Page 8 of Sanctuary with a Dragon
Up close, he was enormous—practically a mountain with eyes. But then he lowered himself, slow and careful, like he didn’t want to frighten me. It shouldn’t have mattered—I didn’t scare easily—but the gesture still tugged at something soft in me.
"Who are you?" he finally asked.
His voice was deep, resonant, and comforting, and my feathers fluffed instinctively at the sound. When they did, I sighed in relief. I kept forgetting to do that—it helped keep the cold out better.
I took a few awkward hops forward and dropped the battered ziplock bag I’d been carrying for hundreds of miles at his feet. I’d gotten used to flying these past few days. Walking? Not so much.
"You want me to read this?"
Ibobbed my head, immediately lost my balance, and face-planted into the snow.
Stupid raven body.
Oh, well. At least I’d gotten used to flying. The rest couldn’t be that hard, right?
The man chuckled softly and helped me back up. Then, almost as if he couldn’t stop himself, his fingers brushed down the feathers along my back. The gentle touch made me shiver, and before I could process the feeling, he’d already opened the bag and begun to read.
His expression shifted as he read—surprise flickered into concern, then deepened into something more complex. The muscles in his jaw tightened; a faint line formed between his brows. When he finished, he exhaled slowly, like he was trying to steady himself.
And then he looked at me.
Reallylooked at me.
There was something in his gaze I couldn’t quite name. Wonder, maybe. Or recognition. Whatever it was, it filled the air between us, humming through the space like unseen magic. I held my breath, waiting for him to speak.
"I'm sorry, Everly," he said gently. "This must be overwhelming. And you look like you haven't eaten in days. Why don't we get you inside? You can eat, rest, and then we'll talk."
I bobbed my head in acceptance of his plan, and hopped after him as he grabbed an armful of firewood from the pile at his feet, then strode throughhis cabin door, leaving it wide open for me hopping and walking like a drunk behind him. Exhaustion weighed so heavily on me, I couldn’t even walk straight. I stumbled, bumped into things, then finally made it into the cabin.
I took a moment to look around. It was warmer—I noticed that instantly—with light wood floors, thick rugs, and the scent of pine and smoke from a long-dead fire. I flapped awkwardly to the couch and collapsed onto a soft pillow, trembling with relief.
The man returned with a plate of chopped food and set it in front of me.
"I wasn't sure what you'd want—there's venison, blueberries, and some nuts. Eat what you can There’s plenty more."
I bobbed my head in thanks, then scarfed it all down, barely stopping to breathe. The man set a bowl of water near me, filled to the brim, and I finished that too. After my stomach was full and my thirst satiated, I couldn’t keep my eyes open. They blinked, then blinked again, the pauses between each one growing longer until they refused to open at all.
"Rest now," the man said gently. "We'll talk when you wake up."
I tucked myself into the pillow's warmth, hoping he was as kind as he seemed, and then I slept.
Chapter 3
Alaric
My mate!
I trembled as my knees hit the floor near Everly, my chest heaving and my breath sawing in and out. My hands shook as I curled them into fists. Thoughts refused to form; for several long, tense minutes, I just knelt there, listening to the sound of my own racing heart, trying to breathe steadily enough to think again.
I never thought I’d meet my mate when she was in a different form. A form she was unable to change out of. Because of this, I didn’t really know what she looked like yet—but honestly, I didn’t care. She was mine, and mine alone. Mine and my dragon’s. Whatever form she took as a human, I would find her beautiful, breathtaking even.
I couldn’t believe she was here. I was stunned. Shocked. Crying, apparently, as I stifled a laugh and agroan at the same time, and swiped the moisture off my face.
I reached to touch her, to be sure I wasn’t hallucinating, but then I pulled my hand back. No. Not while she slept. Not without her permission. She trusted me to be a safe place, and I would honor that. Always.
I could feel my dragon, Elandor, completely reeling inside of me as well. I couldn’t speak directly to him, as disease had temporarily stolen our telepathic link, our strength, and our ability to shift, but I had a direct line to his emotions, and he was feeling just as overwhelmed as I was right now.
We’d contracted Fatal Missing Mate Syndrome, or FMMS for short, a few years back, and since then, our health had been declining.
