Gabril stumbled as they climbed over a pile of loose gray stones that marked the border of a steep, grass-covered slope. Instantly, Kol pivoted, lunged toward the man, and wrapped his arms around the princess’s waist to keep her from falling.
Gabril found his footing in seconds. “Remove your hands from the princess.” The absolute authority in his voice would put Master Eiler to shame.
Kol steadied Lorelai against Gabril’s back and then slowly stepped away. Her long black hair lifted gently in the wind, and the scent of evergreens and snow made his dragon heart pound mercilessly in his chest, but he tamped it down and concentrated on the pale curve of her cheek, the sweep of dark lashes against her skin.
“If you’re through memorizing the way she looks, I suggest you get in front of me again and start moving. And I swear on my life, if you are leading us into a trap set by Irina, nothing, and I mean nothing, will save you from me. Do I make myself clear, son?”
Kol tore his gaze away from Lorelai and nodded respectfully. It was a small miracle Gabril was tolerating his presence at all, especially considering the fact that Kol couldn’t communicate with him.
Not that any of Kol’s current thoughts were worth communicating to Gabril. Not when he was thinking about how desperately he missed his family. How much he longed to fly over Eldr’s craggy landscape and walk the spacious bronze halls of the castle with Brig at his side. How fast he could wake Lorelai up so she could keep her promise and save Eldr. How he could get his heart back from Irina without losing himself to the torment of her magic again.
Maybe Lorelai would help him with that the way she was helping him with Eldr. Not that he had any right to ask. But she was Irina’s enemy, and so was he. Which meant in a strange way that they were allies. He glanced at Lorelai again and noticed the way her dark lashes lay against the paleness of her skin and the way her red lips parted slightly while she slept.
His heart beat faster, and warmth unfurled in his stomach as he stared at her mouth and imagined thanking the courageous, beautiful princess of Ravenspire with a kiss.
Skies above, he sounded like an idiot. Eldr was still falling. Irina still had his heart and a hold on him through the collar around his neck. Lorelai was in terrible danger from Irina, he had no idea where his friends had gone, and his dragon heart kept agreeing with the collar’s whispers that he would never be free until he killed the princess. This was no time to think about kissing a girl. Even one as intriguing as Lorelai.
Apparently, he’d recovered his memories just in time to lose his mind.
When Gabril stumbled again halfway down the slope, going down hard on one knee, Kol raced to his side and lifted the princess from his back. He cradled her against the warmth of the dragon’s fire in his chest, and waited for Gabril to get back up and curtly demand that Kol get his treacherous hands off Lorelai.
Instead, Gabril bowed his head for a moment, breathing hard, pain bracketing lines around his mouth. Kol looked at the distant line of hornbeam trees that marked the bottom of the slope and pretended he didn’t notice.
Lorelai’s scent stirred his dragon’s heart, and it pounded viciously against his chest. He gritted his teeth and gentled his hold on her. He thought of Brig, trusting him to stay alive and to save Eldr, and of his friends insisting on following him and protecting him because he was their king and their friend.
He thought of Lorelai facing down a boy who deserved to die and choosing to save him instead.
The whispers from the collar urged him to hurt, punish, and kill, but he held fast to the memory of Lorelai’s courage and stood steady.
After a moment, Gabril climbed to his feet, his hand pressing hard against his left leg. He studied Kol, his expression unreadable. Kol tried to look like he wasn’t a threat, and almost wished that Gabril could see into his thoughts the way Lorelai could.
Almost.
Except not the thoughts about kissing Lorelai.
“It’s getting close to nightfall. The last time she healed someone, she was out for two days. We need to find shelter for the night. Obviously we aren’t going to camp in the open like this. If you’re up to it, I’d appreciate you carrying her for a while.” Gabril sounded begrudging, as if he was offering Kol an olive branch but might decide to smack him with it instead.
Kol nodded, and tried hard not to let himself react as Gabril drew his sword.
“You’ll walk in front of me. My sword will be out at all times. If you try to hurt her, I will drop you where you stand.” Gabril met his eyes. “Lorelai thinks there’s something worth saving in you. Do your best to prove her right.”
Kol adjusted his grip on the princess, tipping her head against his shoulder, careful to avoid having any part of her come in contact with the collar, and then set his sights on the hornbeam trees in the distance. Their thick trunks, low cradles, and profusion of gently twisting branches that stayed low to the ground would provide excellent cover. He jerked his chin toward the trees and looked to see Gabril’s reaction.