Dragonfyre (6 page)

Kyndra brushed the hair from her face with her hand and scrunched up her nose. “Is the bird still out there?”

“Aye. He procured another meal for the time being.”

“What’s the plan?”

He lifted a brow. “The plan?”

“I saw you climb up and take a look. You must have found something because you aren’t frowning.” She touched the spot between her brows. “You furrow your brows.” Aimery hadn’t realized he did that. It sent a thrill through him that she had noticed. Had their kiss affected her as much as it had him? Had she dreamed of him holding her as she slept?

Did she think of him sliding into her heat, thrusting inside her until sweat beaded their skin and she screamed her release?

He took in a shaky breath and turned his back to her. Regardless of how much his body wanted to feel her soft curves beneath him, there was more at stake here than his need. He clenched his jaw and focused his mind on the mountain.

“We follow the canyon as long as we can. I couldn’t see much from the ledge, but I think it takes us to the mountain.”

There was a rustle of sand as she gained her feet. “I hope we’re that lucky. Of course, there is no telling what is in the canyon.”

“True.” He turned to face her. “But doesn’t the prospect of finding out excite you?” Her lips parted in a smile. “Oh, aye. It does.”

There was no other person he could imagine by his side at that moment. The anticipation shining in her blue eyes was enough to make his heart skip a beat. Kyndra was afraid, but she also loved not knowing what was going to happen. She was made for just this mission. And he had no doubt she would succeed.

He glanced at her bare legs. A scrape ran down the outside of her right leg. “Does it pain you?”

She cocked her hip out and turned her leg so she could see it. “It hurt last night, but it’s fine this morn. We should get moving.”

“Do you have any other wounds?”

“I’m sure I have several, just as you do. Stop worrying about me, Aimery. I’ll let you know if something needs attention.”

He watched her walk past him and smiled. He caught up with her but stayed a step behind her. His gaze frequently strayed to the sway of her hips as she walked. He had to fist his hands to keep from reaching out and touching the dark, thick strands of hair that curled at her waist.

“Why did you choose the dragons?” He had wanted to know the answer to that since first laying eyes on her. Her beauty alone would have commanded any man in the realm, including the king.

She shrugged and glanced at him over her shoulder. “Why did you choose to become a commander?”

“I’m good at what I do. I worked my way up through the ranks and proved that I was trustworthy and able to make difficult decisions.”

She chuckled. “It didn’t hurt that you were friends with the king.”

“Theron doesn’t choose friends for positions unless they’ve proven their worth.” She stopped and faced him. “It wasn’t my intent to offend you.”

“You didn’t. I’m merely making a point.” He wouldn’t let her know that she had offended him. He had worked bloody hard for position of Commander, and he’d be damned to see it made light of.

“Ever since I was a little girl I’ve dreamed of the dragons. It was never enough to see them flying through the sky, their roars echoing through the night. I wanted to be near them, to know them.”

Her face had relaxed into a smile at the mention of the dragons. “They are magnificent creatures.”

“They are much more than that. Their beauty, their grace is breathtaking to behold. I’ve dedicated my life to learning all there is to know of the Blues. I’ve spent hours gaining their trust so I could venture through the Quay of Skulls and their lairs. No other priestess has ever accomplished that feat.”

“And you should be proud of it.”

She grinned, her gaze lowering in her embarrassment. “I am. Very much so.”

“Because of that feat, you’re next in line to be High Priestess of the Dragon Order.”

“I am. It’s what I’ve always wanted. Just as you’ve worked to become Commander of the army, I’ve worked to be the High Priestess. To be near all the dragons of our realm would be a dream come true.”

Aimery started walking again. He couldn’t look into Kyndra’s swirling blue eyes and not understand about dreams. He’d had a dream for so long now, a dream that had begun to fade and wither…until he had seen Kyndra.

He was tired of being alone, tired of eating and sleeping by himself. He might live in the palace with Theron, but he refused to intrude on their family time. He would be welcome, he knew that, but it wasn’t the same. He wanted his own family, to see his wife’s welcoming smile when he returned home, to have her arms wrap around him in the night, to see her belly swell with his child.

