only held me tighter. With a giant push from his hind legs and a cracking sound behind us, he launched us up into the night sky, unfurling his wings so they propelled us away.
Every muscle in my body vibrated in fear at being carried this way. One small fumble on his part, and I’d be free-falling to the ground below. As the sights of everyday life grew smaller and smaller, I became more and more frightened, scared to move even the slightest for fear of distracting my dragon.
We flew for at least an hour before I realize that the stars were clear again and the haze we’d left London in was gone. Shivering less than on my original flight, I was grateful for the jacket I was wearing and for being tucked up close to Bahlin’s warm body.
I smelled the ocean before I saw it. It was fresh and crisp, and the pounding of the surf was interrupted only by the flap of Bahlin’s wings and the occasional puffing of his breath. Taking in a great lungful of air and holding me tighter, Bahlin trumpeted in a joyful voice, spinning once as we hurtled toward the ground. I squeezed my eyes shut and began contemplating anew my miserable mortality among the immortal, or nearly immortal, monsters. The air dampened as we got closer to the ground. Rocky, uninhabited cliffs formed through the fog. Bahlin set down gently, with a great backwash of air from his wings, and set me on my feet so he could balance on all four legs. He stared at me quietly, breathing deep lungs full of the fresh air and then he bellied to the ground again, nudging me toward his back.
“You want me to get on again? Are you insane? I’m too damned glad to be on solid ground again.” Skepticism laced every word.
He hummed in response and butted me none too gently toward his shoulder with his forehead.
“Pushy bastard,” I muttered, but I did as he wordlessly asked and clambered onto his back, once again sitting just in front of his wings.
I wrapped my arms as far around his neck as they would go and held on tight, unsure what to expect. Nothing could have prepared me for Bahlin launching us over the edge of the cliffs. We were in free-fall for a moment before he flapped his wings hard and veered off to the left, taking us nearer the cliff face than I was comfortable. I shouted in alarm and I could feel him rumble between my legs, though I wouldn’t have bet my own money on whether he was bemoaning my lack of courage or laughing at me.
Suddenly we were cloaked in the heavy, smoky miasma of London again and Bahlin flew straight at the cliff, pulling up short of the rocks. Reaching out with his forearms he pulled us to the cliff face and began climbing diagonally across the rocks toward a black fissure that I hadn’t seen before. He scrambled like a goat, sure-footed and quick, his claws securing footholds in the shale. We were through the cave’s opening in a moment. Bahlin scrambled further and further into the tunnel, the light disappearing behind us. The cave was completely devoid of any light, and my eyes strained to pick out even the smallest details in the encroaching darkness. Bahlin took a deep breath, and the void was split by a burst of flame emanating from my lover’s mouth. Shocked, I gasped and sat up, cracking my head against the cave’s ceiling. The bright bursts of color the flame had burned into my corneas were all I could see. When it finally receded I realized he’d been lighting torches along the wall. Very barbarian chic, I suppose.
Bahlin turned and nosed me to the ground. The messenger bag slid from my aching shoulders, and I stumbled when I touched the floor before getting my feet under me. With a shimmer of air, his dragon form seemed to rend itself in half and the man emerged, gloriously naked. He knelt on the floor, limbs trembling slightly, hair dampened with sweat, obviously exhausted.
“You alright, pet?” he asked, his voice rough.
“Sure. You?”
“Truth? I’m completely knackered. Cloaking is one of my skills, but it wears me thin to extend it to another creature and to carry that creature for so long in my arms when I’ve not eaten properly. It’s not so bad when you ride.”
“Where are we?” I asked, looking around him and into the