Chapter Seventeen: Carys

Carys had traveled the world. Memories of her diplomatic trips washed over her. The crystal spires of Lumina City sparkled in her mind, their iridescent surfaces refracting sunlight into rainbows that danced across the streets. She recalled the whisper-soft petals of the Singing Orchids in the Enchanted Groves, their melodic hum a soothing backdrop to delicate negotiations.

"I've seen wonders beyond imagination," Carys murmured, her voice barely audible above the crisp night air.

Varn's hand tightened around hers, his touch grounding her in the present. "And yet?" he prompted gently, his deep voice tinged with hope.

Carys tore her gaze from the wonder of the aurora and locked eyes with Varn. Yes. Definitely hope. It wasn't just in his voice; it was in his eyes, too.

"And yet." She swallowed hard, suddenly overwhelmed by the intensity of the moment. "Nothing compares to this."

"It is incredible." Varn raised his eyes to the heavens as above them, the night sky erupted in a breathtaking display of color. The aurora danced and shimmered, so bright that the white snow around them caught the color, turning the mountain landscape into a gently pulsing kaleidoscope of otherworldly color.

"I wasn't just talking about the aurora," Carys whispered hoarsely.

"You weren't?" Varn asked, the note of hope in his voice stronger.

"No." She turned to face him, although she could not see him clearly through the mist of tears that filled her eyes. "As beautiful as it is, the thing that's different now…is that I've never had anyone to share those incredible sights with."

He gently cupped her face, his thumb brushing away a stray tear. "I never thought I'd find you," he admitted, his voice low and gruff with suppressed emotion. "After sensing you and then losing that connection... I'd almost given up hope."

Carys leaned into his touch. "But you didn't. You kept searching."

A wry smile tugged at Varn's lips. "Stubbornness has its uses, I suppose."

"And that's what I take comfort in." She wrapped her arms around Varn's waist and nestled against his chest. The steady thump of his heart beneath her ear was more magical than any wonder she'd encountered in her travels. "If we forget each other again, you will find me."

"Always," he replied. "No matter how long it takes."

They stood in silence for a long moment as the colors of the aurora continued to swirl and dance above them, casting an ever-changing palette of greens and purples across the snow-covered landscape of Wishing Moon Bay.

"I've been thinking," she murmured without looking at him.

"About me?" Varn asked with a hint of amusement in his voice.

"Who else?" A blush crept across her cheeks as she hesitated and then said, "What if...what if we spend the night together? Not letting each other out of our sight? How could we possibly forget each other if we're face to face?"

Varn was quiet for a moment, and Carys held her breath as she waited for his answer.

Finally, he answered, his voice even hoarser still. "That's...that's a good idea. A very good idea. The truth is, I don't ever want you to be out of my sight again, not if there's even the slightest risk I could forget you."

Her breath caught in her throat. "Now that," she whispered, "might be the actual sweetest thing anyone's ever said to me."

Without another word, Varn leaned down and captured her lips in a kiss. She pressed herself closer to him as he cupped her cheek in his hand, and their kiss deepened.

Varn nipped her bottom lip and then soothed it with his tongue, drawing a soft moan from Carys. She tangled her fingers in his dark hair, luxuriating in the silky strands as she lost herself in the heat of his kiss. The chill of the night air faded away, replaced by the warmth of Varn's embrace and the fire kindling between them.

When they finally parted, both breathless, Carys rested her forehead against his chest. "Why don't we go back to your place?" she murmured, her voice husky with desire.

Varn's arms tightened around her. "As my mate wishes," he replied, a teasing lilt to his words that made her heart ache for him with longing.

She wanted nothing more than to spend the night in his arms. Face to face.

Surely, if they stayed awake all night, they would not forget each other.

But there was a niggling voice in the back of her mind that asked how she would feel if they made love tonight and he forgot her.

Her throat constricted as the thought took hold. If he forgot her…then she would forget him, too.

What a strange thing, that she could not remember a single moment with Varn, yet she felt as though she already knew him so well.

She turned and stared at the aurora. Who had done this to them?

Was it someone from her past? Had she upset someone during one of her negotiations? She was sure that she made adversaries of plenty of mean-spirited individuals when negotiations or deals didn't go their way, but Carys had always tried to smooth things over as best she could.

"Carys." Varn's hand on her shoulder made her jump.

"Let's go." Carys turned her back on the aurora. There was no way of knowing whether they would forget each other again. And she refused to live in fear.

Varn held her gaze for a long moment, and then backed away, putting some distance between them before the air around him crackled with static electricity.

Then he was gone.

Her world stood still. She was alone on a mountain, relying entirely on Varn to take her back to safety.

