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Authors: Candace Blevins
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way.”
“Yes, they’ll allow it, but that’s a conversation for later. Are you settled?”
Aaron walked around a little and I saw what he meant about how to hold on with both my hands and legs, and even how to stabilize myself with my elbows, keeping my upper body almost flat so I wouldn’t be buffeted around by the wind as he flew.
He had me slide down and climb back up until I could get into position in mere seconds. I was easy on him at first, careful to step gently and not ruffle his scales, but he told me swords and bullets couldn’t penetrate his armor and I shouldn’t worry about my soft shoes hurting him.
His deep voice reverberated off the cave walls, and a few times he blew fire out of his mouth. I thought he was showing off, but he said he wanted to get me used to it, in case he needed to use it defensively with me around.
His words reminded me that, while we may seem safe at the moment, it was only because Aaron had planned so well and created this space to hide me. Or, perhaps not to hide me specifically, but it worked for me.
I slid down, stepped beside his head, and looked into his eye. I could clearly see myself reflected in the huge lens, so much larger than my head.
“If you’re so hard to kill, why are there so few of you left?”
He began to change before my eyes, turning back to human, and I turned around before I could see him naked.
He moved fast, and within seconds he said, “I have my pants on, Soph. You can turn around.”
I watched him put his shirt on, and then his socks and boots. “You aren’t cold?” I asked.
“Nope. Fast metabolism, much warmer than normal body temp. You have a fast metabolism, too, but swans feel the cold more than other shapeshifters, which is odd since you have to stay warm in flight.”
“I can stay warm if I’m moving, I only feel it when I’m not exerting myself. Are you going to answer my question?”
He shook his head. “Not today. There was a large purge and the majority of Dragons died over a two week period. I’d like to save that conversation for another time, please.”
It was a long time ago, but I could see the pain in his face as well as hear it in his voice, and my heart broke for him. He’d likely lost his entire family and many friends. “Do dragons form packs, like wolves?”
“Dragons stay in close-knit family units.”
He was finished with the conversation, but would keep answering my questions if I kept asking them. I didn’t want to hurt him, though, so I said, “I’m sure I’ll eventually want a shower bad enough to brave the waterfall, but for now I think I’ll do fine without.”
He chuckled and pulled me into the warmth of his strong arms. “I’ve set it up so I can divert water into a bathtub sized depression in the rock. I can turn to dragon and blow on it, warm it up, and you’ll have a nice, toasty bath, Princess.”
I stepped out of his arms to glare at him, but his grin made me smile back, so I just rolled my eyes and turned back towards the tunnels. “Let’s see if I can get us back to the house. I’m thinking maybe we eat dinner and then cover some more lessons.”
Chapter Six
Aaron
In the following days I taught Sophia a few hours, took her for a walk to various parts of the cave system, and then brought her back where I taught her some more.
We started with books, but then went to deportment, and how a Queen with a capital Q needed to conduct herself different than a queen with a little q . She’d been trained to be the King’s arm candy, but if she was going to stand on her own two feet and rule with confidence, she needed different lessons.
I also touched her more — her arm to guide her, or her back near her shoulder blades to get her attention, her cheek to show affection. I frequently kissed her forehead or the top of her head, but had only given her three romantic kisses, so far.
She’d had two baths, and I’d sat on the floor
“Yes, they’ll allow it, but that’s a conversation for later. Are you settled?”
Aaron walked around a little and I saw what he meant about how to hold on with both my hands and legs, and even how to stabilize myself with my elbows, keeping my upper body almost flat so I wouldn’t be buffeted around by the wind as he flew.
He had me slide down and climb back up until I could get into position in mere seconds. I was easy on him at first, careful to step gently and not ruffle his scales, but he told me swords and bullets couldn’t penetrate his armor and I shouldn’t worry about my soft shoes hurting him.
His deep voice reverberated off the cave walls, and a few times he blew fire out of his mouth. I thought he was showing off, but he said he wanted to get me used to it, in case he needed to use it defensively with me around.
His words reminded me that, while we may seem safe at the moment, it was only because Aaron had planned so well and created this space to hide me. Or, perhaps not to hide me specifically, but it worked for me.
I slid down, stepped beside his head, and looked into his eye. I could clearly see myself reflected in the huge lens, so much larger than my head.
“If you’re so hard to kill, why are there so few of you left?”
He began to change before my eyes, turning back to human, and I turned around before I could see him naked.
He moved fast, and within seconds he said, “I have my pants on, Soph. You can turn around.”
I watched him put his shirt on, and then his socks and boots. “You aren’t cold?” I asked.
“Nope. Fast metabolism, much warmer than normal body temp. You have a fast metabolism, too, but swans feel the cold more than other shapeshifters, which is odd since you have to stay warm in flight.”
“I can stay warm if I’m moving, I only feel it when I’m not exerting myself. Are you going to answer my question?”
He shook his head. “Not today. There was a large purge and the majority of Dragons died over a two week period. I’d like to save that conversation for another time, please.”
It was a long time ago, but I could see the pain in his face as well as hear it in his voice, and my heart broke for him. He’d likely lost his entire family and many friends. “Do dragons form packs, like wolves?”
“Dragons stay in close-knit family units.”
He was finished with the conversation, but would keep answering my questions if I kept asking them. I didn’t want to hurt him, though, so I said, “I’m sure I’ll eventually want a shower bad enough to brave the waterfall, but for now I think I’ll do fine without.”
He chuckled and pulled me into the warmth of his strong arms. “I’ve set it up so I can divert water into a bathtub sized depression in the rock. I can turn to dragon and blow on it, warm it up, and you’ll have a nice, toasty bath, Princess.”
I stepped out of his arms to glare at him, but his grin made me smile back, so I just rolled my eyes and turned back towards the tunnels. “Let’s see if I can get us back to the house. I’m thinking maybe we eat dinner and then cover some more lessons.”
Chapter Six
Aaron
In the following days I taught Sophia a few hours, took her for a walk to various parts of the cave system, and then brought her back where I taught her some more.
We started with books, but then went to deportment, and how a Queen with a capital Q needed to conduct herself different than a queen with a little q . She’d been trained to be the King’s arm candy, but if she was going to stand on her own two feet and rule with confidence, she needed different lessons.
I also touched her more — her arm to guide her, or her back near her shoulder blades to get her attention, her cheek to show affection. I frequently kissed her forehead or the top of her head, but had only given her three romantic kisses, so far.
She’d had two baths, and I’d sat on the floor
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