Chapter 36

THIRTY-SIX

Q uinn waited, poised with her tool white-knuckled gripped in her hand. The lesser dragons glided lower between the narrowed walls.

“Just a little farther,” she whispered to herself.

Then with calculated precision, she struck at the weakest point in the ice formation, using her geological hammer with practiced skill. The crack raced upward like lightning through the sky, and the boulders toward the top of the cliff began to shift. The rumble started low, building to a crescendo as rocks tumbled over the slope’s edge, smashing into several of the dragons coming for her.

Screeches echoed in the small space, suddenly cut off when scaley bodies were crushed between boulders and hard planes.

“That’s what you get for underestimating a geologist,” she muttered with grim satisfaction. A flash of pride crossed her face as one of her pursuers was hit with a boulder the size of a small car.

High above, Kai seized his advantage. His powerful wings carried him above his opponent before he plunged downward, slamming into the dark dragon with devastating force. Their bodies tangled in midair, a blur of blue and black scales, each strike of their claws sending sparks flying like metallic fireworks against the backdrop of gray clouds.

A sharp command cut through the chaos. Ordan’s voice, though distant, carried clearly across the battlefield. The rival dragons immediately pulled back, including their leader, who disengaged from Kai with a final snarl of defiance. As quickly as they had appeared, the dark shapes retreated into the distance, leaving behind a landscape scarred by their brief but violent encounter.

Kai landed beside her, transforming back with a shimmer of magic. “Nice trick with the rocks,” he commented, though his eyes scanned her for injuries.

“What can I say? I rock at my job.” She grinned at his groan. “Too on the nose? I’ve got more geological puns. They’re gneiss.”

“Now I understand why the other dragons fled,” he deadpanned, but his eyes sparkled. The amusement faded as she noticed the fresh wound carved across his shoulder, leaking crimson against his pale skin.

“You’re hurt again.” The words escaped before she could stop them, her hand reaching out automatically to touch his injured shoulder. The contact sent a jolt of awareness through her fingertips.

“It’s nothing.” But he didn’t pull away when she touched his arm, his eyes softening as they met hers.

“Stop squirming,” she chided, pulling a cloth from her field bag and dabbing at his injury. “For someone who just took on half a dozen dragons, you’re being awfully wimpy about a little first aid.”

“I am not—” he started indignantly.

“Shh. Doctor Quinn’s orders.”

“You’re not that kind of doctor.”

He subsided with a grumble that might have been a laugh. The intimacy of the moment wasn’t lost on her—nor was the way her pulse quickened whenever their skin made contact. She found herself hyperaware of his proximity, of the heat radiating from his body, of the way his muscles flexed under her touch.

“Your hands are cold,” he murmured, catching one of them in his much larger one. Before she could protest, he brought it to his lips, breathing warmth across her frozen fingers. The gesture was both protective and sensual, sending shivers down her spine.

“I’m used to working in cold conditions,” she said, trying to maintain her professional demeanor even as her body hummed with awareness. “Glaciology isn’t exactly a tropical field of study.”

His other hand came up to cup her cheek, thumb brushing across her cheekbone in a touch so gentle, it made her chest ache. “You’re remarkable, you know that?”

The sincerity in his voice made her want to look away, but his gaze held her captive. “I just did what any geologist would do,” she deflected, though they both knew it wasn’t true. “Used the terrain to our advantage.”

“You’re stronger than you think, Quinn.” His voice was soft, meant only for her ears, but it carried a weight that made her breath catch. “And I’m grateful you’re here, in every possible way.”

As they started their journey back to the palace, Quinn found herself studying his profile in the fading light. “You know,” she mused, still tucked against his side, “most women get dinner and dancing for a first date. I get aerial dragon combat and near-death experiences.”

“Disappointed?” There was an undertone of genuine concern in his teasing query.

She pretended to consider it. “Well, the light show was impressive. But next time, maybe we could skip the part where your ex-friend tries to kill us?”

“Ordan was never my friend.” His voice turned serious.

“Clearly. His social skills make yours look positively charming in comparison.” She nudged him gently, trying to lighten his mood. “Though that’s not saying much.”

“I can be charming,” he protested.

“Sure you can, big guy. Sure you can.”

His response was to pull her closer, his warmth seeping through her clothes. “I charmed you, didn’t I?”

The question caught her off guard, too close to feelings she wasn’t ready to examine. “Please. I’m just here for the geology. The dragons are a bonus feature.”

“A bonus feature?”

“Like heated seats in a car, but with more fire-breathing.”

His laugh rumbled through his chest, the sound making her smile despite herself. It was becoming one of her favorite sounds, not that she’d admit it.

“You are...” he shook his head, leaving the sentence unfinished.

“Brilliant? Witty? Exceptionally good at triggering avalanches?”

“Impossible,” he finished, but the fondness in his voice made her heart skip.

“Yet here you are, putting up with me.”

His expression softened. “Here I am.”

The simple response held more weight than all their playful banter combined, and Quinn found herself looking away, her cheeks warm despite the cold air. It was easier to trade quips and jokes than to acknowledge the growing something between them. Easier to deflect with humor than to admit how natural it felt to walk beside him, to fit against his side as if she belonged there.

The palace loomed ahead, its crystalline spires catching the last rays of sunlight. Behind them, the tremors continued their ominous rhythm through the frozen ground, a constant reminder that their problems were far from over. But for now, in this moment, Quinn allowed herself to feel the strength of Kai’s presence beside her, and for once, she didn’t fight the warmth that spread through her chest at his touch.

The battle was won, but the war was just beginning. And somewhere in the shadows, Ordan watched and waited, planning his next move in a game where the stakes were higher than any of them had imagined. Yet as Quinn glanced up at Kai’s face, seeing the determination and strength there, she realized something that both thrilled and terrified her: whatever came next, she wanted to face it by his side.

She might not be ready to name the emotions stirring in her chest, but she couldn’t deny them anymore. The physical attraction she could admit to—he was gorgeous, and she wasn’t blind. But it was more than that now. It was the way he respected her abilities while still wanting to protect her. The way he matched her sass with his own dry humor. The way he looked at her like she was something precious and fierce all at once.

The sun dipped below the horizon as they reached the palace gates, painting the sky in shades of purple and gold. Tomorrow would bring new challenges, new dangers. But for now, walking beside her dragon king, Quinn allowed herself to imagine a future where geological research wasn’t the only thing keeping her on Nova Aurora.