Led By Fiery Passion (currently being revised)

Part 68

Aenyra sat astride Cannibal, his vast wings cutting through the skies with violent force, each beat propelling them closer to King's Landing. The frantic shouts of her name on the beach were already nothing but echoes behind her. The horizon bled with the dying light of the sun, the world bathed in gold and crimson, but none of its beauty touched her. Her chest tightened with every breath, her fingers dragging over the jagged scars that marred Cannibal's scales. He rumbled low in his throat, sensing the storm burning inside her.

A sudden, sharp ache twisted in her belly, deep and cruel. She clenched her jaw, leaning forward against the saddle as pain lanced through her, but she refused to falter.

"Aemond, I'm coming," she whispered through gritted teeth, her voice iron-willed despite the fire clawing through her gut. "Faster, Cannibal. Hurry."

The wind roared, tearing at her hair and stinging her eyes, until another sound cut through it like a blade. A cry, deep and familiar, split the sky and pierced her very marrow. Her head snapped upward.

Caraxes.

The crimson dragon's silhouette loomed above, his monstrous shape blotting out the light. Her stomach clenched again, twisting so fiercely that a strangled gasp escaped her lips.

Shit.

Daemon was descending, his face carved in fury and resolve, his voice like thunder rolling across the heavens. "Turn back!" he roared, the command booming even through the rush of wind.

Aenyra's grip on the reins tightened, her knuckles white, her defiance burning hotter than her fear. "I cannot!" she shouted, her voice raw and wavering with pain. Cannibal answered with a vicious snarl, skimming lower over the waters, the sea spray breaking against his scales. But Caraxes was relentless, folding into a swift dive, closing in with predatory precision.

"Aenyra, you will obey me!" Daemon's voice cracked like a whip, echoing above her. Caraxes wheeled into a brutal hover, his wings beating the air so fiercely that Cannibal's great body shuddered in answer. The black beast hissed, his maw smoking, but Aenyra steadied him with a trembling hand pressed to his scarred hide.

Another pang tore through her, stealing her breath. She doubled slightly in the saddle, tears burning her eyes, though she forced herself upright, her voice breaking with desperation. "Please! It's Aemond. I cannot leave him!"

Daemon's gaze narrowed, the steel of a commander in his eye, though something softer flickered deep within. His voice, however, remained iron. "Turn back to Dragonstone. Now. Do not force me to say it again."

Aenyra's frustration boiled until it ripped free. She screamed, raw and piercing, her anguish echoing in Cannibal's answering roar. The great beast bellowed with her, the sound rattling the skies. A sharp cramp twisted through her stomach, and she doubled slightly over the saddle, clutching it as if she could hold herself together. Desperate to release the storm inside, she slammed her palm against the leather grip, fingers digging in, though the ache in her belly only gnawed harder.

With ragged breath, she yanked Cannibal's reins, forcing him toward Dragonstone. The sharp pain lingered in her core, each wave a reminder that she couldn't run from this. Behind her, Daemon followed, Caraxes screeching in his wake.

They landed hard upon the beach, Cannibal's talons tearing the earth. The jolt sent another stab of pain through Aenyra's stomach, but she ignored it, sliding down stiffly. Daemon was already striding forward, his presence heavy and unrelenting.

This was it.

For a heartbeat, she wanted to stay in Cannibal's saddle, safe from the agony inside and out. But the fire within her, fiercer than her pain, drove her forward. She dismounted, boots sinking into sand, pressing a hand against her abdomen as she steadied herself.