Page 87 of To Match A Dragon's Fire

Beautiful. Brave. Reckless.

But it was her fear that struck me the most. The essence of it was foreign to my body, but she pushed through and marched with determination deeper into the caverns.

I’d never been this afraid until I fell in love.

And I did love her—more than life itself.

She is our fated mate.

If I had any doubts, they were erased. I could feel Ember in a way I’d never felt anything before as the mate bond slipped into place between us.

This was real. Impossible. But undeniable now that the evidence was staring me in the face.

There was still so much to explore.“Can you hear me?”

Ember jumped, looking wildly around the dark tunnel as the flashlight beam bounced off the cave walls. “I think I’m going crazy. It felt like you just spoke inside my head.”

“You can do it too.”I smiled, feeling another piece of the bond slip into place.

Her nose scrunched as she thought.“Like this? We can talk to each other?”

“We can.”Iput my hand on the small of her back, guiding her toward the larger tunnel where the dragon-fire lanterns lit the way.

“This is nuts,” she whispered, closing her eyes as if that would help her think.“I’m going to have so much fun with your head.”

I laughed as I tucked her close to my side, worried she might trip on the rocks.

It’d been ages since I’d studied mating bonds, back when I was still young and hopeful I might find mine, but I knew instinctually that ours was solidifying.

The stories hadn’t adequately warned me of the intensity of my need to protect.

I reached out with my senses to the jewel of my hoard, making sure Bemouth was aware of our presence and checking that Dahlia was contained.

My heart was torn in too many places. I couldn’t abandon them in their old age, but I couldn’t live if anything happened to Ember.

“The runes are in here?” Ember asked.

I felt her excitement course through me as we stopped in front of the cavern entrance and she reached to tie up her hair into a messy bun on top of her head.

What is that…

“Is that her?” Bemouth’s voice boomed in the cave, shaking dust from the walls as his massive tail swished from side to side.

I knew that to a human he must look a monster, but Ember didn’t let that break her stride.

“I am a her.” Ember smiled brightly as she stepped away from my arms. “And you are?”

I tried to get another look at her neck as she reached out her hand toward Bemouth, but my dragon gave a possessive rumble at the thought of her touching another male—even one as old and dear to me as Bemouth—and the feminine roar of rage from the back cavern mirrored my response.

Bemouth chuckled, amused by our reaction, as he cocked his elbow and lowered himself to Ember’s height. “Best if we bump elbows for now until the mating bond is firmly in place.”

“Is it not real yet?” Ember looked at me as she brushed her hand over her neck, touching the spot where I’d bitten and claimed her.

“It’s real.” My voice was ragged and my heart beat harder in my chest.

I’d gotten a glimpse of the mark on her delicate skin.

There’s no way…

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