The clay lanterns had burned down to embers as the evening turned into night. After the celebration dinner that was prepared by her husbands, Aurora now stood at the edge of the cliff overlooking the canopy of dense forest when Zale's hand closed around her wrist.
He did not speak at first. The Dragon King looked at her the way he had since the morning she woke in his shell - like she was a door he had spent his whole life trying to open.
"Come with me," he said. His voice was gravel and old ice. "There is a place I want to take you to."
"Now?" She asked, sparing a quick look in the direction of the other four men who sat around a bonfire while talking about something.
"Now." He answered, and the word she might have said died in her throat because he was already changing.
