A hand raised to shield her eyes from the sunlight, Maay watched Jaimin rise above the treetops. He circled the clearing several times, climbing higher with each loop, before veering off towards the mountains. She peered through the trees, hoping to spot the pale rock-face peeking out from behind the branches. Seeing nothing, she plonked herself down on a fallen log.
Return to Byron's Peak and forget? She drew a knee towards her breast, wrapping fingers round the shin. There was nothing for her back at Byron's Peak. As for forgetting about being a dragon ... how could he possibly expect her to do such a thing? She had just started to enjoy it. Although, the council's plan for her was something she'd prefer to avoid.
There are other females. The lairs no longer needed to rely on her alone now they had their kidnapped females back. Was that why Jaimin seemed so determine to return her?
Maybe it was the kiss which had decided it for him. He'd said it was forbidden for them to mate. Though they'd hardly done that, perhaps kissing was also frowned upon. They must be connected after all for she'd seen many couples around the castle do so.
Maay jumped to her feet, running towards the trees, stumbling to all fours as she altered her form. What did it matter anyhow? She knew how he felt and if he didn't know how she felt about him, he soon would.
She raced through the forest, sliding to a stop at the sound of a ferocious bellow. The mountains were visible now; just the tip of a peak or two sticking above the trees. That roar had sounded awfully loud, she had to be close.
Creeping through the underbrush, she glanced up at the darkening sky, sighting two dragons flying against the gossamer clouds. They were illuminated by a blast of fire, revealing one to be stark white and the other a dull grey.
Jaimin. She dashed forwards, struggling to keep the two dragons above in her sights. It had to be him. Another bout of fire blazed across the sky, this one in the other direction. Who was the other dragon? Why were they fighting?
The branches slowly grew thinner, unveiling the mountainside. She scrambled along the stony footing, hugging the forest edge to skirt the mountain's base. A shriek from above turned her attention back to the two dragons. They appeared to have locked together like two tomcats. Closer now, she could make out Jaimin's thrashing, his wings seeming to grow tattier with each flap of his opponent's wings.
"Jaimin!" The cry erupted from her lips as he slipped from the other's grip. Heart thumping hard against her breastplate, she ran along the rocks. He was falling, tumbling like a scrap of meat that'd been thrown to the dogs.
His form disappeared round the hump of the mound before her. Maay froze at the sickening crunch of what could only be him hitting the ground. A cloud of dust rose and settled. Faint over the sound of her breath, she caught the scrape of something large struggling to move.
Head carried low, she slunk over the crest of the tor. Eyes all but squeezed shut, she peered through her lashes at the steely bulk, looking for a sign of movement. Please don't be dead. Had she mistaken the slight rise and fall of his chest? She snaked her head closer.
Feathers dotted the ground around him, some longer than her human form. Blood streaked his wings, turning the tattered feathers a muddy brown. There it was again. Stronger this time, making his belly twitch and his nostrils flare. He lived. Barely.
Was that movement in the sky? Flattening herself against the ground, she glanced up.
Teero hovered high above them, white coat stained a ruddy golden-orange by the setting sunlight shimmering across it. He roared as he looped around the mountain's peak, a stream of fire blasting from his open maw. Then, with a flick of his wings, he dove, hugging the mountainside.
Maay dashed towards Jaimin. Standing on her hind legs, she spread her wings as wide as she could. Would her presence be enough to slow him down? Eyes slammed shut, she waited for the heat of dragonfire to lick across her scales.
"Ah, little one." Wind blew in her face; the unnatural blast caused by wings. "So good of you to show yourself. I feared I'd have to hunt you down first and that would've been such a waste of time and energy." The heavy crunch of a dragon landing on loose rock reached her ears.
Shivering, she opened one eye to find he'd settled a hundred or so feet from her. The sharp clatter of rocks tumbling down the mountainside had her searching for the source. Sitting on the ridgeline were a number of dragon-shaped silhouettes.
Teero seemed to follow her gaze. Smirking, he took a step towards her.
