Page 54 of Real Scale Blazer
And from the way she’d looked at him before transforming, the way she trusted him now... perhaps she was starting to care more than she wanted to admit.
FORTY-ONE
The flight back to the palace took longer than usual. Kai took a circuitous route, making sure they weren’t followed. Quinn remained quiet against his back, though her grip never loosened. He could practically hear her mind working, processing everything that had happened.
When the palace finally came into view, its spires catching the last rays of the setting suns, Kai landed in a private courtyard rather than the main entrance. The moment his claws touched down, Quinn slid from his back, stumbling slightly on shaky legs.
“Sorry,” she muttered, steadying herself against a nearby pillar. “First long flight flying dragon-class. Still getting my land legs back.”
He shifted back to human form, reaching to steady her. “You did remarkably well.”
“Yes, well, trying not to die is excellent motivation for quick learning.” She didn’t pull away from his touch, which he counted as progress. “Though I have to say, this wasn’t quite how I imagined our little cave expedition ending.”
“No?” He kept his tone light despite the tension still thrumming through him. “You didn’t expect magical revelations and aerial battles with shadow dragons?”
“Shockingly, that wasn’t in the job description when I signed up.” She finally looked up at him, her expression complicated. “Though I suppose the job description wasn’t entirely accurate anyway, was it?”
The accusation in her voice stung, but he couldn’t deny it. “I never meant to deceive you.”
“No? Just conveniently forgot to mention that I might be your magical destiny?” She pulled away, running a hand through her wind-tousled hair. “That Ordan might have manipulated my entire presence here?”
“I didn’t know about Ordan’s involvement.” The thought still made his blood boil. “If I had...”
“What? You would have sent me away?” She spun to face him, eyes flashing. “Protected me from the big bad dragon’s schemes?”
“Yes,” he admitted without hesitation.
“Well, tough luck, Your Majesty, because that’s not your decision to make.” She jabbed a finger at his chest. “I came here to do a job. To study unprecedented geological phenomena that could advance our understanding of planetary tectonics. The fact that said phenomena happen to be caused by your magical identity crisis doesn’t change that.”
Despite everything, he found his lips twitching. “Magical identity crisis?”
“Would you prefer ‘supernatural seismic situation’? ‘Mystical mountain mayhem’?” The corner of her mouth quirked up. “I can do this all day.”
“Please don’t.” But the tension had broken, replaced by something warmer. “You’re really not running away from this?”
Her expression softened. “Kai, I’m a scientist. When I encounter something I don’t understand, my first instinct isn’t to run from it. It’s to study it. To figure it out.” She gestured at the mountains surrounding them. “Your magic, these mountains, the connection between them—it’s the scientific discovery of a lifetime. Even if...” She hesitated.
“Even if what?”
“Even if it comes with some... complicated personal implications.” A faint blush colored her cheeks. “The whole fated mates thing. I’m not saying I believe in destiny or anything, but...”
“But?”
“But I can’t deny there’s something here. Something I can’t explain with pure science.” She met his eyes squarely. “And I’m willing to explore that. To figure out what it means. Just... don’t expect me to suddenly embrace some fairy tale romance just because magic says we’re compatible.”
Hope bloomed in his chest. “So you’ll stay?”
“Someone has to figure out how to stabilize these mountains before your kingdom shakes apart.” She shrugged, trying for casual despite the softness in her eyes. “Besides, I’ve already started cataloging the unique crystalline formations in the ice caves. Can’t leave a research project half-finished.”
“Of course not. Very unprofessional.”
“Exactly.” She narrowed her eyes at his teasing tone. “Don’t look so smug. This doesn’t mean you’ve won anything.”
“Wouldn’t dream of it.” He held up his hands in mock surrender. “Though I do have one question.”
“What?”
“How did you know exactly where to strike the ice shelf? Even I couldn’t have predicted how it would break.”