Page 117 of A Fate of Ice and Lies
A tentative smile crept over my face. While every part of my body hurt from this terrible heartache, I could still savor the moments that brought me joy.
“Nalari!” I called out.
At the large area she claimed as her pasture, she shook her enormous body and let out a huff.
“If you want to know what’s in the last chapters of the journal, take me flying,”I called out.
Goosebumps rose over my flesh in anticipation.
“I can just sift through your brain and get the information myself,”she countered.
“Nalari,” I grumbled.
“I’m not taking you hunting,”she argued.“You’re careless and?—”
“Flying, Nalari.”I let her hear my desperation.“I just want to fly.”
She was silent for a few beats.“Flying. We can do that.”There was a hint of joy in her voice, and it made me wonder if she used to fly for fun back at Niev with the other Guardians. Our mountain of responsibilities usually kept her too busy to do that here.
I ran for her, letting my long strides eat the distance between us. When I reached her, I leaped onto her side using her scales to climb onto her back.
This was good. This was normal.
I pushed away the aching emptiness of losing my mate. Of never really having her.
When Nalari crouched down, I hugged my chest to her neck. She leaped off the ground, her wings tucked to her side, and dove into the sky like an arrow set for the sun.
Her wings fanned out, and as she expertly glided in the air, I spread my own arms out. I lifted my head upward and let out a loud whoop.
Nalari laughed. And then my crazy Guardian rolled so that I was upside down for a few beats, certain to fall to my death before she righted us again.
Gripping the expanse of her neck as best I could, I barked out a raucous laugh.
“Maybe warn me next time you do that.”I chuckled.
“Where would the fun in that be?”she joked back.
Joked. As in Nalari, my Guardian who didn’t have friends, teased me. Right after she did some insane trick with me on her back.
With a few flaps of her wings, she angled her body upward. She flew us straight up again, her speed increasing, when she leveled us off and then plunged straight to the ground.
My heart raced, and my smile grew, all while I hugged my body close to hers.
One after another, Nalari maneuvered her body through the sky in ways I’d never seen her do before and hadn’t known she was capable of.
By the time she finished, my cheeks hurt from how much I’d smiled. It only made me happier when I felt her own joy through our connection.
“Your friends are back at the cottage,”she told me.“Do you want to keep flying or go back to tell them about the journal?”
I wanted to keep flying. Wanted to talk to Nalari about what I’d read so we could discuss it before I told the others.
I’d already spent the past two weeks acting like an ass to them, so shouldn’t I at least discuss this with them?
“Don’t apologize to them,”Nalari demanded.“Royalty doesn’t apologize, and I needn’t remind you you’re a prince.”
“A fallen prince, Nalari.”
I wasn’t ready to talk to them, though. Wasn’t ready for the pity in their eyes or the questions they wanted me to answer.
