his neck around me, keeping his massive body behind my back, his neck protecting my right side, and his head slightly in front of me as he roars at the wolfbear again.

I whip my gaze forwards again to see the wolfbear jerk back. Then fury seems to pulse across the animal’s face, and it rears up on its hindlegs. I flinch and turn my head to protect my face as it swipes its claws towards me.

Fire sears through the air.

Another gasp rips from my lungs as a torrent of flames streams through the air. From this close, the heat is so intense that I can feel it vibrating against my skin.

The wolfbear only has time to shriek for one second.

Then the fire incinerates it completely.

My heart slams against my ribs as I straighten and turn fully towards the wolfbear again. Only embers and ashes remain. They float in the air, pulled up towards the darkening sky by a cold evening wind.

For a few seconds, all I can do is to stare at them.

Then I turn towards Draven.

He pulls his head back from around me and straightens.

Awe pulses through me as I stare up at his massive form. His huge black wings are spread wide to the sides, and red light fromthe dying sun reflect against his night black scales. My heart clenches. Goddess above, he really is breathtaking.

Black smoke explodes across the clearing, and the massive dragon disappears into it.

A moment later, Draven in his fully human form stalks out of the smoke. As usual, he is wearing his black dragon scale armor, complete with his massive sword.

I open my mouth to thank him for saving my life. But I don’t even manage to get the first word out.

Because Draven is looking at me as if he’s about to murdermenext.

CHAPTER THIRTY-THREE

Black storm clouds gather around Draven as he advances on me. Thunder rumbles from them, in tune with the anger that seems to roll off his muscular body. He flexes his right hand as he locks a commanding stare on me.

“Azaroth’s flame,” he curses, his voice coming out more like a growl. “What the hell are you doing?”

I jerk back, stunned by his anger. Recovering, I give my head a quick shake and then draw my eyebrows down in a scowl. “What amIdoing?”

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