Maay opened her mouth to roar a warning, surprised when a loud hiss escaped instead. She tried again, only to emit the same noise.
He chuckled. "Keep that up, little one, and you'll rupture something." Another step. How close did he need to be before he could be confident of slaying Jaimin? "Come now, little one. The rules dictate a challenge to the Right is fought to the death. He lost, he must die."
Landing back on all fours, she growled. She didn't dare investigate the reason behind the fresh clatter of rocks. Hopefully, it meant someone was coming to stop Teero. What in the name of the Great Ones was a challenge to the Right? The right to what exactly? An abrupt coldness settled between her shoulders. The right to have her? "I'd rather die than let you touch me!" The words hissed out, spraying spit on the ground between them. How she wished she could breathe fire.
His head jerked back, one brow lifted. "Really." His pale eyes, while odd when he wore his human guise, were unnervingly sinister in dragon form. "I'm sure you don't want to die." His head snaked closer. The ridge of thicker hair running along the top of his head trembled in the wind. "I'm a conscientious male, little one. I swear you'll come to no harm under my wings."
Maay stepped back, shoulders itching as she suppressed the urge to shudder under the colourless stare. Behind her, she caught the near silent creak of Jaimin groaning. On the edge on her vision, she saw the tip of his tail twitch, flicking up a puff of dust. She willed him to still all movement and do nothing that would draw Teero's attention.
"Halt!" One of the large pale females landed nearby. In the evening light, her icy hide bore the same ruddy glow as Teero. "You will not lay a single claw on this youngling."
"She's mine," Teero snarled. "I won the right to mate with her." His tail lashed the ground behind him, kicking up leaves and flinging rocks about. Yet he took a step back, allowing the female to settle between them.
"Seeing she has chosen another, I highly doubt she agreed to these terms. In fact, I suspect she didn't even know of the Right." Teero before her, the female spread her wings wide, blocking off Maay's view of the white male. "And, as the most ancient one here, I revoke your claim to her."
"Y-you can't!"
Maay spun to face Jaimin. His head had rolled to the side and, though his eyes were still closed, his breathing sounded stronger. She nudged him, first at the base of his neck, then at his jaw, whispering his name over and over.
An eyelid lifted, revealing the grey film of a second lid. It slowly slid to one side, the pupil shuddering as it focused. "Maay?" he breathed. "You shouldn't be here."
She shook her head. Did he not realise she was here to save his life? "Can you take human form?" If she could move him, she could get him somewhere safe. Anywhere. As long as she kept him as far away from Teero as she could possibly manage.
The lids slid closed. His head grew smaller, dragged back along the ground by his neck as it shrunk in on itself. Hissing over the leaves and stones, his tail slithered round the dwindling bulk of his body, disappearing behind the tattered tips of his wings.
"Ancient Milandra!" The voice, booming with self-assurance and power, sounded familiar. Where had she heard it before? Whoever he was, he had to be one of the ancients. One of the males who'd sent for her? "You've not the authority to halt this. The council must decide as a whole."
Maay glanced over her shoulder, catching sight of a flash of golden feathers. More dragons had joined them on the forest's edge. Not a one of them seemed to have noticed the altering of Jaimin's form. Please, hurry. She turned back to him, pleased to find his transformation nearing completion.
"Yes," the white female replied. "The council." Her wings flapped, sending a blast of cool air in Maay's direction and kicking up more dust. "It occurs to me that several of your members are far too young to be on the council."
"Millie?" Jaimin croaked.
"Hush," Maay breathed, a wave of unease bubbling in her stomach. Steadying Jaimin as he staggered to his feet, she finally got a good look at his face. The dazed look reminded her of the time one of the pages, having been thrown from his horse, had hit the ground headfirst. It had taken days for that boy to walk straight again. "Can you climb on my back?"
One side of his mouth twitched into a smile. "I think I can manage." He clambered aboard, settling between her shoulders.
"You still do not have the majority," the unseen male said as, with Jaimin clinging to her back, she slipped into the shadows under the foliage.
