The scent grows stronger, and I know I am on the right path. “Over there,” Sasha calls out, pointing. I see her focus—a large square box with a green roof and many glass windows covered in dust. Her excitement bleeds through her thoughts, and even Emma makes a happy noise. “You found it, Dakh,” my mate calls, pleased. “That’s fantastic!”
I am pleased to make you happy, I tell her with a low rumble, gliding lower.
Do you smell anyone around other than us? Any other humans? A tinge of worry crosses her thoughts.
I check the air before I land, but it is devoid of human scents. There is nothing. You are safe. I land on my hind legs, my wings fluttering as I settle down, then tuck them against my body. I gently uncurl my claws and release my humans.
Both Emma and Sasha stagger and wobble forward. Emma drops to her knees on the ground, heaving, and my Sasha looks pale.
I nudge at her hair with my nose. Not feeling well?
Just disoriented, she tells me, putting a hand to her brow. Being under you and flying makes my stomach turn quite a bit. I wish I had a saddle like Claudia did. She didn’t seem as queasy riding on her dragon’s back.
Where can we get such a thing? Tell me and I shall go retrieve it.
That’s just it. I don’t know. She offers Emma a hand up and then glances over at me. I was in such a hurry back when Fort Dallas was being attacked that I didn’t pay much attention. I don’t know where she got a saddle or even how it was set up. I don’t know how she managed it. I wish she were here so I could ask her.
Shall I fly you to Kael’s nest so you can talk to his mate?
“Huh?” Sasha is so startled that she turns and gazes at me, brow furrowed.
“What is it?” Emma asks.
“Oh, um, nothing.” Sasha looks flustered. “I got confused. Let’s see if we can get into the bookstore, shall we?”
The humans approach the front of the store, where the double doors are chained, and Emma pulls out something jingly and begins to mess with the locks. Lockpicks, I pick up from my Sasha’s thoughts.
Don’t change the subject, Sasha sends to me. What do you mean, fly me to Kael’s nest?
I send her a mental image of the drakoni male and his mate. Do you want to talk to his human? I can take you there.
She glances up at me, shock rippling through her thoughts. You…you can take me to see Claudia?
If you like, yes. Do you want to go now? I reach for her again.
Sasha puts a hand up. Wait, no, I mean, we can’t go right now. Emma and I need to grab these books. But…I’m just shocked. It never occurred to me to ask you to take me to them. We’ve just been so busy…and now I feel foolish. But you can hunt them down, can’t you?
It is as simple as getting into range and opening my mind to connect with Kael. I will do so for you.
Oh wow. I can’t believe I never thought about connecting to them. I’m so silly. I feel ridiculous for not even thinking about it.
Emma looks over at my mate. Through the filter of my Sasha’s mind, I know that Emma is asking if she’s okay.
“Just thinking about something,” Sasha admits. “Dakh and I are going to visit a friend tomorrow.” To me she sends, Is tomorrow all right?
Of course, I tell her. We can go now, if you wish.
No, I want to stay and finish up with Emma. I don’t want her to feel abandoned. We’re all she’s got.
Friendship is very important to my Sasha. I understand. Tomorrow, then. I settle in to watch the females as they work.
Emma replies, and her tone is friendly, but the look on her face is strained. She is instantly wary. She does not like change, this one.
Sasha smiles at Emma, oblivious to the other’s body language. “Yes. My friends that I used to live with back in Fort Dallas—Claudia and Amy. Claudia is, ah, dating another gold dragon. I haven’t seen her since they left the fort.”
Dating. As if they are not bonded at the spirit. I am amused at my mate’s delicate way of putting such things. Is that how you view our bond? A “date”? From her thoughts, I can tell that a date is a casual excursion, a fun way of flirting with another. Date, indeed.
Erm, no. She flicks a glance over at me. But I’m not going to go around telling her that you’re my mate. That’s just weird. Humans don’t say that.
What do humans say, then?
You would be my husband, but we’re not married. There was no ceremony. And it feels weird to say “lover” because then it implies we’re only in it for the sex. So “date” it is.
Humans are strange.
Emma is talking again. She looks surprised at Sasha’s words—picking up on “date” as well, I see—and asks a question.
“No,” Sasha says, chuckling. “It’s not common at all. In fact, I’m pretty sure it’s against every rule in the book. But I didn’t ask them, and I’m not going to. I don’t know if I’m ever going to return. Fort Dallas is…different. Less free.”
The other human replies, and her tone is full of anger. She rips the now-unlocked chain off the door, and her eyes narrow as she spits words into the air.
I tense, ready to tear her limb from limb if she even breathes the wrong way on my Sasha.
It’s all right, Sasha tells me, though she is surprised by Emma’s vehemence as well. She’s just upset. I think talking about the forts triggered a few buried emotions for her. She’s just telling me how much she hates them and how they’re not a good place to live. Then, aloud, she says, “I’m not a fan of forts, either. What did they do to you?”
Emma answers negatively, shaking her head. She holds open the door and says something else.
She’s changing the subject, Sasha tells me. I won’t pry, though I’m curious now. “Well, one way to find out if it’s been raided.” My mate ventures a smile and then says, “You know, you’re welcome to come with us if you just want to get to know a few more safe, friendly people. I promise you, Claudia and her sister are really great. I’ve known them for years. We all banded together after the Rift and looked out for each other. They’d treat you well because you’re a friend of mine.”
Emma shakes her head. Judging by the sideways look she shoots me and the images that fill Sasha’s head, she has concerns about me yet.
“Dakh? He’s harmless.” Sasha sends me a thought full of amusement.