Page 85 of Throne of Ice and Blood
That blank mask on his face cracks for the briefest of moments as shock pulses across his features as well. Then he wipes the expression off his face and instead crouches down.
My heart flips as he slides one arm behind my knees and the other behind my back. Heat creeps into my cheeks as he lifts me into his arms as if it’s the most natural thing in the world.
I open my mouth to ask what in Mabona’s name he’s doing.
But only a gasp makes it out as he flaps his wings and launches into the air.
My stomach lurches as we shoot up from the ground. Throwing my arms around his neck, I grip him tightly and squeeze my eyes shut as the city grows smaller beneath us.
A soft laugh rolls from his chest. “Afraid of heights?”
With great effort, I pry my eyes open again. Winds rush around us, tugging at my cloak and my hair as Draven flies us even higher. Light from the bright moon casts silver highlights in his black hair.
I shoot him a glare and try to sound convincing as I reply, “No. I got over all of that when I spent hours being flown here from the Seelie Court by dragons who gripped me with their talons.”
A smirk plays over Draven’s lips. “Is that right?”
“Yes, and you?—”
My retort is cut off when I suck in a sharp breath between my teeth as Draven abruptly flaps his wings hard, bringing us even higher. I tighten my arms around his neck and press my cheek against his shoulder while squeezing my eyes shut again.
Draven chuckles. “You were saying?”
“Bastard,” I mutter against his neck before forcing myself to raise my head and open my eyes again. When I do, I find him smirking at me.
His eyes glitter in the moonlight as he arches a dark brow at me. “Do you really think that insulting me is your best move here, little rebel?”
I give him a pointed look back. “I thought we had already established that being snarky and disrespectful is my natural state.”
A short laugh escapes his lips, and he shakes his head at me.
Winds wash over us as he flies us towards the gleaming ice castle on the mountain slope. I keep my arms around his neck, but his own arms are so steady underneath me that I finally dare to look at the landscape around us.
A strange sense of freedom and peace flows through my veins as I gaze out at the moonlit plains that stretch out around the city. Up here, it feels as if I have the entire world at my feet. As if anything is possible. Lakes shine like pools of silver in the moonlight, and distant forests look like dark pillows in the grassland. Countless stars sparkle above us like silver dust.
The horizon feels endless. As if I could just fly straight for it and disappear from all of the pain and struggle and danger that has surrounded me every day of my life.
Tearing my gaze from the horizon, I shift it back to Draven.
My heart almost leaps out of my chest when I find him studying me.
Then it starts thumping hard when I see the look in his eyes. He is watching me as if I am the only thing in this world. As if the stunning landscape around us pales in comparison to my face. As if he could spend his entire life watching the expression on my face when I marvel at the world around us.
And the sight of it makes my heart tighten and my lungs stop.
The way he is looking at me is implying too many things. Things I can’t dare to let myself consider.
So I drag in a strangled breath and blurt out something that I know will ruin the moment. “Why aren’t you angry with me? I tried to escape from you and almost got myself killed in the process. Why aren’t you angry?”
Just as I thought, that incredible look on his face disappears in a heartbeat. And instead, some of that fire from before returns to his eyes as he locks them on mine.
“Oh I am angry,” he replies, his voice now filled with steel. “I’m just saving it for when we’re behind closed doors.”
My answer is cut off by a gasp as Draven suddenly dives downwards. My stomach lurches as we speed down through the air. I squeeze my eyes shut again and my arms tighten around him.
But just as abruptly as it began, the downward plummet stops. And so does the beating of his wings.
Prying my eyes open, I find us standing on the balcony to Draven’s rooms. Or rather, Draven standing on it while he still holds me in his arms. I swallow as he stalks in through the door and then sets me down on the living room floor.