Puzzled, as well as relived, that there'd been no cries for their return and hidden by the bushes, she peered over her shoulder at the group of quarrelling dragons. Not a one seemed to have noticed their departure. At least, not by those who desired Jaimin's death. Now if only we'd somewhere to hide. Her gaze drifted to the land ahead. In the evening gloom, the mountainside looked pockmarked. Perhaps one of those dark spots was an old cave.
She circled the mountains, keeping as close to the forest edge as she dared to scan the slopes. Often, what she thought was a cave turned out to be little more than a shallow dent in the rocks. Beyond the shelter of the thick boughs, night was at last getting a firm grip on the sky. Stars peeked out from behind clouds, glittering against their steadily darkening backdrop.
Maay loped a little closer to the mountain, taking care not to jolt her cargo. Short of stopping to check, and she didn't dare do that until she found shelter, she wasn't entirely sure if Jaimin was at all conscious. His weight had shifted to lean against her lower neck some time ago and his dangling limbs rubbed against her scales with every step.
Sitting a short way up the mountain lay a black patch. She scrambled up the slope. The ground bore traces of what had once been a path, though unused for years. This time, it was a cave. A huge one if the entrance, wide and high enough to rival that of Mountain Hall's, was to be of any judge. Hopefully her luck would extend to the cave being equally deserted. It smelt musty enough.
Jaimin stirred on her back. "Are we ...." She felt his weight shift. "No! We cannot stay here. Midling Hall will surely be the first place they look for you."
Midling Hall? Her tutors had only ever spoken of three lairs. Why hadn't she heard of this one? "It's only for the night." She'd no idea where they'd go afterwards. After that female's intervention, it didn't seem likely to her that they'd be followed at all. Sensing Jaimin slipping down one side of her neck, she lowered her forequarters to the floor. "How are you feeling?"
"Alive." Jaimin's slid to the ground, boot heels hitting the stone with a dull thud. He staggered back a few steps before collapsing against the lower curve of her neck. "Thanks to you."
Maay couldn't help grinning, the giddy warmth of success welling in her chest. She had been the one to save him. In the moonless night, she could barely make out his pale form as he staggered forwards. The screech of metal on metal echoed through the cave, causing her to shudder. What was he doing?
"You shouldn't have followed me."
"Oh?" The fuzzy sensation dwindled. How she wished she could see his face better. "But you risked your life coming after me." She couldn't bear to think what would've been happening to her now if he hadn't.
"It was my fault you were kidnapped. I should've told you myself." He waved something before her face. "Here blow into this."
She squinted at the barely discernible shadow swinging before her. It looked to be one of those strange ball-like lanterns. "But I can't breathe fire."
He sighed, frustration grumbling on the edge. "Your breath should be enough to trigger it. I'd light it myself, but I don't think I've the energy to change back right now."
Maay huffed at the dangling cage, jerking back as a cool steady light flared from deep within its heart.
"Come on." Jaimin pointed the lantern at the tunnels she could now see ringing the cavern like a smaller version of Mountain Hall. "They're less likely to find us if we go deeper." Using the lantern's long pole like a staff, he marched towards the nearest opening.
Taking human form, she trotted after him. He didn't appear to be limping like he had been after the broken leg. "How's your back?"
"Fine." Head lowered, he peered at her through his hair. "A little stiff. Nothing that a good night's rest and a decent meal won't fix." He frowned, his free hand going to the shredded remains of his half-caped vest. "If I can catch something."
"I could help."
"No." He shifted the lantern to his other hand, separating them with its bobbing glow. "You shouldn't linger here. Teero will hunt you down. By the rules of the Right, you're his for the season."
"I don't think so." She told Jaimin of the female who'd swooped in and intervened when Teero had attempted to kill him.
"I thought I'd seen Millie amongst them. I-I wasn't certain. Didn't want to hope." She caught the edge of his soft smile as he shook his head. "Leave it up to my haanfonaal to stick her snout into someone else's troubles."
"Your ... what?"
