Page 104 of Ashborne Forged

But I didn’t speak the words that would make him do so. I couldn’t.

Grace.

I reached for her in my mind, my heart clenching when I couldn’t find her. I’m coming. I swear. I stretched for her, desperate, pleading with God to make it possible to touch her across the miles.

But then, the trees opened up below and the manor, the House of Ashford, was revealed.

Everything inside me shrank.

A looming, central structure, larger even than the Officer’s building at home.

Two long wings angled off it in a shape not unlike the spread wings of a dragon.

Was that where the term had originated?

I didn’t know. I could only stare as Kham dropped his hind end and extended his talons, tail lashing as he back flapped to slow our momentum, and I held on, rigid, unmoving, unbreathing, until he had all four feet on the ground, galloping to catch his momentum, then slow.

My heart beat mercilessly at my ribs.

The thrum of my pulse filled my ears.

My hands wouldn’t release the leather straps, even when Kham came to a complete stop in the middle of the meadow.

Had anyone seen us? Probably not. It was late at night. The moon was small and low, and the house far enough away that unless someone had been watching from a window at the precise moment we descended, it was unlikely they could make us out in the dark.

I could just leave. Not dismount. Take off again, and—

Kham crooned to me, and my heart flipped in my chest.

I turned to look at the imposing structure where I’d spent the first seventeen years of my life, and shook my head.

With light glowing in a few windows, and everything else cast into black shadow, the house looked menacing.

How fitting.

My stomach churned as I sat there, staring dumbly at the place I’d sworn I’d never return. Wondering how I’d come to be here, without warning, or desire.

I was grateful I hadn’t eaten for hours. Certain I would have thrown up anything I hadn’t already digested.

They still didn’t know I was here. I could leave. I could run. Flee. Again.

‘Voski…’

I swallowed hard and forced my fingers to pull apart—they ached, creaked when I flexed them.

Another minute spent, opening and closing my fists to make certain my hands would work to dismount.

Another minute my dragon waited patiently, blowing from the long flight, but not complaining, until the aching in my finger joints passed, and I knew I could get down safely.

My hands shook when I placed them on Kham’s neck to throw my leg over. But my grip didn’t fail me.

Using the mounting strap to lower myself to the ground, I realized that Kham needed to be freed, but I had nowhere to store the harness. I was too frightened to take it to the stables in case they hid it from me, or sabotaged it. Besides, if I could hide his existence from them, I would.

‘Kham?’

‘Let’s go into the trees.’

I thanked God for every minute spent hunting for my favorite climbing tree which was taller now. Good thing I was taller as well.