Lucas puts the dishes away and hesitantly takes my hand in his. If I didn’t know better, I’d think he really is shy. He’s a completely different person when we’re alone than he is in front of others, especially his father.

We walk outside, all the while he keeps a steady hold of my hand. I don’t see anyone until we walk for a bit. There are four guards standing outside of a massive structure. I have to tip my head back to see the top of it. The men bow to Lucas, but don’t speak. One opens the door for us and we step through.

There are huge bays on the inside. It almost reminds me of a massive barn for horses, only I doubt that’s what is in here. They would have to be enormous steeds. A low rumble has the floor vibrating and I jump, pushing myself closer to Lucas.

He chuckles beside me. “Don’t worry. Nothing in here will harm you. Come.” He wraps his arm over my shoulders and we go further into the area. Every door on the stalls is a deep blue, deeper than the flowers in the field. About halfway through, we stop in front of a door that is much brighter than the others. It’s the vibrant azure color I’ve seen throughout the castle. The name Talethla is painted across the front in a bright white. Then I feel the rumble again, but this time it’s coming from behind the door in front of me. I try to back away, but Lucas isn’t letting me.

“Alison, I want you to meet Tali. My dragon.” That explains everything I’ve seen and heard. This is where the dragons are kept. How many are in here? I didn’t bother counting the stalls. I’ve only seen the dragons in the sky and that was from a distance. The spaces in here are as big as houses. Some are larger than others.

Lucas unlatches the door and swings it wide. “Does that really hold them in there?” I ask.

“No. Some of the dragons prefer being alone, while most like to sleep with others. We tailor each area to the dragon. Tali likes being on her own, and the door being shut gives her the quiet she likes. The dragons are a large clan. They like to be together, some more than others,” he chuckles.

“I’ve always pictured dragons living deep in a cave or on a mountain top.”

“They do. We have dragon families that live throughout the lands, but these dragons…” He inclines his chin toward the huge stall. “…we hand raised them. They prefer to be with us, since we’ve been with them since birth. Tali, for instance, is only five years younger than me.”

“Interesting.”

My attention is drawn into the stall. It’s dark and there’s a rustle in the back. I can’t see anything, but can feel a slight breeze on my cheeks. It comes in a burst. I assume it’s Tali breathing.

I’m looking into the pitch-black darkness waiting for her to emerge. The first thing I see is her white face, horns pointing out from all angles. Her amethyst eyes are trained right on us, me more specifically. I try to move back, but Lucas isn’t letting me. His arm is around my waist, holding me to him.

“Stay still,” he whispers.

She inches closer, lifting her head to sniff he air. I’ve never been more afraid. Even the king throwing me in the dungeon didn’t scare me as much as I am right now. Her strong legs come into view. Long claws tip each toe. Her wings are folded down by her side. Multiple shades of white and grey make up her scales. She’s massive. Taller than the ranch houses back home, and now she’s only feet from us. Her head lowers as she approaches. I want to run, flee, and get away from this powerful beast.

A few more steps and she’s in my face, her large, horned nose in front of mine. She inhales, taking in my scent. When she lets her breath out, she blows my hair back. I still don’t move. I’m frozen. Lucas is still as well. Is he afraid? I don’t know what kind of relationship he has with his dragon.

Tali prods me with her nose, but her nudge pushes me backward. Luckily, Lucas is there to hold me up. She doesn’t retreat. Her nose is pressed to me and I start to shake. The horns on her face scare me to no end. She has two on her chin that I’m waiting to see if they impale me. The one on her nose is at least pointed away from me.

She finally backs away, then turns slightly to Lucas. In one swift movement she’s on her side with her foot pawing at him. She just barely misses nicking him with her claw. He releases me and walks forward to rub her neck. Her long tail swishes in contentment. She reminds me of a dog being petted by its master. Who knew a dragon could behave this way?

“Ali, come here,” he beckons with one hand stretched out to me.

“Are you insane? I think I’ll stay right here.”

He chuckles. “She isn’t going to harm you. If she was, she would have done it already.”

Well, that’s comforting. “Thanks for the warning. I could be dead right now.”

