Page 53 of Hero of Havoc

“You think?”

“Well, this is the first time I’ve ever…”

I don’t need to say another word; he knows how isolated I’ve been. This is the most adventurous, insane thing I’ve ever done, and we both know it.

“There’s only one way to find out, Firefly, but I’m right here. Okay?”

I shiver at Baron’s gruff voice at my ear, but there’s a hitch to it that fuels the flames inside of me, and I find myself nodding, despite the nerves spreading through my veins.

“To the sky, Alaric,” Baron declares.

I gulp, gaping down at the scales beneath me as Alaric starts to move. His muscles move beneath me, my legs molding around him, and my heart thunders in my chest. I scramble to hold on, panic taking over, and Baron wraps an arm around my middle, pinning me against his chest as his breath brushes over the shell of my ear.

“I’ve got you, Firefly.”

There’s no time to formulate a response as Alaric slams his claws into the ground and darts into the air. A screech lodges in my throat as my entire body tingles with euphoria.

I’m too scared to blink, not wanting to miss a single moment as Alaric climbs higher and higher, circling over campus, offering me a bird’s-eye view of my life.

The main academy building looks just as bespoke from here, looming gracefully in the center of campus, while the dorm buildings look surprisingly small. I spot what I can only assume are a few students, but they’re so tiny from this vantage point that I can’t be too sure.

Baron’s arm tightens around me as Alaric turns, the wind whooshing through my hair as I finally exhale.

“Wow,” I breathe, palms pressed against Alaric’s scales.

“Like it?” Alaric asks, and I smile.

“I love it,” I admit, leaning down in some questionable attempt to embrace him.

Baron’s arm holds me back for a moment, but after a few taps on his hand, he relents, and I lie down, my stomach flat against Alaric’s scales, arms out wide, as I watch the world go by.

“Fuck, Ivy,” Baron rasps from behind me, and I peer over my shoulder to find his pupils blown as he stares down at me.

My ass is still nestled between his thighs, and his hands are braced at my hips, holding me in place. I can’t imagine what I look like from his seat, but I simply grin, returning my attention to the never-ending horizon, when a horn blares through the air.

“What was that?” I blurt, sensing Baron stiffen behind me as Alaric turns suddenly, making my grip tighten. “Baron?” I push when I turn to find his jaw tense, muscles clenched, and nostrils flared.

“It’s okay. Alaric will get us back.”

“Why?”

“There’s no time,” Alaric states as I shift to sit up again, and Baron’s hold on me is twice as intense as it was before.

“Of course there’s time,” Baron snaps, and I huff.

“Can someone please explain to me what’s going on?” I grumble as Alaric starts to dip toward the ground, and my stomach flips. “Preferably before I vomit,” I add.

“The horn is a signal to the dragons,” Baron offers, but it doesn’t explain the tension in the air.

“Okay?”

“It signals a congregation among the dragons,” he continues, but it still leaves me bewildered. Before I can press further, Alaric falls faster, making my stomach roll.

“He’s worried because it’s dragons only, no riders, but it’s fine,” Alaric explains, worry knotting in my gut, making the nausea churn stronger.

The ground appears faster, and at the last second, Alaric rears back, landing with a thud as my eyes clench shut, bracing for impact.

My breathing comes in short, sharp bursts as I sense Baron shift from behind me, and I open my eyes to find him standing beside Alaric, hand reaching toward me. Despite the dizziness, I take his hand and half-slide down Alaric’s wing until I hit the ground in a tangle of limbs.