Chapter 35

THIRTY-FIVE

“ I can handle myself,” Quinn protested, though her pulse quickened at the sight of the rival dragons. Their wingspan blotted out the sun as they drew closer, their massive forms making even Kai look small in comparison. One of them released a screech that sent ice crystals showering down from nearby cliffs.

Kai’s lip quirked up slightly, despite the danger. “This isn’t about your capabilities.” His eyes never left the approaching threat, but his voice softened with an intimacy that made her stomach flutter. “This is about me keeping you safe.”

The way he said it—not as a command or out of doubt in her abilities, but as a simple truth—made her breath catch. Before she could process the emotions his words stirred, magic crackled through the air. The hair on her arms stood on end as Kai’s form blurred and expanded, his transformation into dragon form both beautiful and terrifying to witness.

Where the man had stood moments before, a magnificent dragon now towered—scales shimmering in shades of blue and silver that captured the light like freshly fallen snow. His powerful wings unfurled like sails caught in a storm wind. This wasn’t the first time she’d seen his dragon form, but the sight still left her momentarily stunned. The raw power he emanated stirred something primal within her, a response that went beyond mere physical attraction.

Movement in the shadows among the ice cliffs caught their attention. A figure stood watching the unfolding scene, his presence almost hidden among the crystalline formations. Even from this distance, his smirk was visible—a cruel twist of lips that sent a chill down her spine.

Kai’s growl rumbled through the ground beneath her feet, deeper than any earthquake she’d measured. “Ordan,” he snarled, the name carrying years of rivalry and distrust. The hatred in his voice made her shiver.

The rival dragons attacked without warning, diving from the sky in a coordinated assault that spoke of careful planning. Their leader—a massive beast with scales like burnished coal—met Kai head-on in a clash of claws and fangs that sent shockwaves through the air.

Fire erupted from both dragons’ jaws, turning the icy landscape into a battlefield of steam and shadow. The heat of their combat melted nearby ice formations, sending rivulets of water cascading down the cliff face.

“Come on, Kai,” Quinn whispered, her hands clenched into fists as she watched him battle. The nickname slipped out unconsciously, born of an intimacy she wasn’t ready to acknowledge. Her heart seemed to stop every time the rival dragon’s claws came close to scoring a hit.

There had to be a way she could help in this fight. Her mind raced as she analyzed the terrain with the sharp focus that had earned her a reputation on Earth.

The slope higher up on her right caught her attention—a precarious collection of boulders held in place by rapidly melting ice. Years of field experience had taught her to read landscapes like books, and this one was practically shouting its secrets.

“Perfect,” she muttered. Quinn scrambled downward, sliding to a lower cliff edge where the steep walls made the air space narrower.

High above, Kai and the rival leader twisted through the air in a deadly dance, their roars echoing off the mountain walls. She forced herself to focus on her task, ignoring the heart-stopping moments when Kai’s massive form disappeared behind clouds of steam and fire. Her hands trembled slightly, not from the cold, but from fear for him.

Then she found it—a prominent crack in the ice face. She scurried toward the break and pulled out her hammer, waving it in the air.

“Hey, you pieces of shit,” she yelled up at the fighters, “If you want me, come get me.”

The smaller dragons broke from their formation, circling lower with predatory intent. Her heart nearly stopped from fear. If this didn’t work, she wouldn’t have to worry about her reputation on Earth any longer.