“I wouldn’t have let her harm you. Now come over here. The friendlier you become with her, the easier this will be.”

“The easier what will be?” I ask. Although I’m not sure I really want to know.

“When we fly with her.”

My mouth drops open. “When we what?”

“Fly. I want to show you my kingdom.”

I start mumbling under my breath. “Crazy ass prince in this screwed up land wants to take me on the back of a dragon to fly through the clouds. Sure, why not? Not like I couldn’t plummet to my death or anything.”

“What?”

I plaster on a smile as not to show my nervousness. “Great idea.”

Now I have to pet the dragon. I need to embrace the insanity of the moment and just do it. Taking hesitant steps, I walk to Tali and bend to rub her neck. Her head lifts, and she looks at me with those beautiful purple eyes. I wonder what she thinks of me.

She lies her head back down and I take that as an invitation to move forward. My hand cautiously touches her scales. They’re warm and smooth. My fingers easily glide over her.

Lucas’ leg brushes against mine. He whispers, “There. That wasn’t so bad, was it?”

“Speak for yourself. At least I still have all of my limbs.”

He laughs. “Are you ready to fly?” I know he directed the question to me, but Tali takes it as an invitation to get moving.

She jumps up, nearly knocking me back again. This time I’m able to steady myself on my own. Her tail starts swishing quickly and her eyes are big. She really wants to go.

“I’m sorry,” Lucas says. “That’s what I usually say to her to get her excited for some fun. I didn’t think when I said it to you.”

“Uh huh.”

He pats Tali on the side and takes a few steps to me. He’s close. If I leaned in I could press my lips to his. “Fly with me, Alison,” he says in a deep timbre.

I’m lost in the color of his baby blue eyes. He leans in, and I close my eyes in anticipation, but a snort interrupts our moment. We break apart and look over to a very impatient dragon. Who would have thought? Tali is giving us attitude. It’s probably for the best she disturbed us. I don’t think kissing this handsome prince is the best idea. Of course, it would fit right in with this day.

Lucas turns to me with a mischievous grin. “I don’t think she wants to wait. Let’s go.” He takes my hand in his, long fingers wrapping around mine.

He turns to leave the stall, pulling me with him. Tali is on our heels. We exit the opposite way we came in. These doors are much larger to accommodate the dragons. Once outside, I notice the sky has darkened and the stars have made an appearance. The air is comfortable; the temperature has only dropped slightly. It makes me wonder if it’s like this all of the time.

Tali walks to where the stone pathway elevates and seems to end atop the wall. I step forward and sure enough, it drops down into the water. No bridge on this side. If we fall we’re toast. Lucas pats her side and she sinks down to her belly. Her foreleg is bent to allow us to use it as a step to get on her.

He gestures for me to go ahead. One foot on her leg and I’m trying to figure out how to get on her back. “There’s no saddle or anything?”

He shakes his head. “No. It makes her uncomfortable, and she can’t maneuver as she needs to.”

“How do you hang on?”

“Her scales. She has larger ones on her back that you can get a grip on.”

“But, what if you fall?”

“I won’t. We won’t,” he stresses. “I’ve flown with her so much that when we’re in the air we fly as one. I’m able to predict her moves and know which way to lean.”

“Kind of like riding on the back of a motorcycle.”

His forehead scrunches. “A what?”

“A motorcycle. You don’t have them here? What am I saying, of course you don’t. Ignore me.” I wave a hand in the air, hoping he’ll drop it. We are about to fly. I can save the conversation about what a motorcycle is for another day.

Somehow, and I don’t honestly know how, I manage to climb on Tali’s back. With unbelievable grace, Lucas swings himself up behind me. He moves forward so his chest is pressed to my back. His legs hug the outside of mine. One strong arm wraps around my stomach and I lose my breath. He’s so close. I can feel him everywhere. Oh, how I wish there were no clothes between us. Unconsciously, I lean my head back on his shoulder. He tenses for a second, then relaxes. There’s a soft flutter on the skin at the base of my neck, causing goose bumps to break out over my body. His lips are feathering over my sensitive skin. I moan low in my throat.

“We should go,” he says with his mouth below my ear.

“What if I want to stay like this?”

