Hal slammed his fist down on the trunk that had been left in their newly assembled tent. He wanted to tear something apart, beat something senseless. His Skylar, his little girl, had just turned her back on him. She had just left him and her mother to walk away with a dragon.
Seeing her turn into a dragon had made him angrier than he had been in a long time. A part of him had been in denial about what she truly was, and seeing her shift so naturally had shattered every illusion he'd allowed himself. He knew it wasn't fair of him to be upset with her for embracing what she was, but he was nonetheless. He and Violet given her everything, loved her with his whole heart, taken care of her, protected her from herself, and she turned her back on them so easily. She asked them here to protect the dragons and acted as if she hadn't grown up their daughter. She acted like this place was her home.
He ran his hands over his face and sat back on his bed. Violet walked over to him and wrapped an arm around his shoulders.
"Hal, love," she whispered, squeezing his arm and sitting down next to him. "Darling, what's gotten into you?"
He knew what she was talking about. He had acted irrationally when Leo brought up a marriage between Skylar and Orion. Leo was a good man, obviously a strong leader, and Hal had let his anger get the better of him. Something else he'd been in denial about: his daughter's feelings toward the young man who had saved her life. Having someone else say it to him, especially in reference to marriage... Hal had lost it. Leo had not deserved it, and he had meant no harm when he'd mentioned it. What had happened had stemmed from Hal being unable to control his anger, but he felt that Leo's overreaction gave him some room to pass judgement. At least Hal didn't turn into a raging monster if he became too upset.
Unfortunately, his shock and fear at seeing the black dragon advancing on him was nothing when compared to the loss he felt upon seeing his only child walking away from him, hand in hand with Orion. All he could see in his mind was the image of the infant he'd picked up at Draco's castle, the instant love he'd felt for her. His baby, his only child, and it felt like his time with her was up.
"We've lost her, Vi," he said quietly.
Violet rested her head on his shoulder. "Darling, I don't think we have. Not yet, at least. But if we keep acting like dragons are terrible creatures... as if they're something other than people, I know that we will. She loves them so much. These people mean have come to mean so much to her."
"We're supposed to mean everything to her," he countered. "We're her parents, the people who have loved her since she was a child."
"But we've never truly loved her for who she is, have we?" Violet whispered, her hand squeezing his arm. "We made her hide for her whole life. Here she can be free. How could we expect her not to fall in love with it?"
Hal wasn't going to admit that he'd handled the situation badly. What else was he supposed to do when he discovered that his child turned into a dragon? Let her? No, he didn't think so. Besides, he was still feeling slighted.
"You mean fall in love with him," he spat, instead. "When she told us that back at the castle, I didn't believe her. But seeing her with him just now... Violet, she truly intends to marry him."
Violet snorted in the most un-ladylike fashion. "Can you blame her? He's been nothing but a gentleman to us despite how we've treated him. He's dealt with us because he so obviously loves her. And you apparently haven't seen the way he looks at her."
"What, like he wants to lock her away somewhere so we can never get to her again?"
"Harold, now you're being juvenile." Violet reprimanded, leaning away from him. "Love, he looks at her like you look at me."
Hal finally lifted his head to look at his beautiful wife. He knew exactly how he looked at her: like he could never love anyone else the way he loved her, like she perfect to him in every way. They'd been married for nearly thirty years and he was still madly in love with her, despite every trial and tribulation they'd ever encountered, and as king and queen there were always plenty of those to go around. She got more beautiful by the year, and he couldn't imagine anyone else ruling by his side.
Violet reached up to stroke his cheek with soft fingers. "That's the look. That's how he looked at her back at the castle, and how he looks at her now. Hal, I meant what I said back at the castle, that she belongs with the dragons."
He turned his head to kiss her palm before leaning his cheek into her hand. "She's just a child. Our child." She would always be a child in his mind, a baby girl.
His wife shook her head sadly. "She's a woman, and she has been for a long time. We were trying to find her a husband, Hal. You were aware she was a woman, ready to embark on her own life."
"Yes, but that husband would have been human," he stated.
"Yes, but unfortunately, she's not."
He didn't answer his wife, mostly because an idea popped into his head. "But she wanted to be."
Violet frowned. "What?"
"Up until recently, she wanted nothing more than to be human, to lead a human life with a human husband. Why should that change?"
"Perhaps because she's found people who don't make her want to be human?" Vi responded slowly, looking at him as if he had gone crazy. He stood up and paced back in forth in front of the bed.
