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“I’m not in pain. I can walk, and move, and rest. We have time.”

“Until we don’t,” he said. “Give me your word, if you feel even a twinge of pain. If you find any blood. If anything feels wrong—if you flush, or grow faint. Anything. You tell me. The first instance of it.”

I nodded and put a hand on his stubbled cheek, letting my nails curl into the rough prickles. “I will.”

“Promise me.”

“You have my word.”

He nodded, then just stared at me. “Stay, Grace,” he whispered. “Please. Don’t leave me.”

“I will.”

He nodded again, but nothing in him relaxed. I pulled him down into a kiss, both touched and frustrated when he held me like I was breakable glass. But his kiss was deep, and the bond thrummed between us.

He’d arranged a carriage to take us to the stables, despite the risk that the Cruors gathered below the castle might hear of it and know we were leaving. He insisted that I remain sitting in it until he had the dragons harnessed. He’d had to borrow extensions for Kham’s harness so that Jade could ride with us, as well as a new harness for Koa, in case we needed to use her on the trip.

Then he helped Jade to Kham’s back, before carrying me up, even though I was certain I could have mounted.

‘You have to rest. As much as possible. The spell will last longer the more you do.’

Then, with Jade strapped in behind him, and me in his lap, we took off.

It was such a thrill—and a relief—to be back in the air, I almost wept. But as soon as we’d flown for a time, my eyes began to drag again.

The third time my chin dropped, Voski urged me to turn around in his arms, rest my head on his shoulder, and sleep while we flew. And I was so weary, that I did.

I wished Jade weren’t there and I could have kissed and touched him more. Although, she was so shocked by the height, so consumed with watching the landscape pass below us, she paid little attention to me.

I nestled my face into the curve of his neck and jaw, and sighed. And remembered nothing until he woke me by drawing a hand up and down my back, and through my hair, to warn me we were about to land.

The sun was already on the horizon, and we would soon lose light. His voice rumbled in his chest under my ear as he explained to Jade that we’d take a break to eat and drink and rest the dragons, before flying again.

He held me into the landing. And even though I wanted to tell him I could ride a landing, I never quite got the words out. I clung to him. Jade shrieked, and would have fallen if he hadn’t thrown an arm back to keep her in her seat, but then we were down, and he carried me to the ground.

I was vaguely aware of being rolled into a cloak and told to rest. I protested, but his worried expression as he held my face in both hands and shook his head saddened me. “Rest. We’ll take care of everything. Just sleep. As much as you can.”

He fed me at some point, though I still had no appetite. I nibbled at the seed cake as best I could, but I must have drifted into sleep again, because I remembered nothing else, until we were mounting again. Then nothing until we landed. Then, even the landings and takeoffs began to fog.

I slept deeply, dreamlessly. My only memories were of Voski’s increasingly worried frown, and his dark, quiet tone rumbling in his chest under my ear.

Hands on my belly. Warm, fur-lined cloaks. The dragons’ calls, and Koa’s voice in my head, reassuring. Soothing. Loving.

And through it all, Voski’s deep rumble.

I love you.

I need you.

Don’t leave me.

I told him I never would. At least, I tried to. He grew more and more insistent, until I feared perhaps I wasn’t reaching him. But I could never stay awake long enough to be sure.

‘Koa?’

‘I’m here, Grace. Hold on.’

Hold on? Why? I was only sleeping. I reached for her again, to explain and tell her to have Kham reassure Voski. But I sank into sleep again before I could explain…