Page 43 of Radiant Shadows

I glanced around the rooftop as I stripped down to my smart suit. I was grateful that my harpy form allowed for privacy, but despite Tobias’s insistence that this spot was safe fromprying eyes, I still felt exposed. I’d never shifted outside of the Dome before, and paranoia was an easily accessible state at the moment.

The smart shirt I wore was long-sleeved and warm enough to wear without a coat despite the deep chill in the air. My toes felt like they might freeze when I took my shoes off, but as soon as those black talons emerged, I was good to go. I reveled in the transformation, circling my shoulders as my wings came out, enjoying the lightness in them, the soft feathers tickling my hands.

Tobias smirked at me as he rounded his shoulders, letting the shift happen in a flash. I stood mesmerized at the sheer size of my now-dragon boyfriend. I’d seen him in action several times, but it still seemed startling. Even though I’d been at this school for a few months now, sometimes I still struggled believing such fantastical creatures were real.

And I was dating one of them.

He flicked his scales, and suddenly, his image melted into the access door behind him.

“Whoa,” I gasped, stumbling backward slightly. I hadn’t been expecting that.

“Try to get above me once we’re in the air,” his disembodied dragon voice rumbled. “You shouldn’t be too conspicuous at the height we’re going, but it doesn’t hurt to be safe.”

I blinked at the seemingly empty air before me. “How will I know where you are? I can’t even be sure where you are right now, and I just saw you disappear.”

“Here.” There was a sound like playing cards being shuffled, and a strip of gray scales appeared, marking a patch along Tobias’s back. “That will let you know where I am.”

“Neat trick,” I commented with a nod of approval.

“Yeah, about that,” he said, the gray strip bending back and forth like a snake. “It’s not really widespread knowledge that I can change the color of my scales.”

“Oh, that’s not some advanced dragon thing?” I asked.

“No. So I’d prefer that we keep that knowledge just between us.” Even through the rattle of his dragon timber, I could hear the intimate nature of his tone.

Not all dragons could change the color of their scales, let alone go invisible as he just had. When he’d done that in the sim before, I just assumed every dragon could learn it. Now, knowing that he was trusting me with this knowledge, even though he kept it well guarded, made my insides tug with a strange sort of pride.

Tobias, the stoic, closed-off dragon, was trusting me with a secret. And yet, I was unwilling to share mine with him.

I smiled and shrugged, the gesture feeling a little odd with my wings out. “Of course. My lips are sealed.”

“Thanks,” his dragon voice practically purred. “Ready?”

I nudged my discarded coat and shoes a little further against the wall with my talon. “Whenever you are.”

“Then come on!”

There was a whoosh of air as Tobias launched himself, and I followed behind him. It was a little difficult to keep track ofhis exposed gray patch of scales as I shot into the sky, but thankfully, the sky was clear enough to spot it.

I chased that patch higher and higher, then when I saw its direction level out, I swooped above it and found a current to soar on.

The air flowing over me felt delicious, the bite of cold dampened both by my shifted form and the heat regulation of the smart clothing. I had known it would be different than flying inside, but I didn’t expect it to be so exhilarating.

Up here, I was completely removed from the vampires who wanted to capture me, the general who wanted to wield me, the teachers who had all their expectations. Up here, I was free, untouchable. And even though I couldn’t wholly see Tobias, it was nice to know he was with me, that we were free together.

Once we traveled far enough past the city, I decided to test out some of those trick maneuvers Ms. Heather had shown me. Arching backward, I managed a shaky loop-the-loop that I was sure looked very ungraceful, but it felt so cool.

“This is amazing!” I yelled over the wind rushing past my ears.

“I always love a good flight topside,” Tobias’s voice came from my right. “The Sim Room is great, but there are subtle things missing. But today is the best.”

“Why’s that?” I asked, turning in that direction.

“Because you’re with me.” Even though I couldn’t see his face, I could imagine his dragon smiling.

We were well away from Chicago by now, the wind at our backs speeding their flight.

“I want to try something,” Tobias said, and suddenly, all his scales seemed to materialize from the air, turning a deep shade of red as they flipped and flattened.

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