"Violet, Jonathan made her want to be human," he told her, throwing his hands up in triumph. "She has been infatuated with him for years, possibly even loves him, and we know he loves her!"
"Harold, whatever you're thinking, is a bad idea," she said sternly. "She was a child, and he was a close friend. That does not mean she loved him then or that she loves him now."
"It doesn't mean she can't," he responded, not really listening to his wife. "It doesn't mean she can't be reminded of what she once wanted. You heard how easily she said such things at home, when she was arguing with Orion. She meant them at one point." He walked to the opening of the tent, only pausing when Violet yanked hard on his arm. He hadn't even heard her stand up.
"Harold, I should remind you that you are a king. You have greater things to worry about at the moment than who Skylar thinks she loves and who she doesn't!" she snapped at him, forcing him to look at her. "You promised to help the dragons fight Draco. Not only is he attacking people who have done nothing to him, he killed one of your knights, and he kidnapped and hurt our daughter. He should be where your focus is at."
"She's my daughter, Violet. She always comes first."
She shook her head, her hazel eyes pleading as she stared up at him. "She's my daughter, too, and I won't let you push her even further away with your clouded thinking. I can tell that whatever you're thinking is going to make her even angrier with us."
"She has no right to be angry with us. We never abandoned her, not like she's trying to do to us. What I want to know is why you're on their side now? Why are you defending them?"
"I don't want to, trust me, but I won't ignore the fact that they've protected our daughter," she said gently, stroking his arm. "I also can't ignore how happy she is here. Have you ever seen her like this before? It's like she has finally come to life, for the first time she's truly alive. Besides, even if it weren't for all of that, someone needs to be the voice of reason with you."
Dragons were known for their stubbornness. Hal wasn't a dragon, but no one would hesitate to use the same adjective to describe him.
He ignored her final comment. "Jonathan made her happy once, too," he shot back, opening the flap to their tent and turning to the guard that stood there, dismissing his wife in a way he would pay for later. "Find Sir Jonathan and send him here as quickly as possible."
"Yes, Your Grace," the knight bowed low and took off at a brisk walk toward the encampment of men. Hal let the flap fall closed, turning to find a disappointed Violet. He loved his wife more than anything, but he couldn't lose his only child.
<><><><><><><><><><><><>
Orion sat Skylar down on one of the couches in the living room of the Big House. She rolled her eyes at the way he treated her like a doll, but allowed it. Not that she could have stopped him. When he saw her fighting his father, whose dragon had completely taken over, his heart had nearly stopped. Leo's dragon could have killed her so easily... He squeezed his eyes closed as his stomach churned.
"Orion, I'm really alright," she said softly, the tips of her fingers brushing his face.
He looked up at her, those gentle blue orbs boring into him, stripping away all of his layers in the way only she could. He grabbed her face in his hands and dragged her mouth to his, claiming it like he was a starving man and she was the first meal he'd seen in weeks. She responded with similar fervor, her hands tangling in his hair and holding his face to hers. He could feel his dragon begging him to claim her once again, but he resisted. This was between Orion the man and Skylar the woman. He wanted to feel how warm she was in his arms, wanted to feel the soft skin of her cheek rubbing against his. The softness of her lips as they moved in tandem with his own.
He pulled away so only the very edges of their lips touched. "You're not allowed to scare me like that ever again."
Her eyes remained closed as she answered. "Really? I don't believe you're allowed to tell me what I can and can't do." Her tone was playful and she leaned forward to reconnect their mouths, but he leaned back, keeping the distance between them the same. It took all of his power as an Alpha to resist his beautiful woman, but somehow he managed.
"Skylar," he whispered, his breath mingling with hers, "I'm serious."
Her eyes fluttered open at the tone of his voice. They were confused, but she was listening closely to him now.
"You could have died," he said softly, amazed that his voice didn't break. "My father would have killed you."
"But he didn't," she insisted. "I'm safe. We're all safe."
He frowned and leaned his forehead against hers. Her hands slid forward from where they were tangled in his hair to cup his cheeks. "I'm sorry. I really am, but I didn't know what else to do. I had to protect my people, all of my people."
He let out a long sigh. "Spoken like a true Alpha."
"You would have done the same thing, and you know it."
"But I don't care if I'm the one in danger."
She barked out a sarcastic laugh. "But I do! This is a two way street."
