Soul of Smoke (32 page)

Her patience snapped. “I don’t think you get it. I’m glad you
did what you did. I’m so insanely happy you’re alive. I just...
can’t
.
I’m tired, Rhys. All this crap is happening and you’re jumping back and forth
like a freaking yo-yo. You want me, then you want me to leave. You need me, but
I’ll make you lose the war.” She hadn’t meant to say the rest, but it burst from
her in a flood. “You terrify me. You made me a puppet in my own body. Even Kavar
couldn’t do that.” She dashed tears from her eyes. “Anyway, if I’m leaving, I’d
better go.” She turned toward the door.

He caught her hand. Like in the fire garden, she wasn’t sure
who moved first, or if both of them moved at once. But Rhys was kissing her,
hard and desperate, like he was trying to brand her lips, to sear himself into
her memory so that no other kiss, no other man, would ever be enough.

But he didn’t need to. Kai had known even before they’d sworn
that there would never be anyone but Rhys.

Her resolve wavered, threatening to crack. She wanted to open
up. She just couldn’t. She broke off the kiss and stepped away from him, feeling
empty.

“It’s not forever.” Rhys rubbed her arms. She felt him pull
magic into his hands. They heated, and steam rose from her damp sleeves, though
to Kai his hands only felt pleasantly warm.

Kai licked her lips, tasting salt. “I know.”

She had never done anything so hard in her life as stepping
away from him. Feeling his hands break contact with her arms. Knowing she
wouldn’t touch or be touched by him again for some indefinite, yawing amount of
time. That
something
, that potential brightness between them put on
hold until who-knew-when.

At the last second, she stepped into him again, pulling his
face down to hers, and pressed one last kiss to his lips.

She let go, but he held her, his grip crushingly tight, for a
second longer. “You don’t have to. If you want to talk to me, all you have to do
is let me in.” He traced his fingers along her forehead, brushing away the rain.
“I want this to work, Kai. I want to be happy.” He hesitated, as if he were
embarrassed to say any more. “I want us to be happy together.”

She broke away from him, turning and stumbling into the
apartment, left a trail of rainwater and tears along the hardwood floor from the
sliding glass door to the bathroom. She closed the door, hugging herself. She
only needed a minute, just a few seconds to breathe before Juli saw her and
started asking questions.

I
want us to be happy together.
But there were too many emotions crowding
her mind to think of something as simple as happiness.

When she pulled her hands from where she’d been clutching her
hoodie, two black scorch marks remained. She stripped it off and threw it into
the corner with a frustrated noise. It was shredded and covered in blood and
dirt, anyway.

Something clicked against the tile. Kai bent and picked up
Rhys’s sun pendant, which dangled from a broken chain. She piled it in her palm,
watching light catch in the yellow stone, the fine, gold links glinting at
her.

She let her imagination run wild for a moment. Imagining, as
she had a hundred times, that she and Rhys had met under different
circumstances, that he was normal, just a guy at the climbing gym. A guy she
could flirt with and fall for. A guy she could get a burger with, go on hikes
with and bring home to her parents. She suppressed a small, bitter laugh at the
idea of Rhys sitting in the living room, talking to her father, who would
periodically push up his small, gold-rimmed glasses as he polished his
shotgun.

Did she want to be happy with Rhys?

Yes.
The thought was surprising, desperate and
terrifying.

A knock sounded, and the image shattered. “Kai?” Juli’s voice
was muffled by the door. “Did he talk to you?”

Kai stuffed Rhys’s pendant and chain in the pocket of her
jeans. “Yeah.” No matter what happened, there was no question that she’d have to
go to Eryri, to be with Rhys, someday.

“We’re ready to go. I have a poncho for you.” A pause. “It’s a
long flight, but we’ll be with your family in time for your mom to make pancakes
and bacon.” Kai opened the door, and Juli gave her a crooked, sympathetic smile.
“They’re going to be so incredibly happy to see you.”

Kai returned the smile. “And you.”
Home.
Her family.
Her life. Her house. Her bed. A freaking shower. Her smile grew into a grin as
she walked past Juli. “Come on. Let’s not keep your giant, black iguana
waiting.”

Kai didn’t see Rhys as they climbed back onto the roof. Ashem
was ready for them, a harness around his neck and back. Juli grumbled, but Kai
climbed up with ease. Following Ashem’s directions, they strapped themselves
in.

Ashem took off, swooping from the side of the building and
banking around. Rhys stood in one of the windows, a palm pressed to the glass,
fire-blue eyes ablaze. Kai gripped the harness until it dug into her hands and
her knuckles turned white. No matter how angry or afraid she was, she’d count
every second until she saw him again.

The city fell away below, and Rhys disappeared from sight.

One-one-thousand.
Two-one-thousand.
Three...

* * * * *

Rhys and Kai’s story continues in
SHADOW OF FLAME
,
coming September 2015 and will conclude with
TRUTH OF EMBERS
releasing
November 2015. For story extras and more information on the
DRAGONSWORN
trilogy, please visit the author’s website:
www.caitlynmcfarland.com
.

Coming Fall 2015 from Caitlyn McFarland and Carina
Press

SHADOW OF FLAME

It’s been two months since Kai Monahan’s life changed
forever. Retrieved from a suddenly unsafe Colorado by Rhys and taken to Eryri,
the dragons’ home in the South Pacific, she lives a secret existence. Rhys—for
all his awe-inspiring power—is afraid to reveal to his people that he’s
heartsworn to a human. One he’s quite possibly in love with.