It was a hard lesson to learn that not all dreams came true. Many got their dreams but, for warriors like him, he was destined to a life of solitude.

“Aimery?”

He glanced at her beside him. “Aye?”

“Are you all right? You got quiet.”

“I’m just thinking of Isran.”

Kyndra knew he lied, but she let him. Something she had said had disturbed him. She had seen his eyes dim before he had turned away. He was such a mystery. His exploits were known across the realm, but few knew the real man. Kyndra realized then, she wanted to be one of the few who knew him.

She licked her lips and tried to keep up with his long strides. “By your reaction at the Quay of Skulls after you touched the male dragon, I gather Isran was a friend.”

“Was.”

That one simple word was filled with loathing and retribution. Aimery wasn’t a Fae she wanted angry at her for any reason. He was nearly as powerful as Theron, and his vengeance was swift.

“He’s the one who committed the murders, isn’t he?”

Aimery sighed and nodded.

“I’m sorry. I cannot imagine to know how it feels to be betrayed in such a way.”

“I hope you never find out.”

“Was he high ranking in the palace?”

“Nay. He was working his way through the ranks of the army, just as I did. I recognized his skill and knew it could be to our benefit.”

She grimaced. “So you befriended him.”

“Aye. I didn’t see him for what he was.” He stopped and raked a hand down his face.

“My judgment comes into question now. Theron has every right to remove me as Commander.”

“For one mistake?” She couldn’t believe it. Surely Theron had more mercy than that.

Aimery’s blue gaze settled on her. “Kyndra, I make life and death decisions for my men and our realm. If I make a mistake, we could lose everything.”

“You’ve proven your worth a thousand times over. Have you ever made a mistake before?”

“Not like this.”

“Then give Theron some credit to recognize that. Even he has made mistakes by sending his own brother into the Realm of Shadows.”

Suddenly, Aimery grinned. “Are you trying to cheer me up.” Kyndra bit the inside of her cheek and shrugged. “Maybe. I just want you to realize that you are worth more to our realm as a Commander than you think.” Her breath stilled in her body as his hand reached up and pulled a lock of her hair from her eyelashes. The need to step into his arms, to feel them wrap around her as she gave in to the desire swimming through her blood, would be so easy, feel so wonderful.

She watched him rub the strand of hair between his long fingers. Her dark locks amid the flaxen
‐
haired Fae had always made her feel different, out of place. Her parents had told her few were granted the gift of dark hair in their race, but Kyndra would have gladly given it to someone else.

But now, as Aimery stroked her hair as if he were mesmerized, she found she liked being different.

“I love your hair,” he murmured.

She closed her eyes as he took a step toward her. With her heart hammering in her chest, she waited for him to pull her against him, to claim her lips in another kiss that would set her world on fire.

But he did neither.

She opened her eyes in time to see him drop her hair. Disappointment filled her, even though she told herself it was for the best.

“It is rare for a Fae to have dark hair,” he said. “Though I’m sure you know that.”

“I do. It is said to be a great gift, but being so different is more of a curse than a gift.” One side of his mouth lifted in a grin. “Because so many wanted you.”

“Only because of my hair. They thought by having me as their wife I would somehow elevate them.”

“Is that why you took the vows of the Order?”

She had never told anyone of how she hated having hair so different or of the men chasing her. Everyone thought she had cared more for the dragons than men. It was true. To an extent.

“I took the vows because it was my destiny.”

“And it made no never mind to you that by taking them it kept the men from you?” he asked with a raised brow.

She shrugged. “Oh, that might have factored into things.” When he did nothing but stare at her, she shifted from one foot to the other, growing more uncomfortable by the moment.

“With your beauty, you could have ruled the realm, Kyndra. It isn’t just the color of your hair, it’s your strength, your splendor that brought those men to your door. Hiding behind the dragons won’t stop what everyone sees.”

“And what is that?” she couldn’t help but ask. No one had spoken to her as Aimery did, and it made her stomach flutter.