"I know, I know," he complied, moving around her so he sat next to her on the couch. His arms wound around her as he pulled her close, holding her tightly against him, as if that would somehow keep her from ever facing any danger ever again.
The sound of boots on the stairs caused him to jump slightly, but he didn't release Skylar from his hold. He recognized both sets of footsteps and wasn't worried about either of them witnessing the act of affection.
Olly and Percy peered around the corner into the living room, rolling their eyes when they saw the pair on the couch. Skylar struggled to right herself, but Orion kept her locked in place.
"Our Alpha?" he asked.
"Unconscious, but likely not for long. Zachariah is with him now, so he doesn't wake up alone," Olly answered, his eyes flicking between his brother and Skylar. He knew his overprotective brother wouldn't share his opinion, but he shared it anyway. "You did really well today, Skylar."
She smiled up at him in that heartbreaking way she liked to do. "Thank you, Olly."
"Don't encourage her," Orion snapped. Skylar rolled her eyes and winked at Olly.
"I'm not!" he defended himself. "I've never seen Dad like that, and I don't know if I would have been able to keep my composure the way she did."
"She shifted," the future Alpha pointed out.
Skylar scoffed and shoved him slightly. "On purpose, not because I was angry or panicked. I knew what I was doing."
"Mmmmm," he grunted in reply.
Percy cut in then. "Either way, Skylar, we're proud of you, and thank you for keeping Leo from hurting anyone."
Orion couldn't help it. "He hurt Skylar!"
"Orion!" she snarled. "I'm really alright. My dragon got a little hurt, but it's nothing she can't handle."
"I know you're fine now, but your dragon was bleeding. That's not something I take lightly, Skylar, and I won't let my father get away with it."
"I have a feeling he'll be avoiding everyone for a while," Olly sighed, flopping down on another of the couches. "For him to lose control like that, like he was a new dragon, he'll be ashamed."
"As he should be."
"Hal did hit him," she pointed out. "I'd be upset too."
"But so upset that you lost complete control of your dragon? Alphas don't lose control," Percy explained. "Most adults don't even lose control. Leo's always been more in touch with his Wildling side, so his dragon is always more on edge, but that was unacceptable."
"Will we still begin training everyone tomorrow?" Skylar inquired, looking around at the three males. Percy and Olly both looked to Orion, who let out a long sigh and ran a hand through his hair. One arm remained locked around Skylar, who had now settled into her position against his side, cuddling up to him.
Orion shrugged one shoulder. "We have to. We need to get them training. Fighting with everyone as a human will be easy enough, everyone is comfortable with humans. Introducing fighting alongside us in our dragon forms will be harder. The soldiers won't like that, not after what just happened, but I still think think having archers on the backs of dragons will give us an advantage."
The other three nodded in agreement. "Plus, the Full Moon is next week. We still don't have eyes on Draco's army, so we have to assume the humans will be here when that happens."
Orion groaned. "Is it really almost the Full Moon again?" he closed his eyes and sighed before looking back up at his Beta. "We'll worry about that when it comes to it. Right now, we should focus on making sure the dragons and humans don't turn on one another."
As he finished his statement, the front door swung open. Victoria, Benny, Nana, Laura, and Jonathan all walked inside. Orion growled under his breath at the sight of the other male, but quieted after meeting his step-mother's gaze. Victoria couldn't hide her worry as she stepped into the living room with little Benny.
"Skylar, are you alright?" she asked, cradling her son.
Skylar nodded with a smile. "Just like I keep telling Orion, I really am alright. I promise. I wasn't hurt."
Orion snarled and she elbowed him without looking away from the worried Alpha female. Victoria nodded and breathed a sigh of relief. "Okay, alright, that's good. I should go check on him. Orion, will you take Benny? Mother is starting dinner."
"Of course," Orion told her, reluctantly letting go of Skylar to receive his infant brother. He tucked the tiny form against his side, where he fit perfectly. "Hey, fella."
"Thank you. I'll be back soon," she assured them before dashing upstairs. Orion heard Nana already in the kitchen, banging pots around. Laura walked into the living room, heading straight for Percy to kiss his cheek. Percy responded with a bright smile as he wrapped his arm around his mate. Jonathan stood quietly, his arms braced loosely behind his back. Orion watched him closely, wondering just why, exactly, he was here. Jonathan didn't noticed his scrutiny because he gaze was focused solely on Skylar, who rose from her seat beside Orion to greet the knight.
