Nope. Scaly, and they exude a slime—
Don’t see it, mate.
But they screw continuously.
A pause.Okay, I’ll give you that.He sounded smug rather than contrite. Which I guessed he was entitled to.
Considering what I’d done to him.
Yeah, about that. How the bleeding hell do you get comfortable in a bed with wings sticking out your back?
It was a good thing clouds were nothing but vapor because I would have smacked into one.You have wings?
Yes, thanks to you.
Why was I so surprised? But I knew why—I’d been deliberately not thinking about Xumi or what she’d had me do to Matt, by immersing myself in the mission.
I took a deep breath and did my best.Focus on them to make them smaller. Then fold them so they align with your spine. But lying on your back with them is difficult unless they are spread out.
Perfect,he replied. Then,those faces in your noggin—were those the blokes you killed?
Sharding hell.Stay out of my head,I snarled. I tried to push him away, with little success. To my relief, though, he didn’t pursue the question, but also in typical Matt fashion, he reoriented on his original goal.So what about these bleeding wings?
Do I have to answer this?
Did you, or did you not, bite me?
You asked me too.
It was either you, or the bitch.His tone was very matter-of-fact.Or the bitch’s bastard.
He had a point. I ground my teeth.How well-developed are they?
They’re big enough to be a pain in the arse. They are sensitive as hell, and bloody hard to hide. Anna smuggled out my cloak, but it doesn’t hide enough. People are bound to notice. And am I going to be able to fly?
I really don’t know.
Feel like a bloody adolescent. Everything popping up unannounced. But now, these wings...
I sensed his deep discomfort.I’m sorry, Matt.
Another hesitation, before he offered,Don’t be. Anna pointed out that it might be the Dragon blood that enables her and me to root, without her killing me.
Most of it I understood.Root?
Fornicate, as you so subtly put it.
I gritted my teeth. Could that be true?It is possible.
Then it’s worth it,he said.But I’d be more grateful if I knew what to do with these things.
You can pull them back into your shoulders. You just need to visualize how.
How do I do that?
You’ve seen me do it.
Never paid that much attention.
