Page 9 of Raven's Dawn

“We’re gonna ride dragons?!” Pure childish glee shrieked from my mouth as I practically skipped toward them. Which may or may not have been a bit pathetic, but who wouldn’t get excited about riding a dragon? “Please tell me we’re going to ride some dragons.”

“God, I love you,” Laila said, laughing. “Yeah, we’re riding dragons.”

I didn’t even attempt to hide my girlish squeal, nor my excited clap. Ezra appreciated it, joining in on the laugh and resting a hand on the small of my back. Even Luci and Jeremy chuckled, while Graham and Iliantha shook their heads and smiled

But the woman who stood closest to them clenched her jaw.

She was pretty, pale face decorated in tattoos that reminded me of Laila’s. Curling vines spiraling down her neck, speckled with flowers of pink and white and purple. Her features were soft, much like every woman I had confronted on this world. Little button nose, heart-shaped face, small lips, pointy ears, and round cheeks, all framed by lilac hair. Despite her dainty appearance, there was a certain harshness to her violet eyes that I couldn’t quite decipher.

Suffice it to say, she didn’t seem so thrilled with my childish excitement.

“You all know us,” Jeremy said, gesturing to the group before waving to the woman, “but I don’t think you’ve met?—”

“Amara?” Graham said behind me.

His eyes were wide, full of joy. A smile I hadn’t seen in months worked its way up his cheeks. The bag he’d held in his hand was on the grass now, clearly forgotten in his newfound joy.

The woman stepped closer, squinting, before making the exact same face that he did. “Graham fucking Wynson.”

Laughing, teary-eyed, he bolted past me to her. She met him halfway. They embraced one another in the tightest hug. Hoisting her off the ground, he spun her in a circle. She howled with laughter.

And a little fire ignited in my belly.

I was the last person with the right to feel jealous, which I reminded myself of as they kissed one another’s cheeks. If they knew each other from childhood, I was happy for Graham. For the longest time, Jake and I were his only friends. He probably went the last fifteen years thinking he would never see this woman again, and now they were reunited.

But that hug was lasting a while, and that fire burned brighter.

Laila must have seen the flames inside me herself, because she cleared her throat. “You guys know each other?”

Setting her down, smiling, Graham nodded. Still, he touched her face, holding her cheek in his hand. She did the same to him.

“Aye, we did,” Graham said.

“Look at ye,” she said in a thick accent. It was harsher than I ever remembered Graham’s being, closer to Irish than his barely there Scottish. She smacked him in the chest. “Talking like a human.”

Graham smacked her on the shoulder, laughing along. “Talking like an American.”

“Ah, much better.” Amara planted both hands on her hips. “Ye made it.”

“I did.” He gestured at her outfit, which was the first time I noticed she was wearing armor. In my defense, it didn’t look much like armor. It took squinting to realize that the black fabric pants and sweatshirt twinkled obsidian in the sun, like the Elvan ore all over this realm. “Looks like you made it where you wanted to be too.”

“Colonel of the northern army.” She lifted her chin with pride. “Impressed, laddie?”

“Impressed, but not surprised. I always knew you’d get where you wanted to go.”

“Honestly, I’d hoped you wouldn’t,” Amara said. “Then you would’ve had to stay here with me.”

“And if I had, I wouldn’t have met them.” Graham turned our way, excitedly stretching out his hand for mine. I took it and let him pull me closer. “Amara, this is Rain. She and her brother took me in when I first got to Earth. We’ve been best friends ever since. A year or so ago, we became more than that.”

I extended a hand. With a tight-lipped smile, she shook it. And with a hell of a lot of force. Her handshake reminded me of Warren’s, strong and domineering.

“It’s nice to meet you,” I said.

“Mmm,”

“Oh, and this is her brother, Jake,” Graham said, gesturing to him. Her smile was more natural when she shook Jake’s hand. “He’s practically my brother, too. Their family was far kinder to me than they had to be, and I can’t imagine my life without them now.

“And this is Warren and Ezra.” Graham gestured to the two of them next. “They’re like family to me now too, but differently.” He laughed. “They’re Rain’s other partners.”