"Jonathan," she stated with a smile.
"Princess," he grinned back. Orion didn't miss the ease with which he smiled at her, the familiarity between them. He hadn't seen Skylar interact with Jonathan yet, not really, and he realized it was worse than he could ever have imagined. In his mind he could pretend they hadn't been friends, that they didn't know everything about each other, but seeing them together made it incredibly obvious how close they really were.
And they'd only exchanged two words so far.
"What are you doing here?" she asked, but it wasn't accusatory, not like Orion would have asked it.
"I thought it would be beneficial if the men saw I was dining here tonight, after the incident. Victoria and Ruby June agreed with me and I was invited to dinner."
"Oh," Skylar nodded in understanding. "That actually was a great idea."
"I do have those sometimes, you know," he chuckled and Skylar had the gall to return the laugh. Orion's insides twisted watching the interaction, his dragon going insane inside his head.
He glanced at his brother and his friends, all three of which watched the exchange curiously. He was happy to see Percy seemed to dislike their proximity as much as he did. Laura was simply interested, and Olly would support whatever Skylar wanted. It hadn't taken long for Orion to figure out that Olly cared for Skylar very much, he'd already accepted her as his sister. He knew he'd been there for her when Orion had to dote on Cassie when the Eastern Alpha family had arrived, and he appreciated that. He hated it, but he appreciated it.
Skylar glanced over at Orion, and he knew she saw the irritation in his expression and posture. She sighed, but continued to smile at the knight. "Jonathan, shall we go assist Nana in the kitchen?"
"Of course," he swept an arm out. "It'll be just like back at the castle."
Skylar chuckled. "Greta did always appreciate your help."
The pair left the room, but their conversation was still easy enough for Orion to hear.
"That doesn't mean I was ever any good," Jonathan replied.
"I always tried whatever you made."
"And it was always terrible!"
Their laughter echoed in Orion's head, driving his jealousy to dangerous levels. He couldn't help but remember what he'd heard Skylar say only days ago. That she had spent her entire life waiting for a prince to sweep her off her feet. Jonathan may not have been a prince, but he was a noble human, one that Skylar had admitted she once thought she could marry.
He inhaled deeply through his nose and then out his mouth in an attempt to calm himself. Benny squirmed in his arms and he realized his grip had tightened slightly on the small bundle.
"Sorry, buddy," he said, rocking his brother, whose eyes began to fall closed again.
He stared at the doorway Jonathan and Skylar had disappeared through. He could hear them chatting with Nana, so he wasn't worried anything bad was going on, other than Jonathan being in her presence at all.
"Brother," Olly said softly. "You need to calm down."
Orion shot an angry look in Olly's direction. "I don't think I need to do anything. He shouldn't be here."
"He's here to make sure everything doesn't fall apart around us."
"He's here to be with Skylar," Orion growled, looking back at the doorway, just imagining them laughing together. Jonathan knew her far better than Orion did, and that bothered the future Alpha to no extent.
Laura stepped forward, crossing her arms. "You're not allowed to be upset with her."
He rose, so he was looking down at Laura. She wasn't a small woman, she was taller than Skylar, but he was still much taller than the Beta female. "I'm not upset with her. I don't appreciate the accusation, Laura."
"I know you, Orion, and I know how attached un-marked males are. You're angry, and you'll lash out at her for this if you don't control yourself. She's being a good host, that's all. Not only that, but he's her friend. He's familiar. But she loves you."
Orion forced himself to relax his stance and began to rock Benny back and forth, to give his body something to do. "I know she does. But I just can't help this... this instinct. I've never felt this out of control before."
"And for someone who loves control," Percy chuckled, "this has to be killing you."
Orion nodded and let a small smile grace his mouth. "It just about is."
"Have the two of you talked about it?" Laura asked. "Marking one another, I mean."
Orion paused, listening to make sure the conversation in the kitchen was still flowing. At the wonderful sound of Skylar's laughter, he was content no one was listening. Despite that, he kept his voice low.
"Not really. Every time it comes up, she says 'not yet', which I understand."
"Are you going to wait until your mating ceremony? You know you don't have to, you're going to be the Alpha. And if you truly believe you're True Mates, then no one would judge either of you."
"I'd rather not. I don't know if I can make it until the mating ceremony we have yet to plan." He sheepishly ran his hand through his hair. "I never really asked her."
