“Then what do you propose?”
He wondered if being in this new form had addled his brain. He couldn’t imagine himself ever making this plan otherwise. “I can carry you there. In my hand.”
“Your…hand.” She looked away, considering.
He watched her and tried not to think about tangling his fingers in her hair to see if it was as silky as it looked. He fisted his hands when his mind wondered what her skin might feel like beneath his palm. Or her lips against his.
Lennox nearly touched his mouth. He pressed his lips together. It was a peculiar sensation. Much different than when he had a mouthful of razor-sharp teeth.
His eyes raked down her body. His blood heated as he imagined pulling her against him. He could hold her as he’d never held a dragon. His cock hardened as desire engulfed him. It was swift and overwhelming. And he was thankful that Ailis’s attention was elsewhere. Lennox quickly adjusted himself and thought of anything but the Fae before him. Not that it did any good. The image was in his head, and it wouldn’t leave.
“I asked for trust. Now, you are offering it,” she said before turning her head to him. “And I shall give it in return.”
“I willna harm you, Ailis. No’ unless you attack me.”
“I have no intention of attacking anyone. I meant it when I said I’m a peaceful explorer.”
He nodded. “Then let’s do this. The longer we’re out in the open, the more opportunities there are for dragons to see us.”
“We could hear them coming.”
“Dragons come in all sizes.”
Her eyes quickly scanned the area. “So, they could be near?”
“They could be. But they’re no’. We are not so plentiful that we take up every space on the realm. Each clan has a territory. Only a handful of dragons live in some portions, while more congregate in others. Much like your cities.”
“You were listening,” she said with a smile.
“Aye.” Though not as well as he should have. “The dragon who lives in this area tends to stay on the far end of the forest.” He began walking toward the lake, and she fell into step with him.
“Were you visiting him?”
Lennox shook his head. “I was flying. It’s good to stretch my wings and check on the clans. Each of the Kings is responsible for their clan.”
“And you’re responsible for them.”
“In a manner, aye. I’m also accountable for my clan.”
She used her hand to vault over a fallen tree. “That seems like a lot for one individual—one dragon—to handle.”
It was. Some days, he didn’t think he could do it all and questioned the magic’s decision. “It willna be forever. The magic will find another to take my place.”
“For which position? King of your clan or of the Kings?”
He glanced at her to see her frowning. “Both.”
“That hardly seems fair.”
Lennox shrugged. “It is our way.”
“I don’t like it.”
He smiled at her tone that hinted she was appalled on his behalf. “I’ll do the duty I was chosen for.”
“That’s right. You don’t even get a say in being King. On top of that, you don’t get a say in whether you remain one.”
Lennox chuckled. “As I said, it is our way.”
“And I repeat, it’s not fair.”
“When is anything in life fair?”
She shot him a dubious look. “We were having a nice conversation. You didn’t have to spoil things by being rational.”
He threw back his head and laughed. When he looked her way, Ailis was smiling. They shared a look as they reached the tree line. Beautiful, clever, and witty. It was no wonder he was drawn to her. She would make a great mate. Except for one glaring problem: She wasn’t a dragon. He would do well to remember that she was a visitor. They could be friendly, but at the end of the day, she was a Fae and not of his world.
Lennox halted and turned to her. “Once I’m in my true form, we willna be able to communicate.”
“I know.”
“Remain here until I shift. I’ll come for you. Curl yourself into my hand. Mind your hair. I doona want it spotted.”
She reached up and touched her head. “I can do that.”
“I’ll fly as quickly as I can. If I stop, it’s because I doona have a choice. Stay as you are until I release you.”
“Right. I need to play dead so dragons don’t discover me.”
“Something like that,” he said with a grin.
Her red eyes met his. “I trust you.”
He wasn’t prepared for the words. They struck him hard, shifting something within him. Here was this Fae, this outsider, who was willing to put her life in his hands. “I willna let any harm come to you.”
“I believe you.”
Lennox glanced over his shoulder at the lake. With one last look at Ailis, he turned on his heel. As he left the forest, he thought about returning to his true form. It happened just as quickly as it had before. One moment, he was something, and the next, he was something else.
He paused before slowly turning toward the woods. It was easy to locate Ailis. She stood next to a tree, her eyes lifted to him. There was no fear on her face—at least none he could see. Lennox extended his hand until it was beside her. She paused for only a heartbeat when her gaze landed on his talons.
She climbed into his palm and sat, drawing her knees up to her chest. Her gaze lifted to him once more, and she gave him a tentative smile as she gathered her hair to one side. He slowly closed his hand, careful that his talons weren’t near her. Then he launched himself into the sky.
CHAPTER SIX
Ailis sucked in a breath at the jolt that knocked her back against Lennox’s palm. The force was enough to keep her there for a few moments. It was only when she was able to right herself that she swallowed and tried to find the calm from before.
Which was difficult since a dragon held her in his palm. He could drop her at any moment. While she had never tried to teleport after falling, there was no reason it wouldn’t work. At least she hoped it would. She could do it now before he had a chance to harm her.
Her gaze landed on one of his very long, very black talons. They surrounded her like a cage and looked as sharp as any Fae blade, which was saying something. The claws made her nervous. Flying made her uneasy. Yet she remained. Mostly because she wanted to learn, and the best way to do that was through Lennox.
What awaited her on the Fae Realm would be worse than whatever happened to her here. Besides, there was nothing for her on her world. She had always known that, but now she admitted it. She had acquaintances, but no close friends. Being a Dark tended to make her wary and distrustful of everyone. With no family left and no one else she missed—or would likely miss her—adventure beckoned.
Well, that wasn’t exactly true. While she had sought adventure, it was more than that. Something had always tried to lure her away from her realm. Her gaze was always on the stars as she wondered about other worlds and the beings that lived on them. She had daydreamed of exploring those realms and meeting others. It had felt like it was always just out of reach.