The Witch and the Dragon - Beta

Chapter Eighteen

Alannah tipped her head back and breathed in deeply, clearing that phantom magic from her system. "Right, then," she muttered. "You hear that, Your Majesty?" she called to the forest at large. "We kept our side of the deal. Now it's your turn."

The forest didn't answer.

"Perhaps they want proof," suggested Dameon.

Or they'd changed their minds. "Fae usually keep their word, don't they?"

"Better than dragons," he admitted and shivered. "Let's get out of here," he said. "This place makes me nervous."

"It took us two days to get here," she pointed out. "It's going to take two more to get out."

Dameon tilted his head. "Unless I fly you out."

For some stupid, strange reason, her stomach flipped. "What?"

"We're not searching for any more warlocks." He took a step closer. "I can fly us to the edge of the Darkwood and we can find the sidhe's fairy ring. It'll be faster."

Alannah considered the dense ring of plant growth that surrounded them. She didn't relish the thought of fighting their way out, but still.... "I didn't particularly enjoy our last flight," she said. "Your talons were uncomfortable enough the first time."

You're more than welcome to ride me.

It was so unexpected and yet so Dameon that she snorted with laughter. "I should have known you couldn't last this long without some kind of terrible pun," she said, turning back to him.

He grinned, all teeth. "I can guarantee it'll be quicker than walking."

She couldn't debate that. "All right," she said, reluctantly. "But no talons."

"Deal. You can sit on my shoulders."

"Wonderful," she replied, although now that she'd agreed she was having second thoughts. What if I fall? 

I'll catch you, came the dragon's voice, and Alannah realised she'd sent the thought to him instead of keeping it to herself.

That was bad, if she was so comfortable with this dragon that she couldn't keep her thoughts to herself. He was only sticking with her as a kind of experiment. She had to remember that.

Dameon slid into his draconic form with a shudder that turned into a ripple down his spine. He whipped out his tail and unfurled his wings, scenting the breeze. It's a perfect day to fly.

"You miss it, don't you?"

When I'm grounded for too long, I feel restless. I need to fly as the birds do, as the fish need to swim. Then he turned, parallel to her, and sank to the ground. His massive, scaled shoulders were level with the top of her head. Climb on and let's fly.

Alannah eyed his smooth dark scales warily. "How?"

He snorted and hot air blasted her legs. It would be so easy, she realised, for him to kill me. Flash-fry her with that dragon breath or crunch her bones into shards with his teeth. She swallowed.

Climb on my paw, he said, surprisingly patient. Then step up onto my shoulder. From there, you can strad-

"Don't. Even," she said, flatly. "I can only handle one of your innuendos in a day." She did as he said, though, gripping the scales where she could. There was enough space between the spines along his back that she could slide between them. They made for good handholds, actually. Although the ground seemed very far away. "You do this often?" she asked, tightening her grip.

No, sent Dameon and she felt him gathering himself underneath her. You're the first.

Before she could think about what that meant, Dameon pushed off from the ground. His wings beat just behind her and the ground dropped away. They rose up past the tangled canopy of trees and its branches scratched her thighs as they burst out of the forest.

"Wow," she murmured and the wind snatched the word out of her mouth. No wonder dragons loved flying if this was what they saw.

Not bad, is it?

The forest canopy was dark underneath them, but Alannah could see a line of paler green at the edge as they rose higher. Beyond that was a line of mountains, the arctic pass into Dorithia. On the other side the forest turned into flat, grassy plains, cut through by winding silver rivers.

It's amazing.

Dameon flapped his wings lazily and they coasted along on the breeze. The wind was fresh and cool on her face. Alannah leaned out to peer down at the forest.

Careful, came the dragon's voice. Don't actually fall off.

I thought you'd said you'd catch me. Alannah shook herself. Was she flirting?

It wouldn't be my first choice.

She sat back and contented herself with watching the scenery pass by, far more quickly than they could have travelled by foot. Dameon banked to the left and sent a swoop through her stomach. Up here, riding the wind, she could almost forget about William and Rose, and her village, miles away.

The line of pale green trees came closer. Dameon sank until the leaves brushed his belly and she could almost reach out and touch them. There was a dip in the canopy and as they flew closer, Alannah realised it was a clearing.

Dameon canted his wings and circled it, swooping around to hover at the centre. His wings folded and they dropped to the ground. Alannah braced herself, but they landed softly, with barely a bump.

Slowly, she swung her leg over the dragon's spine and slid to the ground. The impact sent a shock though her knees; even riding him she'd forgotten how big Dameon was as a dragon. "Okay," she admitted. "That was actually pretty cool."

Told you so. As she watched, the dragon's scales dissolved into human skin. He shook out his arms with a wince. "Does it hurt?" she asked curiously. "Transforming?"

"Not usually," he answered. "I guess I'm still sore from fighting the wolf."

Alannah realised they were standing with less than a foot between them and her stomach clenched with nerves. Then magic tingled up her spine. She whirled around. Four people stepped out of thin air and into the clearing. One of them was William.

Thank the goddess. She didn't know how she would've broken the news back home, if they'd failed.

The knight was in the same clothes that he'd been wearing before, though Rose wore a pretty, sky blue gown threaded with tiny pearls. Beside them stood Winter, and next to him stood the sidhe queen, still wearing her crown and in a gown of pale silk. Neither Fae looked particularly happy.

William took the princess' hand and Rose glanced up at him. Alannah narrowed her eyes. That was not a look that boded well for any of them.

"You've kept your end of the deal," said the queen, in a cool voice. "So we have kept ours. Your two companions, as you requested." William and Rose took a few careful steps away from the sidhe. Winter shifted, but said nothing.

"Thank you," said Alannah. Dameon was silent, glowering at the Fae.

"Come, my son. There are many other mortals in this realm." The Queen inclined her head. She seemed to be looking at Alannah. "Well played," she added, and the two of them were gone as suddenly as they'd arrived.