Laura's eyebrows shot up towards her dark hair. "You haven't asked her to be your mate?"
His head shook back and forth slowly. "We sort of just... agreed that it would happen. We knew there would never be anyone else for us."
The female shook her head slowly and looked up at her mate. They shared that look that mated couples shared, as if they were reading each other's mind. Orion had a sudden flashback to his childhood, when a young Percy would pull a young Laura's hair, begging for her attention. The little girl would spin around and give him the nastiest glare, but that was enough for Percy. It was all he ever needed from her, just for her to look at him.
Orion watched them now, Laura looking up at Percy, her partner, and his matching stare back at her, and thought it was such a shame they weren't True Mates. Even if they weren't, they were as close as a pair could get to such a bond. Percy had been in love with Laura since he figured out what love was, and to see him finally get what he'd wanted his entire life, Orion realized how happy he was for his best friend. He would regret missing their mating ceremony, but he was consoled by the fact that he would get to be by their side for the rest of their lives, just like they had since they were all children.
Laura turned back to Orion. "Orion, Percy and I knew we were going to be mated, but it didn't feel official until he asked me out right if I would spend my life with him."
"I did hear Skylar say she wanted me to officially ask her..."
Laura's eyes widened and she gasped. "Well then what are you waiting for? Orion, she's scared. No matter how sure of you she is, she's terrified. This is a huge change, a huge sacrifice she would be making for you. The least you can do is open up to her and ask the question that makes you completely vulnerable to her."
He glanced between his brother and two best friends, the former looking mortified at the thought of his older brother acting all in love, even if it was the truth, and the latter two acting like they invented romance. He knew Laura was right, but he also knew he wasn't the most romantic of men.
"You're absolutely right," he admitted with a heavy sigh. "But I'm going to need your help."
<><><><><><><><><><>
"We're sparring, beast!" a voice rang out. "You're not supposed to try to hurt me!"
The response was quick and just as venomous. "Maybe you should try to avoid the hits and then it won't matter."
Skylar snarled and weaved through the sparring humans and dragons. This was the second day of training and it felt as though they hadn't gotten anywhere. Tension still sat heavy in the air, none of the humans or dragons really trying to work together with their new comrades.
Jonathan was close behind her as they ran through. The two of them had been attached at the hip since he came to dinner two nights ago. He was finally acting like the old Jonathan, sweet and her best friend, not the jealous, angry man she'd observed since he'd arrived among the dragons. Surprisingly, Orion didn't seem bothered by their proximity. In fact, he actually seemed distracted the last couple of days. He'd been splitting his time between training and disappearing with Laura. She'd noticed that when they did disappear, Percy always stayed close by Skylar. She didn't want to think it was because he was keeping an eye on her, but it couldn't be ignored that that was a real possibility. Orion might be acting strange, but he was still a dominant male dragon, and she was his female.
"What's the problem?" she asked, trying not to let her irritation show.
"Don't worry about it, Princess," the human snapped at her. She frowned and opened her mouth to respond, but Jonathan put a hand on her arm and squeezed gently.
"Sir Killian, I know you're angry, but you don't talk to her like that," Jonathan warned. "Now, either voice your complaint, or get back to work."
The dragon and human turned back to one another, loathing clear on their faces. "I won't work with him any longer," the human spat.
"No?" Jonathan asked, raising an eyebrow. "Then go. There are other men who aren't paired with a dragon yet, who are more willing to make this partnership work."
The knight looked at his leader with wide eyes, as if he was thinking Jonathan would argue with him further. "Jonathan--"
"Unless you're going to stop whining and get to work," Jonathan said quietly, "get off the field."
The knight swallowed and nodded. "I'll stay."
"I thought so."
Jonathan dipped his chin in acknowledgement. He looked over at the dragon, one of the Western Clan members, who was looking at him as if he'd found a new level of respect for the human. "You're good?"
The dragon nodded. "I am. We'll be fine."
"Good."
The dragon glanced at Skylar with emerald eyes and lowered his gaze for a moment in submission. She realized with a shock that he was acknowledging her as his superior. Perhaps not his Alpha, but someone who ranked higher than himself in the clan. She smiled at him and then at the knight, her pride soaring. Perhaps she'd had more of an impact that last couple of days than she'd thought.