“You were meant to be adored. And not just by dragons.” Her eyes followed him as he turned and continued down the canyon floor. No one had ever made her doubt her decision to take her vows, until Aimery. He made her think of a future she could never have, because she wanted to be with the dragons always. The dragons were her life, just as the army was his life. He could have both the army and a family.

She couldn’t.

Kyndra wiped the sweat from her forehead and licked her dry lips. Her stomach rumbled, and thirst clawed at her belly. She glanced up at the sky. At first she had thought it was the sun casting the sky in the orange light, but the higher the sun climbed, the brighter the orange got.

“Is the sky orange here?”

Aimery chuckled. “You’re just now noticing that?”

“I’ve been a little occupied navigating the canyon.” The canyon floor had gotten rockier the closer to the mountains they had gotten. She had twisted her ankles more times than she wanted to count, and she became testier with each passing moment.

He held out his hand to her to help her up a large boulder. “Wait until we reach the mountain. The leaves on the trees aren’t green but a bright pink.” She narrowed her gaze at him. “Are you jesting with me?”

“You’ll see for yourself soon.”

She hoped so, because she desperately wanted out of the canyon. The arid temperatures were playing havoc with her.

They walked another half hour when Aimery stopped and cocked his head to the side.

“Do you hear that?”

Kyndra moved beside him and listened. After a moment she heard the unmistakable sound of water. She smiled at Aimery. “Is it close?”

“Let’s find out.”

She never thought twice about taking his hand as he rushed toward the water. Kyndra leapt over small rocks, her excitement growing with each step. When they turned a bend in the canyon, they came to a halt.

“By all that’s magical,” she whispered.

The scene before her was so beautiful it hurt to look at it. The canyon rose up on either side of them to almost meet overhead, leaving only a sliver to allow light to enter. Water cascaded from the mountain into a pool hollowed out in the canyon floor. The water was so clear she could see the wavy lines in the rock, speaking of centuries of water flowing through it. A single palm tree swayed with the power of the waterfall, its pink fronds dripping with water.

“I told you. Pink.”

She looked at Aimery and smiled. “I have to admit, though it is pretty, I prefer our green leaves.”

“As do I.”

She licked her lips and turned to the water. “Is it safe to drink?”

“Only one way to find out.”

She followed him to the water’s edge. The rock was a so pale in places it looked almost white. She knelt beside Aimery and fought the urge to dive into the water to cool off. Her boots, perfect for their climate, were sticking to her legs in the arid heat.

“It’ll be better in the mountains,” he said as if reading her mind.

He cupped his hand in the water and brought it to his lips. Just before he drank, she placed her hand on his arm.

“As thirsty as I am, I’d rather not be in this place alone.” He looked from his hand to her. “It’s flowing water, which means it’s more than likely all right to drink. I don’t smell anything.”

Before she could argue more, he brought his hand to his lips and drank. Kyndra waited, her stomach tied in knots.

“It tastes wonderful,” Aimery said with a smile.

It was all Kyndra needed to hear. She plunged her hands into the cool water and sighed.

She bent and drank deeply, enjoying the feel of the liquid as it quenched her parched throat.

When she finally drank her fill, she sat up to find Aimery leaning against the canyon wall, one leg stretched in front of him, the other bent with his arm resting on his knee. His eyes were closed, but she knew he didn’t sleep.

“We’re at the base of the mountain,” he said. “We can climb out of the canyon and onto the mountain.”

She moved across from Aimery, stretching out in the shade. “Or?”

“How did you know there was an ‘or’?”

“A guess.”

“Or…we can follow the cave behind the waterfall.”

Kyndra leaned to the side and looked through the falls. She didn’t see a cave but, if Aimery said it was there, she believed him. “Which way would you prefer?” He cracked open his eyes and shrugged. “Each will hold its own dangers. Inside a cave, we’ll be limited to where we can go. Plus, we have no idea if it’s a dead end or not.”

“And the mountain?”

“If the giant bird is any indication, I think we’ll encounter more animals like it. Eldar hasn’t held his reign over this realm for this long without reason. There will be guards and traps along the way for us.”