Forged by Magic (Falling for Fables, #1)(79)

I searched his face. “There’s more to this than you’re saying.”

For a moment, he didn’t speak. And then he sighed, running his fingers through his long, silver strands. “If you want to be free of Isveig, you need to return to Fafnir and find a book he stole from the orcs. It has instructions in there that can bind you to a dragon with magic that will destroy the ice shard in your body. It’s the only way you’ll be free of him.”

All the blood drained from my face, and I took a slow, stumbling step away from him. “You mean become a Draugr.”

He held up a hand. “Before you argue, let me explain. Being a Draugr is not the terrible fate we’ve always believed, as long as the bond between a dragon and its rider is done right. Mabel came to see me and told me everything she remembers from her time with the orcs. You can make that bond. You, Daella, as long as the dragon chooses you willingly. It’s only when others—elves, dwarves, humans—force dragons to bond with them that the magic turns volatile. And when you do this, the magic will free you from Isveig.”

My heart pounded. “Rivelin, I—”

“I know it’s hard to imagine becoming the thing you’ve hated and hunted all these years, but you won’t be like them, Daella. When I look into your eyes, I know there’s no chance you could turn into that kind of creature. Go to Fafnir. Find the book. And then come back to me, if you still want me the same way I want you.”

I couldn’t believe I was even considering this, but…I glanced at Aska and my chest warmed. Doing this would mean becoming the thing I’d hated for as long as I could remember. It would mean embracing the darkness I’d fought so hard against. But what I’d hated and feared, it hadn’t been the whole truth. The full portrait had been smudged.

Somehow, deep down, I knew there was truth in Rivelin’s words. But that did not mean his wild plan was the answer to all our issues. How could I possibly find this hidden book? And then how could I ever get away from Isveig again? He would never let me leave.

“What if I fail?” I whispered.

“You won’t.”

I inhaled, trying to memorize the scent of his leather, his smoke, his steel. My heart ached at the idea of leaving him, especially now when we’d only just found our way back to each other. The six weeks had felt like years, like I’d known him all my life. It was not nearly long enough.

Forever wouldn’t even be long enough.

And now I would return to Isveig empty-handed. It was only a matter of time before he sent someone else to investigate the Isles, no matter what I told him. He would tear this land to shreds.

I couldn’t leave these people to that fate.

I pressed my lips together, then asked, “Did you withdraw from the Midsummer Games?”

“What?”

“You’re not there competing now, but did you formally withdraw?”

“No, but it doesn’t matter.” He tugged me closer, our hips locking together. “I may be fast, but I’m not fast enough for that. Besides, I need to take you to the harbor. You don’t know where it is.”

“I have an idea.” I smiled. “And you’re not going to like it.”





35




DAELLA





R ivelin stared in astonishment when I hauled myself onto Aska’s back. I gave her neck a quick rub as she slowly climbed to her feet, rolling off the last remnants of sleep. The warmth of her body enveloped me like an old hug, like one I’d known all my life, almost as familiar as my mother’s had once been.

“This isn’t the first time you’ve done this,” Rivelin murmured, noting how easily I settled in to the seat carved into her scales. “How?”

“Aska found me lost in the woods when it was raining last night, and she brought me back here.” Smiling, I rubbed her neck again. “Turns out, dragons like it when you feed them.”

“I think it’s far more than that.”

“It seems Mabel was right. Orcs and dragons have a special connection.” It was still so wild to consider, the origin of the orcs. But it made sense. We had fire within our veins. We thrived in the summer sun. And Isveig hated us. He’d never told me more because he didn’t want me to know the truth.

“Run as fast as you can,” I told Rivelin. “I’ll meet you back in Wyndale.”

“Wait. What is it you plan to do, Daella? We need to get you on that ship.”

I smiled. “You asked me to trust you, and now I’m asking you to trust me. I’m going to win the fates-damned Games for you, but I’m going to need you to step back. And don’t try to argue with me about the ship. I’ll get there after I finish this.”

The muscles around his eyes tightened, but then he nodded and shifted away from the mouth of the cave. I smiled, leaned forward, and whispered into Aska’s ear, “Fly, my friend.”

She didn’t need any more encouragement than that. The dragon took off at a run and hurtled into the sky, soaring up toward the clouds. Her heavy wings pounded against the wind, and I clung to the tusk as she raced toward Wyndale. Below, the world was nothing more than a blur of brilliant greens and muddy browns, pockmarked by the violets and pinks and golden yellows of the flowers scattered across this beautiful island.