He chuckles. “I don’t know how much patience Tali has. She’s not known to sit still for long.”

The dragon! I completely forgot we’re sitting on the back of one. The haze in my lust-filled mind eases. “Right,” I say, clearing my throat. “I’m ready.”

“We’ll see about that.” He sits up tall behind me and grips me firmly. “Grab on to her, Ali.” I’m afraid I’m going to hurt her. My hands land on a section to hold onto and do I ever, because in the next breath, he yells, “Talethla, fly!”

Her giant wings spread slightly from her body and she takes a leap off the cliff. I try to scream, only nothing comes out. I’m going to die. Death by cliff diving dragon. Before we hit the water, her back arches, her wings stretch wide, and we start to curve toward the night sky. My stomach is in my throat, and I’m holding on for dear life.

We keep climbing, her wings flapping, and my eyes closed. I can’t look. At any moment my body could be thrown off and plummet toward the ground. Yeah, I’m good with pretending I’m on a plane. At least then there is an enclosed cabin with seatbelts.

Her wings are situated just behind us. With each flap, we move with her. Eventually it feels like we are leveling out. My stomach starts to settle, but I still don’t want to see how far up we are.

“Ali.” My name from his lips floats across my skin. “Open your eyes.”

“Nope. I’m good.”

He laughs. “Would you trust me and open them? You don’t know what you’re missing.”

“I believe I do. I’m missing the view of what I could land on if I fall.”

“Okay, say you do fall. Tali is incredibly fast and would be able to swoop down and catch you before you hit the ground.”

I turn my head to look over my shoulder. “So, now you admit I could fall? Great. I knew it! This is when my life is going to end.”

Thanks to the moon, I see his mouth lift into a smile. “Your life will not end today or any day that you’re with me, my princess. That I promise you. I would sooner give up my own life than allow yours to be taken away.”

I melt at his words. Damn, he’s sweet. He leans forward and places a soft kiss at the corner of my mouth. My eyes flutter closed. “No, don’t shut those beautiful eyes now that you have them open.”

He takes his fingers and turns my head from his. “Holy shit!” I scream and launch myself onto Tali. My body is pressed to hers and I’m hanging on the best I can. Lucas’ arm is still wrapped protectively around my waist. Tali turns to look at me like I’m some crazy human, then continues her flight. Every now and then Lucas tells her what direction to go in.

We dip to the right. I can see dim lights coming from buildings. I’m not quite sure what they are, since I don’t know the layout of the land. The castle is easy to spot due to the many lights coming from it, its sheer size, and the way the lights reflect off the surrounding water.

“Why is the castle so bright, but not the other buildings outside of its walls?”

“We have electricity within the castle, however it hasn’t been run to the connecting farms yet. We’re still working through everything. It’s new to us.” It’s amazing to me how this land is a mix of old and some more modern amenities like the electricity and hot water running throughout the castle. Such a paradox. Then I have an “aha moment” and wonder if that key was having some fun all of those years it laid in wait for me in the pewter box. Maybe it was busy bringing others to this realm through different doors. Interesting.

It’s nice up here now that I’ve looked around. Not as scary as I thought. Maybe that’s because I can’t see much; I’m not sure. The wind causes my hair to whip around my face. Too bad I didn’t bring a hair tie with me. Of course, who knew I was going to be flying on a dragon.

We fly for a while, I’m not sure how long. I see another large, lit up area in the distance, but we bank hard to the left before we can get close enough. I’m once again hugging the dragon, while my heart pounds in my chest.

“What’s with the evasive maneuvering?” I yell.

“We reached the border of our land and sky. We have to stay within our boundaries.”

“What was the place I saw lit up in the distance?”

“That was the Pine Kingdom.” I stiffen. I’m not sure if it’s from fear of my life, fear of the man who is my father being a ruthless killer, or fear that I may never meet him. I’m so conflicted. I don’t know what to do. On one hand, he’s my father. I’d like to hope that he would never hurt me. On the other, Lucas is adamant about me staying with him and that King Pine is a vicious man. If only I could meet him. Then there’s Lucas. I want to stay safe with the man who is currently warming me in a way I thought had long gone dormant.