Perhaps asking the dragon to wear a saddle might be a little insulting and she scrapped the idea.
As Kelos’s dragon leveled his flight and skimmed the treetops, keeping low to the ground since there was still a glimmer of sunlight on the horizon, she relaxed. She might never get a chance to fly so far and for so long on the back of her dragon and she intended to make the most of it.
Her fear of heights faded when she rode on the back of her mate. He’d promised to keep her safe and she was certain that would include saving her if she fell from his back. Which she had no intention of doing, unless her hands cramped up. She flexed her fingers, realizing her deathlike grip might hurt him.
Tonight’s flight was slower, not exactly leisurely. More purposeful. As the miles rolled by beneath them and they left the safety of the mountains for the more urban areas that sprawled between them and their destination, their route became erratic. As the pinpricks of streetlights became bigger, the dragon would change direction, taking them off course to avoid the chance of being seen by people, before altering his course once more to head directly toward the city.
When the last rays of sun finally sank below the horizon, Kelos climbed higher in the sky, putting as much distance between them and the people below as he could. Which brought its own problems for Amber. The higher attitude meant cold air that chilled her skin even through her warm clothes. Her teeth chattered and she shivered as she clung onto Kelos. She would endure it if it kept him safe.
At last, in the distance, Amber could see a large glow of light. So many it was impossible to distinguish one from another. Their destination was in sight. Soon they would land and she’d grab a cup of coffee and warm her hands on it.
All she had to do was hang on while he found somewhere to land.
Her forehead creased. Where were they going to land and where they would not be seen? Would they have to land on the very edge of the city and get a ride to where they needed to go?
Kelos had done this before. He’d have a plan.
He did. It involved climbing higher where the air was thinner. Could the journey get any worse?
Amber closed her eyes and focused on breathing and not letting go of the horn between her hands. She trusted him. But had he ever carried anyone this high and this far?
Then they were falling. Amber opened her eyes. The dragon had tucked his wings in behind him and was dropping out of the sky fast, like an arrow shot from a bow. Before them was a dark area with few lights. A park. He was heading for a green space in the city that was likely deserted at this time of night.
Clever dragon. She smiled as the air became warmer and her lungs filled with much-needed oxygen. They were nearly there, and she tried not to dwell on the fact that she would likely have to make the same return journey. The steep drop would be a lot easier to handle than a steep climb. She might suggest that saddle after all.
He landed with his large talons outstretched, his claws dug into the dirt as he landed, tearing up large chunks of grass. With a backward sweep of his wings, he halted their forward momentum and brought them to a full stop.
Amber rolled her shoulders forward, her hands pressed against the horn to stop herself from flying over the dragon’s head. As he came to a stop, her momentum shifted and she grasped the horn tightly to stop herself from jarring her body as she was flung backward.
A safe landing. Amber glanced around, there was no one around as far as she could see, and she was certain Kelos would have used his senses to check that no one in the vicinity might see them. However, they needed to move fast just in case.
She swung her stiff legs over the side of the dragon and then slid down his shoulder, landing heavily on his foreleg before half jumping, half stumbling to the ground. Amber took a couple of steps away from the dragon, turning to face him as the air shimmered and he faded away. Almost instantly, Kelos’s human took the place of the huge winged creature.
Without pausing, he ran forward, hooked his hand under her elbow, and propelled her forward. “Let’s put some distance between us and here. If anyone did see anything, we need to be outside of the area.”
She nodded and ran after him, the feeling in her legs slowly returning as they hugged the edge of the tree line. They skirted a lake with a fountain spewing water up into the air and then slowed to a walk as they reached a wide, flat grassy area. If they were seen running here, they would look suspicious. Exactly how they did not want to appear.
“There’s a path.” Amber pointed to a wide stone pathway that wound through a shrubby border and then led to the entrance of the park.
Kelos slipped his arm around her shoulder and slowed his pace. If anyone took notice of them, they would only see two lovers taking an evening stroll. Amber leaned into him, her head resting on his shoulder and he tightened his hold on her, dropping a kiss on the top of her head.
“Are you okay?” Kelos asked as they reached the stone archway that framed the entrance to the park.
“Yes. I would kill for a coffee, though.” As they exited the park, she looked right and then left. “This way.”
“Can you smell the coffee, too?” he asked as they walked
