Page 52 of Knotted By the Triad

I shook my head.

“If you die while I'm on your back, I swear I'm going to kill you.”

That made absolutely no sense. But I would go along with it, for her. I lowered my wing. After one last worried look at my wound, she climbed onto my back. The instant her weight settled against me, some of the frantic rage inside my dragon eased.

Mine. Safe.

I rose carefully. Zuri wrapped her hands around one of the ridges along my back.

“Please tell me you've carried someone before.”

Never. I spread my wings.

“Daemin?”

I launched. Her scream nearly deafened me before her arms tightened around me.

“Daemin, you better not drop meeee!” she screeched. “If you do, I’ll remove all of your scales and make a dress out of themmmm!”

I wanted to chuckle. But I was using everything I had just to keep us in the air. The first few wingbeats came easily enough. Then the cold spread farther through my side. Flying caused the pain to intensify.

My right wing faltered, and we began to drop.

CHAPTER THIRTEEN

DAEMIN

Zuri screamed and flattened herself against my back. I forced my wing open and caught the air before we hit the trees.

“Daemin!”

Fear filled her voice. My dragon pushed harder.

Home.

The estate wasn't far. I'd bought it years before we three pack brothers moved into the Princes' Manor. It sat outside the busiest part of the capital, surrounded by enough land that I could be at peace, away from the hustle and bustle of the city.

It was mine. My territory. Here, no one could threaten my mate. My dragon remembered the way. I flew while the world blurred around me. Zuri said my name once, then again, but I couldn't answer.

My mind was becoming fuzzy. The magical poison from the shard burned colder with every beat of my wings, which felt like they were beating slower and slower.

“Land!” Zuri shouted. “Daemin, you need to land!”

No. Not yet. We were so close. I could hear her fear, feel how tightly she held me. My dragon refused to put her down anywhere except somewhere he considered safe. The trees finally began to thin. There. Stone walls rose beyond them, followed by the familiar dark roof of my estate.

Home. Almost there.

I wanted to say something to my dragon, but my thoughts were becoming cloudier. My vision began to fade. My right wing folded, crumpling to my side. I couldn’t hold on. The world went black around me, and suddenly we were falling.

“DAEMIN!” Zuri's scream cut through the darkness trying to swallow me.

I forced my eyes open as the ground rushed toward us. I had to save her. She was on my back. She wouldn’t survive the crash. But I couldn’t control my movements.

“Dragon,” I whispered, my voice faint, weak. “Take over. Save her.”

I was giving my dragon permission to take control. I couldn’t save our mate now. Only my beast could.

Cannot stop. Will try to turn.