Kingdom of Shadows and Wings (Dragons of Tirene Book 1) by Nina Frost

Author:Nina Frost [Frost, Nina]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: RoseHarbor Publishing
Published: 2024-12-06T00:00:00+00:00

Chapter Twenty-Three

I gape at my flight instructor. “Is that…allowed?”

He can’t be serious. As far as I know, only the dragonriders and a few high-ranking officers have permission to feed these powerful creatures, and for good reason. Such as not getting barbecued or cooked into a bite-sized dragon appetizer…like human tartare.

He shrugs. “It is now.”

“Are you always so flippant with the rules?”

“No more than you are.” His mouth twitches into a hint of a smile, and my ridiculous heart stutters. “Come on. I’ll show you what to do.”

I swallow hard. Although I’m surprisingly not terrified, I’m still cautious.

Approaching an oversized iron door, Thorne nods at the guard standing off to one side. The man proceeds to unbolt the bars locking the structure in place. The door creaks open and releases a gust of air that smells like a mix of hay, smoke, and, more disturbingly, raw meat. In the dim, windowless interior, my eyes adjust to the flickering mage lights on the walls. Thorne shuts the door behind us and leads me to the right, the walkway skirting some sort of giant paddock.

I’m not sure why, but the atmosphere inside the aerie reminds me of a giant tomb. Depressing. Smothering. I can almost feel an invisible entity leeching my energy with slow, steady sips, draining my strength bit by bit.

I stifle a groan. Thank the gods Thorne can’t read minds because my imagination just dove headfirst off the deep end. Not a huge surprise considering the life-altering events of the past several days. Stress exacts a toll on the mind, and the heavens know I’ve had plenty to stress about lately.

Even before we reach another large iron door, cold nips at my skin. Plumes of frigid air snake out from separations in the jamb, leaving a thin layer of frost on the metal.

I shiver. “What is this place?”

“Cold storage. It’s where we keep animal carcasses for the dragons to eat.”

For some reason, I had assumed that the dragons ate oats and hay like the alicorns. Not a high point for me, intelligence-wise. “How do you keep the temperature so low?”

His lips curve up. “How do you think?”

Magic. Of course. Probably his, given his ability to wield ice.

As he opens the door, frosty air billows out, stinging my cheeks. Goose bumps pebble my skin. I wrap my arms around myself, wishing I’d brought my heavy cloak.

Thorne steps away. Before I can turn to see where he went, he returns and drapes something over my shoulders. A maroon blanket. Standing too close for comfort, he tugs the ends together and knots them to fashion a cape.

The thick wool instantly helps to banish the cold, stopping my goose bumps and toasting my skin. This thoughtful act causes a different kind of warmth to bloom in my chest. I stare up into his gold-flecked eyes, breathing in his minty exhales, fighting my body’s urge to lean toward him the way a plant reaches for the sun. “Thank you.”

I’m uncertain of my own facial expression, but his eyes flash with heat at whatever he sees before he clears his throat and backs up.

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