The flight was long.
Longer than I wanted it to be.
Every muscle in my body felt the weight of the hours we'd spent in the sky. My wings strained with each beat, the wind dragging against my scales like it was trying to pull me down. I could push through it—I always did—but even dragons had their limits. I wasn't invincible, no matter how much I liked to pretend otherwise.
Every now and then, I felt her.
Lyra's hand would slide down from her spot between my shoulder blades, her palm pressing against the muscles beginning to tighten and ache. Just the heat of her skin against my scales helped. Her warmth wasn't like mine—mine came from the storm inside me, from lightning and fire and fury.
Hers was different. Steady. Soft. Comforting.
She was trying to soothe me, even without words.
