A Crown in Ash (The Ostler's Boy Book 3)

Chapter Fifty-Two

I winded myself, crash landing onto the craft. The whole thing rocked; I had to scratch at the cedar just to hang on. I pinched my skin between planks, but when I reared, nearly fell again.

I fastened myself to the edges for dear life. The rider yelled something I couldn't understand over the sailing wind, but I saw my father hang out the window sill. He jumped shortly after, landing far more gracefully upon a different beast.

"Eliza!" he cried.

"I'm fine!" I called.

I tried to stand, but the roof of the dragon's back was curved and slick. I pressed my knees into my chest, inching toward one of the ends, pawing for an opening. At the front, there was a gap; I took my sword and jabbed it into the seat.

The driver must have dodged it; there was a tug on the blade, and I was jerked off onto the nose.

I rolled off my back, retrieving the weapon and stabbing it a second time. It sliced his sleeve. The tip pushed one of the shields off the cart, opening that side. It fell off and to the dirt.

I realized how close we were to the dirt.

"Oh, shit!" I yelled.

We soared toward the ground; I leaped off the plane with seconds to spare, falling into mud.

"Ah!" My arm went sore and limp.

It was difficult to hurry out without the use of both my hands. I slipped twice before the driver, making his own noises, groans and muttering, crawled out. He drew a dagger from his waist; I tried to reach for my sword, but couldn't make my arm comply; it was lame and the blade was gone.

I reached instead for the dagger, but I could barely find it in the sea of fabric knots. Finally, I drew it just as the Duke appeared. He kicked the man at his belt and knocked him to the ground. My brother ended him.

"Rosie?" he asked, stumbling past the Duke.

But Askar and I were locked in an intense and wild gaze.

"What are you—?" he wanted to know.

I threw myself into Askar, crying, "I love you, you fool!"

Our lips connected in a raunchy kind of kiss. My brother balked.

"Did you just fall out of the sky?" he asked.

Askar exhaled. He was scowling but started searching me. I flinched when he found my arm. "She didn't fall," he said. "She rode a dragon."

"It was by far the dumbest thing I've ever— Daddy!" I cried. "Daddy's on one, too!"

The other beast came down not far from us, but Father was standing on it. He stepped off before it crashed, landing on his feet. The driver hung out the window and rolled into the grass when it hit.