She and Jonathan walked back through the dragons and humans, some practicing with wooden swords and some working with hand-to-hand combat. The dragons were using their superior speed, strength, and reflexes to push the humans to their limits, while the humans used their sword fighting abilities to challenge the dragons reflexes.
There had been no shifting yet, but Skylar knew it would have to happen soon because they needed to get the dragons in the air with riders on their back to begin practicing as soon as possible.
She looked up at Jonathan. "You handled that very well."
"He's always been a hothead," the knight shrugged. "But he wants to be as close to the action as possible."
"Either way," she stated, "you did well."
He smiled gently. "Thank you, Princess."
"How do you think they're doing?"
He glanced across the field. For the most part, everyone was working hard. Their shared hatred of Draco fueled them. "I think they know that if they don't work together, they'll die."
It was such a morbid thought and she squeezed her eyes closed. She knew they were preparing for battle, knew the risks, but the thought of the lives that would be lost made her sick to her stomach.
She swallowed the bile in her throat and continued behind Jonathan to the edge of the training field. As she looked up, she found Percy, Orion, and Kellan standing in a small circle, deep in discussion. Leo had been missing since the incident, but she didn't blame him for that. She did wish to speak with him, to let him know that she harbored no ill will towards him, but she would have seek him out without Orion's knowledge. He still clung to the idea that Leo was dangerous and should be kept away from her at all costs. She wasn't even sure if Orion had spoken with him yet.
She studied Orion as she and Jonathan approached. He stood with his arms crossed over his broad chest, his brow lowered over his heart-melting eyes as he was deep in thought. She took the opportunity to allow her eyes to roam down his torso, to his long legs. As her gaze dipped lower, that was when she saw the two saddles sitting at his feet. Ah, so he had plans for today.
Then, almost as if he sensed her approach, he turned and his face broke into the grin that he reserved only for her. Her stomach did a flip at his attention and she wondered if it would always be like this with him. If he would always be able to turn her innards to mush just by smiling at her.
"You're back," she smiled back up at him as they got closer. He'd disappeared before sunrise this morning, off with Olly and Fiona to patrol the perimeter, according to Percy when she'd asked.
"I am," he replied, his eyes reverting to the warm, liquid gold she loved. "I see you've been managing well." He glanced around the training field and she nodded proudly.
"Along with Jonathan and Kellan's help," she said, motioning to the red Alpha and the knight next to her.
Orion's gaze shifted to Jonathan. There was the usual animosity there, but it didn't seem as apparent. Almost as if his hatred of the knight had taken a back seat to something else weighing on his mind. She narrowed her eyes up at him, wondering what he was thinking about, but was interrupted by Kellan.
"We feel it's time for the dragons to shift," he stated, pulling the conversation back in the productive direction.
She looked up at Kellan, and then back to Orion and Percy. The younger dragons appeared to be in full agreement. "We can't waste anymore time," Percy stated.
"They've only just started training together," Jonathan pointed out.
"It's been two days," Orion said to him. "There's still no sign of Draco, but that doesn't mean he won't appear soon. We need everyone to be ready, and that means making sure the knights are comfortable around the dragons, enough so that they can ride them."
Jonathan frowned at the idea. They'd told him about the saddles and the soldiers that would be mounted on the dragons, and he'd been less than thrilled. But, Jonathan was also an intelligent man, and he knew that high risk meant a high reward, so he'd listened and reluctantly agreed to their plan. He made no promises as to how it would be received by the soldiers, though.
"You obviously don't expect them all to go at once," Jonathan stated.
Orion shook his head and leveled a meaningful gaze at the knight. "I was thinking that one of their leaders would go first, to show them that it's safe and can work. And Hal isn't here."
Jonathan took his meaning clearly enough, his eyes widening slightly and glancing over at Skylar, who tried to look encouraging. She and Orion had discussed this, and had agreed it was the best course of action. She had volunteered to be the first dragon to let a human ride her, and they would go from there. Orion had wanted to go first, but Skylar had insisted, telling him that it might go over better if their princess were the one to shift first. She didn't have the heart to tell him that she wasn't sure she could trust his dragon with Jonathan.
"What do you think?" she asked her friend.
The knight looked over at her, his hazel eyes steely and confident. Jonathan wasn't one to back down from anything, and he wouldn't show any weakness in front of Orion. This was perhaps the one time their rivalry would work in her favor.
A smiled tugged at the corners of his lips and his hand moved to rest on the hilt of the sword at his hip.
"I'm ready."