Page 91 of Knotted By the Triad

“Princess, the fire pit you want will be too big to fit in that area,” she told me.

I put my hands on my hips. “Okay, fine. What about over there? Fire pit in the corner, barbecue grill beside it, table closer to the doors. That way, when everybody comes over, we can sit outside and eat.”

Tapping her chin, Allie considered the new location. We'd been walking around my courtyard for the better part of fifteen minutes, trying to decide how I wanted to arrange everything.

I'd already decided that if this was going to be my home, I was going to make it feel like one. Five chests of treasure also meant I could buy whatever the hell I wanted without asking anybody for permission.

And I wanted a barbecue grill. I didn't know if Ashborne had anything exactly like the one I'd had on Earth, but somebody in this magical-ass world could figure it out.

“That could work,” Allie said. “You'd have enough room for seating.”

“Exactly. And I want a big grill. Not some little thing that can only cook four pieces of meat at once.”

Allie laughed. “How many people are you planning to feed?”

“I don't know yet. We’ll see.”

I turned toward the courtyard again, already imagining it. A fire pit, comfortable chairs, a table big enough for everybody. Maybe some lights. CiCi would've loved being here to help me decorate. Kena too. Bri would’ve kept us on a budget.

Thinking of them made my smile fade a little. If their golems had died also, they could be here too, somewhere in this world. I needed to look for them. I sniffled and was just about to wipe my eyes when the air in front of us rippled.

I stopped. Allie stopped beside me. For half a second, neither of us moved. Then a dragon appeared in the middle of my courtyard. I screamed. The dragon was large enough that its sudden arrival seemed to swallow the open space between us. Its wings spread wide, knocking over one of the chairs near the doors.

“Run!” Allie screamed.

I didn't need to be told twice. We turned at the same time. I made it three steps. Claws sank into my sides. Pain ripped through me as my feet left the ground.

“Zuri!” Allie's scream followed me upward.

I kicked wildly, grabbing at the enormous claws wrapped around me as the dragon's wings beat hard enough to send dirt and leaves flying across the courtyard. Guards shouted somewhere below us, but we were already rising above the roof.

“Allie!”

She ran beneath us as far as she could, screaming my name. More guards poured into the courtyard, several looking upward as the dragon carried me higher. Below me, the guards began to shift.

Would they get to me in time to save me? I twisted, trying to see what had grabbed me. Then I saw the scales. My stomach dropped. In the book, Mei Lin had been a dark burgundy dragon with black eyes.

“Mei Lin, you crazy bitch!”

Wind tore the words out of my mouth. I screamed again when she climbed higher. The manor shrank beneath us until the guards were nothing more than tiny figures in the courtyard. I couldn't even hear Allie anymore.

Wind swooshed past my ears and whipped my hair across my face. Mei Lin's claws hurt like hell, but I stopped trying to pry them away when I looked down and realized exactly what would happen if I succeeded. There was nothing beneath my feet but air.

“Put me down!” Then I immediately reconsidered. “Not here! Don't put me down here!”

Mei Lin kept flying. I squeezed my eyes shut for a second and tried not to throw up. My dragon was there. I could feel her, warm and restless beneath my skin, but feeling her and turning into her were apparently two completely different fucking things.

“Can you do something?”

Warmth rolled through me.

Release all fear and let me take over.

I stared at the claws around my waist.

“That is not helpful right now.”

No answer came. The city had fallen behind us. Mountains and trees stretched beneath us, and something tall rose in the distance. At first, I couldn't make out what it was. Then Mei Lin flew closer. Stone. A narrow structure rising above the surrounding land. My heart stopped.