Free A Dragon's Honor by Dahlia Rose

over his heart. “We have
the magic in us to be where we need to be in the blink of an eye, or a tad bit
longer. But we can be there and back before the others get here if you want to
go with me. You can stay here, of course. You’d be safe until I return, but I
need to speak to Orin, the king’s son. He is one of the twelve warriors. I can
talk to him—”
    “He
gives you more clarity than Hawke because you essentially were raised by Hawke
and he still sees you as that small boy he took in after your mother died and
your father gave up,” Raven added.
    He
nodded and swallowed. “He’s great. I mean, he’s the best warrior older than
Orin who is closer to my age, but sometimes I see worry in his eyes even though
I’m a man now and not a child. I think he believes if I got hurt it would
dishonor my parents in some way.”
    “It
sounds like there is more going on than you know,” Raven surmised. “Maybe the
truth is what’s needed to set it all right.”
    “My
father may be the only one who can give me the answers I need,” Raul said. “In
any case, I need to talk to Orin. I’ve spoken to you more than I have anyone
else about this situation.”
    She
reached up and kissed him gently. “I think that may be a compliment.”
    “It
is,” Raul smiled. “Now, if you want to come along, dress warmly and I’ll be
waiting for you up on the roof.”
    He
walked out of the room buck naked as she scrambled out
of bed. “Don’t you need a backpack with clothes or something?”
    “I
have all those things in Paladin. Hurry up. This dragon needs to fly,” he
teased.
    She
ran into the bathroom for a quick shower then raced around to find clothes. It
seemed that Hawke, whom she had never met, was prepared for everything because
there was an abundance of women’s clothes in all sizes and shoes in the closets
of every bedroom of the penthouse. More than likely for the wives who stayed
there on occasion, but Raul told her that she was welcome to use what she
needed. She was honestly excited to meet Hawke’s wife and see a human woman who
was actually married to one of the dragons. She threw on a thick sweater, jeans
and some sneakers and even found some gloves and ran up the stairs. Raul was
facing away from her, still in human form, and Raven jumped on his back and kissed
his neck wildly as excitement rushed through her.
    “Stop
that or we won’t be leaving this roof anytime soon,” Raul laughed.
    He
turned and she wrapped her arms around his neck before looking up at him.
“You’re showing me a place that most people have never and will never see. I
could kiss you all over.”
    He
pressed his lips to the tip of her nose. “I’ll be holding you to that later.
Now, darling, I should put you to sleep. I have the words, the magic that can
do so. The transition from your world to mine might be uncomfortable.”
    “How
so?” Raven asked.
    “You’re
human. Our dragon form is made for this kind of travel. It may be painful for
you,” Raul explained.
    She
shook her head. “No, I want to experience everything.”
    He
hesitated for a moment, then nodded. Raven stepped
back and watched his miraculous change from man to mythical beast once again. When
he was finished, she climbed onto his back, and this time the gloves she wore made
it easier to hold on to his scales as he launched into the sky.
    Before,
she was too scared to enjoy the flight, but this time as the cool wind blew
past her face, she felt exhilarated. She braved looking down and gasped as the
lights from houses and businesses below made a blanket of color in the darkness.
Soon, everything started to speed up until it was a blur and she had to close
her eyes from the feeling of vertigo. She pressed her face against the scales
of his neck and held on to her dragon as he broke the scientific law of speed. He
was right; it went by quickly and soon she felt him slowing down and Raul
landed. Instead of the concrete of a roof, her feet hit soft, green grass.