Page 95 of To Fight and To Fold

Thea turned to Aaryn, offering her the floor.

She blushed. "Uhm, I—I don't even know where to start."

"That's why I'm here," Willow beamed. "Allow me to show you, well, everything."

And Willow did. Where books on the beginning of the druids rested, their pages waiting to be read. Information on the Tethered, the Awakened, dragons and their habits, their lineage, the Great Dragon himself. What they knew of the Tear and the Terrors. So much more than could ever be consumed by one curious woman, at least in a day.

It was as enlightening to Aaryn as it was frustrating. She told Willow as such. Then, "Willow, I'm about to become your new best friend.”

Thea was fine with this.

Willow looked far too happy about it. "I'd love to tell you more. Come back anytime."

Aaryn was wide-eyed with wonder when they left. The sun was already dipping below the bed of clouds, and darkness was settling, and Starspark was still waiting, lounging on the grass nearby.

"I didn't even get to training today," Aaryn complained.

Thea silently congratulated herself on a plan well executed. Out loud, she said, "Damn, I guess we have to wait until tomorrow."

"Thea!" Aaryn whined, and smacked her arm. Something like bubbles burst in her chest. "You did this on purpose."

"Vaelen told you to get settled first, and I think that is advice to heed."

At the sound of their raised voices, Starspark lifted his head, gaze locked on Aaryn, and shot to attention, practically flying to her side to nudge his nose into her.

Aaryn wrapped herself around as much of Starpark as she could reach. "How are we supposed to get settled? He can't fit in your house."

He'd sure try to, though, from the look of it.

22

FRESHLY PLANTED

Just like Vaelen suggested, Aaryn settled in with an ease that surprised even her. Thea stubbornly took a padded mat on the floor beside her bed, and Aaryn crawled between the blankets and tried not to feel… whatever the fluttery feeling was in her belly about sinking into the Thea-shaped dip in the bed.

The sound of Thea's deep, even breathing lulled her to sleep.

Starspark was indeed too big to fit into Thea's home, but he awaited them through the night, and greeted Aaryn first thing in the morning.

When Aaryn seated herself upon his neck again, a rightness burrowed deep in her chest. The scar on her hand tingled, and she shook it off as Thea climbed on behind her. Then she was shifting close, reaching around her to grab onto the ridge of scales, and Aaryn's belly fluttered oddly again as Thea's warm breath hit the back of her neck.

Then she was bracing, because⁠—

Whereas Aaryn had always been a cautious person, conscious of those around her, Starspark was a no-holds-barred kind of dragon, and as soon as Thea grabbed on, he shot into the sky. Her heart leapt, thighs squeezing around his neck and hands gripping him tightly, her feet tucked into the particular scales Thea had showed her.

A lightness filled her that had nothing to do with the way Starspark glided smoothly to another isle, the one she'd demanded Thea take her to.

Because Aaryn wasn't content to rest and relax and stay settled.

Not when her palm tingled like this. Not when it felt so right on Starspark's back. Not when there was so much more for her to learn. Not when magic awaited her.

And now, she faced off with Thea in Claw Hold. Only a few feet separated them, the sun warm on their faces, sweat threatening to bead near their temples.

"Are you sure about this?" Thea asked, and her hesitancy stung Aaryn's pride a little.

"Should I find someone else to do it?" Aaryn asked impatiently.

Thea began to pace before her, and beyond her, Starspark was standing by, eyes half-lidded with interest as he watched them, the only witness to their dance. Because even though others were training around them, no one paid them any attention. There were no guards standing by to watch their every move. No schedule to keep. It was oddly… freeing.