Jaimin grimaced. "I should've taught you our language," he muttered. "I'm not certain if humans have an equivalent word for it, but a straight translation is my dame's dame's sister."
They walked without a word for a few steps, the only sound being the lantern's pole clicking against the stone floor.
"Your great aunt," Maay said, trying to sound relaxed in spite of the uncomfortable silence and darkness pressing in on her. "She seems to think I've chosen a mate."
Jaimin grunted. "Does she now."
She grabbed the pole, halting him. "She was right." Stepping round the lantern, she placed a hand on his chest. The bare skin under her fingers quickly grew warm. "I have." She leant forward, lips yearning to touch his again.
Sighing, he gripped her wrist, lifting her hand and gently pushing her back a step. "You've known me for little more than a sevenday."
She clasped her forearm, rubbing at the chill skin where he'd touched her. Strange. He was usually far hotter than she. "It's common for a lady to never have seen her husband before the wedding."
"Weddi–" He frowned. "You are aware there's a difference between marriage and mating."
Heat flooded her face. "Mara's instructed me on the more personal details."
"Then you should know I'm a poor choice for a mate." The lantern's wrought metal cage swung between them. "I'm untried."
"As am I." Holding the lantern pole to one side, she stepped as close to him as she could without touching him, despite the longing gnawing at her. "I thought instinct would guide us."
"Instinct?" He grinned, though there was no mirth in the hissing laughter escaping through his teeth. "My instinct is to take to the air, while you –" He backed away. His short, derisive laugh echoed down the tunnel as he looked about them. "Well your instinct is to go to ground." Jaimin shook his head, dishevelled hair swinging almost as much as the lantern. "I can't believe this. Forty years and I forgot!" He raked fingers through his hair. "I cannot ignore this Law, Maay. There's a reason for its existence."
"Obviously the council didn't think it a good enough reason to stop Teero." She crossed her arms, trying hard to repress the anger flaring at the thought of those scheming old dragons setting that vile lecherous male on her.
"Teero's, at most, a quarter scaled. Theoretically he's not required to hold to the Law." In the pale glow, his eyes took on a steely tinge. "I've lost too many already, I do not wish to lose you too." It may have been the way the light threw odd shadows across his face or the culmination of the day's events catching up with him, but he suddenly looked haggard.
She clung to him, uncaring if he tried to pull away and ashamed at her own desire for him to forget all the people he'd lost. If she could but ease his pain for a moment. "Then why did you kiss me?"
Jaimin sagged against her, cheek resting on the top of her head. "Because ..." At first, she thought it mere fancy, yet he seemed to be growing warmer with each stroke of his hand over her hair. "Because ... I love you."
Maay drew back enough to lift her head. He loved her? She smiled. He loves me.
"It should not have happened." He gave another short laugh. "Better if one of us had remained ignorant instead."
"So I can't have the one male I want." She clutched his arms, fingers digging into the hard muscles hiding under his silvery skin. You. The male that claimed he loved her. How could he say such a thing, refuse her and not expect it to break her heart?
He cupped her chin, drawing closer as if to kiss her. "I could kill you."
"In this form?" Granted she wasn't as tall as he, the top of her head barely reached his shoulders, but that would hardly be a life-threatening issue.
"No." The corner of his mouth lifting in a sneer. "But I am no human-lover."
"I'm not human."
His eyes narrowed. "Mating should only be done when it serves a purpose and you cannot conceive in your human guise." He turned his back to her. "As a dragon, I would crush you."
"Would you rather suffer standing aside and allowing another male to have me?" she asked, doubting he would tolerate another to touch her. If he did not care, he would not have fought Teero.
Jaimin remained silent, but she saw his back stiffen.
"Or perhaps you'd rather I stayed childless for the rest of my life." The thought of not being a mother had never been one she dwelled on for long. Ever since the first time she'd cradled a babe, she'd wanted to be inundated with children. Just like her adopted mother.
