Page 32 of I Dream of Dragons
Laughter huffs out of him. “You’re really not scared of me?”
“Scared of you? Nah,” I bluff. “Not even one bit.”
“I control a shadow wielder, the King’s Sword, and dragons, and I have the power to open gates between the worlds, but you’re telling me you’re not scared?”
“Haven’t seen you opening any gates yet. And where were you all this time? Hiding inside Jai like a child behind his mother’s skirts?”
His brows gather like a storm. “You don’t know any limits, do you, stupid girl? You have no idea how this works between Jai and I.”
“Calling me names now? Very mature and endearing.”
His eyes widen. Then he huffs with more laughter. “Is this humor? I’m still learning to recognize it.”
“No, it’s sarcasm. Why don’t you do some research in between sucking up to the king and crushing Jai, using his mouth to say things he’d never say?”
His lips don’t even twitch. Sarcasm is definitely lost on him. “Jai doesn’t realize that he needs me as much as I need him.”
“Really? What for?”
“To keep him alive.”
“That’s a lie. He doesn’t need you.” I flinch when the screech of a drak fills the tunnels, vibrating through the walls and the floor. “Now get us out of here.”
Another shift in his expression. Mild surprise? Mild annoyance?
“Command me,” he says, and seems to startle himself even more. “By the Gods…”
“What’s wrong?”
“Nothing.” He turns away from me, hiding his face from me. “Let’s get a drak and fly.”
CHAPTER ELEVEN
RAE
Grabbing a drak isn’t as easy as it had sounded.
Going after a drak in its lair is pure madness.
I should have guessed.
“I thought you didn’t want Jai to die,” I hiss and duck as the yellow Goldfinch drak screeches and sends a plume of fire in our direction. Its round red eyes flash like flames to match the fire spewing from its fanged mouth.
“Stand back, human. I can protect Jai but not you, not if you get in the way.”
“I’m in the way? It’s atunnel! There’s nowhere to go.”
Ignoring me, he takes off running toward the drak.
I repeat: herunstoward the monster that fills the tunnel with scales, claws, fangs, and fire.
What in the hells, right?
Then he takes a flying leap that has me cursing and racing after him despite what he said—as he swings himself onto the drak’s leg, using invisible handholds to climb.
“I thought you could just command the dragons!” I shout, stopping.
“I’m still recovering from drowning, if you don’t mind,khora,” he grates, his voice bouncing around us as he keeps climbing. “My power is somewhat dimmed.”