But then an enormous shadow loomed before her, its features slowly filling in as the majestic dragon appeared before her on the snowy mountaintop. Varn's dragon form was breathtaking—scales the color of fire gleamed under the shimmering aurora, and his eyes glowed like molten gold.

Carys approached him slowly, marveling at this transformation. Man to dragon. Dragon to man.

Varn had a magic all of his own.

She reached out a hand and gently stroked along his snout. The dragon rumbled deep in his chest, a sound that sounded like pure contentment to her ears.

"You're magnificent," she whispered in awe. "I don't think I will ever take this for granted."

With a graceful motion, Varn lowered his leg, inviting her to climb onto his back. Carys didn't hesitate. Why would she when flying on the back of a dragon was the best way to travel? She clambered up and settled herself between his shoulder blades, grasping the ridge of scales in front of her.

"I'm ready when you are," she called out and then whooped for joy as he crouched down and then leaped into the air, his wings spreading wide to catch the air. Carys clung tightly as they soared higher, the wind whipping through her hair. The aurora swirled around them, and Varn's scales looked almost translucent as they were washed in the gently shifting colors.

From this vantage point, Wishing Moon Bay looked like a scene from a storybook—the twinkling lights of the town nestled against the dark expanse of the bay, the surrounding mountains blanketed in pristine snow.

Varn swooped down, leaving the aurora and the mountains behind as he raced toward town. Each wingbeat took them closer to reality.

Carys looked down at the dragon beneath her. She could feel his muscles bunch and flex with each powerful stroke. It was a sensation unlike any other, this freedom, this unity with a magnificent creature.

Although, she had to admit that Varn was magnificent in whichever form he took. Man or beast.

As they neared the beach of Wishing Moon Bay, some way still from town, Varn began to descend, his wings tilting to catch the air currents as he circled lower and lower. Carys leaned forward as the ground rushed up to meet them. And then, with a grace that belied his size, Varn touched down on the beach, his feet sinking into the sand.

The dragon lowered his front leg. Carys slid from his back, her legs a bit unsteady after the flight. She turned to face Varn just as the air around him shimmered and crackled. In the blink of an eye, the dragon was gone, and the man stood in his place, his dark hair tousled by the early night sea breeze.

Damn, he was sexy as hell.

As if reading her mind, Varn stepped forward, closing the distance between them in a few long strides. He reached out, his hand cupping her cheek as his thumb brushed over her bottom lip. Carys licked her lips, her skin tingling in anticipation of his touch.

"You are beautiful, Carys," he murmured, his voice rough with emotion. "I've searched for so long, never daring to hope I would find you. And now, here you are."

She leaned into his touch, savoring the warmth of his palm against her skin. "I'm not going anywhere," she promised. "Whatever happens tonight, we'll be together."

Varn's eyes darkened with desire as he lowered his head, his lips capturing hers in a searing kiss. Carys melted against him, her arms winding around his neck as she pressed closer. She could feel the heat of his body through the layers of their clothing, stoking the flames of her own desire. Varn's hands roamed over her back, pulling her flush against him as he deepened the kiss, his tongue delving into her mouth to tangle with hers.

When they finally broke apart, both breathing heavily, Varn rested his forehead against hers. "I could walk you back to Elsbeth's," he said, his voice raw with emotion.

"Have you changed your mind?" she asked.

"No," Varn said quickly. "But I wasn't sure if you'd gotten caught up in the magic of the aurora."

"It was magical. But it's rare I make a decision without weighing up the consequences," Carys replied, her hand pressed against his chest. "I want this, Varn. I want you."

A small smile tugged at his lips. "Then let's go."

Hand in hand, they walked along the moonlit beach toward a steep hill and along a cliff-side road with breathtaking views, until they arrived at a small building. As they reached the front door, Varn paused, turning to face her.

"Are you sure about this, Carys?" he asked, his voice low and earnest. "I don't want you to feel pressured or..."

She silenced him with a finger to his lips. "I've never been more sure of anything in my life," she whispered. "You're my mate, Varn, and for some reason, someone doesn't want us to be together. And I hate the idea that someone is in control of my life. That someone or something is manipulating us."

"You have fire in your eyes," Varn told her, with a hint of admiration.

"Apt, don't you think?" Carys asked with a tilt of her head.

"Indeed, it is. A fire to match my own." He leaned down, brushing a tender kiss against her forehead.

"So, are you going to show me inside?" she asked.

For the fire in her eyes was nothing to the flames of desire burning in her belly. Desire for her mate.

A fire that would burn anyone who tried to come between them.

She smiled to herself. Maybe she had a little bit of dragon inside her, too.