Page 25 of Flameborne: Fury
My fierce hunger for her that wouldn’t ease, no matter how much distance I kept.
Her telling me she trusted me, even when she didn’t trust others.
The dreams.
“How long?” I snarled at my dragon. “How long have you known this and not told me?”
Kgosi rumbled a warning and blew steam from his nose, swinging his great head around as if to knock me off my feet. Ronen and the others shouted and drew back, but Kgosi stopped dead, that massive eye inches from my face.
‘I told you the moment you were ready to hear it, and still you balk. Donotshift blame, Donavyn. It isn’t the heart of an honorable man.’
I stared.
Bren wasn’t merely a kindred heart. Not just a woman who’d tangled me in desire.She was mymate.
My knees wanted to give. But there was no time.
‘If you’re finished having your little tantrum, I’m going to find my mate and bring her home. This is your chance to do the same,’Kgosi growled in my head.
Without hesitation I ran for Kgosi’s harness hanging on the wall, yelling at the men that Kgosi had a plan and we were about to fly.
“Sir?” Ronen asked. “What did he learn? We can fly with you—”
“No, this is too delicate,” I muttered, grunting as I threw Kgosi’s harness over his back.We couldn’t have other men and dragons nearby when Kgosi claimed his mate. He’d kill them.“Kgosi has a plan.”
“But—”
“I need you here while I’m gone. Inform the Captains. Find Lorr. Figure out who gave Faren the orders,” I rattled off as I buckled straps and checked the girth. “Send a messenger to the King and inform him that the dragons have… there are…”I stumbled. I turned from slipping the last of Kgosi’s harness straps into their keepers and met Ronen’s confused gaze. “Tell the King that the Primarch believes he can follow their trail. But he needsnodistractions. Especially with the storm. We’re traveling north. We’ll bring them back. What I need is details managed here in the meantime,” I said sternly. “Something about this stinks, and you’re the only ones who have Bren and her dragon’s best interests at heart. Find our schemers, guard any secrets you uncover, and be prepared to report when I bring them back. Am I clear?”
Ronen’s expression hardened and he nodded. “Yes, Sir.”
“Good.” I started for the door of the stable, Kgosi dancing behind me. The other men quickly moved back to let us through. “Trust no one, Ronen. I don’t understand what’s happened today, but someone is attempting to destroy Bren’s chance at Furyknight, and Akhane’s rising. We won’t let them. Are we clear?”
“Yes, Sir.”
The moment we were out of the stable building, I clasped his hand, then mounted Kgosi. Within seconds we were flying, my hands shaking on the neckstrap. But I was determined. There was no room to deny it any longer, and that meant no point delaying.
Mate. She was my mate. Twenty years my junior. My subordinate. The first female Furyknight. And her heart was so broken…
My head spun as my heart squeezed in my chest.
‘Are you sure you can follow her, Kgosi?’
He snarled in flight, arrowing through the darkening day and the buffeting wind.‘You doubt me?’
‘No,’I sighed, patting his shoulder.‘I doubt myself.’
Kgosi grunted and flew on.
9. Night Alive
SOUNDTRACK:Sad Life of a Roseby Edge of Paradise
~ BREN ~
The sky had darkened throughout the morning, and winds grew stronger, until it was only by Akhane’s much better eyesight and sense of direction that I could even be sure we continued to fly north.
If I hadn’t been worried about the impending storm, I might have enjoyed the flight more. But Akhane and I were both tense. And every time there wasn’t something to focus on, my mind kept tripping back to that night after my second trial, the way Donavyn looked at me, the way he’d come for me.
