Page 46 of Flameborne: Fury
His eyes never left mine. “That’s what happens if you catch a lick of dragonfire where you aren’t wearing dragonhide.”
There was something about the tension in his jaw that made the pit of my stomach roil.
He didn’t break the gaze. “I was cocky. Thought I was above the rules. It was a hot day and I was flying home. But we met combat while I wore nothing but a vest and linen shirt. It was the tiniest lick of flame—they were almost out of range. But the dragonfire melted the linen into my skin. The curved shape is where the vest protected my skin.”
I traced that half-moon shape again, frowning. “It must have been very painful.”
“It was. And my Wing Captain forced me to strap and fly three days later to teach me a lesson.”
“What?!”
He nodded. “I’d been told to wear my jacket, and like a child, I thought I knew better. I removed it once we were in flight. If I’d listened, I would have had some singed hair, maybe a blister on my neck, and nothing more.”
I grimaced knowing how tight the flying leathers were and shuddering at the thought of strapping a burn like that, then wearing leathers over it.
“Your compassion is touching,” he said a moment later.
I glanced at him, then went back to trailing fingers down the curve of his spine to the hollow of his back and another scrape-scar there.
“I hate the thought of the pain you must have been in.”
“And that’s what’s touching. That you even try to imagine it.”
I shrugged. “All these scars—you’ve lived a very dangerous life, Donavyn.”
He grunted. “Every Furyknight’s life is dangerous. I’ve just been one for a long time.”
A very long time.
He’d been a Furyknight a little longer than I’d been alive.
I swallowed hard. But Donavyn frowned.
“Why do you suddenly feeluneasy?”he asked abruptly, pushing up on his elbows.
Oh shit.This bond would beveryinconvenient. “I thought about how long you’ve been a Furyknight and all the experience you have that I don’t.”
I continued stroking his back, admiring the muscles that had been carved by decades of hard work, but he propped on his elbow and rolled his body away, facing me, his gaze stern.
“I can feel you, Bren. It’s more than that. Tell me.”
My cheeks heated. Not because I was naked and he was staring, but because he wanted mythoughts.That was far more horrifying. I scrambled, trying to conjure a reason to feel a little low, or—
“Don’t,” he said sharply.
I froze and looked at him, wary. “Don’t what?”
“Don’t be afraid of me. You have no need. If there’s a problem, we’ll discuss it. That’s not to say I’ll never be angry, asI’m sure you will be with me. But I’d never touch you in anger, Bren. I’d never hurt you. Not like that.”
I blinked. The words were such a sweet gift. So baldly spoken. Simple truth. I was certain he meant them. I frowned, measuring myself at that thought. I’d learned very early to be wary of Ruin’s anger. His disapproval, though never violent, could be intimidating. And my father used open palms to emphasize a point.
“You mean that. I canfeelit,” I said, incredulous. How was it possible to be naked next to this man and feel no fear at the idea of his anger?
But Donavyn frowned, and sat up, leaning forward, examining my eyes. “And I can feel you—and it makes me rage that you say that with surprise andrelief,”he muttered. I shrugged, but he shook his head. “Hear me, Bren: Any man who would lay hands on you—or even make you fear he might do so, will deal with me. Let him showmehow strong he is,” he said ominously.
My heart thrilled and dropped in the same moment. He was soearnest.Serious. Fearless.
I scanned his body again, all those scars. He knew pain. Understood what it meant to bleed for his convictions. And yet, I felt the assurance in him. The bone-deep belief that he would stand between me and danger. And gladly.