Kai hasn’t forgotten the terror or pain of the moment Rhys
first took control of her mind and her magic, but neither has she forgotten the
fire of his kiss. When she’s discovered, dragon politics—not to mention spies
and ex-lovers—threaten her growing feelings. Rhys has more enemies than he can
guess, and someone close to him is playing right into their hands.

The war Rhys never wanted is coming. For either of them to
survive, Kai must open her mind to him as never before. This time, there will be
no turning back.

Author
Note

When I started this story, it only had the Elemental
(European) dragons. It was the first book I’d ever tried to write, and it wasn’t
until a few drafts in that I realized how lame that was. Dragon mythology comes
from all over the world; obviously, so should dragons. In expanding the dragons’
world, however, I created a problem for myself. I haven’t had much opportunity
to experience other cultures firsthand. I did my best, but I’m sure that I’ve
glossed over, missed out on or misinterpreted elements of each of my dragons’
originating cultures. For this, I apologize. I really did try.

Some of you may also have noticed that my dragons, ancient as
they are, speak quite modern languages. Unfortunately, this came down to
resources. I would have loved to include dragons speaking proto-Celtic or Old
Persian, but I had a hard enough time finding people to check the languages
still in use today. Let’s just say dragons keep up with language as it
evolves.

For a guide on how to pronounce the characters’ names and
other words, please visit my website,
caitlynmcfarland.com
.

Acknowledgments

This is the first novel I’ve completed, and I was shocked at
how many people it took to bring it into existence. First, of course, I have to
thank my husband and my kids. I’ve been a raging lunatic several times since
I’ve started writing, and they’ve always loved me anyway. I can’t say how much
their support means to me.

I also have to thank the rest of my family and friends. My
brother, Jordan, for giving me the motivation to finish my first novel. Mom,
Lindsay and Ashlyn for reading this project in its earliest stages and letting
me talk about it nonstop. My sister, Kristin, for reading the story and talking
to me about what it’s like to be a retired gymnast. My dad, for always, always
telling me I was smart enough to do anything I wanted. My friend Diane for
making me stick with it (and inspiring many of the Juli-est parts of Juli). And
of course my amazing mother-in-law, who selflessly watches my daughters for
entire weekends so I can go to writing conferences.

Of course, I wouldn’t be much of a writer without the people
I’ve learned from along the way. Deb, Julie, Leah, Alison, Erin J., Sabrina,
Christina, Jenny, Kim, Rae, Charlie, Laura and Erin S. I wish I had pages to
talk about all you’ve done for me!

Thank you so much to my agent, Marlene Stringer, for
believing in this story, and for all of your time, effort and advice. I’ve
learned so much from you! Thank you, also, to my editor, Angela James, for
making the story better than I ever could have made it on my own.

Thank you to everyone who helped me with research, including
my cousin Kenny, Sage Knapp from the Quarry, who taught me about rock climbing,
and Professor Taylor, for correcting my Welsh. Any mistakes in this story are my
fault, not theirs.

Thank you to every author whose books I’ve devoured over the
course of my life, and especially to Gail Carson Levine, Brandon Sanderson and
the countless other selfless writers who share their knowledge of craft online
for free. Without you I never would have known how to begin.

Most of all: thank you, thank you, thank you, to anyone who
reads this book. Whether you liked it or not, I’m so grateful you gave me a
chance.

Also available from
Caitlyn
McFarland
and Carina Press

Watch for the next titles in the Dragonsworn trilogy, coming Fall 2015!

Shadow of Flame

Truth of Embers

About the Author

Originally from the Midwest, Caitlyn McFarland currently
lives in Utah with her husband and three young daughters. She has a bachelor’s
degree in linguistics from Brigham Young University. When she’s not writing
about dragons or running around after her daughters, she can be found hunched
over a sewing machine making elaborate princess costumes. You can find Caitlyn
online in the following places:

Website:
caitlynmcfarland.com

Twitter:
@CHMcFarland

Facebook:
facebook.com/caitlynhmcfarland

Instagram:
caitlynmcfarland

Pinterest (including a board for the Dragonsworn trilogy):
pinterest.com/caitlynhmcfarla

Escape into a world ruled by dragons!

Discover Lorenda Christensen’s Never Deal with Dragons series—available now!

NEVER DEAL WITH DRAGONS
Never Deal with Dragons, book one

Winner, 2012 Romance Writers of America® Golden Heart Award,
Paranormal Romance

Consoling a sobbing dragon and serving pig buffets are just
part of the job for Myrna Banks. Working for a mediation firm, it’s her job to
get humans compensated for damages caused by the dragons who now rule. But her
“typical” day is interrupted by Trian Chobardan, an old flame who sneaked out of
her bed two years ago, taking her heart and a handful of classified documents
with him. Myrna would love to show him the door, but he’s been sent by North
America’s reigning dragon lord for help negotiating a truce with a powerful
rival to avert war.

DANCING WITH DRAGONS
Never Deal with Dragons, book
two

If Carol Jenski knows anything, it’s fashion—and it’s not in
fashion to consort with dragons, even though they’ve coexisted with humans since
World War III. Still, she would never have agreed to take part in a plot against
them. Now a dragon lord has called for her head, her boyfriend is MIA and she’s
been abandoned in a foreign country.

‘TIL DRAGONS DO US PART
Never Deal with Dragons, book
three

Savannah Cavenaugh became a top art thief thanks to a secret
ability—a dragonmorph, she can literally fly away from the scene of the crime.
Next up: stealing a priceless painting out from under the snout of Lord Relobu,
North America’s fearsome dragon ruler. True, she’s never had to work in the
midst of Earth’s most polarizing nuptials before. Keeping her identity hidden
will demand she get creative, to say the least.

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