Page 37 of Forged Flight

She doesn’t exactly stick the landing.

Instead, she comes skidding across the ground in a spray of dirt and uprooted grass. Before I can worry that she’s hurt, she pops back onto her feet and prances around happily.

“Oh my goddess!” Micah exclaims, bouncing on his toes. “She did it!”

He slams into me, wrapping his arms around my waist. The top of his curls brushes just below my pecs.

I stare down at him, frozen for a heartbeat.

Then I wrap my arms around him, pulling him into my embrace. He fits perfectly against me, his slender body settling into mine like the final piece of a puzzle.

“She flew,” he whispers in awe, turning his face slightly to meet my gaze. His eyes are damp, tears streaking down his cheeks. “This is amazing.”

“Aye,” I murmur, holding him tighter. “It really is.”

Chapter Nine: Micah

Chapter Ten: Lucan

Mount Embercrest rises before us, its jagged peaks disappearing into a veil of clouds.

The base of the mountain is steep, my thighs already aching as we climb through the woods. My satchel thumps steadily against my back with every step, filled with water canteens and food we grabbed from Micah’s cottage. The journey ahead won’t be easy.

A sword rests in its sheath at my hip. I’d considered leaving it behind, but then I thought about what we might encounter on the way up. The idea of being unable to protect Micah or Maple sent a cold shiver down my spine.

Maple trots along beside Micah as he holds the end of a rope that’s tied securely around her harness. Every few steps, she stops to sniff something—a bush, a rock, a patch of moss. Her snout nuzzles into a plant with a vibrant yellow flower.

“Careful,” he murmurs, crouching beside her. “Don’t eat that.”

Maple sniffs the offending plant again and licks it with a wide swipe of her tongue.

“No,” Micah scolds, tugging gently on the rope to pull her away.

She looks up at him innocently before prancing along beside him, the rope bobbing between them.

I hide a grin.

That dragon has Micah wrapped around her little claw.

I glance at the rope wrapped tightly in Micah’s hand.

“You know, Doc, I don’t think she’s going to wander off.”

“I know.”

“You’re still holding onto her.”

He sighs. “I just want to make sure she’s safe until we know she’s settled with the other dragons.”

He might be a tad overprotective of the little beast, but I have to admit, it’s damn cute.

“She’s going to be fine,” I reassure him.

Micah looks up at me. “You don’t know that.”

“No.” I knock my elbow softly against his shoulder. “But Dragons are very social creatures, Micah. You know this better than anyone. They’ll love her.”

He bites his bottom lip. “What if they won’t accept her because she’s different?”