If the saga's she'd heard over the years held any truth at all, then she faced three hundred or so years of breeding and many more years of just living and revelling in her children and grandchildren – and very likely great grandchildren – before she would die. Did he really expect either of them to spend all that time denying their feelings for each other?
For a long time, only his harsh breathing could be heard. Then he gave a heavy sigh as if he'd reached a decision. "Lie down." The lantern gave a sharp click as he leant it against the wall.
"What?"
"If you want me to do this," he growled, turning to face her, "you'll get on your belly and keep your tail up."
Puzzled, Maay quickly took her dragon form and did as he said. She trembled, though unsure if it was nerves or the coldness of the stone underfoot seeping through her chest. "Like this?" Her pounding heart leapt as he lay on his side next to her, heavenly warmth emanating from him.
"Perfect," he breathed. His muzzle briefly touched hers, breath hot against her skin and sending a delightful shiver down her spine. Jaimin's hindquarters twitched and –
She gasped, pleasure radiating through her. It was the blissful warmth of a solarium on a winter's day, the sweet caress of a cooling breeze after a hot summer's evening. It raced up from deep within, ripping the air from her lungs in its travels. Cheek pressed against his shoulder, she listened to the low, rumbling groan vibrating through his chest.
Neck arched, and with his breath coming in shuddering gasps, Jaimin continued his nuzzling. Maay lifted her head, delighting in the sensation of his downy hair against her skin, then, shockingly, the wetness of his tongue sliding up the underside of her jaw.
She jerked back, staring up at his equally perplexed, and slightly hurt, face. Had he expected her to reciprocate? Timidly, she bumped the tip of her snout against his chin, smiling when he gave a breathy chuckle.
The tentative flap of a lone wing overtook the sound of Jaimin's panting, the chill gust of its passage fast fading to the pressing heat bearing down on her. Everything seemed to be hot. His breath on her neck, the touch of his hide pressed against her scales, even the stone under her belly felt warmer than it had moments before.
His hand slammed into the floor on the other side of her, claws giving off tiny sparks as they screeched their way across the stone. The steady whump of his wing grew louder, tattered feathers still managing to stir up dust and send flecks of rock skittering along the floor.
It did nothing to ebb the heat against her flanks as it grew to rival that of a furnace.
Maay attempted to wriggle free and ease the burning sensation. Pressure on her back forced her down against the unyielding stone. She coughed, struggling to breathe with the weight crushing her.
Warmth rushed up her back, swooping past her chest and exploding out Jaimin's mouth in a mighty blaze of dragonfire. His neck fully extended and pointing towards the arched ceiling, the flames curled up to lick at the dry stone. Thick smoke billowed down the tunnel, its churning bottom ruddy in the gloom.
The fire spurting from his mouth abruptly died and, with a loud groan, his head lowered to the floor. He lay there, breath rasping, his chest squashing Maay against the stone with each heave.
"Jaimin?" she moaned, barely able to gather the breath to speak at all.
His head tilted. In the glow of the lantern, wan compared to the now-dissipated dragonfire, she saw the half-closed eye look her way then open wide. "Forgive me," he puffed, lifting his arm and rolling off her. "I didn't notice." His hindquarters twitched again. This time, pulling away from her with an odd tugging sensation.
"That was Grounding?" Arching her back, she winced at the numerous cracking and popping noises issuing from her spine. "I can see why it's considered dangerous." At least, with a dragon remarkably heavier than herself. He would've crushed her had he pressed down any harder. He could've killed me.
"I wouldn't call it Grounding."
"It certainly wasn't Flying." She twisted to glance up at his tattered wing, now folded neatly against his back as if it had never moved. "Though you sure tried your level best."
He chuckled. "Instinct. As was the... ah... attempt to mount you." His head dipped, gaze refusing to meet hers. "I'm sorry. I – I should've tried harder to control it, but –"
Maay licked the underside of his jaw, giggling when he responded with a nuzzle. "So, if it's not Grounding and it can't be Flying, what would you call it?"
"Well," he whispered, the heat of his breath warming her cheek. "If I may use a human phrase... making love."